Ranting about stupid dog ownership

[Dogmama]

A friend decided to adopt a dog from the humane society. I helped her pick out a really cute, but immature, border collie mix. She had it exactly one week & took it back. Why? Her "vet" said this dog had pit bull in it - primarily because it pulls on a leash and barked at dogs in the waiting room. Said it would eventually turn on her and would tear up her grandchildren. My friend called me with this news. I told her that her vet was a moron - google "Pit Bull" and call me back. She never did.

When she took Joey back, the poor pup freaked out (no kidding!!) and it supposedly took three people to hold this dog down (25 pounds) to give him a sedative. So now she's convinced this dog was a pit bull mix (obviously disguised as a border collie.)

I've worked with lots of pit bulls. Many are absolute sweethearts. It's the owners that mess them up. I could just scream.

I just pray that Joey gets a better life. And I swear, if my idiot friend every decides to adopt another dog, I'm calling the humane society & warning them about her. I'm so mad I could spit nails.

[tctrek]

I am not a dog-person, but I've worked with cats all my life. Adopting a pet is a serious commitment and it is disgusting how some people think a puppy or a kitten is like a pair of shoes. Buy it, try it, and if it doesn't fit throw it away.

Don't get me started on the real crazies that buy exotic snakes and reptiles and let them go into the wild. So, we have deadly snakes that are not native to the U.S. taking over our wetlands and Everglades because there's no predator to keep them in check.

Some people are just so insensitive and stupid when it comes to pets. It's maddening, frightening and so, so sad.

[OakLeaf]

If that's really what the vet said, I've got to blame the vet as much as your friend. More, really. If I'd adopted a pet and then been told by a "professional" that it would be sure to hurt my grandchildren, I'd probably take it back, too.

I have my doubts that that's really what she was told, though. So sad.

[tctrek]

I have my doubts that that's really what she was told, though. So sad.

Agreed. Hard to believe a vet would say something like that.

[Trek420]

I'm not saying your friend is telling a fib but that sounds like an excuse and not what the vet said. My pit mix barked at dogs and pulled on her leash when adopted. She pulled so hard that my ex (who really really wanted a dog) would not walk her. She said it hurt her arm. This said by the gal who played defensive line on a women's semi pro football team.

But I walked Mae and was not about to take the clearly in the light of day pit/lab/something/something mix mutt back.

The vet recommended a training class as most vets would. Mae still barks at dogs but now has dogs she likes.

She walks beautifully on her leash.

She also likes going down the slide at the kiddie park. This abstract is her wagging tail.

I hope Joey finds a forever home

[Reesha]

You know... as frustrating as it is to see this happen, I can't help but think it's better for the dog than if the owner decided to keep them. Obviously it would be best for the dog to find a forever home straight away, but I'd rather see a dog returned than spend its life with a dog owner who isn't fully committed, you know?

[Biciclista]

bottom line it was obviously more dog than your friend could handle.
They should never have let her out of the door with it.

(but i know it's hard to screen !)

[Dogmama]

I do think Joey is better off and I'm sure he'll be adopted because he's very sweet, black & white with a very delicate bone structure.

I think my friend is an idiot - and yes - I do think that she lied about the vet conversation. She probably changed her mind - OK - but lying about it compounds the whole thing. When will people realize that a dog is for life - not just a plant to keep around until you get tired of watering it?

[smilingcat]

I have to agree with some who think that your friend fibed about the vet's comment.

Like others here, we also foster and adopt out cats. We used to foster dogs too.

It doesn't sound like the friend was ready for a forever companion. And it was a right decision to return instead of keeping the dog. The dog would have become more of a burden than a family member. Really sad to see the dog panicking but I hope his next adoption will be the right one, to a forever family.

If you think about it, there are no perfect forever pets. Just like children, they will get into trouble from time to time. From glass half-empty perspective, all pets have issues. For those of us who are commited to our animals, we see their faults/issues and accept them along with what they bring into our lives. We learn to live with their issues just as the animals do with our issues.

friend sent me this the other day.

A Lesson in Humility
If you can start the day without caffeine,
If you can get going without pep pills,
If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,
If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,
If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,
If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,
If you can overlook it when those you love take it out on you, when, through no fault of yours, something goes wrong,
If you can ignore a friend's limited education and never correct him,
If you can resist treating a rich friend better than a poor friend,
If you can face the world without lies and deceit,
If you can conquer tension without medical help,
If you can relax without liquor,
If you can say honestly that deep in your heart you have no prejudice against creed, color or politics,
Then, my friend, you are almost as good as your dog.

-Anonymous

Your friend isn't ready to have a dog in the house. If she wants to have a dog again, suggest her to foster a dog and see for a while. If her interest in the dog wanes, the dog will be adopted out. The only drawback is, are there any resuce group willing to take her on as a foster parent.

