Give to the Animals who need your help.
I choose to donate to Animal Haven in soho, especially with my time, and I know that they use their resources wisely to save animals' lives. If you are from the New York area, consider giving to this Shelter-- if not, give to one near you.
Animal Haven's Holiday Video
Animal Haven rescue video
Follow me and my two rescued Pitbulls, Bruno and Winnie on our adventure as I volunteer, learn more about Pit bulls, help to educate others about this amazing breed while following the practices of Animal Care and Control of NYC.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Find the Pittie!
20 dog breeds are commonly confused with pit bull terriers. Can you figure out which one is the pittie in this group? I got half way through before I found him. Pittie Quiz! (take it here)
(Thanks to Dont be a Pit Bully for the link!)
When people assume all these dogs are the same breed, actions by so many dogs are grouped together making Pitties seem more dangerous than they are.
(Thanks to Dont be a Pit Bully for the link!)
When people assume all these dogs are the same breed, actions by so many dogs are grouped together making Pitties seem more dangerous than they are.
Scary Vet Trip
On Friday night, my boyfriend and I closed the bedroom door and went to bed. We usually let the dogs into the bedroom, but we decided that they were happy outside and we were trying to set up some boundaries in our apartment.
Bruno whined for a while but eventually we didn't hear him and assumed the two were sleeping happily. At 3:30 am, my boyfriend and I were woken up by more whimpering, and my boyfriend got up to go to the bathroom. When he opened the door he swore loudly and I jumped out of bed.
Bruno had gone to the bathroom and thrown up ALL over the apartment. We searched quickly and found that he had gotten into a bottle of pills that I had left on the dining room table and had eaten a whole box of jelly beans and destroyed a number of other things, including my earmuffs that I had brought less than 12 hours before.
We were terrified. I was convinced he was going to die because he had eaten so many pills. We called poison control and ran outside to get a cab to the emergency vet. When we got into the cab, the cabbie said a dog had just destroyed his cab and it was brand new. We said we'd be careful, and we had a roll of paper towels in my bag, but Bruno threw up again anyway, and the cabbie was outraged. Luckily he accepted $40 dollars and we made it to the vet.
When we got there we explained everything to the vet and she counted the max. number of pills he could have eaten and called poison control again. They didn't have to pump his stomach because he had thrown up so much already. Strangely, the vet said the pills weren't here biggest concern- if a human had ingested that many, they would have OD-ed, but dogs don't react the same way. The bigger concern, she said, was the jelly beans. Apparently that amount of concentrated sugar and high fructose corn syrup can cause the whole body to become dehydrated and cause the cells in the brain to rupture, which could have caused neurological damage. They pumped him full of fluids, so it looked like the had a giant hump on his back.
Due to costs, we had to decline the stomach x ray (Pitties have such deep chests, the vet couldn't even feel his stomach to check if it was distended) and luckily, he didn't need one because we walked him all the way home in the dark (the sun rose on the way) and he was in perfect spirits and everything was fine the next day.
The only good news (or bad news) that came from the experience was that we found out that Bruno has some sort of kidney or thyroid disease. We explained to the vet that he drinks a lot (and seeks out water in the tub/toilet/knocks over glasses to get at a drop of water), and after viewing his blood work, she said he has hypercalemia and probably PU/PD. We will have to get Vet insurance and take him to find out what is really wrong.
Vet bills are so prohibitively expensive. Our total bill came to over $600, but they recommended x-rays and keeping him for observation which would have brought the total to over $1500. Especially now that Bruno has health issues, we will have to get insurance, I just hope his PU/PD won't be a "pre-existing condition." It is really too bad that there are no Not-for-profit vet clinics for people who are trying to keep their pets but can't afford their care. So many dogs end up dying at the shelter because their owners cannot afford their vet bills and have to give them up.
Bruno whined for a while but eventually we didn't hear him and assumed the two were sleeping happily. At 3:30 am, my boyfriend and I were woken up by more whimpering, and my boyfriend got up to go to the bathroom. When he opened the door he swore loudly and I jumped out of bed.
