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Post by valleybirder on Aug 13, 2011 8:23:48 GMT -5
Just wanted to say hi to everyone. Last week my family and I rescued an adorable 5 month old pit bull after having to put down our long time companion of 15 years due to his quickly fading health. I have to admit we were those people if asked a year or so ago about pit bulls woulda said they are monsters and should be put down because all of my information about this breed was coming from the media. We have since educated ourselves through a couple tv shows like Pit Boss, and Dogs:101 and the Internet.
Our puppy is the most gentle puppy I think we ever owned. He gets along well with our two Boston Terriers and my son adores him. He's a giant lap dog. He loves to just put his head on your lap and lay there. He does have a couple issues like going bananas when he sees other dogs and since his voice doesn't sound like a puppies voice it's scary to people. He comes on to other dogs like a freight train but not out of anger. He actually loves other dogs and plays with them just like any other puppy would. We get stares, and people moving to the other side of the street on a daily basis. Well, we want to be good ambasodors of the breed and will be training or dog with a trainer that came highly recommended by a local PB advocacy club. I know my dog has to behave better then others so I can attempt to educate people in my neighborhood. It's better for us as a family, my dog, and the breed. I want the world to know my dog is not a monster.
In just a short week I've seen how these dogs are persieved and it breaks my heart.
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Post by RealPitBull on Aug 13, 2011 8:47:26 GMT -5
Hello and welcome! First, so sorry to hear that you've lost your old dog. But congrats on adopting a new baby into your family. Thank you for rescuing! If you're looking for breed information, you've come to the right place. This is a great forum with really friendly, helpful people. We're like a little family here and always happy to welcome new members. Any questions you have, please feel free to ask. In the mean time, there are tons of posts on the various boards that I'm sure you'll find helpful. Just curious: has anyone talked to you about the breed's propensity for aggression towards other dogs? This is something you need to be aware of especially due to the fact that you already have two small dogs in your home.
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Post by michele5611 on Aug 13, 2011 9:10:29 GMT -5
Welcome aboard! Thanks for rescuing I think it is great that you are trying to educate yourself about the breed and hope you find our forum here helpful.
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Post by valleybirder on Aug 13, 2011 9:25:39 GMT -5
Yes, Realize that my dog may become aggressive towards other dogs and animals. From what I understand this could happen at anytime but through training and constant socialization you can greatly reduce the chances of this happening. Am I correct about this.
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Post by RealPitBull on Aug 13, 2011 9:28:34 GMT -5
Yes, Realize that my dog may become aggressive towards other dogs and animals. From what I understand this could happen at anytime but through training and constant socialization you can greatly reduce the chances of this happening. Am I correct about this. Yup, that's correct.
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Post by valleybirder on Aug 13, 2011 10:01:25 GMT -5
Do you guys think I made the wrong decision since I already have two dogs in the house? From what I've read and understand, the aggression thing doesnt kick with all dogs only a small percentage and in most cases it's manageable and in extreme cases the animals need to be split up. My trainer is coming on Monday and My family and I will do everything we can to raise a good dog. Havent told my mom and sister about our pit bull yet, I'm pretty sure they are going to flip since they believe these dogs should exist. When I get our dog under control I plan on proving them wrong.
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Post by RealPitBull on Aug 13, 2011 10:21:47 GMT -5
Do you guys think I made the wrong decision since I already have two dogs in the house? From what I've read and understand, the aggression thing doesnt kick with all dogs only a small percentage and in most cases it's manageable and in extreme cases the animals need to be split up. My trainer is coming on Monday and My family and I will do everything we can to raise a good dog. Havent told my mom and sister about our pit bull yet, I'm pretty sure they are going to flip since they believe these dogs should exist. When I get our dog under control I plan on proving them wrong. All I can do is point you to breed info. and then you can read and decide what your best course of action is. This breed is dog sensitive - that means they VERY COMMONLY have issues with other dogs. Some dogs go through life 100% fine, some dogs are so aggressive they cannot be around other dogs period, the vast majority fall somewhere in the middle. They can be managed around other dogs and will get along with other dogs under supervised conditions. This is regardless of how well-trained or socialized the dog is. NO Pit Bull should be left unattended with another animal, PERIOD. The Real Pit Bull aims to provide no-nonsense REALITY BASED information for the good of dogs and their human caretakers. Unfortunately, too many people are "educating" on Pit Bulls only to provide an extremely watered-down/sugar coated message in an effort to get more dogs into homes. Whether or not those homes should have Pit Bulls in them is another story...... Here is some information for you to look over: www.realpitbull.com/temperament.htmlwww.realpitbull.com/harmony.htmlwww.realpitbull.com/freedownloads.html
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Post by valleybirder on Aug 13, 2011 10:46:42 GMT -5
Do you guys think I made the wrong decision since I already have two dogs in the house? From what I've read and understand, the aggression thing doesnt kick with all dogs only a small percentage and in most cases it's manageable and in extreme cases the animals need to be split up. My trainer is coming on Monday and My family and I will do everything we can to raise a good dog. Havent told my mom and sister about our pit bull yet, I'm pretty sure they are going to flip since they believe these dogs should exist. When I get our dog under control I plan on proving them wrong. All I can do is point you to breed info. and then you can read and decide what your best course of action is. This breed is dog sensitive - that means they VERY COMMONLY have issues with other dogs. Some dogs go through life 100% fine, some dogs are so aggressive they cannot be around other dogs period, the vast majority fall somewhere in the middle. They can be managed around other dogs and will get along with other dogs under supervised conditions. This is regardless of how well-trained or socialized the dog is. NO Pit Bull should be left unattended with another animal, PERIOD. The Real Pit Bull aims to provide no-nonsense REALITY BASED information for the good of dogs and their human caretakers. Unfortunately, too many people are "educating" on Pit Bulls only to provide an extremely watered-down/sugar coated message in an effort to get more dogs into homes. Whether or not those homes should have Pit Bulls in them is another story...... Here is some information for you to look over: www.realpitbull.com/temperament.htmlwww.realpitbull.com/harmony.htmlwww.realpitbull.com/freedownloads.htmlWe are on the same page then, I do not let my Pit Bull out when we arent home. He goes in his crate. I do hope he stays as sweet as he is now, but if he doesnt we made a commitment to him and we will work it out.
