Project Pit Bull^TM
Breeding: How important is it?

Breeding is the first step to a well tempered Pit Bull Terrier. I have heard many people say it's "all in how you raise them" but this is only half right because if you have a dog with horrible breeding odds are you will end up with a problem dog. Even if you raise them well.

Diane Jessup of WorkingPitBull.com mentioned one time that out of all her dogs who were raised from puppies to adulthood in the same exact fashion they were drastically different in temperament. I believe she had 7 at one time that were all related. In regards to people they were all solid. In regards to dogs they ranged from dog aggressive to not dog aggressive at all.

This example alone could be enough to show that the saying "it's all in how you raise them" is incorrect.

From raising one dog from puppy hood, rescuing two others, and working with dozens of purebred and rescue dogs my experience has been it's all in how you breed and raise them that makes the difference.

Angel is a breeder bought dog. Her temperament is rock solid. Her raising was not the best at first (I was a goof ball) and I made a couple of mistakes that gave her a few "quirks" but with people and dogs she is good.

Honey, she is sort of a rescue dog. Back yard bred she developed cataracts at 3 years old she has always been nervous of people and really doesn't care for other dogs. I have raised her from about a year old to now. Her previous experiences have set the mood in her temperament.

Patch, he is my mixed breed dog. Maybe Blue Heeler and APBT but I'm not 100% sure. I rescued him from a farm after they told me he was going to be shot the next day. I took him home, bathed and fed him, and now he is one of my best dogs. Again he is around 1-2 years old.

Breeding does play a part, however sometimes you get lucky and have a poorly bred dog turn out to be a rock star. And sometimes you have a well bred dog turn out to be a man biting freak of nature that needs to be put to sleep.

In the end, personal experience and education has taught me that if you get a well bred dog and raise him or her correctly odds are you will have a well behaved adult dog. That is another reason I think rescue dogs are great choices for house pets. They are grown and their temperament is known. You know what you are getting in an adult rescue dog and that saves you a lot of headaches.

Special Guest Article:
Take Your Pits With You!

Article by: Monique Laracuente

One of the many reasons owners surrender their pit bulls to shelters, put an ad for them to find a "good home" in the paper, abandon them away from home, or take their animal to the vet to be euthanized is that they (the owners) are "relocating," or moving to another location and "can't take the dog."

In most cases, this is not true. More often than not, your dog can and should accompany you to your new location. When you brought this life into your home, you committed to a life of responsibility, and you are the sole provider for this pet.

Most moves are not "sudden," and owners usually have time to make arrangements for their dogs. In many cases, owners have several months or more to plan and arrange for the dog's future.

Being an owner of a pit bull does pose certain obstacles that may make it more difficult, but not impossible to take your beloved pet with you.

The first thing you need to do when faced with relocation in reference to your pit bull, is to research the area you are going to and find out whether it has any breed restrictions or bans.

You can do this by doing an internet search for the local animal control in the area you are going, and then contacting them by phone and email for specifics of the laws and regulations governing your pit bull.

If the town or city you are relocating to does have breed restrictions, consider living in an area outside of the "pit bulls not allowed" area. You may have to commute a little further to work, but the inconvenience is well worth the life of your dog.

Next, plan your route, if you are driving with your dog to the new home area. There are some places that will not even let you "pass through" with your dog. By researching and planning ahead, you can bypass these areas and still get to your destination.

Be sure to bring along your own bottled water for the trip, to minimize any upset stomach problems due to change in water supply.

A favorite toy, comfy blanket, and favorite treats can help lessen the stress on your dog. Be sure to exercise your dog well before loading him into the car to run off excess energy and relax your dog. If you do not have room for a crate in your vehicle, I highly advise a "doggie seat belt restraint" to keep your dog, your other passengers, and other drivers safe.

Finding hotels or places to rest your head when traveling with pets can be tricky. Fortunately, there are places that do allow pets to stay. My husband and I personally made cross country trips 4 times with children, a dog, a cat, and a rabbit.

We stayed at Motel 6's every night, and never had any problems. Be sure to plan your trip, and contact the lodging in your area to be sure that pets are allowed. We have never been asked what breed, what size, age, or anything about our pets when we booked the rooms.

If you are not traveling with your dog, and the dog must be transported some other way, then start your search for a reputable, pet transporting service as soon as possible if you need help with travel arrangements.

You will need to make sure your pet is up to date on all vaccinations, and in good health. If your dog will need to travel by plane, you need to make sure you have an air line approved crate to keep your dog restrained during the flight.

