Reggie or any other pit bull owners...

[big daddy russ]

I got a pit bull pup (7 weeks old) a few days ago and am having trouble with discipline. I know he came from a good family because I checked out the parents and the owners before getting him, but he doesn't seem to want to mind. If I slap him on his nose, it only makes him more aggressive. If I grab his snout when he snaps or bites, he just starts snapping again. We'll also pull the skin on the back of his neck when he does something bad, and even though he doesn't like it, it doesn't seem to help. I've also sprayed him with vinegar water and that doesn't do anything, either.

Our lab, who's about 10 months old and is very well-trained, started getting kind of aggressive this morning after playing with him. I know pits are an aggressive breed by nature, but I've had many friends who raised great pits who managed to channel their aggression in the right direction and they made great pets, and this one's parents were very well-behaved.

Is there something different you're supposed to do with pits concerning discipline? I just put him in his kennel for a bit and we waited until he quit whining before letting him out, but I don't want him to think the place he sleeps is the place he goes for punishment.

Any suggestions from people with any experience with pits would be great.

[big daddy russ]

ttt

[Old Tiger]

watch this show for tips. lol


http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/dogwhisperer/images/home_cesar.jpg

[kaorder1999]

Friend of mine has a pitt and the other day a rep from their insurance company came out to look at their damaged roof because of a wind storm and not only did they not cover the roof but they dropped them because they had a pitt and didn't disclose it to the insurance company!

[SintonFan_inAustin]

Originally posted by Go Blue
watch this show for tips. lol


http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/dogwhisperer/images/home_cesar.jpg seen some of his shows, he gives out good tips and he gets them trained.

[iknoweverything]

Originally posted by kaorder1999
Friend of mine has a pitt and the other day a rep from their insurance company came out to look at their damaged roof because of a wind storm and not only did they not cover the roof but they dropped them because they had a pitt and didn't disclose it to the insurance company!

cool that has nothing to do with what he asked. My friends at school have a pit and it is the nicest dog i have ever seen in my life its just realy hyper and playfull. I would keep doing what your doing when it does something bad and then being really nice and loving to it. It could just be because its young??

[piratebg]

Originally posted by kaorder1999
Friend of mine has a pitt and the other day a rep from their insurance company came out to look at their damaged roof because of a wind storm and not only did they not cover the roof but they dropped them because they had a pitt and didn't disclose it to the insurance company!


Really? Wow. That sucks.

[kaorder1999]

Originally posted by iknoweverything
cool that has nothing to do with what he asked. My friends at school have a pit and it is the nicest dog i have ever seen in my life its just realy hyper and playfull. I would keep doing what your doing when it does something bad and then being really nice and loving to it. It could just be because its young??

You are right considering I wasn't trying to answer his question. Great observation though!!!!

[IHStangFan]

yup...alot of insurance companies wont cover you if you own pits. Interesting to say the least. I don't care for the breed myself, but to each his own. Dogs are like children, they need discipline. Some dogs respond differently to different forms. You have to establish you are the alpha and they are lucky to be part of YOUR pack. I myself w/ our big dog found that a shock collar worked well. I only had to light him up 2 maybe 3 times. I would associate it w/ my voice...he'd get one command...then a second loud command, then he got juiced. From there it went to the "vibrate" option on the collar that used no electric shock....and eventually he just started responding to a stern voice command. My advice to you Russ would be ditch the ghetto hound and get a dog that has a purpose. Again, that's just me. If it weren't for the fact that Cowboy is old as dirt and Kristen HAS to have a pug...I wouldn't have either of them as they don't serve a purpose and are basically useless.

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by IHStangFan
yup...alot of insurance companies wont cover you if you own pits. Interesting to say the least. I don't care for the breed myself, but to each his own. Dogs are like children, they need discipline. Some dogs respond differently to different forms. You have to establish you are the alpha and they are lucky to be part of YOUR pack. I myself w/ our big dog found that a shock collar worked well. I only had to light him up 2 maybe 3 times. I would associate it w/ my voice...he'd get one command...then a second loud command, then he got juiced. From there it went to the "vibrate" option on the collar that used no electric shock....and eventually he just started responding to a stern voice command. My advice to you Russ would be ditch the ghetto hound and get a dog that has a purpose. Again, that's just me. If it weren't for the fact that Cowboy is old as dirt and Kristen HAS to have a pug...I wouldn't have either of them as they don't serve a purpose and are basically useless.
Barrett, stop with that crap. If I'm going to be preached at about a dog I've wanted for a long time, it'd better be from someone who has a ton of intimate knowledge about the breed.

I've been around a lot of pits and they've all been great dogs. Robert Hamilton found his pit mangled and wondering around the streets of NYC, turned out to be the best dog he's ever had. He trained it right, loved it, cared for it, and brought it into his house the right way... and he didn't even get the dog until she was 2-3 years old. One of my buddies up in CS had a pit that was just as friendly as anything. It's all about how and the environment in which they're raised.

They're bred to want to please their owners but be dominant over other dogs. They're extremely protective of their families, great around the children in the family (though you should never leave any dog alone with a small child), and are some of the most loving, playful dogs you'll ever find. On that note, they don't like other dogs as much as they do people and take more energy and effort to raise than a lab or golden retreiver. They're not "ghetto" dogs, they're just extremely protective and will turn their aggression on whatever you turn their attention to. If you channel that aggression in the right direction (protecting you ONLY when you give them the go-ahead) instead of just fighting everything they come across, they're excellent dogs.

