You were being threatened and I think YOU should press charges against the drunk guy! This shit just pisses me off, wasn't this a house you pay rent in? Wasn't the guy unwelcome in your home? Enough said...

 

Sounds to me like he was protecting you, but being a pit will always have consequinces, (sp) unfortunantly. Unless any charges are filed, I don't think I would too worried.

 

Your dog was absolutely protecting you and he knew there was a threat. I don't know your dog or any history of him but if he's always sweet and outgoing and bit in this situation he had every right to do what he did. If this A-hole broke in to your home he had it coming to him. Breaking in and being threatening to you IS provoking your dog. Plain and simple.
My son used to have a Rottie that went to work with him every day. Totally social dog, wonderful with everyone 100% of the time. One night a guy broke in and Daniel was still there. Romeo heard him outside the office and when Daniel opened the door the guys was trying to steal some rims off of a car and Romeo didn't hesitate to go after him. He was not an aggressive dog at all but he knew this wasn't a good situation and he protected his owner and his space.
If your dog has no history of aggression don't let ANYONE tell you he needs to be pts. That is totally ridiculous. My dogs are all small but they would bite if I was in danger too and I would be perfectly fine with that.

 

I would fight that dangerous dog label. Someone broke into your home, was intoxicated and angry. If shooting a suspected burglar is self defense, there's no way on earth having a dog bite and intruder can be illegal.

If anything charges are pressed or they try to quarantine your dog, please PM me. I work in the media and I'll find your local media outlets. I'll have so many exposes on them their heads will spin a 360 and they'll be leaving doggie treats at your door and diamond collars.

 

fight fight fight and press chargers on him AND sue him. turn this around YOU AND YOUR DOG ARE THE VICTIM dont let this go the other way. It's goingg to be a pain in the ass but he brought it on and you can win and fight this. Lots of hugs and prayers.

 

I agree with what everyone's been saying. If your room mates drunk and violent ex boyfriend was in your house when you got home, that is a break and entry. The fact that he was even coming towards you in a threatening way is WRONG and you can press charges for that too. Don't let him play the victim here, this was not your fault nor was it your dogs fault for protecting his person/ home.

 

You need to get to the police station ASAP, get the report from them and then press charges for breaking and entering. I can't believe he wasn't arrested right then and there.

 

It sounds like Xeres was just doing what he needed to do to protect you. I would be a bit concerned that you couldn't stop him. Maybe you and Xeres could start some obedience work. Maybe even protection work down the line. It sounds like he has the drive, just needs some self control.

 

I am with everyone else. Xerxes did nothing wrong. Being me I would have come up with something snarky at the time and asked that cop if he would be suggesting your dog being PTS if he was a labrador instead of a pit... It's probably better for you that you didn't! Breaking and entering? And HE wants to press charges? Seriously??? Fight that dangerous dog label. He clearly isn't.

Dude and Buck have both shown their protective sides and they are an 8 year old smooth collie and a 10 month old bluetick coonhound. Dude, as a half grown pup went after my stepfather(not with full strength since he knows him) when he pretended to hit me. Jim just wanted to see Dude's reaction and Dude went after him, teeth bared, and wasn't going to let him near me. As soon as Jim stopped acting aggressive towards me, Dude stopped and became his calm docile self again.

Dude also showed his protective side a few months ago. Nick came in the front door wearing his gas mask and, I don't know if it was because Dude couldn't see a face (he doesn't react at all when we have friends he has never met over) but he snarled, placed himself between me and "the intruder" snarled, and when Nick didn't back off, he lunged and latched onto Nick's arm. The second Nick pulled off his gas mask and Dude saw that it was Nick he let go and was back to his happy, obsessively-in-love-with-Nick self. Nick checked his arm and there were only light indents but he told me that he was 100% sure that, had he tried, he would not have been able to get Dude off of his arm. Dude is known for his strong grip without leaving marks.

