Pit Bull Agression

[JordanAng420]

I have a 12 year old pit bull, who is very aggressive towards other animals. He lives with another 13 year old pit bull named Mandy who he's been aquainted with for about 2 years. They've had scuffles, some much worse than others, and Mandy has unfortunately gotten the worst of it.


Tonight, my male pit bull, Nautica, raced outside on his extendi-lead to go to the bathroom....upon finding another dog there, he pulled even harder to go foreward, and he ended up getting the best of another dog that was out there.

While they were fighting, I did a very stupid thing and got in the middle of them. I tackled the other dog to the ground and eventually returned his dog to him when Nautica had taken off...I was bitten pretty badly in the process...

Maybe it's my adrenaline running right now, or maybe it's that i'm so pissed off I can't even think, but i'm really upset right now. What if the owner presses charges? Do I have a case if my "aggressive breed" dog attacked my neighbors dog, even off the leash? I don't have the money to be dealing with this right now...not to mention the emotional stress of it all...

 

[Misstasha]

I'm soo sorry to hear that!!!! I dont know what to tell you - my one dog has gotten into a couple fights and is the aggressor after being attacked by a male dog himself. It completely changed him - did that happen to your dog?!

Hows the other dog? Will it have to go to the vet and get stiches?! What was the owners reaction?! Was the dog on your property!?

I hope your ok!

 

[JordanAng420]

Well, the other dog seems okay. No stitches needed. Only a big bruise on her chest from Nautica. The owner was really pissed off...but I don't understand why, because my dog was on a leash, but his wasn't??!!


As far a property goes, I guess we share it since I live in apartment. I DO know that there is a leash law here in Florida. I am also aware of a "dangerous breeds of dog" law as well...so i'm kind of stuck in the middle of a rock, and a hard place

If they decide to be @$$holes, then they'll press charges, and sue me for every penn I have, which isn't much. They truly have a case, since I own a pit bull in South Florida. That's all that needs to be said, unfortunately.

 

[Misstasha]

I'm soo sorrry!! Hopefully they will be nice and understandable.(

 

[Angel]

I have 2 pitbulls im in canada so laws could be different but my dog has been attacked walking in the forest mine on leash the other dog off leash and they are at fault if i were to press charges, If your dog is on leash you are doing everything to control your dog if there dog is off leash and approaches your dog there is nothing you can do, if his dog was on leash this wouldnt have happened. Im sick of people thinking just cause its a pitbull then they are at fault.
I would go to your local aspca and file a complaint you can claim his dog was the aggresor yours was on leash and its his fault your dog was stronger , state his dog was off leash , did anyone witness this would help.
I dont get the pitbull aggressive thing I have had a black lab attack my pitbull twice two different ones and they say labs are friendly. I hope your ok I had to sepperate my 2 pits after there first dominence fight and i got in the middle as well big mistake luckly i wasnt bit. with there dog not being injured badly hopefully its a lesson on both ends and can be put behind you. keep us posted how it turns out.

 

[ducmar]

I'm pretty sure it's like car insurance. If you are insured and you hit him and he is uninsured there's nothing he can do. So if your dog, on a leash, attacked his dog which was off leash, that's his own fault. You may get fined for being unable to control your animal and I may be wrong (I'm in California) but that's my best guess.

I have a friend who had a pitt for two years. He suddenly showed aggression toward a child and she had him put down. Personally, I think this is the best course of action for an aggressive dog that does not respect it's owner... but that's IMHO.

***That came across harsh, I love pitts, there are just so many bad owners out there who give all pits a bad name, and I just saw a pic of your Nautica and he is adorable. I hope things work out in your favor!

 

[JordanAng420]

I understand what you are all saying, but here's the deal:

It's my word against his. He has a breed that's "non-aggressive" and I have a pit bull. Who do you honestly think is going to win, when 75% of broward thinks that pit bulls should be banned (according to the sun sentinel)

I can't win, if he decides to get angry. My dog is as good as dead. All because he doesn't know how to use a leash. What a f*****g sad state of affairs.

 

[ducmar]

I would suggest researching your local leash laws, and laws pertaining to pitts/agro breeds. Make sure you know if you are county or city, out here a city inside a county can have it's own rules. Best of luck

 

[latshki]

susk up to the bugger, the best way to get rid of enemies is to befriend them

 

[LizMarie]

That sucks... There are a lot of dog fights around too because of owners refusing not to put their dogs on proper leashes, ugh. He can press charges and you can go back with his dog being off a leash.

 

[Chewbecca]

Wait.
I'm confused.
Was your dog put on a tie out and the other person's dog was off leash?

I am confused.

First of all, if his dog was off leash, HE was breaking the law. REGARDLESS of dog breed.
I'd file the complaint first. I'd call AC and report him first.

Get one of these.
Keep it on you whenever your dog is with you.

Dog aggression is VERY common with pit bulls, but do NOT let that be confused with human aggression.

