Behavioral Help?

LadyBug11 · 01-05-2013, 02:44 AM

We rescued a 1.5 year old possibly pregnant pit bull today. She is amazing with people all she wants is love. She was flea ridden so we gave her a bath and fed her. We have 2 other dogs a maltipoo and Pekingese, the pitty plays with our other dogs runs around the house with them with no problem. It's when the pitbull lays down beside me or is in front of my children she wont let either of my dogs come near me or my children. We want to give her a forever home and spay her asap, but my question is will it always be like this with our other dogs or will time pass and she will accept my other dogs coming near me. When she growls at my 2 other dogs, I firmly tell her no and she rolls over and submits, I stand up and bring my other dogs around her and she is fine again until she comes and lays down next to me. What are my options as far as correcting this? Also, she will growl at my other 2 dogs when she has toys too (which I have taken away and hid), and she has food aggression with the dogs but not humans. Her story was that she was abandoned by a family who was evicted and she was on her own for 2 months with construction workers gradually feeding her food, so I understand the food aggression. So I feed her in separate room away from the dogs and my children. She is the sweestest baby ever, and she adores my children. I would just like to harmonize the household a little more to prevent any future incidents with our other dogs. Thanks

**performanceknls** · 01-05-2013, 03:02 AM

This is a sign to keep her away from your other dogs. I'm not sure how much research you did on the breed but dog aggression or DA comes naturally with this breed and it makes me nervous that you have two small dogs. You can NEVER trust her alone with them or you could come home to dead dog(s). You also should take her warning and probably not keep them together as it could take something small for her to fully attack one of your other dogs. Never trust this breed with other dogs and never trust them not to fight. If you were an experienced pit owner who had some years of good dog knowledge and training then I wouldn't worry so much. However you sound like a good person who might be over your head with a perfect storm ready to happen.

With that said how do you feel about that knowing this is breed is not good with other dogs? I just don't want you to have a dog fight, have a dog get killed possibly and later blame the dog. I have 13 pits who all live separate from each other. I do have a two pit females who are house dogs but are rotated as both females HATE each other. I have a Boston Terrier and a Dorkie who are house dogs too. I am constantly watching my little dogs like a hawk! I also have a two year old son but if I leave the room I call the pit or the little dogs with me and never leave them alone. Trust me it takes constant vigilance on my part and even then something could happen and I know that. However I happen to be a dog trainer and know how to spot trouble! We also have members here who have a few dogs who can be together under supervision but have lots of bred experience and also know how to spot and correct trouble. For your average person who does not have experience with the breed, training, or how to spot trouble it is only a matter of time before things can get out of control.

LadyBug11 · 01-05-2013, 03:14 AM

So I should instead find her another home without any dogs? I have kept a very close eye on her since we took her in, I make sure she is always by my side in the same room I am in. When outside she runs around and plays with the little dogs like normal puppies do, she will let them chase her and jump on her and she plays back with no aggression at all (of course I am always watching). It's only in the presence of while she is eating and if she has a toy in her mouth and if she is laying down at my feet. My small dogs stay in a play pen in the living room when its quite time, i don't let them roam all the time.

**performanceknls** · 01-05-2013, 03:30 AM

That's something you should think about, she is showing you signs of being DA with resource guarding and play can quickly turn into a dog fight. This of it this way, what would you do if in front of your kids she attacked one of your dogs and killed it? Except it as your fault and keep her still or freak out and put her down? As a trainer I get in home calls like this all the time where the pit bull "out of the blue" started attacking the other dogs now the owners want a quick fix so they dogs get along again. There is not quick fix and really there was plenty of warning signs the owners didn't see. I myself learned the hard way when my APBT killed my Border Collie. I was upset at myself for trusting her with him while I went outside to work on my truck with my husband. By the time we got back in the house she had snapped his neck. I live with the guilt everyday and its been like 8 years since it happened. Tasha, my pit who killed him, just passes away at age 16 and I never felt the same towards her even though I blamed myself. Trust me not something you want to live with if you already knew what could happen and ignored it. JMO

LadyBug11 · 01-05-2013, 03:36 AM

Thank You for the advice I will certainly take it into consideration, as I do not want to lose my little furbabies.