New puppy!

[-Sarah-]

Matt and I have been missing our dogs.. it's been over a year and a half for him, and six months for me of going without a beloved canine companion, sooo... we were on craigslist last night, looking at dogs that needed a home. We came across this beautiful little girl and both said, "She's gorgeous!" - she still has those "puppy" eyes!

It was late - - 11:40pm, and Matt writes the number down to call this guy. I think it's a bloody crazy idea going after a puppy at midnight but, we both felt so bad for her. Matt calls the guy and asks if she's healthy and has her shots, and that she's been taken care of. "Oh yeah yeah shots are up to date and blah-blah".. well, we make a run to go look at her, since the guy was interested in getting rid of her. It's after midnight and here we are sitting at a Citgo station waiting for him to show up. He shows up - and, not to judge people but he uh.. looked like a dog fighter. This white guy with tattoos all over his head, baggy sweatshirt on (that could probably hold an estimated 20 handguns easily), and cigar smoke was billowing out of the truck he had both puppies in. Both of the parents of the pups were dead, the mother was shot, according to him, for jumping the fence and attacking the neighbor's children (hmm. Don't know about that...) he pulled out this huge carrier that had both pups in it, they were so adorable!! I felt so bad for her little sister but we can't have two puppies in the apartment he handed our girl to me and the other to Matt, we looked them over.. she was a little dirty, had poop on her feet and under her nails. The carrier was gross! we knew when we went to get her we would be bringing her back home with us. I tucked her in my fleece vest and we drove home. Matt dropped us off and went to get puppy food, a couple bowls and a leash and collar while I cleaned the terrified puppy. She was a little dehydrated when I filled up her water bowl - she ate quite a bit of food. She's not potty-trained very well yet so I've cleaned up puddles of puppy pee today :wall: she's adorable - when she plays, she pounces on her toy like a cat! And she's such a gorgeous creamy-tan color, with white "booties" on her paws. We settled on a name for her... "Puma", because of her coloring and how she loves to pounce! (especially on your unsuspecting toes... ouch. Puppy teeth)

These pics were taken shortly after she delighted in dumping her water bowl everywhere, so that's water you see on the pair of pink pants she's chewing on! LOL

Last but not least, my favorite picture of her

 

[whitewolf]

Best of luck Sarah hope everything works out with it. Hopefully it wont get the parents temper if that is true. At least she is in good hands now.

 

[-Sarah-]

Best of luck Sarah hope everything works out with it. Hopefully it wont get the parents temper if that is true. At least she is in good hands now.

Thanks whitewolf! She's a sweetheart. Pit bulls have a bad rep due to people who abuse their loyalty for fighting.

I found an awesome website called Pit Bull Lovers and they have some wonderful information on these gorgeous dogs. I'm a Portuguese water dog fan myself, I miss my doggie! But pits are pretty dogs too! LOL - - as I type this I have some clean old clothes in an oversized laundry basket that I put Puma in so she could sit by me while I go job-hunting online and she's on her back with all four legs in the air.

 

[Elleken]

Pitbulls are great dogs. We adopted two of them (well one is a mix) and I must say they are a couple of the most loving dogs ever. As long as you train her well and don't encourage bad behavior I'm sure she will be a great dog. My little girl is full grown and will let me hold her like a baby no problem while she gives kisses haha. Grats on the beautiful new pitty.

 

[whitewolf]

Ya I gotta say in all my years of having pits at some point and time, some directly out of fighting lines, they acted far better than the Chow/Shepherd mix I have now or little dogs. I trusted those dogs with my kids far more than this one. Wonderful dogs with a bad over rated reputation. She is just cute cute cute.

 

[Big Red TJ]

She is Eli/cowboy but no papers...This is not the first pit I have raised but she is a sweety. Kid gloves all the way I belive in solid praise no negativity she is good to go

 

[-Sarah-]

Pits are amazing! She's so playful and lovable I love her! She's beautiful.

 

[Teal]

She's a lovely pup... but PLEASE continue to do your research.

