Dog Handling

PITBULL TERRIERS - my opinion

Every now and again it pays to step outside your comfort zone and say words and be involved in actions which may not please all of the people all of the time. Pitbull Terriers seem to bring out the worst in people just by mention of the words Pitbull Terrier.

Ever since I was first introduced to the look and style of the Pitbull and it's many crosses in Aotearoa New Zealand, I have wondered what the fuss was about. I will say right now that the pink noses and pink around the eyes unnerves me slightly, I quite like the crosses with darker muzzles and darker points.

However, every single person I have met who owns a Pink Nosed Pitbull is besotted by the look - every one to their own with dogs.

I have no desire to own a giant breed either and I find some of the very tiny dogs worrying, not least because I would have nightmares about standing on them or dropping something on them.

I meet a lot of dogs every week of all different types, hairstyles and mixed breeds. I don't have to fall in love with them all. My job is to help the owner/handler to get the best from their chosen breed or mixed breed dog. To me Pitbull Terriers are no different to any other dog I assist with.

If anything I find them incredibly bright, but in terms of their personalities they can range from extremely shy and timid, to incredibly out there and bolshy. All other breeds run this personality trait thing as well. For example of the Border Collies who I have contact with, I can also rank them from timid to bolshy. Oh yes, people say, but you wouldn't expect to be attacked by a Border Collie.

Wrong, it is very possible to get off side with a Border Collie. They can be ferocious when guarding their territory, so it would be stupid to say - I can go through that gate and into that yard because it is ONLY a Border Collie, but I can't go through that gate into that yard because it is a Pitbull. Both assumptions are incorrect. No-one should ever go through a gate and into a yard where any dog is gate guarding or barking.

To me Dogs are Dogs, there are beautiful hard working devoted lovable Dogs and there are naughty unsociable uncared for wandering dogs and there are lots of dogs in between. There is no Dog who does not have one behavior fault or another for starters.

One common comment I get when people ring me up is - 'this pup is a fruitcake', or 'this is the nuttiest dog I have ever owned and I have owned a lot of dogs'. The owner/handler will then give me a rundown of behavior that the dog/pup is exhibiting and all of it is normal. Sometimes it is exaggerated behavior because the dog is left alone a lot or the owner is on the dog's case a lot or for some other reason. But the actual behavior is normal dog behavior.

Dog won't come when called. Have you practiced his coming to you in the yard? Do you give him a treat when he comes? Most people think that the pup or re-homed dog is going to come into their lives with a pre-conditioned ability to come when called. This is absolutely not true. 'Pup growls over his bone so I don't give him a bone anymore'. Oh great the dog's teeth and gut are going to suffer all it's life because as a puppy he won't let you take his bone away and he growls about it. Fix the problem, don't shoot the dog.

'When I tell him off or yell at him he barks back at me and it is so funny I can't discipline him anymore'. Why are you yelling at him and telling him off? Has he got the foggiest notion what you are on about? You have a loud voice, he has a loud voice, you get grumpy, he gets grumpy. This is a competition and Dog is winning.

'When my dog is being stupid and running away, I catch him and I kick him really hard in the butt and he swings around an grabs my foot and bites me really hard and that makes me really mad so I give him a good beating then' Oh, so does he come next time you call him. 'Nah nothing makes any difference, he is just a stupid dog’.

Never, never lose your temper with your dog. Dogs do make you mad sometimes, just as children can get up your nose sometimes and some adults upset you as well. Violence has never been and will never be the answer.

Dogs who are beaten and mistreated do not trust human beings: are likely to bite first and ask questions later, will avoid being caught up with and are basically just feral in their neighbourhoods and a menace to the rest of society. In some low socio-economic areas the dogs that some people find attractive happen to be at the hard end of Terriers - the Pitbulls. If they were Labradors or German Shepherds, I would hazard a guess that the carnage would be just as great because the ability of the owner/handlers to treat their dogs with respect and train them appropriately, is just not there.

I challenge anyone who wants to try a social experiment with any breed, to remove the pup from its mother and litter mates at 3 weeks old. Keep it in bed with them while it is tiny and hand feed it. Carry it around constantly. The poor dazed, half blind little thing has no idea what is going on here. Deprived of it's mother's milk and deprived of proper dog early learning it then starts to be a menace with other dogs by the time it is four months old. It thinks it is a human being of some sort. By now the owner is 'over it' and puts the dog outside in a run or tied up to a fence with very basic amenities or no amenities at all. Sometimes no shade or shelter, intermittent food, lack of water. Someone eventually feels sorry for the dog and lets it go, and go it does.

Will it come back when called. No way, to be returned to it's sorry living quarters? Sometimes Dog moves in under the house because no one can get them out from there and then at night they cause mayhem with household refuse to find a meal. They snarl at other dogs and will not be tempted to take something from the hand of a human being in case they are grabbed, because it has happened before.

