My dog attacked a puppy

I have a baby gate up already, because I have never trusted him with my cats. I had a friend whose cat was mauled by a dog once. My dog chases my cats (who are declawed), so I keep them separated.

oh, the shelter advertised him as "cat safe". Otherwise we never would have taken him. He definitely is not.

In any case, maybe you are all right that I am over-reacting.

(I am very glad to hear that I'm over-reacting, btw).

I just got a call from the boxer puppy owner. She just left the vet, the total is $476.20. The puppy did lose part of her ear but is otherwise ok. I am so relieved that the puppy is not more seriously hurt. She's sending me the reciept and I will pay it.

Thank you all for letting me work through this here, and thanks for your advice.

You're overreacting. It's normal, I'll bet the puppy owner was overreacting, too.

*Tomorrow* you should use this to your advantage. Get yourself educated, set up to do some obedience training, take Xeres' advice about not giving up entirely on the park (and for sure keep socializing the dog with other dogs), and chalk it all up to a learning opportunity that's going to give you a deeper appreciation for your dog's breed and individual personality. All is definitely *not* lost, these things happen all the time, and not just with pits.

Today, go to the movies! Be good to yourself! You're a good person, you care! Now stop beating yourself up!

He's really handsome.

Oh, we were posting at the same time. Almost $500, bummer. Could have been worse.

Oh, ouch! Well, I'm glad it wasn't worse. This is one of those live and learn things.

I really really have to disagree with some things that are being said.

I do not believe that adult pits or pit mixes have any place at a dog park. There are too many variables, and you cannot be responsible for other dogs or other owners even if you were completely comfortable with your dog, which you aren't. Dogs parks are a hot topic on pit bull boards and everyone agrees that it just isn't something a responsible owner does. Every time an incident like this occurs it looks bad on the whole breed. Dog aggression is a tricky thing and you can't always know what is going to set your dog off, and you can be sure that even if your dog doesn't start a fight, he'll finish any fight that is started with him. You can set up play dates with other dogs and find other ways to exercise your pup that don't include the park.

Also, I don't think it's quite time to run to the vet for a check-up. This is normal (normal is the wrong word, but it's the best I can think of), though scary and unsettling, behavior for a pit. If he shows other behavior and temperament changes, then I would see about getting him checked.

I wouldnt consider getting rid of that sweet heart at all, I would do everything in my power to protect him from a similar situation... and thats all.  You are doing right by paying the bill... she wont sue you... you offered to pay the bill and thats a great thing.  I also think I would go back to the dog park.. just be on alert.  Just because hes a pit bull doesnt mean he can never learn to be around other dogs... you just got him, you have issues to work through.  Most of us do with shelter dogs no matter what the breed.

To me it sounds like you did everything right, other than overreacting a bit.  Dont abandon your boy for it, help him through it... [].

Welcome!  Hes beautiful!
 
ETA:  if you read this before I edited it, sorry for the rediculous amount of errors lol.

I just noticed your name... are you in New Orleans?

I'm going to err on the side of caution, especially since this episode took me totally by surprise. I'm staying away from the dog park for a while, maybe forever. What if he kills the dog next time? I was 3 feet away from him when this happened (I always stay near him AND he wears a harness specifically so I can grab him, because I have never fully trusted him with smaller dogs).

I would like to find a playmate for my dog, but I dont know how to go about it. I could post an ad in the paper or on a message board: "Wanted, playmate for my pit mix. He can't go to the dog park anymore because he has a tendancy to maul other dogs."

.. I dont think I'd get many takers on that.

ORIGINAL: loveukaykay

I just noticed your name... are you in New Orleans?

No, my dog's name is Bourbon - he was rescued from New Orleans after Katrina. The rescue organization named all their dogs after New Orleans in some way.

And my dog looks very much like yours in your pics.

I was seconding Xeres about going back to the park, and I actually think Kelly's got a better argument. I change my mind. Go to an obedience class! You will meet lots of other dogs and owners there, and can set up play dates. I would definitely do this.

Dog runs are extremely stimulating environments for dogs--the nightclubs of the dog world.

