BSL Baby Steps

"It's time to end breed discrimination in Ohio

Judge Goulding wrote, "a more uniform, practical, and humane method of regulating dogs, which both preserves the safety of the public and focuses on the dangers and misdeeds of irresponsible dog owners, would seem preferable to the status quo".
Indeed. "

Read the full article here: Toledo Judge Strikes Down Pit Bull Restrictions

Dangerous Dog Label or Dog Guardian Made a Mistake Label?

I hate the "Dangerous Dog" labels, not because I'm some sort of fanatic but because they don't describe the dog or the situation he's in when he gets into trouble.

As a certified trainer I'm asked to work on hearings for guardians of dogs that have gotten into trouble. I see the same thing over and over:

Dog in yard....most of the time
Dog in yard not trained
Dog in yard not trained or socialized to humans they don't know
Dog left to his own canine "wiring" with no leadership or guidance, i.e. "uh, uh, don't jump on that man to greet him, sit first" - let's remember folks, dogs are animals they aren't bank executives for a reason, they need guidance
Dog with reproductive parts = desire to roam, to jump fence to leave safe contained area and uh, oh yeah, back to that no guidance thing!

We know that dogs left in a yard with their "parts" with little socialization and training get into trouble. Then of course it becomes a breed thing, wha? It's a DOG thing! No wait, it's and owner/guardian thing! How can a dog be left to decide and fend for himself then be blamed for it? Do we leave toddlers in the streets and say "ok honey, watch out for those cars now" ?? A case I'm working on right now is a Chocolate Lab case. So breed schmeed!

Guardians, spay and neuter your dogs, they're not dinosaurs going extinct. Keep them contained inside, preferably next to you snuggling. Train them, teach them, let them play with new people appropriate playmates, give them a good life, they deserve it.

Dangerous dog hearings are no fun and gawd, someone change that title to "My guardian didn't realize my fence was broken, sorta forgot about me in general, that I need training, socialization and birth control so I got out and didn't know what to do and got into trouble".

STILL Not Listening.

Next to a beautiful picture of Dexter, Hailey and Leo taken by Leo's favorite friend Carol Guzy of the Washington Post, sits a very disappointing article about a Loudoun County Judge's ruling on not adopting out Pit Bulls. I guess Leo's work as a therapy dog, Hailey's work as a therapy dog, Dexter and his "counseling" work to help other dogs come out of their shells is all a big moot point. There are so many dogs, Pit Bulls, just like them that are now going to be put down REGARDLESS of their valor, stature, contributions and good temperament! PROOF of what these dogs can really offer not only to a family but to an entire community is falling on the deaf ears of people who do NOT wish to assess dogs as individuals and who want to continue profiling a breed of dog. Yes, it's profiling. Frankly at this point I don't feel I have to prove anything nor do our dogs! You can't prove something to someone who won't listen or watch. If one can't see the Leos, Haileys, Dexters et al of the world then deaf ears and blind eyes it is!

I really thought that we as a society had evolved further than this.

This is very sad.
Washington Post

No one is immune

Tougher Rules for Pit Bulls
Even in the land of Best Friends and many of the former Michael Vick Pit bulls BSL is trying to raise it's ugly head! It seems that the city of Ogden is looking at making amendments to put in tougher requirements for owners of pit bulls. Special collars to identify them - see previous blog - and WHO is going to id them? Who can pick out the pit bull in these pictures?

We must be diligent, we must be the best pit bull owners and advocates, we must not think this can't happen where we live.

The Results!

Well gosh, no one guessed that the major breed in our friend Jaws is Golden Retriever and I had a spiffy Our Pack Bumper sticker ready to mail to the winner!!

Here are the results.

• Level 1: Over 75% of the DNA found in your dog is from the breed listed: (Jaws did not have any breed for Level 1)



• Level 2: Each breed listed represents between 37-74% of your dog's DNA: Golden Retriever



• Level 3: Each breed listed represents between 20-36% of your dog's DNA: Boxer

His Foster mom says that the Golden actually does fit some of his personality traits and we all definatlely see Boxer in him so that isn't a big surprise.
Now I know this company does not identify Pit Bulls, but that just adds to the confusion and the difficulty in identifying breeds. A second DNA test is being done with a company that does recognize both Am Staffs and Staffy Bulls so we will keep you posted on those results. Stay Tuned!

The Trouble with BSL

We're going to have a name the breed contest.

With more and more cities looking at restricting pit bulls and other breeds it's very important that "someone" can accurately identify just what breed a dog is.

Here is an example of a dog who did have his DNA done.

Post your guesses

We'll post the results on Monday - maybe even a prize for the winning guess??

(No cheating now those people from our Sunday Class) :-)

Wasn't Anyone Listening?

Today is a very sad day for pit bulls.
Looks like the HSUS was better at getting their fear message across to this judge. This is how they spend their donations? They put how many man hours into the arrest of this guy, and for what, to euthanize the dogs that they "saved"

http://www.journalpatriot.com/fullstory.asp?id=1111

'Seized dogs to be euthanizedby StaffSuperior Court Judge Ed Wilson ordered this morning that 127 pit bulldogs seized in a Dec. 10, 2008 raid in Wilkes County be euthanized. The dogs were seized at Wildside Kennels on Mertie Road near Millers Creek. The judge heard arguments from several individuals in Wilkes Superior Court, including representatives form the Humane Society of the United States and the prosecutor, that the dogs would pose a threat if adopted into families. Members of several animal advocacy groups, as well as individuals, had asked to be allowed to adopt the dogs. The ownership of the dogs was awarded to the county when the owner of Wildside Kennels, Ed Faron, 61, of Mertie Road failed to pay the county for the care of the animals. Faron was sentenced to 8 to 10 months in prison last week after pleading guilty to 14 counts of felony dog fighting.­ Donni Juan Casanova, 18, was given a suspended sentence of six to eight months after entering a guilty plea of to one count of felony dog fighting. Casanova is the adopted son of Faron. The third defendant in the case, Amanda Grace Lunsford, 25, was sentenced this morning to 45 days, suspended for 24 months of supervised probation. She entered a guilty plea to a misdemeanor count of cruelty to animals'

Obviously the success of the Michael Vick dogs doesn't mean anything. Yep HSUS, this dog here is way too dangerous, just look at the fear he generates!

A fluke they say? What about Zoe here from a Missouri Fight Bust - A Certified Therapy dog lounging on her couch where she lives with two other dogs?

Or this one from an AZ bust who is also a Certified Therapy dog who lives happily with another pit bull?

I'm sad, just very very sad.