peabodypit
New Member
Leo Odysseus Ruckus
Posts: 20
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Post by peabodypit on May 18, 2008 16:33:22 GMT -5
I've read that it's a good idea to have a Bully-Stick with you if off your property with your Pit Bull. Also I've read it can be considered DOG FIGHTING paraphernalia. Any feed back on this would be great. Thanks! Amy
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Post by tbluverjumper on May 18, 2008 19:54:04 GMT -5
As far as I know it depends on where you live as far as the stipulations. So maybe look up the regulations in your area! Their considered that here in sacramento but I'd carry one anyway.
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Post by boneyardbullies on May 18, 2008 21:19:01 GMT -5
My philosophy on "break sticks" (what you would be calling a bully stick) is you shouldn't need one. PERIOD
1.)Although a certain level of animal aggression is allowed for this breed your pitbull should not be so out of control that you have to worry about breaking up an altercation.
2.)Be in control of your pitbull! If you know your dog is a little animal aggressive, then you have to pay MORE ATTENTION to him when he is on a leash. If he is off leash, it should never be off your property. It's a working proccess with your dog to curb aggression and learning to be in control of your dog.
Now with that said, here is the information that I know about the subject:
In alot of counties break sticks (wooden shaped knife-like objects) are considered dog fighting tools. But so are weight vests, spring poles, and god forbid you put your dog on a treadmill. I thankfully have never needed one, therefore I never bought one. I have heard of other pitbull owners using electric break sticks (handheld taser) as a break stick and it is perfectly legal. Now before, the pit loves attack me, it's no more harmful than using hotwire or electric collars to control barking. Both of which can be purchased at your local pet stores.
So if you are worried about being put in a situation where you would need a break stick, I recommend a taser because last time I looked into it. They are non-lethal and completely legal.
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Post by tbluverjumper on May 18, 2008 22:10:53 GMT -5
for those of us that aren't 6'4 like mr.boneyard above me =)....I know very well how to handle a dog..and not so much for control of our dogs but in case another dog doesn't know what it's getting into by jumping on your dog. I can't pick up my 60 pnd dog, let alone if he/she was aggressive or even just wanted to go after something. Or another dog wanted to go after mine..it's not always about control of your dog but someone elses or a stray. IMHO =)
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Post by boneyardbullies on May 19, 2008 0:07:02 GMT -5
You bring up a very good point dear! LOL ;D
You know in walking my dogs on public streets I have been put in multiple positions with stray/loose dogs and my dog. (on a leash)
I am not saying that anyone is wrong for how they would handle the situation and maybe a break stick would be effective, all I can do is respond to my experiences. I first attempt to gain control of my dog by grabbing their collar or harness as soon as I physically see the dog approaching that way they are close to me and I am in control of where they are in retrospect to me. My next step is to position myself between the stray and my dog, by doing this means if the stray attempts to attack I have the ability to attempt to stop it before the dog reaches and makes contact with my dog.
As Suse, as explained I do have an advantage in the fact that I am 6'4 300+ pounds and could pick my 80 pound pitbull up if i needed to. But my reasoning for positioning between is to take up a defensive posture and not let my dog be in control of what happens. Most times a swinging my of my foot with no contact has shoed (no pun intended) away potential incidents. I do think I have been fortunate because I am sure with the right dog, things might have transpired. If it was someone else, a taser probably could help the stray from coming any closer.
Good topic and I hope more people can contribute to it.
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Post by RealPitBull on May 19, 2008 7:24:23 GMT -5
I've edited the title of this thread to reflect the real topic
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Post by RealPitBull on May 19, 2008 7:55:31 GMT -5
Oh, the only person I've ever heard state it acceptable to use a taser, or any other electrical shock device to break up a dog fight was Diane Jessup. Personally, I'd never use one.
I own a break stick, but admittedly it never leaves my property. And I disagree that you should not need one - how many times have I had my dogs approached by offleash dogs (often times aggressively), when my dog was fully under control! If a fight had broken out in such an instance, and a Pit Bull had grabbed a good hold of the other dog, this would be a prime example of a good time to have a break stick in hand!!!
You do have to be super cautious (i.e. don't be waving it in peoples' faces!!!), because of the stigma. Know that break sticks are PERFECTLY LEGAL!!! But they can be used as evidence to prove a case against an alleged dog fighter. But so can your Stratton books or your historical copies of Your Friend and Mine!!!!
