Alittle Worried about this.....

Ok we have had Pound Puppy for three weeks so far and he's a really good little guy. He's doing really well with house training and obedience and walks on the leash pretty good. So in other words he's a really good pup that I can see will grow into an acceptional dog.

Now he gets along really well with the other dogs in the house they all play and nap together and he has caught on well. Our neigbor also owns two dogs a BC puppy about Puppies age and a 2 year old Sheltie (their agility dogs) and Puppy looooves them they play all the time and get along really well. I walk him alot with the other dogs and on his own and he sees other dogs but never does much of anything other then the occassional play bow and yap.

Well yesterday evening I decided to go and pay my friend a visit. She has a American Staffy same age as Pound Puppy they have met before and have got along. So when i got there Sarah and Poncho her Staffy puppy came out in the front yard so Puppy and him could get to know each other again. I wasent that worried since they got along fine before (both are 12 weeks old about). So Sarah put Poncho down first and then I put Puppy down. Poncho came up and they started sniffing each other then all of a sudden Puppy stiffened up like a grown dog would when nervouse and considering attacking. Before i got do anything about it Poncho kinda tried to lick Puppy in the face then Puppy jumped on Poncho!!!And i mean this wasent play it was Puppy attacking Poncho!!! I mean we could'nt get them to stop and Poncho was yelping and screaming and Puppy was snarling this god awful snarl. Sarah ran in and got a bucket of water and threw it on them and it shocked them both something awful.

Puppy has Poncho bleeding in three places nothing deep but still drew blood. Sarah was understanding even though it was confusing and not Puppies norm. He's up to date on his puppy shots and has been for a check up since we have had him. I felt really bad and was in tears because of it all. Im thinking maybe because of the car ride and him used to being walked places and that fact that he hasent been to Sarahs since we first got him it might all have been to much for his little puppy mind to deal with.

I just feel awful after it all was done and over with and we were back home he was completely normal. Took him for his morning walk today and he was fine again and he already saw Chester (the bc pup) this morning and they were playing. Im just so lost.

I thought i was doing good with socializing him and i guess i was wrong. Im not sure what to do other then maybe take him on more car trips farther away with different dogs and just him him used to that? I don't know I want him to be able to go and do everything the other three get to do but if this continues to be a problem he won't be able to.

I need help

 

Puppy is a pit correct? From the pound correct?

Not having his background papers is something to really think about. Not knowing what bloodlines he may be from is big... Being a pit it could go two ways... He was just being a macho puppy where more socialization could help with OB something to really consider as well... OR he could actually have come from some game lines of pits...meaning he was bred to do what pits were bred to do originally and therefore will ALWAYS have some serious dog aggression problems even on lead. THIS is something that should have been considered before you ever got and kept your first pit. Not to be rude but it's a reality pit owners must deal with.

NOW if the puppy is not able to be brought out of this by socialization...you'll need to get him into some puppy OB classes and continue with them till he's at some pretty upper levels of OB... Once you have him doing OB drills and whatnot with distractions you'll have more control over him in public with other dogs around. NEVER off leash... I don't beleive pits should EVER be off leash with strange dogs, supervised or not.

You have multiple Pits correct? I would seriously begin looking into getting a COUPLE parting sticks and taking the breed's background a BIT more seriously than it seems you're taking it... LEARN to use the breaking stick and keep it with you when you take the dogs out... hopefully you'll never have to use it... but you'll have it in case you do.

Your Puppy will become larger and in it's adulthood, if the dog is truly bred as a game APBT a bucket of water won't do the trick next time.

I don't mean to sound rude or negative...but the realities are that APBT's were bred for generations to do one thing and all must be viewed in the manner that they WILL and do desire to do that one thing...

NEVER trust a bulldog not to fight is gospel to the multiple Pit Bull owner...

IF the dog isn't a pit...if Puppy is simply a pound puppy breed unknown...dis-regard the comments made above.

 

We do have a breaking stick in our home got it when we got our first pits. Im not taking this in a rude way and im just taking it *shrugs*. I have had pitbulls in my life since childhood and do take it seriousely. Pound Puppy does have background info because his mum and dad were both surrenedered to the shelter along with himself and 4 litter mates. I met both parents at the shelter which i volunteer at they were both family dogs and got along well with all the other dogs at the shelter. He is pure bred and im willing to put him through training.

 

it could be he was trying to show he wanted to be dominant. you say he gets along with your other dogs who are older and have their pecking order. Do you think because he is not the dominant one in your dog heriarchy and then he is with this other pup he wants to be?? or maybe something is bothering him., like being sick

just throwing some thoughts out there

honeybear

 

Well it's all cleared up then...

I would go with the thought that it could be a dominance thing... My Boerboel pup was like that. She attacked her littermate when they first met after having been in separate homes for a month or so...BUT with all my other dogs she was more submissive...not completely mind you...but submissive none the less.

Glad you didn't take my post personally that I was accusing you of not knowing your stuff... I assume that people know little right out of the gate just to make sure the important stuff is said regarding the breed in case he people in fact Don't know what they are doing...

BUT in your case it was not warranted and I'm glad... I'm sure training will nip it in the bud though... OB works wonders in making sure your dog aggressive dog is under control and is even less stressfull than just hanging on to them for dear life.

 

maybe he was nervous about being in a strange environment and lashed out.

I remember when my Sadie dog was a pup. I was friends with the people who purchased one of Sadie's littermates. We got Sadie about a week after they got her brother.

Figured we would reintroduce them and they could be playmates through life. Sadie took one look at the brother she'd been parted from for a week and ripped right into him!!! They were 12 weeks old and she fought him like she owned him payback for something. Her brother was running and yelping.

Needless to say they didn't end up being playmates and I never knew what set Sadie off. She never did it again. BUT I took her to the house where her brother was living - not sure if it was an environment thing but it was the only time in her 11 years of life that she has done that