Agree with @elbrant and I'd like to add, when you return be very matter of fact, do not make a big fuss, particularly if she is excited and effusive in her greeting to you. Sure, acknowledge her if you must but don't make any sort of big deal out of it. Go about your business, e.g. if you've been shopping, put your things away before spending any time with her. Your goal is to make your absence just part of a normal routine, nothing to be excited about. I've had two separation anxiety dogs, and you know you have won the battle when the dog just glances at you in an "oh, you're back" way and doesn't bother getting off the couch! Yes, people like it when their dog greets them and makes a big fuss, but if you feed that behaviour you give too much emphasis to your absence and that can grow into anxiety in your dog.
Help!!!!
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Also, does your apartment or housing association (I don't know if you own or rent) have any breed bans? This could be something to consider also.
Your homeowner's insurance is also something to check.
I think that before you decide, the bully breeder should be consulted. Even if you're leaning on taking the dog in. How would/could you deal with things if the two dogs did not get along? Also, is the dog neutered? Personally, I'm not sure I'd take an unneutered male bully into my home. Crate trained?
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Your homeowner's insurance is also something to check.
I think that before you decide, the bully breeder should be consulted. Even if you're leaning on taking the dog in. How would/could you deal with things if the two dogs did not get along? Also, is the dog neutered? Personally, I'm not sure I'd take an unneutered male bully into my home. Crate trained?
Our apartment complex does not have breed limits. I checked that before I even gave this idea the time of day.
The dog is NOT neutered, which is another reason why I am not so quick to say yes. Dallas will only be 5 months by then so also not neutered & having two un-neutered dogs in the house kind of scares me! I'm afraid they could be more aggressive towards one another, even though Dallas will still be so young. If the bully decided to be aggressive with Dallas I would fear that I'd be uncapable of stopping them since I am not strong enough. Mark says he could certainly handle the pitt but he also cannot be there 24/7!
He is crate trained, stays in his during the day while Justin is working. I actually think he sleeps in his crate as well.
He contacted the breeder befiore contacting us and the breeder said that as of right now she didn't think she'd have extra room for him with her own dogs to manage. She said to contact him about 3 weeks prior to deployment & see if that has changed but she also said it's unlikely. She said she'd take the dog back all together though so…I'm not sure what is going on with that...
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Would Midge consider keeping Dallas with her for the next 9 months until the pitbull is gone? I know that would be hard to be away from the new pup for that long, but it might be a solution to help keep your borther in law's pictbull in the family…or I could even see if we could take Dallas here for the 9 months, and then you could come and visit anytime
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@Mia:
Would Midge consider keeping Dallas with her for the next 9 months until the pitbull is gone? I know that would be hard to be away from the new pup for that long, but it might be a solution to help keep your borther in law's pictbull in the family…or I could even see if we could take Dallas here for the 9 months, and then you could come and visit anytime
See I thought about that for about…1 second. But I don't think it is fair to Mark, me nor Dallas to send him away when it's HIS home you know? Plus. after getting him I can almost guarantee that I couldn't live without him for 9 whole months.
If I were to take the pitt it would be on a trail run to see how he reacts & if he has any aggression towards Dallas, or even me or Mark, then I will be forced to put him somewhere else. Problem is, if this happens, where would he go?!
There is just so many aspects to consider. It's frustrating too because when it comes down to it they could be best buds & not have any issues at all...but then they could try to kill each other & so it's a huge risk either way...
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I have another idea…
Could you have Mark's brother ship the dog to you at least a month early. That way you could have some time to see if there are problems and the dog could go back to Mark if there are problems. If the breeder is willing to take the dog back like has been said, Mark's brother has an out if the dog comes back. Granted Dallas will only be 2.5 months at the time.Yes it would be an outlay of cash for Mark's brother to do it, especially if the dog had to go back, but I don't think I could make a snap, permanent decision that could affect my household for 9 months without giving the dog a try without an "out" for myself...especially when I didn't know the dog.
The only other thing I would work out in advance is if you don't give it a trial period and decide to take the dog, if it doesn't work out I would be sure the brother gives you the breeder info...especially if he plans on giving it back if he can't find a foster before his deployment.
Tough one.
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I would think the basenji would challenge the pit right off the bat to determine who is the boss, which may not fare well for the basenji.
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No way I'd consider doing this without at least a couple week trial run.
I know how my neutered male Basenji would have reacted to a situation like this - and the outcome wouldn't have been good.
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I might also suggest asking the brother if he will get the pit neutered now.
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IMO, I think it would be a big mistake to bring an "in-tact" dog of any breed into your home, let alone a bully, especially with a puppy bitch… and take the chance she comes in season??... and with your statements about Rocky... I for one would never chance it....