A few weeks ago, we had a guy with a clipboard inspecting our backyard likely as just part of a routine check that happens in our complex. It's a Navy neighborhood so they are doing stuff like that all the time. Buck likes to watch through the blinds and wish he were out back. He saw this guy and from behind me I heard this deep, loud, rumbling that sounded like it was coming out of a 150 lb dog. I turn around and my little 10 month old, 60 lb pup is watching this guy out the back door with his hackles up. When the guy leaned over our fence Buck howled his angry howl. There is an immense difference between his normal, happy howl and this howl. You can tell he is not a happy camper.

A few months back, Nick and I were on a walk and there were a bunch of guys who were likely drunk and Buck, who has never been walked anywhere but on my left side and is known for attempting to drag me towards someone to see if they will pet him, silently moved from my left side to my right side so that he was in between them and me and made no effort to walk up to these guys. He never took his eyes off of them and was unusually subdued. His body language was screaming (in what we humans would say), "Just let them try..."

With all of these instances, there was something to protect me from. They weren't always reacting to my fear but I was the object of their protection. Now, if Nick and I are horsing around they ALWAYS side with him and jump on me! I do believe that my boys would protect me in a real situation (although all of these situations were real to them).



I absolutely agree with this. Your dog has proven he has what it takes to protect you. He can and he will. Now the two of you should work on the control issue. Being a pit bull in the first place is a great reason to do some obedience and protection work. I think all owners of pit bulls and pit bull types should be required to at least get their CGC. It could do a ton to help the breed's reputation and potentially help pits in Xerxes' situation with the automatic dangerous dog label that they want to slap on every pit for looking at someone the wrong way.

After the first time Dude showed me that he would protect me we started working on a release word as well as obedience and especially recall. Buck has a release word as well and obedience is something that we work on every day with both dogs. Dogs can always become more obedient so obedience training should continue throughout a dog's life. Any dog that shows ANY sign of being protective like our guys are (or any dog rally since we never know what they might do in a real situation like that) need to know a release word and need to be able to follow through without thinking about it.

You have a dog who is clearly willing to protect you from harm. Now you just need to be able to control it. Regardless, I applaud Xerxes and I think we need a picture of him!

 

You need to file a report against him for breaking and entering as well as attempted assault. Get his ass in jail before they make him out to be a victim.

 

I don't think someone who BROKE IN to YOUR home can press charges on your dog for protecting you. Definitely press charges against him. I don't think your dog was being aggressive, he could tell you were scared and picked up on your fear and went into protection mode. Don't buy into the pitbull myths, any dog would have/should have done that.

 

i agree 100 percent fight that dangerous dog label! be strong! get family and freinds who know your dog to stand up with you!
your dog did a wonderful thing i would be proud of them you WERE in danger and it took your dog time to think about it before reacting your dog didnt jsut attack him becuase he was there he ONLY attacked after he seen YOU in danger and afraid.

Cesar protected me once i had only had him for about 3 or 4 months it was in the sumemr and super hot so i waited to go for a walk untill it was later in the day we were at my bf house who lives in a small town in the middle of no where 30 miles from everything a big hunters town lots of guys out in the woods four wheeling,hunting ect we went walking on the road out of town we walked about 4 miles out and it began getting dark no houses around for about 3 miles so i started back it was nice and cool then a guy pulled up on a four wheeler obviously drunk i was very nervous becuase there was NO ONE else around jsut me and Cesar.
the guy drove slowly next to me as i tried ignoreing him while he asked me if i wanted to "have a good time" with him i said "no" and tried walking a bit faster the guy grabbed my arm and tried pulling me onto the four wheeler well i was freaked and screamed a little bit and tried pulling away this entire time cesar had ignored him along with me but when i pulled back to run away Cesar jumped up to bite this guys face i jsut let the leash go and Cesar grabbed his arm the guy started yelling at Cesar and shaking his arm once cesar let go to get a better grip the guy drove off real fast i was so frightend i finished our walk home through the woods. as soon as i got home i called the police to tell them what had happend and gave a discription of the guy and his four wheeler.
thankfully in my case however the police told me i was lucky that Cesar had reacted and to be careful next time. i never heard bacl from the police so im assuming the guy never tried pressing charges on us for getting bitten.
and Cesar is still as sweet as can be he still greets men affectionatly even men who smell of beer and kind of look a bit like that man. we have a neighbor who is working on our car right now who sometimes smells of beer and looks a bit like that man cesar bit hes big,wears flannel,and has a beard but cesar welcomed him into our house and tried climbing into his lap for some love the first time he met him.
i wouldnt ever worry about cesar reacting agressivly for no reason and i wouldnt expect your dog to either

 

And all I can think, is, what a good boy.

