Penny Arcade

Tonight my roommates, my boyfriend, and I found a pitbull. Or, actually, she found us. We're currently looking for her owner, but until then my bleeding heart for all doggies would not allow me to let her go to the shelter (its a kill shelter in San Marcos and they'll put her down since she's a pit).

Penny is jealous.
Now, this is a very sweet pit and she listens really well. Penny is a very sweet basset and she listens....eh, well, I love her anyways. They've played together ok, but I think Penny thinks we're replacing her with this pittie. She's had accidents and she keeps trying to take attention away from the guest. I have no previous experience with pitbulls; I'm very much "blame the owner, not the breed" but I do know that there is aggressiveness to them in some instances. Since I know nothing about her bloodline, I'm being cautious. She's growled at Penny to let her know that she doesn't like it when she jumps on her and tries to dominate her. I don't want Penny to get bit or anything (for her sake and for the pit's).

So any suggestions for keeping Penny's jealousy at bay? She's always had a problem with it, but now it needs to be kept in check. I'm trying to show her as much attention and affection as I can to keep her entertained, but she's still acting out. We can only keep the pit for about a week or so, but until then I need to figure out how to keep them together and not killing one another.

Penny Arcade

An update- The pit's daddy called me last night after seeing our posters and came and got her. Penny is much happier now. I'd still like to work on her jealousy though. :/

Kirska

Actually pit bulls have a slightly higher pass rate of temperament testing than basset hounds, ATTS Breed Statistics | American Temperament Test Society, Inc. Significantly higher than many stereotypical family dogs.

We are working on this problem with Lila and Anabelle by praising good behavior. Seems simple enough but we usually have to deliberately look for good behavior, since you tend to only notice the bad, like growling. If one approaches the other and they both remain calm, they both get praise.

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Mom to Anabelle and Lila, rescued ladies and Harley, Corgi/Beagle/Basset/?? mutt

"Saving just one dog won't change the world, but it surely will change the world for that one dog." - Richard C. Call

Esther

i don't understand how they do that testing

loopylou

Shhhhhh, if the peeples over here hear about that testing they ban Bassets too......

opus

I love pitts and feel awful for the reputation they've been given, usually through no fault of their own and just bad ownership. The two I know are the most gentle creature you're every likely to meet and incredibly tolerant of other creatures. But they were socialised to a very high standard as pups and both are 'working' dogs ( although in this case the 'work' involves going around all day to various sites with their owner, in other words they spend half the day hanging out a passenger window, the other half carrying tools and romping around outside).

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Arlene and Opus

Mikey T

it does little good to define dog behavior in human emotional terms
Why Can't a Dog Be More Like a Dog?

2. defining a behavior problem solution as stoping a behavior never works. Because even if you manage to stop the behavior the underlying cause remains an the dog comes up with an even more obnoxious behavior. Think instead of how you want the dog to behave and start rewarding that behavior.
Stopping Negative Behavior Positively


Dog Unto Others: Canines Have Sense of Fairness

much of what is thought of a jelousy is simply learned attention seeking behavior. A dog that buts in when another is being petted has learn !. when one dog is being petted odd are good I can get petted too. and 2. by being annoying is how to get the human to respond. if you don not wnat that behavior you need to activively teach teach the dog fustration tollerance by wainting their turn and teach defference ie. rewarding more appropriate behavior and not rewarding pushy and obnoxious behavior.


Lowering Arousal: How to Train Impulse Control

Protocol for Relaxation

Relaxation Protocol Day 1

Relaxation Protocol Day 1

relaxation protocol - working through some steps...

relaxation protocol - working through some steps...

Lightning&Stomps

These videos are great to watch, but I won't completely buy into them until I see a basset in them. Specifically Lightning.

Penny Arcade

Oh I've read about those tests. They test better than collies too apparently. She was a real sweetie. I was just nervous because I didn't know anything about her and how she's been socialized. Apparently, she likes other dogs; our cat, however, was almost a chew toy. No bueno on over-active kittens.

And that sounds like a good idea. Penny tends to push other dogs off and steal their toys and bones. She has plenty of her own and she never even bothers with her toys unless another dog wants to play with them.

Lightning&Stomps

My uncle has a pittie who is the sweetest dog in the world. Except when she sees certain other dogs. Some dogs she's fine with, others she will go after with the clear intention of killing. To my uncle, it appears completely random. I love pitties, but given their strength and determination, you have to be very careful with them in any new situation.