Enzo's RB Story

Enzo came into rescue as a serial biter with severe food aggression. The bites were aways food related and were always on the fingers. It was a long haul, but over the course of a year of fostering he made a lot of progress - to the point where I could feed him by hand. 

He still had 'quirks'; Enzo required a lot of solitary time. He would make a low growl if he wanted to be left alone, (which we respected) and he was fascinated by shiny objects and shadows. His behavior was not typical Vizsla, but he was young, very beautiful, and well trained by a previous owner so we succumbed to his charming side, and he became our dog. Unadoptable but adorable. 

Fast forward two years. Life had settled into a routine that revolved around Enzo. He was aloof, but had become a world class snuggler, whimpering to get on the couch or bed and under the covers. He seemed as happy as Enzo could be. Occasionally we'd acknowledge that he seemed a bit grumpier, or was it aggressive? When you live with a problem it becomes the norm. Your perception becomes skewed. 

He had started to refuse his daily Prozac pill, and I was experimenting with tasty treats to get it down him. One morning I found the pill on the living room floor and decided to try one more thing. In a flash all the progress we'd made was gone. Enzo grabbed my hand and gave it a serious bite. I remember looking at him in disbelief, and crying, 'Why did you do that?' He actually looked like he had no idea why, but he was sorry.   

With blood trickling down my arm my husband and I decided the grand experiment was over. Enzo was not trustworthy. What if he bit another person? What if he slipped out of his trail ambassador role and bit someone, we met hiking? Mark called the vet and after a twenty-minute conversation she agreed euthanizing was called for. I appreciated her reticence to slip a needle in him. It's a big step and not to be taken lightly. 

It's been a month since Enzo's journey over the Rainbow Bridge. Did we do the right thing? Should he have been euthanized three years ago and never been in rescue? I believe the answers are different for each person. We did what worked for us. I think that it speaks well of 2nd Chance Vizsla Rescue that we recognized Enzo was unadoptable. The decision to keep him was made by volunteers with 20 years of rescue experience. Our choice. Our mistake? In his way he brought us joy, and we were the best parents Enzo could have ever had, soooo... 



Dani