Also, be aware that most air lines have "black out" dates for flying pets, due to weather or other conditions. You need to contact the air lines to find out what dates your animal will be able to fly, what health information they need, and if there is any other information that they will need to be provided with.

Another important step in setting things up for success in relocating with your pit bull, is to look for pit bull friendly housing PRIOR to making the move! Many times, private owned rentals are your best bet as they are usually affordable, allow pets, and are willing to work with you if you are up front and honest.

You can also find apartments, but this is a lot harder, and pit bull friendly apartments are not always available. I suggest doing an online search for homes available for rent in the area, and contacting the owners to make arrangements.

You can ask the owner questions, and you can also call the police department in that area to ask about crime statistics if you feel inclined to do so.

Of course, there are instances when your pit bull will not be able to move with you, and you will need to find a responsible home for him. The only reasons I see re-homing due to a move as being a "necessity" is if you are moving to a state that does not allow pit bulls, or to another country which does not allow pit bulls into it.

Tips for Success:

• Check for breed restrictions or bans in the area you are relocating to



• Plan your route, making detours as necessary to avoid non pit bull friendly locations



• Contact hotels along your route and be sure they accept pets before getting on the road



• Contact a professional pet transport service if needed



• Contact air lines for specifics on having your pet shipped, if needed



• Be sure your pet is fully vaccinated, and has a clean bill of health from a vet before traveling



• Find pit bull friendly housing prior to setting off on your trip



• Bring along bottled water, his regular food, a favorite toy, and comfy blanket for your pet



• Exercise your dog well before loading him into a crate in the vehicle or securing him with a doggie seat belt restraint for safety

Pit Bull Training Tip of the Month:
Proof Your Pit Bull around Distractions

Proofing your Pit Bull around distractions is where most people drop leash so to speak. Taking your Pit Bull to the next level is the focus of this months training tip.

First your dog should know the basics and should perform them 9 out of 10 times on the first command in a distraction free area. Once you are to that level you can move to the next level. Take your dog outside or to a park or to the parking lot of store and work the basics there.

Your dog should always be on a leash during these exercises. Each time your dog performs the behavior 9 out of 10 times in a given area move the dog to another area. However don't push the dog or yourself to fast because you can easily wreck what you have accomplished.

Take it slow and allow your dog to dictate the pace of the training. Again, if your dog complies to the command on the first time 9 out of 10 times then you can be fairly certain you are ready for the next level of distractions.

I rate distractions in three categories. Let's take a look at them here:

The "secret" to advanced dog training and teaching your dog to be reliable around nearly every distraction they will encounter is moving through the three levels of distractions at the correct pace for you and your dog.

One dog might move through the distraction phases rapidly because the handler (that's you) does an excellent job of teaching the dog commands. Another dog might have some problems with it because the handler (you again) is overbearing and gets frustrated easily.

My rule of thumb for every dog I work with is to let the dog dictate the pace of the training. If I feel the dog is doing an excellent job I stay where I am at in the training until the dog proves they are doing an excellent job by complying on the first command 9 out of 10 times.

My criteria for the dog demonstrating she has the behavior down is for the dog to comply 9 out of 10 times on the first cue. When this happens I am confident I can move to the next level of training with this particular dog.

Whatever you do don't get cocky and move your dog too fast. If you find yourself pushing your dog to hard back off and go back to the last thing you were working on with success. Then move the dog ahead at a later date.

Proofing your Pit Bull around distractions is a life long training event. You will be proofing your dog everyday for the rest of their lives. This is why professionals have outstanding dogs. First they do it for a living and can spend a lot of time on the dog, second they understand there is no such thing as a completely trained dog. A dog is never completely trained because training lasts the life of the dog.

With this understanding you will not find yourself asking, "My dog did this last week. Why won't he do it now?" This happens when people think, "my dog is trained, I can quit working on the training." That is the fastest way to lose all the training you worked on with your dog up until that time. Dogs do forget. This is why we proof their behaviors.

Resources:
Where to find Great Gear for Your Pit Bull

Legal Stuff and Conclusion

Every thing in this newsletter is Copyright © 2006-2007. Jason Mann & PitBullLovers.com

You can send your friends the URL to this newsletter issue if you would like. You may not copy or reprint this newsletter or any issue of this newsletter without written permission by Jason Mann.

That concludes the legal talk.

Best Regards,

Jason Mann
Senior editor - The Pit Bull Lover Gazette
Proud Doggy Dad - Angel CGC/CTD, Honey and Patch Three of the coolest dogs I've ever had the pleasure of sharing space with.