I actually have a 95 pound labrador that will try to start a fight with any dog he sees. He ran off a 115 pound rotweiler(probably spelled wrong) once. He’s nice with people, but he just loves to fight male dogs. My point is that I think with any breed you can get different types of dogs. A lot of it though has to do with how you raise it though.
Dude that is a sad story. I had the nearly exact same thing happen to me. Just woke up and my dog was on my bed. Started playing with it and suddenly it slumped to the floor. I freaked out trying to give it mouth to snout resuscitation. My ma came in and we were both crying. Neighbor guy took us to the vet to try to help her but she was gone. I feel your pain bro!
Jason, I’m guessing your dog probably wasn’t well socialized to other dogs as a pup. This is essential to do with a pup if you want it to be able to play in dog parks with other dogs as an adult. However this is often difficult, especially for people who live in rural areas and just don’t have access to many other dogs. Also, some dogs are great with other dogs in neutral places, but become very aggressive on there own property. It’s the protective instinct thing. There is a way to break this behaviour, but it’s an arduous, slow, progressive task. You start by bringing your dog to the the distance from another dog where it will begin to display some aggressiveness. This can often be a block or more away. When he starts to get agitated you pop treats into his mouth. Keep these sessions short. You do this everyday slowly getting closer and closer. What happens is that the dog starts to associate other dogs with a positive experience; getting lots of treats. This proccess takes alot of time, often months. For many people it is just easier to keep there dog away from other dogs. The last thing you can do if you still want your dog to play with others is put a basket muzzle on him around other dogs so he can’t bite.
Yup, that’s the exact reason that pits make terrible guard dogs. If my house was broken into by an animal with four legs I was safe, but usually pits are VERY non-aggressive to people. This, of course, is dependant on their treatment. Cleo used to bite my ex all the time, but he used to hit her, so I couldn’t blame her.
As for the alpha thing, I think they need to know who is in charge. Who they can look to for direction. In my experience that has worked well, but I have only worked with females pits and it may be different with males.
Michelle, something I’ve read that was wrong with the whole, ‘act like a alpha male’ theory is that it puts your dog into the beta male(If it’s a guy) position. Often in packs the beta male is a stubborn instigator of trouble. They pick fights with those they see under them, and even though they protect them it’s more of a tyranny rule then the true alpha male’s ‘good for the pack’ thought process. Anyways, it’s a theory as to why that theory won’t work. 
Another example might be why some dogs will be great obedient dogs while the husband or father of a family is home, but as soon as the dad leaves for work, the dog becomes kind of a bully to the kids or mother. Not so much to inflict pain, but it feels it should be in control and in charge of protecting everyone.
Your right, pits make terrible guard dogs for property. You could walk into my house when nobody’s home and my guys would help you empty it. However they will most often defend there family to the death if threatened. If you have children they literally become the pittie’s children. They love children by nature and are very gentle with them and protective of them. If you have a pittie nobody will ever abduct your child with him/her around. As for the alpha male thing, I quess it’s the conotation attached to it that I object to. Your dog will only do the things you want for one of two reasons. Out of fear or out of a conditioned response to reward. The idea many people have, that a dog will obey you because it wants to please you is crazy. A dog is like a baby, selfish and interested in its own happiness. A fearful dog is a dangerous and often neurotic animal. I would much rather have my dog’s obey me because they know they will get praised and possibly a treat than have my dog’s fear me punishing them. It’s not much different than training children.
Yea my dog wasn’t socialized with other dogs while a puppy. I live in a rural area and not many dogs around. But I think it has something to do with him being a alpha male dog. I trained him to hunt and he’s always given me trouble with that. He’s hard headed and strong willed. When I took him to a hunting camp to duck hunt there was around 10 other labs there. He went up to the biggest one and tried to start a fight. After fighting for a little bit, they chilled out and started playing together. He’s just got to be the leader when other dog’s are around. My dog trainer also said he is a strong alpha dog.
You are both right, ‘alpha’ was the wrong term to use. What I meant is, the dog should know who to turn to for leadership. (or maybe that is wrong too…) My friend Laura rescued a pitt - Mona - and she was extremely other dog aggressive. Laura worked for over a year with Mona to break her from attacking other dogs. She taught the dog to lie down on site of another dog, and not to move unless given permission. This was true for ‘friends’ or strange dogs. Mona immediately lied down and waited, not moving until given permission.
