Oklahoma Veteran Reunites With Stolen Dog

Wednesday, Geoff Hoffman's home was broken into in Jones. It looks like thieves were about to take his TV but instead abducted his best friend, 3-year-old pit bull Bridget.

Quickly, Hoffman and his friends jumped into action, posting signs and putting up posts on social media.

The efforts paid off. At 6:30 Sunday morning, Hoffman's girlfriend found Bridget on a country road miles from her home.

"Bridget didn’t move a whole lot but, as soon as she saw my girlfriend coming, she started waging her tail," Hoffman said.

Bridget was taken to an Oklahoma City vet clinic dehydrated with deep cuts on her leg.

Hoffman said Bridget had the phone number on her collar scratched out and her original leash attached, confirming she had been stolen.

He said News 4's story Thursday night might have helped bring Bridget back home.

"So, the original story you guys aired the other night also went viral. It helped out a lot. I think the key to the whole terrible experience was social media," he said. "So much exposure was out there that I think the criminal that took my dog just couldn't handle the pressure of keeping her so, in the middle of the night, he dumped her off on a rural road."

"It's been a heartwarming experience. People have really been understanding the pain that someone stealing your dog can inflict on a person," Hoffman said. "The internet can be nasty place, but every single comment I've gotten has been completely supportive and everybody just wants Bridget to come back."

Hoffman and his girlfriend have set up a GoFundMe page to help with vet and search costs.

Naw. Pit Bulls are big babies for the most part unless they are made to be mean. Dog fighters use Pit Bulls because they are muscular with strong jaws, sure, but mostly because they are so malleable. They can be good fighters if mistreated and made to be mean or a great family pet but they do have one bad trait; they can be very aggressive around strange dogs if not properly assimilated. This is their protective streak coming out. Doberman’s are the same way; bad rap but great dogs. Just watch out when they get to be 10 or more years old. Sometimes they get wires crossed in their brains, probably from to much inbreeding over the decades, and they can turn on an owner. Put them down at the early signs of this behavior change. Best for everyone involved; including the dog.

Yes, there are some bad stories and incidents with Pit’s, and if a thorough investigation is made; a logical reason can be found. Something like a kid teasing the dog every time it goes by the yard or someone doesn’t know how to break up a fight between two dogs, any dogs, but Pit’s always get the notoriety. Lab’s are actually more vicious than Pit’s but the media doesn’t up-play those stories.

Just watch out when they get to be 10 or more years old. Sometimes they get wires crossed in their brains, probably from to much inbreeding over the decades, and they can turn on an owner. Put them down at the early signs of this behavior change.
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This is our experience...We had a pit mix who started getting aggressive, she was 12 years old. We take our pets for yearly physicals including blood tests.

Based on her behavior change, her vet took blood and urine tests and sent to Univ of Tennesee veterinary school. (Our Las Vegas vet).She had a hormonal imbalance where her testosterone was three times a male dogs highwater mark and her estrogen level was was at the female dog highwater mark.

Normally the recommended treatment was hormonal therapy, but due to her age, they recommend SLC flaxseed and melatonin.

She lived for over four more years, and while she was still herself, her aggressive behavior disappeared. During that time we also added three more puppies, 2 heeler mixes and another pit mix and she adopted them.

I do not know about your observations or experience as everything else you say is spot on.

But behavior changes (for ANY pet) can be due to physical changes -brain tumors, hormonal, or added or new stresses in the family. It may be pit/mixes are prone to hormonal impalances, brain tumours, whatever.

Best to rule these changes out. We have all high energy, focused dogs, 2 male German Shepherds, 2 female heeler mixex, and our staffie mix.

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