Why do pitbulls just snap? Essential Tips

WhyPit Bulls Snap

There are a lot of myths about pit bulls suddenlysnapping or attacking without warning. The truth is, any dog can snap (not justpit bulls) and when this happens, there is a reason. A happy and healthy dogwill seldom snap or attack.

Knowing why your pit bull is snapping or acting aggressively is, therefore, critical to figuring out the best strategy to make him stop this creepy behavior. There are several reasons why pit bulls snap:

If your pit bull is injured or experiencing some discomfort,he may lash out at you when you try to touch him, thinking that you are thecause of the pain. Even for human beings, whenever someone reaches for aninjured part of your body, you will automatically push them away. Your pit bullmay also display similar sort of reflex when he has sustained some injuries.

Besides injury, some conditions such as brain tumors and cognitive dysfunction may affect your dog’s brain, causing him to display unreasonable aggressive behaviors like snapping. Although such issues are more likely to occur in older pit bulls, they can happen at any age.

A pit bull is likely to snap when he senses that he is in danger and feels that he needs to defend himself. If your pit bull finds himself in a small space or thinks that a raised hand over his head is meant to hit him, he is likely to snap.

Your pit bull may also snap to guard a resource liketoys, food, or any other objects of value. If your pit bull exhibits possessionaggression, he may snap if you approach his food or get so close when he ischewing a bone.

Like other dogs, pit bulls may snap when they arefrustrated because of not being given whatever they want at a particular time. Thistype of aggression is common in pit bulls that are restrained on leashes orthose that spend a lot of their time tied up.

If your dog starts snapping at everything around himthe moment you put a leash in him, just know that he is frustrated by theleash. This may also be called leash aggression and is usually caused by a dogfeeling to restrained or frustrated by their leash.

Recent changes in your pit bull’s environment mightmake them a bit anxious, prompting them to exhibit aggressive behaviors likesnapping. Common causes of such anxieties include moving to a new home orarrival of a new member of the family.

Like other dogs, pit bulls may snap or behave aggressivelyas a show of dominance. While it is usually directed to other dogs, it can bedirected to you or other people as well. There are instances when your pit bullmay feel that he is in charge of a situation. The snapping or growling occurswhen he feels that his position is being challenged. Challenging his positioncould mean a wide range of things, including trying to pick him or walking througha door at the same time as him.

A pit bull mother may also snap simply because shedoesn’t want you near her puppies. This is because her maternal instincts arestronger than her love for you. Consult your vet about this or have her spayedbecause this type of aggression may persist even after the litter is gone.

Whatto Do When Your Pit Bull Snaps

After knowing why your pit bull snaps, you need to addressthe behavior. Here is a quick overview of what you can do:

Steer Clear of Potential Triggers: The first step to take when your pit bull snaps at you is to keep him away from whatever you suspect is causing this sudden burst in aggression. If he doesn’t like you touching him, stop it and give him some time to cool down. If he is snapping at your guest, use sturdy baby gates or crate to keep him safely confined until you see your guests off.

Try Desensitization Exercises: If you suspect that your pit bull is snapping because of territorial reasons, consider bringing new people to the house frequently. As he gradually adjusts to new stimuli and stops the snapping behavior, you may start bringing more people over.

Maintain a Calm Environment For Him: Try to stick to a fixed routine so that your dog is always aware of what to expect for the day. It is also critical to stay calm. Your dog can sense when you are stressed and your stress may be rubbing him off the wrong way, making him to show aggression. Consider putting a few chew toys or getting him a calming bed to make him feel more comfortable.

Try Supplements: Try giving him natural, calming supplements to help him stay calm. Avoid sedatives as they may worsen the situation and even increase your dog’s risk of seizure or low blood pressure. When he manages to calm down after taking the supplements, give him nutritious treats and take him on a walk to keep him healthy.

See A Vet: Consult a vet to help you figure what could be causing the aggressive behavior. If your dog has sustained an injury or suffering from a medical condition, a vet will conduct an examination to try and discover the root cause of the injury and sudden aggression.

Get A Professional Dog Trainer: Once your dog has been examined by a vet and medical conditions ruled out, you may consider finding a professional dog trainer, especially those who specialize in dog aggression, to help you correct the aggressive behavior.

#4: Pain/Injury

Most of the time injuries of Fidos are obvious.

It can be seen as a limp, wound, or swelling.

But there are also instances when your pooch’s injury can’t be seen directly.

And because you don’t know that they’re in pain, you can accidentally touch the area where it hurts.

As a result, your Pit Bull snaps at you.

They can even lash out when you’re just trying to make contact.

Because they’re thinking that you’re causing the pain or will make it worse.

Not to mention that their injury brings them major discomfort and stress.

So it’s important to immediately figure out what’s wrong with your pooch.

A trip to the vet can help you with this.

The vet can perform a physical examination to pinpoint what’s bothering your Fido.

Moreover, they can check inside your pup’s mouth to see if something’s stuck and it’s the one causing them pain.

Once it’s confirmed that your Pit Bull is indeed injured, try to give them some space to rest and recover.

