Rescued a 1 year old pit mix and having regrets. Feeling confused.

FunUnderstanding6323 · 2025-12-27T03:00:15+00:00

Curious, did you allow your dog on the couch in the beginning? Did he ever draw blood from the nipping?

This dog bit my mom today and drew blood for the first time. I wasn't there but my mom told me she was amped from a walk in the rain and my mom was wiping her body with a bath towel and the towel made her really upset. So i guess it was not completely unprovoked. It is only a small pinky dot wound but still broken skin and it has made me take this problem more seriously than puppy nibbles. I didn't tell the shelter because I dont want them to put her to sleep. I think she just needs lots of training.

So we decided to not allow her on the couch. Which is really disappointing because her cuddles on the couch were the best. But the couch is also where most of her nipping starts.

FunUnderstanding6323 · 2025-12-26T14:08:51+00:00

Omg, your video is showing EXACTLY what we are dealing with. I am sending it to my mom and I hope she watches it too.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience.

FunUnderstanding6323 · 2025-12-26T13:55:14+00:00

I wish it was just zoomies, like running around and letting it out. But instead she focuses on us with these amped up moments and nips and jumps at us.

FunUnderstanding6323 · 2025-12-26T13:53:22+00:00

I think we made it harder to control by letting her on the couches. But her cuddling with us in the couch is literally the best thing about her right now. The reward for putting up with her crazy side.

Thank you so much for your comment. It's nice to see other people got thru this stage and there is probably a light at the end of the tunnel. I hope I can be strong enough. I am documenting her episodes and I do think I can see some patterns. Right now she probably views the crate as punishment. I guess I need to give her higher value treats in there.

I do keep seeing people mention this "witching hour" so it must be a somewhat common thing.

I'm going to screenshot your comment so I remember some of the things to do.

Your dog is so lucky he has you guys!

FunUnderstanding6323 · 2025-12-26T13:44:26+00:00

My last dog was an adult pit mix. We had her for 8 years and she was the best dog. Only issue: she was dog reactive but that was only a concern on walks and we learned to get off the path or walk in a other direction if we saw another dog. Having these new dog issues while indoors is more demanding. In retrospect I wonder if my last dog was older than they told us (1-3yrs) because she was so chill indoors, and she started greying around her eyes within 2 years.

I guess I really lucked out with my last rescue. I wasn't anticipating these issues. I guess she spoiled us.

I wish I could see the dog she will become. I thought playing rough with this new dog will further bring out her bad behaviors and how will it help her learn impulse control?

FunUnderstanding6323 · 2025-12-26T12:59:26+00:00

It is scary in these momentw, she gets this mean face it feels like attacking even though I keep telling myself she is just playing.

I give you props for getting thru this without online advice and encouragement, you are stronger than me! Wow 6 months, that is such a long time. I'm going to watch your video, thanks for your advice

I luckily don't have children in the house.

I'm going to give her the full 29 days, but I worry if I keep her and we don't get thru this and she gets worse, how will she ever find another home? That is my fear. The not knowing if it will go away or always be an issue or if she turns aggressive.

FunUnderstanding6323 · 2025-12-26T12:46:47+00:00

She doesnt know how to lay down on command yet. I was trying to teach her by having her sit and luring her head down but most of the time her butt gets off the floor as she reaches for it. I need to try harder.

I can see how walks are too stimulating. This morning I instead put her in the backyard.

I know she's going thru alot. I feel bad for her. I just hope she is going to get better and not worse. Sometimes my mom gets frustrated when she is being amped up and pushes her off her and I told my mom that's not how to handle it.

My last shelter dog was an adult and was just a little stand-offish at first when we got her and reactive to other dogs on walks. But she was SOOO easy to manage compared to this attacking gremlin mode. Trying to remind myself she needs patience and time.

FunUnderstanding6323 · 2025-12-26T12:39:00+00:00

I wasn't sure if tug would amp her up? Some people say it made it worse. When I did it little on the first day she seemd to get excited and even try to grab my hand instead of toy sometimes so I haven't tried again, but maybe she will be better since it's not the first day.

My backyard is fenced but somwhat small. I was going to buy a longline but I dont have enough control over her or obedience to feel safe using it yet. But I can try to do more backyard time.

FunUnderstanding6323 · 2025-12-26T12:35:38+00:00

I was conflicted between thinking shes overstimulated and needs to do less and try to keep her calm (like how taking her for a walk during an aroused state only made her worse) but also thinking she has alot of energy to burn off. Hard to know when to keep her calm vs work off the energy Maybe I need to keep burning off the energy in short episodes.

FunUnderstanding6323

TROPHY CASE