prejudism

[badger]

I've been thinking more seriously about adopting a dog. It's been over 2 years since my dog died, and I miss having a canine companion.

My dog was mostly-rottweiler and he was an amazing ambassador to that breed. Many people who previously was afraid of them, he won them over.

So, I've been wanting to do the same for the maligned pit bull. I know I shouldn't be, but I'm shocked at the level of hatred people have towards the breed. Today, a coworker said "ew!! pit bull?! I hate pit bulls!" When I asked her why, she couldn't give me a specific reason, just that she hated them. She denied it when I asked if it was because of the media. Another friend told me to not even think about bringing it over to her house.

I faced prejudism regularly with my old dog. People would cross the street to avoid us, or cower when he wanted to go towards someone to say "hi". I'm sure I'll face the same, if not worse, when I get my new dog (a rescue, not a puppy).

I guess I'm just using this to comment more than anything else, because most people who have made up their minds that pit bulls are bad will feel that way no matter what I say. It's a shame because they make amazing companions.

[Veronica]

I had the friendliest pit bull come up to me when I was running about a month ago. I'll admit that I was a bit leery when I first saw him, but as soon as I saw the wiggling stump, I knew he was just a happy boy.

We had a Rott rescue. Loved how that stump would wiggle. She was the BEST dog! I know everyone thinks that about their baby. :p

I'm glad you're giving a needy pooch a home and I hope seagulls poop on the naysayers. (There's a friendly seagull in my current read aloud at school.)

Veronica

[Irulan]

You must mean "prejudices". "Prejudism" is like "refudiate"... not a word but it sounds like it should be, and we know what you mean anyway. ;)

[7rider]

I figure a rescue animal - particularly an animal that has spent some time in foster home - has already passed some threshold level of "acceptability" and is a fairly know entity. If an animal is unfit to adopt out - and there are some of all breeds who are just lost souls - chances are, that animal wouldn't be available to you. But a rescue pet is giving a wonderful animal a second (or third, or....) chance. I also believe that THEY know it and (anthropomorphizing aside) are grateful for it.

Do what feels right for you. There are so many wonderful animals in need of a loving forever home - pure breds and wonderful mutts. Maybe you'll convert more than a few to their cause.

[badger]

there are 2 excellent bull-breed rescue groups in the area and they only adopt out dogs that will give their breed a good name. Both of them require adopters to attend obedience classes.

I'm not in any rush, but this girl's fitting the bill pretty well: http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/18124885

[Koronin]

I like Pits and Rotts, but would personally never own one. That, however, is more due to my lack of ever owning any type of dog and feel that they need to be with much more experienced owners like yourself. A previous neighbor had two Pits (one Am Staff and one APBT). The APBT was the sweetest dog. The Am Staff was a bit more leery of people she didn't know, but was a very nice dog once she decided that you weren't going to hurt her. (Both were/are rescued females).

[blackhillsbiker]

One of our best friends in Wyoming had a pit bull terrier who was one of the sweetest, smartest dogs I've ever met. When she died, they got another one. Every bit as sweet, but not as smart. Still a really good dog. I've also known a wonderful Rottweiler. I think dogs are as much a product of their environment as anything.

Deb

[NbyNW]

Amber looks like a very sweet girl!

I believe pit bulls do get a bad rap through the media but whenever I meet one in person I'm so impressed with how well-behaved they are. And that's really a reflection of how devoted their owners are to training them properly and making sure that they are happy in their homes.

On the other hand, if I had a nickel for every time a golden retreiver charged at me or jumped up on me . . . .

Badger if you make arrangements to meet Amber and hopefully adopt her, I hope you'll share the experience with us! I know from your posts how much you love animals and that you know what you're getting into bringing a new animal into your home. Best of luck.

[jobob]

Well, it wasn't just hearsay for me, I had reason to loathe pit bulls after my darling Bozo Kitty was mauled by one on our front steps.

But, many years later, I met BikerZ and her pitbull Simon. And Simon was a sweetheart. So, I'm not so leery and distrustful of pitbulls anymore.
Well, maybe only a tiny bit. :o

[divingbiker]

Well, it wasn't just hearsay for me, I had reason to loathe pit bulls after my darling Bozo Kitty was mauled by one on our front steps.

I had a similar experience. Many years ago, my cocker spaniel was picked up and thrown around like a rag doll by a Rottweiler and a pit bull who got away from the person who was walking them. Remy had a few broken ribs but was otherwise ok. The dogs' owner claimed, as all of them do, that the dogs were friendly.