As far as training, it's a lot different with this dog than with our lab. Of course labs have an entirely different temperament, but Daisy (the lab) responded great to physical discipline (slapping her nose with a newspaper, poking them with a finger and saying "shhh," etc.) and is now a first command dog. We never have problems with her doing anything, from heeling to sitting to laying down to staying in the car when we get out to going to the bathroom.

Deacon (my pit) doesn't respond the same way towards physical discipline. It winds him up and makes him more aggressive, which we're trying to channel towards his play toys. Because of the way he reacted to discipline in the first place, we've gone almost exclusively to positive reinforcement. It's working, but very slowly. We had Daisy trained in a couple of days, but he'll take a while longer. It's definitely going to be more of a chore with Deacon, but we were already prepared for a lot of training and consistent training, so it's not a big deal.

And we've already started looking for insurance for Deacon. There are insurance companies out there that will insure a pit and we want to cover all our bases. Also, we're getting blood tests done on him and hoping that he'll be pure enough to get his papers as an American Staffordshire Terrier. If we can get him registered through the AKC, then that will make everything a lot easier regarding insurance.

And let me leave everyone with this....


The American Staffordshire Terrier is a happy, outgoing, stable, and confident dog. Gentle and loving towards people. Good-natured, amusing, extremely loyal and affectionate family pet. It is good with children and adults. Almost always obedient, this dog wants nothing more then to please its master.

link (http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/americanstaffordshire.htm)

[IHStangFan]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
Barrett, stop with that crap. If I'm going to be preached at about a dog I've wanted for a long time, it'd better be from someone who has a ton of intimate knowledge about the breed.

I've been around a lot of pits and they've all been great dogs. Robert Hamilton found his pit mangled and wondering around the streets of NYC, turned out to be the best dog he's ever had. He trained it right, loved it, cared for it, and brought it into his house the right way... and he didn't even get the dog until she was 2-3 years old. One of my buddies up in CS had a pit that was just as friendly as anything. It's all about how and the environment in which they're raised.

They're bred to want to please their owners but be dominant over other dogs. They're extremely protective of their families, great around the children in the family (though you should never leave any dog alone with a small child), and are some of the most loving, playful dogs you'll ever find. On that note, they don't like other dogs as much as they do people and take more energy and effort to raise than a lab or golden retreiver. They're not "ghetto" dogs, they're just extremely protective and will turn their aggression on whatever you turn their attention to. If you channel that aggression in the right direction (protecting you ONLY when you give them the go-ahead) instead of just fighting everything they come across, they're excellent dogs.

As far as training, it's a lot different with this dog than with our lab. Of course labs have an entirely different temperament, but Daisy (the lab) responded great to physical discipline (slapping her nose with a newspaper, poking them with a finger and saying "shhh," etc.) and is now a first command dog. We never have problems with her doing anything, from heeling to sitting to laying down to staying in the car when we get out to going to the bathroom.

Deacon (my pit) doesn't respond the same way towards physical discipline. It winds him up and makes him more aggressive, which we're trying to channel towards his play toys. Because of the way he reacted to discipline in the first place, we've gone almost exclusively to positive reinforcement. It's working, but very slowly. We had Daisy trained in a couple of days, but he'll take a while longer. It's definitely going to be more of a chore with Deacon, but we were already prepared for a lot of training and consistent training, so it's not a big deal.

And we've already started looking for insurance for Deacon. There are insurance companies out there that will insure a pit and we want to cover all our bases. Also, we're getting blood tests done on him and hoping that he'll be pure enough to get his papers as an American Staffordshire Terrier. If we can get him registered through the AKC, then that will make everything a lot easier regarding insurance.

And let me leave everyone with this....



link (http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/americanstaffordshire.htm) :rolleyes: who's preaching, I was offering advice to a FRIEND based on experiences. As I HAVE been around the breed my entire life whereas you have just "wanted one" for ...whatever reason. Whatever, screw it...enjoy your dog.

[Buccaneer]

Can we get shock collars for a few posters?

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by IHStangFan
:rolleyes: who's preaching, I was offering advice to a FRIEND based on experiences. As I HAVE been around the breed my entire life whereas you have just "wanted one" for ...whatever reason. Whatever, screw it...enjoy your dog.
You were preaching. And like I said, I've been around them too. I've known five pits and their owners quite well and have been around many others. From your comments, it doesn't sound like you've been around many that came from good homes.

I didn't just decide I wanted a pit one day and went with it. I decided I wanted a pit because I love the breed... and this goes back five years or so. He's a part of my family now and I'll stick up for him because he's family. I can't stand the fear mongering that goes on about the breed. Sure, they deserve tons of respect for what they can do, but they're one of the most loving breeds on the planet.


Originally posted by big daddy russ
I've been around a lot of pits and they've all been great dogs. Robert Hamilton found his pit mangled and wondering around the streets of NYC, turned out to be the best dog he's ever had. He trained it right, loved it, cared for it, and brought it into his house the right way... and he didn't even get the dog until she was 2-3 years old. One of my buddies up in CS had a pit that was just as friendly as anything. It's all about how and the environment in which they're raised.