Life with a Bust Dog

As we go forward with the biggest fight bust in history what will happen when a very large number of dogs DO pass their evaluation? Many people will have to step up and do more than just talk the talk. They will need to walk the walk and bring these dogs into their homes and rescue programs. I have no doubt that even within this group there will be a wide variation between the dogs, but I will almost guarantee that with many of them their house manners will be less then stellar.

When Leo first came to live with us I really didn’t know what to expect, I just knew we needed to help. Believe me, he didn’t come all trained to be a Therapy Dog. Of course he came with his awesome people loving personality that's a must in therapy work that can't be trained. But I don’t think he had ever been in a house, with carpeting and furniture and clearly not other dogs. His house manners were deplorable. I even had my moments thinking what the heck did I get myself into??? He spent lots of time in the crate at first getting lots of good yummy treats when the other dogs were around. When he was out he didn’t sit still very long and he really thought that jumping on everyone was what he was supposed to do, after all his name was Bouncer when he came to us. The other dogs weren’t sure what he was all about either and greetings were slow and managed at all times. Interactions were limited and I made sure that all of his encounters were positive. It's funny, dogs aren't like some people, they don't profile or group, they see what's actually there. They just saw a dog.

Sooner than any of us expected his true personality and people connectedness became even more apparent. He quickly flourished with kindness and calmness and positive reinforcement. He loved learning and also much to our surprise, he loved playing with the other dogs. He didn’t always know how to at first, and thankfully my dogs are used to rude, undersocialized foster dogs coming in, and I always managed playtime, but he got it and you could see the joy in his eyes.

Once he settled into life in a home it also became even more apparent that he would make a great therapy dog.( I think these guys are born for this work. Bust dogs seem to be the best at it. )I worked on his leash manners and his greetings and when we took him for his first visit to a local hospital he was like an old pro! The strange noises, big odd-looking equipment, and elevators even a door alarm didn’t seem to faze him. He met people in uniform, people in wheel chairs, kids, staff members even a person laying down and he just seemed to say “Hi, my name is Leo – how can I help?”

Leo isn’t the only bust dog we have worked with, and each one had their own unique personality and challenges. Zoe is confident and full of herself but oddly enough she started out flat on the ground worried about her new world. Within days she came around as wonderfully sassy as they come.

Charlotte wants to cuddle and kiss all the time

and Violet

needs to take her own sweet time adjusting to new situations, not as sassy as Zoe. All of them are successfully living in homes with other dogs as a cherished family member. Zoe and Charlotte are also therapy dogs.

Dogs from these cases can very widely in personality. This is one good reason ALL the dogs from these cases need to be evaluated as separate individuals not items from *a* "case." Even in the SAME case temperaments vary greatly. Remember environment influences a dog's response to it. Most dogs change rapidly and greatly after being put in a good spot. We have absolute proof of this.

The work in these cases is so worth it. Hopefully the dogs in the Missouri bust will get the opportunity to find a new life that they so deserve. It can be done, with hard work and dedication let’s all keep our fingers, toes and paws crossed that they will be given a chance.The lack of resources and real homes to start a new life in is really what can hurt the dogs in the end, not so much an evil witch with a needle. Yes, in some cases this happens. But from what I know of one of the people in charge of this situation at HSMO I don't think this is the case.

I really hope that this does not come off preachy. That's not what I wanted to do. I wanted to just share my experiences with this sort of thing in the hopes of helping anyone reading this and to help more dogs. I know that many people just simply can not take in dogs and that's so understandable. There are other ways to help by donating Kongs, hard toys etc. From what I've heard this is very needed right now to help keep the dogs sane. Gale at Mutts N Stuff has an outlet to donate at muttsnstuff@yahoo.com

I do hope that many, many other wonderful rescues can step up and find space for the deserving dogs in this case when due process is served of course.

It's hard work and with some dogs and it takes time. I certainly don't want to cherry coat anything here either but it's a wonderful feeling to see a bust dog come in to your home and have bad house manners, wonder what things are, maybe even be concerned or shy about what's happening to him with his limited life experience and see him blossom into a wonderful loving friend, a family companion......a great dog that he already had the potential to be in the first place.

Marthina

Surviving Cancer - Gettng Through The Muck

I recently had a conversation with one of the patients that Leo visited at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation Treatment Center in Mountain View. Thank you Ruth for being such an inspiration and an advocate for what these dogs can do.

Here is an excerpt from that conversation:

"Having cancer opened so many doors for me. You get through the muck then you realize what you have and what you can do.

I think surviving cancer is in the same realm as what Leo's (former Michael Vick dog) life was like. Going through the muck and coming out the other side. Leo and I are survivors, getting through what you have to get through and having the courage to go on.

As a former patient at the cancer treatment facility I can say that Leo brings so much joy during treatment. You're going through the treatments in order to survive and your just joyful and uplifted to have him visit you. He's so gentle and sweet. Just petting him takes you out of where you are. He makes me feel so good. He makes people smile and it's just a great feeling.

Thank you Our Pack for taking something out of a negative and putting it into positive, just like I did with cancer."

Ruth Adams
Cancer survivor & Leo's patient


There was a very large bust recently. In the wake of that, I don't want to forget the value, love, good energy and hope that could be buried under that "muck" as Ruth put it. Please pass it along to get help for these victims just as Leo got help and is now helping others.


Humane Society of Missouri has the story about this huge fight bust.

Marthina

We'll See

This was the press release Alabama Fight Bust
Within the article is this statement: "The HSUS, according to its policy, will recommend that dogs seized in these raids be evaluated for adoption suitability."
Now - we all need to step up and help if called on to make sure that if they are evaluated they have a place to go.
hmmmm..

The Three P's - Partnerships, Policies, PEOPLE helping Pit Bulls

We can sit back and blog about policies gone haywire and how shelters don't give pit bulls a fair chance or have unrealistic expectations to only put up the perfect dogs. We can rant and rave and work to change those policies but if we don't have the people or resources to help the dogs how are they better off? It takes People and a committment of time and energy, it takes cooperation between rescues and shelters. It takes good sound policies on both sides. I know we aren't the first to have this program but I think it's an important tool that has the potential to help more dogs...and isn't that what it is all about? I've been on both sides of the fence and each has their challenges, but the common ground is both need people. It's easy to forget that the shelter staff need to feed all the animals (yes there are usually cats, rabbits and sometimes even livestock and other animals at some shelters), clean kennels, tend to sick animals if they have a medical ward, do laundry and then start all over again. Then I come in as a representitive of a rescue and say why isn't this young untrained goofy pit bull who is jumping in the kennel available for adoption, but sorry, we can't take him/her because we don't have any foster homes available. Yes donations and money are an absolute necessity, but unless there are people to work with the dogs what will be gained? Many shelters have good solid volunteer programs to help with socializing the animals and even volunteer trainers that help. They are INVALUABLE but once again there are many animals that need their time and energy.
This is Miss Bubbles - We are partnering with Humane Society Silicon Valley to help this young energetic teenage pit bull mix find her forever home. We do not have an available foster home and socialization with all kinds of people and dogs is vitally important at her age. So how do we help? She will be an Our Pack Dog but she is"living" in her own special suite at the new Animal Care Center that HSSV has just opened but we are dependent on a group of Our Pack Volunteers to take time out of their busy lives to get her out and work with her on her manners and socialize and expose her to the outside world.
These things don't happen over night! It takes hard work and trust on both sides and like any relationship it takes compromise at times. But we have a chance to help a dog, even if it is only one dog at first...baby steps. How could we not try!

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.