I will be honest with you, if the last thing that you want to do is further the negative stereotype of pit bulls, then I would no longer take her to the dog park. Keep in mind that if anything happens between your dog and another dog, YOUR dog will be the one to blame, even if she didn’t start it. If something does go wrong, whether or not the pit bull instigates it, the pit bull is usually blamed; every negative incident reflects not only on the individual dog, but on bull breeds as a whole. Not to mention that the pit bull WILL finish the fight and not back down.

Dog parks are not meant for many dogs, for many reasons. Pit bulls and their cousins are known to be dog aggressive. Nala may be begining to head that way. When they are younger, they tend to be more forgiving with other dogs, but as they continue to mature (1.5-3 years of age), that is when the aggression could start to arise. Please don’t misconstrue that I am saying ALL bully breeds are this way, but it is common knowledge that dog aggression can be a potential issue with pit bulls and their cousins. It can happen at any time. You need to know what to loko for to be prepared. At a dog park, you won’t get the chance to know because of too many dogs and things happen at lightning speed.

Being that pit bulls are in the terrier family, they have a high prey drive. Many larger dogs with strong prey drives see smaller animals as prey. They makes sounds and move just like prey would, which gets the larger dog all worked up. Soon, that worked up energy which may look like prey to you becomes something worse. An injured or dead small dog. I don’t think that you want that.

Dog parks are just not the greatest place to allow a bunch of strange dogs to be loose. While dogs can learn good social skills at a park, they can just as easily learn poor social skills in these largely unsupervised situations. For example, a dog that is fearful around other dogs can become even more skittish in a large pack of rowdy dogs. That fear can turn into aggression to keep other dogs at bay. That dog then causes tension between others dogs and all hell can break loose at any time. To me, that sounds like what you are setting up Nala for. If she is acting this way now, things may very well escalate. Dogs in a pack act very differently than they do individually. A perfectly well-socialized dog of good temperament can be drawn into “pack behavior.” It is very true! I have seen it more times than I can count, and I have seen the horrible results in my vet clinic. I would say about 87% of the injuries that come through my clinic are the result of incidents that have occured at dog parks.

There’s no way to predict or know the behavior of the other dogs in the group at a park. Many people take their dogs to dog parks with little understanding of their own dogs’ tolerance for other dogs. Many people mistakenly believe that the “dogs will work it out”, however this can occur in a way that results in injury or death. That is NOT working it out. They think that their dog gets along with every dog, and that couldn’t be further from the truth. What Nala is doing sounds like she is losing patience with other dogs. It may look like rough play, but sometimes those “signs” mean so much more. Dogs playing together for long periods of time in large groups with unstructured time or activities can result in inappropriate behavior, hence the “rough playing”. Some examples of inappropriate behavior that may develop or be rehearsed when unsupervised are: mounting other dogs, antagonizing other dogs, destructive chewing, and excessive barking. It sounds like Nala is antagonizing other dogs, which is NOT good!

No matter how much good socializing and training you’ve done, your dog’s dog-tolerance can disappear if she is triggered into some kind of conflict. What looks like play to us, is conflict for others. If you don’t know EXACTLY what to look for (whale eye, tail placement, stance, foot placement, etc.) you are setting your dog up for failure. If provoked in a fight, some dogs will not back away from a challenge. Whether your dog is the victim or the instigator, a negative incident can result in future problems during dog-dog interactions.

What you should do rather than continue to put your dog and the breed as a whole in harms way, is to attend organized playgroups. That way it is the same dogs day after day. Get some friends together who have dogs and play that way. That way there are fewer dogs and a lesser chance of an explosion to occur.

First of all, please do not down breeds. Whether she is a pit or a Saint Bernard has absolutly NOTHING to do with her behavior. With that way of thinking, everything that she is doing going to look so much worse if you feel it is because she may or may not have any pit in her. She is a dog. A young dog. Simple as that. You have a 6 month old PUPPY on your hands that was NOT taught any manners or socialization. It is as simple as that. Some puppies are more outgoing than others. Whoever had her before you completley ignored how to raise a puppy. Lab puppies can be VERY high strung and energetic. What may seem like aggression to you is probably just an incredibly bored dog who has WAY too much energy and needs to burn it off! She also needs to be taught rules and boundaries, which apparently have never been done.

If you feel that there are no bad dogs, then why are you so concerned if she has pit in her? If that is her picture as your avatar, I see only yellow lab. More like a field lab versus a conformation lab, hence the larger head. But I do not see any pit. Shouldn’t matter anyway if you believe that there are no bad dogs.