I can’t tell you the number of fights we avoided by teaching (or trying to anyway) Cleo the sasme behavior.
That is what I meant by 'alpha', that the dog should look to you for guidance. The dogs were praised for lieing down, and praised again when they waited, then again when they got up. But all was under direction.
I agree 100% that no dog should live in fear of punishment. That makes them anxious and greatly increases the possibility of unpredictable and dangerous behavior, especially when the 'punisher' is not present.
That's why Cleo bit my ex when he got near her, she figured if she bit him and ran she was safer than if she let him touch her. And you can bet I didn't punisher her for it, since I wished I had the jaws of a Pitt to protect myself...
Anyway, I hope to someday have another one. I want to get her the minute she can be away from her mom, so all she ever knows is me and my family.
Ya Michelle, I think I like the term “looking to you for leadership”. That’s a good description of how a dog should react to stimulus. I know how you feel about wanting a pup to only know you, but this does not mean that an adult dog will be any less loyal or loving to you if adopted. Dogs just seem to know when they get a good person, even if they’ve been previously owned by more than one asshole. The bond between an adult dog and new owner can be just as strong as the one between a pup raised dog and owner. One of the saddest things we see occasionally is a senior dog who’s owner has died. Trying to find a home for a 10 yr. old pittie is next to impossible. Two years ago we ended up with a nine year old guy who was in great health and very active. A friend of ours was fostering him and fell in love and adopted him. He follows her everywhere and never lets her out of his sight. He could not be more her dog if she had raised him from 6 weeks of age. I guess alot of it depends on if you like puppies or not. Many people would rather avoid the work of training a pup. It can be pretty exhausting. Others love the challenge. Jason, sounds like your guy is a pretty dominant type. Not a whole lot you can do, but be careful with him around other dogs. Give him lots of praise and reward when he behaves well around other dogs.
Magnus, I know what you mean, but I have adopted 3 adult animals and gotten burned on all 3. I doubt I will ever take a chance on another. It’s not easy to admit, but it’s true. Cleo was a sweet, loveing ‘little’ dog, but she never ever should have been adoptable under any circumstances. I miss her every day, I’m glad I owned her, but I never should have been able to. I want a puppy for the express reason of knowing her history, knowing that she has only known love and understanding, and knowing she has been guided to being the best dog she can be. Idealist? Perhaps, but all I can do is my best.
point taken.
I feel your pain. I had to recently put a kitten down. I found him in my hallway, little thing, maybe two months old, with a big patch of fur missing on the back of his neck. I took him upstairs and had to keep him away from my other cat. That little bugger was wild. The other cat was a lot bigger, but this little bastard would chase her, stop when she hissed, and then chase her again. Of course all this was at midnight when I was trying to sleep. And whenever I ordered food, he’d run to the door because he knew what was coming. Well, one day, I woke up and he was hoping around all crazy, like he couldn’t breath. I checked him, got him to calm down, and he seemed fine. I stayed in for a few hours to see if he was ok. I had some errands to run and thought he was ok. I come back and he’s behind the fridge, somehow (I had it pushed against the wall). Well, there was no telling how long he was there, but when I freed him, he just hopped around all crazy again, drooling at the mouth, just going to the bathroom everywhere. As I was trying to find a clinic to bring him to, he was just standing with his head against the wall, toungue sticking out of his mouth. The ride in the taxi was one of the hardest in my life. He was so sick. After waiting for two hours for the vet, he told me the cat had FID and there was nothing I could do for him. I know I only had him for a month, but I miss that little cat.
Bronx - How horrible!!! I am so sorry. A month? I knew Cleo was a ‘case’ after a week but was too attached to give her up to be destroyed. You did your best… and should you ever want another cat there are thousands needing homes. I’d recommend a Maine Coon, I have 1 1/2 of them… awesome breed.
I’m truly sorry. On the bright side you go to say goodbye. You were there for his final moments. Not many people have that opportunity with their loved ones when they pass.
May he rest in peace.
I mean absolutely no disrespect, but I am very curios whether or not anyone who has contributed to this thread is either married or has kids.
Married?..yes, yard apes?..no