Patron the pit bull made headlines last month when he attacked the 2-year-old son of Steelers linebacker James Harrison. For the past two weeks Patron, 2, has been living quietly in a West End home with a couple who say "he's just an all-around good dog."

Details about the May 20 attack are sketchy. We do know that the bite sent James Harrison III to the hospital for a week, and the child's mother and a family friend were bitten in the same incident.

Mr. Harrison initially said the dog would be euthanized but then had a change of heart. When no animal shelter, rescue group or boarding kennel would agree to give Patron even temporary safe-haven, he ended up in Sheraden with MK (Mary Kay) Kain and her husband, Ray. Like many observers, they thought Patron deserved a second chance. Now they're sure of it.

"I work with aggressive dogs, and Patron is not aggressive," said Mrs. Kain. "He is a happy dog, willing to oblige you and do whatever you want him to do."

For two weeks, the couple have seen a dog who is quiet, calm, friendly and affectionate. They've seen no signs of aggression toward people or other dogs, including the five big dogs they own. They've seen no signs of nervousness, fear or shyness -- traits that raise a red flag among dog trainers and behavior experts, as fearful and timid dogs may bite to defend themselves.

Mrs. Kain has been studying with trainers and animal behavior specialists since the late 1990s. She became more involved with canine rescue and rehab after she traveled to New Orleans in 2005 to help with dogs left homeless by Hurricane Katrina.

"There was a separate area for aggressive dogs that people were afraid to work with. I worked with them," she said.

Mrs. Kain brought two of them home with her. Red, a chow chow mix, had bitten six people. Tyson, a pit bull, had a history of aggression toward people. Red and Tyson will spend the rest of their lives with the Kains, along with three other "rescue" dogs.

Ray Kain is a Pittsburgh police officer who now works in the traffic division but who used to be a K-9 officer. His dog-partner Conchita was a drug detection dog. Someone in the Steelers front office was familiar with the Kains' dog-handling experience, and that's how Patron ended up with them, with Mr. Harrison's approval.

Mrs. Kain travels around the country as a consultant, evaluating "problem" dogs and helping to place them with rescue groups or with permanent owners. She says she has worked with about 1,000 dogs. She doesn't make money doing this "because rescue groups don't have the money," but they do pay her travel expenses. About 10 dogs have spent time in the house under the Kains' direct care and training.

"Helping dogs is my hobby and my passion," Mrs. Kain said.

I saw what the Kains saw when I met Patron earlier this week. He is a 76-pound, tough-looking dog with an enormous head. There are no scars on his trim, muscular body. His ears are cropped very short. The color of his short fur is reddish-fawn, and his nose is pinkish-red.

But when your eyes meet the amber-colored eyes of Patron, you don't see a tough dog. The look in his eyes is soft and gentle, sad, even.

Patron walked up to me and wagged his skinny tail. He's either naturally polite or has been well-trained, as he didn't jump up. I rubbed his chest and scratched his chin, petted that enormous head and scratched his ears. He wagged his tail, lay down at my feet, and went to sleep while we talked about him and his future.

When we went inside the house, I sat down on a couch in the living room. Patron hopped up on the couch, stretched out and plopped that giant head on my lap. He went to sleep again. He's very low-energy for a young terrier.

Mrs. Kain thinks he might be a pit bull-Cane Corso cross. Also known as Italian mastiffs, Cane Corsos are much bigger but have lower-energy levels than pit bulls. They were bred as all-around working dogs, not for fighting, according to the Web sites of multiple breeders.

When the Kains first brought Patron to their house "we walked him by the other dogs and he didn't even alert" to their presence, Mrs. Kain said. The introduction was made with a sturdy fence between Patron and the others.There have been no problems, and the Kains are confident that Patron would eventually be able to mingle freely with the other dogs.

Mrs. Kain said she took Patron to a professional trainer/behavior specialist "and he passed." That trainer did not return a phone call asking for comment.

Now the Kains are looking for a new home for Patron.

"I'd keep him in a minute, but we really don't have the room. He will not be placed in a home with children or other pets."

Mrs. Kain said that people considering adopting a pit bull or any breed must make sure that their energy level and lifestyle match the breed's needs. The presence of small children, number of walks and frequency of visitors are all issues to consider before adopting a dog.

Patron's picture and adoption information has been put up on at least one rescue Web site but with a fake name.

"We're not interested in people who want to adopt him just because he was James Harrison's dog," Mrs. Kain said.

For more information on Patron, contact her at Mkkain@aol.com.