BigBadDodge
Registered
My beloved black shephard zeus went home today
. Due to some legal issues, and just the emotional event the past few years with this dog have been i've had to keep things on the down low. being its now over i figured i'd put it out here to my brothers, sisters and fellow dog owners. I'd ask if your on my facebook to not mention anything, i've taken this alot better than some of my family has and would rather them try to keep they're minds off it.
Without getting to wordy, i picked up zeus at age 3, pure breed east german black shepherd. Starting getting him into bite work, the dog excelled at everything i threw at him and in the next few years he was competing both in defense stuff along with agility/control stuff. At the end of the day he'd curl up on the couch and was just a normal dog. great with other dogs, people and kids. The woman i was dating at the time had a 3yr old daughter who would pull on his ears, tail and ride him and he had no issues with it.(somewhere boxed up i have a picture of 2 3yr old girls riding him and they have him in a birthday hat). He became very protective of her and rather than sleeping in my room he would sleep next to her, if she rolled over to the other side of her bed he would move to the other side of the floor. In the dark you did not want to walk in quiet, her mom could go in no problem i had to stop at the door and call zeus out or he'd be at attention.
The night of July 17th 2008 the woman had gone to work, it was me and her daughter, having to be up early i put her to bed about 8 and i hit it around 9, zeus was at her bed as usual, her mom got home around 2, and i fell back asleep, around 230 i woke to her shoving me and heard a low grumble out of zeus, this dog never made a sound in the house, wide awake knowing there was trouble i jump outta bed grab my .45, and head for the door. I hit our bedroom door and heard glass break from the family room(was in my condo at this point 2 bedrooms down the hall and opened up to the famly room). Hit her door and zues was at attention at the end of the bed, she was awake i called zeus out and her mom locked them in the room to call the police.(had planned for something like this and luckily she knew to inform i had the dog and guns). As soon as we hit the end of the hallway there were 2 men infront of me maybe 10ft. Zeus had hit attack stance as soon as i leveled up the glock, yelled a warning that i had a gun and would release my dog and to freeze. Both men stop dead in they're tracks and in the shadows can see the one closest dropping his hand behind his back, he took 1 step forward and i commanded zeus to go. he lunged forward and grabbed him right in the thigh putting him to the ground, guy 2 is dead in his tracks and my front sights on him, not paying attention to the dog i heard a slight wimper and caught zeus releasing off his leg onto his arm, guys screaming to get him off, watching guy 2 i command zeus to hold, i can see police lights at this point.
Officer comes around the corner of the condo and through the broken sliding glass door gun drawn, i turn and set mine on the table and put my hands up, he cuffs guy 2 and as second officer comes in i call back zeus. He sits beside me and i reach down to his head and feel liquid, back up and turn lights on and not only is the carpet where this all took place covered in blood but zeus's face is as well. At some point during the scuffle he took the knife, starting about an inch above his right eye and the cut running about halfway down his snout. This was the wimper i had heard, i tell the cop he needs to get to the vet, tells me i cant leave yet. Call my dad which literally went like this, somethings happened i'll explain later zeus needs to get to the vet now come get him, called his vet(yes at this point at 330 in the morning says he's on his way, no problem). Going through the story with cop after cop, an officer shows up that i know, he goes so you didnt shoot him, said nope i put the dog on him, first responding cop is looking at amazement at how well i have this "pet" trained. He goes man you should have shot him instead. At that point my heart sunk.
