# New Puppy-American pitbull terrier? (pics)



## Ritzman (Oct 13, 2008)

Well we got a new puppy about a week ago. Her name is bessie or bessy (haven't decided) We have been thinking about getting a dog for quite some time, but the rescue agencies put you through pretty heavy stuff if you are trying to rescue a "notorious pitbull" around here(detroit). A lot of *so much explicit language* people like to use them as bait dogs for there "prize fighters". So I guess it's understandable that they want to make sure the dog goes to a new home.
Anyways, I saw an add on craigslist posting this puppy and the gf fell in love so we arranged to go to the ghetto to pick it up. The guy wanted 100$ for the puppy but I ended up getting it for 80$ (all the while clutching my shank/shiv[gerber]). Its sad that the guy didn't even ask where the dog was living, didn't ask nodda.

*I have already observed that she is quite the controversy breed. Everybody has there own opinion these dogs*

She is approx 11 weeks old and goes #1 and #2  outside. she sits on command and always wants to be sitting on a lap

I do have a question for you pit owners, approx when will she quit teething?(sp) 

Any advice or input you could further knowledge me with would be awesome.

heres the pics






























Hence the name bess/bessie/bessy.
Hope you enjoyed the pics.

Post some of your own bullies if you would like.


----------



## Mushroom Spore (Oct 13, 2008)

Ritzman said:


> Anyways, I saw an add on craigslist posting this puppy and the gf fell in love so we arranged to go to the ghetto to pick it up. The guy wanted 100$ for the puppy but I ended up getting it for 80$ (all the while clutching my shank/shiv[gerber]). Its sad that the guy didn't even ask where the dog was living, didn't ask nodda.


As unfortunate as it is, you may have given your money to support exactly the kind of person the rescues are trying to avoid. :8o Still, what's done is done, and at least this dog has a good home! She looks like a big fuzzy cow.  

Since she's coming out of an undoubtedly crappy breeder, you'll have to keep a sharp eye out for random inherited genetic disorders that can pop up in dogs like this. Some of them get REALLY expensive to treat, often involving surgery or medication, so if you can start setting aside extra money now for an emergency fund, that will really help you if she suddenly develops some sort of crippling problem in a year or five.

I'm trying to remember what other pibble tips I've picked up...watch her carefully around other dogs, even a well-bred one can be dog-aggressive and have a high prey drive. Proper socializing and training can apparently help with a lot of that, though. 

And some crappy breeders breed for human aggression, so there's that to watch out for too. Even if she seems fine now, those switches can get flipped later in life. I'm not saying you should be paranoid or get rid of her, just that you should be careful not to put her in situations that could land her in trouble if that happens--like unsupervised with loud/rough kids.  

More pics of giant puppy feets, please.

EDIT: Also, dog/prey aggression and human aggression are completely different things, so if she does start being hostile to other dogs or to neighborhood cats, that doesn't mean she's human aggressive at all.


----------



## crpy (Oct 13, 2008)

congrats ritzman, that is one cute pup:clap:


----------



## Ritzman (Oct 13, 2008)

The " mexican gangsta" that I got her from said that he didn't know any background info on the parents whatsoever. He said that that was the only puppy that came his way and somebody already tried to steal it. Could have been a bunch of lies...

If you know me I am a animal person 100% I am going to take it to obedience school and whatnot. My neighbor has a lab puppy she plays with and I am going to try to keep her socialized with strangers . I have 2 cats and one of the cats swated the dog but bessie just wants to play.


----------



## Hornets23 (Oct 13, 2008)

What a cutie...looks like you might have saved her from a bad situation.


----------



## Mina (Oct 14, 2008)

I can give you some advice that has been helpful with my boys.  Taking her to obedience school is a great idea.  Pit bulls are not like any other kind of dog, they are much smarter and much more stubborn than any other dog.  You can't ever, not even once, let her get away with not obeying you.  If you do she will decide that means she does not need to obey your commands.  Be firm with her, and make sure that she knows you are the alpha of the house.  Give her lots of love and lots of her favorite thing, which with pit bulls is always time with their people.  You can train pit bulls but sometimes you need to be more stubborn then they are.  Something another dog learns in 30 repetitions, can take 80 or more for a pit bull.  Even then they will test you occasionally, you know jump up on the sofa and look at you thinking, "Did you REALLy mean it when you said I can't be up here?"
They are very loving and very loyal.
She is very beautiful, best of luck and enjoy her!!!!!!!!!


----------



## equuskat (Oct 14, 2008)

She's an incredibly cute puppy.  

