What to do with this dog of ours?

Question

Ok here it goes. My sister found a baby pit bull girl dog and gave her to me about 6 months ago. We took her to the vet and he said that she was about 4 months old. We had her spaded and shots and through obedience classes and it was around 300 hundred dollars all of this. I had another dog that was put down about two months ago and he was 11. And a wolf and he had cancer in his throat. He used to snip at her because she was really pushy. She has a very bull headed ness to her and loves to chew on everything especially both of my husbands and my car interior. And my back screen door and the siding on the house. She does this if you don't put her back in to the house when she wants in. And yes, she even will chew on things that have been sprayed on with chew off. None of the chew off sparys seem to bother her. We have tons of toys and children and we walk her and play with her all the time and we still have a big fat bull headed pit bull baby girl tht we adore that still thinks it's okay to do what she wants. Yes the obedience class helped her with sitting staying and they said she is not aggressive but that d**n mouth of hers needs to stop chewing!!! My husband said that she probably will chew on us in the near future. WHAT CAN I DO??? Becase everybody thinks she's cute until they find out that she's a pit bull and they all say these ignorant people that she is going to attack someday domeone or thing and lock her jaws. AND KILL EVERYONE!!! Whatever people!!! I tell them stupid people that say that to do reserach on the pit bulls before they run their dumb mouth. What can we do about this chewer???

Answer 1

Pitbulls are prone to what's called "boredom destruction".  She's just bored, and likes to chew... breed trait!

You need to crate train her while you're gone, and if she chews at night, while you sleep.  With age, she'll learn to chew less (my almost 3 year old pitbull doesn't chew anymore, but she chewed EVERYTHING as a pup)

Answer 2

Don't worry about what other people say.  Seems this is a case of love me love my dog.

Be that as it may be..........that is not your primary problem at this point. Its her chewing.  I gather that she is less than a year old at this point. She is still teething if less than a year and about another half. Make sure she has chew bones to work on. Nyla-bone is a good one because it does not splinter and actually does a great job on the teeth.

Other than that you have not established dominance with her yet. She thinks that okay will do this game while on leash but will get you when I am off it.  They are very intelligent and figure their way around things. When she is doing things that she should not do don't change your tone of voice and do not scold her. Very quickly turn her on her side and hold her down until she relaxes and looks away from you.  Do this every time you think of it this next week. After that when she is doing something she should not do say "no" in a firm voice and stand half turned away from her with your arms folded to your body and look away from her. Do this every time. Keep up with the obedience practice also.  She probably is thinking that part is behind her and she can revert back.  Dog training is an ongoing process. Just because she learned it back then does not mean she is good at it now. Make sure everyone in the family is on the same page with this training or she will divide you and win.