Anyone else have a pit mix?

[Anonymous]

Bite warnings at doggie daycares are very serious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A bite might actually be less likely in OP’s house compared to some other posters in here because they are being so careful about noticing the dog’s warning signs and respecting his boundaries.

All dogs will bite if pushed to their limits.

Sigh, no. The dog is not less likely to bite. It’s like you people have no experience with dogs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I do know that the situation is not ideal. But, aside from giving up the dog, which we're nowhere near ready to do, what else can we do besides what I already described?

As suggested above by the pit mix owner, you need a comprehensive attack plan. What will you do if the dog attacks? Do you have a plan in place? Have your children been trained about what to do in the event of an attack? Do you have protective devices such as bear spray around the house?

Note that one feature of pit bulls is that they are not deterred by pain when they are attacking, unlike other breeds. But you must, at a minimum, have a comprehensive plan for dealing with an attack. And, I guess, then you cross your fingers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I do know that the situation is not ideal. But, aside from giving up the dog, which we're nowhere near ready to do, what else can we do besides what I already described?

Make plans for when your kids get bit, I guess. That’s really all you can do.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't have a skittish, anxious dog with a bite warning around my kids. Period. Doesn't matter what breed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't have a skittish, anxious dog with a bite warning around my kids. Period. Doesn't matter what breed.

Because you have a lot of common sense and a basic understanding of dog behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I do know that the situation is not ideal. But, aside from giving up the dog, which we're nowhere near ready to do, what else can we do besides what I already described?

Make plans for when your kids get bit, I guess. That’s really all you can do.

Or send your kids to boarding school so they can be safe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My behaviorist vet says growling is very polite. She told me never scold growling, because you don't want to create a dog that skips the warning growl and goes straight into attack. Dogs only have so many ways to communicate. Growling is scary for humans but the dog doesn’t necessarily mean it to be.

The best kind of reactive dog is the one that barks or growls the moment he starts getting uncomfortable and then keeps his distance. He's making his boundaries crystal clear, he's starting at the lowest level of escalation, and he's heavily telegraphing a desire to avoid conflict. He might be loud and unhappy, but safely navigating his issues is easy.

This is exactly what OP is describing.

The worst kind of reactive dog is perfectly fine right until he isn't and stands his ground the entire time. You can't predict a dog like that. He's also leaving you no choice but to play chicken about which one of you is more dangerous. Unfortunately, training away a dog's signals of discomfort and then "dominating" him is a fabulous way of producing such a dog.

She also called him snappy and he has a bite warning at doggy daycare. (I can't imagine what doggy daycare would agree to take a snappy dog. I hope ours wouldn't.)

OP here. He does have a bite warning at daycare. For new staffers because we know he’s fearful of new people and when he’s anxious, he gets snappy.

However, there are a few mediating factors. 1.) He’s never actually bitten or even seriously nipped anyone. 2.) Going to daycare has really helped his human-reactive behavior. He’s been going for about six months. He’s taken a liking to all of the staff and they tell us that they genuinely love having him there because he’s actually an easy dog when he’s outside with other dogs and we pay extra for him to be outside as much as possible. He’s also very sweet and docile with caregivers he knows and feels comfortable with. Fortunately he absolutely loves going and since it’s become his favorite place, he has very positive associations with the people who work there. He warms up quickly to new staff, probably because they know to let him come to them rather than vice versa. They also seem proud when they “win” over the snappy dog with a bite warning in their file. They all say the same thing to us (we were warned about him but he likes *me*) lol.

I do honestly see improvement in him.

[Anonymous]

Does it matter that OP’s kids are older? I wouldn’t keep a dog like this around little kids. But teens should be able to leave the dog alone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I do know that the situation is not ideal. But, aside from giving up the dog, which we're nowhere near ready to do, what else can we do besides what I already described?

Re-home the dog to a home with no kids. The dog will be happier and less stressed there. And your family will be happier too.

