GiftedMonkey
Rookie
This girl came home on Friday. She is four years old and a total sweetheart. Her shelter name was Sophie, but the girlfriend and I aren't so big into people names for dogs. Right now, we don't know what to call her.
I have a new pack member!
- Thread starter GiftedMonkey
- Start date
This girl came home on Friday. She is four years old and a total sweetheart. Her shelter name was Sophie, but the girlfriend and I aren't so big into people names for dogs. Right now, we don't know what to call her.
Bretimus_v2
So tired.
Milkbone. Nice pick.
Optimus-Crime
Rookie
I swear I thought she was a pig at first. How about Babe the Pig? or Babe.
UghRochester
https://www.twitch.tv/ughrochester
Shelter dogs are awesome! My mom's pitbull-lab mix is a great dog. She was in the shelter, mainly for the "Pitbulls are evil" myth.
danielrbischoff
Rookie
Icepick
Rookie
C_nate said:
if improperly trained
they're the same as any other dog, it's just do to their size, and territorial instincts that they attract the wrong type of trainer. If those same people were given a poodle, that poodle would be ankle biting people everywhere
There's actual studies as well that show the pitbulls are dangerous myth is false as well
"A study by Dr. Malathi Raghavan, DVM, PhD questions the pit bull's reputation as a dangerous breed. An electronic search of newspaper articles by Dr. Raghavan found that pit bull terriers were responsible for 1 of 28 (3.6%) dog bite-related fatalities reported in Canada from 1990 through 2007. The study also notes that
"A higher proportion of sled dogs and, possibly, mixed-breed dogs in Canada than in the United States caused fatalities, as did multiple dogs rather than single dogs. Free-roaming dog packs, reported only from rural communities, caused most on-reserve fatalities".
The total number of fatal dog attacks from the 17-year period is equal to about one fatal attack per year, while the Clifton report, a more comprehensive study that includes the 1990-2007 period in the Canadian Veterinary Journal Study, shows an average of six fatalities attributed to pit bulls alone annually in the United States and Canada."
"There is some confusion over the "locked jaw" notion with pit bulls. There is no evidence for the existence of a physiological "locking mechanism" in the teeth or jaw structure of normal pit bull-type dogs, although a dog's jaws can be locked in a closed position by surgically correctable jaw abnormalities. However, pit bull-type dogs exhibit "bite, hold, and shake" behavior, which is seen in all breeds of dogs, and at times refuse to release when biting; methods to force pit bull-type dogs to release their grip include breaking an ammonia ampule and holding it up to the dog's nose,] or using a "break stick" to lever the dog's jaws open if it bites a person or animal. Many highly sought trainers, including Cesar Millan, will simply hold the dog still until it releases its grip, then pull it away without farther incident."
Do they require more work than your typical pet, say a golden retriever? Yes, but no more than a mastiff, bulldog or siberian husky (which I owned), and if trained properly, pitbulls are one of the most rewarding pets to own
Frequenting northern ontario, you will also come across owners who have mix breeds with wolves and dogs, partly because of their ability to thrive in the cold environment, ability to hunt, and it's duties as a guard dog over a large territory, and like every other dog, when properly trained, an absolutely amazing animal
C_nate
Rookie
The problem is that where I live, Pitbulls are a popular breed for the young thug type males who want their dogs to be big, mean, and aggressive. So you don't want to take a chance because you have no idea if the dog in question was trained to be aggressive or not.
Which goes with what you said about large breeds in general. You should never be too comfortable around a strange dog but I'm not worried about a poodle snapping because odds are it wouldn't do too much damage to me. A Pitbull though? Or a Rott? Mastiff? Great Dane?
The problem is the damage they are capable of if something goes wrong. I used to own a beagle. One time when I was trying to give him a bath, I tried to pick him up the wrong way and he spun around and bit me. Still have the scar on my hand. A pitbull bites with enough force to break bone. Big difference there.
