Should I leave my poor pup at an animal shelter? Please read for mu excuses. I am desperate so pelase help!?

Question

I have a cute 11 month old puppy. He is a fairly nice Pitbull x Rottie x Beagle. He is very disobedient, mean and can occasionally be aggressive. He isn't too smart and doesn't take to obedience, no matter how much effort I put in. He isn't socialized with dogs other than his "perfect partner in crime", a 5 year old female Samoyed x Lab. He tries to attack other dogs and although I took him to thorough socialization puppy classes, he lashed out at too many other dogs to take him back. He has tried to bite my 2 year old nephew so I discourage my sister to bring him over too often. He pulls a lot on the leash, even with a strong nylon harness and 6 foot double nylon leash. It took my 7 months to housebreak him and still has occasional "accidents" because he doesn't go to the back door and ring the bell some days. I have tried to let him off leash at a securely fenced dog park but that was a big mistake. He shot off and started sniffing like crazy. I have almost no hope. Any suggestions?

I haven't tried the clicker thing but I have tried at home obedience, books and I have got a professioanl trainer to come around for 6 weeks and train him. That was a disaster. The trainer was supposed to come every saturday for 6 weeks - he lasted one saturday training class before my dog started to show extreme aggression to the point where I wasn't willing to take the chance of letting the trainer come over again. I love him so much and consider euthanasia as a last resort. He is extremely affectionate towards me and will happily snuggle up on the couch with me at the end of the day. I just get so frustrated and feel like there is no other option. I rescued him when he was 4 months old and he was extremely shy and timid. Now he is the opposite. His mom was a purebred Pitbull and dad was Rott x Beagle. I know that and that his mom was turned into a kill shelter because of her aggression.

I got him from a kill shelter where his mom was. He had a sister who I also took in but was attacked by a German Shepherd while walking her when she was 5 months old.

Answer 1

It isn't a good bet that he would find another home. I would recommend this training method> http://www.clickerlessons.com/housetraining.htm
But, if you can't make headway with that very reliable method, then I would have him put to sleep. It would be much less traumatic for YOU to have it done, than for the trauma of a dog pound, and them (strangers) doing it..

Answer 2

Sounds like you have a difficult dog, despite all that you've done to train him, and that it will require quite some effort to straighten him out. However, could it be that he's merely under- or over stimulated?

Assuming the stimulation isn't the problem...It's difficult to judge without actually seeing your dog, but I don't feel that a dog like this should be left at an animal shelter. It has too many issues and a rehoming on top of that to someone who doesn't know the dog and his reactions as well as you do could be a recipe for disaster.

My first reaction was to give him away directly to someone who takes in problem dogs, but then again, the mixes in him might attract no-good people looking for dog-aggresive dogs and it could be difficult to weed them out.

Have you tried getting a proffessional dog behaviourist to look at him? This could be the best solution for you and your dog.

I'm not happy about saying this, especially since I don't know how severe the problems are, but a final option would be to put your dog to sleep.

Answer 3

Have him put to sleep, before he hurts someone -- like, your nephew. Sometimes, all the training in the world won't help. Like people, there's always a bad apple. Someone could have tried to "train" Charles Manson, Ted Bundy, Gary Ridgeway, The Boston Strangler -- I'm sure they all knew right from wrong. Etiquette classes and/or anger management classes (obedience classes) would be useless and a waste of time and money......I'm not sure if I'm making my point clear, it's kinda hard to explain. Some people are just evil -- some dogs are the same, something in their brains just isn't right. Keep in mind, too that pitbulls were bred, raised and trained to fight and kill. NOT to guard, NOT to hunt, NOT to be a gentle family dog. You have a mixture of a pitbull (fight/kill), rottie (guard/protect), and a beagle (hunt). The poor thing must have a war going on in his head! It's only a matter of time before he injures someone, possibly severely -- and he's a liability to you -- a law suit waiting to happen.

Answer 4

I really feel for you but I think you already know what should be done. If his mum was aggressive it is probably genetic and no amount of training will fix it.
I think you will find if he goes to an animal shelter showing aggression he won't be put up for adoption and will probably be euthanized. If not God help the poor family that adopts him & don't realize he has issues until its to late.
You are in a very difficult situation, but to be showing aggression to small children really freaks me out, what if he was to escape and attack a child. As much as it would break my heart if the clicker training doesn't work I would be having him euthanized.
I wish you all the luck with the clicker training.

