Pit Bull Rehabilitation
86Help Heal a Shy or Agressive Dog
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Euthanasia Vs. Rehabilitation
Many times rescues and shelters encounter a delimma. What to do with the pit bulls that were brought in due to a a dog fighting raid. Many and most times, the dogs are automatically just put down. Euthanasia tends to be the first and only option for the dogs. Now, is that fair? Is it right?
My opinion is that no, it's not fair. No, it's not right. No, it's not the only option.
I will fully admit that in some cases, the dogs cannot be rehabilitated, and euthanasia may be the only option.
In many cases, the fighting pit bulls that are found, have been bred generation after generation for their aggression. Prized, champion fighters are bred to create larger, more agressive dogs. In some cases, these dogs, may not be able to become family pets. In other cases, with work and training, fighting dogs CAN become family pets.
I've seen pit bulls used as bait dogs with over 50 puncture wounds their face alone, become dog friendly, and a great cuddle dog. Gracie, a black pit bull, was one of these dogs. She came to the shelter completely torn to shreds. She is currently in a home with a young man, who runs her daily, plays cuddles, and just loves her. Before this home, she was housed with other pitbulls, labs, and terriers, all over which got along fine.
Another pitbull, Lola, a tan little girl, who had been severly overbred to the point of becoming small dog aggressive. She is now in a home with several small dog breeds. Lola, came to the shelter with a bullet wound in her back leg and scars covering her face. With work and some tender love and care, she became a very loving adult dog.
Information About the Truths of Dog Fighting
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Jackson was bred by and ADBA registered breeder. He was purchased by a pet parent with other bully breed dogs. Now, his situation was different. He was never bred to fight or show agression. But, I'm mentioning his story because of the bad rep that many people hold. After a year in his home, he was attacked by the owner's other dogs. This owner returned him to the breeder. The breeder wanted him to have a good home versus reselling him. The first time he was up for adoption, I overheard a customer say that he should just be put down because he would never make a good dog. Because he had been attacked, he will be prone to attacking later on. Well, two year later, Jackson has never once shown any signs of aggression.
I strongly believe that any dog that has been involved in any way of a dog fighting ring, should be put through several temperament tests. Not just one day but on several days. Why more than one day of the same testings? Becuase even dogs have bad days...
After going through extensive temperament testings, I think the dogs that successfully pass all the tests, should then undergo extensive training. The training would be to ensure that the dogs never show signs of aggression again.
The dogs would then be ready to be family pets to experience pet parents only.
I think that rehabilitation versus euthanasia is a much better option. But, in some cases, dogs may not be able to be rehabiliated. These dogs, if forced to live in family or pet situations, would live unhappy lives. This is not fair either. There is not sense in forcing a dog to live an unhappy life just to not have to put him down.
I believe that rehabilitation should ALWAYS be considered in replace of euthanasia. Even when it comes to fighting pitbulls.
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Comments
I wish you were right 100% of the time. My husband and I worked with a no-kill rescue for a while, and ended up adopting 2 pit-heeler mixes we personally rescued at the owner's wife's request.
Sadly, Paige and Phoebe had been bred for fighting, and would turn on each (or one of the other dogs) with intent to kill any time someone came to the door. The irony was, the conflict rose out of their desire to be the first to greet the visitor!
We tried everything: training, working with a trained dog behaviorist, aromatherapy, medication. Nothing we did disarmed that kill trigger, and when we found out I was (surprisingly) pregnant, we put them down. Our hearts are still broken.
I would get another pit in a minute -- from a reputable breeder of show or pet pittys. I miss the pitty kissies I used to get.
I wish I was right 100% of the time... ha... I applaud you for trying everything in your power to correct the bad behaviors, but sometimes there's nothing you can do. I just wish some people would consider more options before picking euthanasia. I don't think that at leadt half the pitbulls that are euthanised in a one year period need to be.
I agree that more are put down than need to be. Totally agree. It's the idiot owners and dog fighters who have ruined this sweet breed for the rest of us.
