Because Mommy and I have seen a LOT of people looking for new dogs, giving up their dogs (any pet really) lately on our county FB group... some thoughts have been brewing. So putting them to the internet for safekeeping ;)
When considering bringing a new pet into your home, there are many things you MUST take into consideration.
1. While you be able to keep this animal for it's ENTIRE lifetime.
Entire lifetime of whichever pet could last up to 15 or more years. Please consider that giving your animal away will cause the pet distress, anxiety, and grief. If you give a pet away because you are
A. Expecting/Just had a new baby
B. Are moving
or
C. Anything other than your own life-threatening illness, disability, or sudden loss of ability to walk, feed, and care for you pet
then just know-- the rest of us DO NOT understand, and we likely think you are scum. You brought the animal into your home to be part of the family. If you wouldn't leave behind your human child when moving or give your new baby up for adoption because you wouldn't have time for it-- then why is it okay to do so with a dog?
Saying that you "did not expect" your puppy to grow up into a large dog really just makes you look ignorant . Really? You didn't expect your German Shepherd puppy to grow into a 70+ pound dog? If you can't handle a larger dog, there are PLENTY of smaller breeds out there.
Cats have a need to claw things. If you think your couch/drapes/chairs are more important-- then PLEASE, do not get a cat. If you have an aversion to scooping litter, do not get a cat.
Allergies do not just go away-- don't get a pet if you or anyone that lives in your home is allergic to that type of animal. Medicines will not make it go away, and you are just setting yourself and the pet up for forever home failure.
Pets are EXPENSIVE. Please look into vets, cost of food, and other pet-related expenses. Accidents happen as well-- pets get sick, need medicine or extra care. Being prepared is part of responsible pet ownership, especially if you are getting a puppy! Having extra money set aside for puppy illnesses and accidents is a GREAT idea, because you want to be sure you have that cushion to fall back on just in case.
2. Picking a pet based on looks is a horrible idea. You might think you want a.... Husky, for example. But most Huskys are escape artists, prey driven, and they shed a whole awful lot! Please look into whatever pet you want to get, do some research, talk to other owners. Honestly, we never thought about owning a Mini Poodle in this household... but after some researching, we found that Bruce is pretty much perfect for our family! You know what kind of dog I can admit Mommy can't handle? The answer might surprise you! Jack Russell Terrier! Surprised? ;) Even though they are a small dog, Mommy can't handle them. A GREAT way to determine whether you can handle a breed is to physically lay hands on one and spend time with it. Again, talking to other owners of the breed will be a great help, regardless-- because they live with one, they know the ins and outs, and can give you an honest look into what it's like to own one.
:) That's all for now.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Friday, July 13, 2012
Just A Little Rant...
A lot of people in our county have been on our pet rehoming group lately. A lot of them are looking for Pit Bull puppies. Mommy really has to bite her tongue, because honestly, most of the "Pit Bull" puppies that end up on that site are deliberately bred, do not have papers, are not worked, just ARE NOT WORTHY OF BEING BRED. We see a lot of "Purebred Red Nose", "Purebred Blue Nose", etc... even if the puppies do not have that color nose.... ugh. I'm going to address a few things that really irritate me here.
I'm going to let y'all in on a little secret. Red/Blue/Black...those are just colors. They are not lines, separate breeds, or anything special. Red nosed dogs have red noses, blue nosed dogs have blue noses. I have a black nose! So? It doesn't make me a different breed than.... any red nosed Pit Bull. Or blue nosed for that matter.
Also, "UKC PR" doesn't mean anything very special either. UKC registered, Purple Ribbon. The purple ribbon status means that the dogs comes from registered stock that has been registered for a certain amount of generations. But it doesn't necessarily guarantee that you are getting a true Pit Bull either. The UKC dogs are bred as show dogs, and are generally Pitterstaff crosses or American Bullies that have been dual- registered with two registries.
Did you know that the average size for APBT's is 35-60 pounds? We aren't large dogs. APBT's generally do not have a lot of bulky muscle, big heads, or weigh all that much. We're slim, sleekly muscled, average sized dogs. If you see someone bragging about head size, weight, stuff like that... chances are, they either have a mutt or an American Bully and were told it was an APBT. The UKC still registers Am Bully's as APBT's!
APBT's are working dogs. We excel at many sports, including--but not limited to-- agility, dock diving, weight pull, and Frisbee. We also can make wonderful running companions... but we have a lot of energy that NEEDS to be worked out. We need physical stimulation, as well as mental stimulation. While every dog is an individual... most APBT's are NOT couch potatoes, and cannot be happy without plenty of exercise, both for our bodies and minds. Once our needs for stimulation have been met, we will happily collapse on the sofa and cuddle or snooze!
