Former fighting pit bulls and cats

tavia'smom

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Is there any way they can have the dog temperment tested. And then attend the training classes with the dog. And if nothing else seriously consider this because the last thing they want is to add fuel to the fire against pit bulls. And how are they certain he is a pit there are alot of dogs that look like pits.
 

tavia'smom

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Here is a great site to have your friend look at on APBT and its very important she reads about how to have pits and other animals together when adding a dog with an unknown history . I have another site I want you all to look at but I got to find it first.

http://www.badrap.org/rescue/myths.cfm
 

goldenkitty45

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NO - I would NEVER ever trust a fighting pitbull dog with any small animal - especially cats - they are taught as puppies to rip up and kill cats - they are used for baiting. I honestly think that whoever thinks they will "cure" the dog is out of their mind.

The last thing you do is to rehome a fighting pitbull - most cannot be cured or rehabilitated. Its not like rehabilitating a racing greyhound who doesn' win anymore! This is a fighting machine and I seriously doubt that you can ever trust them with cats.
 

celestialrags

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Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

NO - I would NEVER ever trust a fighting pitbull dog with any small animal - especially cats - they are taught as puppies to rip up and kill cats - they are used for baiting. I honestly think that whoever thinks they will "cure" the dog is out of their mind.

The last thing you do is to rehome a fighting pitbull - most cannot be cured or rehabilitated. Its not like rehabilitating a racing greyhound who doesn' win anymore! This is a fighting machine and I seriously doubt that you can ever trust them with cats.
Sorry, but I don't see any difference in "rehibilatating" a greyhound then a pitt. I guess, I am one of the ones out of my mind
Some I agree can never be trained, let alone re-homed ANYWHERE, never mind a home with kids or animals. But given the dog is under a year and was found as a stray w/scars, how does any one know it was fought, not a bait dog? Of just had a hard time as a stray on the street? No more is known about this dog then any other stray on the street, mabey any dog with out a background should be humanely euthanised. Just because it is a stray poodle, not a stray pitt doesn't mean it can be adopted. I would trust a young pitt more then I would trust any of the little rodent dogs, like a JRT, ratt terrier, or any other little yapper dog that has had killing little rodents in their "blood" But then again, I am out of my mind
But seriously, people need to know the breed, and know how to train dogs. If you have never had a dog before you shouldn't go and get a blue heeler, or some thing, some dogs need firmer handleing then others, you just don't go and get a dog like this if you haven't had dogs before, he would(the dog) be better off being put down, then in an unknowledgable home, really. Trust your gutt instct, if it is really ringing alert bells, don't do it, you are not the owner for that dog, and if it means that it gets put to sleep, then so be it. It really is for the best. It could get hurt, hurt/kill children small animals, ect, then be put down any way. You can't save them all, and this one may just be one of those that can't. There are so many others that need rescueing, so if the person that is thinking about rescuing, should go to the shelter and find one just as needy, but more appropriate for them and their situation, no one will look down at them because they chose to be safe, and keep the neighborhood safe, and didn't adopt that dog. I hope every thing works for the best no matter how she decides, even if it means that this dog has to be pts, it happens when idiots out there think the breed makes a better fighter then a pet (which any one who has/knows a good family pet pitt will tell you, they love being part of the family and in the house loved, not on a chain or made tp fight for their lives.)
 

goldenkitty45

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Sorry but I would not want to even risk finding out if the pitt will attack and kill the cats. I'd feel a lot better rehoming in a "no other pets" house rather then to take the chance on a dead kitten - especially if it was a kitten that I had raised!

We have a lab, she's fine with the cats. I love JRT's but would not trust them alone with my cats. I was considering one at one time, but read about the tradgedy of a JRT raised from a pup with cats and coming home to dead cats after years of living with them. I decided I would not put my cats at risk.
 

tavia'smom

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I still stand by my advice to take the dog to a professional and have him temporment tested. And it may sound like a joke but considering he is growling at people which is never good maybe call someone like the dog whisperer he might actually be open to helping the owners of this dog learn how to control this dog.

