Help please. My dog.

[Saltines]

I'm having some issues with my dog. He's getting pretty aggressive. He's a pit bull.

He's not really mean but he is just starts to get that way. he's never hurt any of us and if he did hed be gone, trust me on that cause id kick his ass out myself. But I do not want to do that. Anyone here good at training dogs? He barks for no reason if your just sitting there and he only really listens to me and my step-dad. He just bit the other dog, not hard they were just playing but she screamed. She screams over anything though.. Really. Grab her head light and blam, you dont have ears. But thats because before we got her she was beaten.

So, I don't want to get rid of my dog, which I will if things get out of hand. Any help s appreciated.

[wwaballafoshosho]

maybe you should seek a professional dog trainer
im not really sure though

[Saltines]

maybe you should seek a professional dog trainer
im not really sure though

That costs money, and if theres one thing I do not have is $$

[DShizzle1029]

Trainging with treats is the best method. It takes the longest usually, but dog trainers are expensive and you cant really guarentee anything. I have a little dachshund who barks at every person that walks by and we just yell at him and he stops, but he came from a loud family so its kinda genetic for him to be loud.

[DShizzle1029]

Also, if you have a crate. Use it, not as punishment, but as a place where if you need a break from the dog, just put the dog in the crate with a treat and leave for a while. But if you use it as punishment, the dog will be miserable.

[Saltines]

This dog jumps on people, tries to keep the other dog from eating, tries to bite when playing which isn't good. Barks at everyone, chews **** up.. blech.

[DShizzle1029]

You have to let the dog know that YOU and any other family member are the true alpha dog. But when the dog does good, lots of praise and a treat.

[wwaballafoshosho]

You have to let the dog know that YOU and any other family member are the true alpha dog. But when the dog does good, lots of praise and a treat.

thats good to do too
if you praise them when they are good but let them know they are bad when they are being bad they should get the point
all my dogs are pretty well trained

[Saltines]

thats good to do too
if you praise them when they are good but let them know they are bad when they are being bad they should get the point
all my dogs are pretty well trained
That's usually what I do but, it's not working.. He almost a year old now.

[wwaballafoshosho]

for barking i know shock collars work
but you said you dont have money
but im sorry dude i dont know what to tell you

my you should get him a compadre like rob and big did
haha mini horse!

[DShizzle1029]

That's usually what I do but, it's not working.. He almost a year old now.

Well there in lies another problem. Hes still pretty much a puppy. Puppies are harder to train, but you can do it. Just keep at it.

[Saltines]

What should my mom do when I'm not around and hes barking at her? Shes tried yelling at him which wont work.. He doesn't acknowledge her to be an alpha dog as he does me or my step-dad.

[DShizzle1029]

Im not sure what to tell you there.

[Kang_Zircon]

My sister has hired a proffessional dog trainer to help with some problems (barking, potty training) and I can tell you some of the techniques that the trainer told us.

1. Punishing or scolding a dog doesn't stop bad behavior, it only teaches them to not get caught being bad. Try instead using treats as rewards, to encourage the dog to do something else. For example if the doorbell ringing or knocking makes the dog bark - try getting the do to sit or lie down and reward him whenever he does it.

2. Establishing yourself as an alpha over the dog takes several steps. One is NOT reacting negatively - yelling or saying no - when the dog barks. If the dog can draw your attention then they're the on in control. Also limit the dog's space - don't let them on furniture and establish these areas as places on you - the alpha - are allowed to go. Probably the most important is to have your dog earn all of his rewards - food, going outside, etc. Have him sit before giving him anything and he'll understand that he must obey you to get what he needs/wants. If you establish yourself as an alphe he should feel more secure and bark less.

3. The thing about not making crating a punishment is a good idea - if the dog is miserable he'll probably do anything he can to get out of the crate and may end up injuring himself. I'm guessing potty training wasn't an issue, but if your dog is having other behavioral problems primarily when you're not around, you could crate him while you're gone if it's not for too long. My sister has a little dog and she puts her in a kennel for about 8-9hrs each day while she's at work. It keeps the dog from making a mess on the carpet, and hasn't negatively impacted the dog's mood or behavior.

[Saltines]

My sister has hired a proffessional dog trainer to help with some problems (barking, potty training) and I can tell you some of the techniques that the trainer told us.