Since then, I've carried pepper spray when I walk my dogs. I've not gotten over my fear, and though I'm sure there are nice rotts and pits I'm not taking chances.

[kermit]

Good for you and good luck with whatever you decide. I am of the opinion that any dog can be a good or bad dog depending on how you raise and treat them. My nephews both have pits, all rescues and they are are big, lovable goofs. My husband and I got chased one day on our bikes by a huge, black pitt. We chose to stop and he came up, wiggled and rolled over on his back. We had a running/cycling partner with us for the next two miles. He got to the river, took a swim and went home. Amber looks like a sweetheart! Keep us posted.

[OakLeaf]

The "classic" pit personality is animal-aggressive, very sweet with humans. Training and environment affect both of those, obviously. But as I've said before - our pit mix was well socialized with other dogs when she was young, but we didn't continue classes for her after she "graduated," and that was probably a mistake.

I don't know whether or not constant lifetime reinforcement would've made her good with other animals (other than the other dogs in our household), but as I've said before, she was so gentle with humans that we could - and a couple of times had to - put a hand in her mouth to pull her off another animal. I've been bitten breaking up dogfights, but NOT by her. She was so aware and so good with humans that she wouldn't even bite by accident.

[TsPoet]

there are 2 excellent bull-breed rescue groups in the area and they only adopt out dogs that will give their breed a good name. Both of them require adopters to attend obedience classes.

I'm not in any rush, but this girl's fitting the bill pretty well: http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/18124885

She looks fabulous!
Obedience classes should be required of all dog owners - at least something like CGC, IMHO.

I had to pick up Murphy on a walk last night - a young pit wanted to play with him and Murphy is a crotchety old man. I was terrified Murphy was going to talk the puppy into something other than play, but play was definitely what the pit wanted.

[Biciclista]

good luck with your dog. I don't understand why you would pick a dog that will give you negative feedback from people, but that's your business. be sure you've cleared it with your home owner's insurance or if you rent, with your landlord, because in some places there are premiums for people that want dogs like that.

[carinapir]

When I was in high school, my mom picked an injured female Pit-bull of the road, got her patched up at the vet, and we kept her for a while. Unfortunately, we had two cockers and had had to keep her separate while her broken pelvis was healing so she never got socialized with our dogs. She attacked one when she was feeling better and we decided to get her a new home. But she was the sweetest thing ever, even when she was hurting. She seemed to know that we were helping her.

The one thing I would say about a pit bull is that they are extremely strong. Our Pit's jaw was a big lump of muscle and she chewed the heck out of the dinning room table (she was a younger dog). With regards to them being dangerous, I think that Pits just do damage so much quicker than other dogs that that's the real reason you have to be more careful. What would be a standard fight for other dogs is more likely to turn bloody with a Pit, even if they are not really that mad.

Carina

[makbike]

Badger you might want to read Oogy - The Dog Only a Family Could Love by Larry Levin. It is a wonderful story about a pit bull puppy that was used as a "bait dog", its rescue and adoption. It is a wonderful story.

[Trek420]

there are 2 excellent bull-breed rescue groups in the area and they only adopt out dogs that will give their breed a good name. Both of them require adopters to attend obedience classes.

I'm not in any rush, but this girl's fitting the bill pretty well: http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/18124885

This is a good group and info too. Regardless of breed thanks for adopting.

http://www.badrap.org/rescue/owning.html

[PamNY]

Pitties are the best. I hope you get one. They do take a lot of training and attention because they are high-drive dogs, and aggression toward other animals can be an issue. But you knew that already.

Outside of legal or insurance issues, I wouldn't give a toot what anyone else thinks. Plenty of people are ignorant about dogs anyway.

[ClockworkOrange]

Amber looks so cute. :)

Must confess to being scared of most dogs, I like them from afar but when they come up to me, I freeze, especially alsations. :(

However, I do love reading dog related posts on here and especially seeing photos of the dogs people own.

Good luck with whatever dog you get.

[channlluv]

there are 2 excellent bull-breed rescue groups in the area and they only adopt out dogs that will give their breed a good name. Both of them require adopters to attend obedience classes.

I'm not in any rush, but this girl's fitting the bill pretty well: http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/18124885

My word, if you don't go get her, someone else will snatch her up quick. What a cute dog!

We had a pit mix rescue dog and she was the best. Very protective of us, but also a very loving dog. My brother had a big Rott named Thor that as an absolute teddy bear. I didn't know Rotts were supposed to be scary. He's the only one I've ever known.

