Category Archives: Rescue

Two Weeks: Give ‘Em A Break

Leave a reply

* The two week shut down is geared to teen to adult dogs . Puppies do need a bonding time with their new humans, a whelping period so to speak, but they have a different requirements than a more aged dog . It is important to fully vaccinate and de-worm your puppy before venturing out into the world. I suggest strongly getting your new puppy to a veterinarian for proper de-worming and vaccinations. But note the shut down period is not recommended for young puppies as they have crucial needs that are special than older dogs in proper development and socialization.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Kosmo Starting Shut Down

The Action:

  • “I have a new dog!”
  • “I introduced her to 15 people”
  • “He was a bit leery but seems to like my other 3 dogs”
  • “She went everywhere with me ” …

All in the first few days of the new home….. (!!!)

The Reaction:
In about two weeks later we get the call back to the rescue;

  • “I think we will have to rehome the new dog.”
  • “The new dog barked and nipped at my kid”
  • “We had a dog fight”
  • “What do we do?”

Ok, folks, here it comes, the big secret to many foster homes success with a new dog that came from unknown or even not so good homes!

Doggy shut down!  A “get to know you “ time! Giving the new dog, post finding, adoption, buying, etc, time to adjust to you  and your family and the dogs in the new environment.

Why The Two Week Shut Down?

The Two Week Shut Down is a time familiar to a dog’s mind, as it mimics the whelping box when first born, as the puppy’s eyes are not open and it relies totally on the mother’s ability to take care of it.  By smelling, sensing, listening the puppy starts his journey into the new scary world.

New adult dogs come into our home the same way, “a journey into a new and scary world”

By giving the dog a “time out” the dog can learn its new world, its new people and begin to relax and blossom under the care of the new care giver.

Why we all want to run out with our new dog, show everyone our new pet, we forget that even an adult dog is now back to a puppy newborn like mind, all is new, the voices speak a new language, cars might be new, leashes and handling under nice people might be new.

Even petting and acceptance of a pet is stressful on a new dog,. “Who are you?  Where did we come from? Where are we going? What is expected of me?” –the dog thinks!

Just like a new born baby we wouldn’t rush out and pass the baby from person to person, we set up a stable and save environment, our new dogs are just like that , our newborn baby.

Step back for a minute, and think how you might feel if you were never going to go back to your “home” and that you were expected to live with new people who didn’t understand your language. What if these new people took you to all sorts of different places expecting you to greet everyone happily and feel comfortable with an overload of attention all at one time? How might you feel after all of that, to have to go to your new “home” and interact with a bunch of strangers? It’s very likely that you’d feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and wanting  to retreat, but really have no place to go to. You might begin to act out  at people for pushing you into these situations and insisting that you do this and do that.

Well, many dogs are put in the very same position and the only way they know how to get their point across is to act out or “misbehave.”  The dog may act out by nipping at children for he didn’t understand them and was corrected harshly before knowing how he was to be around them! Growling, like when being moved off furniture –“ he didn’t know he couldn’t be here. What is expected ? Where am I allowed ?”  Starting fights with the other animals in home – it may feel that the new humans are not leaders or beings to look up to for help in decisions , The dog begins to think “I must defend myself!”  “Who IS this new dog?”

How To Do The TWO WEEKS – “shut down”

For the first two weeks, (sometimes even longer) a dog takes in the new environment, who is the top persons, dogs, who ARE these people!

A great way of thinking of this time is; “this is the dating period NOT the honeymoon”

When you first met your “mate”, you were on your best behavior, you were not relaxed enough to be all of yourself, were you?

Just think of the things you do physically once you get to KNOW a person, you wouldn’t run up to a stranger and hug them and squeeze them!
Imagine, if on the first date, this new person, was all over you touching you and having their friends hug you and pat you on top of the head, and jostle your shoulders, then he whisked you off to another stranger’s home and hey did the same thing.

Would you think this person normal and SAFE?

 Would you feel invaded and defensive and begin to get a bit snarky yourself?

Wouldn’t you think to push these people away for obviously your date is out of their mind and they aren’t going to save you from these wierdos!!

Yet we do this to our dogs, and then get upset or worried that they aren’t relaxed and accepting of EVERYTHING instantly!

