How do you deal with a dangerous dog?

Question

A family member has a rottweiler(not pure) and pit bull/rottweiler mixed. Nobody is allowed in the yard except those that live there. They eat the scraps off plates and cheap dog food. My problem is that the owners do not walk them. The fence is low, they show violent behavior towards each other, and they are not socialized. I have been feeding scraps to these dogs from visiting and they may wag their tails, but they growl lowly if I am close. I have a Cane Corso that obey verbal commands, but these dogs seem like a liability. I offered a different dog and talked about the potential danger to family, but no results. How would you handle it? I value people over dogs.

Answer 1

Maybe the family member wants you to butt out. Stay home if you don't approve of what goes on at their house.

Answer 2

I value people over dogs too, but you're describing isn't necessarily potentially dangerous behavior or neglect.

For example--the dogs being violent toward each other. Are they actually injuring each other or rough housing? Some dogs play rough and hard but when the play is over you see a couple of dogs covered with each other's slobber but no injuries. The breeds you describe would be injuring each other to the point of putting the vet's kids through college if they were truely fighting.

And while it's a good idea to walk your dogs, if you have a fenced back yard and the dogs play and run together, the dogs are getting exercise.

As far as growling when someone gets close, my American Foxhounds, which look like giant Snoopy, did that when someone would get too close to the backyard when I wasn't out there. ( http://www.akc.org/breeds/american_foxhound/index.cfm ) They protected their yard. Normal dog behavior. I didn't want my dogs socialized to the point of allowing others to enter my yard when I wasn't out there and I didn't have to train them to guard the yard, they just did.

The diet doesn't sound ideal, but are the dogs emaciated or in good weight? If they're not skinny, I don't consider feeding cheap food abusive. It's not what I would choose, but it will maintain a non-working dog in reasonable condition.

You say that the fence is low. How low? Two feet? Most dogs are capable of scaling their fencing but don't in their own yard because it's a boundary. I had a dog take a six foot fence by getting a good run and scrabbling over when he was being boarded while I was on vacation. At home he never offered to jump our 4 foot fence. Are the dogs escaping? Or are they staying within their boundary?

I value people over dogs and it sounds like these people want their dogs and that their dogs are contained and that they have a fenced yard to exercise in and that they're being fed. Y'know, some people get so hung up on ideal that they start to get a little snooty when it comes to adequate. Cheap commercial dog foods of 18% protein aren't ideal but they will maintain a dog that's not working in decent condition. And so what if the dogs aren't purebreds and their breeds aren't P.C.? A lot of people consider Cane Corsos to be vicious animals and in the same class as they consider pits and rotties to occupy--dangerous. If those dogs are not trained to verbal commands but they're not harming anyone, then it's not how I would raise my dogs, but so what? If the owner is happy, the dogs are reasonably healthy and happy, and they're contained and not attacking people, uh, what's the problem?

Answer 3

Wait a minute now..........I don't see anywhere in your question you mentioning anything about the owners of these dogs not wanting them. If they don't have a problem with them, why should you?
While table scraps are not on top of the list as the best diet, it doesn't mean that the owners are abusing or neglecting them by feeding them table scraps.
You said that they growl when you go over your relatives house......hello?? They are being protective of their territory, and their family. Being protective and being aggressive are two very different things!
Yes, it would be nice if they would walk them every once in awhile, but again, as long as their yard is big enough for them, it's not so crucially necessary.
It doesn't matter how low or high a fence is, as long as it will contain them. You're not saying anything about your relatives allowing these dogs to run lose, and terrorize the neighborhood.....I'm sorry but I don't see the problem!
You value people over dogs, well if so, perhaps you need to start valuing, and respecting your relative wishes in wanting to keep their dogs.

Answer 4

there is very little you can do if the dogs are not actually abused. as long as they have fresh food and water, the authorities will generally not intervene until after someone is bit.

you may want to contact a rottweiler or pit bull rescue place. google rottweiler rescue. These people are really fanatical about rottweilers, they rescue them from places where they are mistreated and they rehabilitate them into more obedient animals and place them in appropriate homes (they will check out whether the dog is ok with kids or other animals before placing them in homes with kids or animals, for example). They would be able to tell you if there is anything that can be done.

Maybe your family member can be reasoned with and convinced to give up the dogs or at least keep them indoors, though I know that can be hard with some people.

here is a link i found
http://www.rottrescue.org/national_list_rott_rescue.html

Answer 5

I have been around mean dogs and friendly dogs all my life. It has been my experience that animals react in alot of the same ways we do. If the dog is just unsocialized keep something protective between you and the dog that will allow the dog to get use to you while not able to attack you. Let it smell you and get use to your scent. Talk in a calm reassuring voice. Remember to keep your attitude calm and reassuring as well. Tell the dog by your body language that you are friendly, You are not afraid of it and are not going to be a threat to it. It may have been abused and quite possibly more afraid of you than you are of it. Associate it with you while staying protected. It's first instict is to attack anything that poses a threat. After a week you should see some improvement in it's behavior. And before long you should have a pretty good dog as long as the aggresiveness in not a chemical imbalance in the brain. With that the dog will more than likely have to be put down because there will be no way to socialize it and it will be a risk to anyone that comes near it.

Answer 6

Call everyone you can. These people are not treating these dogs right. One day they will hurt or kill someone and the rest of us who owns those breeds will hear how bad our dogs are just because some a$$ wipe did not take care of their dogs. By the way you know there are some who thinks the breed your dog is is a bad breed. They are being includec in BLS laws so do your self a favor and get someone to take care of those pit mixes

Answer 7

why are you so concerned over this situation if the dogs have not bitten you! have these dogs done something bad?? Do these people abuse their dogs??? you sound like a negative person. Not all people have the same patience or love for dogs. But this is not a reason to intrude in their lives!! Just don't visit them if you do not like them.

Answer 8

Ask the owners if they want you to run an ad in the paper or craigslist(Make sure they are good people and they won't take the dogs to fight, and make sure they know the dogs are aggressive), how old are they(A dog can be trained at any age but the younger the better), and also look-up dog trainers and ask what to do.

Answer 9

Dogs need to walk -- this is one reason they are acting like this. They are probably just as afraid of you as you are of them.

Rot/Pit bulls are just like any other dog. Unfortunately, the fact that they are extremely powerful makes them more dangerous than the average dog. Don't go near these dogs. Just feeding them will not improve their behavior and it may trigger an incident.

These dogs can be rehabilitated but in their current state they are quite dangerous.

Answer 10

That sounds bad. It sounds like the dogs are neglected in that the owners don't interact enough. The dogs vie for attention but are untrustworthy to each other or anyone else.

I'd call your local shelter, not animal control but a private one and ask about it.