Pit Bulls

Some of Leah’s Favorite Pit Bulls

By Leah Morse

Over the years as vet assistant and professional dog trainer I have had some of my favorite dogs that also just happened to be pit bulls.  I feel compelled to write this blog as pit bulls have a bad wrap.  Yes, there are those dogs, through no fault of their own, that have been conditioned to be ferocious and participate in the gruesome sport of pit fighting.  I thought it would be fitting to share some of my experiences as they have been quite entertaining for me.

#1) Red: Red, a red nose pit bull, was quite the big boy.  He was the biggest pit bull that I have ever worked with up close.  I was working as a vet assistant at the time and Red had just moved to Colorado from the south.  Red was coughing uncontrollably and was in pretty bad shape.  I admit he was still a little bit intimidating by his sheer size.  After checking him in and being the handler for the veterinarian I soon realized that this was no demon but an angel in a red furry coat.  The most damage that Red did, as I held him for palpation and exam, blood work and even nail trimming, was the loss of my makeup to his rather busy tongue.  Red had the sweetest melt your heart eyes.  I hardly had to hold him for his nail trim as he was just glad we were touching him.  To my disappointment the diagnosis was severely infected with heartworm.  Red’s heart was dangerously full of the foot long worms that were causing his heart to not function properly and ultimately making him cough.  Prognosis was guarded.  Red was now going to have to endure the dangerous treatment of delicately killing off the worms gradually.  If you don’t kill enough worms it is bad but too many killed off would be deadly.  For weeks Red would come in for treatment.  Always the same goofy big boy who would patiently wait as he was injected with the agent that would kill the worms but also would make him feel sick.  Never once did he fight us or try to bite.  I just knew to bring more makeup with me to work.  Eventually Red was finally cleared of heartworm and given a clean bill of health.  I am thankful for my time with him, he taught me a lot about what pit bulls can be….. Big Lick Machines.   Red will always be my #1 pit in my heart.

2) Jasmine: Also while I was a vet assistant, I had the pleasure of working with Princess, a fawn pit bull.  Princess had been scheduled for a routine spay at about 10 months old.  I will never forget my first impression of her.  Her owner’s girlfriend brought her in with a giant black leather collar, 4 sizes too big, spiked collar hanging crooked off her neck as she slapped both sides of her wiggly body with her wildly wagging tail and swinging hips.  Elvis had nothing on her.  Tongue hanging out, big grin on her face and the prettiest brown eyes ever.  She looked ridiculous with that huge collar, with 3 rows of spikes, hanging on her slender neck.  I half jokingly scolded her owner saying “Spiked Collar?  Princess needs a rhinestone collar!”  Talk about slapstick humor.  Owner sheepishly told me “Yes I agree but my boyfriend insisted on this spike collar for his ‘Tough’ dog”.  I told her “Give me a break!”  Princess willingly went with me to the back for her procedure.  Another Licking Machine!  We relieved her of that burdensome collar as soon as we could. She was such a happy puppy; she was a joy to handle for her injection.  After her procedure she recovered right back into the happy, if not a bit slower, puppy as before.  Again we commented on her demeanor and how inappropriate her collar was after we went over her after care instructions.  2 weeks went by and Princess came back in for vaccination boosters.  Much to our delight, Princess was sporting a brand new purple, triple row rhinestone collar.  Oh, much better to see this happy beautiful girl with rhinestones and not spikes!  What a happy end to this story for her.  A rhinestone collar is so much more disarming as opposed to an alarming 3 row, black leather spike collar.  She is a jewel in my pit bull memory collection.

3) Country: Last is certainly not least!  For the last several months I have had the pleasure of working with Miss Country.  She was a somewhat fearful pit bull with a few behavior problems but yet again has those beautiful eyes.  Trust was definitely an issue for sweet Country.  All new stimuli were a scary experience.  We started at home and then at the vet clinic where her owner works, then we eventually worked from my training school.  I have learned volumes from working with Country, particularly patience and perseverance.  Country did not work at a fast pace.  Progress was made but definitely on Country’s terms.  She did want to learn, you could almost see the wheels turning in her pretty little head.  Learning a simple sit was an exercise in patience.   This is a dog that would freeze if you even thought about going too fast.  Marker training has been a huge blessing with her as corrections would end any possibility of learning what so ever.  Desensitization was also a primary tool.  Everything in my shop was potentially scary.  The radio, a dark area of the shop, a large white trash can, just to name a few obstacles.  I have a door stop in the shape of a buffalo, also terrifying, until a cheese trail led up to the jackpot of cheese that resided near it.  We used the Hansel and Gretel trail of cheese to help her with these scary items with a jack pot near the source.  It seemed to be working.  Then finally, by accident, we discovered incorporating a play session in training helped.  Talk about turning on a light bulb. Country’s learning blossomed!  Went from struggling to get her to “sit!”, “down!” and “stand!” all with her tail between her legs, to full on tail wagging and prancing.  What a complete turn around.  Now, training wasn’t scary but a fun place to come and play.  Again those, melt your heart eyes were now sparkling with happiness.  She began to really excel! After months, we moved quickly form sit, down and stand to off leash heeling, swing and finish, figure 8 heeling, formal come to sit in front and her stays are coming along beautifully in just a few weeks.  Country has completed Level I obedience and is soon to complete Level II.  I love working with Country as she has taught me more than I have taught her!  Country takes up a big open space in my heart!