Answer 5

Instead of dumping him at the shelter you need to step up and take control of the little terror.
Go buy a prong collar and put it on him! Then take him for a walk.
Do not let him pull you.When he tries a good jerk on the leash will remind him he can't do that.
No training exercise should be started without first letting the dog run off some excess energy first.So cut him loose in the yard and play ball with him hard for half an hour or so.He has to get rid of some of that energy before he can focus on what he's supposed to do.
Put the prong collar on him only when walking and during training.
Go back to your training book and work on it several times every day for at least 20 minutes.Treats are a must for when he's done something right and as soon as he does go to something else.
Potty training is your fault.Do you ring a bell every time you have to go?Watch the dog!My guess is he's telling you every time he needs out but you are'nt paying attention.When you see the nose go down and he's roaming the house he's looking for a place to go.Put him out immediately!On your way out YOU ring the bell if it means that much to you.
When you take him to the park put his harness on him with a 50 ft. piece of clothes line attached and let him go smell but as soon as he reaches the end of that 50 ft.jerk the line and say come.Then reel him in if you have too.Sniffing like crazy is what dogs do.Let him do it.The dog park is fenced.he's not going anywhere.And you've got a line on him to pull him away from other dogs so let him be a dog for awhile as long as he's in no danger of causing a fight.
You have got to realize that dogs don't communicate the same as we do.They hear what we say but they also watch our body language and hear the tone we use as well as the words.So every command must be given in the same tone and using the same body language every time.If you're walking around slowly with your shoulders slumped like every movement you make is painful the dog will not look at you as anything more than a feeble human it must take control of.Put your head up and your shoulders back and show the dog you're a capable leader he can trust to guide him.
For now realize that when you've given this dog commands all he's heard is Blah,Blah,Blah.and maybe saw you point and then get frustrated and give up in disgust.I hope you have'nt yelled at him.That's an instant bond breaker.His brain shuts you out completely all he wants is to get away from the noise.Stay calm at all times!Show him what you expect of him as well as tell him.Demand his attention and respect and he'll give it.
Your dog is a combination of several breeds that are known for stubbornness.Stay on him and he'll come around quickly.He's just like a baby you have to teach him english and trust me they understand it perfectly well.There are many things we have to spell because the dogs go balistic when they hear certain words.They know when something goods about to happen.They know when you're talking about them.And they're always ready for a new adventure.Mine understand whole sentences.I talk to them all day every day it seems.Just like they're human.
Any dog is only going to be as good as the time you put into it.It's work!It's hard and it's frustrating at times but consistency is the key.Training a dog is not that much different than raising a child.If you're not willing to put forth the effort then get rid of the dog and hope he finds a home with someone willing to put forth the effort.And I hope you'll not have any children cos you can't dump them at the nearest shelter when they won't listen without going to jail.

Answer 6

some dogs wont take to obedience
my main concern would be your nephew how would you feel if he severly mauled or even killed a child ?
if it was me i would collect him from the shelter then take him to your vets and that way you can be with him and let him go
( i hope you have tried beaviorists etc before getting to this desperate state ? )
some dogs just cannot be trained and are a hazard to themselves and other people

Answer 7

he seems to love u very much but if he is too agressive then i think mayb putting him down is the best thing to do although have u tried using a muzzle wen u take him out or have it as a naughty muzzle becoz rotties and beagles are generally sociable dogs but pitbulls u have to b weary of becoz they can turn real nasty. i think this site mayb of some help http://vetmedicine.about.com/?once=true&
the site has alsorts of information on it.
as for in the dog park well its ok to let him off to sniff around thats wat dogs do and since hes got a bit of beagle in him its jus natural I have a beagle myself although he has his times wen hes naughty especially wen theres food around lol but you have to admitt hes quite a mix but if he has more pitbull in him then it mayb impossible to train him.

i am sorry if it doesnt work out wif him he seems to love u and ur otha dog very much and i hope that the site is of some help.

Answer 8

Sometimes there are dogs that just arn't trainable. I had one once that no matter what I did he was impossible. I took him to a shelter that didin't put them to sleep.
He might be deaf.
You could try obedience school. Or hire a dog trainner.
When it comes right down to it if he isn't trainable you might have to let him go.

Answer 9

I would suggest taking him back to the Humane Society and tell them that the animal is mean and bad for children, and tell them that you cant handle him anymore and that you are afraid at night when you sleep (I certainly would be and I'm a man; Pitbulls scare the sht outta me)

Answer 10

You've tried, it's not working. Get rid of him now, if only for your family's sake!

PS Ring the bell??????