James Mann A Pit Bull Owner

[James Mann]

Hello everyone, so glad to be here.

Honey Scared By
Hurricane Irene's Wind​

​

Like the title says, my name is James. I am from Ontario, some 30 years ago, but now live in Moncton, New Brunswick Canada. I feel in love with the Maritimes after my first visit.​

I think it was the fact that in Ontario it took me hours to get out of Toronto and had to fight traffic all the time. Here in Moncton I can be out of the city in just a few minutes. I can be out on walking trails or fishing within a half hour to an hour, easily.

It's actually a big part of why I moved here 30 years ago.

About our dog, Honey. She is our son's Pit Bull. We are so proud of our son as he went to get himself a dog, at the SPCA. He saved Honey from a fate I'd rather not think about. Very proud.

Honey's definitely Steve's dog, although we do everything for her of course and he just gets to take credit. Even when it comes to the training.

Honey had been abused and eventually ended up at the SPCA, after being toss from a three story building because her previous owner wasn't pleased with her. Busted up her right front paw so that it will always give her problems, but our son still picked her. He's not a little boy either, just to us, he is actually in his mid 20s.

Honey Came With A Few Problems

Honey was quite intimidating to say the least. My wife and myself slept with the bedroom door closed for about a year, expecting her to rip out our throats. The media had us terrified, but we learned that she is just a big baby who wants to give and be loved. Just that simple.

Honey did like to jump on people as her way of greeting them but I don't like that and quickly worked at getting her to stop jumping. It took me a month or so to get her to stop completely.

She also loved to eat just about anything, well at least chew them up until they are no longer recognizable. I think this was just nerves as she had been through a lot before she fell in love with Steve.

The first couple of chew toys we bought her didn't last a day, even the toughest chew toys we found. We ended up getting her a cows leg I think. She doesn't chew other things now.

She's a big part of the family now, after 3 years, and we will be lost when those two move out on their own.

when she first made our home her home was her jumping on people. I focused on having her not jump on people and today she doesn't do that if I am home. However when she is in Steve's care, meaning I'm not there Honey still likes to jump on old friends.

 

[southerngirl]

So glad to here about someone who has a pit bull they have such a bad rap, but they don't deserve it they are sweet loving dogs you can't get a more loyal breed than a pitty. The reason why pits fight other dogs is because they'll do anything to please there owner they are willing to die for their owner and it's so sad how some people take advantage of this loyal breed. Good Job to your son for saving Honey from death Honey sounds like a wonderful dog and is a beautiful dog.

 

[tigerlily46514]

LOVE IT!!
I so agree, pitties get a bad rap. Pitties can be just as sweet and lovable as any other dog! Is a darn shame what some ppl have done to pittie's reputation....
Well James, if your sons do move out and take your dog with them------- a dog lover like you should consider filling that vacant-canine-hole with a new dog!? When i grieve a lost dog, there is still a 'hole', that never ever gets filled, til i get a new dog---not that Buddy replaces my old Toby, no, not at all, not at all, two completely different dogs entirely, love 'em both!
.........but, the "canine hole" in my heart is filled again.
A house without a dog is not really a home.

"DOG TRAINING---IF IT ISN'T FUN
FOR BOTH YOU AND THE DOG,
YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG!"

 

[James Mann]

You should see Honey when the mail arrives. If I don't let her say hi she sounds like she want to eat him/her. We can't even talk to anyone outside the house if she isn't right beside us. She gets so jealous.

 

[tigerlily46514]

OH, James, i'm so glad to hear your "grand dog" is still living at your home! Happy New Year!
You can, IF you want to, train Honey to "sit" when you open the door, is actually pretty quick thing to teach a dog. They quickly get the idea. Let us know if you want to know how to do that.
Sounds like Honey is another one of those social butterfly types!

 

[mewzard]

Hello! Pitties are great, especially with great owners. Same as all dogs to be honest, i've met nasty little dogs, good little dogs, horrid big dogs, wonderful big dogs. I have a solidly built GSDxNI (like a husky) and the first thing many people ask is "does it bite?" ... and i laugh!!

I'ts great that you have all had the patience to work with her through her problems. Many rescue dogs have no idea what being a pet means. We are dog fosterers and i've had to teach 3yr old dogs what "sit" means

 

[James Mann]

Hello! Pitties are great, especially with great owners. Same as all dogs to be honest, i've met nasty little dogs, good little dogs, horrid big dogs, wonderful big dogs. I have a solidly built GSDxNI (like a husky) and the first thing many people ask is "does it bite?" ... and i laugh!!

I'ts great that you have all had the patience to work with her through her problems. Many rescue dogs have no idea what being a pet means. We are dog fosterers and i've had to teach 3yr old dogs what "sit" means

Honey's pretty special. I'm not really certain how old she was when Steve rescued her but we think she was maybe a year and a half. She had a real problem with jumping on people, scared Jenny and I for months until I got her trained to stop doing that.

