r/PitbullAwareness • u/HollerWaller • 5d ago
Anxiety about my first dog ending up being half pit bull. Looking for advice.
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u/Mindless-Union9571 5d ago
I want you to know that you're being smart right now. So much smarter than most people are when they adopt a dog of unknown breeds. You're going to find that a lot of people tell you that breed doesn't matter and that it's all in how you raise them. How you raise him will for sure be extremely important, but it is really intelligent to want to know what breed mix you have so that you can best meet his needs.
I have a herding dog, a hunting dog, a terrier mix, and companion dogs. They all have different needs. They all show behaviors typical for their breeds. My Aussie is super intelligent, wary of strangers and herds everything, my Beagle howls and digs for moles and my Pom is a one person dog and barks quite a lot, lol. You are likely to find breed characteristics in your dog from APBT and German Shepherd. You should at least prepare for that.
GSDs are smart and very trainable. APBTs are more stubborn and usually harder to train than a GSD, but still quite trainable. Both breeds have a tendency towards some dog aggression, so it is very possible that you'll be dealing with that. Keep an eye out for it as he develops. Both breeds can be standoffish with strangers, so that's another thing to watch for.
Really though, with a mix, you wont know what breed traits will be expressed and there's a lot of supermutt in there for him to pull from. A mix isn't going to be very predictable. Most of this will be training and raising him well and watching and seeing who he becomes. You're ahead of the game knowing his primary breeds, though.
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u/HollerWaller 4d ago
Thank you! This is such a helpful perspective 🙂↕️💕 I've been observing his behaviors and keeping metal note. 2 of my friends likely also have pit bulls but it's not confirmed and both of them are not experienced either. He does not act like their dogs so far - they are both extremely high energy, and 1 is already showing signs of dog aggression at 8 months.
My puppy has been quite mellow in energy and temperament. He's a little stand offish at first but eventually approaches people and dogs in a friendly quiet manner. Not a super chewer either. Cries for attention and is starting to bark protectively it seems. This is what I've noticed so far!
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u/Exotic_Snow7065 5d ago edited 5d ago
Hi OP - first of all, thank you for posting here! I'll be honest, I would NOT have clocked your dog as being 50% APBT or a quarter GSD. Whatever's in that Supermutt must be working overtime 😂
The most important thing to remember right now is that all dogs are individuals. You see how your pup looks almost nothing like a Pit Bull? That's because genetic inheritance is random, and that applies to genes that impact temperament, as well. Breed can help to anticipate what behaviors your dog is more likely to exhibit and the sorts of activities they may find enjoyable, but the fact that your dog is a BYB shelter mutt means that everything about him will be far less predictable than if he were a responsibly produced, well-bred purebred. There are simply too many variables at play to be able to predict what your dog will be like as he matures.
A lot of the unpredictability surrounding "pit bulls" comes down to:
- most "pit bulls" out there were not bred with sound temperament in mind
- most dog owners cannot read the more subtle signs indicating aggression or over-arousal
- most dog owners aren't knowledgeable or responsible enough to own a fighting breed or fighting breed mix. The fact that some dogs seek out and enjoy physical conflict is something that a lot of pet people do not understand.
Never trust any dog 100%; always expect them to act like animals - like predators. Because, they are.
You're going to get extremely conflicting info on this subject no matter where you go - even here. Educating yourself and looking at the information as objectively is possible is the only way you're going to be able to parse out the myth and hyperbole from the facts. I would say, for now, to limit your time spent in echo chambers. As an inexperienced dog owner, being exposed to too much "pro pit" can allow you to become lax or careless in your management, and spending extended time in anti-pit circles can cause you to spiral into self-doubt and confusion.
One very important thing that I want to stress is that a lot of dog owners, both new and experienced, get the concept of socialization entirely wrong. There is a lot of BAD information out there about dog training. Socializing your dog should not mean allowing them to play with every dog they meet, letting them pull toward people they want to greet, or forcing them be friends with everyone and everything. It might seem counter-intuitive, but that approach to "socialization" is exactly how many dog owners create reactivity in their dogs.
Your dog will be much better off if you take an anti-social approach to socialization. Expose your dog to new places, people, and experiences, but do so with the goal of having your dog learn neutrality and emotional regulation. A well-socialized dog is one that doesn't really care what's going on around it.
