A dog’s aggressive and reactive behavior is never purely genetic; it’s shaped by human interactions. Regardless of their breed, dogs raised in supportive, loving environments and properly socialized pose no threat at all.
Unfortunately, this sweet Pit Bull pup, Maddie, had a rough beginning.
When a woman discovered her in a Brooklyn park, New York, she was highly reactive towards everyone. This precious girl had fallen victim to the horrors of dog fighting breeding and was on the verge of becoming a dangerously aggressive dog. But fortunately, the right individuals came forward to help!
Maddie’s Backstory
When Elli Frank from Mr. Bones & Co. received a call about Maddie, she was taken aback. The caller claimed that Maddie had been handed over by a man who “found her in a dumpster.”
Shortly thereafter, the man vanished, leaving the dog to the organization.
Upon Maddie’s arrival, the team quickly understood that she hadn’t spent days alone, as she exhibited no signs of starvation. Instead, she seemed to have been abandoned that very day.
“The man fled after concocting a story about how he came to have the puppy, who was subsequently surrendered to us. It was clear she was in grave danger,” stated Mr. Bones & Co on Facebook.
However, Maddie was quite a challenge! She was extremely reactive and showed hostility towards every human and dog in the facility.
“MADDIE was highly reactive to both people and dogs, intolerant of handling, and her frustration tolerance was very low – she would quickly escalate to reactivity if she felt threatened,” reported the organization.
The team suspected that she was likely bred for fighting purposes and had undergone early conditioning for that purpose before being rescued.
A New Chapter for Maddie
Elli quickly reached out to Suze Cullinan, president of Instinct Dog Behavior & Training, a certified dog behavior trainer with extensive experience in helping dogs with fear and anxiety issues.
This reactive dog was enrolled in a training camp, embarking on a challenging journey. Initially set for a three-week training period, Maddie remained wary of strangers and would sometimes have sudden outbursts, prompting Suze to decide to foster her temporarily until she was fully healed.
Through positive reinforcement training, Maddie was making daily strides. She gradually began to develop trust in both people and other dogs. Thanks to her devoted momma, this once aggressive pup was on the path to a full recovery and beyond!
After nine months, a heartwarming development occurred!
Rather than proceeding with Maddie’s adoption, Suze found it unbearable to part with her beloved canine companion. So, she decided that Maddie would officially be a foster fail and would stay with her forever!
Maddie blossomed beautifully, mastering social skills like a true princess, and now lives life to the fullest!
“MADDIE worked incredibly hard to thrive while under the care of her foster mom, mastering the social skills necessary to acclimate to an environment filled with new people and dogs daily,” they shared on Facebook.
Suze feels immense joy witnessing Maddie as a transformed character.
The journey required patience, effort, and emotional investment, but ultimately, every bit of it was worthwhile! Maddie was no longer the same dog she once was; she even began helping her mom assist other dogs grappling with fear and anxiety issues.
Once a mistreated Pit Bull with little hope, Maddie has emerged as a thriving new dog… all thanks to compassionate humans!
