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So Frustrated...

Bokkapooh

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:hug8: Do you have a bicycle? Give that dog a good run for 45 minutes every day and you will see a different dog.

Taking a dog for a human walk a few blocks is not going to do anything. You need to "sprint" that dog.

The only way to burn that energy off is to actually burn it.
Haha, I love the way you think :highfive:
 

DancingFeathers

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@senorabarb Our old dog, Jack, was larger than a pitbull. He was just so much more mellow than Spector.
@Yoshi&Reza @Greycloud
Dad refuses to let us take him back to the shelter, saying that no one else will adopt him once they find out what's wrong with him and that he's a puppy. The shelter site says they only put animals down due to disease/behavior problems, and his issues might be considered such. I tell mum we should take him back, as much as it breaks my heart, and mum says that it won't happen because dad insists this is just a puppy thing and isn't fair to Spector.


There's bound to be a no kill pit shelter somewhere near. I know many shelters that will even drive long distances. He's going to go at some point, and its better as a puppy. He has a much higher chance of adoption.
 

Bokkapooh

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Why not return the pup to the rescue who had him?

Get an older dog that shows age visibly?
 

Bartleby

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Dad refuses to let us take him back to the shelter, saying that no one else will adopt him once they find out what's wrong with him and that he's a puppy. The shelter site says they only put animals down due to disease/behavior problems, and his issues might be considered such. I tell mum we should take him back, as much as it breaks my heart, and mum says that it won't happen because dad insists this is just a puppy thing and isn't fair to Spector.
I'm 99% certain the shelter is not going to consider euthanasia for his "behavioral problems", because the thing is he actually doesn't have any. Your dad is right, these are just normal high energy puppy behaviors. Spector is not doing anything that every single one of my dogs hasn't done when in the puppy stage. The difference between your situation and mine is that I am prepared to appropriately handle these behaviors, your family is absolutely not prepared to do so. Nothing your dad has done or is doing will improve Spector's behavior. Instead, the way he (and everyone) is going about things is making Spector worse.

This is not a condemnation of you or your family, this is just plain and simple fact. While I understand that you believe the shelter misled you about his age, it doesn't change the fact that once the true/healthy Spector was revealed he is plain and simply the wrong dog for your home. Two years from now he will still be the wrong dog for your home. Even though he will be an adult his energy will not suddenly disappear, but he'll also have two years of little socialization, no appropriate training, lack of meaningful exercise, hitting, smacking, yelling and manhandling under his belt. If Spector remains in your home, by the time he reaches adulthood he will be a dog with serious behavioral problems and every single rescue you contact will consider euthanasia.
 

Theresa

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Dad refuses to let us take him back to the shelter, saying that no one else will adopt him once they find out what's wrong with him and that he's a puppy. The shelter site says they only put animals down due to disease/behavior problems, and his issues might be considered such. I tell mum we should take him back, as much as it breaks my heart, and mum says that it won't happen because dad insists this is just a puppy thing and isn't fair to Spector.


You also might want to look at your adoption contract, most of them state that the dog goes back to the shelter.
 

Bokkapooh

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Doesnt hitting a dog, especially a pitbull, make them aggressive as adults and more likely to be one of those dogs everyone hears on the news for "randomly" attacking and hurting their owners?
 

Klomonx

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Dad doesn't have any of the issues with Spector that we do. We do not hit him for everything, it's used as a last resource when he won't listen to us. Dad grew up with dogs and is more used to them than mum, and in the end he's the one who drives. The shelters here are far away from us, and he feels its more unethical to take the dog back tot he shelter after we've had him for months. The contract states we need to return him to the shelter or a family member/friend. No one in our family can handle a dog if we can't.
You guys keep saying I need to get rid of Spector but I have no power here. I can tell dad all I want and it won't work. I've been through this hundreds of times with him.

Also, guilt tripping me over and over again doesn't help with any of this.
 
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Karen

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First off, people keep saying we should get an older dog, let me repeat THE SHELTER LIED TO US. We were told he wasn't high energy, wasn't a pup. We got a pup, and are trying to work with it. Our other dog wasn't nearly this bad, he was very mellow.
You mention that the shelter may put the dog down for behavior reasons. By the description (link below) and initial quick testing that they did on the dog, it sounds as if they are aware he's a young playful dog and they do not fault that as behavior problems that would warrant euthanasia. So don't worry about that.