This dog is pregnant by the time it is 8 months old or if it is a boy puppy it is fighting for it's mating rites with all comers by the time it is 6months old. Here is your dangerous dog and it wouldn't matter what breed it was. Of course if it was a small dog it would be killed in this environment, and if it was a very big dog it would probably starve to death quicker, but the poor old Pitbull is a machine that can live on the smell of an oily rag, has very little fur to become infested with anything or matted, is quick to sum up it's predicament , make the best of freedom and can learn very quickly in the school of hard knocks that survival means bite first, bite hard and if you see someone coming up behind you, swing around and attack that buggar too. So here we have a breed, hardened by life and capable of survival by any means it can because it is very ,very smart.

What a shame. All terriers are truly beautiful loyal dogs and Pitbulls are no different. They need good solid handling with all the rules in place to make them subservient to the master. If you want a good argument with a dog, then pick on a Terrier because he will not back down, so it pays not to get involved in the argument. You have to put yourself above that level of behavior and get the aloofness and belief in yourself as top dog, so that your terrier will idolise you and want to please you. Your look and your word is law, and you don't get that by beating up on your dog.

Well you have heard it from me now, I believe that the Pitbull Terrier is just a dog. I own a PitbullxSharpeix whippet called Chan. I took him on at 7 months old. An entire, stroppy, dog aggressive, foot aggressive, fight to the end personality. Where is he at this moment at aged 6 years? asleep on my bed waiting for his trip outdoors with the other dogs and when we come back inside he will get his little night treat biscuit with the other dogs, so that we can all go to our proper beds for the night.

How hard was it to change this dog from his first life to here? Very, very hard. How useful is he, brilliant. A lovely example of oddball breed doing Agility with style. Loves his Flygility where he runs in a lane against other dogs and has the title FDX now. Makes a wonderful little show of how he can avoid eye contact with other dogs. We have a little act we do to try and teach other people with dogs who are too interested in other dogs how to change behavior. Chan has to be one of the best dogs I have ever owned. Would I recommend rescuing a dog like this to anyone? No, not unless you have abundant time, absolutely love a challenge and truly can see the good things in the individual dog that you know you can enlarge upon.

You cannot take a dog with personality problems because you are kind hearted and want to give the thing a chance. You actually have to have some idea of what you are doing and how to achieve improved behavior in that dog.

Since my experience with Chan I encourage people to bring their rescued Pitties that have come from poor beginnings, to Obedience Classes. Some people come to me because they still own the pup that they took from the mother dog at 3/4 weeks and it has gone pear-shaped on them and they need help with it. Those are the people I really love. Those are the people that can be changed into good dog handlers and their future dog ownership will be a lot smoother. I love the challenge of showing dog owners a learning curve with their dog that is going to improve outcomes for the dog.

All dogs need basic discipline, instructed by owners who know what they are doing and why they are doing it. Dog Owners need to want to take their dogs to the beach and on long rambles with other families with dogs and be proud of their beautiful well behaved animal. It doesn't just happen, it takes some planning and education and time, effort and a bit of cash as well.

If you love the Pitbull breed, then make sure that your dog is top of the class at Obedience. Shares social time with children (under supervision as all dogs and children should be) and is bombproof around all other animals and birds. Teach him Agility, he will stun you with his beautiful stylish jumping and amazing weaving(slalom) technique. Teach him to do tracking or Rally-O. He can do it all because he is smart and fast. Feed and exercise him well, keep his mind busy, play hard with him and you will have a dog as good as any other breed of dog can be.

If you have always been scared of Pitbulls, just try to remember that all rules apply with all dogs and don't stare at the thing, go about your business in a normal way, never put yourself at risk with any dog . Don't go up and pat every dog you see. Many dogs dislike being touched by strangers. As a dog owner don't take risks with your dog around other dogs and as well never put your dog in a position where it makes bad decisions, because they are often irreversible. Happy Training . Raewyn Saville

NOT YOUR USUAL PITBULL TERRIER

Hi my name is Alex Jones. I am a Field Officer with the SPCA in Rotorua. My qualifications are a Certificate of Agriculture and Auxillary Officer of the SPCA.

I am currently studying a Certificate of Equestrian and next year will Study for my SPCA Inspectors qualifications.

Shadroc my Pittie came to the SPCA at about 8 weeks of age. His name just came to me, there are no exciting explanations as to how. I had him neutered at four and a half months .

I get a lot of positive comments about him. People really admire him and see him as a regular dog.

I just can't believe how loyal and loving he is as a pet. I haven't really had any difficulties with him, he is great around other animals. He has been a bit shy of people and likes to keep to himself, maybe a little unsure in strange surroundings. Since I started doing dog training we have been working to increase his confidence under new circumstances and it has made a difference.

I am training him at Dog Sports Rotorua with Raewyn as my coach. We started him off on his own to learn about the control class, then he joined straight into the Monday Play to Learn class. He is excelling at agility. We have only been going one term and he knows all the gear now and works steadily on beginners courses.

I would like to compete with him at regular Agility Sports and show people what amazing animals Pitbull Terriers can be. I believe I have a very special animal here and our animal/human communication works very well.