Reccomend a dog for my family

[johnson18]

Congrats on the new dog!! I love pits! I've got an Am. Staff, a pit mix, and a pit! They are great dogs! Did I see that you adopted too? Way to go! There are too many homeless dogs in the world to buy!

Originally Posted by SlammedDC2

Well folks I have a new pitbull as of today. I will get some pictures taken and up this weekend.

[ValMM]

Originally Posted by DogFish

The origanal term "Bull & Terrier", the common 'Pitt Bull" or the politically Correct American Staffordshire Terrier, are what they are today and were what they were back then. I find it rather perverse to try to "sugar coat" the dogs history.

Sugar coat? I guess it wouldn't matter to you that I have spoken to people who are in the business of keeping sheep and ducks for the purpose of herding. They have agreed with me that it is a sad thing that the use for fighting has outweighed the original use of a farm dog.

To go even further, Mastiff breeds in general were originally used for herding and guarding livestock. The Rottweiler were originally bred to be cart pulling dogs. That is the reason why their tails were docked, so they wouldn't get caught in the wheels and axels.

[DogFish]

Yes, "sugar coat", saying it was a farm dog is true, trying to spin it into Lassie herding ducks is ridiculous. They were catch dogs. There were too rough on stock to be allowed to run the farm and were typical tied to a tree or building. Research the English "bandog". I understand the Pitt's fighting heritage offends your sensibilities. I don't condone dog fighting. I also accept the true history for what it is. I'm not anti-pitt, I am pro reality.

Rotties tails were indeed docked to prevent injury. Mostly from bashing their own tails against building / fencing. One look at a dog cart and you clearly see it would be near impossible to get a dogs tail caught in a wheel. Of course anything could happen. The biggest reason the practice caught on was the lack of Med. Care for dogs in the 1800's. For a dog or livestock, an infected wound was a death sentence. This is also why ear cropping was done. Pigs are nasty animals a licks bite and off comes a dogs ear. So drop eared dogs got their ears cropped. A practiced associated with fighting, but originated with farmers a shepherds.


The small farms used dogs to pull the small carts on the farm. Rotties were used more as cattle drovers, carting was a side benefit. Farmers realized that with the tail docked the Rotties trotting endurance improved. That was due to the shift in the balance point allow the spine. Without the tail that balance point moves forward. In Nordic breed that run long distance the tail set it held curled over the spine which also accomplishes the same thing. Rotties are extremely territorial , so they filled a role as farm security too.

[ValMM]

I did find an article about a small town somewhere down south that tried to ban Am.Staffs. from herding trials. Their reasoning was that the Am. Staffs. won all the ribbons and did not give the Aussies any chances. They did not achieve this goal.

-EDIT- Am. Staffs. and German Shepherds are both considered difficult to train as herders because they both have the instinct to bite the sheep instead of nip like collies do.

[creekbottom]

We are still waiting for pics!!!!

[DogFish]

Originally Posted by ValMM

I did find an article about a small town somewhere down south that tried to ban Am.Staffs. from herding trials. Their reasoning was that the Am. Staffs. won all the ribbons and did not give the Aussies any chances. They did not achieve this goal.

-EDIT- Am. Staffs. and German Shepherds are both considered difficult to train as herders because they both have the instinct to bite the sheep instead of nip like collies do.

Now you are just are being silly. Herding trials that are open to the public (vs. Clubs) typically make people sigh a wavier and if you dog injures an animal you bought it. If anything Pitt aren't being allowed to enter because they are tearing up the livestock.

What do think the "Shepard"part of German Shepard Dog means? There are different "styles" of herding. A GSD and a Collie work differently that a Border Collie & Aussies, which is different from a corgi and a cattle dog, and none of the "work" like a Catahoula.

I understand you love your Pitts, I got it. Seriously, stop with the fairy tales.

[ValMM]

Originally Posted by DogFish

Now you are just are being silly. Herding trials that are open to the public (vs. Clubs) typically make people sigh a wavier and if you dog injures an animal you bought it. If anything Pitt aren't being allowed to enter because they are tearing up the livestock.

