Passion for Pits

Pittie of the Week: Joy (fmrly Freckles)

2012-07-18T08:26:00.000-07:00

This week's Pittie of the Week comes to us from Luzerne County Pit Bull Owners (LCPO) Northeastern Pennsilvania's (NEPA) Avail-a-bullies.

Joe (formerly Freckles) was at NYC Animal Care and Control because her family moved and was originally at risk of not being spayed or rescued due to a mammary tumor. Joy has been cleared by her rescuers' vet for her spay, she will be getting spayed and having her tumor and skin tags removed next week!

She is so unbelievably cute and happy-go-lucky, just look at these pics!

Here is what the shelter says about Joy:

Per the information that her previous owner shared she did not live with other dogs so will need a little work on socialization with other dogs, she seems to do ok with cats as long as they are dog friendly and she does well with children. Her previous owner also indicted she has never laid on anything like a hard floor, she enjoys soft bedding.. so she is clearly in shock being in the very scary shelter. Roxie will be staying in one of our foster homes to de-stress from the recent events, to receive vet care for the probable skin tags and/or growths she has and will also receive work on socialization. For more information on our adoption process you can visit: http://www.lcpoinc.org/nepa-avail-a-bullies.html We do have many other wonderful dogs looking for homes as well: nepabullies.petfinder.org.

Reader Mail!

2012-07-02T07:47:00.000-07:00

Here we have another edition of Reader Mail! If there is a particular question you have about pit bulls, please drop me a line at passion4pits@gmail.com, I'd be more than happy to answer any and all questions!

A red-nosed pit bull

This one comes from Elizabeth. She writes, "I have a 2 yo Red nose Pit. His name is Capone. He is a wonderful dog when he is with my boyfriend but when I'm with him he doesn't listen he pees and poops in the house. He pulls me when I walk him and he doesn't let anyone near me, he wants to bite them, anyone even children. And I love him dearly but I'm scared he will hurt someone!"

Thanks for writing in, Elizabeth!

Capone has issues that many young male pit-bulls have- he is territorial, acting tough, hard to handle on a leash... This makes me wonder if he is neutered? If not, I would strongly suggest neutering him as soon as possible. It will help with marking (peeing) in the house, aggression and territorial issues and there health benefits for him as well. You can read more about this here.

Secondly, I would recommend getting a muzzle right away. I recommend a basket muzzle for a strong male dog, rather than a nylon one that may slip off. If he has bitten in the past or threatens to bite anyone, especially children- this is a must. He should wear it outside the home and inside if guests are over. It is for everyone's protection, including his. If he does bite someone- depending on where you live, you could have to put him to sleep. Once he is muzzled, you can work on the other issues.

If crate training is done correctly, your dog should like being in his crate

If he is peeing and pooping in the house- I suggest crate training (Info on Crate Training) him or putting up a gate to block off a small space for him that is easy to clean - usually the kitchen works best for this. The smaller the area he is confined to- the less able he will be to get away from the smell of his own urine and feces, and dogs hate being around that and will not soil their own "den". They tend to hold it rather than go when they are in a confined area.

For pulling- I suggest a prong collar (read about prong collar training here)- if he barks and lunges, use a sharp yank of that collar with a firm and loud "No!". Your confidence will become apparent to him and he will start to know you are in control. If he listens to your boyfriend and your boyfriend can help you- start putting Capone on his back and place your knee on his chest- he will struggle at first, but soon he will know that you are in charge. If he breaks the rules you put in place for him, place him on his back and stare into his eyes and say "No" in a confident deep voice.

Your situation with Capone reminds me a bit of this dog, Buddy, who Cesar Milan worked with on "The Dog Whisperer." Check it out here or watch part 1 below.

Best of Luck to you!
Jessica

Perfect Pairs!

2012-06-22T06:02:00.000-07:00

This morning I opened an advertisement in my email box from Lord and Taylor- they are having a super sandal sale- and what do I see? I pittie mix features with the shoe-model! I was so excited, I looked into it and found out that it is indeed part of a campaign called "Perfect Pairs". They've teamed up with Best Friends and local shelters to host an adoption event in conjunction with their Sandal Sale.

Each of the dogs in their ads is up for adoption with the local partners! I love it!

To find info on your Local L&T and their local partner shelter, click here.

