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Dogomania

mcobbin

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  • Location
    jonesboro, AR
  • Interests
    dogs, horses, psychology
  • Occupation
    grad student

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  1. o.k.....admittedly, the pit is a breed that DOES have a genetic predisposition. And while the overall outcome of the dog's demeanor DOES hinge on informed and competent ownership, knowing that your pit has that predilection, is PART of being a good owner. it's why you try not to have two males, it's why you don't let them run free all over town, it's why you watch their demeanor BEFORE you go into PetCo, and maybe make the decision that today's not the best day to go in. but that's what we're talking about here....it IS genetic....if the people who started fighting pits 80 (or whatever) years ago had said "hey, i really think blueticks would make a good fighting dog" then we'd be talking about banning blueticks now. These breeders don't breed the docile ones....they bred the fighters to more fighters, and bred those resultant puppies to even better fighters. The same could have been done with ANY breed. Hell, if i wanted to start a breed of bloodthirsty Papillons starting today, i could start breeding heel nippers and have a bunch of fluffy killers in a couple of generations. the point is.....it's not the BREED that made itself this way, it was MAN. Man is a high-and-mighty creature. And the one thing man is not good at is admitting mistakes. Pit bulls are not evil...they aren't born with a propensity to kill.....raised by calm, loving owners, pit bulls are sweet, loving, trusting, and loyal. My own 2 year old nephew will spend an hour slapping my poor pit in the face....who in turn squints his eyes and looks lovingly at the little boy. My pit spends all day, cuddling his kitten, and babysitting finches. it IS how you raise them. and to think that ALL pit bulls are put to sleep in the shelters that were made to protect them. to think that even those holier-than-though organizations (PETA) that espouse free love to all animals have turned their backs on the breed....that turns my stomach. The point is, there are docile pits. there ARE sweet, loving members of the breed that want to bite into nothing more than a pizzle.....i can't even find the words to say how this troubles me. and while everyone wants to start pointing their fingers at drug dealers as owners. murderers as owners. criminals as owners.....does this not tell us something? drug dealers? murderers? criminals? if we want to start profiling, lets just say that these PEOPLE...these criminals. these drug dealers....lets say these people are so different from the rest of the HUMAN BREED that they can't be trusted with small children, they can't be left alone to run free without supervision, they're too genetically programmed to kill....hell...let's gas them. come on people! man made the pit what it is. now it's our turn to fix it.....but then, it is man's habit to turn its back on his own mistakes :evil:
  2. since you're interested...... :megagrin: do you live near any dog tracks? i live about an hour and a half from a greyhound track, and they routinely adopt out greyhounds because they are often PTS after their careers are over (about 3 years of age). the price is very reasonable, no more than adopting from a shelter!!! jeremy and i are considering adopting a pair when we move! so, if you live next to a track you could save $$$ AND a dog's life by adopting!!
  3. i'm using a crappy dial-up (bought a sepwerate line just so i could get on dogo!!!...sure miss my DSL connection!!) so, has anyone heard anything? i can do either the through-arkansas route OR the memphis-st. louis route...although, i must say, if i could pick the puppy up in memhis and do the memphis to st. louis route that would really be a lot better for me!!! what's the decision?!?!? verdict? i need to know something soon so i'll be able to save the weekend!!
  4. oh, bensam...i am so sorry. i know nothing i can say will make you feel better. this is a pain that doesn't go away with time, it only lessens. for pain to go away, you have to forget, and i'm quite sure that you'd never want that. i also believe that our pets linger by our sides, to watch over us, to comfort us, to follow our heels, and lay by our sides at night. i believe they stand by us, until the day that the tables turn and they can lead US into a better place. i know that he remembers you as loving hands, a kind heart, a warm lap, a gentle pat, a play partner, a wonderful owner.....he KNOWS that you only let him go because it was his time to...and i honestly believe that he thanks you for being strong enough to let him. his suffering is over now, and he is a puppy again....you remember how he was....he is a healthy, happy, puppy now, all vinegar and energy and he will wait for you..... "He whispers please remember me, when i am gone from here He whispers please remember me.....but not with tears! Remember i was always true...remember i always tried Remember i loved only you Remember me and SMILE!!! :) For it's better to forget, Than to remember me and cry"
  5. luka....ok. rather than condemning you for taking on such a challenge, i'm going to say thank you for getting another dog out of a shelter. i am currently dealing with being unable to adopt a dog i feel really needs someone. you should go to cheetah's previous post about doggy valium. yes, it is a drastic move, but sometimes its necessary. i do believe that seeing a dog therapist is the best course of action. i've done it myself, and had great results, as the therapist was able to help me in planning several training routines and interventions to curb my old shepherd's separation anxiety. however, as with MANY severe behavioral problems that are psychological in nature, sometimes behavior therapy cannot have the desired effect until you can control the big issues with medicines. i know this sounds backwards, but i'm speaking from an extensive background in psychology....i'm getting my specialist degree this year, which is 33 hours beyond a masters degree, so NO, i'm not just blowing :lol: if your dog has a severe anxiety issue, medication may be necessary to calm her down enough to be able to PAY ATTENTION to the behavior modifications you are trying to teach. If her mind is going a million, she won't be able to focus on the new routines, behavior modifications, and interventions you are trying to teach her. it's just like someone with severe depression. you have to get them regulated with medication before they can focus on therapy. so while therapy IS most important, you don't want to discount medications all together. so, welcome to the forum, keep us posted, keep working with her, and don't get discouraged!!
  6. sometimes, jeremy will slap my leg just to watch Wanker, because wanker come to my rescue!! he'll grab jeremy's hand in his mouth and without putting any pressure, he'll keep it there, and just whine at him!! but sometimes when jeremy and i are rough-housing with each other, wanker DOES get into it, but i've always just figured he was getting in on the play! he never has tried to assert dominance or anything, because when we say "O.K., that's enough" he just steps down immediately. so i would think he's either getting in on the fun or protecting his boys!!
  7. ok..since everyone helped me find a calming agent for Wanker on the wedding day, i owe .02 cents to the forum!! i've put other posts up about a shepherd i used to have named beatrice. i got her from the humane society after she was found in a 5 X 4 cage, covered in bleeding mange, starving to death, with a broken back leg, and one back leg that had been broken at some earlier time and had healed crooked. when i got B, i found out that she had been bought by a couple who, when they separated, put her in the cage. the wife took the papers so the husband couldn't sell her for any real amount of money, and the husband kept her to keep his wife from having her. :chainsaw1: neighbors said they had only seen her out of the cage twice in the year, and that the man didn't even open the cage to feed and water her (when that happened). so, i took her in, and though she was timid, she soon became one of the most attentive, protective, and loving dogs i've ever known. she never did allow men in the house, however, unless i personally opened the door and said "come in". HOWEVER, she did develop severe separation anxiety. i suppose everytime i left the house, she thought i was never coming back, which scared her to death. eventually, she ate my couch (no, not tore it up, ...ATE it, there were not scraps!), pulled up the carpet by the front door, tore all the blinds of the windows, and shredded clothes from my closet. i couldn't bear to part with her, because i could only think what she would go through if ANOTHER person threw her away. so as a last ditched effort, i took her to the vet, who referred me to a pet therapist. i used several calming techniques taught to me by the therapist, but i must say that the clomicalm did wonders!! within 2 months of starting treatment, she not only curbed her bad behaviors, but stopped most of them completely. i know some will disagree with me in using this, but i can honestly say that without it, i couldn't have kept her, and no one would have taken her. so it all worked out. so, because of my experience, i would recommend it. but, i would talk with a vet about how that medication may affect your friends' particular breed, and if possible, have them speak to a pet therapist.
  8. i'm so sorry bensam. this is late, so i'm hoping things are looking better. i don't attend a church, but i'll be praying for you and ben.
  9. mcobbin

