Pit Bull Owners! Help!

[Andie]

I got Bull pretty much trained so there was never any classes for him (Bad Andie!!!)

He does play pretty rough but all we have to do is say his name and he stops. He's never hurt anyone (other than their pride) other than a few brusies on my butt (he's a butt man) and I don't really see him doing it in the future.

I have to agree, I think it's the trainer.

Buddha looks like the sweetest dog (though I might be bias since he look like a little Bull to me)


Here's Bull Boy:

[monaliesa]

you're right! they do look soooo silimar...Buddha has a little patch of white on his nose though...and more of the whites of his eyes show...i always say that he has 'people eyes'...

but they do look a LOT alike... how cuuuute...

Buddhas always had the Alpha mentality...even when we were adopting him...he was biting his sister (the other one there for adoption)...and jumping on her...being an annoyance...

he used to be SOOOO mouthy....a total biter...the ride home he kept chomping on my arm...and my hand...and my leg...shoelaces...ANYTHING....

he's so much better now...he just nibbles...he knows how hard to bite now....

[Andie]

Originally posted by monaliesa

he used to be SOOOO mouthy....a total biter...the ride home he kept chomping on my arm...and my hand...and my leg...shoelaces...ANYTHING....

he's so much better now...he just nibbles...he knows how hard to bite now....

Bull use to be like that! He use to try to pull Dad's dog Katie around by her ear now he has discovered her collar!!! LOL He'll walk up with this "We're doing what I want" look, grab her by the collar and try to pull. When he figures out it's not going to work, he just looks so sad. He's figured out the cat is alot more fun to annoy now.

[monaliesa]

thats so funny because...before we stopped them from playing rough...they were so funny...Buddha and Riely were ALWAYS trying to bite onto each others ears...sometimes one of them would get a good hold on the ear...and the victim would start biting the others leg...and it was almost like a game of doggie twister...

no more fun n games for them though...heh...not until he can learn to control that little growl of his...

[Redneck Pit Lover]

I understand how you feel about buddah he's such a perty pit looks a lot like Bull to im Andies soon to be hubby and Bulls soon to be daddy

[monaliesa]

awww...

Bull was totally cute...yer a lucky guy..

Buddhas puppy class # 2 is tonight...I hope he isn't as much of a butthole as he was last time..

I hate the fact that the other puppy parents look at you with your dog and they're like..fearful..."stay away from THAT dog"....you know?

Buddha is a loving little man...and he listens well...he is a little edgy around other puppies...but thats just the way he is...


Oh well...I hope he's okay tonight...I really dont want to be all upset again...

[Andie]

Any update on Buddha?

[monaliesa]

we took him to another class last Tuesday...he was a lot better...only because any time he got anywhere near a dog I shoved cheese in his face...

but the retarded trainer made him wear a red bandana so that 'everyone knows to be extra careful around him'...she only used a bandana on one other dog...who was SUPER shy...

[Andie]

Stupid trainer!
*Grumbles* (There's some words in there that shouldn't said on here)

[mugsy]

Stupid people are everywhere! I'm not sure I would have let him wear the bandana. I probably would have taken it off and put it around my neck and told the trainer that I should wear it to tell people that I could be dangerous when around stupid people.

[Bullygirl]

