Pit bulls' visits heal patients, reputation

[Palehorse]

Palehorse, do you think dogs are embarrassed with respect to Halloween costumes? It seems there is a big controversy about this issue.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/main/7256270.html

Hell no! My dog loves to dress up, and he sports his Harley shirts and cap all the time. (I had to buy them to keep my wife from playing dress up with him and using some very questionable attire on him. This way she 's happy and the dog keeps his manly pride intact). 

That being said, I had to quickly hide the picture from my dog. He gets one gander at that and he'll be nagging me to buy him a lion costume for halloween! 

And unlike the dog in the picture, MY lil puppy is the right color (fawn) for the costume, and it would accentuate his muscles! 

[Lester Sasquatch]

By golly your dog would make a good companion to a kid out trick or treating. Especially to those miserly folks that won't dish out the goodies.

[Palehorse]

By golly your dog would make a good companion to a kid out trick or treating. Especially to those miserly folks that won't dish out the goodies.

Sportin that Lion costume he'd probably have them dropping the whole bowl and slamming the door shut too. Grandkids would only have to be out a half an hour and they'd have more than they could carry; even loading the dogs saddle bags to the brim! 

[Sandy Eggo]

I'm gonna help out Mrs. Horse on this one. Please, please, please buy him that costume! He'd look so cool! You can use it this year as a lion and next year buy him a toy guitar and mousse it a lil' and he could be a big haired rocker.

[Palehorse]

Indianapolis police say two people were accidentally bitten in a Southeastside's religious facility's parking lot by a police dog that had gotten away from its new handler, an officer whose previous dog of seven years recently died.

The Belgian Malinois named Brick was formerly the police animal partnered with IMPD officer David Bisard, said IMPD Lt. Jeff Duhamell. The dog was put in a kennel after Bisard was in an Aug. 6 crash that killed Eric Wells and injured two other motorcyclists on the Northeastside. Bisard is awaiting trial on criminal charges.

Duhamell said the dog was reassigned to Officer Scott Baker. Baker was at home Oct. 30, cleaning out his vehicle, when the animal took off running unbenownst to Baker. The dog bit an 18-year-old woman and then a 26-year-old man who was trying to help her. Both were in the parking lot at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 8202 Five Points Road, at the time.

"He was apologetic," said IMPD Lt. Jeff Duhamell of Baker, a 24-year veteran of the force who he said has worked with police dogs for 16 years. "He feels bad."

Baker's own police dog, Ricky, recently died of abdominal complications, Duhamell said.

Police are conducting an internal investigation and disciplinary action is possible. The dog was not on a leash. Baker was off-duty at the time.

Natalie Bradley-Wilson, 18, who was outside the Kingdom Hall, told WTHR (Channel 13) she was shocked when the dog attacked her out of nowhere. She said she tried holding the dog's muzzle shut, then tried biting the dog back to shock it.

"It didn't act like it even cared that I bit it," Bradley-Wilson told the Star's newsgathering partner.

The male friend chased the dog off with a briefcase, but not before he was also bitten.
Both were treated at St. Francis Hospital South.

Police dog candidates are selected for specific traits and drives. IMPD uses German shepherds, Belgian Malinois, and Dutch shepherds for felony apprehension and narcotics detection.

A call to the unit today was not answered.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20101105/NEWS02/101105026/Bisard-s-former-K-9-partner-in-trouble-too?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|IndyStar.com

Yeah, and had that been a pit bull they'd be tripping over themselves to have the dog put down! 

[Sandy Eggo]

I'm siding with the dog here. Why would she attempt to put her hands anywhere near his face? also, she bit him back?!? What an idiot. I'm thinking she did something nutty to cause him to react instinctively to being with. As for the other asshole, what did he do before he started waving the briefcase? My bet is something equally stupid that incited the dog. He didn't think waving a briefcase would be perceived as threatening behavior by the dog? Still the dog should have been secured by the officer. I'm curious about his training to. Maybe Ex will elaborate on that, but I'm surpised that he took off like that anyway. Maybe something attracted his attention?

