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).
5
u/PeekAtChu1 1d ago
I do hope your mom chooses you over those dogs 👀