# Need opinions on new puppy's breed



## KanoasDestiny (Dec 19, 2011)

Last week my husband brought home a puppy that was found in a vacant yard. My husband thought he was half weimaraner, but as soon as he showed him to me I saw pit. I have NEVER wanted a pitbull, and I tried really hard to find him another home. We tried word-of-mouth because I was scared he'd go to a really bad situation if I posted free-pitbull flyers around town. As of now, it looks like we're keeping him.






He really is a sweet little guy. I took him to the vet for his puppy shots on Friday and they said he looks to only be 8-10 weeks old. But he is HUGE! He is underweight and weighed in at 18 pounds. They believe he may have some mastiff or another breed in him as well because his paws are HUGE!

What do you guys think? I know he has pit in him, but do you see anything else? Right now I'm trying to think of ways we can socialize him. We live in an area where there aren't alot of neighbors, and we seldom have new company come over. But I don't want him to get aggressive towards strangers. The nearest place that offers obedience classes is over thirty miles away.


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## Marty (Dec 19, 2011)

I think you are right on target with pit bull X mastiff!

He's a chunk a chunk of burning love too!


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## Mona (Dec 19, 2011)

OMG!! He is absolutely ADORABLE!!



Sorry, but I do not see Pit at all!


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## REO (Dec 19, 2011)

He is a "thinking" dog





He's going to be mighty pretty!


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## KanoasDestiny (Dec 19, 2011)

Thank you guys. I sure hope he doesn't have the pitbull personality as he gets older. Right now he's a complete love bug, but he does like to play rough with our two big guys (lab/chow mix and our border collie mix). I'm still teaching him that our chi mix and the cats don't like to play so much. He's an extremely smart little guy, he's doing great with crate training and potty training, not to mention he knows what 'no' means.


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## REO (Dec 19, 2011)

I feel that if you talk to him & explain things, it'll go a long way. Like, some kids you yell at & some you talk to. He's a talking to type



Thinking dog. Just the way I feel him.

Am I the only one who thinks he looks like an EARL?

or DUKE?


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## KanoasDestiny (Dec 19, 2011)

That is sooo funny that you say that Mona. We actually mentioned Earl when we were thinking about names. We didn't want a name that made him sound mean or scary, so we decided to name him Andre.


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## KanoasDestiny (Dec 19, 2011)

Oops, sorry Reo...meant to say your name but I was thinking about Mona's little guy when I responded. Lol


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## mydaddysjag (Dec 19, 2011)

Well socialized, properly raised pittbulls have excellent personalities, not the bad rap they often get. Where you get in trouble with pitts are when "thugs" get them and they arent raised right, or spend their life tied to a tree with no socilization. Infact, if pitts were allowed in my apartment, I wouldnt hesitate to own one. I think you will find that they are very smart, loyal, and lovable dogs with the right upbringing, just like any other dog. He sure is pretty! Do you have a tractor supply, or pet friendly park? I know our TSC allows you to bring dogs in if they are on a leash, and we have parks where you are allowed to take your dogs. I only go to leashed parks, after seeing someones dog being attacked at a "dog park". Never something I want to risk with my own pet. Do you have children that you could walk to the bus stop and take the puppy too, he would get to see a lot of children, see the bus drive up, etc.


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## REO (Dec 19, 2011)

I "heard" the name Earl when I looked at him. I guess I now know why!

Andre the giant puppy paws! OH OH!!


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## Lizzie (Dec 19, 2011)

Adorable pup! Definitely some PB there. I would get him neutered as soon as he is healthy enough and definitely socialize as much as you possibly are able. I would not worry so much about his being nasty to humans, as with his probable future dog aggression. So allowing him to mix with as many friendly dogs as possible, will go a long way to making him a super boy. Look up and find some reliable obedience courses on the net or purchase a good book. You should be able to obedience train him yourself.

I think he looks like an 'Edgar'.

Lizzie


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## Minimor (Dec 19, 2011)

> Where you get in trouble with pitts are when "thugs" get them and they arent raised right, or spend their life tied to a tree with no socilization


Not true--I can name off a number of dogs that were well socialized family pets who one day just "snapped" and attacked someome or something.
He is a handsome fellow and if he is a pit cross hopefully he will give you no trouble.


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## Sonya (Dec 19, 2011)

He is very cute. I personally know of 2 pitts and a pitt mix...they are all sweet as pie.


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## Lizzie (Dec 19, 2011)

Something we must remember, is that some dogs and several breeds, are extremely high-prey. PBs being just one of the high-prey breeds. We hear people say that there are no bad dogs, just bad owners. This is really a bit of both. A high prey dog is not necessarily a 'bad' dog, but one who's instincts are very close to the surface. In the wrong hands, this can prove deadly. So what are the wrong hands? They could be macho idiots who encourage bad behaviour, a person who spoils the dog and allows bad behaviour or a person with a high prey breed, who just doesn't set boundaries and obedience train.

Most Terrier breeds are high-prey. They were bred to catch and kill vermin. According to their size, they can do quite a bit of damage, upon catching their intended prey. Their intended prey can be a mouse or even a human. Unlikely things can set of high prey breeds. An animal or child running and/or screaming for example. In fact, often anything running can cause excitement in such a dog or breed and often, an attack. It is not the dog's fault. He/she was bred to do this. It is instinct.

