Something unthinkable has happened.  Some situation has arisen that has forced you to make a decision that you really don't want to make.  You must get rid of your Scottie.  You bought this dog with the best intentions.  You were going to love it and care for it for the rest of its life.  You fully expected this dog to be with you for the long haul, for the next 12-15 years, and then this "something" happened.  That "something" that has happened can be only one of two things: Something has happened to you OR something has happened to the dog.  You are able to take care of yourself.  Your dog can't.  You are all your dog has, so please afford them the kindness and respect and thoughtfulness in making this decision that you would any family member.  He's depending on you to do the right thing.

Lets look a you a minute, and see what is going on.  Let us re-evaluate the situation.  What kind of problem are you having that you can not possibly work through to keep your companion?

2) You are having a baby and you can't keep the dog.  Okay, first off....who says that you can't keep the dog? You have had this dog for years, and now that you are having a real baby, you want to throw your fur-kid away.  You have 9 months AT LEAST to prepare the dog.  It takes relatively little to adjust a dog's schedule, and sometimes the dogs can be very protective of children, and love them just as much as you do.  Give it a try and see what happens.  You may want to jumble up your dogs schedule to get them used to the baby's schedule when it gets here.  You can also buy audio tapes of a baby crying and play them beforehand so that they are used to the sound when the new baby comes.  If your dog has never shown any type of aggression before, chances are its not going to toward the baby either.  Just because you are having a baby doesn't mean that the dog has to go.

3) You are having financial trouble .  There are many groups that are set up to help the owners of pets during troubled times.  Sometimes need is the only qualification that you have to have.  These programs are available to help with medical problems, as well as food and supplies.  One such program is Purina Pets for People.  Check with Humane groups as well as dog food companies to see what they offer.  Some groups are breed specific so contact your local rescue representative and ask them too.  Most of these services are free, and you are under no obligation to repay the money or supplies.

4) You are suffering an extended illness.   Take a realistic look at your situation.  Are you physically unable to care for the dog for a long period of time? Is there anyone in the family, or friends or neighbors that could come over and help care for the dog while you are ill?  Sometimes even Petsitters will give you discounted rates in the event of illness or death in the family to come and feed and walk the dog daily.  Check with petsitters in your area to find out.

5) You don't have time for the dog anymore.   Sometimes a change in job schedules or lifestyle will change the amount of time that you have to spend with your pet.  You don't feel like its fair to him to be alone so long at a time.  Again, realistically look at the situation. A grown Scottie requires much less attention that a Scottie pup, and they are surely lower on the attention-maintenence scale than many other breeds.  How long is this situation going to last? Weeks? Months? Years? Is it a permanent change or a temporary one? Check into Doggy Day Care or a petsitter to provide your pet with some activity daily until your schedule is worked out.  Some dogs even like interactive toys such as Roll-a-treat balls or Buster Cubes (both toys require the dog to move them around for the treats to fall out) perhaps something as simple as a few new toys could relieve their boredom and make you feel better about leaving them at home. 

Okay, that takes care of you....now lets look at the dog.

About the only reason that would be the dogs fault would be behavior problems, and likely that isn't the dogs fault entirely anyway.  What is the dog doing? Is he not housebroken? Does he bark incessantly? Does he suffer separation anxiety and try to destroy the house while you are gone? Have you honestly tried to fix the problem and it still isn't fixed? Have you exhausted all the options that you have to a given situation?  Have you talked to a professional trainer or behaviorist for advice about what you should do?  Have you been consistent in your training solutions?  Have you spoken to your Veterinarian about behavior modifying drugs?  All these questions need to be answered before you make a decision.

So now, you have read this far, and decided that you still need to get rid of your dog. . .
Here are your options.

1) You can have the dog euthanized.   Sometimes this is the only alternative that you have.  Especially if the "behavior" that you haven't been able to solve has been an aggression problem.  Logically and ethically you can not pass this problem on to someone else.  If the new owners are injured or harmed in any way, they could sue you for giving them an aggressive dog even if you told them about the behavior before placing the dog.  The kindest thing to do to this type of dog is have him humanely put to sleep.  Sometimes dogs are too old or too sickly to survive such a drastic life change.  They too, need to be afforded a final act of kindness, done with love and not fear because they are in a strangers arms.

2) You can take the dog to an animal shelter.   Animal shelters take in dogs of all sorts, and maybe someone will adopt him, and maybe they won't.  Chances are, they won't.  In some areas of the country up to 90% of animals in shelters are never adopted and have to be put down.  There just aren't enough good homes for them all.  Shelters are there for abandoned and neglected dogs, not for dogs that just "aren't wanted" anymore.  Owner turn in's can be euthanized immediately due to temperament or lack of space, the law only protects "strays" for a few days, giving their owner time to claim them.

3) You can seek help through a rescue organization.   They can either assist you in placing the dog yourself, or take the dog into foster care until a suitable home can be found.  Most rescue organizations don't euthanize animals due to space.  The dogs are kept until a permanent home can be found, no matter how long it takes.  Some organizations may want you to make a donation to help with the animals care while it is in rescue.  It isn't a requirement, but it sure helps them to be able to help other dogs.

4) You can place the dog yourself.  Whether posting on a bulletin board or putting an ad in the local newspaper, you should always charge a fee for your dog. In the throw away society that we live in, most people don't value anything that they didn't have to pay for.   Write up a simple statement pushing the positive points of your dog (i.e. Housebroken, likes children, gets along well with cats/other dogs) and if possible include a recent photo of your dog.  Don't be afraid to ask for references, and be honest with callers about what type of home you want your pet to go to.  If something just doesn't sound right about a particular placement, then don't place the dog there....simple as that.  Also its good to keep your dog in good groomed condition, have them up to date on their shots and if they aren't already, have them spayed or neutered.  Spayed and Neutered animals aren't any good to puppymiller's because they can't produce, so that's one less worry when placing an altered animal. All this makes them more adoptable.  Many rescue organizations will offer to list your pet with their rescues in hopes of helping you place your dog.  They do this at no charge, but the final decision is up to you.  Many rescuers are more than ready to help guide you in making a decision.

I hope that you have found this information helpful.  And if you did reconsider and decide to keep your Scottie, good for you.  If you decided that it would be best to let your pet go, then I hope that you have more useful information now as to what your options are.  Either way, I hope that it helped you make the best decision for both you and your Scottie.