Dog Owner Chat V. 5

[liv :)]

If you want to bike with your dog I highly suggest you don't bike with her leash in your hand. Riding like that is pretty dangerous. If your dog starts to veer off to the side a bit, it'll pull your bike over and you could fall and injure yourself or your dog.
Instead I'd invest in a bicycle leash such a Walkydog or Springer Jogger. They're really easy to attach and detach to the seat of your bike and they provide stability to the bike so if your dog starts to veer off course the bike won't be pulled over.

I also suggest a harness for the biking, because with the collar it puts alot of pressure on the trachea.

Once you got all the equipment you can start biking with your dog. But don't just attach her and hope for the best, she'll likely freak out a bit. You have to get her used to the bike first. Here's a great video on how to do that.

Thank you so much for the advice! I’m interested in getting the Springer as a bike attachment... very pricey but I’ve heard great things about it and its shock absorbency. We’ve also already got a harness for her, so we’re good there! And thanks for the link, that video was very educational.

[ru.]

Kinda been getting annoyed with an argument in my family.

So I'll bring this up, and not saying my side till I hear others.

Would you have a pitbull around your family?
Are they a mean breed?
Nature or nurture?

Actual pitbulls(look up real pitbull) are not bred to be human aggressive, however they are bred to be dog aggressive, it’s part of the breed. I have one, I trust Spade around babies, toddlers, everybody but around other dogs? Nope, she’d tear into them without a doubt.

What most people think are pitbulls are actually bully breed mixes. Aggression in bully breed mixes runs rampant because they are just not bred right and mostly bred by backyard breeders. So, because they are not an actual breed, aggression depends on genetics, the dogs parents and stuff like that.

I agree with everything that you said.
The problems that we see these days primarily are unfortunately due to poor breeding.

It also wasn't that long ago at all that bully mixes were widely used in fighting and not as commonly kept as pets. Within the last couple of decades we have seen a huge turn around and many people are rescuing and buying bully mixes while there has been huge public outcry for crackdowns on fighting.

That being said, I wanted to piggyback off of your response to add that "pitbulls" and bully breed mixes generally are not for everyone. I've known people to become angry when others won't adopt a bully and look down on them while they put the breed up on a pedestal that no breed should be on.
We tend to conveniently forget that bully mixes are generally "terriers" and no terrier is for everyone. What makes a any breed an awesome dog for one person can make it a nightmare for another & terriers (like herding breeds) are one of the last groups that I would recommend to everyone because those things that set them apart can make them very difficult if an owner isn't ready to handle it. (i.e., energetic, tenacious, stubborn, tendency toward destruction if bored, etc.)

(People pushing everyone to own a bully don't realize that they are doing the dogs more harm than good because every time a dog becomes super popular, everyone wants one whether or not they are a good match/are prepared, which results in more backyard breeding, more in shelters, and more problems with the breed overall but I digress because I'm going on a tangent here)

Don't get me wrong! I like bullies! I just really dislike when people put them on a pedestal as angelic "nanny dogs" because it puts the idea in people's heads that these are easy sweet dogs that don't require training. Which is bad. The same thing happened with labs and goldens and it caused a mess for both breeds.

Bullies can be snuggly, sweet, outgoing, and loads of fun! But we can't dent that they can also be prone to dog aggression and are not the dog for everyone or for an first time owner.

[maninkari]

Kinda been getting annoyed with an argument in my family.

So I'll bring this up, and not saying my side till I hear others.

Would you have a pitbull around your family?
Are they a mean breed?
Nature or nurture?

Well bred American Pit Bull Terriers are incredibly friendly, although prone to dog aggression. If your idea of "mean" is human aggressive, then absolutely not a mean breed, but if by "mean" you mean dog aggression, then yeah they can be assholes lol. They're also not for everyone, like ru. said, they're terriers and you can't forget that.

Would 100% trust a trained APBT around my younger siblings. When in the right hands, they make wonderful family dogs. They tend to be good around children, although they do have high energy and prey drive. If the dog is untrained and full of pent up energy, I wouldn't want it around small children.

Nature and nurture are both important. You can raise a dog perfectly and they can still develop terrible aggression if something is up in their brain. All dogs have behaviors they're genetically prone to, dog aggression is what you might get with Pit Bulls. I personally think managing DA is worth it for such an amazing dog, but I'm biased lol.

[Imzadi83]

Kinda been getting annoyed with an argument in my family.

So I'll bring this up, and not saying my side till I hear others.

Would you have a pitbull around your family?
Are they a mean breed?
Nature or nurture?

In general I would be fine with a Pitbull around my family but it would depend on the individual dog, which is true of all breeds. Though of course it depends on you mean by around. I would not leave any dog of any breed alone with small children, it is not safe for either child or dog. And of course if anything does go wrong it will be the dog that gets blamed/punished for it.

No dog breed is "mean" dogs are domesticated animals which mean that humans as a species are responsible for all that is good and bad about them.

It is both nature and nurture. Some dogs (terriers are more likely but can happen with any breed) are genetically predisposed to dog aggression. Other breeds were bred to be protective of their family around strangers, chase/kill small animals or want to herd things. Most of the time with training and management these behaviors can be controlled.

On rare occasions dogs have been so poorly bred that they are almost uncontrollable, though this can happen with any dog breed. Pitbulls are largely BYB mixes, not APBTs, and there are a lot of them out there so you will likely see problems crop up in them more then a rarer breed. Also there is the problem of dog fighting and being favored by criminals which give them a bad reputation. Also the media is biased against Pitbulls, studies have been done proving as much.