Too many people seem to be pushing this generality that "Pit Bulls" are just like any other dog. To me, this is so silly, I can not even begin to understand the meaning behind it. No breed of dog is the same as another. *I* would not be a good herding dog, while my sister Jezabel would not be a good dock diving dog! Caesar (RIP) would not have been a good match to be a Therapy Dog. Brucie is too soft to be a hunting dog! No breed is the same. It's like comparing apples and oranges... yes, they are both fruit....but they do not have the same flavor or texture. The same goes for dogs. Each breed has it's own specific physical and personality traits, and within that...each dog has it's own unique quirks and personality. To me, generalizing a breed like this would be the same as saying that EVERY breed is a good match for every family.... which I'm sure we can all agree is not true by any stretch of the imagination. :)
Research is necessary before you bring any dog into your home. Spur of the moment decisions happen-- I totally get that, BOL! I was a spur of the moment decision for Mommy and Daddy. But they came home, did a ton of research and have worked hard to make sure I get all of the stimulation and exercise I need to keep me happy. The research really never ends, because Mommy and Daddy have already decided that another Pit Bull is in their future (at some point wayyy into the future!). But it's really something that upsets us... seeing people bring a dog into their home and then want to give it up because of something that is NORMAL for the breed. Like shedding in a German Shepherd. (We called Caesar a "German Shedder") Or dog aggression in a Pit Bull.... or herding behaviors in a Border Collie.
Okay, I think I have ranted enough for now, haha :)
/end rant
I'm going to let y'all in on a little secret. Red/Blue/Black...those are just colors. They are not lines, separate breeds, or anything special. Red nosed dogs have red noses, blue nosed dogs have blue noses. I have a black nose! So? It doesn't make me a different breed than.... any red nosed Pit Bull. Or blue nosed for that matter.
Also, "UKC PR" doesn't mean anything very special either. UKC registered, Purple Ribbon. The purple ribbon status means that the dogs comes from registered stock that has been registered for a certain amount of generations. But it doesn't necessarily guarantee that you are getting a true Pit Bull either. The UKC dogs are bred as show dogs, and are generally Pitterstaff crosses or American Bullies that have been dual- registered with two registries.
Did you know that the average size for APBT's is 35-60 pounds? We aren't large dogs. APBT's generally do not have a lot of bulky muscle, big heads, or weigh all that much. We're slim, sleekly muscled, average sized dogs. If you see someone bragging about head size, weight, stuff like that... chances are, they either have a mutt or an American Bully and were told it was an APBT. The UKC still registers Am Bully's as APBT's!
APBT's are working dogs. We excel at many sports, including--but not limited to-- agility, dock diving, weight pull, and Frisbee. We also can make wonderful running companions... but we have a lot of energy that NEEDS to be worked out. We need physical stimulation, as well as mental stimulation. While every dog is an individual... most APBT's are NOT couch potatoes, and cannot be happy without plenty of exercise, both for our bodies and minds. Once our needs for stimulation have been met, we will happily collapse on the sofa and cuddle or snooze!
Too many people seem to be pushing this generality that "Pit Bulls" are just like any other dog. To me, this is so silly, I can not even begin to understand the meaning behind it. No breed of dog is the same as another. *I* would not be a good herding dog, while my sister Jezabel would not be a good dock diving dog! Caesar (RIP) would not have been a good match to be a Therapy Dog. Brucie is too soft to be a hunting dog! No breed is the same. It's like comparing apples and oranges... yes, they are both fruit....but they do not have the same flavor or texture. The same goes for dogs. Each breed has it's own specific physical and personality traits, and within that...each dog has it's own unique quirks and personality. To me, generalizing a breed like this would be the same as saying that EVERY breed is a good match for every family.... which I'm sure we can all agree is not true by any stretch of the imagination. :)
Research is necessary before you bring any dog into your home. Spur of the moment decisions happen-- I totally get that, BOL! I was a spur of the moment decision for Mommy and Daddy. But they came home, did a ton of research and have worked hard to make sure I get all of the stimulation and exercise I need to keep me happy. The research really never ends, because Mommy and Daddy have already decided that another Pit Bull is in their future (at some point wayyy into the future!). But it's really something that upsets us... seeing people bring a dog into their home and then want to give it up because of something that is NORMAL for the breed. Like shedding in a German Shepherd. (We called Caesar a "German Shedder") Or dog aggression in a Pit Bull.... or herding behaviors in a Border Collie.
Okay, I think I have ranted enough for now, haha :)
/end rant
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