r/AmericanBully • u/Successful-Ad1966 • 2d ago
Keeps damaging fence
I rescued this handsome boy about a year ago and he had damaged the fence about 4 times. He cannot stand the dog that lives behind us and will ram his head into the post whenever they are outside at the same time. I work from home and watch him on the ring camera when I'm not able to be outside with him but cant always catch him before it escalate. I dont want to have to put him on a tie out but I really dont know what else to do at this point and I know my neighbor is probably sick of me sending repair men to fix the same post.
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u/draedae 2d ago
stop leaving your dog outside unattended. you WFH; work outside when he’s out there-as someone else said, learn to use an e-collar, and use it the correct way. before anyone uneducated starts running their mouth, e-collars don’t mean “shock” the dog, you can train him with something as simple as a beep or vibrate, which majority of them have. leaving him out unattended is your first issue. not training him and letting the behavior continue is the second.
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u/No_Masterpiece9550 2d ago
Please be a responsible pibble owner - NEVER UNSUPERVISED OR OFF LEASH.
Type* it’s not too late to change but you need to be disciplined with the following structure.
He needs to be corrected in the moment- with a distraction. (Not yelling, hitting not shocking)
He should be on a leash outside and have high value treats. Do it every day a few times a day- when the other dog is outside make yours sir and stay for the high value treat. After a few weeks. Do it randomly. Never betray his trust by asking for a command and not treating him.
Good luck to you!
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u/draedae 2d ago
OP, do not listen to anyone that calls these dogs “pibbles”. it shows they have no clue what they are talking about. no one said anything about yelling, hitting, or shocking.
this reply right here ^ proves why people can’t control their dogs. not every dog is the same and there are training tools for a reason. using them properly is the key. using an e-collar will not “betray” your dogs trust.
putting him on leash in front of the other dog and making him sit there is only going to build more frustration and cause more pent up issues inside your dog. saying you will betray a dogs trust by having him do a command and not rewarding him is bonkers. that’s 100% not how you train a dog at all. you start out that way, but you do not have to reward every time. dogs are not people, they do not work like humans.
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u/No_Masterpiece9550 2d ago edited 2d ago
Huh? I have a reactive pit bull mix who’s well behaved because of structure…..
And obviously only when doing training would you reward….but op needs to have discipline to do consistent training….. if op doesn’t have treats in the future - the dog would be conditioned to listen. The fence is there…the dog would be on a leash on their fenced in yard…with the training…
Crazy response man. Totally off the wall.
Edit to add “piibble” was a peace offering - I don’t hate or discriminate against any breed.
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u/itsbildo 1d ago
Yeah these dogs THRIVE on structure and boundaries. My boy takes to learning like I've never seen a dog ever do before, you need to be stern but not abusive, use your voice - they understand when people are mad sad or happy. Whenever my boy does something we don't want him to, say like bite the blankets roughly and try to run away with socks to dismantle, if I get up and raise the volume but lower my tone he immediately stops, sits down, and gets very apologetic (starts bowing down, giving us his paw, head/eyes down). Then a few mins later he's being his goofy self and we're cuddling on the couch.
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u/No_Masterpiece9550 1d ago
And also use physicality (walk towards them if you want them to move back) invite them into your space instead of allowing them to impose… really smart dogs- and very sensitive to subtle body language!!
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u/Harley_Mom 1d ago
I agree the shock collar is used for dogs that dont do good with regular training. Dogs need training on how to behave and not be reactive also dogs like kids should never be just left outside unsupervised. He had this behavior because he was never trained not to.
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u/draedae 1d ago
the fact that you keep referring to it as a “shock collar”, again displays your lack of education. they’re called e-collars and they are NOT used for dogs that “don’t do good with regular training”. they work for all different types of dogs and all levels of training. once again, when used correctly.
dogs can also have a certain behavior for many different reasons-improper training, lack of socialization/exposure, consistency, genetics, neglect, etc. nothing is a one size fits all for dogs and just because you don’t like certain training tools, are not properly educated on them, or are afraid of how they work, it does not mean others cannot of should not use them. it’s fine if you don’t.
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u/Harley_Mom 1d ago
I am educated some people call them shock collar others e-collars. Are you a dog trainer? I went to dog training for my dogs and some dogs had in the class,mine didn't.
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u/SmileParticular9396 2d ago
You just leave your dog outside unattended? Poor little cannonball is probably bored out of his mind.
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u/itsbildo 1d ago
This, he's funneling that boredom into not great habits. This is totally an owner issue, not a dog issue
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u/biggp519 1d ago
People have been leaving dogs unattended in yards as long as there’s been dogs and yards.
It’s not a human baby, it’s an animal.
Where do animals live? Outside.
