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Pupforum presents your training questions answered by professional dog trainers.
Fran grew up teaching everything from chickens and goats to dogs and horses. These days, Fran works with DOG GONE IT rottweiler rescue, is registered with AKC as a Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and continues to train dogs in Las Vegas, Nevada. She also writes a canine question & answer column for a local news paper, The Hilltop & High Desert Shopper News.
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Fran Williams
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[Edit]
7/8/2005
Hello Readers, here is a subject near and dear to my heart. I got an email today about a Pit Bull that was dumped way back in one of our little local towns. This is a beautiful dog that loves people and kids but has worn-torn scars across his body showing the many fights he has been in. It became obvious really quick that he is a fighter and will attack any dog in his sight. What needs to be viewed here is the fact that since this dog is still alive, he walked away from most of the fights; what happened to the other dogs?
Dogs like this are not just from a backyard breeder; it took time and money to breed this dog to do what they wanted him to do. The fact is that until people stop getting their kicks out of the blood and gore of the fighting dogs, this will happen again and again. Its time for humans to start acting “HUMANE.” I have a Pit in my kennels right now (up for adoption) that is both beautiful and good with all living things. Because of this, he will go on to a loving home to live out his life. The other dog stands very little chance of not being put down. Awful as that sounds, which would you want living next door to you?
Please, if you know of, hear of or see anybody that in any way has to do with the horrors of dog fighting, call the local authorities. Many of these fighting dogs are bred to be great with humans yet kill all other animals. Sometimes it IS IN THEIR BLOOD; some times it’s something they are taught. But when it’s both, the end result is Death for the animal. That is one of the hardest calls to make. Sometimes knowing the right answer is the hardest thing of all. Please help stop this if you can.
Thanks
PHONE QUESTION:
I have a 6 yr old dog, an aggressive Rhodesian Ridgeback. We are gett
ing a male puppy of the same breed for Christmas, will there be trouble?
You bet your dog bones there will be trouble. Since the household does not believe in neutering, we have a few things that are going to pop up here. First of all, if you were the only pet for 6 years and got all the treats and all the attention, why in the world would YOU want to share your kingdom with another?
She wanted to know if it was too late to train this dog. No, it’s never too late. You can teach old dogs new tricks. So she will be bringing this dog to my next class. That will at least give her some control.
First thing I suggest is, since these will be inside/outside dogs, the humans must make it clear this is THEIR house and the rule is “no growling or showing of bad behavior in this house.” Never give a new puppy the old dog’s toys, buy him new ones and do not allow the old dog to take the new toys away from the puppy - or - no toys at all allowed as this will later become a point of contention for the two dogs with the older one winning because of shear size and strength (for now). Once that young dog’s hormones check in, it will all change.
A way that you can usually get around this is by not having two dogs of the same sex in the same household. It is amazing what lip a male dog will take from a female, but would kill a male for the very same thing. Yes, I know many people will say, “Well, we have 3 or 5 dogs of different sexes and that’s fine.” Wonderful! Count your lucky stars.
So I suggest complete control in the house and maybe two kennels for outside when the time is right. As I said before, a great many dogs would rather be the only dogs in your life; do not get a dog for your dog unless you plan to train them both
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