I wonder why they don't use pitt bulls for police dogs?

[The Troll]

I wonder why they don't use pitt bulls for police dogs?

   Because you got to use a crow bar to remove perpetrator from dogs mouth.   

[LOsborne]

Still the dog should have been secured by the officer. I'm curious about his training to. Maybe Ex will elaborate on that, but I'm surpised that he took off like that anyway. Maybe something attracted his attention?

According to the news story, this is the dog which was partnered to the drunk who killed and maimed the motorcyclists. Who knows what kind of strange habits or odd cues he learned living with that guy.

[The Troll]

According to the news story, this is the dog which was partnered to the drunk who killed and maimed the motorcyclists. Who knows what kind of strange habits or odd cues he learned living with that guy.

  Well wouldn't know, old dog whisper LOsborne know everything about dogs and their training.  SHWOOOOOOOOOOOOH.

[Sandy Eggo]

Have you ever watched Pit Bulls and Parolees? It's on Animal Planet right after Pit boss. I haven't seen either program, but I saw the listing and I can't help but wonder if they help a Pit's reputation or hurt it.

[The Troll]

Have you ever watched Pit Bulls and Parolees? It's on Animal Planet right after Pit boss. I haven't seen either program, but I saw the listing and I can't help but wonder if they help a Pit's reputation or hurt it.

   They help it.  They do a good job of it:

[Palehorse]

Have you ever watched Pit Bulls and Parolees? It's on Animal Planet right after Pit boss. I haven't seen either program, but I saw the listing and I can't help but wonder if they help a Pit's reputation or hurt it.

I agree with the Troll, they help. BIG time. The lady that runs it is a fierce advocate for the pit bull breed and she takes in animals (pit bulls) from all kinds of bad situations. Then she rehabs them, works with them, understands their weaknesses and strengths, and only places them into a new home when she is sure the home they are going into is a good fit for the animal.

She struggles to keep up financially, but she will not turn her back on any pit bull in a bad situation.

I watched on episode where she and her daughter were gong to rescue on pit bull stray, and while going there came across another that was a stray and starving and obviously very sick. She took that one and went and retrieved the one she was called about, and then paid for the sick dog's checkup. When she found out the dog was terminally sick she paid to have it put down.

I like the show a lot and watch it whenever I am home and it is on. 

She does a good job with her parolee employees too! 

[Sandy Eggo]

Today my daughter and I spent some time helping out at the animal shelter. We came across a family considering this young and very beautiful pit mix. They asked us about him and what his story was. Well, he was picked up as a stray, so we didn't know his history, but the dog enrichment lady had nothing but raving reviews on this pup. She told us a couple weeks ago how smart he was and that not only was he very obedient, but that he'd learned a few tricks. Everyone there is surprised that his real family has never shown up to claim him because he's such a cool and well adjusted dog. Anyway, as we talked about him, I tried to remember everything you'd said about the breed and I told them that he'd be a steadfast and loyal friend, but that he needed training, activity and unconditional love. I'd love for this family to adopt him and I think they may be, but I wanted to throw that out there hoping they'd get the hint that he isn't a dog that they can bring home and ignore. No dog should be that way, but especially not a high-energy dog. Anyway, about the time I was talking to them, a guy that's employed there walked up and proceeded to tell them that he'd be great w/the kids and that he needs a lot of exercise. He warned them that if they weren't a family that had a lot of time to exercise with him for quite a while on a daily basis, then he wasn't the dog for them. The dad laughed and said, "the girls will keep him busy" and the guy said, "that's good, but he needs more than just playing with the kids." The dad said that he's a bike rider and asked if he thought he'd be trainable to run along side his bike. The guy said that he does that quite well, but offered to let the guy bring his bike up and have the dog enrichment lady help him to make sure that no one gets hurt.

At any rate, I think this puppy found a home. They were still talking to the guy and playing with the dog when we left an hour and a half later.