What do think the "Shepard"part of German Shepard Dog means? There are different "styles" of herding. A GSD and a Collie work differently that a Border Collie & Aussies, which is different from a corgi and a cattle dog, and none of the "work" like a Catahoula.

I understand you love your Pitts, I got it. Seriously, stop with the fairy tales.

It was a newspaper article online. I have given no fairy tales. I have simply told you what research I had found.

We both agree that they were used on farms at one point. I am happy to leave it at that. What the op and other readers wants to believe out of the information we have exchanged is up to them.

We have derailed this thread too much. Congratulations to the op for adopting a dog and we are all eagerly awaiting pictures.

[Aquarist_Fist]

Congrats, great choice, and happy another pit has found a good home!


Oh yes, we need pictures of your pic bull, I mean pit bull.

[SlammedDC2]

Sorry for the delay guys, I've had a string of bud luck going and the computer was the furthest thing from my mind. I managed to cut the top off my knuckle off, severing the tendons and was unable to take any time off of work. I'm a contractor so if I'm not working I'm not getting paid. Then even with my busted finger I had a few cars that I had to finish working on and somehow managed to wreck one so that has been a fun ordeal to go through.
Any way on to the dog. He is doing pretty good but needs to learn some basic training. He does great with my kids and Toda our chocolate lab.

He wont sit still for two seconds for me to snap a picture but here is what I have
He's a little on the skinny side, vet weighed him out at 42lbs and you can count his ribs from across the room. But I think with being in a home vs the pound and a regular diet he'll be good to go in a couple of weeks.
Meet Diesel (my animals usually get car related names and since pits are so strong it seemed a fitting name)

[DogFish]

Looks good. Don't get carried away with body weight. Max, 5#s. Big mistake made by most people buying a pound or shelter dog they over compensate them they are out looking for diet food.

A fit athletic dog should be just showing the last rib. It's proven a lean dog will be with you 2 to 3 yrs longer on average than the 4 legged trash cans.

[SlammedDC2]

Originally Posted by DogFish

Looks good. Don't get carried away with body weight. Max, 5#s. Big mistake made by most people buying a pound or shelter dog they over compensate them they are out looking for diet food.

A fit athletic dog should be just showing the last rib. It's proven a lean dog will be with you 2 to 3 yrs longer on average than the 4 legged trash cans.

I will keep that in mind, just going off what the vet told me about his weight. however on that note the lab might need to trim a few pounds.

[DogFish]

The lab's got got muscle tome & size on the thigh. If you can grab a fold of skin on the shoulder rib area and feel the fat layer you might take a few pounded off.

Looking more at the pit, I'm seeking muscle tone in the shoulder & thigh so maybe less than 5# more. 5#s or 10 % on 50 # dog is a lot. Most American dogs like most American people are over weight. Removing the Sex glands doesn't help as the hormones job among other things, is to regulate weight.

[ValMM]

It sounds like he fits into your family just fine. He's a lovely dog.

[amygirl11]

Looks like he's fitting right in!!!! Congrats!!!!

[SlammedDC2]

Originally Posted by DogFish

The lab's got got muscle tome & size on the thigh. If you can grab a fold of skin on the shoulder rib area and feel the fat layer you might take a few pounded off.

Looking more at the pit, I'm seeking muscle tone in the shoulder & thigh so maybe less than 5# more. 5#s or 10 % on 50 # dog is a lot. Most American dogs like most American people are over weight. Removing the Sex glands doesn't help as the hormones job among other things, is to regulate weight.

lol so true on the average American = overweight, I tried the grab test and well lets say she's going to eat less and work out harder.

Originally Posted by ValMM

It sounds like he fits into your family just fine. He's a lovely dog.

Originally Posted by amygirl11

Looks like he's fitting right in!!!! Congrats!!!!

He does, he's great. He's a lot rougher with my little girl and oddly enough that's a good thing. She's always wanting to wrestle with Toda (lab) and she's always very gentle with her. Not Diesel...he will climb all over her and sit on her which she thinks is the funniest thing in the world.

Thank you everyone for your opinion, input and knowledge.