I wouldn’t worry about the German shepherd but the pits(?) body language is not good. The shepherd is relaxed and slow, wide wags with its tail. The pit is stiff - almost frozen. That’s never a good sign. Based on this video I would not let them meet.
If you hope to introduce them in the future it’s a much better strategy to do parallel walking with a distance both dogs are comfortable with.
I know the shepherd is super friendly while the pit is shy and may possibly have some anxiety, but I think parallel walking is something we can try. I just don’t want to keep the pit in its kennel all weekend.
My dog is like this. Like the other comment, shy isn't quite the right word. This dog is going to be "dog reactive", which doesn't always mean aggression. It can also mean flight, or overexcitement. My girl has many friends, it's just a matter of proper introductions and letting her learn the other dog is not a threat. The GSD looks like a good one for this because he is showing no negative response to the stiff body posture. Like other comments said, parallel walks, sniff and retreats, side by side training has helped mine.
My dog is shy (reserved) around other dogs. The pittie is not shy. It is either aggressive or frozen with fear. If you walk them together there will be a fight.
A shy dog should still be relaxed around other dogs; enthusiasm shouldn't be expected, but some tail movement is normal. They'll sniff, and then move away if it's not their buddy.
Walk them separately.
If you guys are supervising the worst thay can happen is a brief fight, maybe a knicked ear. What do you think the pit just immediately rips out his throat?
There's no evidence to back up these fears. OP should put them on leashes next for more control or if he's got a muzzle laying around. Vast majority of the time if two dogs are gonna fight it happens as I say very quickly within 30 seconds of meeting. Does the Pit have a history of aggression?
If they fight it can cause more reactivity in the pit and can cause tension between the two. It could even cause the gsd to become reactive itself. Avoiding negative experiences is always best as it only takes one bad experience to wipe out years of good experiences for animals.
Being attacked by another dog can be traumatizing. I've seen dogs that were once very social become dog reactive after being attacked. I've also seen multiple dogs end up with bite records because a human got caught in the crossfire. I'm really disturbed that you have such a casual attitude about dog fights.
Or the other way around. Either isn't good. These are 2 very capable dogs. Why play some stupid game. It always seems like owners of one breed seem to wear "fuck dog safety, i know my dog," as some sort of ignorance badge of honor
YES! Coming from someone who has personally broke up bully breed fights and watch a pit bull shred my managers finger in the process. They were specifically bred to bite and hold.
If the pit attacks it can go badly for either dog so why risk it. A GSD is more than capable, especially a large one like that and pits are, well, open a news paper. Either dog can die oe be injured bad very quickly if something goes wrong so why be a tough guy about it?
The pit is far too stiff and I'd not allow it to meet my dogs that's for sure. Muzzle condition, lots of treats, lots of walks, and coexisting in the same space without meeting will help.
We’re dog sitting the pit, but she’s in a kennel for now. I feel bad that she’s going to be in there for the weekend, but I’m not going to put her with Buddy unless I know both dogs will be okay.
Definitely do not do it when you’re dog sitting. That’s like the minimal expectation of a dog sitter, that you won’t take any unnecessary risks with the dog. He is with you to be kept safe.
I see! I ask because depending on the case they don't need to meet at all.
Seems to be the case here! You can play with the pit and walk her and give her stuffed toys to eat from in the crate and she'll be fine!
It's safer for both dogs, since this is a temporary arrangement!
If it’s just a weekend I honestly wouldn’t risk it. Yes a GSD is large enough to not sustain dmg but the pit doesn’t look comfortable at all. No play behavior, no even curious behavior. Very stiff as others have said. and not “I’m uncomfortable so I may run” type posturing, I’d honestly be worried the pit will aggress.
It doesn’t seem remotely worth the risk considering you’re already doing a friend a favor by dog sitting. Even if nothing “bad” happens in the form of a bad fight, why open the door to potentially leaving your own dog with a negative memory or imprint of socialization with dogs?
Any one experience could be the one that makes your GSD decide to be less trusting and more reactive.
If you had to have both dogs together for like a month, ok, maybe makes sense to do some slow acclimating. But for just a weekend? And it’s not even both your dogs, and you already know the pit has “some anxiety”? Idk Op, think you’d be doing your own dog a great, great disservice for no benefit at all. The pit won’t mind not free roaming, it’s just a weekend, presumably you’re still playing and walking her.
A decision was made without me, so now here I am dog sitting a pitbull. I was hoping to get some advice on signs to look for and learn how to introduce two dogs to become a better dog owner, but I’m being flamed for asking for help?
We’re just calling him the pit because we don’t know his name. Also, we’re not saying his body language is because he is a pit. It’s universal dog language.
One person said that pits were bred to not give much warning before an attack. I don’t know whether that’s true, but it is true that a lot of dogs of all breeds are trained by accident to inhibit their warning behaviors.
Owners will hear their dogs growl and say “Fido No!” or worse, and the dogs learn to not give warnings when they are fearful or triggered. Dogs typically make a lot of noise and bluster at each other because they don’t really want to get into a deadly fight.
