American Pit Bull

Having a Pit Bull is one of the greatest experiences of my life. These dogs are not for everyone and it is a good idea to educate yourself on the breed before making your purchase or adopting. This video is a clip from the discovery channel that showcases the American Pit Bull. They are truly a strong tenacious breed that requires patience and lots of love. They are painted by the press as demon dogs, however we are quick to forget they are a part of the American fabric.

The video shows the history of the breed. Many people do not understand how important they were to Americans. they also talk about the negative press and breed bans in different cities. I like the way they present the breed, except when they talk about snapping. They touch on responsible dog ownership and the importance of socialization at a young age. the video also shows the anatomy of the Pit Bull. This was interesting how they develop their jaw strength. I really enjoyed this video and the positive messages about rescuing Pit Bulls from shelters.

Our Story

My partner is not in love with my dog as I am. About two years ago while in a transition in my life I decided that I wanted to have something to take care of. I knew that I could not handle a baby at this point in my life, so I decided I wanted a puppy. Besides we lived in the most dog-friendly place around and I felt the neighborhood needed another member.

A friend of mine had told me about a litter of pit-bulls. They were from a good local breeder that she was interested in. The breeder was trying to get rid of the litter and had reduced the price dramatically, and if I wanted one. When I arrived at the breeders house there was one puppy, which was the runt on the litter staying away from the pack. I knew when I saw her that she was the puppy for me. She came up to me and picked up her head and looked into my soul. I couldn't resist, I had to have her. She was just the cutest little thing you have ever seen. The first thing she did when I picked her up is take her paw and put it on my cheek. I took some time and discussed with the owners the whole process of growing the puppies and the temperament of the parents which were there on the premise.

However, there was one problem, I lived with partner who did not want a dog and had told me on several occasions that we should not get a dog because we are never home. Plus, we lived in a one-bedroom condo and there was no space for a dog to stay. I put his advisement to the side and decided to bring this puppy home anyway and deal with the ramifications later. I had always grew up with dogs and I felt was financially secure and had a good home to offer. She would be my little princess. I would need to go shopping and made a list of supplies to pick up on the way home.

1. Puppy Food - I decided to keep her on the puppy food the breeder had started her on, so I wouldn't upset her tummy.

2. Toys - Puppies like to chew so I decided to get her a couple different Kong Toys.

3. A crate - I purchased a large crate (puppy apartment) with a divider so I could adjust as she grew. My thought was she was going to grow fast and I would not have to keep replacing the crates.

4. Puppy Wee-Wee Pads - This would be so she would have a spot to go when we were not home.

5. Carpet Cleaner- An absolute must if you have carpet, just make sure it is safe for puppies.

6. Fleece Blankets - I picked up some extra blankets to keep her warm that were only hers. I made sure they were washable.

7. Flea and Tick medicine for puppies - I also purchased a bottle of puppy shampoo.

8. Food Bowls - I bought small ones for food and water.

9. Collar and Leash - I wanted her to get used to a collar as soon as possible, and walking on a leash.

10. Nail Clipper and File - Puppies nails grow fast so I wanted to be prepared.

I put my new puppy, which I named Mischa in an old cat carrier and set on my journey home. When I arrived home my partners car was already there and my heart started to pump. I was scared that he would make me take the dog back. So I went inside to see what kind of mood he was in and found him asleep. I thought great, this was my opportunity to get the dog inside. i brought her in and put the carrier in the kitchen where I could set up some training pads and gates.

When he woke up he was like “ What the hell is this....”. When he is mad he calls me by my last name, he was mad and I must have heard my last name a million times. He told me to get the dog out of the house. I fought him for about an hour before I said I would take her back. Well I figured I would soften him up over time and we would be able keep her. He likes to act stone cold sometimes but, I know he is a big teddy bear.

One day I saw my partner and Mischa playing on the floor. At that moment I knew that Mischa would be a part of our family forever. He eventually came around and realized we should have done this earlier. He likes to take her out in the car and to the park. Mischa comes everywhere with us, she is such a good dog and really likes to run the roads. She is perfect for our busy lifestyle, and we love her more and more every day. And while I am writing this he is out walking Mischa happy as can be.

Interview with Animal Farm Foundation Volunteer

For this interview with an Animal Farm Foundation volunteer I wanted to explore the experience of helping out at the Foundation and gain knowledge of the process and techniques used. The reason I chose a volunteer is I hope to inspire others to take action and to volunteer with shelter dogs, especially Pit Bulls.

The truth is many organizations could not survive without their faithful volunteers. Many times volunteers out number the paid staff. It is important to remember that volunteers do their work out of good will and deserve much respect. While many Executive Directors receive the credit for excellent work, it is the actual volunteer/workers that are the true hero's. They are truly an asset to any organization.

