I hate dogs... thinking about adopting this dog... unruly dog

[The B]

Aight...

So I pretty much hate dogs.

But my sister has a dog that she really isn't in a position to be keeping. It's a big dog, some kind of pit-other-big-bubblegum-mix, LOTS of energy, no training at all, digs, escape artist, and once escaped and attacked and neighbor's cat and almost shook the thing to death...

Problem dog. BUT... the dog responds to ME really well. When I'm around, he just totally chills out, and does exactly what the bubblegum I tell it to do. It's pretty crazy. Obviously the dog sees me as an alpha, in an otherwise alphaless household.

And the dog is very sweet and friendly and is a very attractive dog. I'm actually starting to develop a tiny bit of fondness for him. Seems like he's got the sparkle of intelligence in him, too.. and given the fact that he responds to me so well and my sister can't really deal with him anymore..... maybe I should take him?

But there's no way in hell I'm going to be the owner of an unruly, undisciplined, untrained dog. So my question is - how trainable are these things? He's about 5 years old and has lived his entire life not minding anyone and doing whatever the bubblegum it wants all the time. How much effort would it take to turn this mutt into a fine animal that doesn't run, does exactly what I tell it to do, and doesn't annoy the bubblegum out of me? Is this even possible?

Also, I don't have the knowledge or time to do any real intense dog training myself, so I'd almost surely be paying someone else to do it for me.

But I don't know anything about dog training. I hate dogs, have no interest in dogs, totally ignorant.

eh?

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[L84Cabo]

If you're not truly committed to this animal, work to find it another home. And for the love of god, understand that it's a LIFETIME commitment through jobs, relationships, marriage, divorce, kids, moves, etc....whatever life throws at you. If you don't have that level of commitment to this animal, find it another home. Having the dog bond to you and then you dumping it when life gets a little crazy, is an incredibly crappy thing to do.

Further, if your plan is to go off to work every day for 8-10 hours a day, while the dog is home alone, and then you come home and feed it and not do anything with it, find it another home. Dogs should not be left alone 8-10 hours a day, five days a week. And this isn't to say that a lot of people do exactly this. But it's incredibly selfish. The dog deserves a much better life than that.

And lastly, it's a Pit. It needs a strong alpha and TRAINING! There are lots of resources for good trainers out there. But if you're not committed to investing the time to train it, find it another home. It isn't just a matter of paying someone else to train it. You need to learn how to handle the dog too. So you're going to have to invest at least some time working with it. this means putting in some time with the dog every day. It can be 30 minutes per day...but it needs to be every day for awhile until the training takes. And there may be some maintenance after that. It just depends on the dog.

To be perfectly blunt and honest, it sounds like this dog has already had one crappy owner...your sister. And while you seem to have a little fondness for this animal...you don't seem truly committed to it. It doesn't need crappy owner #2. Probably best to find it a good home with somebody who truly wants him.

 

[Certaindeaf]

It sounds like you're not a dog person at this point in your life. No offense but do yourself and the dog a favor and decline this effort in frustration.
The best you can do is make sure it finds a good home.
good luck

 

[The B]

I get what you're saying about my level of commitment - and I can tell you that if I were to take the dog, I would do so with the intent of being committed to it. Opening my heart to it, having a genuine relationship with him, take him places with me, etc. And I actually have the type of lifestyle that would allow me to have the dog with me pretty much all the time, except when I leave town - which does happen a few times a year. But then I could just leave him with my dog-loving buddy or make other arrangements. But I run regularly - he'd obviously run with me. I can take him to work with me, take him to most of my recreational events, etc... IF he was a calm, mindful animal.

So I think I'd be a good owner - IF I were to make the commitment.

The question in my mind is just whether there's any hope for the dog being disciplined and calm and a good dog.

 

[The B]

Let me put it this way: I have to decide both if I am ready for the commitment needed to be a good and responsible dog owner (which is admittedly highly questionable), AND whether or not THIS dog is something I can make that commitment to. I don't want a dog in general - my life is great without that kind of complication. But for this dog specifically, I might be willing to make an exception, if the dog has hope...

And that, I just have no idea. I don't know how trainable dogs are.. or if there's an age past the point of trainability..?

 

[Member 5605]

ANY dog responds well to an Alpha. If they don't then the alpha beats the bubblegum out of it so it's submissive (the right way like dogs do, not using a human method).

I've seen dogs respond to me peacefully when they are psychotic and crazy wild and they won't respond to their owners.

You can be a cool cat and train the dog, it will respond. Timid owners make unruly animals. There isn't an age to training a dog if you do it right.

Problem is commitment. You probably aren't ready for it.

 

[L84Cabo]

Well your head and your heart both seem to be in the right place. And you seem to be giving this a lot of careful consideration which is exactly what you should be doing.