Very true... Very true... What's not understood in today's society is that pit bulls, yes are historically dog fighters, but they are, also, historicall family pets. Way back when, these dogs were family pets with jobs- to fight other dogs. If they showed any sign of human agression, the dogs were euthanized because they were raised as family pets...
i work at the florence area humane society in sc and we are stuck with the only option of having to put them down mostly because we r afraid of who we may sell the dog to. and because my boss says so i refuse to put any dog to sleep and i finally got her to understand that. i was told that these rehab centers exist but have learned that there arent any in this state. i dont have a lot of money but i want to use what i do have to make an inpact on society by starting a rehab of my own but i do not know how to go about doing so. i need some suggestions on how to do this. e-mail me at www.river_fox@realvamp.zzn.com. this is something i would really love to be part of. sincerely River Fox.
Bull Fighters use "agressive Pit Bulls" -- Animal Advocy Groups raise money to save animals then "slaughter" them -- Y can't they find a "market" to sell these animals in lieu of "slaughtering" them?
I wouldn't say sell them necessarily, but to find very experienced pit bull owners who could handle the dogs instead of euthanizing them.
Great comments Whitney. I am the independant expert that was going to evaluate the Vick dogs, but since the ASPCA has only asked for the euthanasia of one animal I won't be going in. I may still be involved in the rehab to some degree, but that is up in the air.
In any case, the big difference here is that there are resources (in the form of Vick's money) to work with these dogs. Most of the time there is sadly none. Rehab of these animals is almost always possible, but it takes time, skill, and experienced theraputic fosters. Most aggression can be decreased over time with desensitization and progressive reinforcement of replacement, positive behaviors.
And it is also interesting that very few actual fighting dogs have been historically involved in fatal dog attacks on humans.
Jim Crosby
Jacksonville, FL
Jim, I haven't heard any updates about the dogs from the Vick incident, but that's great that only one of them must be euthanized. That gives hope for the others. In a way it is fortunate that he had money that can help fund the rehabilitation. Now for the skilled hands of the fosters.
I would love to have Jim Crosby's contact information. I live in Jacksonville and have recently acquired a pit bull mix who is about 7 mos old. I really need some guidance as she is very aggressive and most recently tried to kill my other dog. I am looking for some resources for training. HELP....I know she must be trainable but my husband is insisting we have to give her up if we cannot rehabilitate her...
Unfortunately, I do not have his contact info. But I will say that if you have not rehabilitated an American pit bull terrier before, you should not all of a sudden start. People who rehabilitate dogs have years of experience with dog behavior and training.
At 7 months old, I kind of doubt that the pup is trying to kill your other dog, unless you acquired the pup from a pit fighting situation in which the pup as been trained as a fighter.
More than likely the dog is trainable, but without the proper resources, you will definately NEED help! And, that doesn't mean a Petsmart or Petco trainer, but a true professional who has gone to a dog training school and has spent years training dogs.
I wish you luck.
Remember that APBTs are dominant dogs and you must make sure that the dog, no matter what age, knows that all humans in the family are the pack leaders. Without this establishment, the dog will attempt to take the role, and you wil have more problems on your hand.
Whitney 05,
You have made excellent points about the breed and my hats are off to Jim Crosby. I would like to thank you for pointing out that Petsmart and Petco don't really teach the dog anything other than wait for a click and I get a treat.
As a mom of a 100lb lap dog who is in a level 4 family protector a dog that has been well trained is very easy to handle. I also appreciate the comments that you left for Shannon. I would like to add a few things when you go to see a "certified dog trainer" ask to see the certificates and whom they have trained under. When you get there ask to walk the premises and request demonstrations.
I would like to assure Shannon that it takes a very confident "pack" leader to set the pecking order in the pack and you must always be able to read your dog in every situation. I will say that one Saturday morning I had a very unrully, untrained and unsociallized pit bull in Pet Smart attempt to attack mine while loading food. My dog immediately took a seat behind his mom and I took control of the entire situation with tone of voice, and body position. There were two trainers the dogs owner and idiots running every where wondering what was going to happen next. I had a "Fool" under control with about three words a dropped leash and posturing towards him. If you are dedicated to the rehabilitation of the dog you will have no problem correcting the problems that you are having. If you have two males or two females that could be your problem as well.
Thundersmom- Thank you for your insight. I find that at timesthe Petsmart/Petco trainers can help. And they do teach more then click and treat. But, they truly leave the training up to the pet parent. It's not their job to train the dogs, but to give clues and hints as to how to train your own dog. I would suggest the training courses in situations of simple obedience concerns, but in cases with even the slightest hint of something more serious, I would not suggest it.
do you take in pit bulls effie@enigmaartgallery.com
As much as I would love to, currently, I do not take in APBTs.