*Why do we expect a dog to accept a situation when we ourselves could not?

By shutting down the dog, it gives the dog TIME to see you, meet YOU, hear and take in the new sounds and smells of your home.

  • Crate or keep  the dog in a room by itself if possible.
    (Believe me, dogs are sensory animals, they know more than you think without seeing it
    This allows the dog to take in the new world and not feel assaulted at the world coming AT him visually).
  • Leash (so I don’t have to correct it ..I don’t have that right yet!) This also teaches the new safe zone for the dog is around you and the humans in the home.  Leash the dog right to your belt or under a piece of furniture.
  • No obedience like training at all, just fun exercise and maybe throw some toys for fun, leash the dog if you don’t have a fence outside. But I DO NOT leave my yard, AT ALL in this time.
  • No car rides, no other dogs, (unless crated beside them), no pet stores, no WALKS even, nothing but me, my home, my yard. (Unless of course the dog needs to go to the veterinarian.)
  • Don’t go crazy petting and handling the dog! Even petting and being “out” in the home puts pressure on a dog, as everything is so new.
    Allowing the dog time to absorb and the decision to come to YOU for pets and affection can do a lot in taking pressure off a new dog.
  • Exercise – but in your yard!  All dogs need to burn off energy. Do fun toss the ball games in your yard or on a lunge line if no fence.  Remember to just have fun, let the dog run and explore .   Exercise is a great stress relief so we don’t want to add stress to what is an out of energy.
  • Again- no walks yet!  Walks are stressful for there is so much coming at you.  Being a new person to this dog you have no clue how the dog is reacting to the walking environment. The dog may react to something and we start correcting it with the leash and we just installed a VERY STRESSFUL moment to the dog in what should be a fun and happy walk.

TEACH the dog by doing the shut down, that YOU are the one to look to, that you are now here for the dog! He can trust in you and look to you as its new leader!!

Then on walks you will see the dog look to you when he sees something like a kid or a dog to see what your reaction is, lessening his mind about having to defend or control the environment, he has YOU , the dog now can relax and enjoy the walk more.

*In the house I have the dog out only for about 20-40 minutes post exercise/yard times. And ALWAYS on a leash. Then PUT THE DOG AWAY. Let it absorb and think.  Even if just for a little bit.

A few minutes of “down time” allows the dog to overcome things that we may not of seen triggered anxiety or fear in the dogs mind, and allows the mind to be fresh for more “new” and adventures in your home and life.

If the dog goes to his crate on his own, he is telling you “I need a time out” allow him this time.

By having the dog out for long periods of time we are forcing the dog to keep accepting all new things , by putting the dog away we are asking him to accept a few things, then go think and absorb, when we get him out later we introduce a few more things, so the three new things are three new things, not 3 x 3 x 3 – possible shut down from the dog.

  • No new buddies !  Do not introduce the dogs for these two weeks, they can be side by side in the crates, (not nose to nose for they can feel defensive). Some dogs will bond instantly with the other dogs if we don’t bond FIRST with the dog, and this can lead to some other issues, as the dog will look to the other dog(s) for guidance and not YOU!  A good way to meet dogs POST the two weeks is each dog have a handler and go for short walks ON LEASH. Walking helps relieve stress and worry.  Each having their own human gives control to the moment. Do not allow them to be close enough to touch.  But near each other, side by side if possible. Then later in home and again, use LEASHES!  The easiest way and calmest way to control a dogs movement!
  • Ignore Bad behavior – Ignore crying and/or barking. If you run to the dog each time they bark, whine, or cry, you are teaching the dog that doing those things gets your attention. The dog must learn to be secure when you are not there.  Use the leash to softly correct jumping, exploring counters, etc.   Most dogs I have taken in will “cry” in their crate/room for about 2-3 days. Its just their way of stressing . Its hard, but let them cry it out.  If we go to them each time they cry/whine or bark we might be setting up for separation like behaviors.  We want our new dog to be able to be “alone” and still know its SAFE.
  • Praise Gently Good behavior – ex. Dog is sitting nicely next to you, touch or softly pet the dog “good boy/girl”  let then know you appreciate GOOD behavior.  This makes naughty behavior not so fun if you ignore THAT but praise the good!