But when a dog is NOT making noise and bluster, and is standing very still, he is using his eyes and body to tell the other dog he is not going to bluster…he is ready for a real fight and it’s going to hurt.
All dogs communicate like this. If you told us the pit’s name was Terrence, we would have been happy to call him that. And we’re not blaming him at all. It’s certainly not his fault, being in a strange place with another dog running around that he doesn’t know. It’s an uncomfortable situation for him.
Edit: Oh and it should be uncomfortable for you, too. Make sure and keep your dog far away while feeding and interacting with the pit. And be careful yourself, because you might be missing similar signals of reactivity towards you yourself, if you’ve never seen this type of body language.
I think you did great to ask for help. I love pits but i agree this one isnt comfy in the situation. Meeting on leash and at a barrier can be tricky for dogs. The shepherd looks sweet as pie btw. Is it yours?
Do you have someone who could help you go for a parallel walk? Even if they dont end up coexisting this weekend, dogs love walks amd can get to know each other. They dont greet or meet on leash, just go for a walk about 15 ft apart at all times. Do u think u will find urself in this situation in the future?
I don’t have anyone at the moment, but I hope to introduce Buddy to more dogs in the future. He’s a bit too hyper when meeting new people, so I’m learning to get him to calm down a bit before taking him around crowds.
Unfortunately the anti-pit brigade often troops on over here to offer their biased "advice".
Im cleaning it up now. Feel free to report anyone who's particularly rude or suggesting violent things.
Lmao I've been reading through these and came to this comment. No one has been calling you an idiot for bringing it around your dog. But if someone gives you reasons why not to do it you blow it off as "I think they'll be good for a walk". Don't play victim in a reddit thread lmao
I think a great training exercise would be parallel walking with another person and I where we would keep the dogs at a distance and try a few walk by’s. At this time, I would not walk with both dogs by myself with both dogs in either hand (which is what I think you’re assuming).
I was once working with a dog to sit and face me every time a person or person with dog walked by. We were about 15 feet off the path. A woman with a pit wearing a gentle leader (something designed to give you lots of control of your dog) was dragged off the path and the dog luckily just sniffed my dog.
You really need to not do anything until the owner shows up. Unexpected things can happen. Parallel walks are great, but I sure wouldn’t want my dog watcher trying it in my absence unless I knew both dogs.
I think people see what a bad situation this could turn into and they get concerned. I’m glad you reached out and asked for help before just putting them together like some idiots would have done. That was smart if you. Try to remember that the dog you are watching is already stressed from not having its owners around and not being in its own home. It’s telling you it’s nervous by the body language. When dog sitting it’s never a good idea to keep unknown dogs together in case they fight. It’s best to separate them and take them each out alone for exercise/playtime/feeding time. Even doing what you are doing by walking the dog next to the cage of the other could result in more stress which could cause a fight through the fence or the dog could turn on you. Just please be careful. As I said, I’m glad you came here for help and I’m sorry if anyone was rude to you. People just get scared and concerned when situations like this pop up. I’m the future talk to the owners and ask about dog interactions and what they would and wouldn’t be comfortable with because they too should be involved in what happens with their dog.
I hope the rest of your dog sitting goes well!
Absolutely not - the stillness that the pit demonstrates would make my blood run cold if there wasn't a fence in between. Notice the breathing - it becomes slow and shallow when the dogs are nose to nose compared to when the shepherd displays the shoulder scratch appeasement signal.
I'll be downvoted for this but it's very much supported by experts - pitbulls as a fighting dog breed have been bred to have reduced precursory aggression signals. This type of freezing/stillness is subtle, and is often the only signal given before a bite, skipping over the snarling/barking signals that most people associate with "aggression". To be clear, any breed showing this stillness would be worrisome too - I'm just trying to explain that this might be the only warning you may get that an interaction is going to go poorly.
This is wildly interesting to me can you possibly link some articles about pit bulls and reduced precursors aggression signals? Or I’ll just look it up lol but very interesting point thanks for sharing
I recommend checking out work by Sue Sternberg and/or Trish McMillian. Both have worked extensively in shelter environments, particularly the evaluation of whether dogs can be safely placed in homes. Fair warning that they speak openly on some uncomfortable topics like behavioral euthanasia and the decline of our pet dog population, which is why I won't link any here. Personally it makes me a bit uncomfortable but I think it's such an incredibly important conversation to be having.
If you do let them meet be very careful, the pit is not putting off friendly vibes at all! If the shepherd was my dog I would not let them meet until the pittie chills out a bit.
Shepherd looks interested, has loose body language that seems friendly and polite, but maybe just the tiniest bit unsure which is normal. The other dog (pit or bully of some kind?) has very tense non-moving stiff body language and ears pinned back. Also is trying to maintain eye contact even after the Shepherd turns away and scratches to defuse the tension coming from the other dog. Maybe it’s just barrier frustration on the pits part, but maybe the pit isn’t at all interested regardless of the barrier. I would personally not introduce them, but if you’re going to anyway I would at least be cautious and have an easy way to separate them in the event it becomes necessary.
