Pit mix?

Hey there...I haven't been here for a while. I have a puppy named Misfit. We thought she was a Border Collie and Lab mix (Thats what the people who we got her from said she was) but now we don't think she is part lab. We are pretty sure she is border collie and pit bull.

She seems to be having some behavoir problems. Well lets see...she is smart but it's taking her awhile to get the potty training down. She pees when she goes outside but it's as if she can't hold it in yet. She is good with other dogs MOST of the time. We her to the dog park sometimes and we have two other dogs. But for some reason she dislikes my friend's dog, tobey, who happens to be a pamerinine mix. She wouldn't stop trying to fight with her for no apparent reason. Maybe a jealousy thing? She also likes to try to start fights with our other female dog named Nikkie. Nikkie is a Germen Shepard. Whenever Misfit starts something with Nikkie, Nikkie just trys to pin her down and stands over her. Misfit usually lays and turns over showing her belly (a sign of give up right?). Misfit usually starts if I give Nikkie a treat or soemthing. Missy (Misfit) is fine with my other dog, comet, who is a border collie. How can I teach her not to be that way? What is the correct way to punish a dog (show ur the boss) without causing them to become afraid of you or more aggrassive?

Misfit



Misfit and Nikkie


Jamie

Yep, it sounds like Misfit's got some Terrier in there. It sounds like Nikkie's got her number, though, so I wouldn't worry too much about that. Nikkie's teaching her lots of things.

As to the potty training, consistency is the key. Watch her, and figure that after she's eaten, she's probably going to chill out for a few minutes, then get up and play like mad for about 10 or 15 minutes. THEN she's going to have to go out. Take her out until she goes, and praise her like she's achieved peace in the Middle East when she goes. Walk her around a little more if she wants to stay outside, otherwise she'll figure out that as soon as she does her business the fun's over and she'll learn to hold it forever.

You may also want to restrict her water intake at night for awhile.

She may never like the Pom, and you may always have to keep her restrained around this dog; possibly other small dogs as well. Always express your displeasure to her when she behaves in a way that you don't like, but differentiate between the behaviour and the dog. She's not a bad dog, she's doing a bad thing. Believe it or not, they catch on to the difference, and once they've accepted being "bad dogs" you've really got to a lot of work to undo that lesson! Just like kids, they'll live up to your expectations.

Wow, those ears and that tail remind me of Brady. Brady has a mystery breed in him also. They told me that he was a golden retreiver/lab mix, but his ears are just like those and his tail curves up some. I never saw the father but the mom looked like a lab mix, but she had something else in her too. She was black with white on her chest, and she was a bit smaller than a lab. Brady turned out to be 70 pounds of pure muscle and energy. So I figure his dad was of decent size. the mother looked like she was abuot 50 pounds.

Your dog is really gorgeous no matter what his mix is. I love those ears, but then again I may be prejudice because of Brady's great ears. Both of your dogs are beautiful.

I don't see lab or pit bull in her, personally.

There is no right way to 'punish' a dog. There are many other ways you can show leadership, rather than punishment. If someone puts a collar on you, and yanks you constantly, will you respect them? There I go again with the dog/human comparisons, but you get the idea of it.

As for the dog problems: Keep her on-leash when she's around strange dogs, period. Her troubles with Nikkie will be sorted out, it sounds like Nikkie knows that the pup can't boss her around, and the pup will learn that sooner or later.

Jamie87:

Your pup resembles my dogs a lot, the ears are close to Molly's and the rest of him looks like King (see the ratboy gallery). They are Doberman/Lab(mom for sure), and Husky (supposed dad, kind of fits some behavior and colors). King's pups (King was in the backyard!) he had with a neighbor's dog (Husky/Golden Ret) that was an escape artist are all black and tan in the Dobe pattern or black and white in the pattern my dogs and your pup has. King is as rough a player as I have ever seen, it sounds like he's really going at it when he wrestles around with other dogs, there's all kinds of terrible sounding noises he makes. He's by far the cuddliest dog I've had, and sleeps way more too. Molly is just as rough, and a little bigger (Never saw females all bigger than any of the males before) but she seems to not want to play much anymore, she's into hunting whatever she can find in the back yard, and she's good at it.

About the "fighting". My dog and my friend's dog appear at first glance and sound to really be going at it, jut they are just playing, the tails are spinning as fast as they can and if we yell "Easy!" at them, they stop cold and look at us like we're insane. My old Beagle and one of his buds would yank each other around so roughly that we stopped them at first, we thought they were really fighting. We finally figured out is was just the way they played,and no matter how bad it looks and sounds, nobody ever drew blood.

It's weird tho...it seems almost as if Nikkie is affraid of Misfit, I cant tell tho if she is affraid of her or just doesn't want to get introuble by us. She knows better then to fight. I can tell the diffrence between when my dogs are trying to start a fight then when they are just playing around. I know how to read their body languange and stuff like that.

Thanks for all the advice. Renee... we are working with the potty training, it seems like it's mostly when she gets excited too. And for some reason like if I take her for a walk then as soon as we walk in the front door she goes! She wont have to go (i've tried to get her to go) till we walk in the front door. I dont get it...good thing we have woodfloors right there.

We are pretty sure she has some pit in her. I read a lot about their behavior and I am seeing a lot of that in her. We dont like her anyless if she does have pit in her.

So do you think she may have a thing against smaller dogs?

again thanks.

~Jamie

Nikkie's probably more concerned about your reaction than she is about Misfit; a typical German Shepherd trait. Do what we do with Bimmer: back her to the hilt. Feed her first, greet her first, give her the treat first, and when she disciplines Misfit, let her do it. If it's getting out of hand, or if Misfit's starting to fight back, then you call a halt, telling Misfit "NO." After it's over, you make them sit or lay down, then, after they've complied for 30 seconds or so, praise them, making sure you pet Nikkie first.

Misfit may not have a thing against all small dogs; there may be something about this particular dog's attitude that just rubs her the wrong way. Either way, you need to be watchful, and have her on a leash and under control when you're meeting other dogs.

Pits are wonderful, loving, intelligent and loyal companions. Being Terrier, though, they can tend to be a bit stubborn and singleminded. They will give you their complete allegiance - when you've earned it; like German Shepherds, they're not dogs that are going to just be pushovers because you open the dog food.