Pack Walking

For some training fun, get some dog friends together and practice walking your dogs in a group. Over the years we've practiced pack walks like this in the Sunday Our Pack classes just for fun and to help the dogs to relax. It's good to change directions to get the dogs used to staying calm while walking towards other dogs, while keeping a comfortable distance.

Here's a video from the Sunday Our Pack class:

Your Pups Featured in Our Pack Calendar!

We'd like to extend a HUGE thank you to everyone who submitted photos for the 2011 Our Pack calendar! We had a great response to our call for photos, and we loved reading your stories about what your Pitties have meant to you. We wish we could have included every photo! Thank you for sharing your photos and stories with us, and thank you for your tremendous support!

Get them now! Our Pack 2011 Calendars are available here:

http://www.cafepress.com/pitpack/7434283

We received lots of photos! Unfortunately, not all of them could be used. Some tips for submitting your photos for next year's calendar:

1. Make sure the photo is in focus. We received some darling shots that were too blurry to use.
2. Set your camera to its highest quality settings. In order to look good in print, photos need to be as large and high resolution as possible.
3. Try to avoid "green eyes" when using flash and shooting in overly dark environments indoors. Outdoor shots tend to be best for capturing those cute Pitty faces!
4. We can only use photos you possess the rights to; professional pet portraits must be submitted by the photographer or come with a written release.

Thanks again everyone and enjoy!

Meet Bernie

He's a victim of cruelty. He came from a dogfighting raid out of state. We've worked with many victims that have come from similar places and one thing we see is that many times they don't know how to live in homes. They don't know what a couch is or toys. We know one thing, Bernie LOVES to be loved as you...'ll see here and he's getting lots of that! Welcome Bernie to Our Pack and stay tuned for his progress. Here he is in this clip checking out what a chair is.....

Former Vick dog Leo with staff after visiting patients

Leo the therapy dog soothes patients after visiting patients in the oncology center.

Dexter gets an award...

Dexter's super happy because he won an Achievement Award from Animal Farm Foundation for his work at the Children's Library. Dexter sits while kids read to him to gain confidence in reading. Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB9_uLmKeao To find out more about how you can win an Achievement Award for working with yo...ur partner go to http://www.animalfarmfoundation.org/ They're awesome!

The future of our dogs....
For people in Santa Clara County, California:
County Supervisor Ken Yeager is trying to get an ordinance passed that Pit Bulls must be spayed and neutered. This will be presented at the County meeting on tomorrow August 10th. If passed, this would apply to unincorporated areas of Santa Clara county. While we believe spaying and neutering is important to keep down the number of homeless pets, this ordinance will make it difficult for low income families to comply to this who can't afford these services. This brings about the potential for people to lose their dogs in addition to the fact that it's breed specific legislation, isolating one breed. Education on socializing/training and low/no cost programs for spay/neuter are far more helpful.
I feel that this was a knee jerk reaction to the Concord incident. Here's why I have a problem with that. Issues in the Concord situation:

1.Dog/child supervison seemed to be lacking.
2. Male dogs not neutered contained in a garage.
3 .Level of socialization was questionable in this case due to the fact that they were in the garage. Well socialized dogs are living in homes with their families...not the garage.
4.The man knew his dog was uncomfortable around kids.
5. In his interview from jail he specifically stated that his lack of knowledge about dog behavior is what caused this. That is apparent.
= not a specific breed's fault.

Another thing that bothers me is that I'm a dog trainer by trade. Just this last month there was a German Shepard that damaged a 17 yr old boy's leg. I'm assuming if he was 2 he would have been killed. This never made the papers and the boy's father was forgiving in this situation.

Another case this month was a Golden Retriever that bit a child in the arm damaging tendons causing disability. I hate to bring these things up but this was also never reported in the papers.

I see cases like these and the situations have similar circumstances such as above in all cases. NONE of the items have anything to do with breed......but species....humans.

Please contact:
Supervisor Don Gage - District 1
408-299-5010
don.gage@bos.sccgov.org

Supervisor George Shirakawa - District 2
408-299-5020
George.Shirakawa@bos.sccgov.org

Supervisor Dave Cortese - District 3
408-299-5030
dave.cortese@bos.sccgov.org

President/Supervisor Yeager - District 4
408-299-5040
ken.yeager@bos.sccgov.org

Supervisor Liz Kniss - District 5
408-299-5050
liz.kniss@bos.sccgov.org

Kemo's Home

Here's Kemo smiling and happy leaving for St. Louis. He arrived at Mutts N Stuff yesterday from Oakland Animal Services to start his new life as a therapy dog and working with kids. We helped to coordinate Mutts N Stuff of Missouri and OAS in rescue efforts to help this sweetheart of a dog start anew. M...utts has a house called Pheonix House for blind dogs. We posted the article a couple of days ago - have a good life Kemo! We miss you already! See video of Kemo leaving California http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfYBozi1MRw Original article here: http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_15644965?source=rss&nclick_check=1See More

Groups coming together to help dogs

Nice article on groups working together to help dogs. Director of Oakland Animal Services told us she was misquoted in the last line in the article however. (Click on the Heading to read the full article)

Goes to show what groups can do when they work together.