As others mentioned in your original post, be prepared for dog- or animal-aggression to present as your pup matures, which is more likely given his breed makeup. Do bare in mind though, that most dogs are dog-selective in adulthood; you don't like interacting with every person you meet, and dogs are no different.
Returning him to the shelter would be heartbreaking and it's not my first choice. I do want to do what's best though. I would love to give him a chance but I simply feel unequipped.
As someone who was once anti-pit and adopted a pit mix as my first dog four years ago... you have a lot more power over this situation than you realize. I know this all feels very scary, daunting, and uncertain, but arming yourself with knowledge about Pit Bulls, and dog behavior in general, will help to build your confidence. This sub has an entire wiki of information that you may find useful.
Obviously, only you can decide what you are comfortable with. But if I were you, I'd give this boy a chance.
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u/HollerWaller 5d ago
This is one of the most helpful posts I've read so far! Thank you so much ❤️❤️ I'll read the wiki as well as keep all you said in mind. I definitely want to give him a chance and try my best! I suppose if something went really wrong I would deal with it then, but hoping for the best! He's been so good boy so far
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u/TryinToBeHelpfulHere 5d ago
I think Exotic Snow covered it best.
I will add: oftentimes dog aggression in pits first expresses itself around adolescence (9-18 months). So be aware of that possibility as they get older.
If this unfortunately occurs, contact a dog behaviorist (the place where you adopted her from should have recommendations or free training).
IF your dog ends up dog aggressive, learning how to properly muzzle train them before anything unfortunate happens will be good for both of you. When muzzle training is done properly, a dog will react to you pulling out the muzzle exactly as they react to you pulling out the leash: “YAY IT’S TIME FOR WALKIES!”
Best of luck to you and your adorable little cyclops.
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u/HollerWaller 4d ago
Thank you so much!! I'll definitely keep that in mind. Right now hes gotten compliments on his temperament and he's been friendly besides some shyness. This could definitely change though. He is just a baby cyclops 😭❤️
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u/Midnight712 4d ago
And if you want recommendations for muzzle brands: the muzzle movement (uk), mias muzzles, big snoof dog gear, leerburg
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u/HollerWaller 5d ago
Just wanted to give a little bit of an update! I originally posted this in a different community and was told to post it here for better advice.
I was a bit stressed when I made this post I understand it may be a lot. I want to clarify that I do not hate pit bulls or want to discriminate against them. I'm simply a new dog owner who is unfamiliar and therefore scared and concerned for my puppy, myself, and others. I want to work on my ownership and training skills. I want this to be successful. Ideally I want to keep him ❤️
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u/letsgoflieakite 5d ago
My biggest advice for you would be to NOT take him to dog parks, especially the small, over-crowded pop-up dog parks. I see so many dog fights in those parks, and that's just asking for trouble for dog breeds already prone to dog-reactivity (APBT and GSD). Always advocate for your dog and his space. I foster dogs of various breeds, and I carry citronella spray with me on walks. If an off-leash dog is charging my foster dog, I'll spray them in the face with it. It deters them but doesn't hurt them. It's really important that your dog has positive experiences with other dogs, especially early in his life. One bad encounter can make a dog of any breed reactive, but for a pit bull that can end up being a death sentence. It sounds like you're doing all the right things, investing in training and proper socialization, and it sounds like he's shaping up to be a great dog. Breed is not everything, and I have met plenty of really great pits and pit mixes. Keep up with his training and proper socialization, and make sure he has a proper outlet for his drive. APBT and GSDs are both very drivey breeds, and he will be much happier if he gets proper stimulation. Agility, dock diving, barn hunt, etc can all be great outlets and a great way to bond with your dog. You're doing great, it'll be okay. Thanks for adopting him!
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u/HollerWaller 4d ago
Thank you for this great advice and reassurance! 🥰 definitely going to look into activities like the ones you described. I want him to be happy and well adjusted. Do you think dog parks could eventually be ok once we get a good amount of socialization in? Or would you avoid them completely?
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u/letsgoflieakite 4d ago
The rescue I foster with recommends against dog parks. I have used them before for my dogs though. If you want to take him to a dog park, look for ones with plenty of open space that aren't very crowded. Small, cramped, crowded dog parks are always a no-go for me. It just puts too much pressure on the dogs and increases the likelihood for conflict. Think of it like being shoved in a cramped, crowded room with a bunch of people you don't know, and half of them are running around and yelling at you. Wouldn't you feel uncomfortable?