Oh and just wanted to make a little side statement on blueheelers I raised them when I was younger and they are a bit intence too .
 

tnr1

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Originally Posted by Godiva

Two of my kittens (now six months) went to a home that has a dog. This dog is fine with the kittens, and she sleeps with them and grooms them. However, the owner just adopted a former fighting pit bull stray. A local rescue organization is going to get him trained and neutered for her, but I am still really worried about the kittens. She hasn't let the kittens around the dog and says she won't until he's trained and such... but is it even possible to train a former fighting dog to be nice to cats, especially when the dog used to kill neighborhood cats? He's still under a year old. Anyone have any experience with this kind of thing?
My recommendation is to definately have him evaluated. Our rescue does cat tests with dogs..but unless you KNOW the dog is good with cats...I wouldn't risk it.

Katie
 
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godiva

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I contacted the organization about the situation the day I posted this thread. They haven't gotten back to me. I hope they don't take my concerns the wrong way!
After going through their website, they don't actually rescue dogs, they merely provide money for speutering, contacts for training, and advice to people who have a pit bull. I bet they think I'm just overreacting to the breed in general, even though I said he had displayed aggression and supposedly killed neighborhood cats as a stray.

Cross your fingers for me...
 

clairebear

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Originally Posted by tuxedokitties

Perhaps you could email or print this article for her?
http://www.realpitbull.com/pitsnpets.html


Good luck!
I don't necessarily agree with that article. All of the pits that I have ever known have gotten along great with other animals. It's all in how you raise and train them. Most are not naturally aggressive, most are trained to be aggressive. However this dog has been trained to be aggressive, so he may never completely be reformed.
 

eagleeye

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Here is one of the best sites you'll find for accurate information on American Pit Bull Terriers (APBTs) by an actual expert on the breed:

http://www.workingpitbull.com/aboutpits.htm

I've been involved with the breed for about 4 1/2 years and can say that it's not just "how you raise them." APBTs can be dog aggressive because of the centuries of selective breeding behind them. Dog aggression does not equal aggression to humans.

You'll occasionally find APBTs who are "cold" -- that is to say, not reactive to other dogs. You'll also occasionally find ones that are good with cats and other small animals. However, it's never safe to assume that an APBT will be dog- or cat-friendly without testing and observing the dog around small animals in a safe and prudent manner. One rule of thumb with owning these dogs is that you never, ever leave them alone and unsupervised with other animals. It doesn't matter if the dog is an ex-fighter (which most of them aren't) or a pampered pooch like mine. I've seen too many people stupidly lose beloved pets because they thought their APBT was the exception to the rule.

This whole situation could be a disaster if the person who adopted your kittens has no experience with the breed or managing a multi-dog/cat household. Not only are there issues with keeping everyone safe and living harmoniously, there are all kinds of social and insurance issues that go along with APBT ownership. Another problem with adopting a younger APBT is that dog aggression often doesn't manifest itself until the dog is 2 or even 3 years of age.

If you have contact with her, please urge her to educate herself as much as possible about the breed and find a reliable and reputable source for pit bull related advice so she can consult with someone should she need to. I'd be happy to send you some links to give her if you'd like me to.

Sorry if this sounds alarmist, but I dearly love both APBTs and cats, too. The last thing I want to see/hear is someone's ignorance getting her animals hurt and further damaging the breed's image.
 
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godiva

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Thank you for the info. I'd appreciate the links.


I'm going to e-mail her in a few days to see how she's doing (and give her those links). I never got a response from the group that she says is working with her.


Keep your fingers crossed for me! I don't mean to contribute to the bad reputation that pit bulls have, but I am concerned about the kittens I placed with her. She lives in a very mixed area, and there are pit bull fighting rings with the gangs in the area (it's kind of the ghetto
)... so I am worried that the dog she picked up has been exposed to some bad things. I'll post an update once I know something!
 

wookie130

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I have a soft-spot for well-bred, well-trained APBT's...what a powerful, beautiful breed...and what a bad rep we humans have given them!!! Some of the biggest sloppy babies I've known have been APBT's...and one thing they all had in common were their PEDIGREE, and their HANDLERS/owners.