All purebred dog breeds were originally bred for a job of work. Be that hunting and killing prey, herding, retrieving or even just lap-sitting. Humans get into trouble with dogs, when not fully understanding what that breed was originally bred for. Many purchase dogs completely alien to their life style. This means the dog is often the one which suffers and ends up in the pound.

So it is up to humans, to thoroughly investigate the background of any breed we choose and decide whether or not we can provide the right set of circumstances, to keep that breed trained, happy and under control at all times. This means extreme socialization from puppyhood, careful and dedicated obedience training and strong and secure fencing.

Lizzie


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## MeganH (Dec 19, 2011)

I have owned 1 full pit bull, and now have 2 pit mixes..

One of the mixes is 2 parts pit, 1 part english bulldog (dad was pit, mom was pit/english bulldog mix) and she is an outside dog. She is a good dog we have never had an issue with, but she has to warm up to strangers before she 'trusts' them (she just barks at them and looks at them like she is not sure of them) and we don't let her with the kids or horses alone just to make sure she is ok with them. She has always been skiddish a bit which you just want to watch in ANY dog. This is her:




The other is a pit mix with boxer for sure and some other breeds in there and she is the sweetest and best dog I have ever known. Never ever had any issue with aggression and is super friendly. This is her:




Now with my old full blood pit, we rescued her from a known fighting operation. She was around 4-5 months old and was bred with her parents being fighting dogs. We knew the risks and took her in and everyone had high hopes for her. She was dominate, and she would nip at my other dogs sometimes. As she got older she got a little worse. I had her spayed and she was fine at that time meeting new dogs. She started to dominate my other two dogs more and drew blood a few times. Then a dog snuck up on her in my yard when I had her on a leash and she bit him. After that- it was all down hill. She started to act strange with strangers and even us sometimes. She then became very aggressive to other dogs and humans. We did not like how she looked at children in particular. We worked with a rescue and shelter and talked of having her placed in a home without other dogs or children but she went after several workers and she was just too dangerous. It was a very sad situation.. but there were signs all along the way. She did not just snap.

That being said- not all pits or pit mixes are bad. The way they are treated and cared affects them greatly. Negative attributes can be bred into them as well. In my opinion you can see some negative traits before they 'snap'- but you have to know what to look for.

If you are not confident of comfortable with the breed and being able to care and handle them properly then it would be best for the dog if it was with someone who was.

That puppy is adorable.. I do see a little pit, but I also see more then just pit. He could end up being a wonderful, harmless dog. Rough play in puppies can be normal. You would need to watch him as he grows and see how he treats other dogs/animals/humans and how he interacts as well.

Good luck and hope for the best for him!


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## Carolyn R (Dec 19, 2011)

Very cute puppy. Hopefully, if he does indeed have pit mixed in, the prey drive that is known to be associated with pits will be tempered with the mastiff attributes.

It is possible to have a subdued pit, but people must understand that it is not rational to think that one can undo generations of selective breeding to fine tune prey instincts/drive in one or two generations.

Look at it this way... if he is a stray and no new home is available, you can do your best to give him a fare shot at life, which is more than he would have otherwise. You are aware of the issues that may arise, and I am sure you will be keeping a dilligent eye on him (especially when it comes to him thinking he needs to protect his family and home and issues that may come about with insticts to prey on animals, esp. those that like to flee, it is about the enjoyment of the chase). With that said, it sounds like you have already made up your mind, LOL. Enjoy him,proceed with a watchful eye and an open heart. It sounds like you have your wits about you, and if the situation should arise that you realize genetics were not kind to him, you know you did your best to give him the most opportune chance to know he was loved and had a fair shot at life.


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## KanoasDestiny (Dec 19, 2011)

Thank you everyone. I greatly appreciate the opinions and advice. I went a full week without wanting to keep him but darn that thing called attachment. Lol. One of the deciding factors for me agreeing he could stay is that he doesn't show any kind of food aggression, and he allows us to touch him everywhere on hs body. I can rub his tummy, inside his legs, his lips, and between his toes. He seems really mellow to me. He does love to play and chew but when he sleeps, he's dead to the world and will sleep all through the night. I'm extremely scared of parvo right now because he's always lazy. I have him around our indoor pets daily, which includes cats, a small dog and a rabbit. We also take him down with the horses and will be taking him for walks.


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## Reignmaker Miniatures (Dec 19, 2011)

Your puppy is almost exactly the color and build of one of the mastiff breeds. My neighbor owns one...can't think which...perhaps the Pressa or Cane Corso. Hers is a smaller more refined breed of mastiff (not square like the bullmastiff). The other breed that pup makes me think of is a great dane, I know they come in that color but haven't seen one personally. I really don't see pitty in him. I do think you would be well served to take it with you as much as possible to get it socialized and definitely put some obedience training into him. Large dogs need guidance or their very size makes them a risk IMO. Very nice looking pup BTW


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## KanoasDestiny (Dec 19, 2011)

Sorry, my phone doesn't allow me to post too much at a time. I feel like I'm constantly watching him, as we had an aggressive dog years ago and I refuse to ever have another one. We don't have children but we hope to someday. That also scares me because I don't want that jealousy or excitement there. Right now, I'm teaching him things like no, no bite, sit, and lay. He does have an issue with coming when called but thats just because he's lazy and doesn't want to get up. Lol. Lots of treats has his attention constantly on me. He also wears a collar full time, is learning to walk on a leash, and will be neutered in 6 weeks. My husband is trying to teach him fetch because that has done wonders for our border collie.