Bruno had gone to the bathroom and thrown up ALL over the apartment. We searched quickly and found that he had gotten into a bottle of pills that I had left on the dining room table and had eaten a whole box of jelly beans and destroyed a number of other things, including my earmuffs that I had brought less than 12 hours before.
We were terrified. I was convinced he was going to die because he had eaten so many pills. We called poison control and ran outside to get a cab to the emergency vet. When we got into the cab, the cabbie said a dog had just destroyed his cab and it was brand new. We said we'd be careful, and we had a roll of paper towels in my bag, but Bruno threw up again anyway, and the cabbie was outraged. Luckily he accepted $40 dollars and we made it to the vet.
When we got there we explained everything to the vet and she counted the max. number of pills he could have eaten and called poison control again. They didn't have to pump his stomach because he had thrown up so much already. Strangely, the vet said the pills weren't here biggest concern- if a human had ingested that many, they would have OD-ed, but dogs don't react the same way. The bigger concern, she said, was the jelly beans. Apparently that amount of concentrated sugar and high fructose corn syrup can cause the whole body to become dehydrated and cause the cells in the brain to rupture, which could have caused neurological damage. They pumped him full of fluids, so it looked like the had a giant hump on his back.
Due to costs, we had to decline the stomach x ray (Pitties have such deep chests, the vet couldn't even feel his stomach to check if it was distended) and luckily, he didn't need one because we walked him all the way home in the dark (the sun rose on the way) and he was in perfect spirits and everything was fine the next day.
The only good news (or bad news) that came from the experience was that we found out that Bruno has some sort of kidney or thyroid disease. We explained to the vet that he drinks a lot (and seeks out water in the tub/toilet/knocks over glasses to get at a drop of water), and after viewing his blood work, she said he has hypercalemia and probably PU/PD. We will have to get Vet insurance and take him to find out what is really wrong.
Vet bills are so prohibitively expensive. Our total bill came to over $600, but they recommended x-rays and keeping him for observation which would have brought the total to over $1500. Especially now that Bruno has health issues, we will have to get insurance, I just hope his PU/PD won't be a "pre-existing condition." It is really too bad that there are no Not-for-profit vet clinics for people who are trying to keep their pets but can't afford their care. So many dogs end up dying at the shelter because their owners cannot afford their vet bills and have to give them up.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
News: Pit saves a Spaniel!
An Uplifiting Story of another Heroic Pit-mix!
On Monday in Oregon, a Pit-mix up for adoption pulled the volunteer walking her to a ditch where the volunteer discovered an elderly frozen cocker spaniel on the verge of death. The elderly spaniel had been adopted from that shelter a month before and being blind with no sense of smell, he seemed to have followed the sound of barking dogs.
Out of 5 dogs that were walked past the ditch that morning, onlt the pit-mix named Nala found the spaniel. The shelter says they hope this will help Nala find a home since she has been at the shelter for five months already.
Another set of adopted Pit-Mixes
From Buffalo comes the story of a family that adopted two pit-mixes who have turned out to be best friends. Their first had been starved when they got her and now has filled out and has a whole family and a big brother. The two are attached at the hip and "They like to dressed up and be under blankets and get all snuggly." And, she says, "Everywhere we take them, people say, 'Oh they are so cute!'"
Bruno, also, loves to be snuggled under covers, which we find completely adorable, we can never turn him away from a warm snuggle on the couch.
On Monday in Oregon, a Pit-mix up for adoption pulled the volunteer walking her to a ditch where the volunteer discovered an elderly frozen cocker spaniel on the verge of death. The elderly spaniel had been adopted from that shelter a month before and being blind with no sense of smell, he seemed to have followed the sound of barking dogs.
Out of 5 dogs that were walked past the ditch that morning, onlt the pit-mix named Nala found the spaniel. The shelter says they hope this will help Nala find a home since she has been at the shelter for five months already.
Another set of adopted Pit-Mixes
From Buffalo comes the story of a family that adopted two pit-mixes who have turned out to be best friends. Their first had been starved when they got her and now has filled out and has a whole family and a big brother. The two are attached at the hip and "They like to dressed up and be under blankets and get all snuggly." And, she says, "Everywhere we take them, people say, 'Oh they are so cute!'"