For someone who says that they are a huge animal lover, using a shock collar on a 6 MONTH OLD PUPPY is incredibly irrepsonisble and dangerous! Those collars aren’t meant to be used for the reasons that you have described. If by hurting your dog is your way of teaching her what is and isn’t acceptable, then you may not need to have a dog. Prong collars and shock collars can make things SOOOOO much worse, and is leaning on a form of pyhiscal abuse! No puppy should wear collars like that. The dog will associate you with pain. That is not the desired response that you need…trust me. I have it seen it many times before in my classes. What you need is to take her to a puppy class and learn how to properly train her and not train her by fear and pain. Being that she has lab in her, she also needs a job to do, even at this young of an age.

It also sounds like she was never taught bite inhibition. She was probably taken away from her mother too soon, and was never taught what is right and what is wrong, nor did her previous owners. Now it is up to you to do so. Biting, mouthing, and chewing are normal behaviors for puppies. Dogs don’t have hands so they investigate objects and their environment with their mouths. To a curious puppy, everything about this big world is brand new and exciting and is awesome to put in her mouth.

Playing is also a normal learning behavior for puppies, especially play-fighting. Play-fighting with littermates, other animals, and YOU develops reflexes, coordination and physical skill. It also helps them develop social skills and teaches them how to interact positively within their canine society, their “pack.” And it’s great fun for them. Sometimes their fighting and “attacks” on us appear frighteningly fierce but to them, it’s just a game. We give them attention by yelling at them, which is the wrong thing to do. If we don’t want them to do something, there are better ways to teach them.

Here is something that I wrote in a previous thread:

To teach the puppy appropriate play behavior, hard biting should elicit a painful shriek or a loud noise from the human, like a rapt “eh eh”. Just like it does with the pup’s siblings or mom, this sends the message to the pup that this behavior is unacceptable. Stop interacting with the puppy. Get up, cross your arms, and walk away, ignoring the puppy for a few. Puppies and older dogs hate to be ignored. Sometimes the worse thing that you can do to a dog (in his mind) is to ignore him when he is just trying to get your attention or play. By walking away or even just crossing your arms and turning your back to him, you have removed the “rewards” (you and the playing), and you are teaching bite inhibition. Gradually decrease the pressure of the bite you permit and add a cue before yelping to teach a signal to the dog. Ignoring the dog is kind of like a time out for humans.

Another way is once there is biting, keep your hands very quiet and still and then redirect the puppy to other appropriate objects. Sometimes shrieking, then ignoring, and then handing the dog something appropriate to chew on is the way to go. Always have something available to transfer to her mouth. It may seem like you are rewarding, but if you do it correctly and with good timing, you are not rewarding.

Other biting, such as on pants leg or shoes, can be handled by distractions such as throwing a toy or a simple clap. Remember to NOT engage the dog verbally. Just talking to the dog by saying “no” reinforces the negative behavior. You just paid attention to the dog by opening your mouth to yell at it, so you are reinforcing the behavior. Reinforce only the positive behavior.

As for the cats, that is something that you should have known would happen by bringing a 6 month old puppy into the house. You need to introduce them SLOWLY and not all at once. You may have to keep the cats oenned up unless you can learn to introduce them properly. This is where a good trainer could help also.

Crate the cats and allow the dog to sniff around the crate. As you are doing this, each time the dog reacts positively (by not growling, lunging, etc.), reward the dog with a really high-value treat (chicken, steak, liver, tripe, etc.). After some time of doing this day after day for a few weels, move the cat to a room where there is more free movement and allow the dog to watch and sniff, keeping the dog on a short, tight leash. Having a baby gate up in a room and monitoring the cats on one side and the dog on the other is a great way to do it also. But you have to monitor what the dog and cats do!

Introducing a cat to a breed of dog that already has a high prey drive takes time, treats, a lot of praise, and a lot of patience. This is NOT something that you can RUSH. Many dogs will never take to cats, or take to them at first, and then treat them as prey later on. Please research it more before you allow them to meet nose to nose. Always supervise them when they are together, and never leave them alone together. Many people have dogs and cats that coexist and many have grown up together, but problems still can occur. Many don’t ever get along. Just be prepared. 🙂 Cats do things that entice dogs to chase and go into hunter –> prey mode. You have to be watching them all the time!

In a nutshell, what you need is to take your dog to sebveral puppy classes, work on obedience at home, and not hurt your dog anymore with senseless “training” tools. You need to exercise your puppy as much as you can. Walks, runs, playing ball, whatever you can do to wear her out. A good dog is a tired dog.

