Post by RealPitBull on Oct 6, 2010 7:49:31 GMT -5
Hey Shay, no one's mad at you, sorry if you feel that way. Let's just take a step back, and talk this out. If anyone seems a little... strong... in their wording, it's because we've seen these types scenarios play out over and over again, and usually they end up badly for the dogs. I'm going to break down the situation as I see it:
1) Doggy daycares: typically I do NOT recommend them, unless I know for a fact that the people running them are skilled at reading dogs, understand behavior, and the dogs are being carefully monitored. I'm sorry, but 1 person per 15 dogs is NOT going to cut it in terms of safety. That is a lot of dogs for one person to keep an eye on, let alone separate if a fight breaks out - personally, I would not feel safe letting my dog hang out in such a group.
2) Fights are obviously "allowed" to occur at this facility, and dogs that have shown to bully and get into fights with other dogs are allowed to continue to attend daycare. That's a concern for me! Again, not a situation I'd subject my dog to.
For 1 and 2 above - these are pretty standard daycare issues. So please don't feel like I am saying your daycare is "bad", these are standard problems at these places. BOTH are a good example as to why in general I just don't recommend the places, regardless of breed.
3) Pit Bulls are what I call "dog sensitive" - IN GENERAL, as a BREED. What does that mean? They arouse easily in the presence of other dogs, especially dogs with bad social skills, pushy dogs, or overly assertive dogs, or in groups where they can easily get overwhelmed. These are the types of situations where your previously "non-aggressive dog" can end up in a brutal fight, or where your dog may not start a fight, but will engage and finish a fight if another dog starts with him.
Some Pit Bulls are straight up dog-aggressive and will start with any dog, some are more selective, but will still regularly start fights with certain kinds of dogs, and others won't start but trigger really easily when pushed at all by another dog.
Sounds like Bruiser is just a typically dog sensitive Pit Bull. He minds his business, doesn't start fights, but if he's put in a stressful situation with a pushy dog who postures up on him, he's ready and willing to jump in and sort things out with his teeth.
4) So what does #3 above mean? It means as a rule, doggy daycares are not suitable places for a breed that is sensitive to other dogs and easily triggered into fights.
5) I'm not sure what your trainer has proposed to you, but this is less a training scenario and has more to do with management and setting a dog up to succeed. Sounds like Buiser has been put into situations that he can't handle - and frankly shouldn't have to - and matched up with dogs that don't mesh with his personality. Some rearranging needs to be done here. Maybe he needs to be placed in one-on-one situations, with dogs of the opposite sex who are "soft" with other dogs and won't challenge/posture up on him.
I know that this is your place of work, and I know you are in a bind and just trying to do right by your dogs. We're all here to help, and please trust that we all really DO want to help you sort this situation out and figure out some safe, sane solution.
1) Doggy daycares: typically I do NOT recommend them, unless I know for a fact that the people running them are skilled at reading dogs, understand behavior, and the dogs are being carefully monitored. I'm sorry, but 1 person per 15 dogs is NOT going to cut it in terms of safety. That is a lot of dogs for one person to keep an eye on, let alone separate if a fight breaks out - personally, I would not feel safe letting my dog hang out in such a group.
2) Fights are obviously "allowed" to occur at this facility, and dogs that have shown to bully and get into fights with other dogs are allowed to continue to attend daycare. That's a concern for me! Again, not a situation I'd subject my dog to.
For 1 and 2 above - these are pretty standard daycare issues. So please don't feel like I am saying your daycare is "bad", these are standard problems at these places. BOTH are a good example as to why in general I just don't recommend the places, regardless of breed.
3) Pit Bulls are what I call "dog sensitive" - IN GENERAL, as a BREED. What does that mean? They arouse easily in the presence of other dogs, especially dogs with bad social skills, pushy dogs, or overly assertive dogs, or in groups where they can easily get overwhelmed. These are the types of situations where your previously "non-aggressive dog" can end up in a brutal fight, or where your dog may not start a fight, but will engage and finish a fight if another dog starts with him.
Some Pit Bulls are straight up dog-aggressive and will start with any dog, some are more selective, but will still regularly start fights with certain kinds of dogs, and others won't start but trigger really easily when pushed at all by another dog.
Sounds like Bruiser is just a typically dog sensitive Pit Bull. He minds his business, doesn't start fights, but if he's put in a stressful situation with a pushy dog who postures up on him, he's ready and willing to jump in and sort things out with his teeth.
4) So what does #3 above mean? It means as a rule, doggy daycares are not suitable places for a breed that is sensitive to other dogs and easily triggered into fights.
5) I'm not sure what your trainer has proposed to you, but this is less a training scenario and has more to do with management and setting a dog up to succeed. Sounds like Buiser has been put into situations that he can't handle - and frankly shouldn't have to - and matched up with dogs that don't mesh with his personality. Some rearranging needs to be done here. Maybe he needs to be placed in one-on-one situations, with dogs of the opposite sex who are "soft" with other dogs and won't challenge/posture up on him.
I know that this is your place of work, and I know you are in a bind and just trying to do right by your dogs. We're all here to help, and please trust that we all really DO want to help you sort this situation out and figure out some safe, sane solution.
Hope you can figure something out, it's rough sometimes finding safe/effective outlets for energy for these guys. 
I look forward to learning much here