I just wanted to tell you that what he's doing is perfectly normal-Pit Bulls don't like other dogs. Most of them hate dog parks, dogs next door, dogs walking in the neighborhood, passing dogs on walks, dogs in kennels barking ect. Dog aggression is totally normal with pits. Now, don't get me wrong, there are plenty of perfectly social pit's at the dog park, but not many. When a pit first meets another dog, 2 things go through their mind-do I want to play with your, or are you a threat?-just be a cautious owner and keep him on a leash, don't let him run up to random dogs-basically don't set him up for failure (that's the biggest thing we've learned in this whole 'pit bull' process) bring other dogs over to the house and be close by in case something erupts. Our female doesn't like other dogs-so we don't introduce her to other dogs. We've tried to socialize her and she's just not having it, so we've just come to grips with that and we only allow her around other dogs in a controlled situation with us very nearby, and our hands tightly on her collar incase she decides to be a butt head and until we feel comfortable. Don't give up! Dog aggression does not equal people aggression-as long as he doesn't show any aggression to you, you'll be fine, and he will be the best friend you'll ever have.
p.s.-One other thing pit's don't like are unwelcome strangers, and trust me they know the difference! Don't let anyone sneak in and surprise you, it'll freak him out! They are protective of their family, and do not like surprise guests they've never met-unless you make it seem ok. And one other tip-do not hang a 'beware of dog' sign! if the meter man decides to open the gate and take a peek at your meeter, he might not expect your little guy whose silently creeping up to see who is in 'his' yard. Once he decides he has never met the meeter man-hopefully MR. Utility is smart enough to get out quickly! A beware of dog sign is saying you have an aggressive dog, and can be damaging if your dog acts out. Anyone entering your property uninvited will have to find out on their own to 'beware of dog'!

[Cheshirekatt]

Hi there!

I'm so sorry I didn't see this post until now. It sounds like you've got a good grasp on the situation. I agree that you might need to find another trainer when the puppy classes are over.

It's good to keep him socialized and active. Classes are very good for all dogs but especially pits. All three of mine went through basic obedience and Joxer was the only one to go to off-leash class. The other two could have gone, but due to dog aggression would have had to have been muzzled. So I took Joxer, learned the class and then taught the other two at home.

Pittys like to play rough. Very rough. And the problem starts when it gets too heated because pittys have trouble recognising submissive signals from the other dog. Never trust pittys not to fight. For the most part, they like fighting. I know Wilma does.

Although I'm not a huge fan of dog parks, Joxer can go but Wilma and Buford never could.

Wilma is the big instigator in my house. I absolutely cannot leave her out with the other dogs unsupervised. She is extremely dominant and will pick fights with the boys.

I've never, ever had a problem with people aggression with any of my dogs. Dog aggression and people aggression is totally different.

As for the red bandana, why don't you put one on him all the time? That way he looks cute and will be used to wearing it. Make it seem like it's a treat.

[trayi52]

Seems like you have everything under control now, whatever the case, both of you dogs are so cute, and seem okay on the couch snoozing together, CUTE!

Tray

[Karen]

Originally posted by monaliesa
we took him to another class last Tuesday...he was a lot better...only because any time he got anywhere near a dog I shoved cheese in his face...

but the retarded trainer made him wear a red bandana so that 'everyone knows to be extra careful around him'...she only used a bandana on one other dog...who was SUPER shy...

Frankly, I bet Buddha looks extra handsome with a bright red bandana against his dark lovely coat - he should wear one ALL the time - it's a fashion statement, dahling! Good for you and him, by the way!

[monaliesa]

My BooBoo has grown so big...wow..

He's definitely my favorite of the 2 doggies...he's so loving and adorable...he makes me laugh every day...(except when he's hoggin the bed)...

This dog must chase his tail like 2 hours a day...and he growls and barks at it...going full speed...knocking into the wall or chair...he's the biggest scaredy cat in the world...he's afraid of plastic bags (he runs from the sound of rustling plastic every time)...he was afraid of the stairs for DAYS when we moved...i had to drag him up and down by his collar and left nail trails in the carpet...

he likes to 'argue' with me when he wants to go outside and I dont wanna get up and let him out...first he walks over and is like "i'm at the door mommy'.....then if I dont move...he's like "hrm...lemme try this again...gonna walk over here...see me mommy?....okay...I'm walking to the door"....and he stands there and looks at me expectantly....then he starts to get annoyed...so he comes over to me...and kinda hops towards me and does his high pitched houndy bark...and I say something like "what? can I help you???'.....and he hops and grunts....'no...I dont WANNA take you out'....then he hops again and barks louder...

heh...he's such a baby...