Another Missouri Raid Dog Comes Home to Our Pack

Remember this photo of the dogs being taken from the yard during the large Missouri dog fighting raid? This girl you see here is being carried out to safety.

Here's Tracey Cutler when she was on site where the Missouri bust dogs have been staying. With her is Stella, beautiful Stella. Celebrate her arrival with us, she's a good girl.

We're so happy to see so many of these wonderful dogs getting out and into rescue.....look for updates on Stella.

Thanks to HSMO and Gale at Mutts-n-Stuff for their assistance in helping us get our wonderful girl!

A Pit Bull By Any Other Name...

During our Pit Bull Leash Manners class this week, a woman came up and asked why her "Pit Bull" was somewhat leery of strangers. I looked at her dog and he was NOT a Pit Bull at all, but what looked like a very large American Bulldog mix.

Of course, no matter how much of an expert one might be, it can be very hard to tell a dog's breed from looks alone. Dogs that come from shelters are often mistakenly labeled as one breed or another. Based on temperament, which is what I like to go by, this dog seemed more like a guardian type of breed than a Pit Bull. The shelter that the woman got him from called him a Pit Bull, the neighbors called him a Pit Bull, and she called him a Pit Bull. But honestly, I'm not sure that he had any Pit Bull in him at all.

A Pit Bull's temperament makes them effusive with strangers, not leery of them. They are generally 30-65 lbs, not 100-150 lbs. Of course, any dog, purebred or not, can have temperament or conformation problems that aren't correct for their breed. The problem is that many different dogs that look somewhat similar are all lumped into the "Pit Bull" bucket. And when these dogs have fear issues with strangers or don't do well with people, it reinforces an incorrect and negative stereotype that is inconsistent with the temperament of true Pit Bulls. It's like a bad case of mistaken identity in a bank robbery.

Temperament is the way to go when judging a dog's behavior. A wiggly butted boy that will walk up to practically anyone and give kisses is more likely to be a Pit Bull. A dog that is more reserved or leery of strangers is probably more of a guardian type — and this behavior is actually correct for their breed. I'm not saying that one is bad and one is good. I'm saying that one often gets confused with the other, and too often it's the Pit Bull name that's used to describe dogs that are NOT Pit Bulls at all.

Many of our readers already know this, and those of us who work in animal welfare with Pit Bulls have known it for eons. BUT sometimes we need to just reiterate that HEY, this is a problem for Pit Bulls. If a dog bites someone because he's stressed and uncomfortable, and his breed is jotted down as a Pit Bull in the newspaper, the shelter euthanasia (and reason for) statistics go up, and the conditioning effect on the public continues that these dogs are not good with people. The sad irony is that they are one of the best breeds with people.

I would like dogs to be judged based on WHO they are, NOT by what they look like, and in fight bust cases on WHO they are, not WHERE they came from. I think it's best to judge dogs on an individual basis. We keep saying this again and again, but after class I realized that it NEEDS to be said again and again, like a McDonald's commercial. I guess there's a reason they don't just play commercials one or two times.

— Marthina McClay, CPDT

A Poem From Leo

Please don't put your face up to mine.
I tell dogs this all the time.
They don't listen and they don't care,
could it be because their owners aren't aware?
I'm a dog, a dog has a code,
not to greet in a face to face mode.
It's scary when a dog on a leash goes to the end.
It's not that I'm mean, I'm social and like to have a friend..
People then say, "oh he's aggressive, look he snapped",
But how is this wrong when it was the other dog making ME feel trapped?
Please respect other dogs and don't walk your dog up to their face,
then this world for dogs, will be a happier place.

By Leo
Poet
Therapy Dog
Pit Bull Ambassador (hence the poem)
Best Loved Family Companion

Tackle Vick Campaign

In the rescue world, feelings are obviously still running high over Michael Vick's return to the NFL.