Literally in two weeks you will see a change in the dog and begin to see its honest and true personality. Just like a house guest.. They are well behaved and literally shut down themselves these first few weeks, then post this time, they relax and the true personality begins to shine thru!

So, please, if nothing else for your new dog, give it the time to LEARN YOU as you are learning who they are!

This method works on shy dogs, confident dogs, abuse cases, chained dogs that come in, rowdy dogs, all temperaments!  And it works on all breeds from little dogs to big bully dogs.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Kosmo Post Shut Down
Amazing, isn’t it?
Article originally published on Pitbull Forum by Luvnstuff/Stacie Sparks Vredeveld who is a volunteer for Pound Buddies in Muskegon, Michigan.

Happy 8th Birthday, Duo!

Leave a reply

I’ve been a horrible, no good dog Mom.   I’ve been so busy with everything that I completely forgot to post a blog wishing my little Short Bus a happy birthday.  He turned eight years old on December 1st – or we think that’s right around the date anyway based on the information we got on him.

Three long years since you joined our family from Paws for Life Rescue, kiddo.  We don’t know what happened to you before you came to us that gave you the demons that caused your ups and downs but we’ll never let you fall again.  It’s true when they say that the third time is the charm.  We wouldn’t have you any other way than with us.  Here’s to many more birthdays, herdie bull.  It will only keep getting better from here.

Rescue Hardship: When Is It Time?

2 Replies

Many years ago I was heavily involved in rescue – both small and large critters – and took a step back after the overwhelming need and my inability to be able to do something more got the better of me and I started to burn out.  It’s been a few years and I’ve started to reach out to a couple of rescues to help with man power and financial assistance because I’m not ready or able to foster a needy critter at the moment.

One of the rescues that I hold near and dear to my heart is Heroes for Homeless Animals.  They are an all breed rescue group that does a lot of work with bully breeds.  One of the key reasons I support them is they give 110% to every single creature that walks through their doors.  They are all given the full array of necessary veterinary care (speuter, vaccinations, HW treatment, etc.) and given the best possible chance to succeed.

Unfortunately, rescue isn’t all success stories.  It isn’t a field for glory whores who want to paint everything with rainbows and glitter.  There is a nitty gritty behind it that absolutely sucks – the decision to declare an animal unadoptable and the inevitable humane euthanization that breaks the hearts of those who have worked so hard to save this animal.  It’s not something any rescue should take lightly and Heroes definitely doesn’t.

Michelle, one of the heads of the organization, and I have had many agonizing conversations over street, shelter and owner-surrendered dogs they’ve taken in.  It breaks her heart each and every single time she’s had to make this decision and I, for one, do not envy the position she, Portia or any of the volunteers have to sit in when it comes to making this choice.  The heartache that follows, even if it wasn’t a personal pet, is still massive and tears a small piece of one’s heart each and every time.

This puppy season was especially hard on Heroes.  They were inundated with pregnant dogs, dogs that’d whelped and had young litters and ran the world with the list of problems they had – many that were heartworm positive!  One of these hard luck cases was Eenie.


Eenie before Heroes took her in.

Eenie, a GSD/something mix, came to Heroes on September 8, 2012.  She was left on a chain in Southwest Detroit after her owners left her behind when they moved with only a makeshift dog house for shelter from the elements.  Before Heroes took Eenie in, she had whelped nine puppies and of them, three were alive when Heroes arrived.

Eenie and her puppies (named Meeney, Miney and Mo by the rescue) were rushed to the vet where Eenie came back a strong positive for heartworm and had fluid buildup in her lungs from the infestation.  Poor Eenie had absolutely no idea what was going on and was utterly terrified.  Michelle and Portia knew she needed time to decompress to evaluate her temperament and begin to prepare for the treatment to rid her of those vile parasites.