 

I am very much in agreement with the people who have already said that this fellow who BROKE INTO YOUR HOUSE & VANDALIZED IT should be charged. Also, fight the "dangerous dog" label to the max!

Here in FL there is the "stand your ground" statute that says if you are afraid for your safety/life you can defend yourself using whatever force is necessary. Well, the dog was defending you!

Grrrr...

 

We also have the "Castle" statue in NC that says you can protect yourself with whatever force is necessary in your home (a gun, a stick, a chair, a dog - whatever is needed). Definitely press charges against this person, if not for yourself, then to protect your dog from being labelled. He was merely protecting you from a danger like any dog would. If no charges are filed against the intruder, then legally it's hard to say that you were being threatened.

All of us with 'certain' breeds have to make sure people realize they are just sweet, loving members of our family and not let anyone overreact to normal dog behavior from them. Would the cop have recommended that a beagle be PTS if it had protected it's owner?

 

um....remember the term...
' i was afraid for my life' and 'thank g'd my dog protected me' for when you sue him and have him arrested for breaking and entering and reckless endangerment and whatever else you can throw at him.

then i would march on down to the police station and talk to them, calmly about what happened and that your dog did his job...this man was drunk and a thread and you want him arrested and your dog's name restored.

 

I'm so sorry to hear this.

I would, as every one else mentioned, press charges. Breaking and entering, vandalism, attempted assult, diorderly conduct, and anything else you can come up with.

This is NOT your dogs fault. He was protecting you. They are saying he is mean because he is a pit. THAT IS NOT TRUE!. Fight the label. DONT let anyone tell you you have to PTS. If anything, your dog should be honnored for defending your life!

I've been in a similar situation. My boxers have snapped and snarled at people who have fallowed me on walks. They have bit people who tried to harm me. They have backed unwated people out of my house. All because I was scared for my life, and they could tell. Apparently alot of people in this area dont know a boxer from a pit. And they accuse me of having "agressive pits". And I correct them that they are boxers. They are not agressive, they are protective. They will listen when I tell them to back off (it took some work). And I ALWAYS correct them that pits are not agressive.

Your poor boy was defending you. I would make these peoples heads spin.

 

if you have the funds, I'd take the advice some have given you and get a good Lawyer who knows this stuff. We all know you were right and just and Xerxes is about the coolest Dog ever.

If they try to take him, let me know. He can hide with me in Michigan.


And, Kelly, the agression some Pits get is typically never towards humans. Pits were bred to be loyal to humans... Xerxes was only protecting his owner because he thought your safety was in jeorpardy. He probably would have laid down his life for you. His actions only tell me that clown in your house/apt was very much out of line.

 

I sure hope you didn't portray your dog as being aggressive to the cops, because he was clearly trying to protect you from an aggressive intruder! I would be saying "Xerxes saved me "

 

yeah, was planning to go after the guy for charges, wanted peoples opinions though. hoping something can be done about the labeling, don't think he's a purebred but being one of the few pibbles in the area he was helping educate people breeds like him aren't vicious. would be a shame that his work would be for nothing or people started being afraid of him...

I don't think he knew what he did until it happened though, like he was going through shock or something so he couldn't let go. didn't know much else to do, he got a big steak and many hugs for that... I just hope this didn't give him some type of problems... he just can't seem to catch a break...:/

edit;kittykat: no, I couldn't stress enough to them that he's not an aggressive dog. they gave me this look though like they were secretly pitbull haters or something...hopefully they won't interfere too much if they are, cops word over anyone else...><

 

I don't know if this means he was trying to protect me or if he's getting the aggression most people say pitbulls eventually get... took him to the vet and after the shock wears off was going to socialize him more with calm positive people to try to help if there's any fear or something...