I'm not going to tell anyone do or don't carry a break stick around, but what I try to teach is CONTROL of your dog, proper management, and teaching your dog a good strong 'out'. Will an out cue work in the heat of a moment God forbib a fight break out? Maybe, maybe not - it could give you a little edge, though.
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Post by maryellen on May 19, 2008 8:27:09 GMT -5
to not own a breakstick is irresponsible.. i have 3 . i have one in my travel bag for emergencies.granted i have never had to use any of them, but prevention is worth a pound of cure..
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Post by valliesong on May 19, 2008 17:29:07 GMT -5
Devin's response kinda made me laugh because I am 5'3" and walk with a cane. I can't imagine doing anything that physical, BUT my dogs are always under control.
I am on constant look-out for stray dogs, and there are quite a few around here (3 GSDs living in two separate households, a GSD/rottie mix, a little black mix, a viszla, a bichon, a min pin, just in a 3 block radius). We turn around immediately and go the other way if we see one. If that doesn't work, I start yelling for the owner immediately. The responsibility is in THEIR hands because my dog is on leash and theirs is not.
So far we have not had an altercation on the street, but I would not hesitate to use my cane to break it up. My dogs also wear heavy leather collars that make a great handle. Aiden has worn a headcollar in the past, but now that he has degenerative disc disease, I'm not sure what I will be using to walk him when he gets well enough to go on walks.
We do own a breakstick that is kept in the house since we own multiple dogs. After having to break up fights between my own dogs, I would never be without one.
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Post by RealPitBull on May 19, 2008 17:50:10 GMT -5
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Post by tbluverjumper on May 19, 2008 18:12:25 GMT -5
Vallie knows what im talkin about!
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Post by boneyardbullies on May 20, 2008 0:10:04 GMT -5
Devin's response kinda made me laugh because I am 5'3" and walk with a cane. I can't imagine doing anything that physical, BUT my dogs are always under control. I am on constant look-out for stray dogs, and there are quite a few around here (3 GSDs living in two separate households, a GSD/rottie mix, a little black mix, a viszla, a bichon, a min pin, just in a 3 block radius). We turn around immediately and go the other way if we see one. If that doesn't work, I start yelling for the owner immediately. The responsibility is in THEIR hands because my dog is on leash and theirs is not. So far we have not had an altercation on the street, but I would not hesitate to use my cane to break it up. My dogs also wear heavy leather collars that make a great handle. Aiden has worn a headcollar in the past, but now that he has degenerative disc disease, I'm not sure what I will be using to walk him when he gets well enough to go on walks. We do own a breakstick that is kept in the house since we own multiple dogs. After having to break up fights between my own dogs, I would never be without one. As Suse pointed out, I do have the upper hand with my size and weight, and like I said it thankfully (knock on wood) I have never had an altercation. I don't need a break stick, but I do think they serve a purpose for some people. As far as Mary's response to them being illegal, I never said they were but like I stated they are considered tools along with other things. I have a springpole, watch the case start building on me. LOL ;D As far as electrical devices, everyone has their own opinion. The reason I suggest it is because it can be more of a way to stop anything before it happens. Turn a taser on around a dog and see how they react. I have thankfully never had to use one, and don't own a taser. But I have looked into it many times because sometimes you don't know if you will be able to control the situation. valliesong- I commend you for having foresight about your neighbors dogs. Your words are spoken from a true responsible dog owner, instead of waiting for something to happen, you choose to avoid the situation all together rather than dealing with the aftermath.
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Post by boneyardbullies on May 20, 2008 0:14:35 GMT -5
This is a quote directly from the Pit Bull Rescue Central: www.pbrc.net/breaksticks.html"Do not attempt to use a break stick on other breeds of dogs.
Attempting to use a breaking stick on breeds other than pit bulls could result in serious injury to the person using the stick. Since other breeds will do a lot of snapping and biting instead of getting a grip, it is very easy to get bitten. Do your best to remain away from their jaws. For the same reason, you also need to be very careful when separating your pit bull from another breed. Your pit bull will probably not bite you, but you may very well get bitten by the dog that you are trying to save. "A break stick is only going to keep your pitbull at bay, and have absolutely no effect on the other dog. Electric break sticks and control the OUT OF CONTROL dog rather than just fixing your dogs reaction to the situation. Just a little bit of helpful advice before you rule out other means of dealing with the uncontrolable.
