Thinking About Adopting a Pit Bull?

Ruby

Despite having the qualities that we most love in dogs ... loyalty, sweetness, affection, and a generally happy disposition ... Pit Bull Terriers and their cousins (I hate the term "bully breed") are often overlooked when it comes to adding a new member to the family.  And while they are gentle and loving in nature, they are too often portrayed as being viciously unpredictable and dangerous.

If you're thinking about adopting a Pit Bull or similar breed, it's so very important that you educate yourself about all aspects and characteristics of these dogs.  Despite their sweet, friendly nature, they are probably not a good choice for many people, especially first-time dog guardians.  This is true for any dog, however; too many dogs end up in shelters because they were "so cute as puppies."  But once they become adults, they're not as cute and may not fit in well with your lifestyle. 

[Until May 30, 2013, Only Natural Pet Store is offering a $10 off coupon for new customers.  Get $10 off any order of $30 or more with coupon code NEWPET ... just click through this link:  $10 Off $30+ for New Customers ]

I'm not an expert on Pitties, aka Pibbles, so am not writing this from that perspective.  There are lots of great sources online, if you want to learn more about them.  But I do want to introduce you to one very special Pibble ... Ruby! ...

My rescue group pulled this sweet girl from our local pound after her human disowned her.  She had obviously been well cared for and loved, and was well socialized.  But because of her breed, it's been a challenge finding her a new, loving home.

To keep her balanced, socialized and as happy as possible while waiting for her new home, I've been taking her out of the boarding facility where she's staying temporarily, as often as possible. 

During our latest outing, we stopped off for some ice cream.  Ruby was very polite and loved her special treat ...

"Without ice cream, there would be darkness and chaos."
                ~Don Kardong

Despite her excitement over the ice cream, Ruby continued to be the perfect angel.  When I pulled the cone away from her, she sat patiently waiting to see if she'd get another few licks. 

And of course, I indulged her .....


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Next on the agenda, I wanted to let Ruby run, sniff and explore.  She isn't getting enough exercise at the boarding facility ... she's only about one year old and, like all Pitties, she's a very strong, athletic dog.  So I took her to a large, fenced yard where she got to just be a dog for a while .....

Ruby is a bit taller than the average female Pittie and weighs right around 50 pounds.  Her brindle coat is very striking. 

.... She's beautiful, isn't she?



Despite being cooped up most of her days at the boarding facility, rather than explore the yard on her own, Ruby preferred to stay by my side for most of her visit.

It's pretty obvious that her heart's desire is simply to have a human to love.  Even though she doesn't see me every day, she bonded with me very quickly.  Whenever I got up to walk around the yard, Ruby walked right by my side.  She wandered and sniffed a bit, but always looked to see where I was and never strayed more than a few yards away. 

You can see from her bald belly, that Ruby was spayed recently.  She'd had all vaccinations, but hasn't been microchipped yet.  Other than that, this girl is R.E.A.D.Y. to love and be loved!

I got LOTS of Pibble kisses .....

 

Fortunately, Ruby has good doggie breath.  :-)

 

 

It was a really nice Spring day.  Ruby and I relaxed and enjoyed the view and each other's company ....

 

 

"Dogs are a link to paradise ... to sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring.  It was peace."  ~Milan Kundera, author of The Unbearable Lightness of Being                                                      


As we sat and relaxed, we got a little visitor.

 

Ruby rushed to investigate ......

 

 

 

Oops! ...... killed by curiosity.

Nope.  Still not moving.

 

 

Apparently, spider-killing services are an added bonus.  Included free with your adoption fee!

 

If you're interested in possibly adopting Ruby, please leave a comment below.  I'll contact you through the email address you provide.  No need to include your email address in your actual comment ... I'll be able to see it on my blog's administration page.  Or, if you prefer, you can send a private message on my rescue's Facebook page.  We're the Circle of Life Animal Rescue Society (COLARS) ... COLARS on Facebook  ... Although Ruby is currently located in Southeast Missouri, we can arrange transportation with a little help from friends if you live in another State.