I am so glad to hear how many of you make a regular effort to brush your dog’s teeth! You could NOT imagine the teeth that I see at my vet clinic (and smell). It makes you want to vomit. The health of the teeth and mouth of your dog goes side-by-side with the overall health of your dog. If you only brush your dog’s teeth once a year, just think of the damage that is occuring that you cannot see! Not all plaque is visible. Without brushing, plaque can build up, putting your dog at risk for bad breath, gum disease, and tooth decay. It can also cause painful infections. Severe infections can spread, causing life-threatening conditions, especially with the heart.

Brushing a dog’s teeth, especially a puppy who wants to chew, and dogs who aren’t used to it can be a real chore. But DON’T GIVE UP! It is so vitally important that you keep your dog’s mouth clean, just like you keep your mouth clean. Chewing on bones and hard toys only do so much. It is YOUR responsibility to keep your dog’s mouth in tip top shape!

There are many brushes out there for dogs. Make sure that you use only dog appropriate cleaning tools. There are regular brushes, some with multiple sections of bristles, finger brushes, dental wipes, and much more. Sometimes you may need a combination of things. I use a finger brush for the front, a longer brush for the back, and dental wipes in between brushing days. Your vet would be the best person to ask about tools and methods. Vets are more than happy to help out when it comes to dental care in dogs, as they know how important dental care is! I have had my hands in many mouths of dogs showing owners ways to brush their teeth. Vets are willing to take the time to show you how. Sometimes it takes two people, but it is worth it! Like everything else, it needs to be a positive experience! Pinning a dog down to force strange objects in his mouth will only cause stress.

Make sure you’re in a spot where your dog is comfortable. I like to brush my dog’s teeth on our bed. She plays and sleeps on our bed, so she feels comfortable there. Don’t stand above your dog, hold her down, or take a threatening stance. Instead, try kneeling or sitting in front of or to the side of her. Gauge your dog’s anxiety level. If she seems upset, stop, and try again later. You may need to work on mastering each of the following steps over time. It isn’t something that can be done overnight. Patience is a virture.

Test your dog’s willingness to have you touch her mouth by rubbing your finger along her upper gums and teeth. This will help her get used to the feel of something against her teeth. Use light pressure. After several times of doing this when you feel comfortable, you could use a piece of guaze with DOG toothpaste on it to “scrub” her teeth. Younger dogs will make this difficult for you. Again, ask your vet to help you if you get frustrated!

Eventually, put some dog toothpaste on your fingertip and let your dog lick at it. There are many different flavors that you can try. Most dogs seem to like the beef or poultry flavors and look forward to teeth brushing! I know my dog does. I think she would eat the whole toothpaste tube. If after a few days she refuses to lick more toothpaste after her initial taste, try a different flavor. You can do circular motions on your dogs teeth and gums with toothpaste on your finger to get the dog used to the toothpaste on something in her mouth.

When she is used to you opening and touching her mouth, start using the toothpaste and toothbrush together. Lift her upper lip, and gently brush the little teeth. As you approach her teeth with the brush, angle the bristles so they reach the gum line, as plaque settles at the gum line. Brush in small circles, getting top and bottom on each side. As you move the bristles along the gum line, some light bleeding may occur. Slight bleeding every so often is OK. But ongoing or heavy bleeding may mean you’re brushing too aggressively or it may be a sign of gum disease.

Brush a few teeth at a time. You don’t need to do her whole mouth in one day! Sometimes just do the top jaw, and a few days later, go to the lower jaw. As long as you are doing it, that is what counts. Eventaully, you may be able to brush them all at once.

The most important teeth to brush are the canines (the long ones in front) and the back teeth. This is where the highest concentrations of plaque are.

Just remember to stay clam and praise your dog as you clean her teeth! When you are finished brushing your dog’s teeth, reward her with her favorite treat or toy. I know that sounds counterproductive after brushing teeth, but again…it is all about a POSITIVE and rewarding experience. After we do minor dental work at the clinic, the dogs receive yummy treats!

Keep in mind…bad breath may not always mean bad teeth. Check the quality of the food your are feeding your dog. Poor quality food can mean a stinky dog all around!!!!

Kayla went through a real basic agility class this fall, and we are going to get her into the real classes starting this spring. It takes a lot of classes and home practice to have a successful agility dog. There was a GSD, an Aussie, and 2 labs in her class. Funny thing was, Kayla was the most skilled and most focused than any of the others, and she came home with a ton of blue ribbons!

We go to watch agility competitions almost every weekend, as there are many different sanctioned groupings. AKC does things one way, and another does something else. We aren’t sure where to enter Kayla when the time comes, or if we will just do it for fun. My husband has built a full agility course at home, as the real equipment can get pricey!

Out of all the competitions that we have been to, we have seen ONE American Staffordshire terrier. It was an AKC event and the AKC doesn’t recognize the APBT, so he was an Am Staff. Needless to say, he did really well.

