# Are Pits good guard dogs?



## gtnotw (Oct 15, 2009)

My Pup Jet (you can check him out on my profile) hes 4.5 months old. I live on 5 acres that are wire fenced. I have coyotes that come to eat my cats food and raccoons that eat my cats also. one Minor reason i got my dog was to be intimidating to those creatures so they wouldn't come on my property at night. But Jet is like the sweetest dog ever, he loves all animals of all types and all people. Is their any hope that he'll keep the rodents off the property. Because so far hes been the most chill dog ever. I love him anyways hes still the best dog. 
Would there be a way to teach him the distinction? If somehow you dont get my question please ask me to rephrase it. 
Maybe if some of you can share your Pits guard dog experiences that would be helpful and fun to know...
Thanks, 
GT


----------



## Chaos4ever (Oct 2, 2009)

In my opion you would have been better off with a herding dog. These dogs have a natural instint to protect his flock and property. But i believe "pitbulls" can do anything they are trained to do.


----------



## gtnotw (Oct 15, 2009)

Chaos4ever said:


> In my opion you would have been better off with a herding dog. These dogs have a natural instint to protect his flock and property. But i believe "pitbulls" can do anything they are trained to do.


yeah, but you see the indimidation, that was a minor reason for getting a pit. I love pits, i love the breed. I got a apbt for many reasons, Its a great companion dog was my main reason.
Im just curious if it would be able to keep the rodents of the property and if not i don't regret getting him at all. He stays the best dog in the world in my opinion.


----------



## cane76 (Aug 16, 2006)

all dogs are individuals,there'll be good dogs and bad dogs in any breed,and some pits make good guards,but it isn't there reason for being here.a flock guardian is the way to go,but they are big,dominate and aggressive.
pits have a natural drive to kill other animals,and this will be to your benefit in controlling nuisance animals,jmo.


----------



## Brandys_BabyJayda (May 27, 2009)

The intimidation comes from humans only I really don't think a coyote gives a sh!t if their ears are clipped if its poodle or pit honestly however....he is still young they go through stages....my jay was like that wouldn't hurt a fly and now she chases everything and anything from butterflies to rodents...she will be 7 months saturday. My advice shoot a coyote...skin it...and teach her to trace the smell (of course let the skin dry out). I told my dad Jay was gonna be my bird dog...he didn't believe me until the other day when i showed what she does with a decoy.


----------



## gtnotw (Oct 15, 2009)

Brandys_BabyJayda said:


> The intimidation comes from humans only I really don't think a coyote gives a sh!t if their ears are clipped if its poodle or pit honestly however....he is still young they go through stages....my jay was like that wouldn't hurt a fly and now she chases everything and anything from butterflies to rodents...she will be 7 months saturday. My advice shoot a coyote...skin it...and teach her to trace the smell (of course let the skin dry out). I told my dad Jay was gonna be my bird dog...he didn't believe me until the other day when i showed what she does with a decoy.


Thats very helpful, Ive killed them rodents plenty. But Jet wasn't around when i killed them. Thanks for the advice ill definitely do that next time i get a chance.

Im not experienced with dog huntin at all.
Why would you want him to smell the skin though? I dont see how that would help him protect the land. wouldn't it instead familiarize him with the animal?
If it helps track the animal, why would that help protect the house?


----------



## Brandys_BabyJayda (May 27, 2009)

It helps them get the smell for the rodent or peasant, you let him smell it take it some where obvious and hide it....if found hide it some where else if found hide some where else and so on making it more difficult each time.f not found the first time make him sit and stay while you lay it a good distance in front then walk back and tell him to find it. once you get it in his brain that you want the smell found in all likely hood when they come around and he smells it he will go to them and scare them off.....this will take alot of patience and extensive training but remember you must NOT "play" with the skin its not a toy. If you decide to go this route be sure to give treats. 

It took me a good month to make Jay realize that the decoy Dove was not a toy. So now when Jon and I train her she will sit by us I throw the bird jon shoots and Jay goes and retrieves the bird...sounds easy but its not. Considering jay has a hard time fighting temptation to pull the feathers off lol, but its a working progress. 

