her name is Nina Simone....

[billy muscle]

she is four months. i've had since she was maybe six weeks old. she has had two visits to the vet, a month apart. im not sure of the revelance, but she was given to me from a friends in the ghetto. she was crying in a suitcase in cold basement, alone, without here mom or littermates. my point is i have no idea of her family of bloodline, which raises doubt of here full bred status, although the vet and everybody i see will agree she is all pit. she is a fucking blast, i spend all my time with her, we have started training, she is probably 20 or 23 pounds. some of my questions are....

i want to know the best way to establish dominance? some facts... she does sleep with me and has since i got her. i always wait until after i eat to feed her. whenever she growls when a toy is in my hand i tell her to shut up and just bite, which she understands. i do have cats in the house and she gets scratched up but love it and keep playing, but i wonder if she reads my attitude towards the cats and acts accordingly? she teethes a bit. when she lays her teeth on my she is doing exactly that laying them on me, no pressure, but she'll mess up a basketball like its her job. would you correct her when you feel teeth in the tiniest bit? whats the best way? louder voice? small tap on her hind legs? walk away? all of the above? and lastly....sometimes, usually when she is laying down, sometimes when i move her, she yelps, i thought she has nightmares? possible? or maybe its her leg, becasue she has incicated to discomfort in her front leg? how much are xrays? sorry for the rant. any help woudl be appreciated.

[AC]

i want to know the best way to establish dominance? some facts... she does sleep with me and has since i got her.

Ok I will discuss a little with you. I'll try my best to answer your questions.

i always wait until after i eat to feed her.

Good!

whenever she growls when a toy is in my hand i tell her to shut up and just bite, which she understands.

Ok so she IS understanding you. That's a plus.

i do have cats in the house and she gets scratched up but love it and keep playing, but i wonder if she reads my attitude towards the cats and acts accordingly?

Just as long as she's not trying to be aggressive in any way towards the cats. There's no need to worry.

she teethes a bit. when she lays her teeth on my she is doing exactly that laying them on me, no pressure, but she'll mess up a basketball like its her job.

So she does know the difference between you and the toy. Good! That means she already knows she can't bite the same way as she does to her "dead" things.

would you correct her when you feel teeth in the tiniest bit? whats the best way? louder voice? small tap on her hind legs? walk away? all of the above?

If I were you I'd get myself a spray bottle and put some water in it. If she does something wrong just spray a little in her face. She won't like it much and she'll learn that means no.

and lastly....sometimes, usually when she is laying down, sometimes when i move her, she yelps, i thought she has nightmares? possible? or maybe its her leg, becasue she has incicated to discomfort in her front leg? how much are xrays? sorry for the rant. any help woudl be appreciated.

I would most definetly get that leg checked out by the vet. Sometimes they get scared when you wake them up from a deep sleep and might just yelp but if she is showing some discomfort in her leg it's best to get it checked out.

[rocksteady]

I wouldnt spray water like that on a dog It can have an adverse affect. ITs not teaching the dog right from wrong. If the pup nibbles, pull your arm away and wimper, turning your back on the dog. Then the dog realizes she hurt you...which is something they do not do to the dominate pack leader.

You can also give her something appropriate to chew on
but dont spray water in the dogs face..

[AC]

I wouldnt spray water like that on a dog It can have an adverse affect. ITs not teaching the dog right from wrong. If the pup nibbles, pull your arm away and wimper, turning your back on the dog. Then the dog realizes she hurt you...which is something they do not do to the dominate pack leader.

You can also give her something appropriate to chew on
but dont spray water in the dogs face..
I have to disagree with you there rocksteady I found a good article by a state certified dog trainer that says otherwise! http://www.atlantapetrescue.org/www_ver2/tips.htm

[rocksteady]

I'm a dog trainer, too and thats not what we were taught.. thats from the old school. Bitter apple doesnt always work as some dogs develop a taste for it. It certainly doesnt stop them from chewing@

she also mentions something on digging but fails to mention that some breeds of dogs are natural diggers and that by making a specific place for your dog to dig, you keep your dog happy and out of where you dont want him to dig! By not allowing the dog to dig you can be setting yourself up for more problems..the dog will look for another way to release energy or boredom

she may be "State certified" but that doesnt always mean good!!

[AC]

I guess two dog trainers can do things differently. Just going by what has worked for myself and others I know.

[rocksteady]

true..but Without knowing the dog itself, these things can have an adverse effect. spraying water at a dominate dog could make it more aggressive and spraying water at a shy dog could make it run from these things.

[AC]

Well you see you learn something new everyday. I didn't know that. I've been told differently and it's worked so far but I didn't know there's downsides to it. But thanks for the info.