How can I train my Pit Bull to be more friendly to other animals and people?

Question

I have a 1 year old girl red nose pit and one of her pups both of them bark and act crazy if i try to take them take them for walks or if the neighbors dogs or people walk by. they both are very spoiled. I love them to death! Once they get to know like friends for example they r the sweetest dogs but if they dont know u they act mean. They have never bit anyone or anything like that. But i know they scare poeple and other animals when they act like that. I cant afford dog training classes for them right now. And, it upsets me when i met other full blooded pits and they are so freindly but, mine aren't to new people and animals. Please give me somes tips on training them be nicer to others.

Answer 1

Sounds like she wasn't socialized with other dogs and humans enough as a puppy. Which of course now is a problem. Try taking her out in dog parks and attempt to socialize her there. All the luck to ya!

Answer 2

I am sorry, I am not a dog trainer or a dog behavioralist, so I can't help you. I just wanted to tell you that it is very important that you save up your money to get them some help. I own a pit bull, so I know that they are naturally sweet dogs. But when they become aggressive they become dangerous, because they are VERY strong dogs. I just wanted to make sure you don't wait on this, I don't want anything bad to happen. If they get away from you on accident they could cause harm. Good Luck, I hope you can get some help for your dogs!!

I just want to add that my dog does not have a problem with aggression, but when we walked she used to be interested in playing with other dog's that passed by. I didn't like it, so I tried to correct it. I would follow the other posters Rena M's advice. I put a choke collar on her show dog style, high up on her neck. You will want to talk to a professional on how to properly place a choke collar. The first step was teaching her to heal. You have to be the pack leader. When you walk, walk confidently, look straight ahead, and know where you are going. When my dog got a step ahead of me, I gently but firmly jerked the leash and told her 'heal.' She would immediately return to my side. It took a little while, but it worked. THen, when we would pass by a dog, if she went toward the dog, again I would gently jerk the leash, and say 'heal.' During this whole time I remained confident and Knew where I was going. She followed. Now she just ignores other dogs when we pass. I also think reading Cesar Millan's book and professional help would help you a LOT! Good Luck!!!

Answer 3

Maybe your dog is NOT a well-behaved dog.But whatever your reasons are,It is NOT your dog' fault.In fact,dogs are very very clever.They just need to be trained correctly.But, dog training method could not be expressed clearly just by single sentence.It requires some basic professional knowledges.Well, to gain those knowledges is not that difficult.SO you do NOT need those professional dog trainer and you do NOT need some 12–week dog obedience training plan where you do almost the same thing each week.Yourself can also become an excellent dog trainer in several hours.So If you want to learn what it really takes to transform your dog’s behavior problems,understand and communicate with your dog now,you can visit the site listed below.It provide you with the most popular and easiest dog training Guide.There is the easiest method to make your dog to listen to you in the shortest period of time.

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GOOD LUCK TO YOU AND YOUR DOG!!!

Answer 4

Hi there.
I recently got one of my dogs a barking collar. It worked in a week! They run about $100-$150, but it's so worth it. People say that its a form of abuse, but I just think that people will be nicer to my pet, and she'll get more positive attention that way. Also, it sounds like your dogs may need to be really socialized. Bring them to a dog park or whatever it takes. You could also (instead of a barking collar) buy a shock collar (sounds so mean, but its about the same as a shock from a stove...I can handle that, we DID actually try it out before subjecting our pets). With the shock collar you'd be able to take your dog to an off leash park. If she did bite, be mean or play rough...give her a shock with the remote. Its classic operant conditioning! Famous people get away with doing it, so can you! I have a friend with a pit, and she's really nice!

Answer 5

You need to find the funds for the trainer...much better to find funds than to have them hurt someone...
You say that you have a 1 year old and a pup? Seems too young for her to have breed and if the 2 of them are together and this is happening it could very well be that Mom is acting out of protection for the pup...and that the pup is acting the way mom is...(learning by example)
Try taking them for seperate walks...DO not speak to her in a "calming" voice when she is acting badly...To us humans we try to calm with our voice when someone is "upset..."shhh it's OK...." spoken sweetly..To a Dog? this is a reward for her bad action...YOU must use a stern voice and LOW...and say "pup..NO! BAD...." when she acts correctly? That is when you use the sweet voice as a reward...

Answer 6

OKAY FOR ALL THOSE IGNORANT PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO HATE PIT BULLS and DON;T HAVE THEIR FACTS STRAIGHT....

Pit Bulls are NOT naturally aggressive. They are bred to be human pleasers. Though they are strong it doesn't make them mean. Labs, Dalmations, Poodles etc HAVE mauled, attacked and bitten people MORE than Pit bulls and the like that are grouped in and mistaken for the breed.

The first woman to receive a face transplant had to get her ENTIRE face replaced because her LABRADOR RETRIEVER (black) ate her face! NOT a pit, not a pressa canario, not mastiff - A LAB!!!