Bruno, also, loves to be snuggled under covers, which we find completely adorable, we can never turn him away from a warm snuggle on the couch.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Training Updates
Magically, Bruno has responded amazingly to the muzzle-lead. It is called a "Halti" and doesn't give off the impression to others that he's scary.
It gives us control over him so that he can't lunge or bark too easily and keeps him walking like a perfect gentleman beside us. Also, the best thing so far has been using the "U-Turn" and the treats. Every time we go out, we take a whole handful and now he is trained to sit and wait for the elevators and sit in the elevator as well. People are very impressed with how our two dogs sit so nicely waiting. Its amazing what treats can do.
He hasn't barked at a child in days. Actually, we had to walk him through a crowd of kids and he remained completely composed. I wouldn't let the children approach or pet him and I think that gave him more confidence. Knowing that I will keep the kids away and that he will be protected has definitely done wonders for him.
Thanks so much to everyone who posted advice. I agree that fear agression and agression are two very different things. I know deep down that he is not an aggressive dog. Last night he slept with us the whole night and buryied his head deep under the covers to shut out all the light. He is such a sweetheart and a cuddler. I wish I had had him since he was a puppy to give him better socialization, but he is responding extremely well now.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Fear of Little Boys
Bruno is terribly affraid of little boys-- and naturally, they are terribly afraid of him. I hate to think that he was abused by a child, but he only reacts to little boys of a certain age. His fear is not of children in general, which means its not their size or noise level or energy level, but the appearence of little boys. I feel out of my league in training him to not respond so negatively to them because I don't even know what he has been through.
We are not sure what to do, because now that Bruno has gotten more comfortable in our neighborhood and home and gotten better from his accident, he is showing much more aggression towards kids. In a neighborhood full of families and children, what could be worse?
It is a frightful thing because we don't want to scare children of course, and we don't want people to be afraid of Bruno-who we know to be a sweet and gentle dog. We don't want our landlord to even have to ask us to leave because Bruno is scaring the families. We want to advance the breeds reputation, not hurt it.
The ASPCA has a great resource for all kinds of behavioral problems, including an entire page on Fear of Children. The ASPCA of course advises avoiding children, which is impossible for us where we live now. If unavoidable, they recommend a muzzel. The problem with this is that it makes him look scary, which is the last thing I want, but of course I understand that ultimately a muzzeled dog is less scary than a barking, lungeing dog.
The ASPCA also advises using the "U-Turn" technique, which actually works well for us outside (We see children coming and we either turn around or stop and make Bruno sit and pay attention to us for a treat.) But this is impossible inside. Near and among the elevators is actually where he is the most aggressive because of the surprise of children when the doors open. The surprise seems to be the worst part of it and the hardest thing to work around, which is why I am seriously considering a muzzel.
Muzzels, however, don't fix the problem but only cover it up. The ASPCA recommends psychological treatment called Desensitization and Counterconditioning (DSCC) and seeking the help of experts.
I am hoping that over the next few weeks the muzzel combined with the U-Turn and treats will be enough to help Bruno, because he is after all a very reslient dog who learns quickly.
The other thing that worries me is that breed profiles and specialists sometimes say that when pit bulls demonstrate any agression to humans and esspecially towards children, they may need be put to sleep, because they are not demonstrating typical or desireable breed temperment.
(See this Rescue Site- "Note: A pit bull that shows unprovoked human aggression, especially with children, is NOT typical of the breed and is showing very poor temperament. Such a dog should be thoroughly evaluated by a trainer or behaviorist experienced in the breed for a final determination of their temperament and recommendation on how to proceed.")
Statistics on Dog Bites/Children:
"Studies of dog bite injuries have reported that:
Strangely, Bruno is extremely dog friendly and would never hurt a dog. He also snuggles with us on our bed and loves to lick our faces and gingerly accepts treats and shows no aggression to adults. After how much he has survived, I know that he is going to have a happy life, but I worry about 1) keeping him --because we plan on having children in the next 3-5 years, and 2) giving him up for adoption, because someone might not understand his unique needs and he could end up in the shelter again.