It is NOT "all in how you raise them." If the dam of these pups was shot for attacking someone - that is a genetic fault, and is likely to be passed on to puppies. Temperament is 90% genetic and 10% training - you can NOT have a sound, well trained proper dog unless they have a solid, sound genetic foundation to build upon. All the socialization and training in the world, isn't going to change the genes your dog inherited from her sire, dam, and grandsire and granddam. Just be aware of the the signs of temperament flaws, and don't make excuses for your dog. In the old days, it wasn't an issue because breeders culled (meaning, killed) dogs that didn't have proper temperament... but these days, with Joe Blow breeding dogs and not giving a crap about their temperament, you have to pay attention. I had to put down an 11 month old puppy for being "off" - when I was later able to track down where she came from, her dam was a complete basketcase of fearful aggression, but since the "breeder" believed it was "all in how you raise them" he didn't think the dam was passing on crappy genetics to the puppies.

www.badrap.org has a lot of good information, as well as www.pbrc.net and www.pitbull-chat.com (the last one is a forum).

and I won't even comment on your "looked like a dog fighter" stereotype. Actual dog fighting is NOT that common, people are just super paranoid. The guy was probably just a sleezebag with dogs he thought made him look tough.

 

[whitewolf]

Very good advice Teal. Don't make my mistake and make excuses and keep pushing the bar. Sometimes training wont stop or prevent anything. We are down a dogs now because despite heavy training something just snapped in his head. It's too sad a story and still on going so I won't give the details. Don't distrust her because of it but don't make excuses or tolerate any aggression. He may have been lieing but he may not have either.

 

[Big Red TJ]

She's a lovely pup... but PLEASE continue to do your research.

It is NOT "all in how you raise them." If the dam of these pups was shot for attacking someone - that is a genetic fault, and is likely to be passed on to puppies. Temperament is 90% genetic and 10% training - you can NOT have a sound, well trained proper dog unless they have a solid, sound genetic foundation to build upon. All the socialization and training in the world, isn't going to change the genes your dog inherited from her sire, dam, and grandsire and granddam. Just be aware of the the signs of temperament flaws, and don't make excuses for your dog. In the old days, it wasn't an issue because breeders culled (meaning, killed) dogs that didn't have proper temperament... but these days, with Joe Blow breeding dogs and not giving a crap about their temperament, you have to pay attention. I had to put down an 11 month old puppy for being "off" - when I was later able to track down where she came from, her dam was a complete basketcase of fearful aggression, but since the "breeder" believed it was "all in how you raise them" he didn't think the dam was passing on crappy genetics to the puppies.

www.badrap.org has a lot of good information, as well as www.pbrc.net and www.pitbull-chat.com (the last one is a forum).

and I won't even comment on your "looked like a dog fighter" stereotype. Actual dog fighting is NOT that common, people are just super paranoid. The guy was probably just a sleezebag with dogs he thought made him look tough.

I understand.....seriously I do but I have been raising these dogs for 15 years. I hear what you are saying but I disagree to a point....if a puppy shows NO SIGHNS of aggression or bad traits it does not mean they are going to grow into A BAD DOG....Nature VS nurtue...genetics only goes so far...there is NO EVIDENCE THAT IS CONCLUSIVE THAt ALL DOGS ARE GOING TO BE BAD DO TO GENETICS......do your your home work AkA richard Hammond "the truth about the american pitbull" not trying to be a dick but I have been raising these dogs all my life it was the breed I grew up with...I get what you are saying Teal but I have turned Dog fighting dogs into lap dogs with proper rehab....by the way I dedigate time at a pitbull rehab shelter. Again not trying to be a prick just we all have are ways and it is different strokes for different folks. P.S. she has solid genetics..Eli cowboy thats good blood. just my 2 cents take no offense....Matt

 

[ZergFront]

AWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!

Won't you please come all the way to Redwood City and drop her off for daycare? LOL!

 

[Teal]

For the record, dogs don't just "snap" - there are ALWAYS warning signs, but the general population of pet owners do NOT know enough about dog behaviour and body language to recognize the signs that there is something off with their dog.

Every single news story about a dog that "snapped out of nowhere and attacked' is just a complete lack of the owner knowing about their dog - dogs don't speak human language, they have their own way of warning people to back off or dogs that are wired wrong see things differently even than THOSE dogs.

 

[Teal]

I understand.....seriously I do but I have been raising these dogs for 15 years. I hear what you are saying but I disagree to a point....if a puppy shows NO SIGHNS of aggression or bad traits it does not mean they are going to grow into A BAD DOG....Nature VS nurtue...genetics only goes so far...there is NO EVIDENCE THAT IS CONCLUSIVE THAt ALL DOGS ARE GOING TO BE BAD DO TO GENETICS......do your your home work AkA richard Hammond "the truth about the american pitbull" not trying to be a dick but I have been raising these dogs all my life it was the breed I grew up with...I get what you are saying Teal but I have turned Dog fighting dogs into lap dogs with proper rehab....by the way I dedigate time at a pitbull rehab shelter. Again not trying to be a prick just we all have are ways and it is different strokes for different folks. P.S. she has solid genetics..Eli ?cowboy thats good blood. just my 2 cents take no offense....Matt

Puppies have immature temperaments... dogs mature around 2 years old, sometimes older.