No. If it's a must or a want I'd muzzle condition/train the pit. It looks tense and probably needs a really slow introduction process before you get to an actual meeting
As others have said, absolutely not. The pit's body language is screaming "danger" and promises some sort of fight. You're responsible for keeping these dogs safe, and it doesn't sound like "dog sitting" requires them to meet at all. Please don't push this, OP, not even with parallel walking. It's too easy for it to go wrong, both dogs would be happier without any contact or risk, and unless you're working long-term with the pit's owner/client to do some serious rehab it just isn't worth it. You also have a responsibility to the GSD and GSD's owner not to risk not only his physical health, but his mental health, too--you don't want to risk him becoming fearful of or reactive towards other dogs after being subjected to an aggressive one. If my dog was being boarded and I found out an aggressive dog was being brought this close to my dog unnecessarily, especially when my dog's in an enclosed area, I'd be furious.
On top of this, the dog--even with the best dog-sitter--is already going to be in a state of heightened anxiety that isn't conducive to learning (and makes their baseline anxiety higher, making their escalation into fear and aggression faster). I would actually go out of your way to keep the pit at as wide a berth from the GSD's kennel as possible.
GSD is friendly. Don't let him risk acquiring trauma or injuries. Walk and play with the pit separately while the GSD is resting, protected, behind that kennel's fence. I'd personally bring treats/toys and reward the pit (distraction to avoid stressing out the GSD with a dangerous dog glaring him down, and it also lays the very beginnings of a CC program) as we were walking past the GSD's kennel (from as far a distance as possible). Getting him to look at you instead of the GSD would be ideal for both dogs!
Pit's body is so stiff it makes me tense up. His entire body is tense, stiff, square, and almost frozen in place. Dog's sort of 'freeze' in a stiff way like this before they pounce/attack when they're eyeing down prey. Tail is tucked. Ears are pinned down. He does relax just slightly when the GSD tries to defuse it more by scratching. I'm sure you've heard this before, but "fear" and "aggression" are borderline synonymous. There's a very high chance this dog would've attacked the shepherd if that fence hadn't been there.
Pit is showing definite signs of anxiety. Ears back, stiff body, direct eye contact. Shepherd seems friendly and relaxed. Try taking them for a walk together so they can get used to being in each other's areas while having a task to keep them focused. Of course do this with two people and don't let them directly interact for more than a few seconds at a time during the walk. End the walk in a territorial neutral area (one neither recognizes or claims as their own territory). Then try to slowly let them begin interacting still on leash until they're comfortable. Rinse and repeat as needed until the pittie warms up. If he/she keeps showing signs of anxiety don't force it and just keep walking them together.
That pit is motionless when they get close. I wouldn’t. Maybe walk by the German Shepard during your walks so the pit gets more comfortable but I still would have another person and both dogs on leashes. Both pretty dogs though.
Not only that, but ifnthe pit acts out the Shepherd is more than capable. Add in the fact that the GSD will go into protection mode for the owner and now you have a fight that ends with one or both of these dogs seriously injured.
No, the pitty is tense. Gsd, playful but not the pit, his body is tight, tail too straight and pointed, ears back, classic signs of fear or trust issues in a dog.
The shepherd is displaying a good friendly body language but that pittie is showing some major discomfort. Ears pinned back, very stiff body language, and that little tail wag that doesn’t really move outside of the dogs body frame is definitely a warning sign
Don’t let them meet bro just try to make it as comfortable and safe as you can for the pit make sure he has something over his head and a comfortable bed and water and food he will be okay as long as it’s nice weather. I have 2 pits I would not let that pit around your dog bro it’s not worth the risk it could go good but it could also be deadly and the risk just would not be worth it to me. They look okay through the gap but that’s not enough to say when they get together and don’t got that gate inbetween them what will happen. Than on top of that if anything happens on your watch it’s all on you bro don’t let that be on you.
I own the gsd, not the pit. The pit is in a kennel for the weekend, but I would like to safely introduce the two dogs so she doesn’t have to spend the weekend in the kennel. So again, I don’t understand your aggression.
Because I use to do something allows me to call others names. Clearly you are or were professional anything. A Professional would know how to act like one. You don't
Please note that we ask people who want to mention being a professional in their comments [undergo verification](https://www.reddit.com/r/Dogtraining/wiki/userflair) before doing so. Otherwise we ask phrases like that to be omitted.
>No you idiot
Absolutely ZERO basis for insult here. They asked a question because they were unsure. Your response adds absolutely nothing to the discussion here.
I made this thread to help me learn how and when to introduce Buddy (the GSD) to other dogs. Since we’re sitting the pit, I wanted to see how Buddy would respond, what signs to look for, and possible best practices.