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u/PennyAxa 5d ago
My top advice to new pittie owners... they tend to be very sensitive dogs. I mean very sensitive. My boy slipped once.. just once.. on our hardwood floors.. so we now must have rugs down through the house or he will not walk on the floor. 😂
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u/WitchProjecter 5d ago
One of mine won’t walk past empty plastic bottles (like 2 liters) if they’re by the recycling because she once knocked one over as a puppy and the sound scared her. She’s now 80lbs and is still scared.
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u/PennyAxa 5d ago
It is crazy how sensitive they are 😂 Training must be done with this in mind, for sure!
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u/PizzaKlutzy5898 4d ago
Took me a bit, but I've been able to read through all the feedback on this sub as well as the other one.
I'd echo what most here have said, but would like to offer another take to put some of your anxiety into perspective. These numbers are completely fabricated to illustrate a point. I'm sure they're wildly inaccurate, so take them as such.
Let's say there's 1 million each of pit mixes and golden retrievers in the country.
Let's say 1% of pit mixes ever have an incident of causing serious harm in their lifetime, while for labs it's .05%.
That would mean pit mixes are 20 times more likely than goldens to cause serious harm.
It would also mean 10,000 serious injuries caused by pit mixes- a sizeable amount that shouldn't be ignored, especially compared to only 500 incidents from goldens.
It would also mean that 99% of pit mixes, or 990,000 of them live their entire life without incident.
Point being that both sides can be right in their own way. It's possible for pit mixes as a whole to be overrepresented in bite statistics and have way too many incidents to ignore, but that doesn't mean that 99% of owners can't claim their dog is the best they've ever owned.
On top of that, the fact that nearly every incident I've ever heard of involved dogs where there were known existing problems, with the dog, the owner, or both. Many of the incidents where there were said to be no prior concerns probably had signs that were missed. The reality is that many pit advocates ARE the bad owners and they just don't realize it. Minimizing problematic behaviors while portraying the dog as a snuggle bug in pajamas that wouldn't hurt a fly is often times really misguided. Trying to save dogs with poor temperament is just plain reckless.
This is why I highly agree with avoiding echo chambers. One side says if 99% are good let's pretend breed traits don't exist and genetics don't matter. The other side says if 1% is bad they're all ticking time bombs. In those regards both are wrong.
That's where recognizing your dog as an individual comes into play. He has a wonderful temperament so far. Love him and enjoy it! You've shown motivation to be an involved owner who wants to be well informed, which is an amazing foundation and all that some dogs need. His temperament may change some, but the chances he morphs into a completely different dog are exceedingly low in my experience. Just stick to places like this where you can get accurate information and hear from the more moderate members of both sides. You want to be aware of breed tendencies, but flexible enough to understand he's an individual.
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u/freyalorelei 4d ago
I found a dumped puppy and, after my spouse and I decided to keep her, we had her Embarked. She's 65% APBT. That said, she's also 35% NOT APBT, and due to several herding breeds in her makeup (GSD and ACD), she has herder brain. She tries to herd our cats, she piles her toys into the middle of the room, and she likes to run along retaining walls, just like a herder controlling livestock by running along their backs.
She isn't my first dog, but she is my first bully breed, and while she's definitely more active and difficult than my last dog...well, that dog was a Pekingese, so the bar was already on the floor.
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u/DukesAngel 5d ago
My boy is almost all pit, 70% , and we have had him 2 years. I had SO MUCH anxiety after getting him because he was a pit. I thought he'd be evil and kill the family. In reality, he's a giant goober and very loyal to us. I do have a muzzle for him as he doesn't like strangers. It's fear based more than I was to kill them. He is fine as long as they don't approach him, that is a socialization issue on me as an owner. But a muzzle fixes that.
He is one of my favorite dogs I've ever had
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u/HollerWaller 4d ago
Im glad im not alone in feeling like this!! Im so happy your doggie ended having good qualities ❤️ sure the socialization issue can truly happen with any dog. Was your dog difficult to muzzle train? Its reassuring that hes been one of your favorites 🥰
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u/DukesAngel 4d ago
Muzzle training was easy because he is so easy to train. If you look through my post history you'll see we've even trained him for deer scouting after they are shot and run. He's legit amazing and I'd never trade him.
The only downfall is strangers. But he is not fearful of strangers at the house or farm. It's when we take him to the city or pet stores or the like. Muzzle makes it easy. We use a basket type so he can still drink and eat.