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A couple more ideas: Around many military bases there are people or groups who are sympathetic to the plight of deploying service members with pets. There are often people out there who will foster their pets. Best case scenerio would be to see if there is a pit bull rescue group near his current base who has a member who will foster his dog.(He might be able to find that info on the internet.) The Humane Societies and animal control facilities are overburdened when whole military units deploy and so they might be willing to help find a solution rather than end up with another animal. If your BIL checks with the local humane society, they may be able to point him in the right direction of people who might foster. If he did get the dog from a responsible breeder, that breeder may want to have a say so in where that dog goes….especially in view of the potential of how a pit bull can be misused.
Follow your intuition: If you feel too uneasy about this DON'T do it! Your responsibility is to your puppy and your family.
This is the point where I am going to get up on a soap box and open myself up as a target: 1st let me explain that my husband was career Army and was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam and Iraq. I was an Army nurse when DH and I met and married. My father was career Army. My two brothers and 2 of DH's brothers were in the Army. I currently live within a few miles of a military base. I say all that to show that I am very much in support of and sympathetic to service members. Having said that, let me also say that it is irresponsible for anyone, especially a soldier who knows he will be deployed, to get a pet without making arrangements BEFORE he gets the pet for that pet's care when he is deployed. The local rescue groups, humane society, pound, etc get absolutely hammered with these animals when units get deployed. It just isn't right that YOU have to feel bad if you don't want to take the risk and responsibility for a pit bull. Your BIL should have asked you if you'd take it BEFORE he got it! I don't plan on anything happening to me or DH but we made contingency plans before we got Cory.
Just my humble opinion….Now I'll step aside and run for cover.
Pat
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A couple more ideas: Around many military bases there are people or groups who are sympathetic to the plight of deploying service members with pets. There are often people out there who will foster their pets. Best case scenerio would be to see if there is a pit bull rescue group near his current base who has a member who will foster his dog.(He might be able to find that info on the internet.) The Humane Societies and animal control facilities are overburdened when whole military units deploy and so they might be willing to help find a solution rather than end up with another animal. If your BIL checks with the local humane society, they may be able to point him in the right direction of people who might foster. If he did get the dog from a responsible breeder, that breeder may want to have a say so in where that dog goes….especially in view of the potential of how a pit bull can be misused.
Follow your intuition: If you feel too uneasy about this DON'T do it! Your responsibility is to your puppy and your family.
This is the point where I am going to get up on a soap box and open myself up as a target: 1st let me explain that my husband was career Army and was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam and Iraq. I was an Army nurse when DH and I met and married. My father was career Army. My two brothers and 2 of DH's brothers were in the Army. I currently live within a few miles of a military base. I say all that to show that I am very much in support of and sympathetic to service members. Having said that, let me also say that it is irresponsible for anyone, especially a soldier who knows he will be deployed, to get a pet without making arrangements BEFORE he gets the pet for that pet's care when he is deployed. The local rescue groups, humane society, pound, etc get absolutely hammered with these animals when units get deployed. It just isn't right that YOU have to feel bad if you don't want to take the risk and responsibility for a pit bull. Your BIL should have asked you if you'd take it BEFORE he got it! I don't plan on anything happening to me or DH but we made contingency plans before we got Cory.
Just my humble opinion….Now I'll step aside and run for cover.
Pat
No need to run for cover, very well put…. your entire post....
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I might also suggest asking the brother if he will get the pit neutered now.
He won't get it neutered because he is going to breed him upon returning from Iraq. He has been asked by someone who received their pitt from the same blood line to be the stud. He told me he got permission from the breeder and everything…
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IMO, I think it would be a big mistake to bring an "in-tact" dog of any breed into your home, let alone a bully, especially with a puppy bitch… and take the chance she comes in season??... and with your statements about Rocky... I for one would never chance it....
Our B is a male, not female. We don't have a female in the house. Our male puppy will come home THIS THURSDAY. Thus, he'll be with us only about 3 months when we would (if we do) get the bully.
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This is the point where I am going to get up on a soap box and open myself up as a target: 1st let me explain that my husband was career Army and was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam and Iraq. I was an Army nurse when DH and I met and married. My father was career Army. My two brothers and 2 of DH's brothers were in the Army. I currently live within a few miles of a military base. I say all that to show that I am very much in support of and sympathetic to service members. Having said that, let me also say that it is irresponsible for anyone, especially a soldier who knows he will be deployed, to get a pet without making arrangements BEFORE he gets the pet for that pet's care when he is deployed. The local rescue groups, humane society, pound, etc get absolutely hammered with these animals when units get deployed. It just isn't right that YOU have to feel bad if you don't want to take the risk and responsibility for a pit bull. Your BIL should have asked you if you'd take it BEFORE he got it! I don't plan on anything happening to me or DH but we made contingency plans before we got Cory.