Coat Color Genetics Revisited: White Coats

2012-06-05T13:01:00.000-07:00

Last year, I wrote about the genetics of Brindle Coats (read more here.)

Here's what we learned: Dog coat color, shape, and length genetics are based in 16 specific locations of the geneome. The basic color loci are: Agouti Locus (A), Brown locus (B), Dilute locus (D), Extention locus (E), Harlequin locus (H), dominant black locus (K), Merle locus (M), and Spotting locus (S).

Still, this doesn't help the non-scientist understand the amazing differences you see among litter mates... well I recently discovered a little more information about white coats that is very interesting.

Just take a look at the litter from Smilin' Pit Bull Rescue that sweet, adoptable Mama-pittie Onyx delivered:
(Warning, cuteness overload below...)

Onyx, a black short-haired pittie with white spots, had two all-white girls (1 short, 1 long haired), three all-black boys (2 short, 1 long haired), and 1 short-haired brown boy.

But how did a Black dog have pure white puppies? Well apparently the same genes that code for the extension of black and brown pigmentation over the body are present in white dogs, but white dogs are lacking the genes that turn ON the melanin production: ie, inject the hair with melanin from the hair folacle.

[See more pics and learn how you can adopt one of these Adora-bulls, here.]

Phila ACC Pen Pal Program

2012-05-31T11:23:00.000-07:00

Animal Care and Control can be a rough place for a dog to be, but Philadelphia's ACC is doing something very special to ease the strain on dogs living in their shelter and increase their chances of getting adopted through their Pen Pal Program.

Dogs in this program get 1 on 1 attention from their Pal twice a week at the shelter and one out-of-the-shelter excursion a month (hiking, walking, playing outside, practicing basic training, relaxing in a real house...). Pals also agree to help get their dogs adopted through online marketing and outreach. You can find a few of them on Craig's List. While out and about, a lot of the dogs get more exposure and can find adopters that way!

Here are some pics of dogs at PACC enjoying their time with their Pals...

Learn more here. See happy stories of Pen Pal "graduates" here.

Pit Bull Saves Woman from Oncoming Train

2012-05-16T07:03:00.004-07:00

A special dog named Lilly stepped in front of an oncoming train to shield her owner, who had passed out on the tracks, most likely due to her recurrent alcoholism. Lilly is recuperating at home now and her entire $15,000 vet bill was taken care of by donations.

I love this story. It shows how brave and loyal pits can be. I know Bruno would probably do the same for me.

Party 4 Pooches

2012-05-16T06:53:00.000-07:00

Are you in Philly?

Come join us at Operation Ava's first ever Party for Pooches on May 24th from 7pm to 10pm at Shampoo Nightclub! We will have a silent auction, a 50/50 raffle and a Doggie Fashion show and even a KISSING BOOTH featuring some of our adoptable animals.

Admission price includes a 3-hour open bar and finger food, must be 21 to enter. Proceeds from the event will go to Operation Ava so that we can fulfill our mission of rescuing animals from overburdened shelters locally and nationwide, educating children of all ages on responsible pet ownership and empowering children to make a difference in their communities.

Operation Ava is one of Philadelphia's largest no-kill shelters and we are happy to say that since the organization began close to two years ago we have saved 1,200 lives. With your support we look forward to saving thousands more! Please visit us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @Operation_Ava or visit our website for more info!

Adora-BULL videos

2012-03-14T07:50:00.000-07:00

check out this cuteness from a super cute (& vocal) pibble who really doesn't want a bath.
Winnie hates baths so much she won't even set FOOT in the bathroom!

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And this one, where a pibble is whining not to go to bed. Bruno does this all the time, but the howling is so cute sometimes, its hard to resist.

Pittie Pick-me-up!

2012-03-14T07:41:00.000-07:00

Tired of looking at the poor emaciated faces of pitties waiting to find a home? Well now you can check out StubbyDog's Rescue Dog of the Week to see all the amazing transformations of lucky and adoptable dogs all over the country.

Check out this week's doggy, Dumpling, a four-month-old who was abandoned, emaciated, only 24 lbs and had the worst care of demodectic mange and secondary infections that the vets had ever seen. He has made such an amazing recovery!