Jenny and I are already bracing ourselves for when he moves out. We may even have to get another dog to fill that void.

 

[tigerlily46514]

//"Jenny and I are already bracing ourselves for when he moves out. We may even have to get another dog to fill that void."//

OH yeah, yes, James, i can sense, right through my computer screen, that *you* will have to get a a dog to make your home feel like home again, if and when Honey ever moves out. You are most obviously a huge dog fan! I'd bet good money on your getting anther dog!!
You sound like the type,
like so many of us here,
that just can't be 100% satisfied with our home, unless there is a dog in it. mmmHmm. I think i have you pegged there!


("petfinder", James, petfinder.com is the place for you, if and when that day ever arrives..)

 

[mewzard]

Honey's pretty special. I'm not really certain how old she was when Steve rescued her but we think she was maybe a year and a half. She had a real problem with jumping on people, scared Jenny and I for months until I got her trained to stop doing that.

Jenny and I are already bracing ourselves for when he moves out. We may even have to get another dog to fill that void.

You probably will!
We got Oka at 8 weeks, and she scared me at 6/7 months jumping up when excited and playful. And she had been taught not to jump since we got her.

 

[storm22]

glad to meet someone who has been able to meet and fall in love with the REAL PITBULL type of dog not the media branded steriotype that consumes everyone thoughts,

i have always been in love with the breed since my dad bought home a rescued pitdog when i was about 6years old, ive grown up defending pittys and who they truely are,

honeslty most are loveable goof nuts who need an owner with a strong heart to not get hurt by morons who listen to media driven dribble and also a good standing position for when they run right into you for a cuddle most of the time you end up on the ground hurt but there gross tongue and eagerness soon gets you thinking other things then the pain your in lol

 

[tigerlily46514]

yes, it's true, pitties get a bad rap, most dog bites in the USA are by golden retrievers.
(in defense of GRs, that is the breed most often put by children, as well).

However, deaths by dogs, pitties are up there, if not #1, they are in top 2, depends on the survey you read. Pitties have been bred to a different, "don't stop" thing in their minds, their bite inhibition, once triggered, can be different IN SOME PITTIES, NOT ALL BUT SOME PITTIES
than most breeds "stop biting" thing,
who bite and back up, or stop long before death occurs. *SOME* Pitties, especially if trained to do so, and especially if bred to do so, will fight until victim is dead.
*that* is thing, ALTHOUGH EXTREMELY RARE
which gets exaggerated to add to the myth of "dangerous" pitties.
Pitties bite far less often than other breeds do, though.


Although, i much love pittes, and am entirely against labelling an entire breed by the behavior of only a few pitties,
and every pittie i know is a total lovebug,
and any breed at all can kill,
it is a fact that--although rare---
Pitties account for 60% of DEATHS by dog bites. (NOT numbers of dog bites, but numbers of DEATHS by dog bites)
but, the number is reducing in past decade. This was more commonly seen in the USA, than any other country, and was more common in the 1980s, than it is nowadays.

http://enhs.umn.edu/current/6120/bites/dogbitefatal.html

http://www.dogsbite.org/dogsbite-newsroom-2009-dogsbite-three-year-fatality-study.php

 

[tigerlily46514]

that said,
*i* was very very active,
fighting against a recent law being introduced in my town,
to ban pitbulls from living within city limits!

i collected signatures, showed up at meetings, informed others to join in slapping that ridiculous law down, etc etc,
so don't slam *me*. I am an advocate for pitties!!

I'm just saying WHERE the notion that pitties are "dangerous" came from.

 

[tigerlily46514]

slightly off topic, or not,
but the myth of the dangerous pittie is widespread enough,
that THIS ridiculous story happened right in my own town.

A family living in a mobile home, escaped death, by their pitbull dog alerting them to the fact their home was on fire. The PITBULL dragged the infant bassinette over to the door, all by himself, too! Which was very helpful, as the home was smoke filled.

The dog was proclaimed to a "Hero", creditted with saving the entire family from a sure death, and got a ribbon put on him by the mayor, picture in the newspaper, on Tv, etc etc.


The family, who was poor, had no home now, homeless.
and some local bought a mobile home for this poor family,
BUT
the family could NOT FIND *any* local mobile home park which allowed them to park their new mobile home in it, since they do own a pitbull, apparently it did not matter this dog was now a local hero dog!!!

A pitbull who had been recently proclaimed "Hero Dog", was STILL was banned from all of the local mobile home parks!!!??? (privately owned places can still ban pitbulls, regardless of town ordinances).

so, the myth of *ALL* pitties are "dangerous", is a dangerous myth, and making life hard for some pittie owners..