Also, you live in Michigan according to your profile, but she's on a Miami Dolphins blanket!  lol  I smiled at this.


----------



## Anastasia (Oct 14, 2008)

What an adorable thing!
and Am not even a dog person
Best of Luck to you


----------



## Mushroom Spore (Oct 14, 2008)

Ritzman said:


> The " mexican gangsta" that I got her from said that he didn't know any background info on the parents whatsoever.


Eep. You should definitely set aside some emergency money, then, cause there's no telling. She might not develop any medical problems at all, but better safe than sorry. 



Ritzman said:


> If you know me I am a animal person 100% I am going to take it to obedience school and whatnot. My neighbor has a lab puppy she plays with and I am going to try to keep her socialized with strangers . I have 2 cats and one of the cats swated the dog but bessie just wants to play.


Then it sounds like you're all set for a great life with yourOH MY GOODNESS THOSE ARE SOME CUTE PICTURES what was I saying?


----------



## Xaranx (Oct 14, 2008)

I've never heard of pitts being difficult to train, quite the opposite really.  Just need to firm, fair, and consistent like any dog.


----------



## mouse (Oct 15, 2008)

my sister had a chocolate pit her ex got rid of, then she adopted a white american bulldog mix from the pound, bought a boxer mix from somebody that planed on putting the pup in dogfights since they thought it a pit. well she got her chocolate pit back. they all get along. they are playful, but guard the house and yard. 
her pit is a nibbler, he nibbles on toes if you sit on the couch without shoes, then works his way higher till he in on the couch. 
in winter when it's real cold in colorado, they ALL sneak into the bed.


----------



## Shagrath666 (Oct 15, 2008)

i want to hug him and squeeze him!!!! his markings are just like one of my cats lol


----------



## Newyork (Oct 16, 2008)

Great looking dog. FYI the AKC no longer calls these dogs pitt bulls. They're American Statfordshire Terriers.  They just want to shake the bad wrap. I'm sure that really doesn't matter much to anyone on here though. Remember you never hear about the pitt bull that turned out well, only the ones that hurt people or other dogs. 

I'd suggest not having the training collar off when you aren't watching her especially if she's out in your yard or whatever. You don't have to . . . it's just a suggestion.  

Teething is no set process. Puppies just teeth. Sorry.


----------



## Tunedbeat (Oct 16, 2008)

Ritzman said:


> Her I do have a question for you pit owners, approx when will she quit teething?(sp)


Possibly never.  
Hopefully, the class will help you both.  

Great looking puppy by the way!



> Post some of your own bullies if you would like.


Here's a shot of my bully at 8 weeks.


----------



## pitbulllady (Oct 17, 2008)

Newyork said:


> Great looking dog. FYI the AKC no longer calls these dogs pitt bulls. They're American Statfordshire Terriers.  They just want to shake the bad wrap. I'm sure that really doesn't matter much to anyone on here though. Remember you never hear about the pitt bull that turned out well, only the ones that hurt people or other dogs.
> 
> I'd suggest not having the training collar off when you aren't watching her especially if she's out in your yard or whatever. You don't have to . . . it's just a suggestion.
> Teething is no set process. Puppies just teeth. Sorry.


AKC has never called them "pitt bulls", and no registery ever has. The "pit" in American Pit Bull Terrier only has one "t"; I think a lot of people get them confused with a certain Hollywood actor!  At the time that the push to register this breed with AKC occurred, in the 1930's, only the United Kennel Club(UKC)registered this breed-as American Bull Terrier.  The word "Pit" wasn't officially part of the name at that time.  The Bull Terrier Club of America(the funny-looking dogs from England)would not let the AKC register another breed with "Bull Terrier" as part of the name, since they believed it would lead to confusion(and they probably were right on that), and they didn't want their breed, which had a following among the upper "crust" of American society at that time, being confused with what was considered a working-class dog.  Many breeders wanted to call these "Yankee Terriers", which of course did not go down too well with the many breeders in the South, so AKC settled on "Staffordshire Terrier", in homage to the mining communities in England where dog-fighting really became popular.  "American" was added in 1974, when AKC accepted registry of the English Stafforshire Bull Terrier.

pitbulllady


----------



## verry_sweet (Oct 17, 2008)

Awww how cute!! And I love her markings. I will agree with the advice given above about making sure to train them well and never let them get away with anything. If you say sit she better sit. However you do not need to be rough with them. They are very sensitive dogs and good sharp tone and a stern look will suffice. I will never own another breed this breed is intelligent, beautiful, great with kids basically they are (in my opinion) the best breed. Also exercise, exercise, exercise! They are very intelligent and have a high drive so they need their mind occupied at all times or they will get them selves in to trouble, like chewing on you’re favorite items. My pups favorite toy is a flirt pole, basically a large cat toy. I highly recommend those for pitbulls. My philosophy is- a tired puppy is a good puppy.

