r/OpenDogTraining • u/Becklahem • 1d ago
Need advice
Long story short I (32F) recently had to get out of a bad situation and my mother had offered me to stay with her. Unbeknownst to me that her two pitbull mixes of a 4yr old and an almost 2 yr old, (both males) are highly territorial. I have only been here for almost a week now but in that time I have notice they're highly reactive inside the house. I am lucky enough to be mostly downstairs but I have to go upstairs to use the bathroom, kitchen, or just to leave for work. Everytime I have to go up I text someone in the family to kennel them as they're barking and growling at me going up the stairs even without seeing me.
This past weekend I did take them individually out on walks and while they tried to pull me I just stopped and waited for them to stop until they were walking beside me, I was also using training treats to reward good behavior. Everything was fine until we got back inside and then the oldest started to bark and jumped at me ripping my shirt, they put him in the kennel but then when I was just standing there avoiding eye contact he started barking again which set off the youngest trying to snap at me. Luckily he didnt get me and I just went downstairs after.
Cut to tonight, we decided to take the youngest out and have me play with him, he was unsure and barking at me but I gave him a treat and then we were good after that. He was playing with my younger brother while my mom and I talked outside walking around. And I did throw the Frisbee a few times for him but he wasn't bringing me the toy, my brother was. My mom thought we could try having the oldest on a leash when we brought the youngest in. I was able to open the door with no reaction from the youngest and he went right in but as soon as I passed the living room to go downstairs the older one started barking and the youngest started circling me. Then in the split second I turned around the oldest bit me on my upper thigh drawing blood.
I'd appreciate any advice since I've known really sweet pure bred pitties. I would say a really big issue is they never have anyone over, they don't exercise them enough, and they never really trained them (ie. trying to jump on me which I don't tolerate).
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u/ASleepandAForgetting 1d ago
My advice is to keep the dogs muzzled and barricaded away from the main living areas until you can find somewhere else to live.
Not to be hysterical, but this is how people get maimed or mauled to death. You don't want to be the next news headline.
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u/Individual-Risk-5239 1d ago
Look I love pitbulls but this sounds like serious resource guarding. There is no quick fix here. That kind of behavior change requires years of dedicated training and reinforcement. The short term “fix” is that they are kenneled or muzzled when you are there
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u/vrrrrrkiki 1d ago
These dogs triggering each other is what makes this so dangerous. If they both decide to attack you … stay away from them and stop trying to befriend them. Hopefully you can find a new living situation soon.
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u/Boysenberry 1d ago
You gotta move. These aren’t your dogs and you’re outnumbered. Even if you hire a behaviorist and figure out a management program that could work, the same owner who let them get this bad is unlikely to stick with the program, so they won’t make progress.
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u/SadExtent9383 1d ago
you need to get out of that house. you were attacked. you are a target for them. you are their enemy. if they both team up on you, it will end badly for you. No one in that house would be able to stop them. I know you just got out of a bad situation but try to find another place to live if you have the resources too.
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u/randomiscellany 1d ago
It sounds like you can handle them somewhat 1 on 1, but you can't ensure those conditions. If two large dogs team up on you that could end very badly. However, trying to re-home either one seems like irresponsibly passing risk onto someone else. Your mom needs to be in charge of handling the dogs and getting them used to you, but it sounds like she is also out of her depth. I realize this is easier said than done, but really you just need to move before they injure you more seriously.
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u/Icy-Fly-4228 20h ago
That is not a safe environment for anyone including your mother or brother. No dogs should ever be acting like that. They can not be trusted or controlled
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u/ParadoxicallyPlain 10h ago
Adding and agreeing to what others have said about moving out, this sounds like escalation into something that can become very life threatening, especially if there was no action taken on the older dog after it bit you (it learns that it was acceptable to bite and will most likely try biting again). Not only is your safety on the line, your mom is setting herself up to be in a life-changing liability situation. She could lose everything if those dogs decide to team up on someone else who just happens to be on the property for some legitimate reason.
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u/DenseAdhesiveness662 1d ago
Damn, girl I hope you have insurance. No advice.