OP, we didn’t have a pit mix but we did have a dog like yours (afraid of multiple things, couldn’t pet while sleeping, had lots of stressors, was a rescue ). We rehomed to an adult only house. It was best for us, and likely the dog. He needed a much calmer environment than we could provide. I decided that I wasn’t going to live walking on eggshells in my own home for the next 10+ years for a dog. And although our dog never bit someone, I was always worried with kids that someone would come over and not follow the “rules”. Rehome, and get a nice family dog. Go to a breeder this time.

A vet neighbor told us she only recommends breeders for first time dog owners and people with kids. She said the window of time for socialization is so small that it’s not worth risking it with a rescue with so many unknowns. I now agree with that!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does it matter that OP’s kids are older? I wouldn’t keep a dog like this around little kids. But teens should be able to leave the dog alone.

Personally, I wouldn’t. Fear-reactive dogs are dangerous to anyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My behaviorist vet says growling is very polite. She told me never scold growling, because you don't want to create a dog that skips the warning growl and goes straight into attack. Dogs only have so many ways to communicate. Growling is scary for humans but the dog doesn’t necessarily mean it to be.

The best kind of reactive dog is the one that barks or growls the moment he starts getting uncomfortable and then keeps his distance. He's making his boundaries crystal clear, he's starting at the lowest level of escalation, and he's heavily telegraphing a desire to avoid conflict. He might be loud and unhappy, but safely navigating his issues is easy.

This is exactly what OP is describing.

The worst kind of reactive dog is perfectly fine right until he isn't and stands his ground the entire time. You can't predict a dog like that. He's also leaving you no choice but to play chicken about which one of you is more dangerous. Unfortunately, training away a dog's signals of discomfort and then "dominating" him is a fabulous way of producing such a dog.

She also called him snappy and he has a bite warning at doggy daycare. (I can't imagine what doggy daycare would agree to take a snappy dog. I hope ours wouldn't.)

OP here. He does have a bite warning at daycare. For new staffers because we know he’s fearful of new people and when he’s anxious, he gets snappy.

However, there are a few mediating factors. 1.) He’s never actually bitten or even seriously nipped anyone. 2.) Going to daycare has really helped his human-reactive behavior. He’s been going for about six months. He’s taken a liking to all of the staff and they tell us that they genuinely love having him there because he’s actually an easy dog when he’s outside with other dogs and we pay extra for him to be outside as much as possible. He’s also very sweet and docile with caregivers he knows and feels comfortable with. Fortunately he absolutely loves going and since it’s become his favorite place, he has very positive associations with the people who work there. He warms up quickly to new staff, probably because they know to let him come to them rather than vice versa. They also seem proud when they “win” over the snappy dog with a bite warning in their file. They all say the same thing to us (we were warned about him but he likes *me*) lol.

I do honestly see improvement in him.

Oh, OP. Why can’t you see what is right in front of you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My behaviorist vet says growling is very polite. She told me never scold growling, because you don't want to create a dog that skips the warning growl and goes straight into attack. Dogs only have so many ways to communicate. Growling is scary for humans but the dog doesn’t necessarily mean it to be.

The best kind of reactive dog is the one that barks or growls the moment he starts getting uncomfortable and then keeps his distance. He's making his boundaries crystal clear, he's starting at the lowest level of escalation, and he's heavily telegraphing a desire to avoid conflict. He might be loud and unhappy, but safely navigating his issues is easy.

This is exactly what OP is describing.

The worst kind of reactive dog is perfectly fine right until he isn't and stands his ground the entire time. You can't predict a dog like that. He's also leaving you no choice but to play chicken about which one of you is more dangerous. Unfortunately, training away a dog's signals of discomfort and then "dominating" him is a fabulous way of producing such a dog.

She also called him snappy and he has a bite warning at doggy daycare. (I can't imagine what doggy daycare would agree to take a snappy dog. I hope ours wouldn't.)

OP here. He does have a bite warning at daycare. For new staffers because we know he’s fearful of new people and when he’s anxious, he gets snappy.

