Vents: Random Acts of Venting!

[Anne]

I rather like the caveman, though maybe he needs a little counseling, but I am mightly tired of colon health and ed.

[Sandy Eggo]

What is it about my face and/or demeanor that causes you to assume that I care about your urinary habits or the daily cat "presents" update. I think I'd handle it differently if my cat was pooping all over my house. Doing a daily count and relaying that number to me, even in a whispered tone, isn't doing anything to help your cat or the smell of your home.

[The Troll]

What is it about my face and/or demeanor that causes you to assume that I care about your urinary habits or the daily cat "presents" update. I think I'd handle it differently if my cat was pooping all over my house. Doing a daily count and relaying that number to me, even in a whispered tone, isn't doing anything to help your cat or the smell of your home.

There is nothing like, after being out of the Troll Hole for a while and coming home to the smell of a fresh load of cat shit whiffing through the tunnels of my cave.

  To keep it from being spread all over the Troll Hole, I just knock some dirt off the walls and cover it up.  It sorta of squishy at first, but it will dry and become part of my hole.

  I have never talked to Lester about it, but I would guess he has some ideas on this problem.  Let me know if your have any new ideas.  The Troll

[Palehorse]

Nothing like driving all the way home from GSMNP in the rain. . . It rained all the way until I got to Shelbyville, at which point it stopped, and instead of my drive the rest of the way being anything near relaxing, I got behind two semi trucks on a State Road, which forced me to drive the rest of the way home well below the posted speed limits. . .

I wanted to horse whip those two drivers! 

[Mr442]

And speaking of semi trucks.  I have had it with these part time truck drivers hauling grain at harvest.  Seems like every farmer and his brother has a semi they use during harvest season, and they are incapable of operating the damn thing like the real drivers do. 

Going to be glad to be out of town soon, and away from the huge grain elevator a few blocks away.  Yea I know I will still have to deal with a truck or two on occasion, but at least I won't be living right on top of their destination.

[The Troll]

And speaking of semi trucks.  I have had it with these part time truck drivers hauling grain at harvest.  Seems like every farmer and his brother has a semi they use during harvest season, and they are incapable of operating the damn thing like the real drivers do. 

Going to be glad to be out of town soon, and away from the huge grain elevator a few blocks away.  Yea I know I will still have to deal with a truck or two on occasion, but at least I won't be living right on top of their destination.

  Is this grain evevator next to your new house?

[Mr442]

  Is this grain evevator next to your new house?

Might as well be, it's only 3 blocks away, and all the grain hauling is done on the only road through town.  It get's real hazardous crossing the rail road tracks with all the trucks parked along the highway.  It's a regular fustercluck.

[Palehorse]

And AGAIN I am forced to break up a fight between my dog, who was properly leashed and within my property, and the dog belonging to those neighbors who do not deserve to be dog owners! This time my dog got him by the face and shook him. Not sure if he is bleeding or not because I got control of my dog and took him into the house.

I am seriously considering calling the law to deal with this crap. I have warned them time and again that my dog will KILL their dog if they let it loose and onto our property. . . 

[me]

And AGAIN I am forced to break up a fight between my dog, who was properly leashed and within my property, and the dog belonging to those neighbors who do not deserve to be dog owners! This time my dog got him by the face and shook him. Not sure if he is bleeding or not because I got control of my dog and took him into the house.

I am seriously considering calling the law to deal with this crap. I have warned them time and again that my dog will KILL their dog if they let it loose and onto our property. . . 

Unfortunately I don't think it will do you any good to call the law or the animal shelter other than to get it on record that they have been warned and continue to let their dog loose anyway just in case something does happen and they try to blame you for it and say you have a vicious animal. 

[Palehorse]

Unfortunately I don't think it will do you any good to call the law or the animal shelter other than to get it on record that they have been warned and continue to let their dog loose anyway just in case something does happen and they try to blame you for it and say you have a vicious animal.

Even at that, it will not matter. My dog is a pit bull and because of his breed he will be put down if something happens to their dog. The circumstances and the failure of the other dogs owners to properly control their animal will not matter in the least!

[me]

That is really sad too.  From what I have read the meanness has to be trained into a pit bull and they are not by nature that way unless it is.  Even a mutt will protect his territory just like your dog is doing so IMO that is just wrong.

Even at that, it will not matter. My dog is a pit bull and because of his breed he will be put down if something happens to their dog. The circumstances and the failure of the other dogs owners to properly control their animal will not matter in the least!