I love pit bulls and I welcome their good and bad qualities. Most of all, I want other people to love them as much as I do. I want to be a good owner who understands my dog's feelings and limitations. Hearing people say they are afraid of my pit bulls is the hardest thing for me to hear, so I need to to everything I can to help Bruno. If anyone has any advice or has dealt with a similar problem, please let me know.
We are not sure what to do, because now that Bruno has gotten more comfortable in our neighborhood and home and gotten better from his accident, he is showing much more aggression towards kids. In a neighborhood full of families and children, what could be worse?
It is a frightful thing because we don't want to scare children of course, and we don't want people to be afraid of Bruno-who we know to be a sweet and gentle dog. We don't want our landlord to even have to ask us to leave because Bruno is scaring the families. We want to advance the breeds reputation, not hurt it.
The ASPCA has a great resource for all kinds of behavioral problems, including an entire page on Fear of Children. The ASPCA of course advises avoiding children, which is impossible for us where we live now. If unavoidable, they recommend a muzzel. The problem with this is that it makes him look scary, which is the last thing I want, but of course I understand that ultimately a muzzeled dog is less scary than a barking, lungeing dog.
The ASPCA also advises using the "U-Turn" technique, which actually works well for us outside (We see children coming and we either turn around or stop and make Bruno sit and pay attention to us for a treat.) But this is impossible inside. Near and among the elevators is actually where he is the most aggressive because of the surprise of children when the doors open. The surprise seems to be the worst part of it and the hardest thing to work around, which is why I am seriously considering a muzzel.
Muzzels, however, don't fix the problem but only cover it up. The ASPCA recommends psychological treatment called Desensitization and Counterconditioning (DSCC) and seeking the help of experts.
I am hoping that over the next few weeks the muzzel combined with the U-Turn and treats will be enough to help Bruno, because he is after all a very reslient dog who learns quickly.
The other thing that worries me is that breed profiles and specialists sometimes say that when pit bulls demonstrate any agression to humans and esspecially towards children, they may need be put to sleep, because they are not demonstrating typical or desireable breed temperment.
(See this Rescue Site- "Note: A pit bull that shows unprovoked human aggression, especially with children, is NOT typical of the breed and is showing very poor temperament. Such a dog should be thoroughly evaluated by a trainer or behaviorist experienced in the breed for a final determination of their temperament and recommendation on how to proceed.")
Statistics on Dog Bites/Children:
"Studies of dog bite injuries have reported that:
- The median age of patients bitten was 15 years, with children, especially boys aged 5 to 9 years, having the highest incidence rate
- The majority of dog attacks (61%) happen at home or in a familiar place.
- The vast majority of biting dogs (77%) belong to the victim's family or a friend. "
Strangely, Bruno is extremely dog friendly and would never hurt a dog. He also snuggles with us on our bed and loves to lick our faces and gingerly accepts treats and shows no aggression to adults. After how much he has survived, I know that he is going to have a happy life, but I worry about 1) keeping him --because we plan on having children in the next 3-5 years, and 2) giving him up for adoption, because someone might not understand his unique needs and he could end up in the shelter again.
I love pit bulls and I welcome their good and bad qualities. Most of all, I want other people to love them as much as I do. I want to be a good owner who understands my dog's feelings and limitations. Hearing people say they are afraid of my pit bulls is the hardest thing for me to hear, so I need to to everything I can to help Bruno. If anyone has any advice or has dealt with a similar problem, please let me know.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Papa--Paparazzi
I am insisting on getting a good Holiday Portrait of Winnie & Bruno if it kills me!!
But these 2 just cannot cooperate...In fact, the longer we tried, the worse the pictures got....
ok, one out of two, keep trying
Decent, I thought, but not nearly adorable enough...
Where did Winnie go??
I got in on the action, and Winnie laid down and refused to move in protest....
So I picked her up....
And she began kick-boxing Bruno because he was getting treats...
Getting there....
OH no.. they are jumping away from me...
blurry..
and FAIL.
We will try this again another day.
Anyone have any ideas??
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
