Day out in car with friends’ American Bully?

[WildGreenHedgehog]

My friend has adopted an American Bully recently and is and another friend are going down to Brighton on Friday for a day out and she’s messaged us saying she’s bringing the dog. It isn’t one of those XL types but I’m still concerned about getting in the car with a dangerous dog I don’t know (and she doesn’t know really) incase it gets territorial. I don’t know whether to say anything in case she thinks I’m being a wet lettuce?
AIBU?

I notice that all the dog lovers on this thread have immediately assumed that the dog is a gentle and docile dog, and everyone else is wary.

I don't dislike dogs and am not afraid of them. However, I would not want to share a car seat or even a car with an unrestrained dog regardless of how gentle tempered the dog is.

Has she ever taken the dog on a long journey before? Or a short journey with other people? Until she's tried both she has no idea how it will react.

I agree with the OP - just message her saying

'Travelling with a dog doesn't work for me so I'll give the day a miss, thanks for letting me know'.

Don't reference the breed or ask why it needed to be rehomed or whether it would be secured in the car as the dog is now a member of her family and she prob wouldn't take kindly to any negativity. She can't leave it home alone so it's you that'll be bailing!

Maybe it is you with the powers and talent to know with certainty a dog you don’t know, have never observed, no idea why or how it reacts to anything, why it’s a rescue is not dangerous and have actually assured the op that is the case.

My thinking about you was actually common sense.

Just say it doesn't work for you. You don't have to be more specific.

I thought it was illegal to have an unsecured dog in a car?

Quite simple because I would start distancing myself from someone who bought one of those anyway

What you have failed to realise when you jumped in with both feet, is that I was referring to the breed, not the individual dog.
The OP said they didn't want to be in a car with a 'dangerous dog'.
My reply was about assuming it was dangerous based on breed, not the individual dog. The OP assumed because it was an american bully, it would be dangerous

plus it will hinder your enjoyment of the day,
no entry for dogs in many places
i wouldnt want to @RampantIvy and i am a dog lover

I love dogs. I am comfortable with large dogs. Nothing at all would persuade me though to share the backseat with a recently "adopted" American Bully. Dogs also get carsick - our spaniel used to evacuate his bowels unless the windows were open. That was bad but an Amercan Bully would have so much more to expel from either end. Older dog adoptions can occur because people don't want to make hard choices about dogs who show agression. They would rather pass on the problem rather than put an unsafe dog down.

I'm not saying to not take on an older dog but you want to be very sure of its temperament before you put it in a situation like this for both the people involved and the dog. What are you going to do if it starts showing signs of agression half way there? Will you be able to pull over? If you can, what are you going to do then? You can't put it back in the car if it's showing all the warning signs of preparing to attack.

Even if he is a lovable sweetheart with humans, how is he with other dogs? Can he be left tied up outside or will he howl or try to attack other dogs?

Why do you call it a dangerous dog in your OP?

I can only imagine you haven’t seen one close up.
I was brought up with working dogs. These ABs are rippling with muscle and have thick strong necks like no other. I steer well clear. No way could a single person control them, I doubt even two strong men could.

Let me help you.

This breed isn’t known to be aggressive but as it’s a rescue and the NEW owner is planning to stick it in the back of a car with a complete stranger I would be incredibly cautious and maybe trust your gut feeling.

Or as I assume you have shown your ignorance and are now furiously backtracking.

On the subject of dangerous dogs, a dog can be dangerous without being a government classified “Dangerous Dog”

A few days ago a woman was just killed by a dog that wasn’t (officially) a “Dangerous Dog” but it was dangerous clearly since it killed her.

Thousands of people attend NHS hospitals every year for dog bite treatment many of whom weren’t bitten by “Dangerous Dogs” but again they are clearly dangerous.

I wouldn't want to share a back seat with anyone's dog, yuck.

Can you offer to drive? Otherwise I'd make my own way.

Your comfort and enjoyment is far more important than whether your friend thinks you're being silly. I think you're a wet lettuce for caring more about other people's (imagined) opinion of you than about your own comfort and safety.

Stop trying to make this into something it is not
We are not 5

Because neither she nor the new owner, at this point, have full information otherwise. As she should, she is treating this animal with due caution. It would be insane not to.

Next time don’t post if you don’t like to be challenged. It was a stupid comment and your come back was to call me pathetic. Maybe work on expressing yourself better without resorting to being so rude.

My guess would be the people assuming docility are not experienced rescue owners. I have owned resuces and it is a huge responsibility. You really don't know the temperment until you have spend many months with the dog - often they 'shut down' with the stress of kennels, loss of old family, new home etc. I love dogs, but honestly would be telling my friend 'no thanks.' This day out will have to revolve around the needs of a dog which the owner doesn't yet know how to manage. Best case scenario a dog-focussed trip with limited time for priortising humans, worst case scenario someone or another animal gets hurt. Just not worth it.

Have you explained all this to your friend and asked her to secure him in the boot?

Years ago, FIL gave us a one-hour lift and I was made to sit in the back seat with unsecured family dog. It wasn't particularly big and was reasonably docile.

It spent the entire journey trying to climb onto my lap. It's claws needed trimming and were digging into my thighs as it clambered about to get comfortable. FIL was really annoyed with me as I kept gently putting it back on its blanket.

I arrived at the family party with bruised scratched thighs, covered in white dog hair, Threads pulled in my clothes and perfumed with overheated dog stink wanting to puke.

The only comfort was that even MIL when FIL got out of the car complaining, gave him a right telling off.

Get the train to Brighton.

Just get out of it with one of the suggestions below

Some absolute melts on this post. Smh.

There are certainly some people who like to create drama!

Just say you are busy. I wouldn’t go in any car with a dog. The smell would make me ill. Not even a ‘ddog’ 😂

If I was you, I would demand that the dog be muzzled during the journey and in any public place your friend takes the dog.

If the owner refuses, then don't go.

Don't put up with any nonsense for too many people it's too late and you do not want to be the next person we read about on news sites, ripped to shreds by a dangerous dog.