Heartbroken, advice needed. :(

I've never heard of a black airedale. I have a sinking feeling that your breeder isn't a very good one and only breeds for a strange color and doesn't care about conformation or health testing.

I'm so sorry you have this awful choice to make! You are right, this dog should never be used to stud! And he has some very serious problems...there are some better qualified folks on this board who may have some ideas, but all I can really offer is sympathy and I hope you find a solution!

Welcome to I dog, I'm sorry it's such a sad story that brought you here. 

If I were in your position, I certainly wouldn't bring the dog back to the breeder.  What I would do is have a very serious and lengthy discussion with my trusted veterinarian about the dog's future quality of life, and also about the amount of money it will require to give this dog a quality life.  There may be a difficult decision involved. 

It sounds like you bought your dog from a very unscrupulous breeder.  I don't mean to sound unkind, but if your vet cannot offer help to your boy, it would seem kinder to relinquish him to an Airedale rescue (if he really is one), where they might have the funds and time or ability to care for him during a long recovery, for example.  Otherwise, personally, I would rather cry my tears and hold my dog in my arms and let him go than to send him off to an uncertain, and possibly harsh future.  Tough choices, and I don't envy you.  You may want to hang out for a while on the Health section here.  Someone (Callie comes to mind) might have some suggestions for alternative therapies that can make the dog more comfy.

Do NOT give that dog back to the breeder! I'm so sorry to hear what you have to go thought, my own dog has hip dispalsia so I can somewhat relate. It's not at all a nice thing to have and will eat your money faser than you can shove it out. If he has as many problems as you describe the breed may only have him euthanised. I would just give him the best possible life he can have. He will never be able to be a working dog but he can still be a good friend. I wish had better advice but I really do wish you the best of luck in careing for your dear Dieter.

I sympathize with you over the problems that were obviously bred into your dog.  It seems you have invested a lot of love and $$$ into this animal.  That said....why would you even consider returning her to a breeder you KNOW is going to continue the bad genetics for other animals to suffer. I really thought you loved the dog till you said you didn't know what to do...give it to a breeder that will make a brood bitch out of her so she can turn out more sick dogs and make her emotionally sick as well seeing as how her "family" that she loves is putting her into a horrifying environment or continue to feed what? The money pit?  If she is suffering do one last kind thing for her and have her euthanized...at least she will no longer be suffering from her ailments and she won't die from a broken heart!

I wish I could offer you some sort of comfort.  I was almost in tears reading your post.  The decision that you make should not involve the "breeder" that you got your precious one from.  The decision should involve quality of life for your pup.  This, as was said in another reply, should involve the veterinary staff and your family.

I know that it's not a choice that I would envy, but perhaps someone here on iDog will be able to help you out in an unexpected way.  Good luck and keep us posted.

To Jeano: I'd never heard of them either, but upon research realized that they do exist but are very rare. My vet also confirmed Dieter's Airedale status. The breeder not only had black Airedale's, but many of the ones we're more accustomed to seeing. Thank you so much for the kind words Jeano, as I find myself in tears every time I look at him or think about him. I've visited this site often in the past, so I agree about the knowledgeable folks here.

To Angelamarie: The only reason we thought about bringing him back is because they promised to keep him alive despite his condition. I also couldn't imagine for a moment that anyone other than the original owners would want a dog with so many ailments. They repeatedly told up when we got Dieter that we should bring him back for any reason whatsoever." That if 'anything' happened, that they would take care of him. As an additional thought, I also believed that maybe Dieter would fare better there having other Airedale's (probably in similar condition), to play with. But now that I write this, I realize how stupid this actually sounds. We did discuss his condition with our vet and he advised that it will get worse and that treatment is indeed costly. I'm also concerned because we live at a high and very moist/rainy elevation. I don't know if the weather affects arthritic dogs, but I always remember the way elderly family members complained more about their joints when it was damp or rainy. Thank you so much for replying to my post Angelmarie.

To Spiritdogs: I certainly agree about the breeder being unscrupulous--he certainly had us fooled though. He lives in a right good neighborhood, has an immaculate and beautiful home where all of the dogs run free on their large, fenced in (and spectacular) property. Their were no kennels or cages in sight and all of the dogs appeared to be groomed and in good health. The breeders also appeared to be very caring, but my suspicion is that their black Airedale's are being inbred. My vet mentioned that this could be possible based on Dieter's numerous and unique health problems. We first became suspicious when the breeders promised to send Dieter's papers, but never sent them even after numerous requests. I agree with what you said about crying and holding our boy--that's all we've been doing lately. But I can't tell you how hard it is to see such a large, majestic dog unable to walk comfortably. Our boy is unusually large for an Airedale, weighing in at 80 pounds. His sister, which also has problems and goes to the same vet as we do, also weighs in at a staggering 74 pounds. I suppose if he were smaller the dysplasia would be less pronounced, I don't know really. I'll certainly look into the possibility of rescue (I'd never thought of that), however, I don't think we have anything here in Hawaii. Maybe we could fly him back to the mainland. Thank you for taking the time to discuss my boy spiritdogs--I truly appreciate it.