[Palehorse]

That is really sad too.  From what I have read the meanness has to be trained into a pit bull and they are not by nature that way unless it is.  Even a mutt will protect his territory just like your dog is doing so IMO that is just wrong.

Yet another example of how histrionics ends up as law in todays society! 

[The Troll]

  I am a dog lover, but why of earth would someone who lives in a neighborhood of people with kids and other animals would want to own a Pit Bull.

  From what I have read, the Pit Bulls are born with the instinct to fight and kill.  Training or no training.  They are the only dogs that their jaws lock on, in an attack.  So it's owner beware, it's your ass on the line if your Pit Bull injures or kills something.  Plus it might be a kid.  I really think they should be outlawed in a community environment.

  What I would like to know, all dogs were breed for a certain reason.  Why does a Pit Bull even exist?

[Palehorse]

  I am a dog lover, but why of earth would someone who lives in a neighborhood of people with kids and other animals would want to own a Pit Bull.

  From what I have read, the Pit Bulls are born with the instinct to fight and kill.  Training or no training.  They are the only dogs that their jaws lock on, in an attack.  So it's owner beware, it's your ass on the line if your Pit Bull injures or kills something.  Plus it might be a kid.  I really think they should be outlawed in a community environment.

  What I would like to know, all dogs were breed for a certain reason.  Why does a Pit Bull even exist?

You really need to do some research of your own and stop listening to the media!

Description:
Known for their intelligence and loyalty American Pit Bull Terriers make excellent, loving and protective companions despite the unfair press they receive. A common question regarding the APBT is, "How is this breed different from the American Staffordshire Terrier?". In the eyes of the United Kennel Club, they are the same breed, but many disagree. Some AKC-registered American Staffordshire Terriers are dual-registered as American Pit Bull Terriers with the UKC; however, this draws criticism from many who point out that the bloodlines have been separate for too long for these to be considered the same breed. The AKC, on the other hand, does not allow a UKC-registered American Pit Bull Terrier to be registered as an American Staffordshire Terrier. To be dual-registered, the dog must first be an AKC-registered American Staffordshire Terrier and then it can be registered with the UKC as an APBT -- but not vice versa... Choose from a responsible breeder and make sure the puppy is properly socialized and handled. Solid training will produce a tranquil, good, obedient, companion dog.

History/Origin:
His ancestors were brought to the United States in the mid - 1800's by Boston-Irish immigrants. Originally bred from a variety of bulldogs and terriers, American breeders increased his weight and gave him a more powerful head. A forbearer to the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, they were originally bred to be a fighting dog. Bull baiting was banned in England in 1835 and these dogs are no longer being bred to fight. There is some complication in registries of this breed. The AKC considers the American Staffordshire Terrier as separate and distinct from the American Pit Bull Terrier, yet the UKC will register both as American Pit Bull Terriers (APBTs). 
Photo from 1930's

In America, the Pit Bull flourished. It was one of the most popular breeds, highly prized by a wide variety of people. The Pit Bull was used to represent the US in WW1 artwork; popular companies like RCA and the Buster Brown Shoe Company used the breed as their mascots. A Pit Bull named Petie starred in the popular children's television series, Our Gang; a Pit Bull mix named Stubby became a decorated WWI hero. Pit Bulls accompanied pioneer familes on their explorations. Laura Ingalls Wilder of the popular Little House books owned a working Pit Bulldog named Jack. Famous individuals like Theodore Roosevelt and Helen Keller owned the breed. It was during this time that the Pit Bull truly became America's sweetheart breed, admired, respected and loved.
Stubby, a decorated WWI hero

In 1898 the United Kennel Club was formed with the express intent of providing registration and fighting guidelines for the now officially-named American Pit Bull Terrier. Later, those who wished to distance themselves from the fighting aspect of the breed petitioned the American Kennel Club for recognition of the Pit Bull so that it would be eligible for dog shows and other performance events. The AKC conceded in 1936 but only under the stipulation that the dogs registered with them be called "Staffordshire Terriers", the name of the province in England the breed supposedly originated in. Upon acceptance of the breed, many people dual-registered their dogs with both the AKC and the UKC. Lucenay's Peter (the dog that starred in the Our Gang series) was the first dual-registered Pit Bull/Staffordshire Terrier. The UKC evolved, eventually beginning to register other working-type breeds, and later holding shows similar to those of the AKC. Currently, the UKC is the second largest purebred dog registry in the United States, complete with strict bylaws that ban anyone who is convicted of dog fighting. The American Dog Breeders Association was formed in 1909 because of certain fanciers' opinions that the UKC was not doing it's job protecting and preserving the Pit Bull breed as they felt it should be preserved.  The ADBA's goal is the same now is at was then: to register, promote and preserve the original American Pit Bull Terrier fighting-type dog.