However, there are a few mediating factors. 1.) He’s never actually bitten or even seriously nipped anyone. 2.) Going to daycare has really helped his human-reactive behavior. He’s been going for about six months. He’s taken a liking to all of the staff and they tell us that they genuinely love having him there because he’s actually an easy dog when he’s outside with other dogs and we pay extra for him to be outside as much as possible. He’s also very sweet and docile with caregivers he knows and feels comfortable with. Fortunately he absolutely loves going and since it’s become his favorite place, he has very positive associations with the people who work there. He warms up quickly to new staff, probably because they know to let him come to them rather than vice versa. They also seem proud when they “win” over the snappy dog with a bite warning in their file. They all say the same thing to us (we were warned about him but he likes *me*) lol.

I do honestly see improvement in him.

Oh, OP. Why can’t you see what is right in front of you?

Does it make a difference that the daycare says they see enormous progress in him too? He’s a rescue who was traumatized. I don’t think it is surprising if it took a while for him to warm up to us. But he is now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I do know that the situation is not ideal. But, aside from giving up the dog, which we're nowhere near ready to do, what else can we do besides what I already described?

As suggested above by the pit mix owner, you need a comprehensive attack plan. What will you do if the dog attacks? Do you have a plan in place? Have your children been trained about what to do in the event of an attack? Do you have protective devices such as bear spray around the house?

Note that one feature of pit bulls is that they are not deterred by pain when they are attacking, unlike other breeds. But you must, at a minimum, have a comprehensive plan for dealing with an attack. And, I guess, then you cross your fingers.

Please proof this "fact" you are quoting. Yeah, right the German shepherd who is biting you stops when you cry...? Do you even realize how ridiculous you sound?

So you have ten Pinocchio's at least!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My behaviorist vet says growling is very polite. She told me never scold growling, because you don't want to create a dog that skips the warning growl and goes straight into attack. Dogs only have so many ways to communicate. Growling is scary for humans but the dog doesn’t necessarily mean it to be.

The best kind of reactive dog is the one that barks or growls the moment he starts getting uncomfortable and then keeps his distance. He's making his boundaries crystal clear, he's starting at the lowest level of escalation, and he's heavily telegraphing a desire to avoid conflict. He might be loud and unhappy, but safely navigating his issues is easy.

This is exactly what OP is describing.

The worst kind of reactive dog is perfectly fine right until he isn't and stands his ground the entire time. You can't predict a dog like that. He's also leaving you no choice but to play chicken about which one of you is more dangerous. Unfortunately, training away a dog's signals of discomfort and then "dominating" him is a fabulous way of producing such a dog.

She also called him snappy and he has a bite warning at doggy daycare. (I can't imagine what doggy daycare would agree to take a snappy dog. I hope ours wouldn't.)

OP here. He does have a bite warning at daycare. For new staffers because we know he’s fearful of new people and when he’s anxious, he gets snappy.

However, there are a few mediating factors. 1.) He’s never actually bitten or even seriously nipped anyone. 2.) Going to daycare has really helped his human-reactive behavior. He’s been going for about six months. He’s taken a liking to all of the staff and they tell us that they genuinely love having him there because he’s actually an easy dog when he’s outside with other dogs and we pay extra for him to be outside as much as possible. He’s also very sweet and docile with caregivers he knows and feels comfortable with. Fortunately he absolutely loves going and since it’s become his favorite place, he has very positive associations with the people who work there. He warms up quickly to new staff, probably because they know to let him come to them rather than vice versa. They also seem proud when they “win” over the snappy dog with a bite warning in their file. They all say the same thing to us (we were warned about him but he likes *me*) lol.

I do honestly see improvement in him.

Oh, OP. Why can’t you see what is right in front of you?

Does it make a difference that the daycare says they see enormous progress in him too? He’s a rescue who was traumatized. I don’t think it is surprising if it took a while for him to warm up to us. But he is now.

Hey op you aren't going to get a pat on the head from these pit bull haters. I have two dogs who have pit in them but, very little. thank you for rescuing this dog and taking such good care of him! Plus educating your children on how to be kind.