Dumpling BEFORE

Dumpling AFTER

Now he is 1 year old, 47 pounds and is happy and playful. He loves to play with his foster buddy, loves to cuddle and is available for adoption! Check out more pics of Dumpling enjoying life!

Dumpling is available for adoption through Rocket Dog Rescue, which is located in San Francisco, CA. You can check them out on Facebook or see Dumpling on PetFinder or check out his blog.

Running off leash

2012-03-07T10:33:00.001-08:00

Every once in a while we like to take Winnie and Bruno to run and enjoy the outdoors off the leash. Unfortunately, Winnie can't be taken off the leash anymore- not since we took her to her Great Grandpa's house in Allentown and she almost ran across the road to chase a group of Deer.

But Bruno is SO obsessed with balls and sticks that he can be off-leash just about anywhere and will follow us and stop dead if we tell him to- not sure where he learned this, but it makes sense given that all we have to say is "Crate" and he goes right into it.

They love Fairmount Park in Philadelphia- a park with a few baseball diamonds and an open field where he can run and chase balls for hours.

Here Bruno is lugging around a giant branch and Winnie is rolling herself in the sand. (Needless to say they both got baths afterwards!)

Before & Afters...

2012-02-15T07:51:00.000-08:00

An animal may look skinny, beaten, scarred, and at the end of its rope... but don't overlook him. Love can cause some amazing transformations...

Please think about adopting an animal in need.

A Dogo Bite = A Pit Bull Attack

2012-02-10T13:46:00.000-08:00

Again, the media is misrepresenting a dog attack as a pit bull attack.
Recently, a dogo argentino bit the face of a reporter who was reporting on his amazing rescue from the Ice in a Colorado reservoir.

Nor surprisingly, the media pounced on this story an portrayed the dog as a pit bull- which would be impossible because pit bulls are not allowed in Denver, anyway (and usually aren't 85 pounds!)

This story prompted responses from both sides on ABC's webpage such as...

"The reporter is at fault. Why would should put her face down into a strange dogs face? He clearly felt threatened and she should have known better. The dog is not at fault and she owes her viewers an apology. I tell my children to respect a dogs space and they are 3 and 7 and know this why didn’t this woman? I feel bad for the dog and owner and hope nothing bad happens to the dog because of her ignorance."

and...

"IT WASN’T THE REPORTER’S FAULT. THAT TYPE OF DOG IS AGGRESSIVE, AS ARE PIT-BULLS AND THE LIKE. STOP SAYING THAT THE HUMANS ARE ALWAYS THE BAD ONES OR THE ONES AT FAULT!!! IT’S OLD–REAL OLD!!!!"

See the video here- where the owner describes the dog as an Argentinian Mastiff right before he bites the reporter. Unfortunately, you can see that the reporter was leaning in, petting him all over his face, and goes in for a kiss- which is not how you want to approach a strange dog. I hope this is a lesson for parents and individuals out there who need to learn that dogs are animals- pit bull, dogo, or any other breed- they are animals and they are unpredictable and can get nervous in any situation. Dogs to not have words or hands to defend themselves with- so when they feel threatened, they use their mouths.

Read more.

McDonald's Pit Bull Ad

2012-02-09T09:04:00.000-08:00

Finally McDonald's pulled a radio ad that said that eating a Chicken McBite was less dangerous than petting a stray pit bull. Thanks Mickey D's-- but my dog was a stray pit bull once, and I can assure you, petting him is a lot safer than eating your "meat."

Listen to the add here.

First of all, why did they need to air a radio ad saying how safe eating their food is? Well, perhaps because this photo of the "pre-chicken nugget "meat" paste that they use to make their nuggets was leaked onto the internet. Read about how its made below:

Someone figured out in the 1960s that meat processors can eek out a few more percent of profit from chickens, turkeys, pigs, and cows by scraping the bones 100% clean of meat. This is done by machines, not humans, by passing bones leftover after the initial cutting through a high pressure sieve. The paste you see in the picture above is the result. There's more: because it's crawling with bacteria, it will be washed with ammonia... Then, because it tastes gross, it will be reflavored artificially. Then, because it is weirdly pink, it will be dyed with artificial color. Read more.