Historically APBTs, because they were bred for fighting were also bred to be very people friendly so that people could actually reach into the middle of a dog fight and break it up without getting bit by either dog. Of course some (like every other dog breed) can be human aggressive due to a multitude of factors. And though Pitbulls have more incidents of dog aggression then other breeds such as Beagles, there are still plenty of Pitbulls that go their whole lives without showing dog aggression.

Pitbulls can be great family dogs though they are not for everyone. Anyone who tells you any breed of dog is right for everyone clearly does not know a lot about dogs. If anyone is considering one (or a dog of any breed) they should learn about the breed and decided if it's a good fit for their family, they should also consider the temperament of the individual dog they are considering as well. And of course you need to be prepared for the hate you're going to get when owning a Pitbull, and of course they are illegal in some places, not welcome in some doggie daycares, etc.

[.Middy.]

I highly suggest not buying a cheap e collar. They are known to give inconsistent corrections. If you are going to use a e collar, do right by the dog and get a nice known brand that e collar users recommend, learn how to train on it right, and how to find your dogs working level.

Mini educators are what several people I know use.

Any other brands? I've looked at those and they are way out of my price range.

Chewy has them for $170 right now if that helps? Don’t cheap out on a e collar. If you have to, wait and save to get a good quality one.

Dogtra and sportsdog are the other two brands I see good reviews out of. No idea on pricing on then though. I don’t personally use a e collar, but I’m in some groups specifically for it and those are the three I see suggested often.

[Imzadi83]

Dog Food Recall

Tucker's Raw Frozen dog food https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-recall/tuckers-raw-frozen-dog-food-recall/

[LizzytheWolf]

Kinda been getting annoyed with an argument in my family.

So I'll bring this up, and not saying my side till I hear others.

Would you have a pitbull around your family?
Are they a mean breed?
Nature or nurture?

I love to own one but just like my dream dog, the English Springer Spaniel, it doesn't fit my lifestyle.
We also own Justin (GSD?Elkhound mix), Chesserie (Bernedoodle), Sergio (Belgian Malinos) and Pip (Pomeranian). Plus, mom absolutely hates pitbulls because of their reputation. I have tried explaining to her but she refuses to listen and makes sure I don't get to walk any of the pitbulls at the shelter where I volunteer.
I feel sorry for them because so many of them never get a second chance.I wish I lived alone and that I could find one to live peacefully with Justin.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Went for a hike today with Justin, Sergio and Rocky today.
This was the first time Sergio and Rocky met and they were completely chill together. Not surprising since Rocky is so laid back. She's such a pretty girl, she was just groomed half a week ago, most beutiful GSD I have ever seen. She's turning 18 in June and Sarah has a birthday party planned out.
Sergio loved the hike most of all, although he is very strong and will pull sometimes, he was very well behaved today. He absolutely had to sniff every tree and look in every crevice and explore every boulder. We all sat and enjoyed the amazing view and got tons of pictures. Sergio was sad to go home (I think he has a really big crush on Rocky XD)

[akuma <3]

Suggestions on how to "fix" separation anxiety between two dogs?

I've got 4 dogs and two of them are like, inseparable. If I bring Layla out for a run or for a car ride, Charlotte loses it. Howling, barking, whining, etc...
I can't bring both of them with me for walks because they're both like tanks and tend to act like doofuses if I walk them together. Charlotte and Layla are both extremely well behaved when I walk them separately and they both love car rides and they'll sit and stare out the window at all the trees and stuff that we pass by.

Charlotte is also really calm when I take her out by herself, and Layla just tends to sleep or enjoy some alone time by herself when I bring Charlotte out. Probably cause Charlotte takes her toys all the time, lol.

Any idea on how to stop Charlotte from howling and barking when we bring Layla out for a walk?

[taurus ;]

Any recommendation on e-collars under $35? I found two that are decent but I would like others' recommendations as well.

Like Middy said, please don’t cheap out on an e collar. It’s just not fair to the dog. Cheaper e collars are known for inconsistent corrections, shocks being waaay too intense even on the lowest settings, and even the metal prongs on the receiver burning holes in dog's necks due to malfunction. They also give a static shock instead of a muscle stimulation like a high quality e collar does.


Please do right by your dog and save up for a higher quality e collar. I recommend the Mini Educator.

[Luzien]

I highly suggest not buying a cheap e collar. They are known to give inconsistent corrections. If you are going to use a e collar, do right by the dog and get a nice known brand that e collar users recommend, learn how to train on it right, and how to find your dogs working level.

Mini educators are what several people I know use.

Any other brands? I've looked at those and they are way out of my price range.

Chewy has them for $170 right now if that helps? Don’t cheap out on a e collar. If you have to, wait and save to get a good quality one.

Dogtra and sportsdog are the other two brands I see good reviews out of. No idea on pricing on then though. I don’t personally use a e collar, but I’m in some groups specifically for it and those are the three I see suggested often.

when you cant buy a good one then dont buy one!!!
why do you even need this when i may ask do you work together with a good trainer , train a hunting dog for long range control

e-collar are like spurs ...not for everyone, not for beginner in training or dog owning, not for those who never did learn how to use them the right way, and never for every dog....no without good health check bevor,....and try it the hell out on your own neck bevor using on any dog!!!


@ to the pitbull talk
your parents are right, this dogs are not for everyone!!
and please dont fall for the: they All are always nice and cute and best baby toy or playfriend ever, .....or they are only animal aggressive....this is not accepted trait and should be pushed down hard and ended asap.......some are cute and gentle good family dog and well breed from only calm animal-human friendly dogs, and trained ...but dont be so to sure about this with still sadly a lot of them....and never as beginner dog and without a strong good trainer who helps you in the training.