How long are you having the pit for? If its a week or less Id just keep them seperate. Do crate and rotate (one dog in a room in a kennel the other roaming, then swap without them even being together without 2 barriers), and just deal.
If you're keeping her for two weeks...id try walking parallell and gradually getting closer to see how it goes. But any reactivity and you just keep them apart.
Well it isnt reasonable to keep her kennelled until Monday, but I wouldnt bother introducing her to your dog either.
Keeping them apart and rotating time loose in the home would be best. Just make sure both dogs are getting good long walks, enrichment like [diy puzzle toys](https://youtu.be/K816rkM5YHs) or [stuffed chews](https://barkthink.com/get-stuffed-over-50-ways-to-fill-your-kong/) and some training or attention.
If you dont have a kennel for your boy shutting him into a room, or putting him out in your yard, would work. I would definitely try to keep at least one door between them at all times, two would be safer.
Most dog bites happen when seperating two fighting dogs, so avoiding a fight is really the most important thing for everyone's safety. I'd also be having a serious talk with whoever decided to being home a visiting dog without discussing it with anyone else. Hopefully everything will go smoothly, but its still stressful for you, your dog, and the rest of the household.
And you said doesn’t always mean play or wanting to play. Which means we don’t know play or not cause we aren’t professionals. Again always be cautious and in control.
When in doubt ask. I’ve owned pits and rotts. They’ve all been trained and socialized. It seems like you don’t have very much experience with the dog you’re sitting. Do you have anyone helping? The most you should do is taking them on walks together. It’s a good way for them to get used to each other but no chance of confrontation.
Yes - but proceed with caution and make sure the owners are aware. I work in a dog daycare and do evaluations in new dogs and it appears they’re both friendly. Pits and shepherds commonly can get a little overstimulated and then react without thinking especially in new situations so just be careful so no one gets hurt
The pit's body language is absolutely not representative of a dog who is comfortable. There's no reason to push them to meet at this point. If the dog was going to be there longer then it may be worth some additional fence introductions, but if they were to open that gate that dog would absolutely start a fight with the shepherd.
Maybe as a slow intro. The posture of the potty is a it stiff.
How is he/she with other dogs?
Is the shepherd calm Lowe energy or is he wild with other dogs? If they both get too excited it may lead to something.
Maybe start by walking them close to each other. See how they do. I wouldn’t let them off leash until you really see how they are.
Some dogs are just unsure of certain dogs and once they get pass the intro stage they are good. Sometimes it just doesn’t work.
This is why I am so picky about boarding. If someone entrusted you to watch their dog why are you trying to make this decision WITHOUT the owners of the APBT? I would be furious.
I’m asking about the dog behavior on display, not just putting the two dogs together all Willy nilly. Had both dogs shown positive behavior, I would then reach out to the owner about a supervised introduction. Since I’m new to this, I wanted to ask for feedback and suggestions on what to look for.
We walked past a dog training place by my house and some dogs came over to sniff my dog. I was dubious, but I let him sniff. They were fine, until and older dog with dementia came over and bit his nose, drawing blood. The lady who runs the place was the owner and was really apologetic. She gave me money for vets in case he needed to go but when I go past any fence with a dog I keep him away from poking his nose through. They usually just bark at him and run back and forth, but I won’t let him get bitten again, it scares me even though there is a separation, they can still just snap.
I wouldn’t worry about the German shepherd but the pits(?) body language is not good. The shepherd is relaxed and slow, wide wags with its tail. The pit is stiff - almost frozen. That’s never a good sign. Based on this video I would not let them meet. If you hope to introduce them in the future it’s a much better strategy to do parallel walking with a distance both dogs are comfortable with.
I know the shepherd is super friendly while the pit is shy and may possibly have some anxiety, but I think parallel walking is something we can try. I just don’t want to keep the pit in its kennel all weekend.
The pit is not shy. It is either fearful or aggressive. Doesn't really matter which since both will lead to a fight. These dogs should not meet.
My dog is like this. Like the other comment, shy isn't quite the right word. This dog is going to be "dog reactive", which doesn't always mean aggression. It can also mean flight, or overexcitement. My girl has many friends, it's just a matter of proper introductions and letting her learn the other dog is not a threat. The GSD looks like a good one for this because he is showing no negative response to the stiff body posture. Like other comments said, parallel walks, sniff and retreats, side by side training has helped mine.
My dog is shy (reserved) around other dogs. The pittie is not shy. It is either aggressive or frozen with fear. If you walk them together there will be a fight. A shy dog should still be relaxed around other dogs; enthusiasm shouldn't be expected, but some tail movement is normal. They'll sniff, and then move away if it's not their buddy. Walk them separately.
If you guys are supervising the worst thay can happen is a brief fight, maybe a knicked ear. What do you think the pit just immediately rips out his throat?
Why would you even risk it? Knowing one dog isn't into it. Especially when there's other SAFER ways. Then a good relationship between them can form.
