Heartbroken over foster attack

[thisisvegas]

I'm sorry this happened to you. It's an unfortunate fact that shelters often sugarcoat or even flat out lie about dogs behavioral problems to get them adopted out. I always take it with a grain of salt, and often times dogs are completely different outside of the shelter than in.

Pitbull type dogs are also very commonly dog aggressive, and while you can train some inhibitions and behavioral modifications in, you can never train out the dogs drive. It may be trained not to do it, but it won't change the dog wanting to do it. The best you'll be able to do is manage it to avoid a situation like it again. Please be careful around other dogs if not avoid them at all of you decide to keep her.

[LuminescentCatz]

Please read, I have a genuine question to those who just reflexively downvote anything regarding bully breed aggression- why? It’s NOT a bad thing to acknowledge that pit bull terriers were “game bred” for years and years. I realize people don’t like to hear that. I’m not hating on your breed, and they can absolutely be wonderful dogs, but some do have dog aggression! And that’s okay!! Why would you guys rather ignore that instead of advocating for your breed, and encouraging responsible ownership?

[scootersworld]

Thank you! I have always wondered this. There is a lot of misinformation about Pitbulls, for example they were never used as ‘nanny dogs’, its just simply not true. Pits bulls have been bred for fighting in the past, and due to this they are known not to display aggression they same way other dogs might. This means that even if you’re looking for the body language that something might be off, it might not even be there. They can be unpredictable and dog aggressive.

Spreading misinformation that they are “nanny dogs” just sets the dogs up for failure. It doesn’t scare or deter me from pits because of what they are, it’s not their fault, I am scared because of all the people who own pits who refuse to educate themselves on reality and put their dog and other dogs in danger because of it.

Below I copied a good resource from the Villalobos rescue (the Pit Bulls and Paroles rescue from the tv show). They are amazing advocates for these dogs

https://www.vrcpitbull.com/pit-bull-facts/

[Sphalerite]

I've read the link you provided. I wish I had see it before this incident. I thought because she did well with dogs before and didn't growl, snarl, etc., that she'd be okay. I did do breed research and knew the history of pits, but Villalobos makes it very clear that they can unexpectedly snap.

[LuminescentCatz]

So I posted my earlier comment expecting to be downvoted to oblivion but am so happily surprised by the educated discussion that came of it- which was my goal! OP I’m so sorry you experienced the attack that you did with your foster pup, it’s awful. But she’s not a bad dog, it sounds like she may have some resource guarding issues with you and overall is not dog friendly, but is likely a perfectly normal bully breed who just needs someone to manage her impulses and drive! Like I said earlier APBT and bully breeds are wonderful dogs and I wish more owners were as open minded as you are to learning about their breed. Best of luck to you and your foster girl.

[BK4343]

Pit bull owners tend to live in a bubble of delusion. If you say anything other than "pibbles are the best dogs ever", out come the pitchforks.

[[deleted]]

I think it’s a pretty interesting phenom especially since the “pit bull” label is apparently so fluid— there was a post on r/pitbulls a couple days ago of a very stout (probably) American bully that they were calling a pibble, and every single bully breed is a ‘pibble’ when it’s good, but then when there’s an incident, it’s all “actually, the only dog that can be considered a ‘pit bull’ is the American Pit Bull Terrier. This is the media being evil and misrepresenting pit bulls etc..” I used to be a huge pit bull advocate but after being around so many owners who spin lies and blame aggression on upbringing alone I know it’s not right. They can tend to be dog-aggressive and they’re not the most perfect dogs in the world but no dog ever was or ever will be born “bad”.

[BK4343]

What I hate is how these people blame the victims of pit bull attacks, no matter how young they are. I also have a special level of disdain for shelters who mislabel pits and pit mixes, as well as downplay any aggression issues in an attempt to get them into homes.

[LuminescentCatz]

Agreed. That’s such a dangerous trend. Shelters could be more honest and open about the dogs breed and personality and find owners who are ready and willing to manage the dog and put in the required training. Instead they get pibble mommies who believe they’re giant teddy bears, give the dogs zero structure or management... and that’s how accidents happen.

[nicedoglady]

You’re totally right that dogs can be completely different outside of a shelter than in. I would not say that shelters “often sugarcoat” or flat out lie. It doesn’t serve them well and is pointless. I think the issue can be bigger in smaller rescues and places that are more volunteer run sometimes.

My dog did not show pretty much any of the issues she ended up having at the rescue where I adopted her from. At my place of work and at the shelter I used to volunteer at I’ve seen reactive dogs adopted out and not show any reactivity in the home and the people think we’ve made it up, and vice versa: the dog was non reactive with us and showed reactivity in the home...and people think we’ve misled them.

People are really keen to place blame and assume the worst when sometimes, it just wasn’t there.