Owners in shock when their Pit Bulls randomly snap

Doberman pinschers, rottweilers, and German shepherds topped lists of dogs some considered dangerous in the not-too-distant past.

These days, pit bulls often make headlines and it’s rarely good news. If it isn’t about an attack on a child or a shooting by police, it’s a tale of neglect or abuse. The heat of such reports has forged a frightening of the pit bull as having a hair-trigger temper and a lock-jawed bite.

But pit bull advocates and some experts say the dogs get a bad rap. They say the dogs are not inherently aggressive, but in many cases suffer at the hands of irresponsible owners drawn to the dogs macho who encourage aggression for fighting and protection.

Indeed, the ASPCA web site gives the breed an endorsement that could fit a golden retriever. It says, “A well-socialized and well-trained pit bull is one of the most delightful, intelligent, and gentle dogs imaginable.”

In general, pit bulls aren’t aggressive with people but are “less tolerant” of other dogs than many other breeds, says Pamela Reid, PhD, vice president of the ASPCA’s Animal Behavior Center in New York. They also have “great tenacity. They put their mind to something, and they do it. That’s what makes them great dogs for sports like weight pulling. They are very strong, athletic animals,” Reid says.

Owning a pit bull should not be taken lightly. Some cities and towns have banned the breed. You also may face rising insurance rates or cancellation of your policy, difficulty renting, and the watchful eye of neighbors and passersby.

The American Pit Bull Terrier is technically the only true pit bull, although the American Staffordshire Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier are often referred to as pit bulls. So are a handful of other breeds and mixed breeds.

Pit bulls were originally used for bull- and bear-baiting, and later were bred to fight dogs in an arena. They had “a fabulous reputation early on and were considered the ideal family pet because they were so good with people,” Reid says.

“Petey” from The Little Rascals was a pit bull. Helen Keller, President Theodore Roosevelt, and Fred Astaire all had the breed as family pets.

But the tide turned in the late 1990s, when pit bulls became popular among people who “weren’t focused on the positive attributes of the breed – they were looking for a strong, scary-looking dog,” Reid says.

The abuse of pit bulls drew national attention in 2007, when Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick pleaded guilty to running a dog-fighting operation. He spent nearly two years in federal prison.

Jim Gorant, a Sports Illustrated senior editor and author of The Lost Dogs, a book that documents Vick’s dogs and their path to redemption, says pit bulls are caught in a self-perpetuating cycle of incrimination and bad ownership.

“Every dog is an individual,” Gorant says. “Pit bulls are just dogs and if they are not raised properly and socialized and treated right, they can have behavior problems. But they aren’t any more problematic than any other breed by nature.”

Opponents argue that pit bulls are more likely to attack. But the ASPCA, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and some other groups have recommend against breed-specific laws. They cite a study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Association on Sept. 15, 2000.

The study, which focused on fatal dog attacks, notes difficulties identifying various breeds (particularly mixed breeds) and in calculating a bite rate. The researchers noted that there isn’t consistent data on breed populations and bites, especially when the injury isn’t serious enough to require an ER visit.

Reid says many things can lead to a tendency toward aggression. That includes breeding dogs for protection, dog fighting, social status, or financial gain. Abuse, neglect, chaining, tethering, and inadequate obedience training and supervision also make the list.

They have locking jaws. There’s nothing anatomically different about a pit bulls’ jaw – “they cannot lock,” Reid says. But like other terriers, “they are more likely than other breeds to grab a hold of something and to shake.” It doesn’t mean they won’t let go, but owners need to know how to break up a fight.

They can tolerate huge amounts of pain. “Pit bulls are incredibly wimpy in many respects – they don’t like to go in the cold and rain,” Reid says. But when aroused or agitated, they may be less responsive to pain.

They’re unpredictable. The popular notion is that pit bulls can be fine their entire lives and suddenly snap and turn on their owner. Reid says that’s no more likely to happen with pit bulls than it is with any other breed.

You’ll need to do more than the average dog owner to counteract negative perceptions. Socializing the dog with people and other animals is key. Here are some other tips:

Responsible pet ownership includes spaying or neutering your pet. That will help decrease some undesirable behavior, such as male dominance aggression.

Awareness about pit bulls is growing and more are being adopted, says Stacey Coleman, executive director of the Animal Farm Foundation Inc., a Bangall, N.Y. pit bull advocacy group.

“It has gotten much better for the dogs,” Coleman says. “People have seen that these dogs are out there and deserve help right now.”

Of the 51 pit bulls seized from Vick’s kennels, about 17 have been adopted. About a dozen of those adopted dogs have passed their AKC Canine Good Citizen test and several have become therapy dogs.

Among them is Hector, a dog that is covered with physical scars but is “just great with other dogs, great with kids, and great with people,” Gorant says. Hector frequently visits hospitals, nursing homes, and schools.

If there’s an upside to the Vick case, Gorant hopes it helps sway public opinion because it helps people see pit bulls as victims. But he admits, there’s still “a long way to go.”

“On any given day, probably 10 people get bit by a dog,” Gorant says. “But it’s only news when it’s a pit bull.”