[Fury]

Hello.

This is my second time posting with question other than my initial introduction of my orphaned pit bull baby girl. She'll be 8 weeks on Saturday.

My first experience with her aggression and my question: I pretty much bottle fed her, cared for her - everything. So I was completely taken aback. While she was eating and I happened to get close to her and I can't help but pet her when she growled - Now I wouldn't even call it a simple growl but it was vicious, teeth baring growl and aimed at me. Truth be told - it scared me. But I didn't leave her side instead I said No a couple of times, removed her food bowl even though she had barely touched her food and I placed her in her crate. Other signs of her aggression is when we pick her up she tends to nip at our cheeks or at our hands and we say No to her a lot. My question is - Do we just continue to say no to her or is there another form of verbal discipline that we can take with her - I also plan on looking into obedience training but is there something that I can do in the meantime?


Also - She'll be getting her first set of vaccines on Friday so she's about to venture into the outside world. Are there any do's and don'ts for her first trek outside?


I would appreciate any suggestions or advice because she is already a loved member of our family.

Thank you.

 

[Roxy]

when feeding her, leave ur hand in the bowl as u put it down and praise her, keep ur hand there whislt she is eating. Ill explain better later as i have to got to work now.

 

[halo]

I agree

Although I never had mine growl while feeding from day one when i brought them home I sat on the floor and pput my hand in their dishes and petted them while they ate just to make sure they would be ok. I have always done this with any pups I have had so they get use to you around their food and know you are no threat.

 

[wizworx]

8 weeks is still pretty young also... and it has been mentioned before in other threads that pups that are taken away from their litter too early do not get the chance to play the rank role and sounds like he is trying to pull rank on you. another dog I had used to do this when he was a pup and I started to hand feed him for a while, you know grab a hand full of his dry food and fed him that way for a while unilt he got used to the fact that the food was coming from me and that was the only way he was gonna get it, then moved to the bowl where I stood next to him the entire time...etc.... even tho he is 8 weeks old you might think about starting some training with him making him sit and other easy commands.... just a suggestion.

 

[Roxy]

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1462

Here's good site, worth a read

 

[Fury]

Thank you, Roxy for the informative site and everyone else for your advice - I'll definitely start being close to her, petting as she eats or hand feeding - I suppose I never thought she'd go into food guard mode since I bottle fed her since she was a about week old and my hands were always holding the bottle so close to her mouth and being held as she fed.

Again, I appreciate your suggestions.

Thank you.