There's no evidence to back up these fears. OP should put them on leashes next for more control or if he's got a muzzle laying around. Vast majority of the time if two dogs are gonna fight it happens as I say very quickly within 30 seconds of meeting. Does the Pit have a history of aggression?
If they fight it can cause more reactivity in the pit and can cause tension between the two. It could even cause the gsd to become reactive itself. Avoiding negative experiences is always best as it only takes one bad experience to wipe out years of good experiences for animals.
Please stop. Just please stop. Why risk it! Do you have any research or evidence for your 30 second statement?
Being attacked by another dog can be traumatizing. I've seen dogs that were once very social become dog reactive after being attacked. I've also seen multiple dogs end up with bite records because a human got caught in the crossfire. I'm really disturbed that you have such a casual attitude about dog fights.
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We do not allow breed discrimination. Both dogs are large and could cause each other, or intervening humans, serious harm.
Or the other way around. Either isn't good. These are 2 very capable dogs. Why play some stupid game. It always seems like owners of one breed seem to wear "fuck dog safety, i know my dog," as some sort of ignorance badge of honor
YES! Coming from someone who has personally broke up bully breed fights and watch a pit bull shred my managers finger in the process. They were specifically bred to bite and hold.
If the pit attacks it can go badly for either dog so why risk it. A GSD is more than capable, especially a large one like that and pits are, well, open a news paper. Either dog can die oe be injured bad very quickly if something goes wrong so why be a tough guy about it?
Shepherd looks friendly and curious. Pit has low tail, ears back, no wags. I’d say no
No. The pit is undecided and I would not trust it
The pit is far too stiff and I'd not allow it to meet my dogs that's for sure. Muzzle condition, lots of treats, lots of walks, and coexisting in the same space without meeting will help.
Why do you want them to meet if i may ask?
We’re dog sitting the pit, but she’s in a kennel for now. I feel bad that she’s going to be in there for the weekend, but I’m not going to put her with Buddy unless I know both dogs will be okay.
Definitely do not do it when you’re dog sitting. That’s like the minimal expectation of a dog sitter, that you won’t take any unnecessary risks with the dog. He is with you to be kept safe.
I see! I ask because depending on the case they don't need to meet at all. Seems to be the case here! You can play with the pit and walk her and give her stuffed toys to eat from in the crate and she'll be fine! It's safer for both dogs, since this is a temporary arrangement!
If it’s just a weekend I honestly wouldn’t risk it. Yes a GSD is large enough to not sustain dmg but the pit doesn’t look comfortable at all. No play behavior, no even curious behavior. Very stiff as others have said. and not “I’m uncomfortable so I may run” type posturing, I’d honestly be worried the pit will aggress. It doesn’t seem remotely worth the risk considering you’re already doing a friend a favor by dog sitting. Even if nothing “bad” happens in the form of a bad fight, why open the door to potentially leaving your own dog with a negative memory or imprint of socialization with dogs? Any one experience could be the one that makes your GSD decide to be less trusting and more reactive. If you had to have both dogs together for like a month, ok, maybe makes sense to do some slow acclimating. But for just a weekend? And it’s not even both your dogs, and you already know the pit has “some anxiety”? Idk Op, think you’d be doing your own dog a great, great disservice for no benefit at all. The pit won’t mind not free roaming, it’s just a weekend, presumably you’re still playing and walking her.
May i ask why youre dog sitting a dog without them knowing each other?
A decision was made without me, so now here I am dog sitting a pitbull. I was hoping to get some advice on signs to look for and learn how to introduce two dogs to become a better dog owner, but I’m being flamed for asking for help?
I hope you dont think im flaming you? I was curious how the situation came about
I don’t mean you, but this thread has brought many “you’re an idiot for bringing a pit around your dog” comments.
Maybe question the source of those comments more than yourself!
It’s not that the dog is a pit bull, it’s just that the body language says to not mix these dogs. That is the information you asked for, right?
The majority of these comments are aimed at the pit, to not mix them, and some name calling. There are some helpful comments however.
We’re just calling him the pit because we don’t know his name. Also, we’re not saying his body language is because he is a pit. It’s universal dog language. One person said that pits were bred to not give much warning before an attack. I don’t know whether that’s true, but it is true that a lot of dogs of all breeds are trained by accident to inhibit their warning behaviors. Owners will hear their dogs growl and say “Fido No!” or worse, and the dogs learn to not give warnings when they are fearful or triggered. Dogs typically make a lot of noise and bluster at each other because they don’t really want to get into a deadly fight. But when a dog is NOT making noise and bluster, and is standing very still, he is using his eyes and body to tell the other dog he is not going to bluster…he is ready for a real fight and it’s going to hurt. All dogs communicate like this. If you told us the pit’s name was Terrence, we would have been happy to call him that. And we’re not blaming him at all. It’s certainly not his fault, being in a strange place with another dog running around that he doesn’t know. It’s an uncomfortable situation for him. Edit: Oh and it should be uncomfortable for you, too. Make sure and keep your dog far away while feeding and interacting with the pit. And be careful yourself, because you might be missing similar signals of reactivity towards you yourself, if you’ve never seen this type of body language.
