Thank you, all, for the kind responses to my thread last week about losing my young, beloved dog boy suddenly. Your thread posts and PMs were of great comfort, the Dope has a big heart.
And, as these things always seem to go for me . . . a pup in need sprang up and we adopted a 10-week old pitbull puppy rescued from a backyard breeder who was selling the pups as fighting dogs/fighting dog bait. The rescue organization labeled him an “American Staffordshire Terrier” (code word for pitbull :rolleyes:).
His name is Baxter Rowdy and he’s one of the cutest dogs I’ve ever seen. He’s a velvety black-chocolate with four white feet and a star on his chest. He and our young lab are connected at the hip and Baxter has already learned to sit and stay (for about 30 seconds, a laudable achievement for a lil’ one).
I’ll post a pic when my 106-year-old BlackBerry decides to upload a photo.
Your new dog will never “replace” the dog you lost but it sure as heck helps to get over the grief when you have a delightful new doggy to play with. And no doubt it will help your lab, too.
Excited to see pictures! I love pitties with white feet
Also, thank you for rescuing a poor baby who was desperately in need of rescue.
Yeah, the replacing idea never works well – the little guy’s brother looked very much like Caleb and I knew I couldn’t go that route (he also was adopted on Sunday).
Lab girl (Chase Daisy) is being run off her paws, which is a good thing. She was starting to “sausage out.” The elderly collies aren’t charmed with a little one, but there aren’t any fangs – just swear words when he leaps on them.
Now the new one needs to declare a major: ball fetching with the border collie? Or fetching and gnawing sticks and logs with the lab? Maybe a double major?
I’ve never had a “full breed” pitbull, so we’re already going overboard with the socialize, socialize, SOCIALIZE with peoples and non-familial dogs. Kindergarten starts next month
Pitties are big babies. This dog will want to sleep in you bed, and not at the foot of it. He will be up for some hardcore spooning.
Pibbles are my favorite breed. They are really loyal. This dog can never miss a walk, and they sometimes are hard to train as puppies, but once they get to be about 8-10 months, something in their brains clicks, and then they learn long-distance stays, tricks, like roll-over, shake, and so on. My PB/GSD cross, who had a solid PB personality, could heel off leash, and knew left from right. Today, someone with a PB pup, about 8 months, was working on “heel” at the park where we were, and the dog was getting it.
This no picture thing is KILLING ME! Pit bulls are my absolute favorite. I’m the coordinator for the Pit Bull University program my local shelter working. We train and socialize pits/pit mixes in residence at the shelter.
I got my AmStaff/GSD mix when he was about 12 weeks old…OMG! the chewing! He was my first pit mix and I had no idea about the chewing. He’s 7 yrs old now and so great. I have a second pit bull who is much closer to being a true pit bull, but is still mix-y. He is 4, but I got him when he was about 8 months old and he was much easier. Total goofball!
American Staffordshire Terrier is the AKC breed name for dogs we commonly call by the generic term “pit bull”. If he’s a purebred, then he’s probably an AmStaff (for short).