Get squared away neighbor says he'll board up the window and woman and her daughter crashed at his house for the night, i go tearing off for the vet, get there and there is a cop car and animal control truck out front. Go in and my dad tells me he's in surgery, probably gonna loose the eye now what the hell went on there. Cop tells me they are going to have to take my "viscious" dog. argue with him that he's better trained than half they're police dogs etc etc finally my dad says let him go we'll deal with it. 3 days later zeus left the vet in the back of an animal control truck. he was almost 8yrs old at the time. Next 2 years were spent with him locked up in the "dangerous" dog area of the local shelter and i was in and out of court trying to save my own a$$ as well as his. Tried everything possible, even offering up my own freedom to let him out. Finally towards the end of last year the charges brought upon me by the burglars were thrown out and the legal battle was over. However zeus wasnt getting so lucky as the county considered him dangerous and needed to be put down. I wasnt going to let that happen, about a year into all this he had developed a cancerous tumor, it was removed but they were worried it had spread. Keep in mind i have now become good friends with everyone at the shelter, i literally was in there everyday to see him, but he wasnt allowed out of the kennel they are on my side and even coming to tell the court he's a great dog no worries to let him out. 3 months ago, on the verge of being utterly broke through all this i finally made a deal with the courts. Zeus could live out his days (which i figured were very numbered his health was declining rapidly) and wouldnt be put down, i begged and begged that he be able to come home with me but they werent having it.
Every evening the past 3 months i've been there with his milk bone petting him through the kennel, he hasnt been into just lays around, only dog in that area of the shelter just relaxed, no barking or growling. They started letting me walk him around the kennels leashed which meant the world to me. Well this morning one of the ladies called me he had been up all night throwing up blood and was in real bad shape she said she didnt think he was gonna make it through the day. Told the boss, he asked if i wanted him or my current woman(who i work with) to come with me, told him i needed to go alone. Got there about 9, they had him out of his kennel in a side room, he stood up as soon as i walked in and sat at my feet. The dog that had once flown through the air at bite sleeves, swam ran and crawled could barely stand on his own. They told me to take him outside and spend some time. Trying to hold back tears i told him come and we walked through the kennels he didnt flinch at any of the other dogs barking, we walked down the hall with people there to look at dogs, and the workers who know me and knew his story. We went out the front doors and i sat down on the grass, he layed down and put his head in my lap, it was cold and windy but everything just blurred. We were out there about 15 minutes and he turned his head up and licked my face, i broke down at this point, he never licked, his tounge was cold and dry, he put his head down and i put my hand against the side of his face and he went limp, i looked at my watch it was 938. I dont know how long i sat there but the older lady thats been there since day 1 came up behind me and rubbed my back, i turned to her and she was in tears, to my left there was most of the staff standing there tissues in hand and tears. I stood up and they had wheeled a cart out from the back to get him. I picked him up and carried him inside myself. Sitting in the truck trying to straighten myself up the past 9 years just kept running through my head, him at his peak, the time and money i put into him. This was the dog that was ready to give his life for me without question and lost his eye for it. Was it right to train him that way, was the decisions i made that night the right ones and then it hit me i needed to call shannon and let her know(she was the one i was with at the time,) and every night i had to call and let her daughter know how zeus was, we had been broke up for 5 years but everytime i went to see him i had to call, and her sweet little voice would answer the phone "hows my doggy" they also visited him quite often, it was a call i didnt want to make but i called her and let her know zeus passed, and to break it to her daughter the best she could. My sister was hysterical and tonight my dad said her and my mom both were taking it real hard. I've been a wreck all day. This has taken probably the better part of 2hrs to type up.
I have been looking at some dogs the past few months but didnt feel right getting one, zeus was still alive and he was my dog, the older woman from the shelter called tonight to check up on me and told me no rush but she has a friend with a female purebred gsd, 8mos old, she's going to be moving and it would be her honor if i took her. Told her i wanted to meet her this weekend. She asked if i was ok with another one, and was it to soon, said no i need to get another good dog around here, i can tell yall this i will not go into any kind of defense training with her, she'll just be a shop dog. I have no regrets with what i did with zeus, we constantly pushed each other to see who would back down first, met some great people and had alot of fun. Tonight this drink is for him!
Picture with the ball was taken the first week i had him so about 3 yrs old, second pic was taken about a month before all that happened about age 5, somewhere i have pics and what not of him and i boxed up. Need to dig them out lost most of them when my laptop died.