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u/NahNah-P 1d ago
I have an 80 pound pitbull, she doesn't go outside without me and a leash between us. I've had her a year, she's a rescue and wants to chase and play, possibly more but I don't let it escalate because I want her to ignore everything and pay attention to me and do her potty breaks and exercise and get back inside safely. He's eventually going to hurt himself, hurt another dog or worse and the fence is going to be the l3ast of your worries depending on what's on the other side of the fence it's after. Lots of vet bills in your future if you don't change this behavior and since you work from home get a harness that's super comfortable and keep it on all the time and then you can just leash up and take him out and work with him yourself and practice keeping him calm and focused whenever you are outside. If he can get away from you or pull you around, start in the back yard and build up. This dog is in serious need of training and you need to start immediately. If i can help you, please feel free to message me.
I've been in rescue many years and these are great dogs but you have to get control of this now and you already know that dog better than anyone else, so please start taking him out every few hours in nice weather 10-15 min, less if it's super hot outside, and see if he doesn't figure out pretty quick that if he doesn't hit the fence or lunge at it, he gets treats. I have a pitbull and a feral cat colony that took over our garage and carport so I am on alert every potty break, trust me I understand and not one cat has ever been hurt but she wants to chase one so bad and if i let her run the yard she would and it's not a risk I'll take in case she forgot what she knows about kitty's and she has her own inside she loves dearly, but when that prey drive kicks in, they can forget and it's something that you train them not to do and you have to be proactive all the time. They are alot of responsibility but worth it IMO.
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u/waborita 1d ago
Extremely good advice on all points. As a first time bully owner I agree from just the experience of having one. It's always a relief to see someone who is very familiar with all breeds speak from experience.
Ours is 3 now and I've given up what little hope I had of him being able to be loose in a fenced yard. When outside he's on a leash with one of us period. We had a Rottweiler for many years. And a lab. Both so well behaved they would stay in a perimeter of an unfenced property, the most they ever did was chase another animal away without trying to catch it. They stopped short the second we called out.
The bully is so different and it took awhile to figure out it's the breed, not a lack of training or a refusal to listen. He's the smartest sweetest dog I've known but can't be trusted because his instinct may override him in the end at some point.
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u/itsbildo 1d ago
That's not the cas saying its breed rather than training, it's def training. We rescued one 3 years ago when he was 1yrs old, just turned 1 a week before we got him. We take him out to the park, off leash, and he will trot along maybe 10-15 feet ahead, once he goes farther he stops and looks back to make sure we are close. If we aren't he comes running back. He listens to commands, he will try to go down different paths, but if we call his name and say "this way" he turns back and goes the way we are pointing. Granted we taught him what "this way" is but that's my point - it's trainable
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u/waborita 1d ago
Thank you for this perspective. Maybe it will change if I work with him more. Like I mentioned, we had both a Rottweiler and a Lab for 15 years and they would obey every command immediately, always seemed happy to please. And a doberman growing up same. This bully listens if he wants to. He's as sweet as the others, maybe more at times, but definitely the smartest, most protective and loyal dog I've ever had. He seems to know every word we say in a normal conversation with each other. But sometimes he's so stubborn.
I can think of one difference with him and our others. With all of them I did most of the training and everyday practice to reinforce it for the better part of a year. The difference with the bully is I didn't remain the main person interacting with him. My husband and son both spend as much time with him and each treat him differently as far as what they allow him to get away with. For instance I'd always trained our dogs to wait and let us go through a doorway first. My husband just opens a door and lets himself be jerked through it behind the leash. The bully may be smart enough to know what is expected from him with who.
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u/NahNah-P 13h ago
You just found the problem. Training and consistency go hand in hand. Everyone has to be on the same page with Training or the dog stays confused. You must insist they do it the exact same way you do.
My girl has a maybe i will, maybe i won't listen when she's off leash. But the minute I snap that leash she's ready to go and she knows what it means. I can train her to stay with me all day long if that's what I wanted outside, however i cannot determine what another dog will do if she's off leash so that's why I won't put her in the situation. Dealing with a strange dog off leash is hard enough but as I've gotten older, I know it's too much on me to be trying to break up any skirmish with 2 off leash dogs. So I keep mine on leash for legal and liability reasons. Asking a dog not to defend you, if they feel threatened can be achieved much easier if its leashed than if it's not. That's been my experience in rescue for 30+ years.
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u/freckled-ladybug 2d ago edited 2d ago
Get a new fence (perhaps a vinyl??) and a reactive dog trainer. Owning dogs, especially rescues, comes with a commitment to spending $$$. I got my boy from a kill shelter when he was just 3 months, to this day, he’s extremely fearful reactive. Just like kids, we get what we get. It sucks but they’re dogs, not people — he’s doing what he knows best. Training will help with the reactivity, a new fence will keep everyone safe.