Eenie, however, didn’t decompress like a normal dog.  She was afraid of the world.  Everything except Michelle made her cower.  Michelle made the decision that Eenie needed a quieter environment for both her mental healing and post-treatment healing.  A foster home was located but Eenie had other plans and took the entire Heroes team on a 10-hour search after she jumped the fence shortly after undergoing a heartworm treatment.  It was apparent that even a foster home was too much for her to handle and Michelle brought her back home.  They all worked with her for weeks with little progress.  Her fears became worse and Michelle knew, even if she didn’t want to admit it then, that Eenie’s quality of life was suffering because of her severe, fear-based anxiety.

The Heroes team was at a loss as to what to do.  They, as a group, had suffered this puppy season with many little mouths to feed, mountains of vet bills and had to euthanize two of the mothers due to severe temperament issues that made them unsafe for adoption already.  Already the rumors were flying and trying to call the group’s ethics into question and they had to face another heart wrenching choice on a dog that was clearly miserable and unhappy with life.  Finally, after a lot of time, deliberation and talking to many canine professionals they made the call to let her cross the Rainbow Bridge.

Eenie left for the Rainbow Bridge on October 18, 2012.  She left behind her fears, her anxiety and people who would have given absolutely anything to make her whole again.  The Heroes team had a hard choice to make for Eenie’s well-being.  The rumors will fly and loose lips will flap in the wind but the ultimate knowledge in what was right for Eenie lays with the Heroes team.

I personally believe that they made the right decision for her and every other creature they have euthanized.  We can all pass judgment on what could have been done but it doesn’t do any good to the animals that ultimately need the help that the Heroes for Homeless Animals team is willing and able to give.  We can all wish that the same compassion given to these dogs would be the same across the planet to all living creatures even when life and death hang in the balance.

Play hard at the bridge, sweet Eenie.  Know that your puppies will flourish and your memory will forever rest in the hearts of your rescuers.

My Why of Pit Bull Ownership and The Pit Bull Problem

Leave a reply

I often get asked a ton of questions when people find out I own pit bulls.  The questions typically range from “Oh, my God!  You own baby killers?  Aren’t you afraid they will hurt your kids?” to “Oh, how awesome!  Do you breed and can I get one of your puppies?”.  (Truth be told, I absolutely hate both of those example questions, but I get them both all too frequently!)

I filter through the questions now like a pro.  I almost have to at this point since Luna will be nine years old in a few short weeks.  I stay honest and try to keep my answers to the point and void of emotion.  Why do I do that? Well, let’s face it…we all love our dogs, but people who own pit bulls need to realize that the breed has developed a bit of a problem because of its popularity and because of that popularity there and the problems associated with it, there are people who abhor the breed with a passion.  There are far too many hands in the cookie jar when it comes to these dogs – breeder, rescuer, and pet owner…we all play a part in the problem and we need to play a part in the solution.

The question that I get asked the most is one that still makes me think long and hard on an answer for.  Well, I’ll start with the tale of the first time I was asked the infamous question, “Why did you pick the pit bull as your breed of choice?”

We were at the Novi Pet Expo and Ryker was just a youngster at the time.  We’d gotten him one of the silly clown collars to wear to keep him occupied trying to capture and also to look bloody cute.  He succeeded at the latter, but not so much the former.  While he was busy rolling around on the ground and looking like a nerd we had woman came up to our booth and looked over the pseudo barriers at the silly looking puppy rolling around on the floor.  She had scars all over her arms and a couple on her face and she was apprehensive near the dogs.

She asked me that fateful question after relaxing a bit realizing neither Luna nor Ryker had even the slightest bit of bad body language toward her.  I don’t remember exactly how I answered her in a way that made her feel comfortable telling me she had been attacked by one nearly three years prior by a dog that looked similar to the wiggling, brindle idiot on the floor next to me.  It made me sad and angry knowing these facts – going through all of that by a breed I love and cherish.  This woman, through all of this, didn’t hate the breed.  She blamed the dog that did it and the owner…not the breed as a whole.  She was still rightfully scared of them but not so much that she asked to pet Ryker who willingly threw himself at her and presented his belly.

It was truly an eye opener that despite all of the bad examples showing up in the newspaper nearly every single day that there is still reason to work to salvation the breed’s reputation.  Now, to get back on the topic since I rambled off a bit.  Why did I pick the pit bull as my breed of choice?

To this day, I can honestly say that I never pictured myself owning the breed.  They weren’t even on my radar.