1. Punishing or scolding a dog doesn't stop bad behavior, it only teaches them to not get caught being bad. Try instead using treats as rewards, to encourage the dog to do something else. For example if the doorbell ringing or knocking makes the dog bark - try getting the do to sit or lie down and reward him whenever he does it.

2. Establishing yourself as an alpha over the dog takes several steps. One is NOT reacting negatively - yelling or saying no - when the dog barks. If the dog can draw your attention then they're the on in control. Also limit the dog's space - don't let them on furniture and establish these areas as places on you - the alpha - are allowed to go. Probably the most important is to have your dog earn all of his rewards - food, going outside, etc. Have him sit before giving him anything and he'll understand that he must obey you to get what he needs/wants. If you establish yourself as an alphe he should feel more secure and bark less.

3. The thing about not making crating a punishment is a good idea - if the dog is miserable he'll probably do anything he can to get out of the crate and may end up injuring himself. I'm guessing potty training wasn't an issue, but if your dog is having other behavioral problems primarily when you're not around, you could crate him while you're gone if it's not for too long. My sister has a little dog and she puts her in a kennel for about 8-9hrs each day while she's at work. It keeps the dog from making a mess on the carpet, and hasn't negatively impacted the dog's mood or behavior.
Thanks for the post man.

[Kang_Zircon]

No problem. I'm not much of an animal person myself, but my sister loves her little dog - so I'm doing what I can to have relationship where the dog and I can get along. (It was an abused dog, too and has a real hard time trusting other people).

One thing I do for that - which maybe you and your mom could do is every day or so for a few minutes do an exercise called sit/stay.

Basically get a handful of little treats and have the dog come up to you and sit. Then have him stay in that place as you slowly back away. If he stays, call him to you and give him a treat - then start over.

I did that for about two weeks, and the dog went from hiding from me when my sister wasn't around to actually following me and going outside to use the bathroom for me.

[Saltines]

No problem. I'm not much of an animal person myself, but my sister loves her little dog - so I'm doing what I can to have relationship where the dog and I can get along. (It was an abused dog, too and has a real hard time trusting other people).

One thing I do for that - which maybe you and your mom could do is every day or so for a few minutes do an exercise called sit/stay.

Basically get a handful of little treats and have the dog come up to you and sit. Then have him stay in that place as you slowly back away. If he stays, call him to you and give him a treat - then start over.

I did that for about two weeks, and the dog went from hiding from me when my sister wasn't around to actually following me and going outside to use the bathroom for me.
Our female, the abused one, must have been abused badly. She pees everywhere when shes scares.. cries if you touch her just a little wrong and looks sad 24/7. Shes pregnant now, there will be ugliness. She always hides in the bedroom, away from everyone. Sometimes she will come out and lay down in the living room.

[Kang_Zircon]

Yeah, that sounds pretty bad - when my sister gor her dog she didn't move, eat or drink for the first three days she had her. That's why she ended up hiring a professional trainer - she thought the poor thing was going to starve to death.

[Daesania]

I would recommend watching the "Dog Whisperer". Caesar is one of the best dog trainers out there and his TV shows help you learn how to train your dog.

[Saltines]

I would recommend watching the "Dog Whisperer". Caesar is one of the best dog trainers out there and his TV shows help you learn how to train your dog.

We do
And we must not be doing something right.

[Daesania]

It just takes time salty. I've used several of Caesar's techniques on my dog, and it does work, just takes time.

[thorn_9]

I am a firm believer in rewarding good behavior and punishing bad behavior. You need to address bad behavior immediately.

I have a black lab, puppy. He would chew like crazy, anything. Everytime I noticed it, I would smack his butt or nose. He stopped. He **** in the house and pissed in the house. I rubbed his nose in it and he stopped.

I understand many people nowaday say this is a bad method and does not work, but he is the friendliest dog to everyone. He doesn't bark, bite, jump on ppl, but loves to play. He is a great dog, and I believe it is because I took time to help my son and wife become dominant to him as well, and reward and punish appropriately, and only when warrented.

[gh2masterwellalmost]

I love dogs... but not the mess that comes with it lol, so I kinda stick to liking em round mate's houses...

Though I do love cats too... I've heard that if you get a feisty cat you can tame a dog that way (particuarly if its a puppy)