My suggestion? Do not put your dog on a tie out when you take him out to go to the bathroom.
Get adequate equipment to use on your dog.
Believe me, my pit bull had ONE scuffle with another dog, and it was a HUGE eye opener for me.
I learned the necessity for proper equipment for my dog that day.
I learned the importance of a substantial, reliable collar and leash.
I also learned about her newfound dog aggression that day.
And she has hated every single dog since. It only took that ONE scuffle for her to decide that all other dogs were fair game. Dog aggression doesn't make or break a dog. It's manageable. You cannot train it OUT of them, but you CAN manage it properly. Human aggression, on the other hand, is NOT NOT NOT tolerated with pit bulls. Pit bulls should in no way, shape, or form EVER be human aggressive. And please (just in case you might be) do NOT think that your dog is suddenly going to hurt humans because he bit you in the middle of scrapping with another dog. Did he redirect on you, or did you just happen to put yourself in the middle of the wrong place and time?

It's part of WHY I make dog equipment now.

Do you crate your dogs or keep them separated when you are not there?
If not, I would do so.

I don't mean to sound like a jerk, or like I am saying you did anything wrong, you didn't. You'll learn from this. Just as I did when my dog got into a scuffle with a female boxer who had been crappy to her in the past.

I can possibly find someone who will help you.

DO NOT, whatever you do, EVER admit to this man ANY form of guilt for what happened. It's NOT YOUR fault. HIS dog was off leash. NOT yours.

Oh, and if AC IS called on you, do NOT let them in your house. They can and WILL take your dog right then and there if you let them in your house.
Crate your dog if they come over, and talk to them outside.
If they ask to see your dog, tell them that he's put away because he's recovering from the incident. They do NOT need to come in unless they have a warrant.
All they need to see if proof that your dog has had his vaccinations. Have your records ready and his tags ready, and take them outside with you.

NEVER LET THEM IN YOUR HOUSE.

I'm so so so sorry this happened to you.
But do NOT take blame for it.

Dogs are dogs regardless of breed, and if that dog was reachable to yours, then your dog could have perceived that dog as a threat.
I mean, do you speak dog body language??
How do you (or anyone else) know that the other dog wasn't giving your dog a threatening look in doggy body language??

This is a first time incident for your dog. Your dog doesn't have a prior dog bite record, does he?
If not, they usually do not do anything with a first time incident.


This is manageable.
Find a pit bull advocacy group in your area. Hold on, I'll see if I can find one for you:
Wait, I'll get back to you about that, I promise.

First and foremost:
Is there ANY BSL in your town/city???

 

[JordanAng420]

Was your dog put on a tie out and the other person's dog was off leash?

No, I don't tie up my dog outside. He has one of those flexi-leads that extends...and he ran out there before I could lock it and grabbed that other dog that was standing there with no leash...

The owner immediately clipped the leash on his dog while I managed to get them apart...while kneeling in dog poop.

Did he redirect on you, or did you just happen to put yourself in the middle of the wrong place and time?

He did redirect on me, but I also did a stupid thing by trying to get in the middle. The better part of me knows to just wait until one lets go. I didn't do that, though. I freaked out.

I can possibly find someone who will help you.

DO NOT, whatever you do, EVER admit to this man ANY form of guilt for what happened. It's NOT YOUR fault. HIS dog was off leash. NOT yours.

Oh, and if AC IS called on you, do NOT let them in your house. They can and WILL take your dog right then and there if you let them in your house.
Crate your dog if they come over, and talk to them outside.
If they ask to see your dog, tell them that he's put away because he's recovering from the incident. They do NOT need to come in unless they have a warrant.
All they need to see if proof that your dog has had his vaccinations. Have your records ready and his tags ready, and take them outside with you.

This is a first time incident for your dog. Your dog doesn't have a prior dog bite record, does he?
If not, they usually do not do anything with a first time incident.


This is manageable.
Find a pit bull advocacy group in your area. Hold on, I'll see if I can find one for you:
Wait, I'll get back to you about that, I promise.

First and foremost:
Is there ANY BSL in your town/city???

Thank you so much for your helpful information. It really put my mind at ease a little. He has no record at all. He's had a few encounters with a coworker that he doesn't like at all, but that's probably just the "white coat syndrome" fear of the vet type thing. In my county, there isn't any BSL, but in Miami, Pits are banned compleatly. Now in my apartment complex, they DO have certain breeds that aren't "allowed", Pits being one of them of course. But nobody really follows it, and they don't enforce it at all. And I have nautica registered at a terrier mix on his rabies certificate. That's kinda how I got him in.

I didn't sleep well at all last night, and this whole incident has me really stressed out. I hate to be on the wrong side of things with my neighbors...I really hope the whole thing just blows over.

 

[Chewbecca]

Maia-

Try www.pbrc.net
Contact them and ask them if they know of any pit bull advocacies in Florida that may be able to help with your situation.

Also, if your dog doesn't like your friend due to "white coat syndrome", it's easy to figure out.

Have this same friend try to give your dog treats or use a ball or any other high valued item to "make friendly" with your dog. Do this while she is NOT in the white coat.

It's not difficult to make a dog your friend, but don't take it tooooo fast.