I saw myself owning a Malamute or a Siberian Husky truthfully.  Those two breeds reminded me of wolves and the closer to my favorite totem animal and I drooled over having one.  I realized that I was absolutely out of my mind after doing research on both breeds that neither was suited for me or my lifestyle.

My first on-my-own, real experience with a pit bull in my adult life made me fall head over heels for the breed.  Angel was a deaf, solid white girl with bright green eyes.  She needed a place to rest and heal before being placed and I was apparently the ‘perfect’ place.  I didn’t know she was a pit bull at first and once I found out I was enthralled and, admittedly, a little scared at the time.  She wasn’t with me long but I knew at that time I found my breed.  The stability, the temperament, the energy level, the avenues I could pursue with them was endless like my imagination.  I couldn’t stop thinking of all the things I could do with my very own pit bull.

Sure, I knew the horror stories about the baby killers and people maulers.  I also knew the realities in the breed. These dogs are NOT for everyone and they have their flaws – like the fact that a good portion of these dogs do not prefer the company of other canines or small and fuzzy creatures.  Let’s face the facts – these dogs ultimately became the best dog-on-dog combat animals bred by man, but that same selective breeding allowed for human stability unmatched – when properly selected FOR that temperament.

That being said, there are far too many people that I see and hear about with these dogs that makes me want to cringe.  They don’t deserve these dogs.  Only about 60% of those who own, breed or rescue these dogs need to be doing that in my opinion.  That number may be higher or lower, but far too many people get these dogs as an ego extension and don’t realize the hard work that goes into making a good bully breed ambassador.

There is far too much greed in breeders (not all, but many). Sadly, it isn’t just the BYBs trying to make a living.  Some ‘responsible’ and well known breeders have fallen off the wagon by producing too many or subpar dogs.  They have put aside health testing or even titling their dogs.  It’s a shame really because people should look at the ethics of a responsible breeder and know they truly want to improve and help the breed and not just keep reproducing the same crap over and over again.

Many rescuers are just as guilty as the breeders they abhor.  I’m sure everyone has heard the same mantra:  ‘Don’t Breed or Buy While Shelter Animals Die’.  The want to believe that the ‘No Kill’ philosophy means saving every animal that graces their doors.  The reality is so much more different that it’s sad.

Since the ‘No Kill’ philosophy is based on saving animals that are adoptable dogs that are shy, fearful, aggressive toward people or children, unmanaged aggression toward other animals (the kind of unmanaged that may mean a re-direct or inability to change the dog’s direction through focusing on something other than the other animal/dog) shouldn’t be on the list considered adoptable – especially with pit bulls and their mixes.
Many rescuers see a sad face and want to save the animal, but the reality is that if it isn’t safe, is scared to death of the world around it (which may likely mean a fear biter) or too sick to treat, the kindest option is humane euthanization.  It sucks, but rescuers are the cleanup crew for the stupid pet owners and of the world and they need to be strong and save only the best knowing that stable dog may die if they save the dog cowering in the back of the kennel.

Pet owners are the final problem and in many cases, the biggest one.  Far too many people go out and get a dog and don’t research the breed and this isn’t any different for new pit bull owners.  They go to the pound a local rescue group or even a breeder and expect this magical creature that they’ve been told about only to learn that there is a lot of work that goes into these dogs – training, socialization, exercise, etc. – and more often than not, it causes new owners to get into a bit of trouble for their lack of research (or sometimes media reaching trouble if they didn’t pick out a stable dog).

This isn’t to say that there aren’t pet owners who don’t do a ton of research and many who do some research but learn and continue to grow over time (I can name a good many I know who continue to learn and grow even after minimal research), however the alarming number of media stories happening because of a ‘pit bull attack’ needs to stop and until people face the realization that the pit bull might not be for them then we’ll continue to have this issue.

I am no expert in the breed and I’m continually learning, reading and schooling myself to better the lives of my dogs, however I ultimately chose this breed because I wanted a dog that could do everything (and researched, and researched…and researched some more) – a phenomenal sport dog and family companion.  I’ve succeeded with the dogs I have now and gone above and beyond my expectations and work to set new goals and tasks to keep their minds busy and me learning new things and couldn’t ask for a better breed for my lifestyle and what I want to accomplish in life.

