My Pit Bull, T-Bone, breaks every collar he's had. Husband refuses to allow a choke chain, any suggestions?

Question

9 month old Pit, and he's my first dog... he jumps the fence all the time, If It try to tie him he just breaks the collar... (he's even broken a chain leash!) He isn't mean, he's a big puddle of love, but even in my quiet little community I'm afraid he will get hit, or be misunderstood when he only wants to play. My husband was supposed to train him, but he's out to sea for a long while yet. What do I do?

I should add that I *only* leave him outside when its nice and I have to go out... because he can't be loose in the house because he chews. He has regular playdates with neighboring dogs (even a Pug!), and sleeps with me in my bed... he is loved!

Also I should add that I live in Japan where big dog stuff is hard to find, and I'm nervous about buying collars online because of fit... and this toughie has broken a 2 in leather collar!

Answer 1

First, if at all possible bring him inside. I know that they are an energetic breed but they still need the companionship that a family offers. When dogs are left to live outside, many suffer mental breakdown because they dont understand why they have been banished from the rest of their family. If he is still intact I would schedule a neuter asap. He is reaching his hormonal peak and the urge to run is very strong. Also he is more likely to lure anyone interested in stealing him and using him for cruel intentions (research, fighting , ect.)Pits/Am.Staffs are incredibly smart and really thrive when given an opportunity to use their brain and learn new things. I wouldnt wait any longer to start training him. Enroll in a reward based training program,such as those offered at Petsmart. I have found from my experience that this type of training is ideal for all dogs including Pits. Choke and Prong collars only offer an unkind solution and generally ineffective. many dogs of this breed type dont really mind the punishment...this is a breed that was bred to tolerate pain, but we are trying to use pain to discourage specific behavior...it just doesnt work. doesnt make sense to me either. In the classes offered at Petsmart everything is covered including problem issues that you are either having or may run into....Your dog is at a stage in his life when he will test his limits and your patience. Most dogs are given up to shelters at this stage of the game because they are difficult at this age...Please be patient and enroll him in a class yourself....Then he will be a well behaved member of the family and not be banished to an unhealty life of isolation.....by the way your husband is correct in not allowing a choke chain especially if he is tied outside....it could kill him if he were to inadvertantly get stuck or hung up while trying to jump the fence. check with a certified pet dog trainer in your area for additional information.

Answer 2

Please don't take this the wrong way but since you said that this is your first dog that you i'm asuming that you don't know much about dogs. Personally I don't think that Pitbulls are a good breed for a first time dog owner. Now i'm not saying that I don't like breed or you should get of your puppy because you took on the resposibillaty of owning him and you need to honer that. i'm just sayong that as a breed in general they tend to be a little stuborne and somewhat mean. So what I would do is either buy one of those dog training for dummie books and try to train him yourslef or ask your husband about taking some obdeance classes. I would also buy a collar that is made for large dogs i'm pretty sure that some companies make collars for Pitbulls but i'm not positve on that. You could check jefferspet.com or another pet suppley company. I would also teach your tie properly as in tie him to something soild and with something strong like a lead rope for a horse (you can get them at all most any feed store or tack shop relitively cheap) anytway the idea is to teach him that when you tie him up good things will happen and that you are not going to just leave him there. the way i would teach that is tie him up and give him treats or play with him and only play with on a long leash or when he's tied up for a couple of days or week even until he starts to like being tied up. then after he gets to the point where he dos't freak out any more when he is tied up then you can paly with any time that you want. I would also suggest that if you a have an outdoor kenel that you gat a soild top for it like chain link fence or something along those lines. He may also not be gettting enough exercise so I would play with or take him someplace where he can run as much as possible. Sorry that was so long. Good Luck.

Answer 3

Hello. First thing...all puppies are full of playfulness and love. Just remember, soon the animal will not be a puppy. Please make sure you creature grows up with lots of exercise ( A tired bulldogs is a happy bulldog!) and clearly defined limitations and boundaries. Leadership is the key with social animals... such as dogs (start now!). A great lead (collar) to help practice your leadership (the daily walk), in which you walk the animal...not the animal walks you, is called a Gentle Harness. The harness will fit around the dogs head, and the leash clips underneath the head, controlling it, which gives you control of the animal, without you using any muscle. The harness does not restrict the dogs mouth, nor does it choke the animal, it fits around the upper part of the neck, closest to the head, which is a very natural area to controll a dog...its the area in which a dogs mother would grab or snap at to correct unwanted behavior ( an area under the joules, ear, and neck). Good luck with your bulldog, and please take your time, don't get angry or aggressive with your animal, be firm and relaxed in your behavior. allow your animal to grow up and become an ambassador for bully breeds, to show the world how great they really are! Thanks---the Gentle Harness can be found at major pet supply houses ( it is kind of like a horse bridle). Also, it comes with a helpful DVD. Oh yea! if the animal is jumping the fence...it needs to be exercised much, much more, and walks are not exercise...unless they are at a fast pace for a good amount of time, (a walk is a leadership, and bonding technique) ...fetch, teaching tricks, and jogging is exercise ( no tug of war with bully breeds) basically you don't want to play games that are competitive. I have much more on training so feel free to ask.

Answer 4

Pit Bulls are really persona non grata her in my area at the moment. An elderly friend has a 90 lb sweetheart named Tigger. (She's brindle, so the name fits.) Prior to having to have her muzzled while she is out in public, Tigger became a little too much for him to handle...that is she would pull him too much while they walked. Which was hard on his bum leg, and hard to control while he uses a cane for balance.