.....You need to step up in your role as Alpha in your pack. Once you receive their respect they will listen to you and take direction to you. There are a lot of great ideas here and you need to listen and take notes. Use heel, sit, and downs. Patience and Consistancy. you NEED to get lessons. Save your money, or find homes that can afford these dogs BECAUSE pit bulls or lab it may get worse because w/o proper disciple you are encouraging the behavior. You don't need to beat, spank or flick your dog.

Talk to some trainers for free, they will give you advice, they may even demonstrate for you FOR FREE. It never hurts to ask.

Good Luck

Answer 7

I have a poodle and he gets really agressive (who would have thought), and i calm him down by making him sit and slowly move my hand towards his nose to pet him. If he jumps or fidgets to make me hurry up, i start over. This teaches him to be patient and calm. Also, I don't play aggresive games with him as much. Games like tug-o-war, or razzle. Those games encouroage aggressivness. Barking is more difficult. For my dog(who happens to bark at everything that moves), when i have a visitor come over i say "oh, it's just alex! we like alex!" i try to sound high so he knows i am not scared or thretened. than i interact with my visitor by shaking hands, talking and hugging them wich means to the dog that this person is a friend to his owner. I know i am a terrible speller(i am only thirteen, it's not like im genious) one more thing, i would NEVER put a muzzle on your dog because that lower's their self esteem and makes them want to show how "manly" they are when you take it off by being agressive

Answer 8

you won't find the answer here .. Pits are wonderfull dogs but they were bred for fighting even if yours weren't its in there nature . They can be gentle docile dogs but before they can be you need to know how to handle them and that won't happen in a Q and A web site .
you have to learn to be the dominate one in your house they must respect you and obey you , there is nothing wrong with spoiling a pet but what is really going on is they learn that they can manipulate you by waggin a tail or sitting for you .. now put 2 dogs together and they turn into what they were before humans thought there so cute I want one .. they turn into pack animals and pack animals hunt and kill .. I'm not saying your dogs would do this but please don't take any chances , Pits already have a bad rap and it's mostly because of their owners go to the Link below and check some info there maybe you will find good info

oh and by the way SILLY read some facts ...Pitt Bulls are known by many different names. Since the breed's conception, they have been known as: Bull and Terrier, Half-and-Half, Brindle Bull Dog, Pit Dog, Pit Bull, Yankee Terrier, American Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, and Staffordshire Bull Terrier..In the early part of the 19th century, the Bulldog was bred in England for the purpose of bull baiting. Bull baiting is a sport in which a tethered bull, brought to market for slaughter, would be attacked by bulldogs. The supposed purpose of the bull baiting was to help tenderize the meat of the bull prior to slaughter. Every class of person from commoners to royalty enjoyed this sport until mass public outcry finally forced Parliament to take a stand and ban the practice of bull baiting in 1835.
With bull baiting banned, dog breeders turned their attention to dog fighting. These dogs were preferred because of their fierceness, courage, and tenacity. The dog breeders began with the Bull Dog, mixed in some terrier blood for gameness, and produced the Bull and Terrier, a dog that met all of their expectations. The Bull and Terrier was bred for aggression to other dogs, unrelenting bravery, a high pain threshold, a superior blood clotting ability to aid him when wounded, a willingness to fight to the end, and an unmatched affection for people. Dogfights were also very brutal on the dog as they sometimes were allowed to go until death.
American Staffordshire Terrier and American Pit Bull Terrier are wonderful family dogs, capable of anything their owner's demand of them.
" Neglect and bad training" has been a cause for severe damage to the reputation of the breed and has resulted in the deaths and mutilations of many people. There is a growing movement around the world to improve the ownership of these dogs and to educate people as to the true value these creatures hold as companions to people.

NOW YOU HAVE THE FACTS ......

I have many friends with Pit's and it takes patience , knolledge , and understanding of this breed and dog's in general to have a good SAFE pet .
Yes they are loyal to the hilt but also very protective and aside from everything else they are an animal and when all else fails that animal will fall back on its basic instinct and that is why YOU have to learn to be in charge . Then and only then can you teach them the things they need to know to be happy social pets .

Answer 9

I don't really know what to tell you, they are crazy dogs. I've been around a lot of dogs in my life, Akita's Dobermans, Rottweilers, Labs,Great Danes, German Shepard's and Pit Bulls. The Pits have got to be the worst to work with. I would suggest you try to get a pro, I know you said money was tight, but I think it's best. Do you have liability insurance for them? Better to protect your own ***. I'm sorry but these are almost like the half wolves in my opinion. Best of luck.

Answer 10

Make them walk on a heel accomplished by pulling up on a lead when they pull. Put a British slip lead on them dog show style. You have much more control over them.

Sit them down with their rear facing the person/animal at which they barked. Then bring them to the people not them bringing you.