Since this dog is apparently a stray, there is literally no way for anyone to know if he was a fighting dog or not...however, I do realize you mentioned he has been known to attack cats in the neighborhood. He could also be frightened, hungry, timid around people, and anxious...and you mentioned he is still a puppy under a year old. Extensive temperment testing is in order, for sure, before he is adopted by ANYONE...it sounds like he needs a lot of professional intervention before entering into someone's home as a pet...and so will the potential owner. I do not feel that a home with other dogs and cats will be appropriate...if he has this type of a history, it will just take one moment for someone to be off-guard before tragedy strikes.

I would call your local Humane Society, and ask that they intervene with this situation...this pup needs some help to become a good companion, and the owner of your former kittens may need to hear this from a professional standpoint.
 

shorty14788

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It does NOT matter what type of dog it is. Any dog can be a danger to cats, let alone little kittens! Unless you are 100% confident that the dog has no interest in chasing or injuring an animal I would not leave them alone together.

I know someone who thought it would be nice to foster 2 shelties. She let them run around her house with her 2 cats. She left them unsupervised ONCE. When she came home one cat was dead and the other had been attacked but managed to escape to where they couldn't reach.

ANY dog can be animal aggresive. If you are not confident that this dog will be well mannered with the kittens, I would tell your friend to either not get the dog or find a home for the kittens. It's too great of a chance to risk!
 
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godiva

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I have great news! Coco was rehomed. She figured out that he was too aggressive... I am so incredibly relieved!! Thanks for all the input, everyone.

Unfortunately, Coco got her other dog pregnant... and she had her puppies earlier this month. She's a Malamute and gorgeous, but very shy.
I asked her why she wasn't spayed and she said she wanted to breed her.
Ugh. At least my kittens are spayed.
 

catsarebetter

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Originally Posted by Godiva

Thanks... that is what I feared. I'm trying to figure out how to tell her it's not a great idea. I already told her I wouldn't risk it and asked her what she'd do if it doesn't work out, she said she didn't know... Ugh! Perhaps the rescue organization will advise her properly, and their word is better than mine (the overprotective former owner).

At least the kittens are fixed now and are well taken care of otherwise... \\
Having gone through this, with a rescue dog that wasn't even trained that way, to the devastating loss of my most beloved cat...the "not working out" is going to be the death of one of the cats. It's not going to be a no go until the dog proves that it can't be fixed and the cats are at risk.. which means.. one of the cats is going to die, and possibly even the resident dog.

I don't have any problems with pit bulls, but fighting dogs never lose that instinct.

On the same pages as GoldenKitty..I wouldn't risk it.

Regarding what Tavia'sMom said... having had the troubled dog.. I am on Cesar Milan's email list, and they were taking videotapes for dogs that need help. Now is the time to send that video tape. It's on his website which I believe is cesarmilan.com If you do a search on the dog whisperer.. his site comes up.
 

bemyonlyone

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I wouldn't even trust a dog like that around people. I would feel really unsafe if my neighbor had a dog like that.
 
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godiva

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Originally Posted by CatsAreBetter

Having gone through this, with a rescue dog that wasn't even trained that way, to the devastating loss of my most beloved cat...the "not working out" is going to be the death of one of the cats. It's not going to be a no go until the dog proves that it can't be fixed and the cats are at risk.. which means.. one of the cats is going to die, and possibly even the resident dog.

I don't have any problems with pit bulls, but fighting dogs never lose that instinct.

On the same pages as GoldenKitty..I wouldn't risk it.

Regarding what Tavia'sMom said... having had the troubled dog.. I am on Cesar Milan's email list, and they were taking videotapes for dogs that need help. Now is the time to send that video tape. It's on his website which I believe is cesarmilan.com If you do a search on the dog whisperer.. his site comes up.
I have good news... I posted an update last night. It's the post right before yours.
 
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