I need a drink, welcome to my nightmare

[Jaynie]

My main objection to pit bulls are the people who keep them. I was once at a UKC obedience trial/pit bull specialty in Decatur, Georgia. It was actually scary to walk past these people. There were two general types. 1) the urban guys (usually black) who think owning a pit bull is cool and they think they can make money selling the puppies and are possibly involved in dog fighting; 2) the rural guys (usually white) who look seriously inbred, communicate by grunts, and are also probably wanting to sell puppies and are involved in dog fighting. (The whole "Deliverance" deal).

Remember that it is the responsibility of HUMANS to make sure any breed of dog is responsibly trained and handled. A friend of mine manages a boarding stable business and has two very happy, very healthy, and very cuddly pit bulls. She has raised them from puppies, and they are excellently trained and get plenty of exercise and ongoing training. She is NOT the typical pit bull owner, and so she does not have typical pit bulls.

[2GoodDogs]

I haven't seen or heard the dog all week, I think he might be gone. Usually he jumps up at the garage windows when I go outside to my car. I hope he has a good home! I will ask the neighbors tonight when they come home how he is doing. Hopefully he was neutured and placed.... Fingers crossed....

My friend has a pit, she has done a remarkable job with socialization and training and we walk our dogs a lot with absolutely no problem. I worry more about her boxer than her pit.

[3dmodeler]

I have a sheltie. For most of his pre adolescent life, he did not mind sniffing the face of other dogs. One day, I was in a pet store, and the owners of a ibushinu was walking my way and I asked him if he was friendly, they said yes. Both dogs sniffed, and the Ibu grabbed my sheltie by the mouth and put a couple puncture wounds in it. The irresponsible owners did not say anything and just walked off.

My sheltie from that day, seven years ago, was never the same. Any hyper dog that comes up to his face, he becomes nervous and nipps at them "some times, a small bite" I do want the owners that my dog will make a attempted bite and with nip in the air.

If my dog approaches another dog, he is fine with them. It is the hyper brat dogs that get in the face of other dogs he cannot stand.

BTW, our area has had LOTS of pit bull attacks. One sheltie killed, the other had some of his skin ripped off, and had to be stitched back on. Pitbulls are like Americanized honey bees "killer bees" something triggers them to attack unprovoked.

[dblock]

If my dog approaches another dog, he is fine with them. It is the hyper brat dogs that get in the face of other dogs he cannot stand.

Beau is exactly the same way, for the exact same reasons

I think the main problem is that people often mistake friendly for well behaved and the two are NOT mutually exclusive.

The second problem that I see is that although people would not think or dream of themselves as being aggressive towards others they allow their pets to do so because it gives them some sort of secret glee and power in their life. I use to just think that people were passive aggressive with their pets, I no longer believe this, I think people know exactly what they are doing and they just don't care.

[2GoodDogs]

I've been meaning to get back here and tell you all what happened. My most horrific nightmare happened....

I took Justus out the front door to the car, the neighbor had Hamm on leash in his driveway, (very narrow strip of grass between our driveways, about 4'... anyway, Justus backed out of his collar and ran to Hamm.

Hamm remained very neutral, the neighbor had him firmly on lead. His head was lowered, tail lowered and Hamm did not react. I made myself not freak out... until Justus reared up, and then Hamm reacted, but did not bite. I recalled Justus and he came and I dropped him, then opened the car and he jumped into his crate.

Hamm is not a monster. I am so glad. He is neutered, and they work with him, I have seen him with another dog that belongs to one of their friends and they were training the meet and greet.

I have also checked Justus martingale collar and tightened it so he won't be backing out of it again.

someone here asked for pictures of Hamm. I have some that I took that early weekend when I first posted... I'll be back with the link in a few minutes.

Let's keep this topic, on my story.

[2GoodDogs]

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a3...D720/ry%3D480/

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a3...D720/ry%3D480/

He has lived next door for 6 months now. He's been neutered, and they are working with him to teach him the basics of obedience. For good hearted newbies to dog ownership, I am very proud they are taking responsibility for him.

Yes, dog attacks make the news often. Just a few days ago, a family out for a walk was attacked by two dogs that dashed out of a front door and bit the children and the Dad who tried hard to defend his kids. The dogs looked like pit mixes. The dogs are being pts by the county and dogs owners were not charged.

[mellie]

Looks like some boxer in there too !! He is handsome. Glad to hear things are going well.

[DieDany]

He's handsome. I still can't find any suitable word for people who ruin a dog's mind just for their own business and fun (just like dog fighting) So glad Hamm got his second chance.

But the beginning of your today's post was pretty scary 2GoodDogs. Glad everything was o.k. in the end

[3Stars]

What a handsome dog!

He has lived next door for 6 months now. He's been neutered, and they are working with him to teach him the basics of obedience. For good hearted newbies to dog ownership, I am very proud they are taking responsibility for him.

That's fantastic - sounds like you have good neighbours

[BarbV]

I know this thread has woven well away from the original post.

So I've got few comments:

1) I give thanks to your neighbour who took in a strange dog. And I give thanks to you for stepping in to assist them while they needed to go away. That's a huge ask, for a dog that has the reputation......Anybody would be cautious about taking them on.

2) I feel so bad for bully dogs.....they have bad rep, and often deserved, unfortunately. But as was said by many, you can leverage a dogs genetic ability through training and enhance it. So a bully dog that is trained to attack will attack. A bully dog that is trained with love and affection, will still play rough, but their rough play can be interpreted as bad. But they can be rehabilitated.

3) Finally, I have bully dogs in my store all the time. These are all gentle giants that have been rescued and fostered. I feel so strongly that they have been given a bad rap that I've dedicated my July Adoption Weekend to http://www.bulliesinneed.ca/

I'm hoping that by profiling these dogs, we can save them from future extinction altogether.

Don't get me wrong, I know there are bad dogs out there. Myself, I was visciously attacked by a blind cocker spaniel 10 years ago. I still have the scars and the nerve damage.