Not only does their food barely qualify as "food," their advertising agency clearly is failing as well. Due to an overwhelming internet response, McDonald's had to issue the following apology:

"The ad was insensitive in its mention of pit bulls. We apologize. As soon as we learned of it, we tracked the source and had the local markets pull the ad immediately. We'll do a better job next time. It's never our intent to offend anyone with how we communicate news about McDonald's," Ashlee Yingling, spokesman for McDonald's Corp.

Good job boy!

HEY MCDONALDS- My Rescued pit bull was a stray!

Pittie Pix: Ezra Caldwell

2012-02-09T08:41:00.000-08:00

Photographer Ezra Caldwell takes beautiful images of his white pit-mix, Putney. Some are action shots, others at rest, all of them are beautiful and show the elegance and sweetness of the breed.
Check out more photos here. Photos are available for purchase on Etsy.
Enjoy!

Sleeping with Pitties

2012-01-31T09:26:00.000-08:00

Photographer Ezra Caldwell

This is how the four of us sleep... we really need a King size bed!! We've tried kicking them out before- Winnie is fine with it (in the summer time), but Bruno whines and whines until he gets his way. The funny thing is- before we adopted Bruno, Winnie would only ever bother us to sleep on top of the covers at the foot of the bed. Then she learned from Bruno that being under the covers is WAY cozier. Now she noses and paws at the covers just like him. We notice that in the winter she is all about heat conservation, snuggling to the bottom and pushing herself into the warmest spots, but in the summer she'll be content to sleep on the cool leather couch in the living room. Bruno on the other hand, tends to over-heat, and will get up and bug us to come back in a million times a night.

Do you let your pitties sleep with you? I think it is rather hard not too- they're so cuddly and snuggly... and persistent!

What would you do?

2012-01-30T08:03:00.000-08:00

Will anyone speak up if they witness someone trying to adopt a pit bull for fighting?

The show "What would you do?" (watch here on Hulu) sets up a hidden-camera to see if anyone would stop a dog being sold into dog fighting.

While this would never happen (fighting dogs are usually bred for the purpose and can fetch large sums if they comes from prize-winning blood lines) its surprising how little direct confrontation there is.

I'm happy to see one man directly confronting the couple, but I know I would be much more aggressive - I would have called the police immediately.

Remember, dog fighting is illegal in all 50 states and is a felony in many, so it is somewhat surprising that people are often more likely to speak up about rude cashiers on this show than a felony in progress.

This does bring up the very real issue of the importance of background checks for adopters. While many dogs are purchased from bloodlines, amateurs would not hesitate to adopt a pit for $20 from a city shelter to use as a bait dog. Serious screening is of the utmost importance to make sure these dogs don't end up in the wrong homes. As the most abused breed on the planet-their breed is already a huge hurdle to overcome if they want to live happy comfortable lives, so shelter workers need to balance the desire to find fast homes with the need to find GOOD homes.

Current Cuties at ACC

2012-01-24T13:53:00.000-08:00

Here are some gorgeous (and sometimes baby!) faces from the URGENT folder that I couldn't help but share with you all:
How could you not wanna scoop up little 4 month old Pal?

4 month old Amber is a beauty!!

Teeny tiny 1 year old Lexie loooves belly rubs

1 and a half year old Hazel who gives kisses through the bars

3 year old Chloe is a little shy but loves to gives kisses

3 year old Wanda loves to play ball and wag her tail


"4" month old Scrappy (my guess is he's about 2-3 months)


7 month olf Betty loves walks and warm laps		\

Make a Pittie your Valentine!

2012-01-23T07:38:00.000-08:00

This Valentine's Day, make a Pit bull your valentine! Check out these cute pit-bull themed gifts for your loved one(s) or for your pittie(s) from Etsy (click the pics for the links). Missing that special someone? Adopt a pittie from a shelter today!

Proceeds of this card are donated to animal rescue: 5$ on Etsy

6 Valentines for $10 @ Etsy

Pittie Magnet for $5.99 @ Etsy
(Or get the gift set for $20)

Only $2 on Etsy

15$ for six letterpress Valentines @ Etsy

And for your pittie.. Heart-shaped dog treats: 7$ for 8 oz.

Or adopt your own future Valentine:

On the EUTH LIST TODAY(1/23): A little Girl named Santa, super wiggly and friendly and has been waiting patiently since Christmas for a home.