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Post by tbluverjumper on May 20, 2008 11:45:52 GMT -5
I never mentioned anything about using it on the other dog, though maybe it was taken that way. But that's what I meant by the other dog may not know what their jumping into. I personally am more worried about my dog getting ahold of the other dog than the other dog really causing harm to mine...I don't know many dogs that could handle a pitbull. Not saying it can't happen but I want to be able to cover my own butt and be able to control my dog. I've had a pitbull that was dog aggressive and even between training her, and working with her her whole life, if another dog jumped on her all bets would be off. I, myself am not putting my body inbetween myself and a dog thats loose and aggressive. I think it's a different story between women and men. I personally think me getting hurt would only make the situation much worse and i'd be less able to control my dog. I've been faced with quite a few stray/lost dogs while I was walking mine, mind you I was younger..and between reading body language of the dog and being aware of them before they were aware of us, was most important.
I think Mary makes a good point also on teaching the "out" command to. Another very useful tool, even if it may not always work in the heat of the moment it's just another thing to have.
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Post by RealPitBull on May 20, 2008 12:04:28 GMT -5
I believe tasers (at least certain ones) are illegal in certain areas. I also question the validity of such a tool as a preventative device. If what you are looking to do is prevent harm to one or both dogs, and prevent a fight, imagine what could happen if you zap a dog before it has even gone after yours (say, just approached) - lawsuit, much? If your intent is to zap a dog after it has engaged in a fight with your own dog, you'll risk tasering your own dog as well (and still may need to employ a break stick, anyway). Legality-wise, I'd be concerned about a lawsuit thrown at me should I zap someone's dog - especially being a Pit Bull owner.
To me, there are far too many risks inherent in carrying a taser. I've become very good at protecting my dog, being watchful, and circumventing - and breaking up - an accidental dog fight. A break stick is a good 'just in case' tool; I don't want to rely on it. A taser to me is severe and dangerous overkill. NOT RECOMMENDED!!! (Frankly, if I have to carry a taser with me on dog walks where I lived, I'd probably want to move!)
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Post by windowdog on May 20, 2008 12:57:46 GMT -5
I was at a refuge for exotic animals in PA last week, they had lions and tigers and bears, literally. Animals that had been kept for pets and then got too big. Anyways I was talking to the owner and he said the best way to break up a fight between lions or any animal that is too big for you to stop is to use a CO2 fire extinguisher, it's harmless, makes a horrific noise, makes a lot of smoke blinding them and extreme cold. Scares the heck out of essentially. But there is no lasting harm to the animal.
Not recommending it, and I know pit bulls are tenacious as anything, but the guy had broken up fights with just about every predator that walks on four paws and he said he'd never seen it not work.
Again not recommending it, but I wonder if it would be effective as well.
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Post by RealPitBull on May 20, 2008 13:06:40 GMT -5
Interesting about the fire extinguisher. Thanks for sharing. Btw, what exotic animal refuge did you visit?
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Post by AmyJo27 on May 20, 2008 13:09:25 GMT -5
I do not and will not own a break stick! I just dont give the oppertunity for a fight to happen.
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Post by tbluverjumper on May 20, 2008 15:45:03 GMT -5
Hah I can't imagine what the look on my dogs face would be if I ever used one of those extinguishers!
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Post by windowdog on May 20, 2008 16:04:44 GMT -5
www.tdscats.com/T & D Cats, it's a bit of a hike from NJ, you have to go all the way out to Harrisburg then follow the Susquehanna north for over an hour to get there. In the middle of nowhere (though there is a winery a mile away so you can make it a two event day if you wanted). Really a neat place, they only open in the summer to the public (though you can call any time and if they have time they'll take you around.) It's got TONS of different dangerous cats, and there are usually next to no people around, it's like having a zoo all to yourself. It's all rescue, they don't buy, breed or sell animals, they just take ones that would be put to sleep otherwise, you wouldn't BELIEVE the kind of pets people buy, I mean would you buy a Jaguar cub as a pet if you lived in the city? And they call pits dangerous!
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