We had a local humane society trying to adopt out puppies at the pet store near our house several months ago. One of them was a little, all-white pit named Comet that was just as cute as could be and terribly snuggly. The ladies there said it was a challenge finding a home for him because rental agreements typically outlaw the breed.

Roxy

[maillotpois]

My brother had a big Rott named Thor that as an absolute teddy bear. I didn't know Rotts were supposed to be scary. He's the only one I've ever known.


That is the best EVER Rottie name! My rottie was named Meg, and she was an absolute doll. She was my first baby and when the human baby came along she was just as good as Good Dog Carl. (http://www.gooddogcarl.com/books.htm)

Amber looks darling.

[lunacycles]

I have a pitbull. It is the first dog of any breed (my 4th dog) I absolutely don't worry at all about in terms of aggression, either towards people or other animals. You can tug on her ears, get in her face, ride her like a pony...no problem.(I can't even say that for myself!). I have had her for 4 years (I am her 3rd home!), and she's never shown aggression towards any living, breathing thing. She is incredibly playful and sweet. Her name is Sweetpea.

Pitbulls that are not nice are almost always damaged pitbulls. The Humane Society a year or two ago actually said they were in favor of ending the breed, not because they are inherently dangerous, but because they tend to attract the kind of owner who wants to make them dangerous. They are loyal and very trainable, which is why they make good fight dogs. And they do have strong jaws.

Most of my family is in Denver, where a couple of years ago they enacted a "pit bull ban" (that led to the euthanization of over 3000 dogs). People in Denver, as a result of this, are programmed to be fearful of pitbulls. I notice this when I visit there with my dog, who just wiggles with plea-ful joy while the majority locals recoil in fear. In Santa Fe, pitbulls are everywhere and people aren't afraid of them. How our society works with violent behavior, in both the human and animal realm, reflects how fearful we tend to live as a society. I understand the need for "safety," but short-term thinking (banning pitbulls), while convenient, isn't often long-term healing. (For example, why is it the dog who is punished so much more than its owner--who usually gets a slap on the wrist?) Sorry for the social commentary, but I see this with pitbulls.

I have also worked for an animal rescue that has taken many damaged pitbulls and healed most of them so that they may be adopted. Not all of them, because sometimes (like in the case of many of Michael Vick's dogs), they have been just too abused. Remember Oreo, the pitbull in NYC, whose owner threw him off the roof of a 6-story building...and he survived? They tried for over a year but could not emotionally heal this dog (big surprise), and the ASPCA eventually had to euthanize him, to much bad press and sadness. The owner who did this to Oreo got shamed publicly, due to all the press, but no real punishment, iirc. He, too, it was clear, was a "damaged puppy."

I love pitbulls.

[Sheri L]

As far as being animal aggressive, one should be VERY leary of Siberian Huskies and Malamutes (sp?) They will kill a small animal (cats in particular) in a heartbeat. My family used to have a huskey (might I say they are also VERY hard to contain unless you have a completely enclosed kennel (top too!) this boy would climb an 8 ft fence and push through electic cattle wire to get to a cat...and he did :( he went through my 4 kittens...I never could stop him...I gave him his commands, I tried to get the kittens in the house, or him in the house etc...punched and kicked him as I held the last kitten in my upstreched hands and he still climbed right up me to kill her.
...nothing stops a huskey once they go into kill mode.
He was great with kids though...gave him to a couple with a baby and a completly enclosed kennel and they all lived happily ever after.

[arielmoon]

I love pitties and rotties!! I rescued a pittie I found at the dump and she was a great companion for my newly adopted, un-socialized greyhound. We lost about 3 tv/vcr remotes until we learned to put them out of reach. Later she helped me raise 2 puppies (not at the same time). She was extremely loyal and sweet. I let my ex take her in the divorce and he told me that she did get a little aggressive toward other dogs at the dog park.

A few years ago some neighbors rescued an abused pittie. She is gorgeous and sweet and now completely spoiled. Sadly she is obese and very strong and has caused the husband to break his hip TWICE! They refuse to use the prong collar the correct way and it drives me nuts.

Anyway, correct handling goes a long way because any dog has the potential to harm.

Years ago I had a vet tell me the only dog breed they would not treat was Chow chow. It doesnt mean they are all bad, in fact I had one stay with me for 2 years while his mom finished school and he was the sweetest thing.