The AKC eventually closed it's studbooks to American Pit Bull Terriers. They allowed registration only to those dogs with parents registered as Staffordshire Terriers. For a short period in the 1970's, the AKC reopened its studbooks to American Pit Bull Terriers. In 1973 the AKC added the prefix "American" to the breed's name in an effort to distinguish it from the newly recognized Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Today, only those dogs with AmStaff parents are eligible for registration. Both the UKC and the ADBA allow registration of AmStaffs, but in these organizations the dogs carry the original name, "American Pit Bull Terrier."

Today the Pit Bull has evolved into a marvelous working and companion dog, used for purposes as varied as those it originally performed. Pit Bulls are employed as police/armed services dogs, search and rescuers, therapy animals, and livestock workers. They compete in all manner of organized dog sports, from herding to agility to conformation to obedience and the bite sports like Schutzhund and French Ring. They make loving pets for children and seniors, and everyone in between. The are indeed one of the most versatile breeds on the planet. Much of this is owed to the activities it once performed. The harshness and physical demands of the activities molded a strong, healthy, stable animal, one anyone should be proud to own.

Height: 18 - 22 inches

Weight: 30 - 60 lbs.

Colors:
Any color


Coat:
Thick, short, shiny hair

Temperament:
Courageous, loyal, full of energy; Should be socialized early on with children and other animals.

Care and Exercise:
Regular brushing with a bristle brush or rubbing down his coat with a chamois will keep the coat shiny and clean. Bath only when necessary. Needs a substantial amount of vigorous exercise which needs to be on-leash. Enjoys running along side a bicycle.

Health Issues:
Mange and heart murmurs. Breeders should be concerned with doing health testing on the sire or dam such as OFA, PENN HIP

Category: Terrier

Registries: UCA, UKC, ADBA, CKC, APBR

Living Environment: Either Indoor or Outdoor

I can attest to the facts as related above, and also to the following.

My wife and I have been around our dog since the day he was born. He has been properly socialized, and we have and continue to spend countless hours with him to assure his health and disposition remain within more than acceptable limits. He is now 3 years old.

He is around children of all ages and has been since day one. He has never displayed anything but endless concern for the safety and well being of any child he has been around, and has never opened his muzzle toward them. . . ever. He will not even take food from a child's hand! He quickly understands the dangers to child, such as the stairway of our home or the doorways leading outside, and will faithfully place himself between the child and danger and refuse to move unless an adult removes the child from the potential danger.

My dog is an integral part of our family unit, and as such he carries responsibilities and expectations surrounding the security of our home and our person. From day one we have made it clear to him that when we welcome a stranger into our home he is expected to accept them without question, and is subject to their instruction just as he is with us. He fully understands this role and accepts it happily. He also understands that until we demonstrate they are welcome here, his job is to prevent them from entry, and he takes this portion of his responsibility as seriously as everything else. He will defend our property and lives with his own. In executing his duty for 99.99% of his life, he has never had to do anything more than bark and show himself. For most that is sufficient to make them understand they are not welcome unless my wife or I say so.

The offending dog is the problem, or rather its owners. They fail to control their dog. The dog comes freight training toward our yard which my dog instinctually perceives as a threat and immediately takes action to remediate and neutralize said threat. It is what he is trained to do, it is what his instincts tell him he must do, and I will not correct this behavior in my dog since it is well within line of his training and personal authority. I do take action to limit his ability to engage in the conflict, however this other dog constantly closes any distance I place between the two of them and eventually my dog does get hold of him every single time.

My dog is always properly restrained and cannot leave my property. He is never outside without either my wife or I being present. EVER! Other people in the community walk their dogs by our home all of the time when we are outside, and our dog never gives them so much as a look. Because they are properly leashed/restrained, and are not on our property.

These idiots let their 2 and 4 year old daughters take the dog outside, and it constantly gets loose from them before they can leash it to its stake out. In the last two instances they let the dog out the front door and it has made a bee-line for my dog every single time. (There is another home between us).

I and my wife have warned them that continuing to do so is going to end with their dog hurt or worse, and that their dog charges ours and is the aggressor. Eventually it will happen and when it does my dog will be blamed for their failure to control their animal.

As soon as I can afford to do so, I am going to put up a fence. But right now it is out of the question. 

[Palehorse]

Our Dog - Red Nose Pit Bull - Purebred