Responsible Breeding and the American Pit Bull Terrier

Leave a reply

The American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) is idolized as ‘America’s Dog,’ but yet this dog dies by the hundreds and thousands in shelters across the nation.  ‘America’s Dog’ has become ‘America’s Epidemic’ because of the mass amounts of puppies being pumped into this world by irresponsible breeders who are only looking for the next buck that they’ll make from the puppies they produce.  The end result for many of these dogs is the back room where they will be euthanized by either lethal injection or gas chamber.  If you have never sat through a mass euthanization of unwanted dogs, cats and other animals it is truly depressing.  These animals know, despite the cooing, pets and kind words that they are going to die.  If you don’t believe me and don’t want to sit on the real thing, there are many videos out there on Google on the hard work that shelter staff must go through when an animal’s time is ‘up.’

You will hear the same mantra every single day by those who spend countless hours cross posting, fostering, volunteering and saving these dogs and other animals from an uncertain fate to not “breed or buy while shelter animals die.”  These people live the day to day of cleaning up after those individuals who do not give a flying rip where the offspring of their beloved Fido that they just had to breed to make a buck.  As an appreciator of purebred dogs, I find this utterly appalling that they have to go through this.  The reality of the matter for breeders and other fanciers is that we must police our own.  We are our brother’s keeper for the fate of ‘America’s Dog’, the APBT.

The term breeder is not a favorable description in the rescue community and with what they go through, it doesn’t surprise me either.  The difference between your ordinary, run of the mill “breeder” (also known as a BYB, backyard breeder or puppy peddler) and the responsible breeder is a set of morals and ethics when they produce a litter.

  • Responsible breeders take the time to verify the parentage of their dogs through DNA-profiling.
  • Responsible breeders health test their dogs against potential genetic disorders like hip and elbow dysplasia, cardiac conditions, thyroid problems, luxating patellas or other potential genetic hazards and allow the risk of these issues to be minimized versus blindly breeding and having some unsuspected puppy buyer from suffering with hundreds and thousands of dollars in veterinary expenses.
  • Responsible breeders screen potential puppy buyers extensively.  Their questionnaires and contracts leave little to the imagination and has the intention of bringing forth a home that will maintain the dog for the 12-15 years it will live there properly.
  • Responsible breeders show their dogs in conformation and working events like weight pull, obedience, agility, rally, dock diving, etc. and encourage people who want offspring from one of their breedings to do the same through reputable registries like the UKC, AKC and ADBA.  (All of the above mentioned sports, including conformation are open to altered dogs with the United Kennel Club (UKC) for APBTs with permanent registration and all sporting events are open to rescue dogs of unknown lineage through their Limited Privilege Program.)
  • Responsible breeders encourage spaying and neutering (and often offer incentives) of dogs that are not considered breeding quality.
  • Responsible breeders microchip/tattoo their puppies and register them prior to the puppy leaving for its permanent home.
  • Responsible breeders take back a dog or puppy that does not work out in its original home and cares for it until it can find a more suitable, permanent home and realize that not every home, no matter how well-screened and hand-picked will work out.

The above mentioned points are just a few of the checks and balances that breeders impose on themselves to ensure that they are breeding to improve and not continually pump out animals that will likely end up in a shelter or on a euth list.  There are many more, but it would take many more blog posts to even begin to go into them.  For a general code of ethics for responsible breeders, I suggest going here.

While the rescue community often seeks to lynch those who breed, they lump all breeders together – those that are responsible and those that peddle.  The two groups are not interchangeable because responsible breeders work to keep the offspring they produce out of shelter system by breeding infrequently and screening heavily for proper placement and they also often help out rescue groups.  Ultimately, without purebred breeders…responsible purebred breeders, we will lose breeds and the domesticated canine population would die out in 20+ years with nothing but spayed/neutered animals around.  While it’s not the brightest outlook, it’s the reality.  We ultimately need responsible breeders for all breeds to continue to breed high quality dogs and shelters, rescues and adopters to help eliminate the overpopulation problem that is occurring now while we work to eliminate two main problems in canine society – breed specific legislation and puppy peddlers.