then...i let him outside...and if its really cold...or even sprinkling a TINY bit...he's like 'oh HELL no Mommy....I'm not goin out there...its raining out there...are you CRAZY?'.....

and if he doesn't get enough love when we get home...and I'm laying on the couch...he comes over and leans against the couch right next to me...and gives me kisses...when he leans against the couch he wants me to give him hugs...and he just sits there...'yeaaah....scratch my butt....ohhhh'.....and i just hug him for a while...

and he's still obsessed with food...we call him 'fatass' a lot...he's really not fat...he just drops EVERYTHING if he thinks there is an opportunity to get food...'ooh...daddy is goin in the kitchen!'....ou can hear it in his head...'food? food....foood???? food...mmmm foood....'

he has become the alpha doggie though...Riely wont eat unless Buddha is in the kennel...he growls a bit and becomes a butthole when theres food out sometimes...like...guarding it...like 'if anyone is gettin any...its me'....but then we just put him in the kennel...or give him a time out with the muzzle...or we just put the food away...I've never felt at all threatened by BooBoo....I mean...sometimes he's growled at Riely when I was huggin him and I wasn't the least bit scared...he's just like a lil spoiled kid...and he's scared of everything...laundry...vacuum cleaners...tool belts...tools...he barked at our air conditioner for 2 hours when we first got it...and we bought a wood mail holder that you hang on the wall...took it out of the box and the retard barked at THAT even...i mean...theres no doubt that he's kind of a big dumb lug....but he's totally sweet...and not nearly as much of a pain in the arse as Riely is...she's too darn clever and gets into EVERYTHING...

but we also took care of a tiny dog for a few weeks and he was fine...he was more curious than anything...just following her around sniffin her...and she had lil dog syndrome...was biting his tail and barking and lunging at him...he'd just take his paw and try to smash her...with the 3 dogs it was a chain reaction...the lil dog was trying to get Buddha....Buddha was trying to get Riely...and Riely was trying to get the lil dog...

during the day...we get Buddhas bowl and fill it with food...put the food in the kennel...he follows it...walks right inside by himself...we lock him up for the day...and put down Riely's bowl and leave...and when we come home we put up Riely's bowl...cuz he'll come straight out and either eat it all..or guard it...but he also wants to guard his bowl in the kennel...so he runs back and forth...and wont let Riely go anywhere near either...s

then they roughhouse for a few hours...the Buddha chases his tail...he's gotten increasingly mad at his tail over the last year...'oh its that damn tail again...always following me around...i think Imma surprise it....annnnnd JUMP...damn...almost got it...'...then he gets really pissed and starts chasing it REALLY fast...he slammed his face into our chair once because he doesnt look where he's going...sometimes he'll get it...or pin his butt against the chair and grab it...and then he falls over....

he's just a total sweetheart 95% of the time...

We pretty much resolved that neither one of our dogs is very good with hanging out with other dogs...Riely plays too rough for other dog owners not to get 'freaked out' by...since she's used to playing with Buddha...and she's still a high maintenance butthole...and Buddha just doesn't like other dogs....he's fine with people....he loves people...but other animals...no...so we just keep them at home....and they roughhouse so much that they tire each other out easily...they like to play 'steal whatever toy the other one has'....riely is too smart...Buddha will have a toy she wants...so instead of trying to take it...she does the bait and switch...she just grabs any other toy around and flaunts it in front of him...he drops whatever he's playing with "i want THAT one'....and she gets her toy....but then they just go back and forth doin the same thing...

buddha loves fetch...he's so pathetic though...he comes over and drops the ball...and nudges it towards you...and then gives you the puppy eyes...if you ignore him...he picks it up...and does it AGAIN....he's so hard to say no to....riely still hasn't gotten the grasp of 'GIVE ME THE BALL!!!!!'....I call him 'booboomuffin'....i lub my lil man...but he looks more like a hound now (plott hound/pit bull mix - when we went back to the SPCA for shots they're like 'oh...he's definitely a plott hound mix)