There is a certain amount of socialization that occurs when dogs are very young...think like the first three to six months of their lives. This time is very critical to a dog to be socialized around people and other dogs. I've seen dogs that are isolated during this period and they never really seem to make it all the way back where they should be. But assuming this dog got that socialization, then he's probably as good or bad as any other dog. Most dogs are trainable...which isn't to say that some of them aren't incredibly stubborn. It's hard to know what you've go on your hands here without seeing the dog. But there are certainly good trainers out there that could probably help you assess this guy.

What type of life does the dog have right now? Cause he may just be bored more than anything else. And a bored dog can be a destructive and unruly dog. And while I always think it's best to start training at a young age, I haven't found the notion that, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks," to be particularly true. Most of them are more than capable of learning throughout their lives. Commitment and consistency to the training is key.

How old is this dog? And what is your sister's personality like? There's no doubt that puppies are more rambunctious that mature dogs. And puppyhood can last well into the two year mark with some breeds. Also, your comment that the dog is more calm around you is interesting...and a good sign. If you sister is anxious or high strung, the dog may be feeding off of that energy. Dogs can be amazingly susceptible to the moods and attitudes of their owners. And again, he could just be bored and need exercise. The best thing in the world to help a dog be better behaved is exercise. A tired dog is usually a happy and more well behaved dog.

 

[Joe13]

***Warning long post, but it has points


Old dogs are able to learn new tricks...

Training is less about tricks and more about consistency. Older dogs can learn new habits.



Now having said that... A bored high energy dog that isn't played with a lot or excersised will make trouble to get your attention (like a little kid).

Dunno if you have kids or been around them but dogs are like 3 year old babies. Leave one in the yard all day and there is no telling what will happen.

Vacations cost more for boarding the dog. If you rent then the dog may not qualify to live with you or stay where your vacationing.

The bigger the dog the more expensive they are for maintenance at the vet and food - speaking of which the bigger the dog the bigger the... um pile he will leave you to clean up.

Regular washing or pay to have groomed/washed by a service (toe nails and teeth etc) is a must.

You can NOT come home at 5pm (as an example) and then stay out till 10pm or 2am at a buddies on the weekends.





Aaaand after all of that I'll leave it on a good note. Dogs are way better then cats if you want a friend/family member.


I had to rehome my moms doberman because they called him Naughty and were constantly screaming at him when he got into stuff. He was a trained service dog but needed WAY more excersise and structure then my parents could give him.

The only reason I didn't take him is because my Lhasa is insanely protective about other animals around me - people are mostly no problem, and the people he bit (no blood) were warned if he growls then he will bite.

I found the Doberman a really nice guy that worked from home making a good living and had his widowed mother living with him. Takes him on walks 2 times a day and has friends with big dogs to play with, plus he takes him disc golfing once a day more often then not.

The dog has gained 45lbs of muscle and last I saw him was bonded to his new owner to the point where he hardly acknowledged me - after years of going bonkers when I would go to my folks house.


And don't skimp on cheap crap food.

That's all I got right now

 

[2Wheels4Ever]

Run, run away.

 

[Larrytpdx]

Take the dog. I have had dogs for all my adult life. From what you say you already seem to have that special connection and I think it will be a good thing for you both.

A dog will make you a better person because you will have to care about and for another being and dogs give unrequited love and truly WANT and need to be your best friend.

There are some very good things going for you AND the dog. 5 years is a good age because dogs come into their own and go from being good dogs to being great dogs at around 4-5 years old, and just keep getting better because they mature and get wiser, just like people. Its especially good that you can have him with you a lot of the time. Bonding is very important. ALL dogs are trainable no matter how old. The adage really isn't true. Dogs WANT to do what you want and please you. You just have to find a way to communicate what that is.

And best of all, dogs are also a great way to meet women!

Hopefully your sister had him neutered but if she didn't you need to do it ASAP. It is the best thing for HIM! Not only will it make him calmer and less aggressive (to other people and animals, not necessarily you) but it will alleviate the sex urge, extend his life and has many other physical and health benefits (ask any vet).

Good luck to you both.

 

[mjbskwim]

I didn't read the above posts so if I repeat what has been said anyway
If the dog has attacked a cat already it will do it again and you will be at fault,if you decide it's your dog. You said it's a sweet dog after telling us it almost shook a cat to death, I don't get that. It can't try to kill a cat and be sweet.
As most know I am not a fan of pits or mixes and not a fan of folks that don't know dogs taking on a rescue of any breed that is a dog a seasoned dog person should have. There are many breeds that nubies just shouldn't have.
This dog will take a ton of time. Do you have a ton of time to train it? For the next year? Not get bored or just fed up?
Do you have the energy to run the pee tadlers out of it?
Will you put yourself in harms way when it gets into a fight?
Personally, I think I could take on most breeds and have a pretty good out come with a socially safe dog,but a pit/amstaff (go look the two breeds up they are almost the exact same dog) is not a dog that I trust the breeding enough that I would try one.
Sure sure,post the pics of your family pit laying with YOUR kids and cats.
Doesn't mean it won't attack other dogs or cats. Even other kids.
I wouldn't even foster the dog as if it bit me the dog may or may not be worth while after words.
On that note a friend said his son's wolf hybrid was fighting his other dog and grazed him with his teeth. Said it was an accident and did nothing to the dog.
The dog should have been severely reprimanded. Your dog should always know where his teeth are in relationship to your body. I would have taken the dog down with vigor and bit it back.