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## MindyLee (Dec 19, 2011)

What color is the inside of his mouth and tounge???

That will help with what breed he is too.


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## KanoasDestiny (Dec 19, 2011)

His tongue and gums are pink. The top part and sides inside his mouth is blue until it goes back towards the uvula area (on a human - do dogs even have those?) where it turns pink again.


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## shorthorsemom (Dec 19, 2011)

if you google cane corso there is a 5 week puppy on there that is the spitting image of your pup right down to the color. I can post the link later if you want.


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## Riverrose28 (Dec 19, 2011)

I went to the feed store today, and you know how everyone puts up flyers for pups, well one of the flyers was of a pup that looked just like this one. Sorry I didn't note the name of the breed but did notice the flyer said it was from South Africa and they guarded livestock. Maybe if you google breeds from South Africa. I should have written down the name, but didn't think of it at the time.


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## Lizzie (Dec 19, 2011)

Are you thinking of a Boerboel Riverrose? He really doesn't have enough lip to be any of the Mastiff breeds or Great Dane. A Dane at 8 weeks would weigh about 30 lbs. Remembering that PBs are not a real breed, but have been mixed with just about everything in the last 30 years, at maturity they can weigh anything between 30 and 75 lbs on average. There are many PBs in this area and I'd say most weigh about 60 lbs. Several the same colour as the OP's pup.

Look at this site, which lists PBs in the S. Cal area. Look at Boo. Almost identical to the OPs pup. Many others in that colour too.

http://www.adoptapet.com/dog-adoption/search/50/miles/93510?family_name=Pit%20Bull%20Terrier&family_id=801

Lizzie


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## Sonya (Dec 19, 2011)

My vet once said to me when I questioned the breeds in my mix (black and white dog in my avatar) 'he is whatever you want him to be, thats whats great about a mutt'


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## KanoasDestiny (Dec 19, 2011)

This area is littered with pitbull type dogs. Every gang member or wannabe tough guy owns one. You drive down the road and nearly every dog you see being walked is a pitbull. I always thought the people were trying to show how 'cool' they were but now I wonder if they are actually trying to socialize the dogs. Lol.

Boo looked more blue in color. Andre is a light tan (blue face) kinda more like Topaz on that page (minus the face coloring). I wish my phone would let me upload another picture to show his facial markings better. They are almost like a mastiff's but not black. He isn't big enough to be mastiff but he may have some in him.


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## KanoasDestiny (Dec 19, 2011)

I like that reply Sonya!


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## Lizzie (Dec 19, 2011)

I hear you KD. S. Cal. is definitely the PB capital of the world. Just on that one site, there are 520 PBs for adoption. Most will end up being put to sleep. And there are thousands of others in this area, also not finding homes. Two PB rescues here, actually have their own shows on TV. It is a real problem. Last month, just up the road from me, three PBs running loose, killed 49 goats. It was a horrible mess. Others had to be put to sleep, since they were so badly injured. My hubby recently had to rescue two ladies who had walked to our local mail box. A loose PB had them in a corner and would not allow them to move.

Lizzie


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## KanoasDestiny (Dec 19, 2011)

It's sad that so many people allow their dogs to roam loose where they can become an even bigger problem. At the last place we lived, our 19 year old neighbor bred pitbulls and their male was extremely mean. He would come over in our yard and stand outside my kitchen window growling in at me. Used to make me scared to leave the house. But you'd hear the stupid kid out yelling 'get em' as people rode bikes down the street. The dogs would dig out or they'd leave the fence open. I saw them catch two cats and take them home like trophies. :-( I called the humane society several times but they never caught the dogs out and couldnt do anything. In almost two years living here, we've seen five loose dogs, three of which live across the street. I love it here!


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## KanoasDestiny (Dec 19, 2011)

I was just talking to my husband last night that we need to better secure the wood fence in our back yard where we keep our dogs. We do have a wire perimeter fence around the property as well, so our dogs would have to get out of two fences to bother anyone. But we get the Santa Ana winds here and I'm scared that one of these days the wind is going to blow the wood fence down. Maybe we'll reinforce it better this weekend. :-/


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## Riverrose28 (Dec 20, 2011)

Lizzie said:


> Are you thinking of a Boerboel Riverrose? He really doesn't have enough lip to be any of the Mastiff breeds or Great Dane. A Dane at 8 weeks would weigh about 30 lbs. Remembering that PBs are not a real breed, but have been mixed with just about everything in the last 30 years, at maturity they can weigh anything between 30 and 75 lbs on average. There are many PBs in this area and I'd say most weigh about 60 lbs. Several the same colour as the OP's pup.
> 
> Look at this site, which lists PBs in the S. Cal area. Look at Boo. Almost identical to the OPs pup. Many others in that colour too.
> 
> ...


Yes, Lizzie that is the name of the breed of dog I saw a picture of at the feed store, I'd never heard of them before. Thanks for the info.