So he got her a new collar that is made to control stronger dogs while walking. It's a variation on the classic choke chain, but looks nothing like it. It's called a prong collar (or pinch collar), and it works by pinching the naturally loose skin of a dog's neck to give them a sharp reminder not to pull. It is impossible to break the skin with this if it is used correctly. And even thick-headed Pit Bulls get the idea after a few pulls. It should be available from any reputable pet store.

Answer 5

Aren't pits the greatest? I have 2 and they are just as energetic as T-Bone sounds. A choke collar won't hurt the dog unless he takes off and it has to yank him back, but that could help in the training process. Not that you should use pain to teach, but he could kinda teach himself, that if he tries to jump the fence, it might not feel so good. My little one (Nino) had a choke collar, and tried to run after a raccoon one night while he was on the chain and it pulled him so hard that he actually did a back-flip. I felt awful watching him get hurt, but he doesn't try to take off anymore... he just barks like a maniac :) If you really don't want to do the choke collar thing, the harness idea sounds good.... but if little T-Bone has already broken a leash... this might not work, since he'll have a better 'grip' to whatever he's tied to. Good Luck

Answer 6

There are chain collars that are not "choke" chains, that is they do not tighten when the dog pulls. Some of them, pinch collars, provide a silulateded "bite" when pulled but that is a natural way that a dog in a pack understands who is the leader.

If you have access to the National Geographic channel, you may want to looks for programs featuring Cesar Millan, "The Dog Whisperer" He teaches HOW to train yourself to be the pack leader and to control the dog.

You might aso want to look at his website http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/dogwhisperer/
where you can find a schedule of shows.

I also strongly recommend that if you have the time and resources, you find a group class for training. Your vet or local humane society can probably put you in touch with someone.

Answer 7

I own a 5 year young pit bull & a pit bull mix, & I have worked in rescue groups helping pits, so I can relate! There are 2 parts to this situation. First, there is the collar issue. Then there is the training issue. For both things, you should check with your vet for recommendations. For my strong, energetic, friendly, but misunderstood pit bull, my vet recommended walking him on a leash rather than tying him outside or trying to keep him in with a fence. I know walking the dog takes more time, but it helps to keep him safe & also gives you more control over his actions AND a chance to train him. Whether you are walking the dog or have him tied out, you probably need to use a strong, double-thickness harness, around his chest & belly, rather than depending on a collar around his neck. Either thick leather or a double-thickness nylon harness is best. Another way to do it is to have the tie-out hooked to both a collar AND a harness, both on your dog at once. But this may be too much pulling on the dog & too much pressure on the tie-out, so try to avoid it. Also, do NOT rely on a chain, whether it is to tie the dog out, or to walk him. Anything made of chain can develop a weak link & the links will break under high pressure. Chains can also injure your dog, as well as any people standing nearby. So, I would recommend that you use a heavy duty, plastic coated airline cable type of tie-out, rather than chain. The airline cable tie outs are available at most pet supply stores & online pet supply sites. Check to be sure that the hooks are also strong & well connected to the tie out. When you walk your dog on a leash, which is much better than tying him out, use a thick, strong leash, & try a Halti Head Collar, or a Gentle Leader head collar, which hooks onto the leash AND onto a regular collar. These head collars go around the dog's snout, around the sides of his head, & look like the halter on a horse. When the dog pulls hard forward, against the leash, the head collar turns him around. Between your guidance & the head collar's action, the dog eventually learns to stop pulling so hard, & to keep your pace, not his. Be very patient, & spend some time with your dog on this. It DOES work, but takes repetition for the dog to "get it." The other IMPORTANT factor is that you can't just wait until your husband returns to train this dog. Big, strong, determined dogs CAN be trained by someone other than "the man of the house." I am a short, not particularly strong woman, & I had to work with my pit & pit mix on my own. I took them to a professional trainer, then to a training class, & it worked out GREAT! Large pet stores such as Petsmart, Petco, & Superpets offer training classes. Also, your vet, local animal rescue & animal shelter groups, pit bull & similar breed rescue groups, training clubs, & the phone book yellow pages can help to connect you with training classes & professional dog trainers to help you. The sooner you start training this dog, the better off you, the dog, & everyone around you will be. I know, it takes time & work, & you are probably busy. But training will save you & your dog a lot of risks, problems, & worries, so it is worth whatever time, effort, or money you can put into it. Also, the more time you spend with your dog, playing, training, walking, etc., the less energy & boredom he will try to work off by escaping. Good luck, & enjoy your great dog!

Answer 8

I choke chain is great for leash training a dog. It can't be used to tie a dog outside. If you use a choke chain to tie your dog out the dog will probably end up choking himself to death. Especially if the dog is jumping fences. He'll likely hang himself with a choke collar

Answer 9

First of all, YOU need to train him yourself. Make arrangements with your local obedience school. Then, follow through on the classes. Pit bulls are REALLY smart dogs. Also, educate yourself as to what toys his breed likes, and try to get some. An entertained tired animal is less likely to break things than a bored animal. Finally, take him on good long walks to diffrent places. Even then, he may still take off sometimes. My neighboor has a staffishire terrier (I think thats who its spelled) which is a lot like a pitbull, and he likes to take off. He'll go have a little run, and come home wagging his tail...

Answer 10

You can`t expect cheap ot thin collars to work or last. Wide and well made leather collars . If the dog is to be chained, thicker linked chain.