Photo Book Projects: 25% of Books goes to BADRAP

2012-01-19T10:39:00.000-08:00

If you loved the Photo Book projects as much as we did, check this out- a message from author Melissa McDaniel:

The Photo Book Projects need your help to keep the projects going, and to help spread their message of compassion for all animals. Please help by purchasing a dog photo book and spreading the word about the projects. Their goal is to sell 500 books over the next 48 hours and but they can only do it with your help. AND if you act now and purchase one Thursday or Friday, 25% goes to pit bull rescue BAD RAP. Click here to help and Please Cross-Post to help them reach their goal: http://photobooks.myshopify.com/

Pitties of the Week: 6 Baby Brindles

2012-01-10T11:22:00.000-08:00

Everyone wants a puppy, right? Then these guys shouldn't have a hard time finding a home- that is unless their stripes, big heads, and short muzzles scare potential adopters away.

While volunteering, I have definitely come across families ready to adopt a pitty pup like these, only to ask what breed he is and walk away at once!

The other possible problem with puppy adoptions (and this is true of all breeds) is that puppies grow into dogs; and pitty puppies grow into pit bulls. What might be cute now, may look fearsome in 10 months.

Well meaning adopters also may not have pit bull experience. As a pit-mom, I know owning two pit bulls has its challenges - and new adopters of pit puppies may not know what they are in for.

If you DO have pittie experience, consider a puppy to add to your home! A big pittie brother or sister would really enjoy one of these cuties running around!

Click here to learn more about these pups and to contact Animal Haven in Soho, NYC.

Eukanube Challenge Wrap Up: WIN A FREE BAG OF DOG FOOD!

2012-01-07T18:31:00.000-08:00

So Winnie and Bruno finished the Salmon formula a long time ago and have been working on the Rottweiler formula for the past few weeks. Now that it is the only option, they eat it readily and seem to enjoy the taste and even whine for more when they are done.

The 28-day challenge was a great experience for Bruno and Winnie. We saw their coats improve remarkably and they definitely have improved energy. Going forward we will mix it in with their regular brand so that they get some of the benefits of its vitamins and minerals while we don't break the bank.

If you can afford the All-natural Salmon formula, in particular, I'd recommend it. I think pit bulls in particular can have trouble with rough short and sometimes patchy coats (especially our sweet rescues!), and I was happy to see Bruno's coat smooth a bit with the fish oils. We also loved seeing how much they enjoyed the fish-flavor. We never would have known that since we figured chicken or beef was just fine!

If you want to give it a try, I'll be giving away a FREE bag of food to one of my readers (up to 40lb bag)... Just add a comment to my blog about why you'd like to try Eukanuba too and I'll be choosing a winner soon!! The voucher will be redeemable wherever Eukanuba is sold.

Snickers the Service Dog.

2011-12-23T09:56:00.000-08:00

Thank goodness for these people- it is so easy for people to move and leave the problem unsolved- they are fighting the city and bringing national attention to this. I really hope Snickers gets to go home to his mom and dad soon.

Read more.

Want to read about a pit bull named Hooch who was a search and rescue dog on 9/11? Click here.

No "Bones" about it...

2011-12-22T09:09:00.000-08:00

NBC's Bones' creator and author of the best-selling "Bones" series, Kathy Reichs, has a prejudice against Pit bulls. As a faithful watcher of her show and a loyal reader of her book series (I've now read about half of them), I've started to pick up on some distrubing trends. I love her series and her books, but this is yet another example of the pit bull stereotype being propagated without any basis and without really adding much to the story. It is unclear how much experience Reichs has with pit bulls, but based on the way she describes them, I doubt she has much.

Whenever Reichs refers to a strong, threatening or menacing character, she says he looks like a pit bull. I'd say it happens at least once-three times per novel.

Recently, while reading Fatal Voyage, I came across this scene:

A tow-truck has just picked Dr. Temperence Brennan up and she is entering the shop with her dog, Boyd, a chow-mix, who is described simply as "protective" when growling at the pit. (FYI- a breed that also may have some difficulties getting adopted because of its bad breeding practices that have led to some aggressive tenancies- read more)

"The flesh on Boyd's snout compressed against his gums. His body tensed. The growl deepened [...] Bowman met us with a length of rope. 'Had this in back,' he said. 'Flush can be peevish.' ... Crossing the lot, I stepped through the door and circled Flush. An ear twitched, but he didn't look up. Maybe pit bulls are calm because they are secure in the belief that they can kill anyone or anything that provokes them. I hoped Boyd would keep quiet and keep him distance [...] Boyd was straining at his collar, every fiber focused on the pit bull. Flush was either sleeping or playing possum, waiting for the chow to approach."

