What is the best way to "gentle" an abused Pitt Bull?

Question

We recently adopted a youngish, unneutered male, Pitt Bull (maybe a mix).

By "gentle" I mean get the dog to trust us, walk on a leash, obey commands like come, sit, and stay. He seems to be a sweet dog with no food agression issues, but he's been abused and is terribly frightened of being beaten. He used to be kept chained up in a yard, so to him a collar and leash are implements of torture.

We've started out by giving him lots of praise and petting when he does something good. Treats and praise when he obeys a command. And lots of easy walks around the neighborhood. We switched his old, tight harness (what he used to wear when chained up in the yard) to a choke collar and he has responded really well to this. He still can't figure out that he needs to stay on one side, but maybe with time and patience?

Answer 1

You are on the right track. Please! Get rid of the choke, throw it away, they have been proven to injure dogs (even when used the 'right' way) and you don't want your new relationship with him to be on based on pain and punishment. http://www.learningdog.com/articles/article/864436/7096.htm
http://www.dog-school.co.uk/Choke%20Chains!.htm

If you're worried about him slipping his collar then get him a greyhound or martingale collar.

Patricia McConnell has an excellent pamplet called the Cautious Canine. It has helped me tremendously with my foster dogs. Keep your body language very non-threatening. Don't make eye contact often, pet under his chin not on top of his head, and always get down to his level instead of bending over him.

As long as he isn't food aggressive, I would try and hand feed him. This will help strengthen your bond. Make sure he is on a good nutritous food. One w/out corn, wheat, by-products, dyes or preservatives. It is amazing how much good food effects mental health.

Here are some good places for reading about how to train a dog:
http://www.diamondsintheruff.com/
http://www.clickerlessons.com/

You deserve a Gold Star for taking this boy in and giving him a second chance! I wish more people would show this kindness.

When he is scared, either A) make it positive, "Yay! Good boy, lets go play!" or B) ignore him. Don't buy into it and coddle or pity him. The worst thing to say is "it's ok, don't be scared, etc." If you treat him like a victim, he will think he is a victim. Let him know you have his back and will keep him safe.

Find something that he absolutely loves, chicken, liver, string cheese, anything. Set the leash down on the ground and feed him like crazy! You want to change his belief that leashes are good and fun not implements of torture. Any time a leash appears, the snack bar is open! :) This has some great tips: http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/our_pets_for_life_program/dog_behavior_tip_sheets/fearful_dogs.html

Please let us know how he is doing! Good luck!

Answer 2

Good for you for taking him on. It sounds like you are off to a good start. I have a few suggestions for you that could help.

First, please neuter him. If he is a mix or of unknown background, he should not be bred and it will help with preventing unwanted behaviors, such as aggression toward other male dogs and possibly people, chasing females and fathering an unwanted litter. It is also better for his long-term health.

Second, don't use a choke chain as it could damage his trachea if he pulls too hard. Switch to head halter such as a Halti or Gentle Leader, or if he is too short-nosed, try a harness. I know he had a harness before but there are many different kinds and you can get him a comfortable one that shouldn't stress him out.

Finally I strongly suggest getting him in an obedience class so he can get socialized with other dogs and other people. If he is still too fearful for a group setting, start with a few private sessions with a professional trainer that uses firm but gentle techniques. This will help speed up your training process greatly. Your vet or your local humane society should be able recommend someone.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Unfortunately you will never be able to fully trust this dog. There could be any number of triggers that could possibly set him off. I know it sounds mean but i would muzzle him during this period for your own safety. Once he gets used to you hooking up the leash and walking on it and you feel confident that he understands that it is not an abuse thing but a bonding thing then remove the muzzle and keep working without it so that he sees you trust him too. Reason I say use muzzle is while walking if a car backfires or something startles him he may revert. Not a good thing with a pitt!

Answer 4

Sounds like you are doing everything right. A lot of patience and love can do wonders. The best thing you can do for your "new" dog is to have him neutered. Do this as soon as he is old enough. If he is an adult now, then do it soon as you can. Really. As a male dog gets more aggressive as it ages and matures. Even the sweetest boy can become really obnoxious . A male Basenji of mine, got so he would bite, nip and tear at the clothes of my young son. (Son was lowest in the chain of command). Would not let go of him. Got to be really awful. After neutering it took another 5-6 months before he was totally calmed down. Please don't wait until your dog gets to this point. Do it soon. Avid pet owner/vet tech.

Answer 5

Just keep moving forward. Forget about the abuse and this will help him forget about it too. Treat him like the normal dog he is. This is going to take some time but with patience ,as some have already mentioned, your dog will learn to completely trust you and reward you just as much. Remember, under any circumstances, never let anyone approach the dog out of anger or frustration. Keep calm when addressing any issues and he will respond well. Good luck.

Answer 6

Time patience and treats are always the best way to go after a while if you show him what side he needs to stay on also remember to walk in front of him when you take him on walks this will make sure you assert you dominance as leader so he will take quicker to obeying commands always remember to be gentle but assert dominance over him.

Answer 7

Even though I love pits (all my dogs are pits) getting one when they are older than 6 months is risky. Pits are smart dogs, I think you should try maybe a professional trainer especailly if you have kids. I adobted a Pit a few years back who was tramatize too. His owners use to keep him on the fire escape. Poor puppy (He was only 3 months) only had about a square foot of space because if he moved any further he would of fallen off the fire escape. That broke my heart and I talked to the owners and ended up buying him from them. Trouble, thats his name, never got over it. His owner were black and I can honestly say my dog was a racist. He disliked anyone who was black, he would try to attack them and everything. It was crazy! I ended up having to put him down because he bit my boy friends best friend, who was also black and my landlord who was also black. So...point is with pits you have to be careful. Good Luck.

Answer 8

a collar and leash can become friend of his.use positive reinforcement. he already is trusting you.make a big deal about how nice he looks in his clothes(collar) and make it a fun experience for him, take him for walks around th inside of your house with his beautiful clothes, have everyone tell him he is a good dog and so handsome. make it a big deal give him a small treat for allowing you to put them on. sooner or later he will associate them as cool things to wear and a walk with you

Answer 9

i have a pit bull as well although my dog was never abused pit bulls think act a lot alike. with pit bull and any dogs that has been abused it just takes time. be sweet and nice and lovely as much as possible and those old memeries to the old when he was beaten will soon fade. time is the only answer and love too. also teach the dog things and it will cling to you quiker

Answer 10

You need professional help to do this. Even then it's not 100% sure it will work. Any animal that has been abused is going to be difficult to work with, but it can be done.

It looks like you are doing all the right things, but with a powerful breed like a Pit Bull you can;t take chances. (No that's not putting down the breed. Just talking logically!)

You really do need to get him neutered for sure without question.

Good luck and thanks for saving this little one.