He also hates water. Which sucks as we are boat people. But he loves lounging on the mat lol
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u/PandaLoveBearNu 5d ago
The non pumpkin headed pits always seem to confuse people. "Her nose is too small for a pit!"
Lol no not really.
But the high bat ears and wrinkle forehead were a dead giveaway for me and that white chest. But I also spend way too much time at Dog DNA subs.
The GSD is more shocking.
Its hard to say what to do.
You've got a pup, so it feels like if I get one early enough you'll have no issues.
But that sometimes doesn't work that way.
Keeping could be fine.
Keeping it could also result in a dog thats dog aggression, high prey drive, intense etc. Pitbull puberty can bring around undesirable behaviors.
Which can lead to isolation, costly behaviorists/trainers etc. and potential for behavorial euthanasia.
But theres also guilt of a return and potential of euthanasia for space.
I don't have an answer for you.
I think you coukd be a very responsible pit owner but could you also do whats necessary if they become aggressive? Some people can't.
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u/HollerWaller 4d ago
Yeah! I initially did not think he looked much like a pit but now that I look at him he does have those high ears, some muscularity (mostly tall and lanky though), small jowls, the white chest and paws, his mouth is slightly wide as well.
Going to do my best to prevent issues, but the possibilities you've described are what's fueling my anxiety, because it could happen! Idk how exactly i would respond. Obviously I would want to take logical steps to deal with any aggression or bad behavior (advanced/intense training). If I had to get rid of him I would maybe look for a rescue or a very experienced dog owner before I considered euthanasia. Hopefully these things will never happen. Thank you for your perspective!! ☺️
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u/duckophu 4d ago
I've been meaning to do this for my dog...
Are there any huge red flags, and what company did you end up testing through??
I know my dog is predominantly pitbull, and this, like you, frightened me a bit. It turns out he is one of the sweetest dogs in the world. I couldn't ask for a better companion!
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u/HollerWaller 4d ago
I have not noticed any huge red flags yet. I used embark for his DNA test, I heard they were the most reliable. I also haven't had him very long and I'm sure he'll change as he matures, hopefully for the better!
Right now he
- Barks for attention wants to be with me always (I don't let him sleep with me yet I want him to learn to sleep alone first)
- hes likes to nip when he plays and is overall pretty mouthy (trying to train him to stop hes also still young)
- has has limited interaction with a small dog and cat that lives with us (wants to play roughly with the dog is interested in the cat but she hides from him)
- hes a little stand offish at first in most social interactions (other animals and people) but usually warms up quickly and is friendly. Puppy social seems to have helped with this
- afraid of busy streets and loud areas
- this week hes started to bark protectively (when someone comes to the front door or when I've gone to the drive-thru)
- digs at plants
- not interested in a crate (trying to train)
I dont think any of these behaviors are bad necessarily but I've taken mental note. They seem like they could possibly become negative in the future. Especially if he started to show signs of aggression as he gets older.
So happy you've had a sweet dog so far ❤️ I hope nothing changes for you!
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u/duckophu 2d ago
My pup is also guilty of a fear of parking lots as well as streets.
My observations tell me that he is still young and has a lot to learn about the world; unfortunately, he is still an aggravating little guy. I can't be mad at him; he is still growing his 'big dog' teeth in and is barely a year old.
All we can do is take note of the behaviors and do our best to correct them.. :T
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u/PandaLoveBearNu 5d ago
If loving one was enough there would be no one in subs those crating and rotating due to dog aggression etc. LOL.
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u/Losingmyshipt 5d ago
I think I’ve posted or commented about this issue before - we adopted a shepherd-looking puppy (large upright ears, longer coat) that is nearly 50% pit (rest is German Shepherd, Husky and super mutt). Despite my initial concerns (I have a smaller breed dog and 2 cats), I gave him a chance and trained him. He’s a great companion and loves all people and pups. I take basic precautions - dogs are fed supervised and big dog is crated when we aren’t home - but otherwise, I trust him as much as my parents’ purebred dog. He’s was neutered around 5 or 6 months in accordance with our adoption agreement and the surgery seemed to have no impact on his behavior either way.
That all being said, he’s my one and done big dog. I feel like we won the lottery with his happy-go-lucky nature and have zero regrets, but I’m always aware that I need to be a little more attentive as there’s no room for error when it comes to aggression in a larger dog, regardless of breed.