dog problems figured i'd ask

[Reptile_Reptile]

Originally Posted by mld

Was your Whippit once a race dog that you adopted?
I know with the grey hounds it can take a while for them to feel comfortable.

oh and no we saved her, her previous home bred whippits to help their american pitts learn to fight, "because they are fast and weak" (they are in prison) she was 2 months so i doubt this is an underlying cause

[candyraver69]

Originally Posted by Reptile_Reptile

oh and no we saved her, her previous home bred whippits to help their american pitts learn to fight, "because they are fast and weak" (they are in prison) she was 2 months so i doubt this is an underlying cause

it's still very possible. what happens to infants can effect the rest of their life. even if those bad people hadn't fought her yet, you have to think that dog probably heard and witnessed some awful stuff, yeah?

maybe the one dog is attacking not because she wants to be dominant but because she is scared and its a preemptive strike? have you noticed anything that seems to be the same with what's going on when she attacks?

maybe its because she knows you will save her? does it happen only when you are close or all the time? just throwing out the possibility, if it happens all the time I doubt it's that.

as all breeds, pit bulls do have some characteristics. they seem to be a hot topic for debate that people go nuts over. some people hate them, others adore them, usually both sides are so extreme that they aren't thinking. it's good you know what they were bred for and know that means they aren't bad dogs. I rarely see anyone else in the middle ground on this issue!

I hope you get it figured out. Fighting pets is never fun. I'm dealing with my own round of it with my ratties right now. Trouble is I can't tell who's doing what because they do it in their hides where I can't see and stop by the time I open the cage :S

[TCS-bot]

Rephrase with better punctuation:

Originally Posted by TCS-bot

Some of a dogs behaviour can be partially put down to breed as well.
We have a black lab that wees if my voice is heard in a stern manner.........

I was trying to say that some of a dogs instinctive nature cannot be helped, regardless of the owner.
I know that everyone says punish the owner and not the breed, I agree with that completely as dogs that are allegedly vicious will be lovely dogs if kept by people that care for the dogs and raise them properly.
However some of ANY dogs instinctive nature is still there.
Huskys will still pull, Pointers will still point, Collies will still herd.



Anyway, back to the thread in hand.
I've just had a another read of the thread, and I'm wondering if the poster above me (or 2) has got something with the pre-emptive strike bit.
As you said the whippit was rescued from somewhere that used to keep them to train fighting dogs, so there's also a chance that it's got a fair bit of neurological damage as well, all to often when people keep animals to use as fight animals they wont often be looked after very well, to encourage a bit of 'fight back'

[Reptile_Reptile]

have you noticed anything that seems to be the same with what's going on when she attacks?

she runs as fast as only a whipit can run and jumps on her back. every time without fail. and it doesnt only happen when im there, other people have had to pull them apart.

maybe its because she knows you will save her?

i cant help that because Mary jane would kill her. im positive of it she is much larger with a bigger head and has like 20-30 pounds on her there is no real competition.

animals to use as fight animals they wont often be looked after very well, to encourage a bit of 'fight back'

when we got her she went to the vet and everything checked out.

I rarely see anyone else in the middle ground on this issue!

Thats because we take all the fire.

[Sapphyr]

As long as you know it's our fault, it's good. And Candy, I do think. I personally own a pit bull. She's an angel, best dog I could have ever asked for, but I know some pits aren't so charming. It can be a genetic thing(people specifically breeding for aggression/hostility), or past experiences(neurological; abuse). And yes, any dog breed will have their natural instincts. I've stated this before in regards to snakes, cats, etc. Cats will instinctively hunt mice, birds, etc.(unless they're just too lazy, like mine). Snakes will still bite you if they think you're food. I've never doubted instincts, I'm just saying that it's not always the breed. Sometimes it's just people or experience. I just hate it when people make pit bulls look bad or hate pit bulls for the wrong reasons(what the media has built them up to be).

At any rate, sorry, I got the two mixed up then. At any rate, I'd still think the thing with having them on a leash and allowing them to gradually progress to inspecting each other calmly is something you should try. Treats are always a great enforcer for good behaviors and things you want to continue to see. Just switch Baby as the one to approach and Mary Jane as the one to sit and be inspected. Should either of them act hostile, just turn around and walk away(obviously taking them with you LOL).

Of course, you'll eventually have to 'ween' treats from this and give praise instead, when this does happen, give them both praise. You don't want the other to become jealous. Treats are just a crutch until you're positive they've got this down and can have praise as a substitute.

It could also be down to size. I know my parents' pugs felt really stressed out when Zoey first came around since she loomed over them. It took several months for them to finally accept her. Now they just get grumpy over how active she is(2/3 of the pugs are old, grumpy dogs). Baby could feel intimidated by Mary Jane's size, and that doesn't always mean a dog is going to back down because of that. Sometimes, dogs do stupid things, even if the odds look slim to them. Impulsive, I guess is the word.