 

[Joe13]

Last two posts ^^ have good information.




***One thing that has not been mentioned yet is if you take the dog and come to love it, can you deal with the emotional trauma that comes with a dog getting older and their systems start to fail?? Can you take them to a vet and give them a low stress (for them) environment in which to pass away?

And the above is serious, I'm not ashamed to say I did what I could to not keep from crying at the loss of a family member but failed miserably - it's not a macho thing to take lightly. I love my pets (down to one that's 13 and going strong) one notch under my wife and daughter.






Bigger the dog, generally the shorter the life span. 5-7 for a Great Dane I thing while a 25lb dog may make it into the late teens.



One last thing, mutts are less prone to the maladies that pure blood dogs have.

 

[Captain O]

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT, take the dog.

 

[Joe13]

More info on why he shouldn't - just telling him no doesnt give him much to work with so he can make his own mind.

 

[Mistman]

Well, I'll add my 22 cents, hope it helps.

I had always wanted a Rot, when I got married and got a house and had room for one I decided to put some feelers out. I knew a girl who was an aid to a vet and a lady came in w/a 2 yo female Rot and a shepherd pup. She had the Rot since he she was a pup, in an apartment alone and decided it needed a friend so got the shepherd. She then realized she couldn't handle them and asked if they knew anyone interested. She called, I said yes and the next day I owned 2 dogs although I'd never owned a dog before.

Things went well for a while, the Rot was starting to take commands but it was pretty apparent she'd never been disciplined and had pretty much run the show. I took her to a friends one evening, she started chewing on something that I didn't want her to have so I made her open her mouth by pushing my thumbs between her jaws as I had done before. The thing popped out onto the floor and before I could pick it up she grabbed it up in her mouth again. I was straddling her, she was about 130 lbs so I sort of squatted on top of her and did the 'open the mouth' thing again. This time she went ballistic, she tried to stand up and I lost my balance but was in a door jam so didn't fall over. She was snarling and trying to bite my hands. I grabbed her choke chain, wrapped it around my hand and started slamming her head onto the floor. She was fighting me hard, in my mind the only thing I wanted to do at that point was kill her. After I'm not sure how long slamming her head into the floor she just went limp and rolled over belly up. I stood up and walked back into the kitchen, 4 or 5 other people were sitting there w/their mouths hanging open, I was shaking like a leaf. The dog got up and walked right over to where I was sitting and laid down under my chair. I knew I had won and she was 'my' dog at that point but it was scary. One of the guys finally said "you know you're going to have to do that at least one more time". I told him absolutely not, the next day I called my friend back and she found a guy who was a Rot guy who was happy to take her. She was otherwise a great dog, hadn't caused any trouble w/the kids or cats but wouldn't obey commands well and needed a lot of work. I wasn't ready for that.

Since then, that was almost 25 years ago, I've had numerous dogs and won't be without one anymore. I've loved them all, each are different. The only other dog that didn't work out was a rescue terrier. He ended up latching onto my wife and would shove himself between our twin 1 yo's and her. Eventually he bit my boy on the face and had to go back to rescue. He was very sketchy with me. I resolved after that to never get another older (older than 2) rescue dog. Like was mentioned above, it can work out but it takes commitment and work and you really have to want to do it. If I were single and had the time and energy I might take it on, everyone needs something in their life. Once your bonded with the dog it's part of everything you do but you'll be o.k. with that because it truly will be your best friend.

 

[Certaindeaf]

 

[Captain O]

More info on why he shouldn't - just telling him no doesnt give him much to work with so he can make his own mind.

His three-word opening is a good hint. "I hate dogs" is a good indication why he shouldn't take it.

 

[Hawaiian]

It sounds like a dog that needs a lot of attention and training. If you don't like dogs to begin with, then you should not get one. Dogs are like part of the family. Just like if you don't like kids, you should not have any.

 

[Certaindeaf]

It sounds like a dog that needs a lot of attention and training. If you don't like dogs to begin with, then you should not get one. Dogs are like part of the family. Just like if you don't like kids, you should not have any.

Exactly.
Dogs are kinda like caring for a two year old kid in many/most ways.. that never gets older or better at taking care of itself like a child does.. and that may well take it upon itself to kill people and stuff. anyway, dogs are awesome, just be prepared for what's required

 

[kenboy]

My vote is get a goldfish