I'm from Australia. So this is going to be a long post but it's causing rifts between me and my best friend.
So for some background, I have an 18month old Bull Arab cross. He is gorgeous and was a shelter dog I got a year today. He was cleared by the shelter for aggression and by my vet as well. He's currently being trained as an Assistance Dog for psychiatric services, has never showed aggression, and still continues to not show aggression after this situation.
Ok so about a week ago, I was with my best friend and stayed at her mums house 3 hours from where we lived for a fun trip away and an opportunity to do some training (her dog is a fully qualified Assistance dog). Her mum has a dog who (we'll call Bob), for the record has snapped or growled at my dog previously when trying to slowly introduce them, and has history of being in dog fights, aggressive to new dogs and to people as well. So we were cautious when introducing my dog into this dogs home, meeting on neutral ground first and then slowly weaning my boy off the leash after a few hours inside. Her dog generally stayed away from my dog and over the 3 days we were there, they became more comfortable with each other and my dog mainly played with my best friends dog (my dogs best friend).
The whole situation happened VERY quickly and a lot of it is a blur. I've been told since that my dog had Bobs ball in his mouth. I remember seeing Bob bare his teeth as he lunged and aggressively ran at my dog who was about a metre away and up against a couch. Panic insued and screaming as my dog fought back and held onto Bob and wouldn't let go. My partner (who wasn't there) and my best friend believe that my dog reacted in defence and after about 4 minutes, we were able to have my dog let go. Somehow in the middle of this, myself and Bobs owner got bit. My dog had two puncture wounds and in the panic of it all Bobs owner took him to the emergency vet with four puncture wounds. My friends mum said that nothing was going to happen to my boy because "both were at fault".
Last night I came home from a family dinner and saw on Facebook on a group that I was in, that Bobs owner (who is my best friends mum) had posted saying she had an ethical dilemma and explained the whole story leaving out the facts that her dog initiated the fight (but I feel like she didn't see it start) didn't explain that my dog has NEVER been aggressive when hers has. And didn't explain that they were co-living fine for the 3 days previously. She's asking the group if my dog should be deemed dangerous, should be reported and washed out for Assistance work (He's still in training). Comments were saying for her to report it and that my boy was too dangerous and should be put down.
My boy is amazing at what he does and helps alleviate my mental health. He's my lifeline. To top this all off, her mum knew I was in this group and could see, is a Psychologist and KNOWS I have very fragile mental health. I did EVERYTHING to try and get the dogs to stop fighting and I'm panicking that my dog will be put down. I don't have the finances to afford another dog OR to train as an AD. She also privately messaged me saying the post has nothing to do with me and that my dog was intent to kill, not defend.
I'm not defending my dogs actions during the light because he locked his jaw. He's a bully breed and it's what they do. But my dog has never been aggressive, shows no signs of further aggression and has always done nothing but gotten excited at dog parks and play. I will be muzzling my boy to be sure that he doesn't show any more signs of aggression and if it comes to her reporting it, I will happily volunteer my boy be tested for his aggression and temperament as long as her dog is tested too.
Is my dog at fault? I have multiple people who swear by my dog and that he's not aggressive. My dog was lunged at first and this whole situation and Bobs owners actions are effecting my mental health. Please be kind as I'm really struggling. It's christmas and she's threatening my dog be reported which could result in him being put down.
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from Pets https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/kg04lg/is_my_dog_dangerous_or_was_he_acting_in_defence/
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