How can you tell if a dog has been used as a bait animal?We rescued a black female approximately 1 yr old from a ditch in Columbia Co.,AR She has severe injuries to her face, neck,legs,etc.She was almost dead 5 days ago but she is begining to feel better ,however she is afraid of everything&needs constant reassurance.I have ababy at home &am alittle nervous any advice would be appreciated.I owned a pit bull for 14yrs but raised her froma puppy.
It's hard to tell if a dog has been used as bait, but usually multiple puncture wounds and broken bones are a key.
A lady I know rescued a bait dog. Gracie had over 100 puncture wounds on her face, a broken jaw, and scratches and abrasions all over her body.
Bait dogs are timid and shy, but can get agressive without the proper care. Gracie had to find a home with the lady's nephew because after a few years, she got agressive with the lady's husband's APBT.
In any case because you don't know the dog's background, you need to assume it was used as a bait dog, and you need to invest in proper training as soon as she's healed. I would take the dog to a vet ASAP to see if there are other injuries.
Hello first time posting hope you all don't mind...
i am a second generation trainer (obedience training) of "Bully breeds" mostly APBT's however I am interested in trying to get some of my rehabs. in service training Im curious why APBT's are not used more often as service animals since they usually show strong work breed behavior (depending on breeding) and "in my opinion" are more than smart enough and plenty of strength.. I think a good percentage of rehabs would be very valuable in the walker or wheelchair fields. anyway i rambled on enough was just wondering if anyone had any info or suggestion on why this would or would not be a good idea and how to go about doing it?
Mikel, I think it would depend on the dog. Rehab in terms of this hub was meant towards rehabiliting dogs that were once subjected to fighting or bait. I think that APBTs are WONDERFUL dogs and are GREAT service dogs. Unfortunately, you are right in that not many people use them as service dogs. I think because people stereotypically choose labs and retrievers, most people don't consider other breeds to seriously.
I have heard of many APBTs being used for search/rescue, hearing dogs, drug dogs, etc. But most people just don't go this route.
I think it is possible to rehabilitate some dogs from fighting backgrounds, but depending on the amount of experience, training, and overall visibility in the scene, some dogs just wouldn't cut it for service dogs. Not to say that they couldn't be rehabilitated to be pets, just not service dogs. Some, I do believe that had minimal experience and visibility to fighting would probably be able to be great service dogs once retrained and rehabilitated properly.
By the way, I commend you for working with this great breed and other misunderstood bully breeds. I love the breed and plan on spending the rest of my life trying to spread the word about them.
River fox I am in Fayetteville, NC about an hour and a half away and go through florence quite often... contact me if you would like perhaps we could buddy up on your issue.. Icekeepr@aol.com put Attn: Mikel
Mikel, I'm not sure if River Fox will come back. I haven't heard from him in a while. You may just want to do a search for the rescue he's talking about, if you're interested in it. I think it'd be a great idea for you to help them out and take on the bullies they have to put down. It would give them a chance. Plus, more than likely many of their dogs were probably pets at some time that got loose. Who knows?
He provides his email if you want to contact him, though.
Good to hear someone out there is well educated. There is no dog that cannot be rehabilitated to live a life outside of kennel walls. Part of what I'm trying to save money to do. Open up a shelter to bring awareness of this to people, and take in animals that have been given up on as a no-chance canine.
i believe the same...u nailed bout everything, i think every dog should be givin a second chance cause its usually never there fault for the way they are...i like this hub alot cause thats what i wanna do is rehabilitate the bully breed mainly but i dnt play favorits...i love just bout all dogs :) expecially the brindled ones....ok maybe i like the bullys more but if its got four legs and paws then all is good
I agree with you wholeheartedly. Our pitty was a "throw away dog" who spent 7 long months at a shelter. We found each other just in time. He is amazing and my son's best friend. We need more people to think like you do so that these dogs become appreciated again, rather than feared.You totally rock woman! Andyour dogs are so beautiful.
