BigSmoker <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I found these dogs are very passive to humans and very loyal companions, especially to children. Agressive behavior towards humans must be taught/trained. Their problem lies with agressiveness towards other animals, if any agression ever appears<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
What you have found out is true. However, there is more to this then what you currently are seeing in your dog. Pits are very loyal to the family. Too loyal at times. If someone comes up behind us (which has happened before) and spooks Skyway, or he thinks I'm in danager wheel chair with-standing or not he is one bad A$$ dog. Yes you can say this about any dog. However, Pits are very hard headed when the hair comes up. This is where the training and control comes into play. Even after 5 years with me there have been a couple of times when I had to get into Skyway's face. Without the training I would have failed in controling him those times.
If you take your dog to a standard training school, they will teach you about "learned responses." For example why does a dog go nuts when the mail man comes and then leaves? Why would a dog want to eat the mailman when you open the door so he can deliever a package. Yet if it was anyone else comes to the door and it is opened the dog settles down.
They will teach you what words not to use. For example you never tell a dog to <b>lay</b> down. Why? The dog cannot understand the difference between the words lay and stay. Next if you tell your dog his is a <b>good dog</b> when he stays as you commanded him that is the wrong phase. Why? He is always a good dog and as such the phase is generic and has no real meaning/ re-enforcment other than being a good feeling. Don't you tell him he is a good dog when he is playing with you? What about when he loves on you? Or when friends come over and you say he is a good dog when he is standing there? The correct phrase is <b>good stay.</b>Or when he dogs comes when you call him it is <b>good come.</b> When he lays down it is <b>good down.</b>
There are three key command words I have taught Skyway The first two are: <b>Mine</b> and <b>Look at me.</b> For example there is a friend of mine who wishes to meet Skyway. The first thing I do is take that person's hand by the wrist. I command Skyway to <b>Look at me.</b> He will look directly into my eyes and I will then issue the second command. <b>Mine</b> as I hold my friends hand to Skyway's nose. This tells Skyway that this person belongs to me.
Training is an all day, everyday event. In the house, outside, whatever we doing. In the house if I call him and when comes it is <b>good come.</b>
The third key command I taught him he hates! It is: <b>Who Did That!</b> I use this command when he has done something that does not please me. The biggest problem I see with people is they do not understand that a dog wishes to please you. That if the dog does not it is because the person has not taken the time to show the dog what is good. Also yelling or hitting a dog is a complete NO No! I pick a sheet of paper and shake it and all of my dogs are flat on the floor. Yet I have never yelled or hit them... ever.
If you train your dog you will find that pits don't train easy. That just getting them to heel correctly is a 15 month event. Oh they will stay by your side but they want to lead the walk. Which is their means of controlling you.
When Skyway was still walking on all 4 feet he would be with me in my car in the front seat. I could open my door and leave it open. Go into a store, and no matter who went by that door he never went out it. I taught him that door was my door, using the <b>Mine</b> command. He knew that door belong to me and it was not his to use.
When you train a dog, you control the dog and the dog loves it. There may very well come a time when your pit's hair goes up. The question is how are you going to control that situation. Kicking, yelling and hitting? Or are you going to be able to touch the dog and give the command <b>Look at me</b>?
Now one word about Pits going nuts. As you know Pits pound for pound or so are one of the strongest dogs around. They can take a beating and keep on coming back to fight. Pits don't cost a lot of money. Many people inter-bred their pits and that is where the bad pit comes into play.
Generally entry level schools are under $75.00. One hour per week with homework. 8-weeks. Those schools are there to teach you and not your dog.
Do you own test concerning your control of your dog. Get her to heel and then get her to heel and not break it when she see another dog. If you cannot get her to do this, then should an event happen you will not be able to control her. Once the hair is up on a pit, and there is an engagement God help who is on the other end. And there is nothing you are going to be able to do about it.
All and all it took me about 2 1/2 years to really get total control over Skyway. I've trained several dogs in my life. None of them was as hard headed as a Pit. Every teacher I've talked to has always said the same thing. Pits are hard to teach, but once there the reward make the effort worth while.
Let me share the small story concerning this reward. We were leaving the Vet's office and these two people where come in. They had two big mixed dogs that were pulling them and trying to get to Skyway. These folks were yelling and pulling their dogs back with great effort. Well Skyway's hair was up, all of his teeth showing. I said in a firm voice, "See Me" as I took a sheet of paper I had in my back pocket and shook it over his head. He looked up at me and I gave the command "Sit." He sat. As the couple pulled their dogs by us the man sheepishly said, "Our dogs have us trained well!"
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