I hope the dog will find a forever home. very sad.

[Biciclista]

Smilingcat, I disagree with you.
I have a perfect forever pet sitting on my lap right now.

[Irulan]

no comment on the fact that border collies and their mixes are super high energy, and that possible the poor thing was barking and pulling because it wasn't getting any exercise, ( or enough, as the case may be for that breed?)
??

[Selkie]

I agree w/Smilingcat. All pets can and will get into "trouble" but a good owner understands that a pet needs to learn the rules. I think a perfect pet would be boring. Flaws---be they human, canine, or feline---make us interesting. Even my "perfect" Agnes had flaws (chewing toilet paper, reams of computer paper, etc---things we blamed on Maeve until my husband caught Ags coming out of the bathroom with a roll of TP in her mouth, big fluffy golden tail wagging...) I miss that big girl.

Smilingcat, thank you for posting the Lesson in Humility. Right now, we are going through the puppy terrible twos with Margot, so it's good to have a reminder of innate goodness in a dog's heart (even an ornery one!).

[Aggie_Ama]

I have the same friend! My Heidi isn't perfect but we deal with her flaws that are mostly our own. For instance, I got her as a student and she didn't have obedience class. She also didn't learn to scratch the door to go out, she sits there and hopes you notice. Pets are a huge commitment that some people don't think about. My DH was nervous to let me get a cat because it is additional expense, time, energy. We had just spent over $1,000 getting 4 extra months for poor Maggie Bear. If she had claws she would be tearing up my furtniture right now. She also gets on the corner which we hate! Not everyone thinks the cute dog will need so much work.

On a different vein, pits are evil by genetics. They (and rotts and mastiffs and every other big dog) are strong and can be trained to hurt. My parents rottweiler is 9 years old and has always been the world's biggest baby. She doesn't even bark often. Strangers puzzle her, then she likes them just fine. But my home owner's insurance would be higher if I had her. Of course I got bit by two pomeranians and one chihauhau working retail, luckily I always wore jeans.

[grey]

I too get very defensive about pit bulls. I have a pit mix - she's the smartest dog you will ever meet. She opens our front door for company, and lets herself and our other dog back into the house if we don't respond to her bark that says she wants back in. Yes, she was high-energy for a long time, and she still runs circles around our shepherd mix who is 2 years younger, but you'll never meet a more intelligent, well-behaved, sensitive animal.

Over time, i have had pit bull strays show up at my house. Some were clearly used as bait dogs, or were beaten. The amazing thing about pits is they accept these beatings and keep on going - they don't seem to hold a grudge, or become shy (some do, I've cared for and re-homed many a pit). They are happy animals - those big heads of theirs make room for the biggest, happiest grins you ever saw, and their tails wag so hard they sting when they whip against your leg. I only had one that I felt could not be rehabbed, and it just killed me. This was nothing more than a puppy, he was in terrible shape, and was the most terrifying wild creature I ever came across.

Pit bulls do not "snap" - no more than any other breed. Evidence is starting to come to light that dogs who "snap" are actually rabid - from repeatedly getting the rabies vaccine. There are veterinarians in Canada who are trying very hard to get this brought to light. It's possible that some dog breeds have a lesser tolerance to getting the vaccine... and also possible that pits are just the fighting dog breed of choice, and are often given such horrible lives - I can't blame such an animal for "snapping".

Your friend is an idiot - but don't judge her too harshly. Pits (and often times, dogs who are not pits are reported to be pits) are in the news headlines every week. Some people cannot get past the bad publicity and see that pit bull terriers are some of the BEST dogs out there.

My house will never be without a pit bull. Ever.

[TsPoet]

On a different vein, pits are evil by genetics.

NO they are NOT. American Staffordshire Bull Terriers are "happy, outgoing, stable, and confident dog"
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/americanstaffordshire.htm

They, like almost any other dog breed can be trained to be aggressive. They are strong dogs, so that can be a very bad thing. One of the two counties around here requires that "pit bulls" get CGC certifications, so our CGC classes are generally 50% pit bulls. Of all of the classes I've assisted (I don't have teaching cert, so I assist), I have never run across a pit that was aggressive. Even Baby, the 1 year old Pit that had been owned by a man training her to fight, a man who'd tried to crop her ears using garden shears and no anesthesia, was a sweetheart. The man was pleased with her potential to fight, but didn't like how her ears turned out, so he dumped her at out local rescue group.
We always have 1 dog that we know isn't going to pass - those dogs are almost always dachshund, small terrier mixes, or poodles. My pug-x hasn't passed, and never will, I can't take the chance on the evaluator getting close enough to him. I think every pit we've ever had has passed (but I might be mistaken).