Biting out of the blue

[Shetlander]

On the thread Could Use Some Suggestions,

 

I don't think I actually believe it when they say that dogs bite for no reason at all... I wonder if the woman was doing long, direct eye contact, taking a toy away... who knows?

 

Poor Logan!

 

So - better to get the pup in a very good home where it will be desensitized to EVERYTHING! Pit bulls can't catch a break.

 

Any description of how bad the bite was? I can see a young dog or puppy getting too rough in his play and biting, even to draw a little blood. Quinn went through a goofy phase at around a year where he nipped me and a friend "out of the blue." Not hard, not breaking the skin and not on the face but still not appreciated. I think he was trying to get us to play when he nipped and fortunately that phase lasted only a weekend before Quinn decided it wasn't a successful method to engage humans in fun, friendly interaction.

 

So I could see the pit bull grabbing the woman's face in play and it being seen as aggression. But some dogs do start resource guarding and even if the woman was giving direct eye contact while taking a possession away, biting her in the face seems a pretty extreme response for a dog in an average household. If the dog wasn't kidding around, then I'd say she wasn't a safe dog for the typical dog owner. I don't think I'd want that dog in my house for that matter. Not because it's a pit bull, though like you say they have the deck stacked against them. But because I don't want a dog that will bite someone in the face for making a dumb move.

 

Anyway, there are a lot of unknowns in this situation. It could be a pup who was simply misunderstood or a dog who is not wired correctly or a dog who was sick/in pain and not responding normally to an intrusive, clueless person. Very sad either way. I can see why you are so shocked that such a friendly, happy dog is now facing being put down for biting.