 

[Dogster]

Hello! I hate how pitbulls are portrayed as mean and vicious dogs. You can't see a pittbull in Ontario anymore, they're banned from the province. It's great that you rescued Honey! She is gorgeous! adopting dogs is awesome! I adopted my dog Shivon from the Toronto Humane Society.

 

[Sara Carson]

Welcome! I complety agree its the owner not the dog.. Iv met some pretty sweet pitbulls!

 

[tigerlily46514]

Ah, Sara, not to be pedantic about it, but, one can own a dog(pittie or ANY breed) which would totally attack a human or dog, and not be the cause of that aggression.

But i totally agree, like i said above, that despite the vast bulk of death-by-dog being done by pitties, i loathe having an entire breed improperly labelled based on the behavior of a few pitties.

but, i would not go so far as to make sweeping statement, (very popular statement, but i disagree with it entirely) "It's not the dog, it's the owner". Nope, i gotta stand up for those of us loving aggressive dogs and tell you, Sara, it's not true in most cases. Although, the vast bulk of the dog world has accepted that meme without ever once reading any actual research on the physical differences, NEUROBIOLOGICAL AND NEUROCHEMICAL ABNORMALITIES found in all aggressive dogs tested/never ever ONCE found in "normal" dogs. Eveyrone "knows" this is the case, "it's the human's fault".

My dog Buddy would probably attack your dog if he had a chance to, despite my working for years to reduce this aggression in him. There are some owners here on DTA whose dogs might bite you, despite their owners working on, or just loving, those dogs for years.

True, some humans can take a 'normal' brained dog, and abuse it, or train it,
to be aggressive. But, once removed from that abuse, the dog usually easily defaults back to normal brained behavior. Even Michael Vick could not create permanently aggressive dogs, almost all his dogs, maybe 95% of them (i've forgotten) turned out to be "normal" dogs.

Some dogs (ANY breed) are born with genetic flukes, which make them either "shy" dogs, or dog-aggressive dogs. (similar to human conditions, like autism or some forms of schizophrenia, born that way, even if it become evident later on.)

We humans can make these dogs better or worse, but we can't create a permanently dog-aggressive
nor a shy dog,
nor can we cure one completely.
but, to avoid a thread derail, here's a thread on this, Sara:
http://www.dogtrickacademy.com/members/forums/threads/some-dogs-are-born-dog-aggressive-imo.3586/


When i first wrote ^that thread, ^
i was only just becoming aware of the research on this,
and now, i have tons and tons of links of actual scientific ressearch done on the multiple physical differences found in all persistantly aggressive dogs,
but never found in 'normal' dogs.


I thought, since you Sara, plan to become a dog trainer, it'd help if you do gain some insight into the causes of most dog aggression, is genetic. If someone brought you an aggressive dog to work on, and you told them it was their fault, it could offend them. But, MOST owners of aggressive dogs do believe it IS their fault somehow....they really do. Most owners of aggressive dogs have been soooooooooooo hypnotized of that meme, "it's the owners' fault"
that they have searched their minds,
and discovered "the day" that their dog became so psychologically damaged by being stared at by another dog, or chased around by children, or bitten by another dog,
that they usually offer up "that day" as the reason their dog is "not right".

Others here will strong disagree with my remark about most of the lifelong aggressive dogs are genetic, some ppl even seem to see it as an insult to dogdom,
but scientists, veterinary geneticists, researchers from all over the world,
for decades,
have research which supports the genes cause inappropriate aggression or shyness in dogs.

I really need to re-write the above the thread and add in more of the research links. Although, it is easy enough
to find BLOG after blog after blog after blog,
millions of BLOGS with zero footnotes
zero research, zero science......
all the BLOGS stating that inappropriate aggression is "caused" by humans. NO footnotes, no research............ it is like the emporer's clothes....and evvvvvvvveryone hears it from everyone else,
and so everyone buys it, and does not question it. "Everyone says it, it must be true"

Despite all the horrifically abused dogs who stand there loving everyone and every dog.

Despite all the properly raised dogs, raised even by animal behaviorits, vets, dog trainers, loving committed humans, humans whose other dogs all turned out fine,
but
whose 1 dog turned out aggressive against all odds.....

yeah, sure, "It's the owners fault". sure. sure.

PERMANENT, LIFELONG AGGRESSION IN DOGS IS *NOT* BREED SPECIFIC,
and can strike any breed at all. Any breed at all.
http://www.dogtrickacademy.com/members/forums/threads/some-dogs-are-born-dog-aggressive-imo.3586/ <-----------i will rewrite this thread someday, and put all the links in one spot. I have many many more links on the genes which cause inappropriate aggression in dogs.

Everyone readily accepts many OTHER BEHAVIORS are on a dog's DNA......like herding is on a dog's DNA........like the baying of the beagle..........like the retrieving behaviors of the labs......many many behaviors everyone accepts ARE on the dog's DNA..........but shyness? or dog-aggression? on the dna? go onnnnnn!! "The owners cause it".....