Pitbull vs. Chihuahua damage? Looking for advice- http://viewmorepics.myspac?
I have a 10-15lb. chihuahua/terrier mix who is currently being blamed for destroying a friends truck interior (the friend was babysitting while I was away for a week). The story is that she left my dog in the truck for 10 minutes while on an errand & came back to destroyed leather seats and seatbelts ripped into several pieces. My dog is being blamed for the destruction but she has never been a problem or damaged anything in her life (our rabbit bullies her!) My friend though has a 40lb. pitbull who she often complains about his chewing and destructive behavior when left alone. I don’t own a car so don’t have insurance to cover the damage nor know how hard it is to rip leather seats. I do know the difficulty involved in cutting a seatbelt as 2 friends recently died in a car accident in which an axe was to try to cut their belts. Just looking for the advice (preferably from pitbull owners or anyone who has more knowladge than I) as to the realisticness of my dog doing the damage.
Apparently my dog was the only one in the car. I’m just having trouble wrapping my mind around that much damage done in ten minutes, let alone by a dog my size (and the devil on my shoulder finds it harder knowing she has a pitbull. Nothing against him, he’s a doll, but if you see the damage and then the two dogs it really makes me wonder whose dog was the real dog that went to town that day?)
Wow! So much encouragement in so little time! You guys are great! Just for those who’ve answered: I feel kinda baffled at her accusation as until now I would have considered her my most loyal and trusted friend. Until I saw the pictures of the damage I had believed her, but once I saw the pictures I’ve had a bazillion thoughts (all blaming her dog, eek!) Now though I see no way around losing her friendship, which seriously saddens me. Even if her dog did do it we’ve been put into a situation that it’s her word against mine and if I push back (cuz I can’t wrap my mind around my dog doing that damage-and not just cuz she’s my dog and she’s an innocent angel blabla-just it’s so much in so little time) our friendship is lost no matter how we look at it.
Hope the link for the pictures os working now. Thanks everyone.
13 Responses
Jo
02 Mar 2010
kennysprettylitt
02 Mar 2010
Honey, with two dogs in the car, she can’t prove it was your dog. I wouldn’t worry about that!
rlc_60504
02 Mar 2010
This may seem extreme, but what about having DNA tests done on the chewed up seatbelts and such? I would think there would be saliva from the dog creating the damage.
Maybe it could free your dog?
ABC
02 Mar 2010
this sounds highly unlikely, i seriously doubt that a tiny dog like that could be capable of destroying leather seats. you should take this to small claims court. she undertook the responsibility of watching your dog, even if the dog did destroy the seats it was the direct result of a decision she made. pitbulls have an incredible bite, its what makes them famous, and it sounds like your friend is trying to blame your dog to avoid paying for the damage caused by hers. not a good friend!
Misa M
02 Mar 2010
It’s not the dog’s fault, it’s the fault of the person who left the dog in there. Any panicked dog will cause extensive damage in trying to escape.
hev81
02 Mar 2010
Since your friend was baby sitting the damage should be her responsibility. You left her the chihuahua so she could watch it not leave it locked in a vehicle. So even if it was your dog you shouldn’t have to pay a dime cause your friend should have been watching it.
Autum
02 Mar 2010
Highly unlikely that your dog could do so much damage. Your dog doesn’t have the strength to be able to rip apart a seat belt, nor tear apart the leather seats. The pit definitely does. They are able to rip apart just about anything. I had one that would rip apart tree trunks. Your "friend" is trying to get out of paying for the damage.
Lunasea
02 Mar 2010
I have to agree with the person above me…it does sound unlikely. I’m sure a chihuahua could do some damage…but definitely not as much as you are describing in as little as ten minutes.
But seat belts have a similar material as dog leashes and I have seen a small schnauzer chew through a narrow leash in seconds (to my amazement)…so I can’t say it’s impossible. But I think it’s seriously unlikely. And leather seats are no small feat. My little dog scratches around at things when she is trying to get comfortable and she doesn’t leave a mark.
Also, I dog sit on occasion and whatever damage that occurs I consider my responsibility. I am supposed to be watching the dog…so if something happens, I can’t blame the owners. That is one of the reasons that some pet sitters chose to take out insurance and be licensed and bonded. I’m sure your friend is none of those things.
And regardless, I think she would have a tough time proving to small claims court that your dog did the damage when there is another much more capable dog around to have done it. I’m sure you have probably come to the conclusion that this might not be a very good friend…
gimpybaker
02 Mar 2010
I would be questioning the honesty and integrity of my friend. Is it possible that she is just looking to get you to pay for the damage her own dog did so she doesn’t have to submit it to her insurance? Maybe she doesn’t want to pay the deductible or have her rates go up? You trusted your dog with her for a week, so I don’t want to make assumptions about your friend. However, I do agree with someone else who said it was her own fault for leaving the dog in her truck.
bjvettech
02 Mar 2010
HAHAHHAHAH!!! Your friend is clearly trying to pull the wool over you eyes here. There is absolutely NO WAY that your little dog could have done that.
Unless the seats were already in that condition, and ripped and she just grabbed a torn bit and gave it a tug…… but highly unlikely.
If this went to court, a judge would laugh at your friends allegations, especially if you took the dog in with you for the judge to see!
So don’t worry, and DONT pay for the damage, your pup clearly didnt do it.
~*~*~LITTLELADYL
02 Mar 2010
no there is no way I have chihuahua that I take every whre with me and they have never done any thing like that I would say your friends dog did it and is just saying your dog did so he or she can get it fixed without haveing to pay for it there is no way at all your chihuahua did it..
and why did she take your dog with her anyway?
mine chew on my car all the time and you would not know if I did not tell you cuz you can’t see it..
lesbian therapis
02 Mar 2010
ur dog couldnt have did the damage my pits chewed threw a wall and damaged a pipe once cause they were left alone so put two and two together
dummuck
02 Mar 2010
we had a dog as small as yours and he was being watched by my aunt,in ten minutes he chewed tru a wooden door and door jam,so yes your little dog can do that kinda damage to leather seats and belts.more a chanch your dog did it then hers who has been in the car more often and never done anything to the car and she isnt responible for the damage because it was your dogs fault and not hers.she was a good friend that did you a favor and watch your dog for you and you should be just as good a friend and pay for the damage your dog did..if you watched her dog and it damage something in your house you would exspect her to pay for it.
.so do the right thing.
As far as I know, when someone watches a dog- whether a boarding facility or a personal friend, they assume responsibility of that animal and would be negligent to leave it in a car for ten minutes, ten hrs or ten seconds alone, and not in a kennel cab. Yes, your dog may have done the damage. You could be legally in the right if you don’t pay. It could affect your friendship.
Those are some bad damages and I am willing to bet they didn’t occur in just ten minutes from the dog you are describing. They could possibly have been the result of the two dogs left alone in the car. Any dog with teeth can do a heck of a lot of damage if they have separation anxiety or they are teething and left unsupervised. Or they are already a destructive chewer.
The key factor here is that the dog was left UNSUPERVISED while in HER care.