Patti
Whitney, first of all thank you for your hub pages. It is great there are other people out there that put forth reliable info. I have raised and rescued abused Pits for 12 years. 99% of these dogs can be found a forever home. It was unfortunate the Vick incident was the turning point where there was at least some positive press (for once), in relation to pretty much every dog finding a permanent home. Now, while many of these rescued dogs that were brought up incorrectly cannot be placed in a home with another dog or small children, there are many owners out there that would be a perfect fit. My current Katrina Pit was severely abused, so she cannot have contact with other dogs but as with most Pits she is great with people. You will find that most abused Pits that have dog to dog aggression for the most part dont want to even have anything to do with another dog, unless they are approached or provoked. If these abused dogs are never put into a position where they can revert to past tendencies, most often there are never any problems. I hope one day that there will be an eye opening event that will enlighten people that these dogs are pretty much the quintessential perfect dog when taken out of the hands of the people who have bad intentions. Even the most severely abused dog deserves a second chance and hopefully have a chance at finding a loving home it should have had in the first place.
i agree with you, i feel that these dogs deserve a second chance. just because they were once a fighting dog doesn't mean that with a little traning and rehabilitaion they can't be turned a round. i feel that people are just looking for the easy way out, thus they often choose euthanasia.
I need help. I adopted an american bulldog mix he is 2yrs. I believe he was a BAIT dog for fighting. I was told he was dog aggressive, human aggressive at one time. I loved him so I took him home his eyes told me different. He is not the dog they describe at all. He is happy with my family however he is scared to death of my cat, and scared of my PUG when he see's them he wants on my lap. He still gets the look in his eyes sometimes like he is lost or blank. I am working with his confidence but was wondering if anyone has ideas as to what else I could be doing for him to help him out.
If the dog was used as a bait dog, I think there would be more signs than fear. If it was dog aggressive at one time, I don't think that it would all of a sudden turn very fearful.
I would suggest that you consult a professional behaviorist or dog trainer, because if the dog truly was dog aggressive and people aggressive at one time, and is now terrified, you can potentially run into problems in the future.
If you knew these problem behaviors, and you aren't qualified to treat them, so to speak, the dog adoption agency really shouldn't have adopted the dog to you.
I have had a female APBT for two and a half years now and have been very consistent following the exercise-mental challenge-affection techniques I have learned from various dog experts. About a month ago I rescued an abused 5 month old Pitbull puppy and began his rehabilitation. To my complete surprise, Abel, the well balanced female attacked the puppy several times. I quickly learned that even the most seemingly obedient dog may attack if the Human handler doesn't maintain the alpha position 100% of the time. Oddly enough, Abel attacked Asher to protect the cat once, to protect me once, and because the puppy was insecure twice more. I am happy to report that this just gave me an opportunity to rehabilitate both dogs at the same time and when opportunity knocks, I answer. I think most people would separate these two immediately or euthanize the aggressor or get rid of the new dog, not realizing that the source of all unwanted behavior is usually the human in charge. I have chosen to keep both dogs. Within a week of the last attack they were best friends and are both rehabilitating each other. By walking them together every day they have developed a strong pack bond and using fun submission techniqes I have been able to almost completely remove Asher's fearful behavior while teaching Abel that she does not run the hosehold and therefore, it is not her job to protect anything, especially by biting. I want to encourage all dog lover's out there to be calm in the face of adversity, learn all you can about dog behavior and psychology and always be the alpha member of your pack. I have proof that a vicious dog and an abused dog can coexist snoring loudly next to each other right now. I love happy endings.
Just because a dog is aggressive towards other dogs doesn't mean it needs to be put down. Many dogs have this problem and so they belong in single dog homes. I separated my two because the female was too aggressive and the male rescue had fear based aggression with people. Although they rarely had any actual fighting, they were unhappy together competing for affection. The female is docile with my four month old, although she still dislikes other dogs, so we have only her. The male does beautifully as an only dog with my sister, and behaves like an angel without human or dog aggression. It is amazing how an animal can blossom when in the right environment. I have been around many rescued pits who were sweet as pie with people. I see no problem in having only one dog. Not everybody is looking for multiple dogs. Putting a pit to sleep ONLY because it is dog aggressive seems VERY unfair.
No one here said dogs who are dog aggressive should be automatically euthanized. At least that wasn't what I was trying to get across. Otherwise, yes I agree with you.
Post It Anyway says:
2 years ago
Hi Whitney05. Good info. I just answered a request to post a hub for the same thing. I pretty much agree with waht you said. I owned Pits for years. I love them for all the right reasons.You, obviously, are a good dog owner.