Agility is an event that works for all breeds, pits included. One thing you will need to realize is that you will get looks and scorned from other people who just don’t like pits. Suprisingly enough, a majority of the people we have talked to who are involved in canine sports understand the plight of the pit and are totally sympathetic and feel for what we are going through. They understand that it isn’t the breed. At the same time, there are those snotty people out there who believe that their breed is superior to any other breed and they will use the pit bull issue to their advantage. Ignore it.

There isn’t any weight pulling in our area, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t have your dog do it for fun at home. Kayla has a padded harness that we had made for when we go rollerblading (though she doesn’t pull us, she runs along side of us) that is acutally a weight pulling harness. This spring we may look into carting so she can get involved with organizations that use dogs and carts (like at Christmas tree farms).

Another thing to look into is flyball. I have seen many pits doing flyball, but you need to have a dog that is great with other dogs, since it is a relay competition.

Have fun and the possibilities are endless.

It sounds like you did good then. 🙂 Good job.

No, Alice is too cute!!!! Her face makes you melt. 😮

My pit actually has a pleasant smell to her. I bathe her once a month, as bathing too much can cause the dog to overproduce oil or the opposite…dry out the skin! I clean her ears every week, and brush her teeth everyday. Pits do not have a distinct odor only to their breed. It is all about management of their health and body condition.

Many dog foods out on the market are of low quality and will actually cause a dog to release an all over smell due to the bad chemicals and products in the food. I am not talking about gas, but an actual body odor. Cheap dog food like you buy in a grocery store will cause more harm than good to your dog, and not to mention a stench! You need to feed a high quality dog food. What you feed your dog is so important to their well-being. If you pollute their system, they will smell like garbage.

The smell you are smelling could be from anywhere. It could be her ears, it could be from her mouth that just seems to engulf her, or it could be from her rear. Dogs may lick their urogenital region, but sometimes they need a good wiping a couple times a week with a baby wet wipe.

Most anal gland issues result in an odor and a secretion from the anus. Sadly, there are some dogs that need to have the glands surgically removed because they become infected. Other dogs have to have their anal glands expressed once a week! We have several dogs that have to come into my clinic once, sometimes twice a week, to have their anal glands expressed. It is a smell that you won’t forget, and I can’t even give a similar smell to compare it to.

Soem dogs that have a fungal skin infection also emit an odor. If you feel that the odor isn’t a normal dog odor, then it would be best to have your vet check her out to make sure it isn’t anything serious.

I just can’t stand how cute Alice is, and I just LOVE the name.

I only adopt, so I haven’t had the problem, but I know many people who have and will never go through a breeder again.

Being that I am so passionate about pit bulls is the reason I will not get a dog from a breeder. I use the term breeder loosely as most pit bull breeders out there are nothing but backyard breeders (BYBS) trying to make a quick buck. There are too many homeless pit bulls, a lot due to the overbreeding of the dog, that need homes.

I just don’t trust any breeders, unless I have done my research and know for a fact that the breeder is reputable, genetic tests ALL their dogs, and breeds to further the APBT.

Good breeders will always provide proof of the claims they make. This might be in the form of a pedigree, test results, contracts, etc. BYBS can also create these documents, so you have to be careful. REAL breeders will provide you with proof of genetic testing on the puppy and the parents. Some of the common tests breeder do are the OFA (for hips), CERF (for eyes), Penn-HIP (for hips), and BAER (for hearing) just to name a few. These will also be up to date, the CERF testing, for example, has to be done every year. Probably the most distinguishable aspect of a good breeder is that they stay in contact with those that they have sold their puppies to. They are more than willing to provide grooming, training, and medical advice if needed. They will also take the dog back no matter how old, if the owner can no longer take care of him.

Backyard breeders do none of that. They breed over and over until the females are exhausted and in terrible shape, only to further their addiction to the money. They kill the females or dump them in shelters when they can no longer produce. We see it at our shelter often. It isn’t cheap to raise dogs, so how else will they afford it? Keep breeding more and more. They usually inbreed dogs, so you end up with a dog who will more than likely have temperamental and medical issues as he ages. BYBS are very scary!

I can only hope that you made the right decision and found a true breeder!

@Yaminpix:

DO NOT USE HUMAN TOOTHPASTE to brush your dog’s teeth! The chemicals in human toothpaste are made for humans and will upset your dog’s stomach and possibly worse! Please use a pet toothpaste, which is made to not harm the dog.

Also, you need to brush their teeth more than just once. Have you just brushed your teeth once since you have had teeth? I doubt it. Your dog’s teeth are the same way. They need the constant care that we give our own teeth to avoid major health issues.