Aggression in dogs never comes from their breed — it always comes from how humans treat them. With love, patience, and proper socialization, even the most misunderstood pups can blossom into the gentlest souls.
Sadly, Maddie, a young Pittie, didn’t get that kind of beginning.
When she was first discovered in a Brooklyn park, her behavior showed the harsh reality she had lived through. This poor girl had been used for dog fighting and was on the path to becoming another “unwanted aggressive dog.” That is, until the right people stepped in.
Maddie’s Troubled Past
Elli Frank of Mr. Bones & Co. in New York City received a troubling call one day. A woman explained that a man had approached her in a park, handed her a puppy he claimed to have “found in a dumpster,” and then quickly disappeared.
That puppy was Maddie.
Elli and her team immediately knew something wasn’t right. Maddie wasn’t starving, nor did she show signs of being alone for days. Instead, they believed she had just been abandoned that same day.
“The man fled after making up a story as to how he acquired the puppy, who was then turned over to our organization. We immediately realized she was in serious trouble,” Mr. Bones & Co. shared on Facebook.
From the start, Maddie was anything but easy. She was tense, reactive, and unwilling to let anyone near her.
“MADDIE was highly reactive to people and dogs, not tolerant of handling and her frustration threshold was low – she escalated to reactivity almost immediately if she was uncomfortable,” the organization explained.
The team suspected she was bred from fighting lines and had already been started on the brutal “grooming process to fight.”
The Start Of A New Life
Determined to give her a chance, Elli contacted Suze Cullinan, president of Instinct Dog Behavior & Training. With her expertise in helping fearful and reactive dogs, Suze agreed to take Maddie into her program.
What was meant to be just three weeks of training turned into months of slow, careful work. Maddie needed time, structure, and endless patience. Even after the program, Suze decided to foster her so she could continue healing.
Day by day, Maddie began to change. Through positive reinforcement and gentle guidance, she learned to trust, play, and finally, relax around people and other dogs.
After nine months, Maddie had transformed. She wasn’t just surviving anymore — she was thriving.
And the best part? Suze realized she couldn’t let Maddie go. Instead of adoption, Maddie became a proud foster fail and stayed right where she belonged: with Suze.
“MADDIE worked so hard to survive under the care of her foster mom and she mastered social skills needed to integrate into an environment filled with new people and dogs on a daily basis,” the rescue shared.
A Lovebug At Last
Suze says Maddie is now unrecognizable compared to the broken pup she first met. Confident, social, and full of affection, Maddie even helps Suze in her work by teaching other dogs that recovery is possible.
It took patience, love, and determination, but the effort was worth every second.
Once a neglected Pittie destined for tragedy, Maddie is now a loving companion, living proof that with the right human, any dog can transform.