[Biciclista]

As far as being animal aggressive, one should be VERY leary of Siberian Huskies and Malamutes (sp?) They will kill a small animal (cats in particular) in a heartbeat. My family used to have a huskey (might I say they are also VERY hard to contain unless you have a completely enclosed kennel (top too!) this boy would climb an 8 ft fence and push through electic cattle wire to get to a cat...and he did :( he went through my 4 kittens...I never could stop him...I gave him his commands, I tried to get the kittens in the house, or him in the house etc...punched and kicked him as I held the last kitten in my upstreched hands and he still climbed right up me to kill her.
...nothing stops a huskey once they go into kill mode.
He was great with kids though...gave him to a couple with a baby and a completly enclosed kennel and they all lived happily ever after.

That dog should not have lived long enough to kill 4 cats.

[NbyNW]

You can make generalizations about any breed, but there will always be exceptions. Some of it is just the individual dog, but a lot of times it might just be a bad fit between the dog and the people (or other animals) involved. Some dogs are easy, others need a little more work in terms of behavioral training and daily exercise.

I've known some really good rotties, pitt-mixes, huskies and malamutes. I know that their good behavior has everything to do with the environment and training that their people provide for them.

OTOH I have yet to meet a well-behaved golden retriever.

When meeting any new dog, regardless of size or breed, it's always a good idea to ask the owner if and how you may approach their dog.

[OakLeaf]

One thing to remember is that socializing a dog requires not only an effort on the part of the owner, but cooperation on the part of everyone else around them.

When our Chow was a pup, we took him EVERYWHERE with us. If we'd had friends or workplaces that weren't dog-friendly, it would've made it a lot more difficult.

[badger]

I agree that generalizing any breed (or anything for that matter) isn't right. Saying one breed is better than the other is like comparing apples and oragnes. Individuals - animal, people, are all different.

lunacycle: I'm so glad that sweetpea's found you, she sounds wonderful! I just wish most people could become more educated about dogs in general, it's amazing how little people really know about them.

I'm really surprised that supposedly intelligent people who enact (by)laws don't do necessary research and just ban the breed due to a knee jerk reaction. Even my dear Dad who loved animals of all kinds made a poo-poo remark when I told him that I was fostering a pit/mastiff puppy. The general public are just fed the exceptionally bad and none of the good.

Thank you to all the pitt (and other maligned breeds) lovers out there.

[badger]

an update on what's happening: sadly nothing's happened yet. I had my mom's cat last week which meant I had 3 cats in a 800 sq ft condo. He's going to be a fairly regular visitor when my mother goes back to Japan for extended periods now that my father's gone. I'm still determining whether having a dog now is the best thing for all concerned, or if I'm just being selfish and wanting a canine companion.

I suppose there's no harm in meeting her, but then if I fell in love I'll have to bring her home ;)

[Aggie_Ama]

My parents have a rottweiler named Athena, we are not sure she is purebred since we found her at the pound. She is less aggressive towards anything than my 8 pound schnauzer. Every once in a while she will growl for a very short instance at Heidi (my dog) mainly when she feels Heidi is taking too much ownership of my parents house. Usually she just tries to be an oversized lap dog.

My opinion of pits was swayed some when I met the race promoter of the Abilene mountain bike race's pit. She is a certified service dog focusing mostly on elder service at the state hospital. The chaos and crowds weren't bothering her at all, she walked right up and stood next to me. I asked her owner if I could pet her and he said of course she would love it. Bad breeding has really brought a lot of negative traits forward but they are not a hopeless breed.

[NbyNW]

Badger,

Amber seems like a wonderful dog, but it sounds like if you're taking care of your mother's cat on a regular basis, you might try to find a dog that is not cat-aggressive. Has her rescue organization provided any details as to how she is with other animals?

[badger]

Badger,

Amber seems like a wonderful dog, but it sounds like if you're taking care of your mother's cat on a regular basis, you might try to find a dog that is not cat-aggressive. Has her rescue organization provided any details as to how she is with other animals?

oh, I make "cat friendly" a priority in my search for a canine companion. Amber supposedly isn't interested in cats. That said, I'll need to prod that further as 2 of the cats are very timid/skittish, and one is overbearing. Over the past 2 years that I've been looking through petfinders, I've come across a number of older pit/crosses that are cat/small animal friendly so even if Amber's not the right one, another will come by.

[Dogmama]

I, too, would be concerned about cats. "Ignores cats" may be good or bad. A skittish cat may instigate prey/chase drive. PBs have powerful jaws. And PBs as a breed have a pronounced prey drive (as do Border Collies, Shepherds, etc.) I'm profiling dog breeds :p.

