Adopted pitbull not coexisting with other animals
Sooo we recently adopted a super sweet dog as an out of state euth rescue. We have a small house, single-story, with two dogs (one slightly smaller than him and one senior, both girls) plus three cats. Big yard. Our new addition (Hermes, 3yo, 35lbs) clearly had some pittie in him even though that wasn’t on his papers, but now that he’s here it’s maybe more than we bargained for.
I’m looking for perspectives on if there’s hope for these animals to coexist, right now it just feels like I made a mistake.
He’s got a strong bite, and in the short time we’ve had him has gotten bolder about using it. He’s not aggressive, but while he would initially listen to play corrections from our dogs he has stopped and bites them hard. He was biting us (in play), hard enough to draw blood, that we have been able to squash in the short time we’ve had him but its done nothing to help our dogs. He fixates on the cats and chases, and with the bite power it just has me worried that I’ll never be able to trust him alone for a second. I’ve tried to pull his attention with other rewards, treats, play, but nothing breaks his stare.
We’ve literally had this dog for less than a week. I knew there was a possibility it wouldn’t work, and figured worst case we become a foster for a dog that would have been euthanized. I didn’t expect to feel like it was a bad decision so quickly. I’m disabled, and even on a good day couldn’t run to break up a true dogfight if it got there. We’re working with a muzzle but that isn’t a long-term solution. Our existing dogs have started sitting physically separate from him, and no progress on the cats. They hide in their safe space where they normally actively play with our dogs. I feel like this whole situation has been detrimental to them.
I know these attributes aren’t limited to pitbulls, but I’m more worried than I’d otherwise be because he got the bite strength from the gene pool. I guess I’m just trying to see if there’s hope for compatibility here, or if I’m always gonna have to be looking out for an injury. It sucks for him too because he’s clearly not intentionally hurting them, is an absolute cuddlebug otherwise, very smart and trainable, but will I ever be able to fully trust him knowing that he is willing to bite that hard? Is this a situation anyone’s been able to turn around with training?
sorry if this isn’t the best spot to post, I didn’t want to start with a rescue page and get a bunch of keep the dog at all costs messages. Already feeling like I messed up without that. I have to prioritize the animals that were here first.