Has your dog shown any signs of aggression toward humans before? The people who "say" Pits are aggressive or will get aggressive know absolutely nothing about bully breeds, human aggression is NEVER typical of the breed. It does concern me a little that you think your dog could "get" the aggression people say they get. It is not a disease that comes out of no where, most dog bites on humans are provoked but many many dog owners do not know the warning signs to prevent them.

In this case, this was not your dogs fault. I am sorry but if I were alone in my own home and I felt threatened, I would hope my dog would react to protect me. Your dog did nothing wrong. I would definitely fight the "dangerous dog" label, that's complete BS.

 

see, that's what I thought. funny, the people who tell me that eventually most(if not every pitbull or pitbull mix)will get aggression. DA, HA, or both, are long time pitbull owners. :/ I really don't believe that, but xerxes was the very first pitbull I've had and I really don't know much about them...;-;

no, he's never shown aggression to anyone. humans, dogs, other animals, nobody. I mean, if it was interpreted wrong this situation some people would say it was aggression when it wasn't, at least not on the dog's part.

 

Lauren is spot on. Its a myth that Pits have some built in agression towards humans. In FACT, for the most part, they are bred to be pretty submissive to humans. Agression on Dogs/other animals is an entire different discussion and draws so much debate that I don't even like to get into it.

 

So true Kevin Bradley. Good post!
Pit Bulls do not just "turn on their owners" like the media likes to spew out. Even though it is not **breed specific** for what your dog has done OP, unless the guy presses charges and was welcome in your home (even if he was welcome, and you were not there) he cannot win a case. It sounds to me that your dog was protecting you which does not put him in harms way at all.

 

Cia, I love Pits and I love defending them. Nothing riles me up more than persecution of Pits.

I will be seriously pissed if anything happens to Xerxes and I've obviously never even met him.

 

I hope you press all charges possible against that jerk. And fight that dangerous dog label as hard as you can! If it were a GSD they wouldn't be trying to pull that shit. Sure his breed isn't used in that kind of work, but he's still a dog who loves you more than anything else in the world... seems pretty logical he'd stand up for you.

And give that dog a really good treat for being such a good boy! Of course he didn't let go.... bull and terrier breeds are the ultimate in tenacious, plus he's never been taught an "out" so why the hell should he be expected to out on command?!?

 

And, I'm pretty sure Mol would have done the same for me if we were in the same situation. And, she is nothing like a Pit at all. It's dog behaviour, they protect their family against violent strangers that threaten them. I'd stick up for my dog like hell, screw the jerk, he's the one that caused all of this, the arrogant sod. I can't believe the police seem to have sided with him, what would have happened to you if Xerxes hadn't intervened? You and they may very well be dealing with something a hell of a lot more serious that a dog bite right now, they should be grateful, thats all I have to say.
And, if Xerxes has to get out of town for a while, I have a nice little place in Florida where he could hang out for a bit.
Good luck, don't take any $hit from anyone, write it all down in case you forget any tiny detail, this could be important later on, and by later on I'm talking years away. There's no way it should ever come to that, but just cover yourself.
Good luck and be strong, stick it to the bastards.

 

All I can say is fight the label, and make sure you charge the guy.

I know 100% if I were in your situation, that my boys would have done the same... And I have a lab and a chessie.
When i feel threatened by something, my boys always put themselves in between me and whatever it is.
When a dog is loyal to it's person, it knows when they're in trouble and act to protect.

Like I said, retrievers aren't known to protect or be aggressive, but I know in the situation they will.
Ok well chessie has the protect the master trait in them....

 

Well, I found rebel's true colors today. A friend of mine but someone Rebel has never met came right up on the porch with Rebel barking away (the fellow was drunk) and Rebel gave him a big kiss. I was in the back room and by the time I got up to the porch they were best buddies. so if the burglars aren't afraid of dogs we are in trouble