With the Oakland Raiders scheduled to play Philadelphia on October 18th, Concerned Dog Owners of California has kicked off a potentially controversial campaign to help Oakland area shelters this weekend. According to the CDOC web site, the rescue group will give 5 bags of food to Oakland shelters for every time Vick is tackled during the game. CDOC is encouraging people to donate to the campaign, and says it will match the First $1500 pledged.

What do you think about the campaign? We want to get readers' thoughts this time instead of just stating our opinion.

Tracey Reports from Missouri

Just checking in to say hello to Our Pack and all of my friends back home!

Today was good, even though we were short of help for most of the day. Winging the clean up, two daily feedings, constant moving of dogs from one crate to another, or just holding and attending to those who needed

Fay
(AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Dawn Majors)

a small break from their crate, along with minor emergencies here and there. One fellow and I managed to get through forty-two dogs at least twice in the matter of 10.5 hours. In addition, we were able to leave each of our beloved new friends a clean Kong filled with peanut butter to end their day with, until our return tomorrow morning.

The usual shift for this endeavor has been 4-5 days, maybe one week. I did not know that my commitment to a 15-day work week would be utterly exhausting, both physically and mentally draining. I have been told by other volunteers that a two-week stint was considered quite unusual, although a number of volunteers have promised to come back again, or were here on their second visit upon my arrival.

I must say that the volunteers who have come to help these dogs because of their love for animals—in particular to help those who have been so unfairly mistreated, abused and misaligned—are saints in my book. The HSMO staff are also incredible, putting in hours upon hours of time to assist these dogs who have been “rescued” from a cruel, cruel life in the hands of people whose souls remain unfathomable to me and others.

When my co-workers and I grab a quick bite to eat at lunchtime, we often fantasize about what we would like to do to the people who have done the atrocious things we have witnessed to the dogs in our care. I won’t dive into the details on that...BUT, I will share with you what it means to each one of us who has the unique opportunity to work with these dogs: The look that each dog gives you as you open that gate first thing in the morning, and make the long walk down the center of that kennel floor. These dogs know their friends are here, we are the excitement of their day, we ROCK their world and they show it by barking, jumping and looking for some acknowledgment, just to say "I’m here and I’m happy you’re here too!"

At first it was a little overwhelming, forty-two dogs begging for your attention, barking loudly and some jumping with enough force to slide their crate away from their original tied-down location. But, ya get used to it. You get used to the non-stop barking, the smell of urine, the smell of poop and your poop-stained clothing, the never-ending cleaning and the constant noise. As I like to say: Barking, Poop, Barking, Poop, Clean, Barking, Poop, Poop, Poop, Clean, Barking, etc.

What you surely don’t get used to is seeing a dog that has no lips and is missing part of her mouth and nose, but who still wags her tail every time you pass by her crate, looking at you with such loving eyes and complete trust. This dog has been severely damaged on the outside, as shown by the front teeth protruding out from her mouth because she has no lips to cover them, but who is just looking for a little love and companionship from a friendly face. She goes by the name of Fay(e).

The picture shown here was taken by the Associated Press, you can read the article by AP reporter Cheryl Wittenauer here:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=8585112#

I take care of Fay(e) and watch her everyday as I pass by her crate or walk her down the aisle for a little jaunt to our special seat, where she can give me her warm hugs and kisses, a little toothy, maybe, but oh so gentle! Fay(e) is at first shocking to look at, then she becomes just another warm Pit Bull “kisser and lover." She reminds me that I can do whatever it takes to get the job done and to keep on going regardless of my circumstances, just like her! I love Fay(e) and I love all those tenacious Pitties that keep on going no matter what, and wiggle their butts while they do it, regardless!

Thanks,
Tracey Tate Cutler

Our Pack Traveling to Missouri to Help in Fight Bust Case

Our Pack's Tracey Cutler is traveling to the Humane Society of Missouri this week to help out with the dogs from the recent fight bust case. She will be there until October 3rd. The Our Pack team has been assisting with rescue efforts as well, and we are so very glad to have a chance to help these dogs.

There is a gag order in place as the dogs await the results of forfeiture proceedings, so we can't give specifics on any dogs until we get the go-ahead from HSMO. We are very aware how important it is both to HSMO's effort and for the dogs themselves not to jump the gun and to respect the legal process, so we are awaiting the results of the proceedings. These are completely separate from the guilty criminal verdicts that were announced yesterday. Tracey will keep us updated on what we're allowed to share, so stayed tuned.

What we can say is that Our Pack will be taking some dogs from this case, and we just can't wait to work with them in our program. There will be training, structure, good positive leadership and lots of cuddles and love for the dogs. Meanwhile my dogs are waiting, sunning themselves. Wish the MO dogs good luck!