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## Sterling (Dec 20, 2011)

He sure is adorable!



(I like what Sonya's vet said.



) I do see Mastiff in him. The body, feet and legs. Specifically what Molosser type I don't know. IMO the Cane Corso has a somewhat more blocky face than your little boy. When my Cane Corso, Lakota was a puppy around the age you say your little one is, she had definitely a more chunky face and head. (You can see her on my website.) That being said....I would socialize him consistantly...every day, every day, every day...any chance you get...very important and keep it part of your daily routine. Keep doing what you're doing touching and petting his belly, ears, mouth, toes etc...this conditions him for his later years. Good that he has no food aggressions. I have hand fed my puppies for about a week or so when I've first gotten them so they will know I am the Alpha and I dispense the food. Just an aside......wipe your slate clean from all the negative thoughts and profiling of the pitbulls and other dogs in your life that have scared you. This little baby that has entered your life is a separate entity. Open your mind and give him all that you can to help raise him to be a star....you will be rewarded ten fold. Good luck with this sweet little boy...I hope to hear awesome updates as he gets growing.


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## Mona (Dec 20, 2011)

YES, to everything Sterling has said.



Also, don't stop at just touching his mouth, eyes, ears, tummy, tail etc. PREPARE him for life...put your finger IN his ear (this will prepare him for future vet care and cleaning), in his mouth...hold his jaw open and feel his gums way in the back. (again, this prepares him for things coming his way in the future) Tug on his tail...not meanly, but firmly, so it does not startle him into fear biting. Gradually do it lightly when he's not expecting it...do it in play or when he's sleeping (in case a child ever unknowingly does it, it prepares him for that). Let him chew your hands...GENTLY! When he gets rough, *holler* OUCH to him so he knows it's too rough. Littermates will yelp to let their siblings know they are being too rough. Give him bones with a little meat left on them (large SAFE ones) or something he finds very tastey that he may want to challenge you on. Try taking it from him. Do not allow ANY form of aggression no matter how slight! Any sign of it, pin him down on his back as another (alpha) dog would do, then once he relaxes and accepts your position, release, love and try again. Be sure to REWARD by lavishing praise and loves on him for a job well done, no matter how small the accomplishment!!

What is REALLY important, is like Cheyenne said...start fresh...take those pitbull fears from your mind and raise him as you would any dog. What I have just described above, is how I like to help socialize each and every dog that comes into my life here...from Chihuahuas to Great Danes, Pitbulls!


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## Carolyn R (Dec 20, 2011)

The flipping and pinning reminds me of the one mini Aussie I have. At about 4 months she began suffering from little man syndrome. She wanted to start growling at my son if he came near her bone or if he wanted to play and she didn't. I caught her in the act one day, so I took her chew to provoke her to growl at me. I wanted to show my kids how to remedy the situation correctly. She growled, I quickly grabbed, flipped her to her back and said no in a very loud growly voice. She peed herself, my kids thought it was histericle. She has never done it to ANYONE since. Mona is correct, and it is so much easier to correct as puppy when we can sit back and say "really you want to go there" rather a much larger adult with adult teeth!


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## txminipinto (Dec 20, 2011)

As someone who's spent a lot of time handling pits in stressful situations (veterinary practice), I can attest that their reputation is earned by only a select few. There has only been one pit I feared and she was quickly subdued with the correct kind of chemical restraint. That said, I have owned 3 pit mixes in my life. And they have all been wonderful dogs! Pits LOVE people. You do need to watch them around other dogs as they are NATURALLY dog aggressive. But if raised with other dogs, they generally do well. That said, I wouldn't advise anyone to own 2 or more pits. That is when they get into that pack mentality.

If you want a veterinary professional's opinion on unstable dogs that snap, I'll gladly give you mine. Shephards (or any large dog with pointy ears) have been the worst in my experience of not being trustworthy. Followed by chows, weimaraners, dachshunds, and chihuahuas. The dogs most people fear: Pits, dobies, and rottie are the biggest teddy bears.

Good luck with your pup! Socialize and teach him that animals aren't to be chased and you'll do fine.


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## KanoasDestiny (Dec 20, 2011)

You guys are awesome! I'm so glad I posted about this. I seldom visit the forum anymore but I've missed you all so much. It's like a home where no matter how far you stray from it, whenever something excites or worries you, you always come back to the ones you trust. 

I never thought about the alpha thing with putting him on his back. He really hasn't given us much cause to yet. Hopefully it stays that way. You can see the eagerness in his face to please, he is constantly watching our faces. I guess he's reading our reactions? I've never seen a smarter puppy before, usually they are goofy. Lol. He does play with our bigger dogs but they are extremely good dogs. I hope that they will help raise him to be well behaved. I keep treats in my pocket at all times, and when we take him places I hope to ask people around us to offer him one. That way he'll see strangers as friends. I just tried, and he'll let me pull his tail and stick my finger in his ears. We'll have to work on his mouth, he seems to think my fingers are little sausages. Lol


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## Miniv (Dec 20, 2011)

Mona said:


> YES, to everything Sterling has said.
> 
> 
> 
> ...





What Mona wrote was very wise and important! We do similar things to each of our pups too.....What ever breed he is, he sure is adorable.