To Xebby: Sorry to hear about your doggie. And yes, dysplasia is costly and saddening. You should have seen our vet's face when he told us. He didn't even have to say anything, but I already knew it was serious. We're trying our best to give him a good life, but the cost is straining our family. Also, I'm concerned about what he's going through and also about what's the right thing to do. Thank you so much for the reply Xebby, all of your words mean a lot.

To cubbyrescue: Although I appreciate your response, I'm saddened by your tone. I'm no expert and I truly don't know what's the best thing to do in this situation. My emotions are high and the advice I'm getting is all over the board. My brother in law, who runs a doggie shop in Manhattan says that I should return the dog. My mother says that I should care for Dieter, even if the bills bleed us dry. Other friends say that we should have him euthanized, which IMO, hurts the most. I could never imagine those big brown eyes closing for good. Am I wrong for asking advice from dog-lovers, for posting this thread? I'm sorry I'm not as knowledgeable as you are about dogs, but at least I care enough to ask. Also, Dieter is a boy, and we've had him neutered and micro-chipped (something the breeders are not aware of). Dieter will sire no future litters. Again, I'm sorry if my post has offended you.

To Xerxes: Thank you so much for the advice. After reading so many posts advising against returning him to the breeder, we won't go that route. Please forgive my ignorance, but I thought it was the right thing to do, that the breeder would care for him despite his ailments. Wishful thinking I suppose. He never cared enough to ensure the blood-line, so what would lead me to think that he'd care for my infirmed pup? I suppose I was mesmerized by their property and all those beautiful Airedale's frolicking about in nature. They seemed caring, but now I realize that they're idiots--dare I even say criminals! I'm really torn up, as I've never loved an animal as much as this dog. I've got a farm full of cuddly chickens that I love dearly, but they can't compare to the friendship or the warm eyes of a dog. This is just awful, I have to take a break now. Thank you so much for being there.

To be perfectly honest... that breeder doesnt care about the dog or they wouldnt have yelled at you about his issues or your inquiring about returning him.  A rescue IS an option but finding another family to cover the cost of his issues will be tough, so he may be destined to spend his days in a rescue until they decide its his time.  The breeder will likely do the same... euthanize after they realize the extent of his issues and the cost as they are obviously breeding for money and have many others to worry about.  After they find out you have neutered I would think his destiny certain.
 
I dont see how you could consider sending him to an uncertain future either with an uncaring breeder or a rescue somewhere.  I know your looking for options here and thats great but you said you loved him dearly.  Think about that love and then decide what to do whether it be taking on the care for him for as long as you can, or letting the poor guy go to the Bridge.  That is a hard decision but honestly I would feel way worse knowing I sent him off somewhere where who knows whats going to happen to him than I would feel if I let him go to save him from a life of pain.
 
I dont think your decision to let him go should be based on money either... that would require an very in depth conversation with the vet about his future and which option would be better.
 
 

I was typing when you posted the last thing about not returning him to the breeder... sorry for being repetetive....  good decision.

posts advising against returning him to the breeder, we won't go that route.

 
Usually, most people here would suggest finding a breeder with a take-back policy. Well, you've shown us the other side of that coin. Is a take-back policy always the best? Not necessarily. It sounds like you've been doing the best that you can.
 
I also think that breeder should stop that line. Not only is it bad for future dogs, it's also a liability. Then again, I assume that they'll take back the dog and probably re-sell it later to someone else. Or, they'll put him to sleep.

To me it really comes down to quality of life. 
 
Is your dog happy, or miserable.  Will medications or physical therapy ever make him happy, or will he always be in pain and miserable? 
 
If your dog is always going to be in pain, then its time to make the tough call and let him go.  If meds or physical therapy can make him happy, but not the quality dog you want, then perhaps you need to think of him as a simple family pet, not as a working dog on your farm.  If you really want the dog for working purposes, then you should probably think of a different dog anyway.  
 
But quality of life is the key.  This type of decision is no easier now when the dog is young vs old and on the final days/wks of its life. 
 
I would not return him to the breeder.  Day 1 when the dog came with fleas and worms they should have been reported to the proper authorities. 

Did you take him to a vet!

I too would probably be considering the euthanasia route.  I know it's tough but it really is quality of life for the dog.  If the dog is in pain and surgery *may* fix the problem, but not guaranteed, then this may be the best route for both of you.  I don't envy your situation but give all the support I can give from thousands of miles away....