Good dog with just a few issues.

I will start by saying that this is my 1st APBT but I have owned bully breeds all my life (Boxers). The issues that I am haveing is that she is afraid of what i think are stupid things IE plastic bags, Ironing board, camera, and just wierd little things like that. She was even afraid of a raw hide bone I bought her for like 2 months. I put the bone in her crate and she did not even want to get in it but I put her in and she relized that it was ok and ate the whole thing in a few hours. This dog loves people and gets along good with other dogs too. I never have her with another dog unsupervised just because that is what you have to do with this breed. she also hunts pigs with me and is a real good young catch dog, hits like a freight train and holds until I break her off. She is completly fearless when it comes to hogs but a plastic bag will send her under the table in a minute. I have had her since she was 8wks old so that I know of no trauma or mistreatment has ever occured in her life. She is a gamebread Colby dog if that helps.

 

nobody has any ideas of how to help me with these small fears?:dogtongue:

 

how old is she?

 

It is not for sure that it is fear, it can be just a cautious dog that didn't have much experience with new things, human environment and the world in general while growing. She is a dog that takes care of her self by keeping distances from anything new untill she can judge what it is and feel safe. My male can bark at the ironing board for something like 10 min and then he plays, jumps on it etc. Sometimes is the size of items, sometimes is the noise they make eg a plastic bag. As long as she is good at hog hunting and assuming this is what you got her for you are ok.

 

Its hard to say. We had a springer spaniel when i was a kid and for some reason it was TERRIFIED of metal tins i.e biscuit tins. The noise an sight of one put the fear of god into her! We had her from day 1 so knew she had no bad experience, we just put it down to her having a bit of a skittish personality. Is horrible to see but sometimes theres nothing you can do about it. Try introducing these items into her daily life slowly, bit by bit, gently show her they are safe, maybe she will de-sensitise to them? Good luck. Another thing dont let her actually swallow rawhide toys shes chewed up. Chewin em is fine but i wouldnt let her eat them, its horrible stuff to digest and can cause problems. Get a beef shin bone or something like that, much better.

 

She just seems to hate these things not sure why. I have tried to bring them around her and she just cowers bad. I knwo nothing has ever happened to her with them but she is deathly afraid of them for some reason. But as far as new people Men woman or children she is great, friendly and very outgoing. I did notice that she does not leave the room anymore when I iron everyday (yes I am whooped I iron my wifes scrubs for her evrynight before she goes to work). She was getting off the couch and going under the table in the kitchen but the last few times she stayed on the couch so maybe she is getting more comfortable. I will keep trying to get her to see they are safe. It just seems so funny that a 300 # hog with cutters and 3 times her size causes no fear just excitment and she thinks it is fun to catch them tail wagg'n the whole time.

 

Forgot to add she is 1 year and 4 months old.

 

shes still young. ive had a few that didnt develop much confidence until they were 18-30 months old. box fans, skateboards, wierd shit freaked them out until they got a bit older. good luck with her

 

Welcome to the world of bulldogs!

 

mate i dont think you have anything to worry about , ive had a dog like this, couldnt reverse it as i got it when it was just over two. same kinds of things, plastic bags ect, but the dog is an absolute fiend around other dogs, and probly the best dog ive had when it come to the ladies! any female around this dog on a walk would literally melt to the ground. it not going to create any fear based biting at all it probly just doesnt understand that its a lifeless object that when scrunched can make a hell of a noise, and unlike hogs or dogs has a lifeless look and no real scent. may sound funny but all those objects my old dog was scared of where the same kinds of items. just try to keep them away so the dog has no real stress over it. good luck.

 

good read this. I might sit back and see the responses. My 6month old male is the same with vaccum cleaner, heater, missus hair dryer and my cordless drill only the cordless though. I think its got something to do with the soft but very high pitch noise they let out, its like a tiny electrical scream or something. He seems to be ok with everything else except stationary motorbikes which is an absoloute bitch to deal with in a riding family (doesnt care if they are running or revved, weird stuff. Anyways

 

What I would do is carry a plastic sack around with me. I would walk her on a leash while I krinkled it. I would pet her with it. Talking sweet to her while I condition her to be brave. Hope this helps good luck.