What I'm saying is that at the end of the day even the most well loved and well cared for animal is still an animal and the capacity to bite will always be there. It's like saying that if you raise a tiger in a loving and caring way that it would be just as safe to own as a tabby cat. I know that comparison is a little extreme but that is just how I feel. It probably has something to do with having small children I guess.
True story: Just last week I was about to walk out the front gate when around the corner a loose pitbull with no owner in sight ran up to my gate and jumped up on it. Standing on his hind legs he was almost able to look me in the eye and I'm 6'2" The only thing I could think about was how his head was so huge that my 2 year old daughters head would fit inside his mouth. He sat down right in front of my gate blocking it like he owned the place. I waited around for five mins for an owner to show up and none did. I was very thankful that he was friendly and left soon after. But with a dog that big with such a strong bite if you have a small kid all it takes is one bad thing to happen one single time and that is a chance I just won't take.
Which goes with what you said about large breeds in general. You should never be too comfortable around a strange dog but I'm not worried about a poodle snapping because odds are it wouldn't do too much damage to me. A Pitbull though? Or a Rott? Mastiff? Great Dane?
The problem is the damage they are capable of if something goes wrong. I used to own a beagle. One time when I was trying to give him a bath, I tried to pick him up the wrong way and he spun around and bit me. Still have the scar on my hand. A pitbull bites with enough force to break bone. Big difference there.
What I'm saying is that at the end of the day even the most well loved and well cared for animal is still an animal and the capacity to bite will always be there. It's like saying that if you raise a tiger in a loving and caring way that it would be just as safe to own as a tabby cat. I know that comparison is a little extreme but that is just how I feel. It probably has something to do with having small children I guess.
True story: Just last week I was about to walk out the front gate when around the corner a loose pitbull with no owner in sight ran up to my gate and jumped up on it. Standing on his hind legs he was almost able to look me in the eye and I'm 6'2" The only thing I could think about was how his head was so huge that my 2 year old daughters head would fit inside his mouth. He sat down right in front of my gate blocking it like he owned the place. I waited around for five mins for an owner to show up and none did. I was very thankful that he was friendly and left soon after. But with a dog that big with such a strong bite if you have a small kid all it takes is one bad thing to happen one single time and that is a chance I just won't take.
Icepick
Rookie
C_nate said:
I understand where you're coming from, I would advise against second hand pitbulls as well, unless it's a reputable shelter with a reputable trainer there, if it's just a way stop before they're put down, I'd advise against it
I'd also advise against them if you have small children, they like to pull tails for example, the exception being if you get a pup when your child is say 2-3, that dog will grow with the kid, and will be an amazing protector for that kid
there's a reason wealthy people in southern american countries use dogs like that as guard dogs, when raised in conjunction with the child, the dog develops almost like a maternal connection with the dog, kidnappings in those countries being too common, it's an amazing deterrent
but like I said before, pit attacks are grossly misrepresented and are smaller in number then attacks by dogs primarily used for sledding (that also has to do with sled dogs being in a large group with constant struggles for alpha male)
for example, if you were to bring your 2 year old around when I had my german shepherd, even though it was a beautiful docile dog, I'd never let it around your kid unsupervised, and would slowly get it accustom to your kid, would be months before I let it near your child without a muzzle, if the proper care is taken, there's nothing to worry about, but dogs, especially large breeds, are easy to screw up the training, everyone loves the adorable puppy, but they don't put in the proper work such as socializing them, which is the most important task you can do, then when they get too big, they're discarded, that creates a problem
GiftedMonkey
Rookie
Settled on a name...say hello to Moxie.
Optimus, not only does she look like a pig, she also snorts like a pig, too.
Optimus, not only does she look like a pig, she also snorts like a pig, too.
Optimus-Crime
Rookie
That's one prime looking pooch. Any name with an X in it is worthy of a few extra cool points. Love indoor pitbulls. Never seen a gentler dog than an indoor pitbull quite honestly. They're overgrown puppies!
UghRochester
https://www.twitch.tv/ughrochester
How weird. My mom's shelter dog is name Roxy. It's rhymes!
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