This is my boy Deacon. 













Playing with his flirt pole.


----------



## midnight_maiden (Oct 25, 2008)

*Aaww*

Bessie is absolutely adorable. She looks just like a little cow.  

Here is my 6 month old Pit bull Maximus, Max for short.  





Here are a couple shots of Max with his best friend in the world Molly, a 3 month old Basset Hound.



	

		
			
		

		
	
   Snugglin' with hippo.













Max is one of the best dogs I've ever had. He's very good with people and other dogs. Great puppies!


----------



## Ritzman (Apr 8, 2009)

*Not such a little pup anymore.*

Such a big baby. Every single dog that she see she wants to be friends with. She is a riot to watch with my buddies little yorkie. He jumps all over poor Bessie and bites at her legs. 
Every time we go to the pet store we take her and she get's compliments left and right.
She is such a well behaved lady.
We have 2 cats that she has tried to befriend since day one, but the cats will have no part in it. One just ignores her, but the other one(female) goes out of her way to make sure she rakes bessie with claws. Now Bessie picks up the ball, goes at the cat, and turns so her rump is in the cats claw path.

She is such a pleasure to have in my life.

Here are some pics of her. 
Enjoy.  

EDIT: Notice how much pink pigment she lost/ black pigment she gained in her nose


----------



## LeilaNami (Apr 8, 2009)

Puppies teeth when their puppy teeth are breaking the gums and usually lasts for the first 3 months.  Anywhere from 4-8 months begins the second teething phase for when they are getting their adult teeth.  Pretty much expect teething until she's around 8 months old


----------



## Ritzman (Apr 8, 2009)

LeilaNami said:


> Puppies teeth when their puppy teeth are breaking the gums and usually lasts for the first 3 months.  Anywhere from 4-8 months begins the second teething phase for when they are getting their adult teeth.  Pretty much expect teething until she's around 8 months old


She has had her adult teeth since around christmas.  
I have 7 of her baby teeth.


----------



## LeilaNami (Apr 8, 2009)

Awww.   Well then it's not really a teething thing anymore.  Now it's just figuring out what's hers to chew and what's not.


----------



## jr47 (Apr 8, 2009)

I am not a dog person but that is a cute little pup. As far as training, My daughter got a pit and had it a year. Was a good dog and very freindly but it would not do a thing as far as training. I think it was the most stubborn dog I had ever seen.
                               She ended up giving it to a freind that lived in the country and it got along real well outdoors with the other dogs where it could be a dog. Its about eight now and still a big baby.
      Good luck with yours. Hope your training go's better.


----------



## Ritzman (Apr 8, 2009)

> Awww.  Well then it's not really a teething thing anymore. Now it's just figuring out what's hers to chew and what's not.


She has actually been pretty good on that, with only a couple of incidents(pretty horrid) so far. But she has so many toys it's unreal.

jr47, she sits, stays, high fives, shakes, lies down,(all by hand signals as well) waits for treats till I tell her ok, waits to eat till I say ok, speaks once when you hold up one finger, and speaks twice when you hold up 2 fingers. I am working on setting treats on her nose and her leaving them, right now.
She does have looks going for her, that's for sure.


----------



## jr47 (Apr 9, 2009)

Ritzman said:


> She has actually been pretty good on that, with only a couple of incidents(pretty horrid) so far. But she has so many toys it's unreal.
> 
> jr47, she sits, stays, high fives, shakes, lies down,(all by hand signals as well) waits for treats till I tell her ok, waits to eat till I say ok, speaks once when you hold up one finger, and speaks twice when you hold up 2 fingers. I am working on setting treats on her nose and her leaving them, right now.
> She does have looks going for her, that's for sure.


Very cool, Sounds like a smart little girl. I think sometimes the one Beth had may of just been really dumb or something. I have trained a few dogs and this one just would not respond to anything. 
                    Sounds like yours is doing really well. And you obviously know dogs or she wouldnt be doing so well. Makes a huge difference who's training and how.


----------



## LeilaNami (Apr 9, 2009)

Ritzman said:


> She has actually been pretty good on that, with only a couple of incidents(pretty horrid) so far.