Just my humble opinion….Now I'll step aside and run for cover.
Pat
Thank for the well-put opinion. I completely agree! When he told us he got the bully the first thing I asked was "where are you going to send him if you get deployed?!?" He, at the time, was living with a girl (also owner of a bully pitt) & so said that she obviously could watch him in their home. Well, they recently (about 3 months ago) had a nasty break up so her watching him is out of the question now. He was also thinking of using his mom (since she currently has a dog as well) but she said no because she's in the process of splitting from her fiance so it's too sticky of a situation for her to take him. Their other brother is also a Marine, who lives in the barrack's, thus he also cannot take him.
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He won't get it neutered because he is going to breed him upon returning from Iraq. He has been asked by someone who received their pitt from the same blood line to be the stud. He told me he got permission from the breeder and everything…
So I guess that deal will be off if he has to get rid of the dog…
So basically he wants to either keep the dog intact or get rid of the dog...If he wants to keep the dog (because the dog is his baby), he'd have better luck with finding someone to take it if he gets it neutered.
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My niece has three pit bulls – all WONDERFUL dogs. She has two neutered males and one female.
The dogs all got along fairly well initially. Her older boy had some issues with the younger one, but nothing that couldn't be handled with a stern voice {"hey!" or "Knock it off" kind of thing}. Most of their issues revolved around the spayed female, who is younger than both males and best buddy to both.
Then suddenly.. one day... The older boy went after the younger in a BIG way when he tried to lie down beside the girl. It took three adults to stop their fighting -- during which BTW, neither dog made any attempt to bite at the humans; their aggression does NOT transfer to humans, none of them have ever shown any signs of aggression or dominance or even really irritation with people -- and ever since that fight the dogs cannot be together at all.
They have to play this silly dog juggle -- one of the boys has to stay in the kitchen at all times, they cannot be outside together, they cannot be in the car together unless crated and in different seats.
It's crazy -- and they are both nuetered.I have no problem with pits as a breed; I rather like them. But I would NEVER have two males, EVER, because I understand that male/male aggression is not uncommon with the breed, and these dogs are STRONG. They will NOT lose a fight and the real fights are very difficult to stop.
I love my nieces dogs; I enjoy being at her place with them, but I'd never have them come stay here with me, not with Keoki here. No way.
I'd think long and hard about this decision. I know you're in a tough position.
You need to hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst.Do you have a way to keep them separate from one another if they do not get along?
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Maybe the person who wants to use him for stud will foster him.
Something else for you to think about: If you haven't gotten your puppy yet, your breeder may definitely not approve of one of his/her pups being placed into a home with a pit bull. Technically…it isn't the same home your breeder approved.
Pat
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I just don't think it is looking good for Razr or Justin. I'm having such strong doubts that I just don't feel like it's right…
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Okay, so you have a one year old potentially dog-aggressive powerful dog who is still in the process of maturing that you are think of fostering for 9 months. In that 9 months, the dog will mature and attitudes towards other dogs may change from what it is now. You already know this dog is "territorial". (whatever that means. barks at strangers? lunges uncontrollably at people walking down the street? Growls at strange dogs but is fine with people? Is a resource guarder? etc) You don't know how this dog is with puppies and, because of his age, how he is now may change. May change drastically. May stay the same. The owner refuses to neuter the dog.
You are getting a basenji boy puppy that you have planned for and waited for. You are planning on socializing him and making sure all his experiences with dogs and people over the next 12 months are wonderful to ensure a confident social pup. If you're planning on showing you won't want to neuter you dog either. If you're planning on doing agility (or perhaps coursing) and have read Dr Zink's article on early neuters, you probably won't want to neuter until the growth plates close (12-14 months in a basenji-sized dog).
So you are planning on having 2 intact male dogs in your household. Both breeds are known to sometimes be same-sex aggressive. One dog is 3 (?) times the size of the other.
Did I lay all that out correctly?
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I just don't think it is looking good for Razr or Justin. I'm having such strong doubts that I just don't feel like it's right…
Okay, you know your answer then. Are you looking for help in how to say "This just isn't right for us right now"? I know saying "no" to family can be difficult. Here's the thing: You have doubts. And if you do foster Razr, and something awful happens, how would you feel? Could you forgive Razr/Justin/yourself/your spouse?