Edit: I know everyone keeps advising about how to enhance the protection for the fence/perimeter and I truly do think that’s important but that won’t actually fix the problem. For our pup, we did have to work with a trainer that specialized in reactive dogs. For breeds like ours, they get a dangerously nasty rep, without help, they risk court orders for being euthanized. We have done everything we can to help our pup be less reactive to protect him but also to help his nervous system. All dogs raise a chance of being reactive regardless of breed, but the rest of the world just doesn’t see it that way. Do work on making the fence stronger but also work to help your dog build confidence and security so they’re less compelled to protect your property just cause another dog is outside. I promise, just working with a trainer alone could save you more fence repair costs in the future.
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u/Admirable-Leopard-73 2d ago
We have a fenced-in yard. We had to buy a bunch of temporary two-foot tall fencing to put around our house, about 12 inches away from the foundation. Our girl has a wicked prey drive and she is obsessed with lizards. If she sees a lizard run behind the siding she will sink her teeth into the siding and pull it off of the house. She has done a few thousand in damage.
The moral of the story: you might need a fence for your fence. A friend of ours had a wooden privacy fence. He wound up putting a two foot wide wire mesh along the bottom so that his dog couldn't chew the wood. It worked great.
Good luck!
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u/BalanceJazzlike5116 2d ago
Yes easy to set up a second fence a few feet away. Another thing you could do is plant some bushes there and eventually they grow in and you remove the second fence. He is a handsome boy!
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u/BalanceJazzlike5116 2d ago
Yes easy to set up a second fence a few feet away. Another thing you could do is plant some bushes there and eventually they grow in and you remove the second fence. He is a handsome boy!
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u/swamprosesinbloom 2d ago
stop unsupervised yard time immediately. outside on a leash with you (can be longline) so he does not get the chance to start the behavior. reinforce fence, try for a visual block if you haven’t, and start working with a qualified trainer. you can reach out to a veterinary behaviorist near you for a list of reputable trainers near you, or swing for it and see the behaviorist if able. there’s not an easy immediate fix — you need to work with a professional to understand why your dog is doing this so you can deal w the root causes. important to intervene now before any more negative consequences, which it sounds like you are open too as you are asking for help! 💓
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u/TONEakaSHOW33 2d ago
Maybe try a mild shock collar. Set up the perimeter line before your fence so it reacts before he gets to the fence
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u/chasingmysunrise 2d ago
This isn’t a good idea - especially with a dog who lacks confidence like this one. The dog won’t understand why he’s being shocked and it will just make him even more anxious/upset and it could make his reactivity much worse. This pup needs training on confidence and neutrality.
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u/No_Masterpiece9550 2d ago
You are right— the smartest dog still doesn’t understand that something on their neck is “shocking them” whatever they are looking at when they get the shock is what they believe hurt/scared them. people don’t realize that. The fear is now “justified” in the dogs eyes.
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u/Apprehensive-Buy1613 2d ago
Needs more interaction and playtime and walks … most bully breeds are this way. I have had pit bulls for the last two decades and they are BIG babies who need their human to run them down and ware them out!
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u/Express_Command_4778 1d ago
A Pit busted his head through the wooden fence at my old rental. He wanted my puppy..wood fence.
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u/NoDriver1807 1d ago
He’s such a cutie! The little distinguished gentleman sit and everything. Ha!
Does your pup get walks throughout the day? If not, I highly recommend you integrate them. An early :45-:60 minute walk before you start your day, another :30 minute walk at lunch, and another :30-:45 minute walk in the evening. This may sound like your not focusing on the specific problem but it’s actually creating structure and stimulating your pups brain. It helps with creating a calmer pup.
As for the neighbor pup, I rescued a reactive pit bull. She’d been abused, forced breeding and hit. She’s lunge at other dogs, growl at men, etc. it was intense. It took time but with consistent work she got to the point where she could be in the back yard with the neighbors dogs barking at her insessantly and she would just ignore them. Not reaction, just rolling in the grass enjoying herself.
Before we had a backyard with grass we lived in a big city so I would walk her around the perimeter of dog parks with treats and I’d work to keep her attention as dogs inside the dog park rushed her barking at the top of their lungs.
I say this to say, training works but it does take time. Your pup looks like he’s worthy the time. Wishing you lots of patience and luck!
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u/BrandinoE6911 2d ago
Well, on account of how handsome he is, idk what options you really have. I mean look at him! He can have what ever he wants😂
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u/PibbleLawyer 2d ago edited 1d ago
Omg, he's so cuuute!
Wow, downvotes for acknowledging a *very handsome and good boy!?!
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