With a 800 sqft apt, you may think about a smaller breed that is easily trained (barking concern). An older dog is ideal but I'd rather see a 2-3 year old.

Finally, here is something I witness repeatedly with PBs. People with other dogs react negatively to the "dog killer" and their dog picks it up. The energy (actually scents and body language) is what starts the problems. You often find that the other dog started the skirmish & the PB ended it out of defensiveness.

I have the same prejudices with my 100lb male German Shepherd, but not to the extent that PBs currently have. I do keep a $1M blanket insurance policy because if anybody enters my yard and my dog bites him, I'm still liable.( If the intruder is smart, he'll pick up one of the dozens of tennis balls strewn about & have an instant buddy. :D ) Not fair, but that's the law. A sign "beware of dog" can be interpreted that you have a dog who is a known problem. It's BS, but that's the way it is.

A CGC on a PB should be mandatory. If you ever find yourself in trouble, showing that your dog earned an AKC CGC (Canine Good Citizen) is a huge gold star in your favor. Plus, it's lots of fun.

[badger]

when I got my last dog (he was my one and only puppy love so far), I called around local shelters (this was before petfinder.com!) asking if they had any older dogs that were good with cats.

One shelter immediately said "Chevy!!" I wasn't looking for any particular dog, and I will admit when I first met this 90lb rottweiler, I had to think twice if I really wanted such a big dog. But he was so lovely I fell in love with him.

I took him home, and he just ignored my hissing cat and the other one that dove under the bed. He loved to chase squirrels, and strangely he chased my parents' cat, but he never bothered my cats. And I have one in-your-face aggressive cat who bossed him around (I used to tell my cat if I ever came home and found him dead, I wouldn't blame Chevy at all).

As for size, I like to generalize and say that the bigger the dog, the less active they are in the home. The little ones I fostered were so busy in the house it tired me out just watching them. Granted Chevy was older so never had much energy, but he was a very calming presence, and the last thing I need is a small, yappy dog (again, generalizing).

Pit bulls have all the quality that I'm looking for. Most of them are couch potatoes and have a definite "off" switch indoors that make them ideal for apartments. They're not too big, and they certainly aren't small. They can be very active outdoors, and I wish to go trail running and hiking and it would be nice to have a canine companion who can accompany me. They're usually friendly and love people. Their shedding is minimal, and they are big enough to hold their pee until I get home.

[TsPoet]

The true damage a pitbull can do to its opponents in the right environments. Look at the jaws on this dog!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNicN-o1VyA

Not sure a pitty would be a good apartment dog, would need lots of exercise and something to do much of the time.

"from pending euthanasia to top level disc dog in under 2 years...what a great story. Hopefully this will help show a positive side to the breed. They say that actions speak louder than words, and if that's the case, this is Wallace speaking loudly for pit bulls everywhere!"

[Dogmama]

A Frisbee PB is not the norm. They are typically heavy in the chest area and would suffer front leg injuries. If you look, this guy doesn't have the typical heavy chest conformation.

Regarding the on/off/good in apt comment - it depends on the dog. I know many people who take their PB's to dog parks to get them to chill out at home because they are so high energy.

Sounds like given your needs, possibly a greyhound rescue would suit you. Can run with you, minimal shedding, usually good house dogs & good with cats. Again, profiling any breed is risky because there is always the "Ya but" factor (as in "ya but my sister's dog..."<fill in the blank>). Little dogs can be yappy monsters because their owners allow it.

[badger]

yeah, every dog's different, I'll just keep looking until I find a dog with the same sort of qualities my dog did. I won't narrow my search to just pit bulls, but most likely I'll get an older one simply becuase of the energy issue. I like 'em mellow :)

[badger]

during a recent search on petfinder, I saw that Amber's ad was gone. I was happy thinking she was adopted, only to realize that her adoption was "on hold". Concerned, I wrote to the rescue and she told me that Amber will likely need surgery on both her knees. They think it's torn ACL, and that hopefully surgery will help her. If it's something else and she's not a surgical candidate, they won't have any other choice but to put her down as her quality of life won't be great with her being in a lot of pain :( But the rescuer is hopeful that she can be helped.

Anyways, I actually met Amber tonight, and she is super friendly and is a gem. The rescuer says she would appreciate it if I can take her here and there, even for a day so she can have a break from having 4 dogs as she herself is a bit lame with a knee injury.