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Post by RealPitBull on Aug 13, 2011 10:50:41 GMT -5
All I can do is point you to breed info. and then you can read and decide what your best course of action is. This breed is dog sensitive - that means they VERY COMMONLY have issues with other dogs. Some dogs go through life 100% fine, some dogs are so aggressive they cannot be around other dogs period, the vast majority fall somewhere in the middle. They can be managed around other dogs and will get along with other dogs under supervised conditions. This is regardless of how well-trained or socialized the dog is. NO Pit Bull should be left unattended with another animal, PERIOD. The Real Pit Bull aims to provide no-nonsense REALITY BASED information for the good of dogs and their human caretakers. Unfortunately, too many people are "educating" on Pit Bulls only to provide an extremely watered-down/sugar coated message in an effort to get more dogs into homes. Whether or not those homes should have Pit Bulls in them is another story...... Here is some information for you to look over: www.realpitbull.com/temperament.htmlwww.realpitbull.com/harmony.htmlwww.realpitbull.com/freedownloads.htmlWe are on the same page then, I do not let my Pit Bull out when we arent home. He goes in his crate. I do hope he stays as sweet as he is now, but if he doesnt we made a commitment to him and we will work it out.
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Post by valleybirder on Aug 13, 2011 11:05:21 GMT -5
I just read the "harmony" page and it mentions to keep all toys etc off the floor when your dogs arent playing with them to avoid possible fights. Right now my PB is showing zero issues with his toys, food,or anything else. Should I continue to foster this behavior because my two Bostons are up there in age and could really care less about playing or anything else for the matter. I do feed them however separately, the PB is crated and the bostons are in another part of the house. Am I setting myself up for disaster? should I keep encouraging this?
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Post by michele5611 on Aug 13, 2011 11:06:13 GMT -5
Mary gave you very sound advice and it seems as though you have a good handle of things. Your pit bull may get along fine with your other two but they will always need to be supervised when all together. We have a lot of people on here that maintain multi dog and or multi pit bull households and it really just comes down to management and responsible ownership. Socializing and training is the way to go as this will def. help!
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Post by fureverywhere on Aug 13, 2011 12:43:46 GMT -5
Bless you for becoming a pitty family! You'll find alot of helpful advice about multi dog households here. I beg to differ about leaving a pb alone with other pets because our cats run the house and I have to protect our Ophie from having her food dish taken over or getting humped in her sleep...yeah you read that right. Our pet rat however I keep well out of her sight. Anyway You want to get a good harness for walking, a regular collar is fine in the house-Petco has a padded harness called comfort step-in. It help you maintain control but fits around their back and shoulders so you have control but they don't choke themselves. The strength of the prey drive and dog aggression when you're outside can be frightening so just take precautions until you know your doggie better...I keep Ophie on short leash if we're near anywhere with squirrels, chipmunks, stray cats-"her" cats she fears, not other cats. And we had a few horrible situations before I figured that out... One last thought-make sure whoever is doing the dog walking is alert and aware and strong enough to walk your pitty. Even with good training they PULL. Ophie is 60lbs, I'm around 120, she has taken me completely off my feet going after squirrels. If you hang in there you'll also discover that pb's are the most wonderful, loving lapdogs you'll ever have. The bias other people have is something you learn to deal with- I've got an exceptional kid too...my doggie barking like Cujo and a big girl skipping and singing Dora songs...hey you have to keep your sense of humor!