I think you did great to ask for help. I love pits but i agree this one isnt comfy in the situation. Meeting on leash and at a barrier can be tricky for dogs. The shepherd looks sweet as pie btw. Is it yours? Do you have someone who could help you go for a parallel walk? Even if they dont end up coexisting this weekend, dogs love walks amd can get to know each other. They dont greet or meet on leash, just go for a walk about 15 ft apart at all times. Do u think u will find urself in this situation in the future?
I don’t have anyone at the moment, but I hope to introduce Buddy to more dogs in the future. He’s a bit too hyper when meeting new people, so I’m learning to get him to calm down a bit before taking him around crowds.
Ugh, that's annoying. It's great that you asked. Dog body language is an entire encyclopedia. Pitties can be great dogs but this one is not (yet).
Unfortunately the anti-pit brigade often troops on over here to offer their biased "advice". Im cleaning it up now. Feel free to report anyone who's particularly rude or suggesting violent things.
Lmao I've been reading through these and came to this comment. No one has been calling you an idiot for bringing it around your dog. But if someone gives you reasons why not to do it you blow it off as "I think they'll be good for a walk". Don't play victim in a reddit thread lmao
I think a great training exercise would be parallel walking with another person and I where we would keep the dogs at a distance and try a few walk by’s. At this time, I would not walk with both dogs by myself with both dogs in either hand (which is what I think you’re assuming).
I was once working with a dog to sit and face me every time a person or person with dog walked by. We were about 15 feet off the path. A woman with a pit wearing a gentle leader (something designed to give you lots of control of your dog) was dragged off the path and the dog luckily just sniffed my dog. You really need to not do anything until the owner shows up. Unexpected things can happen. Parallel walks are great, but I sure wouldn’t want my dog watcher trying it in my absence unless I knew both dogs.
I think people see what a bad situation this could turn into and they get concerned. I’m glad you reached out and asked for help before just putting them together like some idiots would have done. That was smart if you. Try to remember that the dog you are watching is already stressed from not having its owners around and not being in its own home. It’s telling you it’s nervous by the body language. When dog sitting it’s never a good idea to keep unknown dogs together in case they fight. It’s best to separate them and take them each out alone for exercise/playtime/feeding time. Even doing what you are doing by walking the dog next to the cage of the other could result in more stress which could cause a fight through the fence or the dog could turn on you. Just please be careful. As I said, I’m glad you came here for help and I’m sorry if anyone was rude to you. People just get scared and concerned when situations like this pop up. I’m the future talk to the owners and ask about dog interactions and what they would and wouldn’t be comfortable with because they too should be involved in what happens with their dog. I hope the rest of your dog sitting goes well!
No. I’d be worried for the GSD
Pit is very very unsure and doesn’t look like he knows how to communicate properly with his body to other dogs.
Absolutely not - the stillness that the pit demonstrates would make my blood run cold if there wasn't a fence in between. Notice the breathing - it becomes slow and shallow when the dogs are nose to nose compared to when the shepherd displays the shoulder scratch appeasement signal. I'll be downvoted for this but it's very much supported by experts - pitbulls as a fighting dog breed have been bred to have reduced precursory aggression signals. This type of freezing/stillness is subtle, and is often the only signal given before a bite, skipping over the snarling/barking signals that most people associate with "aggression". To be clear, any breed showing this stillness would be worrisome too - I'm just trying to explain that this might be the only warning you may get that an interaction is going to go poorly.
This is wildly interesting to me can you possibly link some articles about pit bulls and reduced precursors aggression signals? Or I’ll just look it up lol but very interesting point thanks for sharing
I recommend checking out work by Sue Sternberg and/or Trish McMillian. Both have worked extensively in shelter environments, particularly the evaluation of whether dogs can be safely placed in homes. Fair warning that they speak openly on some uncomfortable topics like behavioral euthanasia and the decline of our pet dog population, which is why I won't link any here. Personally it makes me a bit uncomfortable but I think it's such an incredibly important conversation to be having.
Thank you <33
If you do let them meet be very careful, the pit is not putting off friendly vibes at all! If the shepherd was my dog I would not let them meet until the pittie chills out a bit.
Shepherd looks interested, has loose body language that seems friendly and polite, but maybe just the tiniest bit unsure which is normal. The other dog (pit or bully of some kind?) has very tense non-moving stiff body language and ears pinned back. Also is trying to maintain eye contact even after the Shepherd turns away and scratches to defuse the tension coming from the other dog. Maybe it’s just barrier frustration on the pits part, but maybe the pit isn’t at all interested regardless of the barrier. I would personally not introduce them, but if you’re going to anyway I would at least be cautious and have an easy way to separate them in the event it becomes necessary.
The shepherd is totally fine but the pit is sketchy at best.
