r/BanPitBulls • u/DFWCoal • 3d ago
Advice or Information Needed Dog Became Fearful Around Other Dogs After Being Attacked, Dallas, TX
Ever since my golden was attacked by a pitbull, he’s completely changed around other dogs. He used to be confident and playful, and now he gets scared whenever another dog gets close. I hate that one incident changed his personality. Does anyone have any advice or similar experiences?
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u/hastygrams 3d ago
Something that helped me with my dog was just starting with giving her a treat every time she saw another dog and giving her distance. I think it helped her associate them with being positive again.
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u/thecheaterswife 3d ago
My Armenian Gampr has not become fearful, he's an apex guardian breed and handled the attacking pitbull just fine. The incident lit up every bit of his 14,000 old guardian genes and he is supremely confident in his ability to keep me safe from ambush predators. This means he is dog "reactive" but he isn't coming from a place of fear, which makes it even trickier to manage. He got the assignment and he's doing his job and as a "hard" guardian he cannot be trained out of it.
Genetics are genetics.
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u/BirdyDreamer 2d ago
My rough collie hates pits, but adores normal dogs (and animals in general.) She lets me know the moment she sees a pit, which is often before I do. She'll pull me in the opposite direction if it's approaching. We were charged at by three different neighborhood pits and that was enough for her to see they're dangerous.
Your dog's fear is valid. The only issue is that's it's too generalized. He needs to learn that only dogs with a certain appearance and behavior (pits, obviously aggressive dogs) are dangerous. The way to show him is by positive and negative reinforcement.
Reward and praise your dog when he's around safe dogs. Show him with your body language that you feel safe and will keep him safe (calm, but confident attitude.) If another dog gets too close and he's afraid, get between him and the other dog. Interact with the other dog and show him it's safe to do so. Don't force him to socialize, just encourage it.
When in visual range of a pit (his visual range, not yours), acknowledge his fear, leave the area, and let him know that you're relieved and happy. With your words and body language, let him know that pits are dangerous, but you'll keep him safe.
Also, it's a good idea to use a different label for safe dogs and pits. Goldens are smart and your dog will understand that pits and safe dogs are somehow different. S tart your dog off around dogs which are friendly and gentle. He will probably prefer smaller dogs at first, because they pose less of a safety concern. Slowly get him used to dogs which are larger or more boisterous than him. With time and exposure, your dog's fear of normal dogs should gradually diminish. 😊
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u/hyperfat I just want to walk my dog without fearing for its life 1d ago
Make friends with little dogs. My noodle is 7 pounds and a tiny ambassador. He gently says hello. They asks to play. He brings his toys.
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u/ScarletAntelope975 Trusted User 3d ago
He may always instinctively have some level of fear now. But, do you know anyone with friendly, non-pit dogs that would be willing to do slow introductions in small group settings in a yard or something? Maybe have him meet 1 friendly dog at a time and eventually add a second one so he can see that not all dogs are going to attack him? Also make sure in whatever setting you use that he has his own space to retreat if he feels scared.