I’m a pet sitter & a dog bit my face on Christmas Eve – I ended up in the ER, I don’t want to be near that breed again
A PET sitter has revealed the terrifying experience that made her swear to never be near a breed of dog again.
She said all animals “deserve” love and respect but the traumatic situation has made her “super hesitant” to provide walks and doggie daycare.
Rover has become one of the world’s largest networks for finding pet sitters and walkers since it was founded in 2011.
Sitters can set their own schedules, prices, and pet preferences when they sign up to work on the app.
A Reddit user took to the Rover Pet Sitting forum to share her experience after joining the company.
Posting under the handle u/NurseJoy_IRL, she asked members if they turn down requests to dogsit breeds known for being aggressive.
“For requests, I mean any kind- drop-ins, walks, boarding, or doggie daycare,” she wrote.
“The ‘aggressive’ (heavy emphasis on those quotations) breeds I’m talking about would include pit bulls, German shepherds, huskies, Belgian malinois, Dobermans, etc.
“I just started doing Rover but am not new to sitting.
“A few years ago, a pit mix bit the s**t out of my face on Christmas Eve. I ended up in the ER.
“It left a mark on me and I’m super hesitant around pits, or any bully breed, ever since then.
“I haven’t gotten any requests to care for one yet, but I’m just wondering what to do if it happens.
“I’m fully aware that a dog of any breed can bite and be aggressive (my elderly blind Shetland sheepdog bites me all the time. She has no teeth though).
“I am just curious about other sitters’ policies, if they do breed restrictions, and how you go about them.
“Maybe I’m being unreasonable. If I am please say so.”
A stream of responses to the post attempted to reassure the pet sitter that she could reject any dog breed and shared their own experiences with pit bulls.
“Dog bites/attacks can be really traumatic so your preferences and feelings on it are totally valid, and for every dog you are uncomfortable around, there is a sitter waiting who is happy to be with them,” one person wrote.
“I had a pit mix and shepherd mix growing up who were both sweethearts but would become aggressive and have brutal fights to the point they had to be separated permanently.
Signs your dog could turn dangerous
Dr. Sara Ochoa has been practicing veterinary medicine for over five years.
She told The U.S. Sun observing a dog’s behavior can provide clues that they might act out.
“A dog that looks tense all over with its fur sticking up or teeth showing is more likely to snap,” she said.
“Staring real hard without blinking could mean trouble too.
“Growling is also a warning the dog is getting mad.”
She said dogs may tuck their tail between their legs when they feel scared or threatened.
“Staying calm and keeping space may help things not to escalate if a dog seems on edge,” she said.
“I hadn’t really considered declining the breeds but now I am housesitting 3 German shepherd rescues and I have high anxiety.
“They are sweet dogs but I just have in the back of my head the story about the sitter who was attacked. I probably wouldn’t sit for them again.”
“For boarding, our rule is any dog we think can take us out is a no-go,” another said.
“We go mostly by size.
“Got a wake-up call when a very anxious pit bull bit my boyfriend’s leg during a meet and greet.
“I’d be lying if I said this incident didn’t make us wary about pits in general, unfortunately.
“Also, even with ‘non-aggressive’ dogs it is rare that the owner will disclose all of their history.”
“I didn’t have restrictions and was mauled by a pitbull within an hour of it being dropped off,” a third chimed in.
“Not worth a lifelong disability or worse plus medical debt.”
Pitbull is an umbrella term used to describe several “bully breeds,” according to The Spruce Pets.
Ownership of these breeds has been banned in some places so it’s important to check local legislation before taking one home.
Their muscular build and use in dogfighting sports have earned them the reputation of being aggressive.
However, they are also known for being “loving, loyal, and gentle with their family members.