So, I'm going to be taking Amber home with me this weekend for a sleepover :)

[TsPoet]

So, I'm going to be taking Amber home with me this weekend for a sleepover :)

Danger, Will Robinson!
I love it, enjoy her, and be prepared to have a new dog!

[lunacycles]

Good for you, Badger!

Here's a group a friend pointed me to on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/album.php?aid=2100806&id=1106173062

[XMcShiftersonX]

I've been thinking more seriously about adopting a dog. It's been over 2 years since my dog died, and I miss having a canine companion.

My dog was mostly-rottweiler and he was an amazing ambassador to that breed. Many people who previously was afraid of them, he won them over.

So, I've been wanting to do the same for the maligned pit bull. I know I shouldn't be, but I'm shocked at the level of hatred people have towards the breed. Today, a coworker said "ew!! pit bull?! I hate pit bulls!" When I asked her why, she couldn't give me a specific reason, just that she hated them. She denied it when I asked if it was because of the media. Another friend told me to not even think about bringing it over to her house.

I faced prejudism regularly with my old dog. People would cross the street to avoid us, or cower when he wanted to go towards someone to say "hi". I'm sure I'll face the same, if not worse, when I get my new dog (a rescue, not a puppy).

I guess I'm just using this to comment more than anything else, because most people who have made up their minds that pit bulls are bad will feel that way no matter what I say. It's a shame because they make amazing companions.

I'm so happy for you, good luck with Amber! My advice is not to worry about what other people are going to feel about your dog. As I've shared before, a lot of people are very afraid of my 140 pound great dane whose head comes up to my chest (I'm 5'1), and is just the sweetest thing. It's really not your problem though, whatever irrational fears people may have about your dog. As long as your dog is nice, behaves fairly well (they're never perfect all the time), and you're involved in her training to make her better, enjoy your life with her! I wouldn't go out of your way to prove to people that your dog really is nice - let them be and if in the process of seeing how your dog behaves someone's mind changes, well, that's just a bonus. But, I wouldn't waste energy on people like that. Chances are you don't want your dog playing with theirs anyways! :) (Seriously, my dog as been attacked and hurt by more small, poorly socialized dogs than big ones).

And as for size of dog and living space...My dog lives just fine in a 1100 square foot condo with three cats, and my friend has an 80 pound pitbull in her one bedroom apt in downtown Seattle (probably 600-700 square feet). See what her energy level is like and make the decision from there, but chances are that is really a non-issue. Our dog is high energy and we just take him out for a walk whenever he gets rambunctious.

Have fun with her!

-Jesssica

[badger]

this is Amber and Morley. She's a great little house guest :) She's getting surgery on her knees on Tuesdays, so hopefully she'll be up and running soon. Not sure if I can foster her anymore because for sure I'll have to keep her!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v400/nvwolf/IMG_0232.jpg

[OakLeaf]

Awwwww. :) If you help with her post-surgical rehab you'll definitely have to keep her. She looks like she fits into your household...

[badger]

well... this picture is more cute than accurate. My cat always bossed my last dog, who was very submissive. They often slept together, but the dog just merely tolerated the cat. Amber's not nearly as submissive. In this picture she was exhausted so Morley did his old trick.

Amber tends to be excitable in the mornings. This morning, Morley came by and was staring her down. You can see her twitching, it was like she didn't know what to do with that excitement (attack? play? run away?)

My cat is very aggressive and she's very uncertain of him (she was terrified when she first came, sat by the door and didn't want to come further into the house). She ignores my other cat because the cat ignores her, too. I haven't yet been able to trust Morley enough to leave them alone. The last thing I'd want is to come home and find a dead or maimed cat because he was so confrontational.

She's nearly perfect, but this dynamic concerns me for the long term.

[XMcShiftersonX]

Still that's impressive! It took my cats a year to go near my dog... granted he went from 18 pounds at 7 weeks old to 120 pounds at 6 months...:D

[JennK13]

Morley DOES have that look in his eyes.

My Golden is one that ignores cats - if they ignore her. If they run, like my older cat does, she chases it. They've been together almost 3 years now, and Jagger just hates dogs, but
she's getting better at ignoring Rita. If the cat is in my lap and the dog walks up, she won't run unless Rita smells or licks her; likewise, Rita usually just looks at her and if she doesn't move, she walks right by. The dog wants to play like she does with our kitten, but then Jagger doesn't want to be bothered by him, either!

It Is that chase instinct - a piece of paper can blow by and my dog chases it.....funny, she has absolutely NO interest in balls :)