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## Mona (Dec 20, 2011)

KanoasDestiny said:


> You can see the eagerness in his face to please, he is constantly watching our faces. I guess he's reading our reactions? I've never seen a smarter puppy before


I saw and felt the same thing when I looked at his photos you posted. He looks to have a very gentle, loving soul to him. It's probably a good thing I am not closer, or I may have offered to "take him off your hands"! LOL!



> He does play with our bigger dogs but they are extremely good dogs. I hope that they will help raise him to be well behaved.


This really should be beneficial to him as he matures, as puppies often learn from the others in the household.







> We'll have to work on his mouth, he seems to think my fingers are little sausages. Lol


LOL!! Had to laugh out loud at that comment!



By the way, I believe the proper color terminology for him would be "Blue Fawn"...at least that is what a Chihuahua in that same color is called, but sometimes different breeds use different names. Whatever it is, he is colored CUTE!!



Please keep us all updated on his progress, making sure to post pics!!





PS...Glad to see you back here. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

.


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## Lizzie (Dec 20, 2011)

txminipinto said:


> .
> If you want a veterinary professional's opinion on unstable dogs that snap, I'll gladly give you mine. Shephards (or any large dog with pointy ears) have been the worst in my experience of not being trustworthy.


I have never heard this before and I have been handling and showing dogs since 1952. At one time, I owned Canine Security. We had at any one time, about 82 dogs in training. All were trained for the government, for use by the military. Of those who made the grade, almost all went overseas to Viet Nam at the time. All were German Shepherds. All with pointy ears. At the time, the military didn't use anything other than German Shepherds. Later, when showing my own dogs and handling and training several other breeds, I cannot think that pointy (I presume you mean natural and not cropped )ears made any difference in temperament. It is breeding which makes the difference. Either breeding for a solid work ethic or breeding for docile temperaments, which make the difference. When one is seeking a dog or breed for working, then one must know the background of those dogs, close up in the pedigree. Pet and show dogs, are most usually bred (in German Shepherds anyway) from very different backgrounds, than those used for work.

Years later when I owned my own grooming establishment, I have to admit, that Chows were the worst breed I had to deal with, so I agree with you on that point. However, these were always Chows owned by pet owners and not by those who bred and showed Chows professionally. I owned a Chow bitch myself at one point. Imported from England and finishing her championship in the US, she was a really sweet girl. She was actually a gift to me, from a long time friend in England.

Any or all breeds, have the propensity to be a problem in the wrong hands. If I were younger, I'd still love to own a Bull Terrier. (Not to be confused with PBs.)They have always been one of my most favourite breeds. Another favourite breed of mine, is the Airedale. In the '70's, I attended a training session in England, where they were training Airedales for police work. Agencies in the UK, seem to think them a little less 'trigger happy', than German Shepherds. I no longer train dogs, but still want an Airedale so much, I can almost taste it.

Lizzie


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## StacyRz (Dec 20, 2011)

I've been raising and rescuing pit bulls for 20 years.

I haven't read all the comments, but he is definitely a pit bull, or I should say "bully" type pit bull. The dog aggressiveness and prey drive in those big dogs (usually shades of blue, silver, fawn, blue fawn, champagne) has basically beed bred out of them. Since they are just being bred for looks and size they are more pet-like in personality. If you google Gotti lines and Razor's Edge you'll find lots of pups that look like your fella. They are *big* and can get up to 80 or so pounds.

I'm sure this has been said, but train him, be the boss, socialize him and neuter him. He will be a great dog!

Good Luck!

He is absolutely stunning by the way.


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## jacks'thunder (Dec 21, 2011)

Lizzie said:


> Any or all breeds, have the propensity to be a problem in the wrong hands. If I were younger, I'd still love to own a Bull Terrier. (Not to be confused with PBs.)They have always been one of my most favourite breeds. Another favourite breed of mine, is the Airedale. In the '70's, I attended a training session in England, where they were training Airedales for police work. Agencies in the UK, seem to think them a little less 'trigger happy', than German Shepherds. I no longer train dogs, but still want an Airedale so much, I can almost taste it.
> 
> Lizzie


I have an Airedale! Her name is Lucy! Very "one track minded" but the sweetest girl ever!




Super Smart!!!!


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## KanoasDestiny (Dec 21, 2011)

Oh Mary Lou, that is terrible! I'm so very sorry for her (and you), that must be very traumatic. I am trying to judge this little guy by his personality and not his breed but I do admit, it's tough. Mostly because I know what he is capable of if he ever gets mad or feels provoked. Not saying all pits are bad, but personally, I've heard/experienced alot of bad things with them. We've had four dog human-related deaths in the past decade within a thirty mile radius from us and all have been pit or half pit related. It angers me that people know what they are capable of and still allow them to roam freely. Again, I'm not saying all are bad - there are way too many in comparison to the bad you do hear. But people who let their animals roam don't really care about them anyway and they're the ones who shouldn't have them. :-(


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## KanoasDestiny (Dec 21, 2011)

Stacyrz, I've noticed that he scratches nonstop. Especially at night time. We are in the desert and while our nights reach the 30s, it is a very dry environment. He has a small amount of dandruff, so I believe hs skin is dry. Fleas, ticks, etc arent a problem in this area. So could it be weather related or food allergy? I read that pits tend to have skin problems, especially ones with blue. I was hoping you could share your experience with this?