The way I connected with volunteer Vivian is through the Foundation. She has been a top volunteer for a while and has a lot of experience working with Pit Bulls. Previously, I have discussed the Animal Farm Foundation in my blog and wrote about their website and work they do with Pit Bulls. To view the blog on the Foundation click here. Below is the interview with Vivian. Thanks to Vivian for making time to educate me and you on the process of volunteering at the Foundation.

If you are interested in volunteering for the AFF after reading this interview, please click here.

Q: How long have you volunteered for the Animal Farm Foundation?

A: From March 2009 to September 2011

Q: What was the process you went through to become a volunteer?

A: Filled out an application

Q: How long have you been volunteering?

A: I’ve always done some sort of volunteering on and off in my life.  I think the first volunteering I did was as a teenager for Meals on Wheels.

Q: How do you feel about the volunteer program at the Animal Farm Foundation?

A: I think they have one of the better volunteer programs that I have dealt with.  They foster a relationship with their volunteers by providing training and education and giving acknowledgement and praise for the services volunteers provide.  They work with the volunteer as an individual to make the best use of that person’s time and abilities.

Q: Can you explain your role as a volunteer in the dogs training, life, adoption, etc?

A: I began volunteering at AFF as a way to use my community service leave by spending a day per week over a few months. During that time I did a lot of dog walking!  I would walk 4 dogs a day, one at a time for a mile or so each, giving them the opportunity to get out of the kennel, have some leash training and human companionship.  I also did some computer work for them consolidating and updating contact lists, etc.  They also hold training classes for the shelter dogs and I would work with one of the dogs in the class.  Lastly, if I had extra time, I would spend some snuggle time with one of the dogs.

After spending time there and getting to know some of the dogs I discovered that one particular dog had been there over a year, probably because she needed to find a home without other animals.  I had a particular fondness for this dog, as did many of the staff, and asked if I could begin to bring her along to work with me one day a week to give her time away from the kennel and work on her training in an environment that would give her more exposure to people.  Not long after that she was adopted and I continued bringing a dog to work one day a week.  At first it was a different dog each week which was more difficult because it was an introduction to something new for them each week requiring more time and energy from me, taking me away from my work.  I then requested to work with the same dog each week until they were adopted and that worked better. I also fostered dogs at home some of the time.

Q: Why did you choose to volunteer at this organization?

A: I was interested in Pit Bull rescue, they are conveniently located, and they were willing to work with my skills and availability.

Q: What best do you like about the volunteer work?

A: I like the satisfaction of knowing that I can lend a helping hand to someone whether they are human or animal. 

Q: Did it require special training, classes, or certification to work with the dogs?

A: I didn’t have to go through formal training, but I chose to learn their methods of working with the dogs so that the dogs had consistency.  AFF also invited the volunteers to attend any programs for other organizations and the community that were held at their facility.  It also helped that I have a lifetime of working with and training dogs.

Q. Do you own your own Pit Bull?

A: Yes, and he is a rescue from Philadelphia.

Q: What has been your experience with the dogs from the Foundation?

A: They have all been great dogs to work with and on more than one occasion it was difficult not to adopt one for myself.  I have never worked with a dog that made me uncomfortable, but I have worked with some dogs that had some issues to work around.

Q: Where are some of the places you take the dogs?

A: Mostly to work. Some of the dogs that we fostered at home went hiking with us and joined us when we were out in the community.

Q: What is the most challenging about the volunteer work at the Animal Farm Foundation?

A: Dealing with my allergy to dogs.

Q: Do you have any advice for Pit Bull owners or important things to know as an owner?

A: I personally feel that every dog owner, not just Pit Bull owners, should have a well mannered, well trained dog.  A dog that has a job and knows what their role is in the household is a happy dog.  Having a well mannered dog is even more important for owners of Pit Bulls because of the exploitation these dogs have had to endure.  I encourage owners to strive to have their dog be an ambassador to the breed and work to end discrimination against these dogs.  I’m not trying to say that every dog will be the socially perfect, but if you have a dog with less desirable traits for social situations then owners need to be sure that the dog isn’t put into a situation that makes him uncomfortable or where other people or dogs could be at risk.

Pit Bulls are great dogs but they are not for everyone, as with any other breed of dog the personality of the owner should be compatible with the personality of the dog.  Each dog should be looked at as an individual.

The Pit Bulls Lovers Blog

The Pit Bulls Lovers Blog was established in 2004 by Jason Mann. Jason gives excellent real life advice on everything that has to do with Pits from training tips to owning a Pit Bull and the responsibility that comes along with it. His blog offers many links to other blogs and websites that have a Pit Bull theme. He is a top blogger that has advertising on his page. One post in particular I really enjoyed about responsible ownership because of his no holds bar attitude. This is extremely important to all Pit Bull owners to have a well behaved trusted Pit Bull. Like the saying says one bad apple spoils the bunch. This has been true for all Pits in the media.