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Post by valleybirder on Aug 13, 2011 12:59:01 GMT -5
Bless you for becoming a pitty family! You'll find alot of helpful advice about multi dog households here. I beg to differ about leaving a pb alone with other pets because our cats run the house and I have to protect our Ophie from having her food dish taken over or getting humped in her sleep...yeah you read that right. Our pet rat however I keep well out of her sight. Anyway You want to get a good harness for walking, a regular collar is fine in the house-Petco has a padded harness called comfort step-in. It help you maintain control but fits around their back and shoulders so you have control but they don't choke themselves. The strength of the prey drive and dog aggression when you're outside can be frightening so just take precautions until you know your doggie better...I keep Ophie on short leash if we're near anywhere with squirrels, chipmunks, stray cats-"her" cats she fears, not other cats. And we had a few horrible situations before I figured that out... One last thought-make sure whoever is doing the dog walking is alert and aware and strong enough to walk your pitty. Even with good training they PULL. Ophie is 60lbs, I'm around 120, she has taken me completely off my feet going after squirrels. If you hang in there you'll also discover that pb's are the most wonderful, loving lapdogs you'll ever have. The bias other people have is something you learn to deal with- I've got an exceptional kid too...my doggie barking like Cujo and a big girl skipping and singing Dora songs...hey you have to keep your sense of humor! Thank you for your reply. We will always err on the side of caution especially till we get an idea as to what kind of an adult dog he is going to be. Rufus is already a lap dog. He also likes to sleep with people, but we crate him overnight so he just catches naps with us. Do you think posting "Beware Of Dog" signs is a good idea just to give people fair warning of what to expect when nearing my house?
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Post by suziriot on Aug 13, 2011 13:15:40 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum and congratulations on rescuing your newest family member. It sounds like you are really committed to educating yourself and setting your pit bull pup up for success, which is AWESOME!!! This forum is an incredible resource and a great place to find support and reliable information. Thank you for rescuing and I look forward to seeing pics of all your dogs. I love Bostons!
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Post by fureverywhere on Aug 13, 2011 14:56:36 GMT -5
Some people here disagree about the signs. One school of thought is that by putting up a beware sign you're labeling your pooch somehow. I think it's a good idea because especially if you're in a well populated area you're warning people like meter readers that they want to be careful. Then theres signs that take it alittle less seriously- "Never mind the dawg, beware of the owner!!!!!" or my fave with a dog picture and "I can get to the fence in 3.0 seconds, can you?"
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Post by catstina on Aug 13, 2011 17:08:03 GMT -5
Welcome aboard! Congrats on your new pup!! Sounds like you have done plenty of research before getting him, which is great! The one thing about Beware of Dog signs is that in some areas, if an incident occurs with your dog, law enforcement can use the sign as "proof" that you think your dog is dangerous. You could always post up a cutesy sign if you wanted. Something like "Warning: My Pit Bull Can't Hold His Licker!" or "Say Hello To My Pit Bull on the Way In!"
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Post by maryellen on Aug 13, 2011 20:28:37 GMT -5
welcome to the forum! i have a dog named Rufus too! i agree with Catstina, some cute signs are way better then the other kind, as in some states if you post a Beware of dog Sign you are telling everyone your dog bites, which you dont want to do.
hope to see pics of your pup.
bostons are adorable too, my co worker just rescued one from PA (they drove 6 hours into PA from northern NJ to adopt their new boston)
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Post by perfectpit on Aug 13, 2011 22:29:36 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum. It is a great place to get valuable information and in a realistic manner. In my area posting a "beware of dog" sign can be dangerous because people believe you have a vicious dog. We cut off the Beware of and posted DOG on the fence in order to let other's know there is a dog(s) in my case on the premise. I'm glad to hear you adopted a new pit baby. Please post pics when you have time. We love seeing pictures.
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Post by valleybirder on Aug 14, 2011 0:01:39 GMT -5
I posted a bunch of pics from my phone over in the photo section. Here's one for ya's though.
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Post by adoptapitbull on Aug 14, 2011 7:38:15 GMT -5
I would agree with what the other said and avoid the "Beware" sign. You can use "Dog on premises" or something similar. You don't want the nosey neighbors to say, "Did you hear, they adopted one of those 'Pit Bulls' and now they have a 'Beware' sign up. Hide your children!!"
I would definitely have the conversation now with the family about Crate and Rotate, just in case you ever need it. Sometimes when dogs reach adult age (2-3), their tolerance for other dogs changes. They may not be friends with their housemates anymore. If that happens, you may have to start using crate and rotate. We do this at our house where we "bedroom" a group of 2 dogs and a group of 3. Some of those can be added to other groups, but it is easier to keep it to a 2 and 3 dog group. Is it just a bit more work? Sure. Is the peace of mind totally worth it? YES! I'm sure there's a thread on it somewhere. Take a look and have the talk so there are no surprises if it happens.
Oh, and it's not just a Pit Bull thing with C&R. My Bulldog is part of the reason why we do it!
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