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Post by PitbullLover87 on May 9, 2005 0:11:35 GMT -5
Hello, I decided to seek help concerning my dog and this place was one of the first on Google. ;D
Anyways here are some basics that I am not sure if you need to know or not. My dog is mostly a Pitbull, although I believe he has some Lab in him (I only know this through word of mouth I am not for sure). He is about 3yrs old, but when I got him he was about 7mos old.
Now on to the problem - growling. My dog doesn't like my 2yr old sister at all. He growls at her for a lot of stuff. Mostly when she walks past my room (where he sleeps), but sometimes even if she just comes by him to pet him. He doesn't even like to be out when she is home; he just wants to stay in my room. If I force him out he usually will just sit by the door.
I think something psychological might of happened to him. He has to stay in the room when I am gone for school (only 3 hours), because my mom cannot watch both the dog and my sister. Also, we live in a very small duplex. Before that we lived in a full house and he could outside whenever he wants. Now however he has to wait until I take him out for a walk.
So what should I do?
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Post by Brooke on May 9, 2005 19:55:02 GMT -5
I would start him on some hardcore NILIF. (Whole house being involved in this.) This means no furniture.
Not only would I have this dog on a pinch collar and tab leash at all monitored times, I would also take away access to the room primarily when he begins this behavior, if not all together. He needs to be corrected for it. Anytime he growls he gets kicked out of your room, period. Allowing him to stay will only reinforce the fact that he feels it's his place. It's not... it's yours. You are alpha, not him.
I'd put him in a down stay or a crate if necessary in the living room or kitchen each time he does it..
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Post by Am on May 9, 2005 20:43:55 GMT -5
I was wondering if your dog is de-sexed? If not, might be a good idea to get him done. Reducing his testosterone might make him less inclined to test the pecking order in the family. (I admit my boy still has his nuts - but if he decided to start growling at the family, he'd lose them pretty darn quick!)
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Post by PitbullLover87 on May 9, 2005 22:38:23 GMT -5
Nope, my dog isn't neutered. I am hoping for that to be my final option as I haven't really tried anything yet. I really want him to have pups. Anyways I'm go buy a pinch collar. I'm kind of confused, what exactly is a tab leash? Is that a leash that I keep on him at all times?
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Post by Aussienot on May 10, 2005 6:03:12 GMT -5
A tab leash is a very short leash - 6 - 10 inches that he can have attached to his collar at all times without dragging the ground. It allows you to reach in quickly to correct if needed.
Your dog will never have puppies. I'm guessing you haven't thought that part through much.
If you're saying you want to use him for stud, remember his aggression problem. He'll pass it on. There are like 93 million unwanted dogs already, don't contribute to that sorry problem.
You'll both be much happier if he's desexed.
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Post by Brooke on May 10, 2005 18:55:55 GMT -5
I agree... You need to be very careful with breeding dogs with these tendencies. Some breeds are naturally dominant...you need to breed for the right temperament you are looking to place to. It doesn't mean he's a bad dog...or badly bred. It just means he needs special handling measures. If you are looking to sell pets then more likely than not, you don't want to breed this dog. These dogs do better in a very controlled environment without children. More like a working environment. With someone who knows how to handle them (not saying abusive) and knows a lot about dog behavior. It takes a really qualified, knowledgable breeder to place these dogs in the right kind of homes and working environments. It can be very time consuming...which is important to understand. Genetics are a very serious part of breeding. I wouldn't play with this fire until you understand the full boundries of it. I also think you will find he is less stressed if you de-sex him as well.
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