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## chandab (Dec 21, 2011)

KanoasDestiny said:


> Stacyrz, I've noticed that he scratches nonstop. Especially at night time. We are in the desert and while our nights reach the 30s, it is a very dry environment. He has a small amount of dandruff, so I believe hs skin is dry. Fleas, ticks, etc arent a problem in this area. So could it be weather related or food allergy? I read that pits tend to have skin problems, especially ones with blue.  I was hoping you could share your experience with this?


Dog food with high corn content is often the culprit for skin allergies. [And, don't let "maize" as an ingredient fool you, that's corn, too.



] My Aussie got hot spots before I switched her to a food with a lot less corn in it, couldn't go completely corn-free, as I couldn't afford those dog foods (and they aren't available to me); but Purina ONE lamb and rice seemed to agree with her (there are other lower corn foods, I try to find one that corn is at least 3-4 down the list, and definitely not one with corn listed first).


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## KanoasDestiny (Dec 21, 2011)

I'll have to check the labels next time I go to the store. The only store we have around here that sells dog food is Walmart. We do have a feed store but they only have one or two types and the owner herself told me they don't get fresh bags in often because dog food isnt a big seller for them. Sure wish we had a local petsmart or petco, or maybe even a pet shop. :-( Thanks Chanda, I do think Purina One is sold at Walmart.


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## StacyRz (Dec 21, 2011)

KanoasDestiny said:


> Stacyrz, I've noticed that he scratches nonstop. Especially at night time. We are in the desert and while our nights reach the 30s, it is a very dry environment. He has a small amount of dandruff, so I believe hs skin is dry. Fleas, ticks, etc arent a problem in this area. So could it be weather related or food allergy? I read that pits tend to have skin problems, especially ones with blue. I was hoping you could share your experience with this?


Yes! That is exactly right about the blues tending to have problem skin. Keeping him on a good corn free diet from the start should help a lot with that! You could also add fish oil or flaxseed, but I would wait until he's completely switched to the new food before adding supplements. No reason to add this and that if he does well on a new kibble ...

Oh and if he is your only dog, it may be afffordable to feed raw. Balancing their nutrition isn't terribly difficult and if you start researching you'll find tons of differing opinions on whether to add veggies or not, as well as which organ meats are best to feed. I fed a very basic diet and it was very easy.

When I was working and had extra money, I fed my (at the time 6) German Shepherds who were in Schutzhund training a raw diet, and WOW!! That was the healthiest I have seen any dogs



No scratching or dry skin, the shedding was cut down, their muscle tome was great... I can't say enough good things about a raw diet... Of course I have to add "talk to your vet" LOL But it worked wonders for my dogs... Stacy


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## txminipinto (Dec 21, 2011)

My experience with "Pointy" earred dogs (and yes natural ears) is my experience from 12 years in veterinary practice. These are just the dogs that I found were more likely to bite. One coworker was bitten so unexpectedly and savagely by GSD that he ripped the flesh from her arm exposing fat and muscle. I'm not saying all, but I take greater precaution when introducing myself to these dogs than others. Of course, no breed or type should be sterotyped as there are all good and bad examples of each breed. This is just my experience when approaching strange dogs. The floppy earred dogs usually greet me with tail wagging and tongue at the ready for a face washing.





Regarding the scratching. Are there any spots on him where the hair looks thinner? Being a puppy, bring this up with the vet. He may need a skin scraping to see if he has a mild case of mange.


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## chandab (Dec 21, 2011)

KanoasDestiny said:


> I'll have to check the labels next time I go to the store. The only store we have around here that sells dog food is Walmart. We do have a feed store but they only have one or two types and the owner herself told me they don't get fresh bags in often because dog food isnt a big seller for them. Sure wish we had a local petsmart or petco, or maybe even a pet shop. :-( Thanks Chanda, I do think Purina One is sold at Walmart.


I think its CostCo that sells Kirkland brand, and if it is, I've heard good things about the Kirkland dog food. Don't know if there is more than one formula and if particular formulas are better than others. Don't have a Costco even remotely close.


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## Helicopter (Dec 23, 2011)

Speaking of dogs that bite the vet. I had a Cocker Spaniel who did just that..........but gosh he loved his mother. I called him my little love machine.

Your puppy looks adorable. Good luck with him.


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## chandab (Dec 23, 2011)

Helicopter said:


> Speaking of dogs that bite the vet. I had a Cocker Spaniel who did just that..........but gosh he loved his mother. I called him my little love machine.
> 
> Your puppy looks adorable. Good luck with him.


My MILs last Doxie bit the vet, more than once; she warned him (dog wasn't fond of strangers, especially men), but he wouldn't believe her. so out came the muzzle.