Congrats to our Friends at Mutts-n-Stuff!

A big shout-out to our friends at Mutts-n-Stuff, who announced today that they are building a new halfway house, called Phoenix House, that will provide safe haven for dogs rescued in fight bust cases. The facility is named for Phoenix, a a dog previously rescued my Mutts-n-Stuff, and is being built on land donated by a previous adopter. It will serve as a halfway house for dogs rescued in fight busts after they are released from their court cases.

The dogs in the cases are held as evidence until they are no longer needed by the courts, then they're released, often with no where to go. Suitable foster homes aren't always immediately available, and the dogs often require time to learn basic manners.

Our Pack is partnering with Mutts-n-Stuff on the HSMO fight bust case. Gale Frey, dear friend and founder of the rescue group, has been one of the people working with HSMO to help care for the dogs. Congratulations Gale!

Get the details about Phoenix House here:

http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=185028

Guilty! 4 Brought to Justice in HSMO Bust

We want to congratulate the Humane Society of Missouri for today's news of four guilty pleas in its recent fight bust case!

For a look at these poor creatures, you can see photos on HSMO's web site here:

http://member.hsmo.org/site/PhotoAlbumUser?view=UserPhotoDetail&PhotoID=26475&position=1&AlbumID=6969

Or watch the video from the raid here:

According to a press release issued by HSMO today, four eastern Missouri men, Robert Hackman of Foley, Teddy Kiriakidis of Leasburg, Ronald Creech of Leslie and Michael Morgan of Hannibal pled guilty today in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to charges connected to the dog fighting raid, the largest fight bust in U.S. history. Another man arrested in connection with the raid, Jack Ruppel of Eldon, pled guilty to charges on September 4 in federal court in Jefferson City.

Our Pack is working with local St. Louis recue group Mutts-n-Stuff to follow the progress of the dogs, whose fate will be decided by the federal courts in forfeiture proceedings separate from the criminal cases.

Read the full press release here: http://member.hsmo.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Federal_dog_fighting_case_press_release_9_14

Vick's Victims

Commentary from Francis Battista
Cofounder of Best Friends Animal Society

I wanted to share this well-written and very appropriate commentary from Francis Battista. I agree with Francis and I feel that Michael Vick has not proven that he's changed before being accepted as a player for the Eagles. I don't feel that he's walked the walk yet and he's being prematurely accepted.

Leo

I don't think Vick should just skip along onto the playing field without a solid thought about what he's really done or some sort of real proof of atonement for these acts of violence. As Francis points out in his commentary, some of the Vick dogs are still recovering from what happened to them. Not all of the dogs have come out of this completely unscathed. I can't help but think of that while Vick throws the ball around.

The dogs know the impact of what's happened and through them, so do we. Here's the link to Battista's article:

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/20090828_What_about_Vick_s_victims_.html

RIP, Jasmine

Our hearts go out to sweet Jasmine, her family, and our friends at Recycled Love. Jasmine was recently killed in an automobile accident.

Many of you will never forget Jasmine gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated and, in the process, becoming an ambassador for Pit Bulls everywhere.

We remember her with love.

Can you ID a pit bull?

Here is a fun little test to take to see if you can identify the pit bull. Only one of the 25 dogs pictured is a true American Pit Bull Terrier. As most of you know, many other breeds are often confused with pit bulls, and misidentified in media reports of dog bite incidents. Send this test to your family and friends, they may find it very enlightening! To take the quiz, go to: http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html

The pic here is of our own Bubbles, whose adoption is pending. I must say I think she looks quite endearing!

Pit Bull Profiling at It's Worst

Notice the title of this article in The Herald. Then notice the actual breed of dog this story is about. While this sells news, it sells the dogs short. Not OK!! This is profiling at it's worst:

Update: Boy needs 60 stitches after pit bull bite

HERMITAGE -- A 32-year-old Hermitage woman faces charges of endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment after her 1 1/2-year-old Rottweiller named “Cruz” bit a Farrell boy July 15 at her apartment in the Orange Village apartment complex, police said.

April Hughes of 400 Orange Drive, Apartment 2, was also cited with harboring a dangerous dog because this is the ninth time Cruz has bitten someone, police said.

Police allege Ms. Hughes left the boy alone with the dog in the apartment and he was attacked. The boy needed 60 stitches for a head wound, police said.

http://www.sharon-herald.com/local/local_story_208212923.html

Shown in the pic here are Georgia, a REAL pit bull and an abuse case, playing with her new friend, Jane.