Jason, I would like to thank you for all of your effort to promote responsible ownership. The post is a thoughtful and provocative list of responsible dog ownership. I believe that it is our duty to change the image of the Pit-Bull breed by presenting well behaved dogs in our communities. Having my dog as a trusted valued member of the community is important. Mischa and I work hard to be ambassadors for all Pits. It is a passion of mine to educate neighbors and friends on what a joy the breed brings to my life and others. Training is ongoing and not one day passes where there was no lesson learned. Reaching out to local organizations can be a source of help as well. Many ASPCA’s have a referral list of local organizations that may work with Pit owners for free training and behavior modification. Responsible dog ownership is about taking action!
As an excellent source of information for Pit Bull owners, I can see why it can help define their destiny as responsible owners. It offers support to inexperienced pit owners and is a great place to start if you are entertaining the thought of purchasing or adopting a Pit Bull.

Animal Farm Foundation

The Animal Farm Foundation is located in Dutchess County of New York State. The  link will take you to a Foundation that is well known for their work with Pit-Bull type dogs. The links on the home page will show the work they do which includes rescue, training, and re-homing the Pit Bull dogs to loving homes. Working hard to match the dogs with the right owners to create a lasting relationship keeps their adoption rates high. By adding videos of the dogs along with attractive pictures under the available dogs link is a creative idea. Under the about us section the Foundation tells a story where they receive their dogs from. Some of the dogs come from abuse cases and shelters. Under the about us and home page they have narratives that explain how they work training the dogs by taking them out into the community and having volunteers take the dogs home. This helps the dogs experience life as it would be with an active owner. Under the education link, the Foundation showcases their work in our communities to educate people on responsible dog ownership and dispel myths on Pit-Bulls. They even offer free classes to the community of Pit-Bull owners in our area. They work feverishly with other shelters and professionals on Pit-Bull adoption strategies, public relations, and dog training. Under the grants tab they have a list of grant programs for low cost spay and neuter for Pits as well as AKC Good Citizen incentives. The Foundation offers training to Pit-Bulls for becoming service dogs to help people in need. Media has long painted the Pit-Bull as a demon breed and one organization that leads the charge in the Hudson Valley to change the Pit-Bull image is the Animal Farm Foundation. They have an organized website with a portal to like them on Facebook. Amazingly, they have over 14,000 likes to their community page.

Trimming Nails

Mischa's nails grow fairly rapidly and taking her to the groomer every two weeks is no longer in my budget and I have decided to practice nail trimming with her. I quickly found that this is not easy or fun to do. It requires a boat load of patience and determination. First, I make sure she is calm and lying down. Taking her for a long walk or having a play date will drain the dogs energy. Second, I present the clippers to her letting her smell them and check them out. Using the standard clippers works fine and they are widely available at all pet stores. Third, about 15 minutes later I return to her with the clippers and some treats. After I present the clippers, I give her a treat to reinforce that the clippers are a positive thing and when they come out she gets a treat. Fourth, about 15 minutes later I return to her with the clippers and treats repeating step three. Then I proceed to start with her back paws and only clipped one nail. Then I praised her and gave her a treat, then walked away.

Below I have included a short video on proper nail trimming and locating the quick.

The next day, I repeated steps one through three and at step four was able to cut ten nails before she started to fuss too much. I am always careful not to cut too much nail or hit the quick, which is a vein in the nail. If your dog has black nails it is best to trim more frequently and only take a little at a time off. Just snipping a little at the end of the nail will work. Working with your dog will create trust and in the end it will prove to be time well spent. Some dogs will not need this much reinforcement but it is always good practice to introduce new equipment to them with something positive. Remember, lots of praise and a reward for your brave companion.

Breed Specific Legislation (BSL)

Breed specific legislation (BSL) can be compared to a band aid. It is not a long term solution to handling dog breed issues. Many times the responsibility is truly in the hands of the owner, if they choose the road to irresponsible dog ownership the owner  should pay and not the breed. Breeds like pit-bulls are the main breed affected in bans. This is mainly from the negative press from the media. Unfortunately, this is not based in any truth. Many of the dogs involved in attacks are not pit-bulls but of a mixed breed. Breed specific legislation does not stop criminals from dog fighting dogs or using them for illegal purposes.

Behind breed specific legislation is nothing but paranoia and prejudice. This hits home to me as a responsible owner. When there is an attack in my community by a pit-bull type dog, I hold my breath and start to tell people that it is an isolated incident. I feel the need to protect the name and have Mischa be a model pit-bull. To show how well behaved and fun the breed can be. No matter how hard I try, when something does happen, it makes the whole breed look bad. People who know Mischa can rationalize that not all pit-bulls are vicious because of their exposure to her. However, people who do not understand the breed  will judge and label them all as dangerous. In order to stop breed specific legislation from coming into our neighborhoods we must all show responsible dog ownership. I truly believe if some rescue groups and local ASPCA’S could offer responsible dog ownership classes to the public, the classes might help people with their dogs in the beginning of dog ownership. The classes could offer insight to different breeds and help identify warning signs. For dog owners, adding a support system could be an effective alternative to banning breeds.