Do you have friends, relatives, or neighbors with dogs? Dog park 'regulars' that you could set up dates with?

fisher is right... Obedience classes are another great idea for meeting people.

I dont think its fair to say he has a tendency to maul other dogs... something happened that day, its not an all the time thing at this point... just an incident that you can continue to work on.  Lots of people here have had similar issues with their dog and were as shocked as you when it happened.  You have to take into account any environmental issues (his surroundings) that may have had somewhat of a trigger.  Or, some dogs just have a bad feeling about another.  Or, as was stated, the pup may have been to flamboyant at the moment for his own good.  Not that your dog should have attacked it, but Im just saying that things like this happen sometimes and it doesnt necessarily mean it will happen every time or with every dog.

You have fallen victim to the desire of shelters all across the country who try to save these dogs by advertising them as something other than Pits.  You are not to blame for that - the shelter you adopted this dog from should have been honest with you, especially since you are a newbie. 
Pits and Pit mixes should not be at dog parks once they pass puberty, if you really want to play it safe.  And, a dog that has no bite inhibition with puppies should not be allowed to play with other dogs.  Adult dogs usually give puppies *more* of a break, not less, so if an adult challenged your dog, you could have a real argument on your hands.  Dog to dog aggression does not necessarily mean your dog will be aggressive with humans, and, in fact, Pits are often just the opposite - lovely with people.  But, it is a breed that needs to be well managed.
If you have questions about your own dog, you would probably benefit from a consultation with a good behaviorist.  (That also shows that you took the time to have the situation professionally analyzed - and your behaviorist could vouch for you if there is a suit - if you were apologetic and nice, and offered to pay the vet bill, I can't imagine that the pup owner would sue you, but you never know.)
Good luck, and for the shelter workers out there lurking, call a spade a spade - you aren't helping by putting people in situations like this, and in fact, you may be fueling the BSL fever!

I agree - I think it's terrible that they would take advantage of well-meaning people's naivite and allow them to adopt a pitbull thinking it was a terrior mix. These dogs are different. I just have to learn how and when.

And I also know that dog aggression is not related to people aggression - I am not worried that he will become aggressive with people. At just over a year old now, I think I would have seen some sign of human aggression. He is a terrible guard dog because he has no territorial instincts whatsoever - everyone who comes into the house is his best friend. My 7yo can use him as a pillow. You can take anything out of his mouth - food, bones, toys - he will not care. I don't believe I have ever seen a more easy-going dog, with humans.

But I do think he may be highly arousable. At the dog park, before he attacked the puppy, there was something I'll call "pack behavior" because I don't know the correct term. The other dogs, who had been playing with each other for half an hour, started circling this puppy and swatting at it or roughhousing it, almost taking turns doing it. I think Bourbon saw this and I think he felt this puppy had been singled out by the pack as "other". That's when he attacked it. He was not the only dog to jump on the puppy, but he was the only dog to actually bite it. So it seems that maybe I could recognize this kind of thing and take my dog out of the pack when I see it.

or better yet.. never let my dog become part of a pack. Never let him play with more than one or two dogs at a time.


ETA: one other interesting thing - Bourbon has been 'quasi-attacked' (growled and snapped at, thrown down, etc.) several times himself, and he has never growled or snapped back. He never fights back, and he's had plenty of chances. For this reason I thought he is safe to be around other dogs his size. Am I wrong about this?

You may be wrong about it, but I can't really tell you without being able to actually observe your dog.  What I will say is that, often, people think their dog does well at the dog park because they don't see subtle, or even obvious, signs that the dog doesn't.  In fact, I often have owners get mad at me for suggesting that their dog isn't happy in a large play group - and this is even while the dog is cowering in corners, or hiding under chairs snapping at any dog that approaches.  At least I can make them go home - at a dog park, you don't have the luxury of sending an offending, or a frightened dog home.  The only dog you can remove is your own, and, in this case, that is what I suggest.  It may be that your dog would be fine in a small group, but only a really experienced pro can tell you, and my bet is that, since your dog has displayed behavior that suggests a low bite threshold, the answer, from a liability standpoint, would be no.