I have many of those incidents.  It doesn't seem to click in my dog's head despite offering a wide variety of chews and toys.  I can't leave her uncrated while I'm not there to watch her.  Even when I sleep. It's not really her fault.  She was dumped and is a high energy dog and very very bored in my little home without a yard.  I'm trying to find her a good home as quick as possible.  I think the most recent victim was a 4pk of hilighters :wall:  But hey, I'm a packrat when it comes to clothes.  Some I have never worn.  She seems to do a good job in picking out the ones I need to throw away so I don't have to make a decision myself


----------



## agent lead (Apr 9, 2009)

dude what a cutie!

i have a female pit as well..she is 11 now...train them WELL from pups and they will be the best dog you ever had..my girl is so trained she is almost like a human in the amount of words and phrases she understands..

such a great dog if trained properly...enjoy her man

beautiful

























she loves other dogs and LOVES people...her fave things to do is take a ride in the car and go swimming...she can swim for HOURS nonstop..even at 11 years old! such a joy to have in my life and she is my bestest friend in the world..i know she is getting old and i will be lost without her when she goes...i really really love my dog...


----------



## Ritzman (Apr 9, 2009)

Thanks for the compliments everybody. Bessie really appreciates it.  

Lead, my girl loves car rides and water also. She picked up on the word bath, and she knows when we say shower, we go in the bath. So we can't even say shower anymore. It is amazing how smart they are.


----------



## pitbulllady (Apr 9, 2009)

Beautiful dogs, all of them, but of course, I'm partial to APBT'S!  I've owned many breeds, but none that were as in-tuned to people as this one, or as adaptable.

What still amazes me, in a very bad way, though-is the hypocrisy that I often see here on this very board.  You'd think that people who own animals which are often seen by the general public as scary, bad, dangerous, or even downright evil would be a bit more aware of just how erroneous such public perception can be, and would also realize that all of us, whether we keep tarantulas, scorpions, snakes, exotic cats or certain breeds of dog, are in the same boat.  We're ALL targets of the media and the Animal Rights movement, since it's a lot easier to convince the public and the politicians that OUR animals, as opposed to the Foo-Foo dogs and Persian cats, are dangerous and should be eliminated.  There's something very, very wrong when a person who owns tarantulas or other controversial, or non-traditional pet animals, is so willing to point the finger at some other person's animals and yell, "BAN THEM! KILL THEM!  THEY'RE TOO DANGEROUS!", when they totally fail to realize the same people who are willing to take them up on that are just as willing to go after THEIR animals with equal determination! Just take a look over in "The Watering Hole", and you will see a case-in-point, in which a member of this board states that he/she "wouldn't be in the same room with a pit unless I had a gun", etc.  It's hard for me to believe anyone like that could actually own ANY animal, especially something that most people consider almost, if not more, terrifying and dangerous as a "pit bull"!  It's so sad that an animal owner is so gullible as to actually believe that every single dog incident that is blamed on a "pit bull" was actually committed by a purebred American Pit Bull Terrier, or fail to see the same hand behind the push to enact BSL as to ban "exotics", including snakes and tarantulas.  Create a devil with the help of the media, generate enough public fear/hate, and then ban it...three easy steps towards eliminating animal ownership, period.

pitbulllady


----------



## LeilaNami (Apr 9, 2009)

pitbulllady said:


> Beautiful dogs, all of them, but of course, I'm partial to APBT'S!  I've owned many breeds, but none that were as in-tuned to people as this one, or as adaptable.
> 
> What still amazes me, in a very bad way, though-is the hypocrisy that I often see here on this very board.  You'd think that people who own animals which are often seen by the general public as scary, bad, dangerous, or even downright evil would be a bit more aware of just how erroneous such public perception can be, and would also realize that all of us, whether we keep tarantulas, scorpions, snakes, exotic cats or certain breeds of dog, are in the same boat.  We're ALL targets of the media and the Animal Rights movement, since it's a lot easier to convince the public and the politicians that OUR animals, as opposed to the Foo-Foo dogs and Persian cats, are dangerous and should be eliminated.  There's something very, very wrong when a person who owns tarantulas or other controversial, or non-traditional pet animals, is so willing to point the finger at some other person's animals and yell, "BAN THEM! KILL THEM!  THEY'RE TOO DANGEROUS!", when they totally fail to realize the same people who are willing to take them up on that are just as willing to go after THEIR animals with equal determination! Just take a look over in "The Watering Hole", and you will see a case-in-point, in which a member of this board states that he/she "wouldn't be in the same room with a pit unless I had a gun", etc.  It's hard for me to believe anyone like that could actually own ANY animal, especially something that most people consider almost, if not more, terrifying and dangerous as a "pit bull"!  It's so sad that an animal owner is so gullible as to actually believe that every single dog incident that is blamed on a "pit bull" was actually committed by a purebred American Pit Bull Terrier, or fail to see the same hand behind the push to enact BSL as to ban "exotics", including snakes and tarantulas.  Create a devil with the help of the media, generate enough public fear/hate, and then ban it...three easy steps towards eliminating animal ownership, period.
> 
> pitbulllady