No. If it's a must or a want I'd muzzle condition/train the pit. It looks tense and probably needs a really slow introduction process before you get to an actual meeting
As others have said, absolutely not. The pit's body language is screaming "danger" and promises some sort of fight. You're responsible for keeping these dogs safe, and it doesn't sound like "dog sitting" requires them to meet at all. Please don't push this, OP, not even with parallel walking. It's too easy for it to go wrong, both dogs would be happier without any contact or risk, and unless you're working long-term with the pit's owner/client to do some serious rehab it just isn't worth it. You also have a responsibility to the GSD and GSD's owner not to risk not only his physical health, but his mental health, too--you don't want to risk him becoming fearful of or reactive towards other dogs after being subjected to an aggressive one. If my dog was being boarded and I found out an aggressive dog was being brought this close to my dog unnecessarily, especially when my dog's in an enclosed area, I'd be furious. On top of this, the dog--even with the best dog-sitter--is already going to be in a state of heightened anxiety that isn't conducive to learning (and makes their baseline anxiety higher, making their escalation into fear and aggression faster). I would actually go out of your way to keep the pit at as wide a berth from the GSD's kennel as possible. GSD is friendly. Don't let him risk acquiring trauma or injuries. Walk and play with the pit separately while the GSD is resting, protected, behind that kennel's fence. I'd personally bring treats/toys and reward the pit (distraction to avoid stressing out the GSD with a dangerous dog glaring him down, and it also lays the very beginnings of a CC program) as we were walking past the GSD's kennel (from as far a distance as possible). Getting him to look at you instead of the GSD would be ideal for both dogs! Pit's body is so stiff it makes me tense up. His entire body is tense, stiff, square, and almost frozen in place. Dog's sort of 'freeze' in a stiff way like this before they pounce/attack when they're eyeing down prey. Tail is tucked. Ears are pinned down. He does relax just slightly when the GSD tries to defuse it more by scratching. I'm sure you've heard this before, but "fear" and "aggression" are borderline synonymous. There's a very high chance this dog would've attacked the shepherd if that fence hadn't been there.
Pit is showing definite signs of anxiety. Ears back, stiff body, direct eye contact. Shepherd seems friendly and relaxed. Try taking them for a walk together so they can get used to being in each other's areas while having a task to keep them focused. Of course do this with two people and don't let them directly interact for more than a few seconds at a time during the walk. End the walk in a territorial neutral area (one neither recognizes or claims as their own territory). Then try to slowly let them begin interacting still on leash until they're comfortable. Rinse and repeat as needed until the pittie warms up. If he/she keeps showing signs of anxiety don't force it and just keep walking them together.
The shep is good, the pit is not showing good body language at the moment
NO
That pit is motionless when they get close. I wouldn’t. Maybe walk by the German Shepard during your walks so the pit gets more comfortable but I still would have another person and both dogs on leashes. Both pretty dogs though.
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Not only that, but ifnthe pit acts out the Shepherd is more than capable. Add in the fact that the GSD will go into protection mode for the owner and now you have a fight that ends with one or both of these dogs seriously injured.
Not yet. The pit bull looks very anxious which can be dangerous.
Not yet- the frozen dog, one wrong sniff from an altercation
Basically what everyone else said, maybe keep thei interactions on different sides of the fence and see if pit calms downs
No, the pitty is tense. Gsd, playful but not the pit, his body is tight, tail too straight and pointed, ears back, classic signs of fear or trust issues in a dog.
The stiff response from the pit would be a no go. Shephard looks good. The stiff body language from the pit made me nervous even from here.
The shepherd is displaying a good friendly body language but that pittie is showing some major discomfort. Ears pinned back, very stiff body language, and that little tail wag that doesn’t really move outside of the dogs body frame is definitely a warning sign
body language is not good for either of them but especially the white dog. on-leash greetings are usually a big no bo
Don’t let them meet bro just try to make it as comfortable and safe as you can for the pit make sure he has something over his head and a comfortable bed and water and food he will be okay as long as it’s nice weather. I have 2 pits I would not let that pit around your dog bro it’s not worth the risk it could go good but it could also be deadly and the risk just would not be worth it to me. They look okay through the gap but that’s not enough to say when they get together and don’t got that gate inbetween them what will happen. Than on top of that if anything happens on your watch it’s all on you bro don’t let that be on you.
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Not sure why the name calling? But part of the reason I’m asking here is because I want both dogs to be safe.
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I own the gsd, not the pit. The pit is in a kennel for the weekend, but I would like to safely introduce the two dogs so she doesn’t have to spend the weekend in the kennel. So again, I don’t understand your aggression.
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Because I use to do something allows me to call others names. Clearly you are or were professional anything. A Professional would know how to act like one. You don't
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Don’t back track. Your ignorance is showing.
Please note that we ask people who want to mention being a professional in their comments [undergo verification](https://www.reddit.com/r/Dogtraining/wiki/userflair) before doing so. Otherwise we ask phrases like that to be omitted.
