Cross Breeds

My pitbull puppy 8 months is agressive towards other dogs?

I rescue this sweet pitbull mix labrador, he is as sweet as he can be with humans, he is been nutered alredy, at the dog park he shows playfullness with other dogs in a manner of wrestling, but it can turn into agression at the end, showing dominance towards smaller dogs. At home I am in control since I also have a pug, when my pit tries to dominate my pug in a playfull way I totally discourage it, but I am worry that even in our walks, if he see other dog that is showing sign of agression he wants to go after it, I tried going the other way, avoidance, treats .... but I am 50 develolping arthitis and it hurts to handle him sometimes, other than that he is sweet with humans and gentle., any advice, just in case, I watched a lot of dog whisper show,

Public Comments

1. That is a trait alot of pitbull dogs have- aggressive towards other dogs, but not people. My Pit as a whole likes most dogs, but once in a while she finds one she dislikes, and would like to go after. You have to make sure your dog knows you are boss (and will listen to you all the time) If you haven't already, take her to obedience class. I would suggest using an "easy lead" when you walk you dog. It is a halter type that you put on the dogs head, that prevents the dog from pulling, and gives you control of the leash and dog. They really work- my pit is 60 pounds and does not pull on the lead. Buy the easy lead at Petsmart or Petco. When your dog wants to go after another animal during walks, make the dog sit next to you and be quiet until the other animal is gone. You should be able to accomplish this with the easy lead. Consider crating your pitmix when you aren't home with the dogs. You never know what could happen between the mix and the pug. You don't want a disaster.
2. Please keep him away from the dog park. That is an accident waiting to happen. Pitbulls have dog agression tendencies. If you Pitbull is showing dominance you've got a better chance of him getting into a fight at the dogpark if another dog challenges him in anyway. And you know who will be the bad guy right? Your "Pitbull". As much as I love Pitbulls (I do have one myself) i live by the rule....never trust a Pitbull not to fight. Crate your boy when not around and practive strict obedience training with him. I prefer the prong collar with my bulldogs. But use what works best for you and your boy. Best of luck to you! (edit to add....keep in mind also, that bull breeds tend to mature at a later age, usually around age 3, and his dominant aggression may get worse before it gets better. Start training now)
3. I am posting you this website. I highly recommend you visit it and research the pit bull breed. This is the best site I have ever found that tells you the honest truth about pit bulls!(no it's not negative, I myself rescued a pit bull and love the breed)! This site will help you much more than anyone on here can! Good luck!
4. the dog just needs to be trained and socialised. If u dont know much about training dogs, there are classes at pets mart that are pretty inexpensive. What worked very well with my pit while training her was the clicker. I used a book called Everything You Need To Know About Dig Training, it really helped!
5. First of all, do NOT discourage your dog from dominating your pug - that's what leads to serious dog fights. Your dog is establishing his rank and every time you discourage that, your pug gets a little more brave, thinking he just might be able to take the pit bull. Unless it gets to the point where they're fighting, leave them alone. If you get too nervous, do something unrelated to distract them like slamming a door or dropping some pots and pans. They'll come running and forget abotu their scuffle. Just as long as you're not making them feel like 1 dog is winning the argument, you'll be fine. Sometimes dogs need little scuffles every now and then to keep the tea kettle from boiling over, you know what I mean? You need to take your puppy to obedience classes, that'll help with his behavior in public. Although, I can say from experience that pit bull/ lab mixes are very aggressive and you're probably going to have a hard time. My brother has one and my boyfriend used to. Both have started fights that caused serious injury to other dogs. A muzzle may become your best friend when you're outside.
6. I've worked around dogs my entire life. Retreivers love to retreive, pit bulls love to fight. You can't train a dog out of hundreds of years of breeding. I suggest you get a breed of dog you can handle, and leave this dog to a single animal home, preferably someone with experience around pits. I've owned 3. I love the breed, but I'm not silly enough to think I can change instincts. Dogs are dominate towards other dogs in their packs. Even if you are more dominate, they will establish their own pecking order, if you interfere you could create jealousy and get your pug killed. My advise to all dog owners, know your breed history and care accordingly. You can't turn an attack dog into a or visa versa.
7. He's a Pit Bull - they are known for dog aggression, it's what they were bred for. You should probably stop taking him to the dog park as well. Pit Bulls are not great candidates for dog parks. You may want to consider using a prong collar for him. They are not harmful as they appear, they are better than choke chains. If you do not want to try a prong, try a halti or gentle leader head harness. Some good websites for Pit Bulls in general are www.badrap.org and www.pbrc.net.