. Due to some legal issues, and just the emotional event the past few years with this dog have been i've had to keep things on the down low. being its now over i figured i'd put it out here to my brothers, sisters and fellow dog owners. I'd ask if your on my facebook to not mention anything, i've taken this alot better than some of my family has and would rather them try to keep they're minds off it. Without getting to wordy, i picked up zeus at age 3, pure breed east german black shepherd. Starting getting him into bite work, the dog excelled at everything i threw at him and in the next few years he was competing both in defense stuff along with agility/control stuff. At the end of the day he'd curl up on the couch and was just a normal dog. great with other dogs, people and kids. The woman i was dating at the time had a 3yr old daughter who would pull on his ears, tail and ride him and he had no issues with it.(somewhere boxed up i have a picture of 2 3yr old girls riding him and they have him in a birthday hat). He became very protective of her and rather than sleeping in my room he would sleep next to her, if she rolled over to the other side of her bed he would move to the other side of the floor. In the dark you did not want to walk in quiet, her mom could go in no problem i had to stop at the door and call zeus out or he'd be at attention.
The night of July 17th 2008 the woman had gone to work, it was me and her daughter, having to be up early i put her to bed about 8 and i hit it around 9, zeus was at her bed as usual, her mom got home around 2, and i fell back asleep, around 230 i woke to her shoving me and heard a low grumble out of zeus, this dog never made a sound in the house, wide awake knowing there was trouble i jump outta bed grab my .45, and head for the door. I hit our bedroom door and heard glass break from the family room(was in my condo at this point 2 bedrooms down the hall and opened up to the famly room). Hit her door and zues was at attention at the end of the bed, she was awake i called zeus out and her mom locked them in the room to call the police.(had planned for something like this and luckily she knew to inform i had the dog and guns). As soon as we hit the end of the hallway there were 2 men infront of me maybe 10ft. Zeus had hit attack stance as soon as i leveled up the glock, yelled a warning that i had a gun and would release my dog and to freeze. Both men stop dead in they're tracks and in the shadows can see the one closest dropping his hand behind his back, he took 1 step forward and i commanded zeus to go. he lunged forward and grabbed him right in the thigh putting him to the ground, guy 2 is dead in his tracks and my front sights on him, not paying attention to the dog i heard a slight wimper and caught zeus releasing off his leg onto his arm, guys screaming to get him off, watching guy 2 i command zeus to hold, i can see police lights at this point.
Officer comes around the corner of the condo and through the broken sliding glass door gun drawn, i turn and set mine on the table and put my hands up, he cuffs guy 2 and as second officer comes in i call back zeus. He sits beside me and i reach down to his head and feel liquid, back up and turn lights on and not only is the carpet where this all took place covered in blood but zeus's face is as well. At some point during the scuffle he took the knife, starting about an inch above his right eye and the cut running about halfway down his snout. This was the wimper i had heard, i tell the cop he needs to get to the vet, tells me i cant leave yet. Call my dad which literally went like this, somethings happened i'll explain later zeus needs to get to the vet now come get him, called his vet(yes at this point at 330 in the morning says he's on his way, no problem). Going through the story with cop after cop, an officer shows up that i know, he goes so you didnt shoot him, said nope i put the dog on him, first responding cop is looking at amazement at how well i have this "pet" trained. He goes man you should have shot him instead. At that point my heart sunk.