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## mydaddysjag (Dec 24, 2011)

He is a large breed puppy, so honestly, he doesnt need "puppy food" which can often cause rapid growth, causing joint issues in large breed pups. You will see they make large breed puppy food, which is fine to feed if you want, but its also safe to feed him food targeted towards adult dogs. If you only have a walmart to get food from, I would say your best food option is probably Purina one Beyond, Chicken and oatmeal formula. Its corn and wheat free, chicken is the first ingredient, its very palatable, and its reasonably priced. You want to stay far away from any food where meat or meat meal is not the first ingredient. I prefer at least the first 3 to be a meat or meat meal, but you wont find that in any food at walmart. That said, I did have one dog who we always tried on expensive grain free foods, and higher quality feeds, and what he did best on was the purina one beyond chicken and oatmeal, go figure lol


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## KanoasDestiny (Dec 24, 2011)

Well, today I found out why he is scratching. I've lived in this town for 31 years and not once have I heard of a case of fleas or ticks. But sure enough, Andre has fleas. We called the vet and they told us that both fleas and ticks are in this area. That is news to me! :-( I'm freaking out truthfully. I picked off close to sixty I'd say, and I couldnt really see anymore, but now I have a fear that they're everywhere. I've done seven loads of clothes, vacumed, lint-rolled our furniture, sprayed everything with dawn dish soap, and tomorrow we're treating all the pets with flea meds (except for him and our elderly rabbit). I'm sooo scared our house is going to get over ran with bugs. I feel so dirty!!!


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## JAX (Dec 24, 2011)

MeganH

/monthly_12_2011/post-43865-0-07884600-1324307295_thumb.jpg

Wow I would have guessed this was a Boxer and Akita mix! Does her tail come up over her back somewhat? Or is it a straight out/down tail? Kinda funny cause she also looks similar to my Sheba Inu. Love the look of this dog by the way.





And the OP pup is very adorable too! I am one of those who has had several PBs in my life and dont have a bad thing to say about them with the right owners... And dont get me started on those that are anti Doberman!! Sweetest dog I have owned in my life was a big beautiful red Dobie. I cannot argue for the Chows though as I have had one that was VERY much one person dog and one that was forever just a big fluffy puppy her whole life. For the most part though I do believe that how they are raised and treated is the best thing for any breed of dog.


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## Mona (Dec 24, 2011)

You will need to treat him too!! He is not too young...if you do not treat all, you will not get rid of the fleas and they will just multiply all over again. You need to spray the carpets, dogs, and anywhere the dogs have been. Fleas basically only stay on the dogs to eat...so in other words, if they are not eating, they can be anywhere the dogs are/were. You may even need to buy some "flea bombs" to set off in your home, but to do it, you need to make sure you have all pets out while it is being treated. Fleas are also notorious for living in the sand.


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## JAX (Dec 26, 2011)

KanoasDestiny

I dont know how important it is for you to get the lineage on your new puppy but there is a way to do it. My brother just did this on his 3 dogs. It did explain some of the "habits" of one of them. She likes to chase and bite heels. You would never know it to look at her but sure enough he ran the DNA test and she is almost 1/2 border collie...

If you would like to check it out here is the link.

www.wisdompanel.com

I believe the test is $50

Hit mixed breed identification test and it will give you info. My brother was thrilled at how much info it gave him, it listed which breeds and what percentage of each the dog is. Apparently people are even using these tests now to make sure their papered dogs are really pure bred and doesnt have a tiny bit of something else mixed in. IDK i liked the mixed breeds myself, they just seem healthier!!


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## Carolyn R (Dec 26, 2011)

Siphotrol II works very well on all stages of fleas and ticks including eggs. It has pyrethrums (sp?) in it. They are natural oils that work as an insecticide. It was recommended by my vet as it works well to interrupt the life cycles.

Jax, that is pretty cool with the breed testing!


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## Lizzie (Dec 26, 2011)

And don't forget KD, to spray your car too. It will no doubt have fleas in it. Seven dust works wonders for fleas too. This especially if you powder around fences, trees, building etc.

Don't waste your money on these supposed DNA tests, to tell you what your dog is. Most don't even come close and not all breeds yet, have DNA actually defined. It is a very clever way for some to make money though.

Lizzie


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## KanoasDestiny (Dec 27, 2011)

Thanks guys. On Friday I found (and picked off) around 150ish fleas. Saturday we found just under 50. Yesterday we found 4, and today none!



I hope that is a very good sign. He's been outside since Friday, only coming in so that we can check him. It's weird, I've always assumed that fleas liked to run and jump. These ones seem to be attached to him, and don't run unless I upset them and then they just burrow back into his fur.

On Saturday I started wetting his fur with a vinegar/water solution, and starting tomorrow, I'm going to start using lavendar/water on his fur and collar. We applied salt to our carpets on Saturday and just vacumed it today. Tomorrow I will use the lavendar/water solution on the carpet and furniture, along with another thorough vacuming.

We haven't seen any fleas anywhere, other than on him. We did do a monthly treatment on our two dogs outside that he has been sleeping and playing with. He's too young, we couldn't find a product that we could safely use on him. I'm also not too keen on using poisons on our animals if I can help it. Our cats, indoor dog and rabbit will also be getting lavendar/oil put between their shoulder blades as a preventative measure. The smell apparently repells the fleas. I also sprayed the outside doghouse and sleeping area with flyspray (which also kills fleas).

We don't live in a "flea area", and I'm desperately trying to keep it that way. I told Mark not to bring anymore animals home from outside areas.





Here's a couple of older pictures of him. He's almost doubled in size in the two weeks we've had him. He has blue going down the center of his back, and also his tail. Does anyone have any idea what his color would be considered? I looked up a bluefawn, and none of them seemed to have his markings.


