My elderly dog was not very good this morning. He is getting close to 12 1/2 and doesn't walk well. Is falling down alot and doing a four legged split thing quite often. Not to mention his right front paw gives under him alot when walking. Vet says it is nerve damage. Has bad arthritis also. On our way back to the house this morning a lady was walking past us and of course he gets excited anytime he sees someone and tries to pull towards them. He does this with our neighbors also wanting to be petted. Well the lady walked by and of course he tried to pull me towards her. Panting really heavy. She tried to skirt to the right of him and of course down he went in a four legged split. When I heard this woman go oh, I hope he was playing, I looked down and he had her pants leg in his mouth. Mind you it was pulled away from her leg. I know she thought he was trying to bite her but he is not aggressive, didn't bark a bit at her or anything. He has seen this lady several times walking with her husband. Should I be nervous about this??? He clearly did not bite her. I do not believe that was his intention even.

I hate to say this Nut. Thinking in the best interest of the dog, I am a believer in euthanasia. I know after 12 years you don't want to do something like this. However, I'd rather (and have done this is the past) put the dog down than have him sufer for the rest of his life.

This is just something to think about.

He is overweight and that doesn't help his arthritis any. If he could lose about 15 pounds he would get around better. His momma was the one that I would have had to put down eventually because of her cancer she had in several spots had she not died during surgery. Her quality of life had gone downhill. All dogs go through arthritis stages like people do. He has fallen 4 times since yesterday but can get himself back up. But eventually he won't be able to probably. Gets very stiff from laying so long during the day. When that time comes, I guess I will have to make a decision. I don't think he hurts. And he gets two doggy glucosamine a day. He looks forward to walks in the morning, has a good strong heart still and a good strong bark when excited. I am more concerned about the other in my post though.

Oh, whoops. Guess I confused it with the momma. SOme many critters I can't keep em straight


Anyway, about your question.... I don't know. WHo knows what was going through the dog's mind at the time. How'd the woman take it?

Well, just put it this way, I know she wasn't thrilled with it. But she just went on with her walk. Clearly nothing happened other than his mouth having a hold of the edge of her pants leg. I am thinking the fall on the road maybe hurt him and out of reaction he got hold of her pants leg. I hadn't mentioned my female dog in the initial post. Just never know these days. Don't know about where you are, but here, if a dog bites someone that dog is picked up and held for 10 days at the pound to be watched for rabies, regardless of whether they are current on their shots or not. And he is of course. I was bitten by a dog when I was young, back then no dogs were picked up and held at the pound for 10 days after biting someone. You just dealt with it.

Bubba Bob, thinking about what you said here. My female dog passed away in January 05, she was diabetic.I gave her insulin shots twice a day for just over 2 years. We discovered this one night while she was laying in the floor here and made the biggest puddle and one night her and our remaining dog had a raccoon cornered in the yard and she couldn't walk. Her back legs were wobbly. She had diabetes. I am seeing the same symptoms in him just over the past couple of days as to his backside and back legs being wobbly. This has just been over the past couple of days and he is drinking a huge amount of water which is what she was doing. So I think he might have that and if that is the case, my husband will be giving the shots this time, I am not giving it to this big baby. He won't be as good or as cooperative as his mom was.