Get squared away neighbor says he'll board up the window and woman and her daughter crashed at his house for the night, i go tearing off for the vet, get there and there is a cop car and animal control truck out front. Go in and my dad tells me he's in surgery, probably gonna loose the eye now what the hell went on there. Cop tells me they are going to have to take my "viscious" dog. argue with him that he's better trained than half they're police dogs etc etc finally my dad says let him go we'll deal with it. 3 days later zeus left the vet in the back of an animal control truck. he was almost 8yrs old at the time. Next 2 years were spent with him locked up in the "dangerous" dog area of the local shelter and i was in and out of court trying to save my own a$$ as well as his. Tried everything possible, even offering up my own freedom to let him out. Finally towards the end of last year the charges brought upon me by the burglars were thrown out and the legal battle was over. However zeus wasnt getting so lucky as the county considered him dangerous and needed to be put down. I wasnt going to let that happen, about a year into all this he had developed a cancerous tumor, it was removed but they were worried it had spread. Keep in mind i have now become good friends with everyone at the shelter, i literally was in there everyday to see him, but he wasnt allowed out of the kennel they are on my side and even coming to tell the court he's a great dog no worries to let him out. 3 months ago, on the verge of being utterly broke through all this i finally made a deal with the courts. Zeus could live out his days (which i figured were very numbered his health was declining rapidly) and wouldnt be put down, i begged and begged that he be able to come home with me but they werent having it.
Every evening the past 3 months i've been there with his milk bone petting him through the kennel, he hasnt been into just lays around, only dog in that area of the shelter just relaxed, no barking or growling. They started letting me walk him around the kennels leashed which meant the world to me. Well this morning one of the ladies called me he had been up all night throwing up blood and was in real bad shape she said she didnt think he was gonna make it through the day. Told the boss, he asked if i wanted him or my current woman(who i work with) to come with me, told him i needed to go alone. Got there about 9, they had him out of his kennel in a side room, he stood up as soon as i walked in and sat at my feet. The dog that had once flown through the air at bite sleeves, swam ran and crawled could barely stand on his own. They told me to take him outside and spend some time. Trying to hold back tears i told him come and we walked through the kennels he didnt flinch at any of the other dogs barking, we walked down the hall with people there to look at dogs, and the workers who know me and knew his story. We went out the front doors and i sat down on the grass, he layed down and put his head in my lap, it was cold and windy but everything just blurred. We were out there about 15 minutes and he turned his head up and licked my face, i broke down at this point, he never licked, his tounge was cold and dry, he put his head down and i put my hand against the side of his face and he went limp, i looked at my watch it was 938. I dont know how long i sat there but the older lady thats been there since day 1 came up behind me and rubbed my back, i turned to her and she was in tears, to my left there was most of the staff standing there tissues in hand and tears. I stood up and they had wheeled a cart out from the back to get him. I picked him up and carried him inside myself. Sitting in the truck trying to straighten myself up the past 9 years just kept running through my head, him at his peak, the time and money i put into him. This was the dog that was ready to give his life for me without question and lost his eye for it. Was it right to train him that way, was the decisions i made that night the right ones and then it hit me i needed to call shannon and let her know(she was the one i was with at the time,) and every night i had to call and let her daughter know how zeus was, we had been broke up for 5 years but everytime i went to see him i had to call, and her sweet little voice would answer the phone "hows my doggy" they also visited him quite often, it was a call i didnt want to make but i called her and let her know zeus passed, and to break it to her daughter the best she could. My sister was hysterical and tonight my dad said her and my mom both were taking it real hard. I've been a wreck all day. This has taken probably the better part of 2hrs to type up.
I have been looking at some dogs the past few months but didnt feel right getting one, zeus was still alive and he was my dog, the older woman from the shelter called tonight to check up on me and told me no rush but she has a friend with a female purebred gsd, 8mos old, she's going to be moving and it would be her honor if i took her. Told her i wanted to meet her this weekend. She asked if i was ok with another one, and was it to soon, said no i need to get another good dog around here, i can tell yall this i will not go into any kind of defense training with her, she'll just be a shop dog. I have no regrets with what i did with zeus, we constantly pushed each other to see who would back down first, met some great people and had alot of fun. Tonight this drink is for him!
Picture with the ball was taken the first week i had him so about 3 yrs old, second pic was taken about a month before all that happened about age 5, somewhere i have pics and what not of him and i boxed up. Need to dig them out lost most of them when my laptop died.