The dog's profile:

I recently passed an  assessment by a trainer  who has connections with a national working dog organization. I am a very intelligent, curious, highly active large dog with a strong detection drive. I would require an experienced, Alpha guardian to share an active lifestyle with, but I love to frolick with children and other dogs. My regular volunteer takes me on 3 mile bike rides twice a week in addition to 1 hour daily walks and training exercises. I can pick out a toy, after only smelling it for a few seconds, out of a toy box with 50 other toys in it. I even open the toy box myself! My favorite things to do are running, swimming, car rides, baths, mental stimulation, and retrieving balls. My volunteer trainer has taught me to sit and stay off leash while she walks about 50 feet away. I stay until she "releases" me.

[Sandy Eggo]

If I could have another dog where I'm currently living, then I would have brought Doughboy home with me today:



He's a Pit bull/English bull dog mix. What a total sweetheart he is.

This is another dog that we walked today:



Maybe it's his "tuxedo", but he's very refined. LOL So gentle and sweet. He's actually younger than the dog the family was looking about, but very settled.

This one has nothing to do with pit bulls, but I had to share her picture. Her head is really that large and her body is really that small. I have to wonder what the lab mated w/to produce this sweetie. 

[Palehorse]

Today my daughter and I spent some time helping out at the animal shelter. We came across a family considering this young and very beautiful pit mix. They asked us about him and what his story was. Well, he was picked up as a stray, so we didn't know his history, but the dog enrichment lady had nothing but raving reviews on this pup. She told us a couple weeks ago how smart he was and that not only was he very obedient, but that he'd learned a few tricks. Everyone there is surprised that his real family has never shown up to claim him because he's such a cool and well adjusted dog. Anyway, as we talked about him, I tried to remember everything you'd said about the breed and I told them that he'd be a steadfast and loyal friend, but that he needed training, activity and unconditional love. I'd love for this family to adopt him and I think they may be, but I wanted to throw that out there hoping they'd get the hint that he isn't a dog that they can bring home and ignore. No dog should be that way, but especially not a high-energy dog. Anyway, about the time I was talking to them, a guy that's employed there walked up and proceeded to tell them that he'd be great w/the kids and that he needs a lot of exercise. He warned them that if they weren't a family that had a lot of time to exercise with him for quite a while on a daily basis, then he wasn't the dog for them. The dad laughed and said, "the girls will keep him busy" and the guy said, "that's good, but he needs more than just playing with the kids." The dad said that he's a bike rider and asked if he thought he'd be trainable to run along side his bike. The guy said that he does that quite well, but offered to let the guy bring his bike up and have the dog enrichment lady help him to make sure that no one gets hurt.

At any rate, I think this puppy found a home. They were still talking to the guy and playing with the dog when we left an hour and a half later.

The dog's profile:

One thing a lot of people who adopt dogs do not think about is how their homeowners insurance will perceive the animal because of his breed. With a pit mix it is far better to tell them it is a mutt, or emphasize the other breed(s) it may be mixed with as opposed to pit bull. Insurance companies discriminate very strongly against the pit bull! My wife and I had a hard time obtaining insurance for our new home because our dog is a pit bull. We did obtain it from American Family Insurance, so that is an option if they are set on the animal and it happens to be a pit bull.

Now that our dog is 4 years old, he doesn't require quite as much exercise as when he was younger. Typically we will spend about 2 hours a day with him outside, during which he gets a lot of physical exercise. Broken down into about 3 sessions a day. I usually run him until he has had enough, which he will signal by taking his toy bone and going out to the center of the yard and laying down. 

One of his quirks though is that while he will urinate whenever he feels the need, he typically will not initiate a bowel movement unless we tell him to. Then he goes right to it. Strange I know, but the dog poops on command! 

These dogs, when paired with a family that takes the time to properly acclimate and train them, are excellent companion dogs and an excellent deterrent to those with skullduggery on their minds.

They also like to have a sense of "responsibility" and for the mindful owner who takes the time to understand their animal, it's pretty amazing what they will do once they understand what is expected of them. Our dog loves the harness and to pull. He will pull a sled or a wagon until he drops if we would let him. Pulling the bicycle is one of his favorites!