[stevieschiff]

I am stuck in a bind. Every dog I have ever owned I have had from a puppy and have kept until they passed away. Currently I have a 6 year old rednose male, a 6month old blue boy, and a 4 year old chocolate female. Maybe its me, but I feel she is a beautiful dog, although everyone has their own view on what a pit should look like. She is about 65lb female..she is very athletic..we jog, we swim..she has great drive. I have had her since she was 8 weeks. I bought her in impulse when I was driving to work. I was 17. She is apbr registered but I didn't know at the time it wasn't a ligitimate registery. Either way, she is an awsome dog. For the first 2 years, she was a very people, dog, and cat friendly. When she was 2 I bred her with my rednose. I haveki learned so much about the breed in the last 6 months and understand how incredibly irresponsible that was considering my male is not registered. Over the past 8 months she has become very dog aggressive, except with my male. I have taken great precautions to make sure she does not get loose and hurt or kill anything. The way my house is set up its better to put her in the front than the back yard. She is a VERY protective dog. As long as I am around she is friendly and happy. But when I'm not she makes it clear she doesn't want you around. She snapped at a family friend yesterday when he tripped on a stick and fell towards me. She also went after my neighbors 14 year old when she tripped over the leash she was on. She has never done this to me, my 2 year old or fiance. In fact she seems so protective to the fact it scares me. O know she would never hurt me but I don't want to be held responsible for her hurting someone else even if its on my property. This is where a hard decision comes in. I know someone she wants her and is very experienced with the breed. I have just never gotten rid of a dog I bought. I don't want him to realize he don't want her and sell her to someone else and her never have a stable home. Any advise?? Sorry this was so long

 

[ames]

Well you can't sell the dog if you know it's human aggressive. Dog agression is ok with this breed but human aggression is not acceptable. Especially breeding because she can pass on both traits in the offspring. Dog aggression can come into play from 10 months -3 years. Anytime really but seems like she is the age. DA is something you can train out of and work around. Never leave you dog alone with any other animal. No off leash play with ones he does meet. There are Tina of infor on dog aggression here if you use the search. All depends on the degree DA. I am not an expert so I will be interested in other people's advice but if it is such a risk as you have described you can never let you dog out around any one without a muzzle and if your not willing I take that precaution you house put her to sleep. Like I said I don't know the degree of aggression. Have you hired a behaviorist to check her temperament ? Find a reputable one in your are that offers the testing and go from there would be my advice. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Keep in mind if you become another contributor to the bad stereotype that pit bull mix hurt a human, it hurts us all.

 

[Kingsgurl]

Hard position, Im sorry. In my opinion, you either manage her yourself or put her down. It is unfair and irresponsible to pass a known issue of that magnitude off on someone else. If she bites someone, you will still be/feel responsible (or at least I would)
I'm a little unclear on why the front is better option for her (not having a clear picture of your set up) In my place, the front has a lot more access points and a lot more stimulation.
This seems, from your post, to be a rather recent presentation in a 4 year old dog? Has she been seen by a vet to rule out any sort of physical discomfort? Both instances you list include falling toward or imminent contact with the dog, correct? Has she made contact with anything? Dogs will often put up quite a show as a warning, if their intent is to communicate a warning or express their discomfort, get the scary thing/situation to go away, and it is easy for us to mistake this communication.
You say she is very lovey while you are there, yet protective while you are not? Who is with her in these situations to relay this info to you? Your wife? Your child?
Sorry for all the questions, just trying to get a clearer picture.

 

[Blue_Nose_Bella]

If this person is experienced and can handle her as well as work with a trainer then maybe its an option. However, if she has already snapped at someone and is turning on even more as she ages I think its more responsible to put her down or manage her yourself if you can continue. I would also spay her before you place her with your friend so she can be sure not to be bred EVER AGAIN and pass on her poor temperament to the offspring.

 

[KuroOokami]

Maybe it's just me but I see something having had happened if the dog went from people, dog, and cat friendly into this animal that apparently snaps at everyone. You say she was good until about 2 years of age, which is when you bred her to your unregistered [and she's unregistered too apparently] male.

My advice is to find someone experienced in the breed that might be able to turn her around otherwise before you find yourself with a possible number of fines, law suits, etc on your hands you put her down. Similarly since your male is unregistered have him neutered - there's enough dogs without pedigrees [and unknown breeding] running around without adding to it.

 

[stevieschiff]

the way my.place is set up is there is a road in front of my house but its a pretty good size front yard where as their is a house behind me we share a drive way which is makes me have hardley no back yard. Both of my male dogs are 10x10 pens. My female is on a cable and has one of those collars that is like a double reinforced color(not sure what its really called) because she can dog, climb and eat her way through the chainlink. When I do let my dogs out one by one I ussually let them run a lounge rope used for horses supervised..its long and strong. Sometimes I do take ringo walking on a regular leash. He is a very laidback dog..won't even play fetch. I am almost positive the reason she snapped at our family friend is because he fell towards me..and the same reason she snapped at the 14 year old because it might have jerked her neck. Kingsgurl good point..I think if she wanted to, she could have mauled the girl but thier was not even skin contact. These kids are not the.nighbors that live behind me, but across the road. O have told them twice since that has happened to use my back door to knock of they need me..but no luck so I guess.I will talk to their.mom tonight. I took all the dogs last month to get their vaccines but I guess.I should get her a.physical. when I am outside she doesn't bark or become aggressive for no reason. When I'm inside and someone pulls up she goes crazy but as soon as I stick my head out the door to see what's goin on she immediately quits. The man who is willig to take her is 34 and has had pitbulls his while life.

I don't want to contribute to the bad rap on the breed. I'm lucky enough that the 14 year old girls family has a pitbull so they understand. I have also tried keeping her inside but she literally destroys my house.

I was thinking today about a way I could put her in a pen but make it like an electric fence..idk of there is anything like that out there. Or sonthing to totally proof her from getting out.

 

[Kingsgurl]

How much exercise is she getting? You are right, she could (and would) have made her point in more emphatic fashion had that been her intent....however, these types of situations can escalate if she can't get her point across.
Some dogs find tie outs frustrating (and since your girl has issues with other containment, I would guess she does) so much stimulation, tantalizingly just out of reach....
Have you tried crating her inside or setting up a dog proof room for containment inside? This isn't going to help her for times when she needs to be outside, but may ease the amount of time she needs to be out there. I would NOT be leaving her on a tether in front if you are having these concerns, you have no way to keep other animals (including neighborhood kids) out of her chain spot (I'm assuming your front yard is not fenced, from the sound of it) Dog bite statistics attribute tethered dogs with a very high percentage of the annual dog bites that occur. (this is most likely due to the fact that they are ACCESSIBLE, while dogs in kennels or fenced yards are less so)
I have used electric fencing to teach respect for fencelines in dogs that liked to fence fight, but have never used it in a kennel situation. A heavy gauge wire kennel (like those made by Magnum) with a top will usually stop dogs who like to escape runs.

 

[ames]

How is the kennel set up that she is getting out? You can put fencing over the tip and bury it below in the ground. But I agree it seems like she needs more of an outlet and Exercise. How much does she get with you and the family one on one? How much stimulation does get other than kennels and one a tethered run?

 

[stevieschiff]

Made the decision to give Dixie to my pal. I know she is in good hands with an experienced pitbull owner. The best part is I will still get to visit her sometimes.

 

[angelbaby]

Glad things worked out so far, hopefully there are no issues with him. Bonus you still get to visit her. Did she adjust well ?