SERIOUS inquiries only, please.  And if you've never lived with a Pittie before, please do your research.  All potential adopters will be required to go through a screening process and will pay an adoption fee.

 

 

Should I Feed My Dog a Raw Diet?

My oldest pooch, Ripley, is almost 14 years old.  Despite her age, were it not for her severe and agressive arthritis, she'd still be active and happy and would probably live for several more years.

But since she was about 5 years old, she's had arthritis in her spine and back legs.  If you've read some of my other posts, you may remember that she had back surgery in 2010 and has had fluid injections in her knees. (If you'd like to know more about Ripley and what a special being she is, read my blog post, One Man's Trash is Another (Wo)man's Treasure.)

 

Despite the surgery, injections, joint supplements, anti-inflammatories and pain relievers, her condition has gotten worse rather quickly.  She's showing more and more signs that her condition will soon render her immobile and in unbearable pain. 

 

One of those signs is her lack of interest in food.  For the past few months, I've been fretting over the fact that Ripley no longer wants to eat dog food. No matter what I tried, she turned away from it. She is so stubborn, she'll go days (literally) without eating anything but a couple of bites a day.

About a week ago, I bought some dehydrated, raw dog food from Only Natural Pet Store .  Ripley LOVES it. Is it more expensive than dry, processed dog food? Yes and no. It depends on what you already feed your dog. Like super premium dog food, your dog needs less to thrive than with cheaper brands.

[Until May 30, 2013, Only Natural Pet Store is offering a $10 off coupon for new customers. Get $10 off any order of $30 or more with coupon code NEWPET ... just click through this link:  $10 Off $30+ for New Customers ]

Most American dog owners don't, and have never considered, a raw diet for their dogs.  Honestly, it sounds a bit gross and unappealing.  But that's just because we're humans, not dogs.  While looking around for some kind of food that Ripley might like, I started researching raw food diets.  I was worried about bacteria and other food-borne pests and diseases.  Is a raw diet safe?  One article I read is on Only Natural Pet Store's website; I'll share some of it below:

"Diet is the foundation of health. The fresher the diet, the more nutrients are available for the animal's system to utilize in building immunity, healing from illness and warding off disease. Raw food diets have been shown to help the body deal with many common ailments such as flea infestations, hot spots, continual shedding, poor dental & gum health, allergies, gastro-intestinal problems such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease, immune disorders and degenerative diseases.

"Raw diets have been common practice in European countries for decades, especially Germany, where it is commonly recommended by veterinarians. The fear of feeding raw meat in this country seems to stem from a fear of salmonella, E. coli and parasites. In over 10 years of feeding raw food and seeing countless animals on raw food diets in my practice, salmonella and E. coli have not been seen to be a problem. Remember, pets' digestive systems are designed to accommodate raw meat. Parasites could be contracted through eating wild, whole prey or game meats, but is much less likely to occur with properly handled human grade meats. Infection is more likely to occur through a pet's ingestion of feces or soil, or from poorly handled meat."

If you'd like to learn more about feeding your dog a raw diet you can read All About Raw Food on Only Natural Pet Store's website.  The article includes results from a long term study on raw food for cats conducted by Francis M. Pottenger, Jr., MD; introducing a raw diet to your pet; affordable alternatives to fresh or frozen raw food; and more valuable information. 

I've only been feeding Ripley the raw food for about a week, but so far I'm impressed with it.  She eats with gusto again and the food is very easy to prepare.  You just add water to the dehydrated mixture of meat, grains, fruits and vegetables and let it soak for 30 minutes or more, then serve.  You can prepare up to four days food in advance and store it in the frig.  Or, like me, you can prepare each meal individually.  After she's done eating a meal, I wash the bowl and mix her next meal in water and then let it soak in the refrigerator until about an hour before her next meal.

After the mixture soaks in water for a while, it looks and smells very appetizing.  You can see the carrots, cabbage, oats and meat very clearly and it smells like chicken soup.  (The Only Natural brand has 3 flavors and there are several other brands of dehydrated food on Only Natural's site as well.  Click the link just below to go to Only Natural Pet Store's website.)