Also, how much exercise is your dog getting daily? This can play into his behavior.
A tired dog is a good dog, usually.

 

[Chewbecca]

and please, please, PLEASE do NOT use a flexi-lead on your pit bulls.
Unless they are 100% bomb-proof trained, completely soft (meaning NO prey-drive what-so-ever) they are too strong for flexi-leads.

Again, not trying to be a jerk, we all do things or use things that we learn were not the best to do or use.

And by tie-out, I didn't mean, like, tie him out all day and night.
Some people will put their dogs on a temporary tie-out to use the bathroom.
My mom does this with her bearded collie mix.:main_yes:

 

[snowgyre]

I was going to say the same stuff as Rebecca (excellent work there btw, Rebecca, that's really awesome information you've got). I think those flexi-leads are the worst invention ever. They teach your dog that they essentially have control over their walk and encourages bad behavior. With a short, fixed leash you have a lot more control over the animal and your animal will respect you more as a pack leader. With pit bulls it really is all about respect. Pit bulls are pretty willful, so it takes gentle reminders such as these to let them know who really is in charge. ;-)

I also agree that YOU were the one wronged in this situation. You were following the rules. This guy had his dog off a leash, which infers that his dog was the first to approach your dog. In that case, he and his dog was essentially inviting trouble. You did what you could to separate the fight. You got bit trying to save HIS dog. If I were you, I'd sue HIM for medical expenses! Take photos of your hand, go to the doctor, get this documented. If he decides to press charges, file a countersuit. You're in the right. You would win. Breed of dog means nothing when your dog was under control on a leash and an unleashed dog started trouble.

 

[ElapidSVT]

you might look into using a muzzle if you can't control your own animal.

 

[Chewbecca]

Well, in all fairness, while pit bulls may be "strong willed" that really translates to "high drive" or "high prey-drive". GSDs and other dog breeds are also associated with high prey-drives. It's also a known fact for most terrier breeds, period.

Be careful in showing your pit bull "who's in charge" because while they may have a higher drive, which can come off as them being stubborn or "not listening" when they're just really strongly focused on what they want or what they're driven to want, they are also VERY VERY human sensitive.
You CAN break a pit bull's spirit if you use harsh training methods.
They are dogs, not people, so they cannot rationalize behaviors like we can.
If you want your dog to work to behave, you have to make them LIKE working to behave.:main_yes:

 

[Chewbecca]

you might look into using a muzzle if you can't control your own animal.

Not always the correct solution.
And it's not necessarily true that Maia cannot control her own animal (which really is an UNFAIR statement to make, in all honesty, HER dog was leashed and being a DOG).
Her dog displayed a behavior that was unexpected.
People do not realize that dogs can react to things faster than you can blink your eyes.

And not everyone is always properly educated about the breed they have, but telling her to muzzle her dog...crazy.
How do you know if muzzling would work for her dog?

Sometimes muzzling a dog can make them feel defenseless, ESPECIALLY when they are leashed and another dog is NOT.
This only worsens the behavior and breaks the dog down in a BAD way.

 

[snowgyre]

Oh, I didn't mean to say that pit bulls required a harsh hand, I was simply saying that gentle training (and sometimes psychological tricks, muehehe) was required. If the dog is getting too focused on one thing it's best to attempt to distract them. My dog is a 100lb rottie mix, so I know all about prey drives with big dogs. ;-)

But yes, take home message: extend-a-leashes are bad news! Short (<6') leashes are best!

And muzzling a dog isn't a good idea either. However, there are those open-mouthed muzzles that act as leashes which may be useful too. They're helpful in redirecting a dog's attention without making the dog feel like they're in a vulnerable position.

 

[Chewbecca]

Oh, I didn't mean to say that pit bulls required a harsh hand, I was simply saying that gentle training (and sometimes psychological tricks, muehehe) was required. If the dog is getting too focused on one thing it's best to attempt to distract them. My dog is a 100lb rottie mix, so I know all about prey drives with big dogs. ;-)

But yes, take home message: extend-a-leashes are bad news! Short (<6') leashes are best!

ah! Ok, I misunderstood! Sorry!
I am so used to people watching "The Dog Whisperer" and thinking that TEACHING dogs a new behavior via a prong collar or via positive punishment (giving someone something to make them feel BAD) is the way it is done.
And it's not.
That man would not touch my dog with a 10' pole. His methods may work for some dogs, but it wouldn't work on mine.
He'd break her spirit so fast and leave her a wreck.

I do not walk my dog on anything longer than a 2-3' leash. But it's because I want to have as much control over her as possible if an off leash dog approaches us.
I also carry a breakstick and a PVC pipe/pole that is about 3 1/2' in length, so that I can ward off any approaching off leash dogs.
I know what my dog is capable of, and I do NOT wish to fail her. I'd rather have to swing at an off leash dog who is trying to approach us than to have my dog step in and attack the dog. It's MY duty to make sure my dog doesn't get herself into a bad situation. Not hers.
I rationalize things; she doesn't.
She's a dog. I'm a human.