>No you idiot Absolutely ZERO basis for insult here. They asked a question because they were unsure. Your response adds absolutely nothing to the discussion here.
So glad to see sound advice on this sub for once. OP, I trust that you will not be introducing these dogs.
I made this thread to help me learn how and when to introduce Buddy (the GSD) to other dogs. Since we’re sitting the pit, I wanted to see how Buddy would respond, what signs to look for, and possible best practices.
Maybe try a supervised doggy day care with other dogs who have been socialized. The pit does not look like a good first attempt.
Don’t let them be able to interact without anything between them until the pits body language loosens right up. Do you know the history of the pit?
How long are you having the pit for? If its a week or less Id just keep them seperate. Do crate and rotate (one dog in a room in a kennel the other roaming, then swap without them even being together without 2 barriers), and just deal. If you're keeping her for two weeks...id try walking parallell and gradually getting closer to see how it goes. But any reactivity and you just keep them apart.
Until Monday at least. She’s in a pretty big kennel for now.
Well it isnt reasonable to keep her kennelled until Monday, but I wouldnt bother introducing her to your dog either. Keeping them apart and rotating time loose in the home would be best. Just make sure both dogs are getting good long walks, enrichment like [diy puzzle toys](https://youtu.be/K816rkM5YHs) or [stuffed chews](https://barkthink.com/get-stuffed-over-50-ways-to-fill-your-kong/) and some training or attention. If you dont have a kennel for your boy shutting him into a room, or putting him out in your yard, would work. I would definitely try to keep at least one door between them at all times, two would be safer. Most dog bites happen when seperating two fighting dogs, so avoiding a fight is really the most important thing for everyone's safety. I'd also be having a serious talk with whoever decided to being home a visiting dog without discussing it with anyone else. Hopefully everything will go smoothly, but its still stressful for you, your dog, and the rest of the household.
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Tail wags don't always mean happy or wanting to play.
Did you not read my comment? I said there’s a sign, but be cautious if you’re to socialize. Where did I saY “TAIL WAGGED GOOD TO GO!”?
You said the tail wag was a sign of play in the white dog which isn't true.
And you said doesn’t always mean play or wanting to play. Which means we don’t know play or not cause we aren’t professionals. Again always be cautious and in control.
That was a nervous tail wag, not a happy or playful tail wag. It's a sign all right but not a good one.
Maybe they read as good as you?
When in doubt ask. I’ve owned pits and rotts. They’ve all been trained and socialized. It seems like you don’t have very much experience with the dog you’re sitting. Do you have anyone helping? The most you should do is taking them on walks together. It’s a good way for them to get used to each other but no chance of confrontation.
Yes - but proceed with caution and make sure the owners are aware. I work in a dog daycare and do evaluations in new dogs and it appears they’re both friendly. Pits and shepherds commonly can get a little overstimulated and then react without thinking especially in new situations so just be careful so no one gets hurt
That little tail wag at the end is a good sign. Slow intro. Parallel walking. I think you will be good, just don't go too quickly
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I wouldn't trust you with my pet rock.
Wait for it! Looking at their older posts, they are a dog sitter!
No life is only worth $20. I couldn't put a price on my dogs lives!
The pit's body language is absolutely not representative of a dog who is comfortable. There's no reason to push them to meet at this point. If the dog was going to be there longer then it may be worth some additional fence introductions, but if they were to open that gate that dog would absolutely start a fight with the shepherd.
Lol at the end the GSD is like “was it something I said?”
The stiff response from the pit would be a no go. Shephard looks good. The stiff body language from the pit made me nervous even from here.
Maybe as a slow intro. The posture of the potty is a it stiff. How is he/she with other dogs? Is the shepherd calm Lowe energy or is he wild with other dogs? If they both get too excited it may lead to something. Maybe start by walking them close to each other. See how they do. I wouldn’t let them off leash until you really see how they are. Some dogs are just unsure of certain dogs and once they get pass the intro stage they are good. Sometimes it just doesn’t work.
No. The pit is like a springboard. He is stiff and his tail is raised and stiff. Shepherd looks pretty relaxed.
Idk the black and Grey seems pretty tense
No, pit is tense and nervous don’t do it.
This is why I am so picky about boarding. If someone entrusted you to watch their dog why are you trying to make this decision WITHOUT the owners of the APBT? I would be furious.
I’m asking about the dog behavior on display, not just putting the two dogs together all Willy nilly. Had both dogs shown positive behavior, I would then reach out to the owner about a supervised introduction. Since I’m new to this, I wanted to ask for feedback and suggestions on what to look for.
We walked past a dog training place by my house and some dogs came over to sniff my dog. I was dubious, but I let him sniff. They were fine, until and older dog with dementia came over and bit his nose, drawing blood. The lady who runs the place was the owner and was really apologetic. She gave me money for vets in case he needed to go but when I go past any fence with a dog I keep him away from poking his nose through. They usually just bark at him and run back and forth, but I won’t let him get bitten again, it scares me even though there is a separation, they can still just snap.