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## Mona (Dec 27, 2011)

The black hairs are considered to be sable. So he'd likely be considered a blue fawn sable.


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## StacyRz (Dec 27, 2011)

He's definitely a blue fawn. In his breed the dark hair can be considered brindle, but it doesn't look like he has a typical brindling pattern (striping)

I say blue fawn 

Here is a link to the ADBA color chart with a pup his color

My link


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## Sterling (Dec 27, 2011)

Lizzie said:


> *Don't waste your money on these supposed DNA tests, to tell you what your dog is. Most don't even come close* and not all breeds yet, have DNA actually defined. It is a very clever way for some to make money though.
> 
> Lizzie


I've heard this as well.....


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## KanoasDestiny (Dec 27, 2011)

Thank you all for your responses. Today makes day two of being flea free. Whoo hoo! I hope thats a very good sign.

The puppy on that site looks identcal to him with the exception of some of its markings. When I showed the picture to my husband, he had to do a double take because he thought I was showing him a picture of Andre.

We know he is pit, so breed testing isnt really important (even if it was accurate). Sadly due to the fleas, he's been spending his days and nights outside, and now he prefers to be out there instead of inside with us. Stupid fleas. Lol


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## Bonny (Dec 27, 2011)

He is very cute. Not sure if he is PB but seems to have some bully look to him






My son has had several PB's registered, razor edge and razor mixed. They are def a working class dog. And they love to have a job. They are extremely loyal dogs, very protective of their people too.

My sons dog Blade is a hunting dog, knows his job and would die to do it. And he excels at it. He is very obedient.

All classes of dogs must know their place in the pack. And I agree with others, when you own a dog, you must understand the nature of the breed(s) and understand the dogs needs. Sadly most dog owners dont do so.

Pit bulls are wonderful dogs in the right situations. With the right leadership. Including knowing that the breed has a bad rap and its the owners job to see the dog is controlled and maintained properly.

WE DO NOT allow ANYONE around our pitt unsupervised. Children are not allowed on the ground in his area. He has never attacked and we refuse to give him any opportunity to do so. Thats OUR job.

He has been properly socialized, but with a bite that can be so sever why take the risk? His job is to take down 300 + lb wild hogs, and realize what he could do if he were threatened. He is not dog agressive, not human agressive. Still Not a chance we are willing to take.

He is one of the sweetest dogs Ive ever known, I am happy to have him as a family member. Hes a love bug





He is a blue/ fawn razor edge mixed line PB :


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## KanoasDestiny (Dec 27, 2011)

Oh Bonny, he's beautiful! I more than understand what you're saying. I had my doubts about this little guy but it's hard to see his breed when he is such a lovey. I know what he is capable of, and we will always have to use that caution, but I really hope he will be wonderful dog. Tomorrow he gets to go to the feedstore with us.


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## Bonny (Dec 27, 2011)

KanoasDestiny said:


> Oh Bonny, he's beautiful! I more than understand what you're saying. I had my doubts about this little guy but it's hard to see his breed when he is such a lovey. I know what he is capable of, and we will always have to use that caution, but I really hope he will be wonderful dog. Tomorrow he gets to go to the feedstore with us.


We take Blade with us places too, he loves to go. We try to behave as if we are walking a tiger on the leash when it comes to people and animals coming near him. We look out ahead for dangers, so we can avoid any mishaps. Its sounds as if I may be paranoid, which I am not trying to sound, I just COMPLETELY understand the strength he possesses and the jaw power he has.I dont mean to make it sound like he IS a dangerous dog, in fact hes never given us any reason to think he is. But like many others Ive seen children and adults bitten by pitts and it terrible the damage they can cause.

However, when out in the woods, and the wild hogs weve got here in our property, I love knowing he has our backs!

I cant wait to see your pup as he grows he sure is cute! In the first picture I posted of our Blade, he was 5 weeks old! He is almost 2 now, in the last pics...



And he weighs roughly 75 lbs...

Oh and Thank you. I think hes beautiful too.


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## Bonny (Dec 27, 2011)

I also want to share another one of our Pitts, Sara, this is Blades Momma



She is an american pitt, fawn color, Blades dad was the blue. Sara was a rescue, she was so sweet natured she was used as a bait dog, they put fighting pitts on her, she was so scared up. Even after her terrible past she was the most loving dog.

My son thinks your puppy may also be an american pitt like Sara....He sure is built!


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## KanoasDestiny (Dec 27, 2011)

Oh my goodness, I love Sara! Not to mention her name (my name is also Sara, spelled the same way). I currently only have internet on my cell phone, so I'm not sure how to manuever this site on it just yet, but I would love to talk with you privately about some concerns I have about Andre's upbringing, if that would be alright.


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## Bonny (Dec 28, 2011)

KanoasDestiny said:


> Oh my goodness, I love Sara! Not to mention her name (my name is also Sara, spelled the same way). I currently only have internet on my cell phone, so I'm not sure how to manuever this site on it just yet, but I would love to talk with you privately about some concerns I have about Andre's upbringing, if that would be alright.



I would love to talk to you.

You can find me here:

http://www.mysticrockminis.com/LiveCams.html

I have a goat due to kid so she is on my barn cam, and I stare at her almost all day LOL!

we can exchange phone # there if you want


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