    My "Wiem."

    i didn't get it either....what's going on while i'm away? are the mice playing? :o
  10. mcobbin

    My "Wiem."

    JACSMOM!!! any news? if you want to take us up on our offers, PM us with your address!!
  11. mcobbin

    My "Wiem."

    see! i told you! there's $10! keep us posted on whether the news will take this cause, so we can find out if you need us!
  12. mcobbin

    My "Wiem."

    yep!! the media's a good idea! with all the bad rep police are getting lately where dogs are concerned, i'm sure they'd be willing to have a "change of heart" about prosecuting if they thought thier nonchalance was about to be exposed!! i say the rest of us do something to help! i say that if the local news channel is unwilling to air the story, you take out a full page ad showing a large pic of that poor tortured dog, the owners' names, and detailing the police's extremely laizze faire attitude about doing anything to help/prosecute. i know this will be expensive. i propose that you try the local tv news, and if they decline....some of us should pitch in $$ to fund the paper article!! all of those interested could PM you for a mailing address to send $5 a piece...i think all of us could scrape it together if we joined together. keep us posted on what the news media says.....our local channel has a special section at 5 that exposes things like this...maybe yours would be interested. if not, let me know. i don't have a lot to offer, but i'd do what i could to help you get this in the paper!!
  13. DIDN'T KNOW THAT :o !!
  14. oh GEEZ :o ....here we go again :roll: :lol: :lol: :lol:
  15. Hey GDL!! welcome to the forum! hope to see more posts from you, and can't wait to see pix!
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