I agree. Layla is not a pit but she is a shepherd mix and has a wide jaw so instantly I get "Oh my god a pit bull!" reaction.  I'm fostering her and really afraid to take her to the shelter even though I can't really afford her (finally got a rescue to sponsor me though so the cost will be diffused a little).  Since people assume she's pit, odds are she will either be put down immediately or hardly be allowed time for an adoption.  The adoption rate of pits in shelters is next to nothing.


----------



## Ritzman (Apr 9, 2009)

> The adoption rate of pits in shelters is next to nothing.


It's heartbreaking.


----------



## LeilaNami (Apr 10, 2009)

Ritzman said:


> It's heartbreaking.


So true.  Oh and I like your quote.  In words of The Matrix, humans are a virus


----------



## Herps&Inverts (Apr 14, 2009)

I think your kiddo is absolutely adorable! We do weightpull with our APBTs. My eldest will be competing at nationals this year, he's currently ranked 7th in the nation in his WP class. 

Everyone that's mentioned the necessity for training is right. They're a very smart dog and need ways to burn off their physical and mental energies.


Here are a few of my boys:
Brogan. Placed 3rd at this WP event.






Bastien. My "literally pulled the euthanasia needle out of his vein" rescue.






Breixo (pronounced bray-shaw) in the backdrop (Brogan in the front). Another rescue.






Here's the cat that torments them all, Baldwin (he thinks he's a pitbull):


----------



## pitbulllady (Apr 14, 2009)

OMG, you have a Sphynx!  I really want one of these sooo bad!  If he torments your poor dogs too much, just send him to me-most of my dogs NEED some tormenting!

Your boy Brogan looks a lot like one of my foundations females, many years ago, a Boudreaux x Carver girl named Poise'N Ivy.  Bastien appears to be one of the many "Catahoula Pits" which are often sold for huge amounts of money as "rare, merle Pit Bulls", but he's a lucky dog regardless of his family tree.

pitbulllady


----------



## Herps&Inverts (Apr 14, 2009)

Ah, yes. You're telling me nothing I don't already know about Bastien. My late catahoula, Karrey, was my first cow'n dog...but I think alot of the catahoula must have been bred out of Bastien. I swear, he retained only part of a glass eye and his merle coloring. There's no extra energy or intelligence...this dog wakes up in a new world every day and thinks he's a 10# poodle. Only dog I know that tries to chew on your boob when you scratch his butt. 

Baldwin will have to remain with us, I'm afraid. We're also planning to get another in the future. I've picked out a fitting name that my fiancee rolls his eyes at and that is Buck. 

His registered name, of course, will have to be Buck Naked.

Baldwin came from Theresa who runs abeitagatos.com. Being a vet tech, I cannot recommend any breeder aside from her. The cats come healthy, HCM negative, extremely social and spoiled beyond belief. She's still 500 miles from me, but I'm sold on getting our next hairless wonder from her.


----------



## Ritzman (Apr 14, 2009)

That cat is AWESOME.
If I remember correctly, those caps on his claws prevent him from clawing up furniture?


----------



## Herps&Inverts (Apr 15, 2009)

More like his humans. lol. 

He's very good about not scratching up furniture but since he has taken up walking across faces while we sleep...we've taken measures to be certain he's not doing any damage. lol.


----------



## Rochelle (Apr 15, 2009)

Ritzman...Bessie is the shizznit!  Bring her by so we can visit with her and maybe take her to the big park up the road.  I'm sure her and Betty Rumble will have a ball swimming in the river.!

(Just for the record...AKC does not register APBT's. They register American Staffordshire Terriers. These dogs are bred for color, size and conformation; thereby breeding out ANY useful traits at all inherent in the original breed. 
ADBA and others register True APBT's.) 

GLD's Betty Rumble Bumble  6yrs.  Colby/Neblett/McCoy  (ADBA)





http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphoto..._1035260398602_1138218067_30098793_8795_n.jpg


----------