It is my hope that the next time you see that next pit bull walking down the street, remember my experiences before you judge.  Though all strange dogs should be considered with caution, each dog is still an individual and may not be what their reputation states.

What are your thoughts on Pit Bulls? We would like to know. Contact us at live@dogdoctorradio.com

Tags: Leah Morse | Robert Forto | Michele Forto | Iditarod | Team Ineka | Dog Training Denver | Dog Doctor Radio | Denver Dog Works | Mushing Radio | Duluth Dog Works | Minnesota Dog Works | Rocky Mountain Classic Canine

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Leah Morse is the owner of Rocky Mountain Classic Canine and a certified canine trainer. Leah writes a weekly article for our blog at Denver Dog Works and can be reached through our website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

Domestic Violence Protection Orders and Pets

Domestic Violence Protection Orders and Pets

By Robert Forto, PhD

On April 12, 2010, Colorado Governor, Bill Ritter (D) signed into law a measure that will provide animals and pets protection from predators of domestic violence.

The measure will allow Colorado judges to order suspected domestic abusers in the state to stay away from family pets and livestock. Many states allow judges the discretion of including the family pet in a protection order but with the signing of this law it will require the judge to do so.

Ritter says domestic abuse can harm or threaten to harm pets to intimidate their victims. Advocates say some victims of domestic abuse or domestic violence are afraid to leave abusive homes out of fear for the animals that they may have to leave behind.

One way to further traumatize the human target of domestic violence is to injure or kill that person’s beloved pet. When domestic violence erupts, family pets are often the first target because abusers understand and exploit the deep bond between pets and family members. Threatening a pet often causes the victim to stay out of fear of what might happen to them if they leave. Studies have shown that almost half of battered women delay their escape for this reason. In some cities they have created Animal Safe houses in which foster owners and/or shelters take care of the pets empowering the victim of domestic violence to leave. In Denver, The Denver Dumb Friends League offers temporary assistance for victims of domestic violence and housing of their pets.

According to Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States, “The bond between people and their pets is so powerful that people would rather stay in an abusive situation if it means protecting their animal. A pet is sometimes the only positive and unconditional relationship that a victim might have and that means they will do absolutely anything to keep them safe. We want the law to recognize the deep significance of that relationship and acknowledge that for most people, a pet is part of the family and therefore a victim–and a pawn–in the horrendous cycle of domestic violence.”

Up until the signing of the measure by Governor Ritter in Colorado only four states–Maine, Minnesota, New York and Vermont–have enacted laws permitting family pets to be included in protective orders involving cases of domestic violence and abuse. An additional 11 states: California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and the District of Columbia have considered “pet protection” legislation.

Such measures will provide much needed protection for victims of domestic violence and abuse and protect their pets as well. Pet protection orders will offer victims of abuse an alternative to staying in abusive relationships for fear of what may happen to their pets if they leave.

Facts:

• Seven of every 10 families with minor children include a pet — more than 64 million households in total.
• Research shows that pet abuse is a predictor of domestic violence. Paying attention to pet abuse can save human lives.
• Studies show that up to 71% of battered women report their pet was threatened, harmed, or killed by their partners.
• A national survey found that 85% of women’s shelters indicated that women seeking safety described incidents of pet abuse in their families.
• Batterers threaten, abuse, or kill animals to demonstrate and confirm power and control over the family, to isolate the victim and children, and to prevent the victim from leaving or coerce her/him to return.
• Domestic violence shelters and animal protection organizations have begun partnering to develop “safe havens” for pets of domestic violence victims because many victims delay leaving out of fear for their pets’ safety.  All too often, batterers punish victims for leaving by killing their pet. Yet, with the help of over 100 safe haven programs currently operating today in the U.S., many victims no longer have to choose between their safety and their pets.

If you have a comment to share on this subject we would love to hear from you. We will be talking about this subject on an upcoming episode of the Dog Doctor Radio Show. Send all comments to: live@dogdoctorradio.com

Citation: HSUS website

http://www.coloradoconnection.com

Tags: Robert Forto | Michele Forto | Iditarod | Team Ineka | Dog Training Denver | Dog Doctor Radio | Denver Dog Works | Mushing Radio | Duluth Dog Works |Minnesota Dog Works | Animal law | Dog Law

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Dr. Robert Forto is the training director for Denver Dog Works and the host of the Dog Doctor Radio Show. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com