I bought a 2 pound bag of   Only Natural Pet EasyRaw Dehydrated Dog Food just to try it, and with the serving size Ripley's getting, it should last me close to 2 weeks. 
 

Anyway, if you have a REALLY finicky, stubborn (spoiled) dog who won't eat regular dog food, or you want to incorporate some raw food into your dog's diet, give it a try. 

I've been a customer of Only Natural Pet for a couple of years now. They ship fast and are true to their guarantees. They always have something on sale.  If you've never shopped from them before, you can save 5% on your first order at Only Natural Pet Store with Coupon code CJ15.


[Until May 30, 2013, Only Natural Pet Store is offering a $10 off coupon for new customers. Get $10 off any order of $30 or more with coupon code NEWPET ... just click through this link: $10 Off $30+ for New Customers ]

The Ties That Bind

Franki

As I sit down to write this, Sammi and Franki are close by my side ... the same side ... with Franki lying next to me on the couch and Sammi sitting at my left foot.

They are both calm and affectionate and look at me with sweet, submissive faces.  I stroke both of their heads and whisper against their faces, "you're such good dogs."  


I get a little slurp from each of them on my chin, then Franki turns to Sammi.
  

Sammi

Sammi presents his face to Franki and shuts his eyes as Franki cleans his face and sniffs his ears.  Sammi just loves kisses on his face... although he hasn't always appreciated Franki.  It took some effort on my part to encourage the bond that has since formed between them.

Even after all the other dogs had accepted Franki, Sammi continued to resist her and displayed a somewhat hostile attitude toward her, despite Franki's submissive posture and attempts to engage him in play.  Sammi just didn't like her.

With six dogs living in relatively close quarters, it's very important to me that they all get along.  I needed to find a way to form a bond between Franki and Sammi. 

Taking a cue from Dog Whisperer Cesar Milan, I thought I would try putting Sammi and Franki together for a Pack activity without the other dogs.  According to Cesar, dogs are more likely to form a positive bond if they have no other choice but to engage in some kind of activity together as a Pack.  He commonly uses a Pack walk, but I wanted Sammi and Franki to spend several hours together.  

Since almost all dogs enjoy riding in vehicles with their humans, and it's something we do as families, I thought a day-trip with Sammi and Franki would be a perfect bonding activity.  Both of them were already well-behaved when riding and were always eager to go.  

So, one day in May, my parents, Sammi, Franki and I all piled into my parents' "dog mobile" to take a trip to a lumber yard for a trailer-full of mulch for my landscaping.  Round trip, we were gone for a few hours, after stopping for lunch in the car along the way and driving into another county for the mulch.  The dogs were angels.  And, even better, it worked!  After we got home, I saw the difference in how Sammi reacted to Franki immediately.  He has stopped growling at her whenever she approaches him, and they have since become buddies.  

Their bond was further cemented the first time Franki ventured to lick Sammi's face.  After that, Sammi was hooked!  They often lay down and sleep next to each other, and although Sammi isn't usually interested in playing with Franki, he tolerates her youthful energy like a slightly bossy older brother.  

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Sammi presents his face to Ripley

While we're on the topic of face kisses ... Ripley is the first dog I've known who seems to think it's her duty to clean the other dogs' wounds and clean the debris from their faces and eyes.  Not all dogs appreciate this service, of course, but Sammi, Andie and Cookie all enjoy a good daily facial.

None more than Sammi ...







 
As you can see, Ripley takes her duties very seriously.

  

"The dogs in our lives, the dogs we come to love and who (we fervently believe) love us in return, offer more than fidelity, consolation, and companionship. They offer comedy, irony, wit, and a wealth of anecdotes, the "shaggy dog stories" and "stupid pet tricks" that are commonplace pleasures of life. They offer, if we are wise enough or simple enough to take it, a model for what it means to give your heart with little thought of return. Both powerfully imaginary and comfortingly real, dogs act as mirrors for our own beliefs about what would constitute a truly humane society. Perhaps it is not too late for them to teach us some new tricks."

~~Marjorie Garber