[ilovemypit]

I have a 4 mth old pit was wondering if I have her fixed will it calm her down I don't want it to because I got her to be a guard dog.. please let me know what you all think.. thanks

[JudyKayTee]

If you want your dog's behavior to change you have to work with her, work with her, work with her. If you cannot or don't have the knowledge, then you need to take her to a trainer.

The "will having her fixed calm her down" argument goes on and in. First, she's pretty much a baby and I doubt anything will slow her down.

Next - are you prepared to raise puppies, do you understand the cost and problems of breeding?

And then - you want her to be a guard dog? What is she guarding?

[Wondergirl]

She can still be a very good guard dog if she is spayed. Spaying will allow her to be healthy and live longer too. An excellent training program is what makes a good guard dog -- and she will learn other valuable stuff too.

Read Last Dog on the Hill by Steve Duno.

[JudyKayTee]

I'd ask who is training this dog to be a guard dog. Someone inexperienced could turn this dog into a big problem.


I'll add that when I investigate a dog bite incident and someone utters the words "guard dog" they IMMEDIATELY become 100% liable.

- And I've seen some brutal "training" methods used to make a dog a guard dog. Basically if the dog is "guarding" you and your home all it has to do is bark.

And I'm afraid OP is well intended but is giving the breed a bad name.

[Aurora_Bell]

Puppies are puppies, they are usually high strung, energetic, and all over the place. Bully breeds NEED a strong, even tempered handler that understands the breed. These dogs have a strong urge to be in the alpha position. A lot people think these dogs need punishment and smacking to train them, this is not the case with any dog, let alone a powerful dog like a pit. Remember they key in a good dog is not having them fear you, but respect you. You want to make sure you are the alpha of the pack.

Most alpha's in the wild are actually even tempered. When you yell, it makes your dog panic, thinking you don't know what to do and are "barking like mad". Your dog will step in and try to gain control. Using simple commands like "sit", "down", "stay" and "leave it" are among the most important to have mastered. Like mentioned obedience will be your BEST FRIEND with this breed. Yes it's expensive, but it's so WORTH it to have a well adjusted dog in your home.

Dogs by nature are protectors. If you are looking for a guard dog in the sense that your dog will bark and bare teeth to un wanted strangers, most will. Beside most "burglars" only need to see a big dog, and they will think twice about entering a home. Unless you have a license for an actual guard dog, and the papers to back it up, a biting dog usually ends in a law suite.

Now I will touch on the spaying of your pet. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE get your girl spayed.

Here are some statistics to think about.

Approximately 5 million to 7 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year, and approximately 3 million to 4 million are euthanized (60 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats). Shelter intakes are about evenly divided between those animals relinquished by owners and those picked up by animal control. These are national estimates; the percentage of euthanasia may vary from state to state.

Only 10 percent of the animals received by shelters have been spayed or neutered.

Five out of ten dogs in shelters and seven out of ten cats in shelters are destroyed simply because there is no one to adopt them.

And here are some facts on spaying and neutering your dog.

Spaying removes the risk of pregnancy.
Spaying makes for a cleaner, calmer dog.
Spaying keeps your dog healthier.
Spayed pets tend to have fewer health problems. Spaying is the removal of the ovaries and uterus. Without these organs, ovarian cysts, uterine infections and cancer of the reproductive tract are no longer a concern. Studies have shown that dogs spayed before puberty have a significantly lower chance of developing breast cancer than unspayed dogs or dogs spayed later in life.
Spaying keeps animal shelter populations LOW.

Pros and Cons of Spaying and Neutering in Dogs
ASPCA | Pet Statistics

[ilovemypit]

Thanks for your imput.. I will have her fixed she has an app nxt week.. she's really not guarding anything imp.. just that my husband works night shift so I'm home alone with 2 kids where I live a lot of people travel the alley beside my house before I got her I hard a hard time sleeping because I was worried about someone coming round.. since I got her she lets me know when someone is close to my house might sound stupid but I feel safe with her.. that's all she does when she sees someone around she barks.

[shazamataz]

I'm glad you have decided to get her fixed.

I have a male miniature poodle here who is neutered and he is the best little house alarm I could ask for.

My partner also works night shifts but I feel safe with the dogs here. He has already stopped one would-be burglar! I heard a noise one night and Brody started barking his head off, I was too scared to go outside and look, but the next morning we found a large rock under the bedroom window. Doesn't take much to piece together that the rock was destined to go through the window but they were scred off by the barking.

The size of the dog or guarding ability doesn't matter, as long as they alert you to danger.

I don't discourage mine from barking at noises outside the house for this very reason.

[Aurora_Bell]

I also am alone at nights with my daughter. I have to big dogs who are the best alarms I could ask for. They have also alerted me to someone out side who had ill intent.

Thank you SO much for getting her spayed! It really is the best decision you can make as a pet owner! Have fun with your pittie. They are an amazing breed.