Also mind you not all dogs pick up on these...if your dog is eager to learn then your in good shape if not....i dunno lol.....also when you are doing this....do not feed him until AFTER you are done training....they are more alert on empty stomachs


----------



## gtnotw (Oct 15, 2009)

Brandys_BabyJayda said:


> It helps them get the smell for the rodent or peasant, you let him smell it take it some where obvious and hide it....if found hide it some where else if found hide some where else and so on making it more difficult each time.f not found the first time make him sit and stay while you lay it a good distance in front then walk back and tell him to find it. once you get it in his brain that you want the smell found in all likely hood when they come around and he smells it he will go to them and scare them off.....this will take alot of patience and extensive training but remember you must NOT "play" with the skin its not a toy. If you decide to go this route be sure to give treats.
> 
> It took me a good month to make Jay realize that the decoy Dove was not a toy. So now when Jon and I train her she will sit by us I throw the bird jon shoots and Jay goes and retrieves the bird...sounds easy but its not. Considering jay has a hard time fighting temptation to pull the feathers off lol, but its a working progress.
> 
> Also mind you not all dogs pick up on these...if your dog is eager to learn then your in good shape if not....i dunno lol.....also when you are doing this....do not feed him until AFTER you are done training....they are more alert on empty stomachs


wow thanks alot, that is extremely helpful! 
that rose a question for me.
So you said give him treats during training... hows that work with being better focused with an empty stomach?

thanks,
GT


----------



## DogsLife (Sep 19, 2009)

gtnotw said:


> wow thanks alot, that is extremely helpful!
> that rose a question for me.
> So you said give him treats during training... hows that work with being better focused with an empty stomach?
> 
> ...


You will be giving him small treats. The smaller the better IMO. You must keep him hungry to get him to "work" for what he wants. The "work" is what you want. He wants the treat. The small treat will not satisfy his hunger unless you carry your training session way too long. Feed him his regular kibble at the regular time you feed him.


----------



## Brandys_BabyJayda (May 27, 2009)

DogsLife said:


> You will be giving him small treats. The smaller the better IMO. You must keep him hungry to get him to "work" for what he wants. The "work" is what you want. He wants the treat. The small treat will not satisfy his hunger unless you carry your training session way too long. Feed him his regular kibble at the regular time you feed him.


Exactly...when you first start out give him a treat every time he goes and pick up the skin after about 7 or 8 times....start cutting back the treats to giving him one every 5 times he finds and so on.


----------



## cEElint (Oct 6, 2009)

i can tell you now that any animal that comes in my backyard has it in for them... lol.. Daisy loves to chase


----------



## gxkon (Jul 13, 2009)

pits r not good gaurd dogs sure they bark and make noise but do a search pits r crappy gaurd dogs they r to nice to humans want a gaurd dog get a rottie or dobie


----------



## Brandys_BabyJayda (May 27, 2009)

gxkon said:


> pits r not good gaurd dogs sure they bark and make noise but do a search pits r crappy gaurd dogs they r to nice to humans want a gaurd dog get a rottie or dobie


obviously you did not read the thread ....go back and try again!


----------



## hell no they wont go (Oct 4, 2007)

you can train an apbt to do that type of work. but i agree. i say some sort of herding dog is best. it should be an instinct to protect a flock of sheep or whatever farm animal there is to guard. i knew someone with a wolf hybrid a while back ago. they used it to guard goats and sheep. but if you want a pitbull to do the job go for it...it might take a little extra training then a herding dog though.


----------



## gxkon (Jul 13, 2009)

Brandys_BabyJayda said:


> obviously you did not read the thread ....go back and try again!


i still stand by what i say eventhough were not talkin about what i thought we was talkin about my kilo is friendly like that she dont even bark at cats


----------



## 33MTA3 (Dec 10, 2005)

I think they are great at anything they are train to do. that what i think they are ap popular for. there strenght, stamina, smartness and sense of smell. dont get me wrong you do get unlucky apbts, due to bad breedings. but i think there great at whatever you train them for.


----------



## American_Pit13 (Apr 23, 2007)

As he gets older he may get more territorial. My dogs for example don't chase my cats or chickens, but they will go after the neighbors cats that come in the yard and chase them out.