PROPERLY BRED pit bulls aren't anything to worry about - like I already said. Eli dogs have NO history of human aggression - if you have Eli bred dogs, you don't have to worry.

Fighting dogs are not dogs that would EVER bite a human, EVER. They were bred for that purpose.

But not every "pit bull" out there is from Eli, or a Sorrells dog, etc. and the generic "pit bull" dog out on the street is not always going to have the solid genetics the original lines have.

I've been involved with this breed my entire life.

"Rehab" is complete crap and is a term coined by that idiot Cesar Millan - whose work is total bull. Do you know how many dogs are killed in his pack when the camera are off? I DO.

 

[Big Red TJ]

AWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!

Won't you please come all the way to Redwood City and drop her off for daycare? LOL!

come fly out and play Starcraft!!!!!! seriously I have been raising Good dogs from solid lines for a long time..So I took a chance on a craigslist dog which I never do..... who cares??? she is a pet so I don't give a flying F*&k about papers as long as she is a sweetheart and she will be a great dog I promise....

 

[Big Red TJ]

Puppies have immature temperaments... dogs mature around 2 years old, sometimes older.

PROPERLY BRED pit bulls aren't anything to worry about - like I already said. Eli dogs have NO history of human aggression - if you have Eli bred dogs, you don't have to worry.

Fighting dogs are not dogs that would EVER bite a human, EVER. They were bred for that purpose.

But not every "pit bull" out there is from Eli, or a Sorrells dog, etc. and the generic "pit bull" dog out on the street is not always going to have the solid genetics the original lines have.

I've been involved with this breed my entire life.

"Rehab" is complete crap and is a term coined by that idiot Cesar Millan - whose work is total bull. Do you know how many dogs are killed in his pack when the camera are off? I DO.

I have had Hammond,colby, Sorrell, Eli,Tuant Chinaman,jeep Gator,need I go on on my yard???? not to be disrespectful but do not insult my intelligence with regard to bully breeds...or game dogs

 

[Teal]

By the way.. Chinaman is a man biter and has produced the same. Not ALL dogs off him are, but I wouldn't get a dog off him because it's in the line.

The general public doesn't HAVE gamedogs, so we aren't talkin gamedogs here - we are talkin "pet bred pit bulls" that may or may not even be purebred, and even if they aren't - they weren't bred to gamedog standards.

I'm not insulting anyone - but we aren't talkin bout gamedogs, and your pointless name dropping isn't impressing anyone.

 

[ZergFront]

At least you gave her a better life (obviously by the description of the owner). My mini pin doesn't have papers either.

When I get StarCraft II I will contact you.

I may just get the first ones since I do miss playing and the new one won't be out until 2010 at least. I ran over the CDs I had with my rolling desk chair (yeah...stupid. Don't know why they weren't in the cases) :wall:

Any-who.... beautiful puppy. Hope it will give you joy for years to come!

 

[Big Red TJ]

At least you gave her a better life (obviously by the description of the owner). My mini pin doesn't have papers either.

When I get StarCraft II I will contact you.

I may just get the first ones since I do miss playing and the new one won't be out until 2010 at least. I ran over the CDs I had with my rolling desk chair (yeah...stupid. Don't know why they weren't in the cases) :wall:

Any-who.... beautiful puppy. Hope it will give you joy for years to come!

she is laying on me right now

 

[Big Red TJ]

By the way.. Chinaman is a man biter and has produced the same. Not ALL dogs off him are, but I wouldn't get a dog off him because it's in the line.

The general public doesn't HAVE gamedogs, so we aren't talkin gamedogs here - we are talkin "pet bred pit bulls" that may or may not even be purebred, and even if they aren't - they weren't bred to gamedog standards.

I'm not insulting anyone - but we aren't talkin bout gamedogs, and your pointless name dropping isn't impressing anyone.

So do you Own "game dogs"???????????????

 

[Teal]

I should have phrased that - gamebred dogs. A dog can't be a gamedog until proven in the pit - which is illegal in the US (which everyone knows, I'm sure lol).