dog training

[justineo]

We have got an 18 month old bitch who we got from the dogs home last Saturday and it's the first time we've owned a dog so we're pretty inexperienced. She's a cross possibly with some Staffordshire bull terrier in her. She's very affectionate to us and house trained, sleeps in her basket and has been great in the house and garden. We took her out to the park and let her off the lead for a short time. She ran off and had a sniff around but came back to us when we called her but when she saw another dog she went a bit mad and the owner had to pick the other dog up because Zoe, our dog, obviously wanted a fight. We got her back on the lead but she saw another dog and jerked out of her collar and went for it. It was frightening how vicious she was and was snarling and biting. We eventually parted them and got her back to the car. Fortunately, neither of the dogs was hurt and the other owner was very understanding. I realise I shouldn't have let her off without knowing more about her behaviour and I wondered if anybody could offer me any advice/tips.

Thanks

[horsestache1]

Dog training classes might be a good idea, they are quite fun too.

Good Luck

[GypsyGSD]

Im suprised she wasnt accessed at the dogs home before she was put up for adoption,so your first port of call should be to contact them to try and find out more about here history and behviour they should have been aware of her interaction with other dogs,and you adviced before you took her on. This problem might be solved over time with the right training, and the right training classes so look around and talk to a few trainers before you decided you will need someone with experience to deal with this problem .I think only time and correct training will tell if she will lose the fighting spirit , as it could have been learnt from a very early age for what ever reasons that have happened in the past. but it is not impossible to deal with i wish you good luck let me no if you can how it goes

[lankeela]

This is probably not what you want to hear, but I would take this dog back to the home NOW. There is no way they should have given inexperienced owners a bull breed, unless they had assessed it fully with other dogs, which it seems they have not done. This behaviour would not have come on overnight. This will not get better without intensive training for both of you, and I fear there will be much heartache for you all. This could put you in a very dangerous situation as you are not experienced enough to cope. What if the dog it attacks is being walked by a child?

Please at least tell them at the rescue centre, and ask for their advice, even if you don't want to part with it. But please get help, and don't let it off the lead in public until you are certain that it has been 're-trained' , although I think that is a very optimistic view of what is going to happen.

[SCHUMI]

wow you have a problem there. i agree with the fellow abers you must tell the centre where you got her from.if you take her out in public i would muzzle her and use a harness which will give you more control and she won't slip off. intense training classes are a must for both of you but remember to inform the instructor of her attitude.if she does go for another dog give a hard tug on her lead a very firm no and turn her away from the other dog. when she responds give big praise and treat. keep going with her she has had a hard time and it not her fault.give her time and love you may have a smashing dog in time.good luck

[kita1]

I am with Lankeela on this one. If either of those owners had complained to the police you could have been charged under the dangerous dogs act as having a dog dangerously out of control in a public place. The result would have been your dog being destroyed, and you being taken to court. This dog needs serious re training. Make sure your collars and leads fit and your dog cannot get loose, next time could be far more serious.

If she has Staffordshire in her then I am sad to say that even re training might not work, as some are bred to fight instinctively. My friend had one that she found out after buying it had been bred to fight, it got into its first fight at 8 weeks old, and she could never trust it around other dogs all its life, but like yours it was great around kids etc. It left her thumb hanging by a thread one day when a child brought her dog round to her daughters birthday party, my friends staffy got out into the garden and a fight started, she had to have her thumb stitched back on.

Please either take the dog back or get a registered dog trainer/behaviourist to help you SOON. There are too many nice dogs literally dying for want of a good home like yours for you to waste time and money (and heartache) on one that will break your heart!!

[lankeela]

Thanks for the reassurance kital, I felt I was being a bit harsh, but really felt it needed saying. This is an accident waiting to happen. Sometimes rescue homes are more worried about placing a dog than getting it the right home, and sadly, there can be no winners in this situation.

Even as an experienced dog owner/breeder/handler, I would not want to take on something like this, and as you say, there are plenty of deserving, suitable dogs out there just longing for a home. In the right hands, this dog might make a fantastic pet, but in inexperienced ones, its not only the dog but the people around it that may suffer.

[justineo]

Thanks very much to all who answered, I appreciate your honesty.

I will contact the dogs' home today and see what they suggest.

Will let you know

Thanks again.

[lankeela]

Hope thinks went ok today. Good to hear you listened to our advice, some people think we are just out to have a go at them, but we really want to do the best for the dogs and the owners.