----------



## Brandys_BabyJayda (May 27, 2009)

gxkon said:


> i still stand by what i say eventhough were not talkin about what i thought we was talkin about my kilo is friendly like that she dont even bark at cats


dogs are different yours does things mine doesn't and mine does things yours doesn't


----------



## OldFortKennels (Mar 10, 2006)

The thing is, you got an APBT SO if it does have a prey drive you have an animal that can do the work you need. However coyotes as I am sure you know as you live in the country hunt in packs and so one dog isnt going to do much. The meanest dog on our yard is our blue heeler. he will get you!!!

We had coyotes that figured our APBT our. One would bait Rebel and when he would charge and hit the end of his chain it would flip him in the air. While he was in the air another one would lunge in and try to get him. I had to get the ol 30-30 and thin them out!


----------



## BLUE PIT BULL MAN (May 22, 2009)

OldFortKennels said:


> The thing is, you got an APBT SO if it does have a prey drive you have an animal that can do the work you need. However coyotes as I am sure you know as you live in the country hunt in packs and so one dog isnt going to do much. The meanest dog on our yard is our blue heeler. he will get you!!!
> 
> We had coyotes that figured our APBT our. One would bait Rebel and when he would charge and hit the end of his chain it would flip him in the air. While he was in the air another one would lunge in and try to get him. I had to get the ol 30-30 and thin them out!


sounds like what goes on out here.


----------



## 33MTA3 (Dec 10, 2005)

lol wolve, fox, and etc. are savages and dude right one apbt not gone be able to stop them. if one come all come in pack so please buy you more than one apbt.


----------



## Mr. canelo (Oct 4, 2009)

i have two dogs male and female....oh and can't forget my new pup, so two and a half..lol. they run free in a 1 acre fully fenced lot. they take perfect care of my horses and chickens. and me. i have been told that these dogs are not good guard dogs by some people here, and that they should not run free unattended that its wrong on my part to do that, but i think that breed has nothing to do with being good guard dogs or not, i see dogs as each having their own personality like humans, its all in the way you raise your dog.


----------



## FloorCandy (Feb 19, 2009)

Most pits have a natural prey drive. I would love for Lady to leave the neighborhood critters alone, with a cast on her leg she nearly caught a rabbit several months ago. She hates squirrels, kills mice, and would probably kill raccoons. Since I have cats, she does not go after cats, but wild critters beware lol. I don't know if this has been suggested, as I only read about half of the replies, but you could fix a coyote hide to a flirt pole, and see if you can get some interest brewing.


----------



## cane76 (Aug 16, 2006)

gxkon said:


> pits r not good gaurd dogs sure they bark and make noise but do a search pits r crappy gaurd dogs they r to nice to humans want a gaurd dog get a rottie or dobie


this is a comment made off of stereotypes,a pit "can"make a good guard,a great guard,[i mean really,think about it],it isn't popular to advertise them as such,in the day and age of bsl,promoting the apbt in a guardian way could increase attacks,it could lead to more bad press,this as much as anything is why you hear that they are bad guard dogs in general mostly,secondly they aren't bred to be that in the beginning,but now some are breding for this trait,its been going on for 25 plus yrs,even in the books from the 70's youll hear story's of pits guarding.
And Doberman?they were known to be good guards,in the 70's,60's,but today,unless you get a well bred one,or one selected for guardianship,they tend to be just like any other dog,many are nervous and fearful,and a nervous fearbiter is not a good guardian,hes a liability.its mostly a stereotype that a doberman is a great guard,the stock in the USA is poor,especialy for work,jmo.


----------



## cane76 (Aug 16, 2006)

OldFortKennels said:


> The thing is, you got an APBT SO if it does have a prey drive you have an animal that can do the work you need. However coyotes as I am sure you know as you live in the country hunt in packs and so one dog isnt going to do much. The meanest dog on our yard is our blue heeler. he will get you!!!
> 
> We had coyotes that figured our APBT our. One would bait Rebel and when he would charge and hit the end of his chain it would flip him in the air. While he was in the air another one would lunge in and try to get him. I had to get the ol 30-30 and thin them out!


what?what i would have done,and i know you wouldnt let rebel do this,but me,id let him loose to do some coyote killing himself,i bet theyd run rather than fight back.i remember you posting about this,and ill say now as i said then,get a ugly ass kangal,or ovckarka and let it kill them coyotes one by one,it would be fun to watch,and you wouldnt have to worrie about it getting scared up and hurt,it would be its job.


----------

