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When I see a loose dog, I usually don’t do anything at all. It sounds bad, but there are a lot of dogs wandering around in my area. So many people don’t leash their dogs; they just let them be loose. If the dog is obviously scared and lost, then I might try to get her to come to me so I can see if she is wearing ID tags. If the dog appears to be aggressive or in danger, that’s when it is a good idea to call animal control. But if the dog has tags, I’d just call the owner myself. Unfortunately a lot of lost dogs don’t have tags. In this case, I would bring the dog to the pound or call animal control to pick it up. Once a dog is at the pound in Fargo, she has three business days to be claimed by her owner. Other cities might allow more time, but here it’s only three days. It’s not really a surprise that a high number of impounded dogs are never reunited with their owners. If I brought a lost dog to the pound, I would probably already be emotionally attached to her and would be calling every day to see if she found her owner. Then I would most likely adopt her temporarily until a shelter had room. It’s costly to “bail” a dog out of the pound, though. Even if it’s your own dog, you have to pay a fee, plus boarding for each day the dog stayed there. Animal shelters will often take in the most adoptable dogs from the pound, but shelters have limited space and can only do so much. What do you do when you see a lost dog? What is the best thing to do? Email your dog-related question to me at Lindsay@thatmutt.com, and I’ll post it for others to answer. Click here to read all my weekly question posts. (Image from interestingjobs.blogspot.com)
I just got a new dog. She is a poodle mix. I got her from our local human society. When we decided she was the one we wanted, we knew nothing of her history, just that she was only 6 months old. Before they let us hold her or anything, they sat us down and explained that she was rescued from a puppy mill in Virginia along with 800 other dogs. They explained to us that she had been through a lot and was “fearful” of people and shy. I accepted all of this and they finally brought her out to us. In a little room with just my son, husband and me, we started a bonding process with Bella. She was shy, that was easy to see, but I wasn’t sure she was fearful. She wanted to play and to touch but she didn’t seem sure. I got down on her level and let her come to me; even my son was gentle and took his time. We fell in love with her and decided that we would bring her home. Bella was not in the best shape. You could tell she had been neglected. Her hair is long and matted. I can’t take her to the groomer until she gets her stitches removed from being fixed. So I took a pair of scissors and cut off as much of the matted hair as I could. They gave me a package on fearful dogs and sent us on our way. Once we got home, I set Bella down and let her start to explore. She seemed to be doing great, the only time she even expressed a fear was when you would lean down to pet her. She would move away, not sure of our intent. I have to be honest, I didn’t read the packet. I just kept taking things slow with her, and within two days, Bella didn’t shy away anymore from me, my husband or our son. She has come a long way in such a short time. She had some eating problems but today she ate with a gusto I haven’t seen before. I don’t think Bella was as fearful as they thought she was. I just think that she needed love, patience and a little time. She even readily accepted new people into her life just two days after being in her new home with us when we had family visit. Do some dogs have fear problems? I think dogs that have been mishandled, beaten, and generally treated rotten may, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t work with them and get them to trust and love again. Giving a dog a second chance at a happy life is so worth it. Having Bella in our lives is definitely worth it. Rachel Duncan maintains a blog called Bakedblog, which covers topics on baking, cooking, parenting and enjoying life.
………………………………………………………………………………….. I love Staffordshire terriers, also known as the American pitbull terrier or “pitbull.” With so many pitbulls sitting in shelters across the country (more than 9,000 on Petfinder alone), I thought I’d share how great these dogs are. My next dog just might have to be a pitbull. The guy in this photo is Matty. He needs a home and you can read his profile here. Staffordshire terriers have a bad reputation because they have been used as fighting dogs since the 1800s when they were first bred in the United States, according to the Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds by D. Caroline Coile. They are known as pitbulls because they would fight other dogs in “pits.” However, be aware that the term “pitbull” refers to a group of dogs, including the American Staffordshire terrier and the Staffordshire bull terrier. Several similar breeds are often inaccurately slapped with the name pitbull such as the Cane Corso, the American bulldog and any mix resembling these breeds. American Staffordshire terriers were bred to be affectionate to people because their owners had to handle them even in the middle of a dogfight. Because of this, Staffordshires are friendly to strangers and generally love children and make loyal family pets. American Staffordshire terriers weigh about 55-70 pounds, larger than the Staffordshire bull terrier. American Staffordshire terriers come in colors ranging in solid or mixes of white, brown, red and black. Advantages to owning an American Staffordshire terrier: 1. Staffordshires are playful and gentle around people. They love children and affection. This is why it is so sad to see a Staffordshire terrier unsocialized and tied up in a yard all the time. These dogs thrive off of human interaction and companionship. 2. Staffs require very little grooming. Their coats are short and smooth. They still shed, of course. 3. This breed is easy to train because of its desire for attention and to please its owner. 4. Staffordshires make great watchdogs and will protect their owners if threatened. Unfortunately this trait is abused when owners encourage their Staffordshires to be aggressive. 5. They are beautiful dogs to look at, with muscular bodies and a strong, sturdy appearance with smooth, shiny coats. Disadvantages to owning an American Staffordshire terrier: 1. Staffordshire terriers require dedicated owners who will give them the training, attention and exercise they need. They are powerful dogs and need their owners to encourage the gentle side of the breed and provide positive outlets for their dogs’ energy. 2. Staffordshire terriers have an inacurate reputation for being aggressive. Of course, this is the same as assuming one nationality of humans is aggressive. If you own a Staffordshire, some people will be afraid of your dog and you will be treated differently just for owning one. If your dog so much as growls at another dog, expect other dog owners to freak out even though the same behavior would be tolerated from a Yorkie, a golden retriever, a beagle or many other breeds. 3. Many laws ban “pitbulls,” especially apartment complexes and some cities. Be aware of the inconveniences and stereotypes you will have to deal with if you own a Staffordshire. 4. Staffordshires need to be properly socialized around other dogs and small animals. Because they were bred to fight dogs, they are fearless of other dogs and can be aggressive to other animals. 5. Because of their strength and size, Staffordshires can be difficult to handle. A pinch collar or Gentle Leader help with walking a Staff that pulls on the leash. If you would like to write a profile of your favorite breed, send me an email at Lindsay@thatmutt.com. I’ll use pictures of your dog and link to your site. I’m happy to feature any breed! Click here to see all the breed profiles that have been done. Below is Ace hanging out with the Staffordshire we fostered for a short time last fall. He thought she was great!
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