Samuel | Animal Rescue League Shelter & Wildlife Center

Anyway, the real reason I replied was because mum has given Spec one more week, she can't take any more of his misbehavior. we're are our energy's end with having to constantly yelling at this dog and being forced to hit him because he won't do what we ask otherwise. He won't drop dangerous things he finds, he won't stop barking, he won't generally CALM DOWN when he needs to.
Dad refuses to let us take him back to the shelter, saying that no one else will adopt him once they find out what's wrong with him and that he's a puppy. The shelter site says they only put animals down due to disease/behavior problems, and his issues might be considered such. I tell mum we should take him back, as much as it breaks my heart, and mum says that it won't happen because dad insists this is just a puppy thing and isn't fair to Spector.
Being that Spector only has a week left in your home if he's not going back to the shelter, where is he going?
 

Klomonx

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You mention that the shelter may put the dog down for behavior reasons. By the description (link below) and initial quick testing that they did on the dog, it sounds as if they are aware he's a young playful dog and they do not fault that as behavior problems that would warrant euthanasia. So don't worry about that.

Samuel | Animal Rescue League Shelter & Wildlife Center





Being that Spector only has a week left in your home if he's not going back to the shelter, where is he going?
He's staying with us.
Mum woke up today willing to give it another go, but after two long walks; one in the morning and one in the afternoon and he still acts bad. He barks when we really need him to be quiet, he'll chew any and everything, and he just won't listen to our commands. If we tell him he needs to go lay down, he won't do it. If we block him in the living room so mum can get some work she has around the house done, he starts barking and we can't have that. He's put into his crate in order to keep him quiet. He is always inside, we do not leave him outside unsupervised. Dad won't take him back to the shelter, so he's not going anywhere.
 
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Milo

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Hitting the dog doesn't help anything either. I'm sorry that you and your family are in this situation, truly I am. I hate to belabor the point but in the long run it is not an effective or recommended training tool. If your dad is able to handle him, have him show you how to be a pack leader.
 

Klomonx

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Hitting the dog doesn't help anything either. I'm sorry that you and your family are in this situation, truly I am. I hate to belabor the point but in the long run it is not an effective or recommended training tool. If your dad is able to handle him, have him show you how to be a pack leader.
He's tried, he says we need to use firm, commanding voices, but neither mum nor I can make them, we just get shrill.
 

Milo

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He's tried, he says we need to use firm, commanding voices, but neither mum nor I can make them, we just get shrill.
It's more than that, posture and confidence can work wonders. Have you tried the previously suggested "nothing in life is free" method?

I understand that the responses you're getting here seem frustrating and repetitive, but it's like the bird threads, people are concerned with what's best for the pup in question.
 

Klomonx

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It's more than that, posture and confidence can work wonders. Have you tried the previously suggested "nothing in life is free" method?

I understand that the responses you're getting here seem frustrating and repetitive, but it's like the bird threads, people are concerned with what's best for the pup in question.
I've suggested the nilf method, and I can get Spec to do certain things, but often he'll just start barking, which we can't have. I also have trouble applying it in every situation, and when he's worst, in the evenings, mum is tired and just wants him to stop so she can relax after working all day. She doesn't want to repeat things over and over again when she's tired and wants to sit down. I'll bring it up again, though I need SPECIFIC ways it can be used. Giving me the food bowl example doesn't help because he's not food aggressive and listens to that, and then I don't know how to apply it to things like his chewing on things that aren't his, or things that need to stop IMMEDIATELY, like his barking. I need more than just one or two examples of it, I need ALL the examples. I think I'm being confident sand having good posture, but I'm no good at it, apparently. My dad is also 6'6, so he's as imposing as can be.
 

Greycloud

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Anastasia, in my first post to you I suggested you join dogforum.com. Did you join there? There are several certified dog trainers there that are very helpful.
 

Klomonx

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Anastasia, in my first post to you I suggested you join dogforum.com. Did you join there? There are several certified dog trainers there that are very helpful.
Not yet, no. I'll join later today. I don't like joining a million forums unless I have to. It's a privacy thing.
 

JAM

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My partner used to own Pits, they're awesome dogs, I love them myself but they're certainly not an easy dog to own. They're full of life and require constant training.
You already know this but a pit or pit cross is definitely not a breed for your family sadly.

That said, he is there now and I encourage you to go join that forum that @Greycloud has suggested and there are actual dog trainers on there who have a wealth of information to impart with I am sure solutions that can help assist you, your family and Spector.

You are getting frustrated on here I can see it, I have plenty I can give on advice but I am not a qualified dog trainer and you have been given plenty of sound advice here already. Qualified trainers could find different methods that may give you the tools and success you need.

Privacy aside you can hide your identity, please join and I wish you all the best in your journey with Spector.
 

JAM

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Good luck :hug8:
 

Greycloud

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I see you already have some responses! :)
 

Klomonx

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Yes, Im going to try to talk to parents about it. We're not going to be getting rid of Spector.
 
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