I’ve seen posts here on the THF with people paying way more than what their dogs are worth monetarily in vet bills. I know what I can sell each dog I have for and that’s what they are worth. I don’t consider dogs as a family member. I love my dogs but I can love the next one just as much. A torn ACL is a dog with no value to me, as they are likely to tear the other one and will probably never come back as they were before. That dog would be put down. I don’t trial dogs and none of mine will ever have a CH in front of their name.My best friend has $8K invested in a lab I wouldn’t give $500 for healthy. He chose to buy a white lab because he liked the color. I’d pay anything to save a great bird dog that was snake bit, if I thought he would come back 100%. What’s your number?

It seems like there are two discussions here.

If the dog is really just a means to an end, then they are no different than a gun or a hunting vehicle. When they no longer work, you get rid of them. It is just my opinion that if they are not family members, you don’t really love them. They are another tool in the box.

But if they serve two purposes..to hunt and are members of the family, then you’ll spend whatever it takes (or can afford) to at least bring them back to the latter, if not the former as well.

Not passing judgement on either scenario....but count me in the second one.

Dogs are nothing like a gun or hunting vehicle to me. When you consider all of the time and love invested, that’s not a comparison. I view dogs practically and they are worth what they are worth. They’re not kids. When you take on training a dog as a project you won’t succeed if you don’t love dogs in general. I’m just surprised at what some folks will spend on a dog to keep him standing upright in the yard.

Dogs are family. I will do what I can to prevent my family members from suffering. That said, I have made the hard call on each and every one of my past canine family members. And I was there with them from the cradle to the grave.

Age of the dog matters to me as well. My dog is nearly 11. If he gets bit by a copperhead, he's gonna have to suck it and and we'll hope for the best...

I have always placed value on not only the physical contribution but also the emotional contribution. I do have financial limitations but those are set by personal wealth (or lack thereof). My Brittany Josh was my best friend and most frequent companion after my divorce. I would not put a dog down just because he/she could not contribute in the field. I have ended their suffering out of love and respect for them as a family member.

At least give him some Benadryl.

When you say "A torn ACL is a dog with no value to me", love isn't exactly jumping off the screen. I understand your perspective but personally couldn't ever imagine feeling the same as you do on this one. If you drive a working dogs value down to solely monetary, logically you would be defeated before you ever started.

At the end of the day, they're worth whatever someone will pay for them. If the OP doesn't think a dog with torn ACL is worth 200, then maybe someone gets a bad [censored] dog because he doesn't want to fool with it...
I love my dogs and have a ton of time, money and sacrifice invested in them. In fact, they're(the trials and training) about the only thing my wife and I argue about anymore.
That being said, they're tools that I need to run field trials. It's my job to take care of my tools to make sure they last as long as possible. I've got insurance for wierd stuff or accidents.
If they can't cut the mustard and do the work needed (not smart enough or don't have the want to), and no physical issues exist, they'll find themselves on someonelses couch.
All of that to say, with the investments i've got in them, I would fix just about anything that went wrong with them for competitive purposes until they're about 9 or 10, which at that point they would be retired. And I would still get fixed so that they could live a comfortable life.
my $0.02

Not sure and it depends on the dog. At my house they do become part of the family. Nothing approaching the obligatory unlimited care of the human members but as one of the family pets at my house, the bird dogs I keep hit the lotto.

She's a helluva black lab but she's also a family member. Whatever it takes for her to be happy and healthy, even if she can't hunt any longer. But when she gets to the point that she is miserable and her quality of life sux, I'll have her humanely euthanized. And the wife and I will be by her side as she closes her eyes and takes her last breath, as painful as that will be. Dang, got teary eyed just typing that.

I would do just about anything I could, and have, but age would be a big deciding factor too. Hard to say until faced with the situation.

Seems like most would do anything they could, regardless of the hunting aspect, to give the dog a good quality of life in the event of an issue.

Age is always a deciding factor. We had a little Shih Tzu that needed back surgery at 8. And there was no guarantee that it would work. And it was expensive. But we could afford to do it, so there was not a question. Worked out and the little bugger had a great life all the way to 16.

Had a GSP that was a crackerjack. But when she was two, developed epilepsy. Tried everything....different medication, diet. Gradually got worse, to the point that at 5 we decided to put her down. Was a horrible to decision to make. She was perfectly normal 99 percent of the time, but the seizures gradually got more frequent and worse. They were terrible. I'd have spent just about anything to keep her from those. Hardest thing ever.

I spend more than I should on crapola that doesn't matter....for me, my dogs make the choice easy.

I cried like a baby on my last one. Not yet 2 years old. She had liver problems and I did not have the 26k to lay out to give her a 5% chance of overcoming. I set in the vet's floor and held her until she was gone and then some. Chin quivering and balling like a baby. I did all I could do to help her while she was here.

Why I have PetPlan on both my young dogs.

I am in it for the long haul with my dogs. There is a limit of course but I'd do what I could.

I laid out the cash for TPLO surgery on a 9 1/2 year old last year. He got his 5th Master National pass last year and going for his 6th this year. Even if the surgery wasn't financially possible he wouldn't have been useless to me. The things that the two of us have accomplished together sealed his future at my house, regardless of inability to perform.

I had to put down a 13 year old lab two years ago. He was a good retriever, house pet, and my wife’s best friend. I decided when he was 11 I wasn’t putting anymore money into him. He retired and got to live like a king under the air conditioning. He was healthy until the last week of life. My wife said she couldn’t take me shooting him so I brought him to the vets office. That was the most traumatic end to a life I’ve e ever witnessed. The vet’s assistant was even crying. His heart wasn’t pumping enough and he needed a second shot. It’s much easier on me to dig a hole and just put a dog in the ground. I’ll never do the vet trip again. I was crying like a baby.

I’ve never had a pointing dog make it past 8. Something always seems to happen to the good ones, and that’s the only ones I’ll keep. I work my dogs hard but take great care of them. That’s what they’re for. I hope the kennel full I have now last a long time, everyone’s under 5. I’m in it for the long haul but won’t ever have a dog that takes daily medication or fix problems they won’t come back 100% from.

I put my wifes lap dog down 3 weeks ago, vet was wonderful, assistant was wonderful, and wife handled it very well. I have put a lot of dogs down my self and had the vet do a few and none are easy. I ask a vet a few years ago what was easier on the dog, for him to do it or for me and the 22 to do it. He stated no difference. I agree with him but sometimes the vet option is the best option.

I’ve done it both ways. Either way is hard.

First photos is when 'Nelly' took my wife on her first duck hunt.

Second photo was on New Year's Day, the following year.

Third photo. What can I say? Today is 'Nelly's' 9th birthday. She enjoys dressing up for holidays and her birthday.

According to my bride.

To answer the question in the first post of this tjread is quality of life. In quality of life is gone pull the plug. That goes for me to.