Sarcastically, she adds... "The garage had the usual tasteful garage appointments. A calendar ... a cigarette machine [...] Three kitchen chairs. A pit bull."

This fine art photo is for sale by Etsy photographer Andra Lara for $25, click here.

So so many things about this passage disappoint me as a pit bull owner, who knows that my dogs are not different from other breeds (particularly Chows), and neither of whom would be as well behaved as Flush is described. (Winnie would attack Tempe with wiggles and jump on her waist, and Bruno would bark and wag, alerting everyone of the stranger present.)

Nothing in the passage about Flush was menacing, and yet, because he is a pit bull, something is conveyed to the reading audience, that she or Boyd are in danger. Even while laying sweetly, he is somehow described as suspicious... playing possum perhaps.

I seriously recommend Kathy Reich's books, they are intriguing, scientific, have great character development, and get me through me 3 hours of commuting each day, but hope that perhaps with a well-written letter (and a picture of my sweet pit bulls) I can convince her to stop referring to them so negatively in her best-selling books.

Who's there!?

2011-12-19T08:15:00.000-08:00

Bruno and Winnie the look-out... not sure what for...

Pittie of the Week: Lucy- A face you have to love...

2011-12-15T09:54:00.000-08:00

Lucy does have a face only a mother could love, but being a pittie-mom, I love it.

Abuse and over-breeding of pit bulls is not just an American problem. This dog, Lucy was rescued off the streets of Bogota, Columbia where she was being beaten and forcibly and repeatedly raped by aggressive male dogs for breeding. She deserves all the love and comfort in the world. Her face my be disfigured, but it shows the world what she has been through, and will help many people understand the plight of dogs like Lucy who deserve so much more.

Here's her description from Strays from the Heart:

Hi my name is Lucy! I've was rescued from the streets of Bogota, Colombia and lived in a foster home over there for about 6 months before coming to the U.S. Prior to my rescue I was beaten by my former owner so badly that my nose and jaw were broken. Both body parts have already healed, but since they never set properly this gave me my uniquely good looks and character. What do you think? Unfortunately not much can be done about my face unless they break the bones and reset them again, not sure I want to go through that. Whoever did this to me also pulled out some of my canine teeth so I could not fight off the many male dogs that would repeatedly mate with me when I was in heat. Yeah I know, this is a terrible way to live. But although I was used as a breeding machine, by my lucky stars, I somehow got away. Then I was living on the streets, alone, emaciated and pregnant. Then that’s when my angel found me.

Upon examination at the vets office they found that my uterus was twisted and they had to decide whether to save my puppies or me. They chose me! They estimated that this was my 5th or 6th pregnancy in a row, having lived my whole life, 3.5 years, in an abusive home. When the neighbors found out I had been rescued, they approached my angel and told him that I was also used as a submissive dog in several dog fights in order to train aggression into the fighting dogs. So you see, I never reacted, because I’m a lover not a fighter!

Thankfully some good people got together to bring me here and now I’m ready to find my forever home with a great family! I'm a bit shy of strangers but never aggressive and just need to build up my confidence with both dogs and people. As a matter of fact, where I’m staying now, they say I’m the sweetest thing! Always ready for a good belly rub. While my past has been hard, I hold no grudges. Typical to my breed, I just want to live and have fun!

I'm now spayed and have had all my shots, I’m in good health and can eat without a problem. I'm ready for a new life and new home! If you like short, stocky, 50-pound brown girls, then I know you’ll love me! Sadly, I’m currently living in boarding and would love to break out of here. If interested in adopting or fostering me please call Vivianne at 646-662-0251 –or- you can email her by clicking here! Woof!

To learn more about Lucy, or to foster or adopt her, email or call Vivianne above, or email or call Beth Silberg at Strays from the Heart. (bethsfth@aol.com / (347) 242-0459)