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Pit Bull FAQs
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Why are your dogs on chains?
Our dogs are no longer on chains. We used to rent our home and that is why our dogs were on chains.
We did not want to invest money or time into building kennels on a property that was not our own. We now
own a home on over 10 acres and the dogs each have their own 10 X 10 kennel run. They get plenty of
exercise and do not always stay in the kennel. I take our pit bulls on hikes in the woods almost every day
and my husband takes them hog hunting.
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What age should I cut my pit bull's ears and tail?
First of all, a pit bull should NEVER
have it's tail cut! A pit bull needs their tail for balance. This used to
be very important in the past because they needed their tail for balance when fighting. Today it's just as important
as ever because many pit bulls are still used for working purposes. We use our dog's for catching wild boar
and having the tail for balance is a must.
A pit bull puppy should have it's ears cut anywhere from 9-13 weeks of age. The time frame varies according to
the vet that you are using but this is the
optimal timeframe. This in no way is done for
fighting purposes. We would never fight our
dogs, as they are our family members. I feel that having the ears cut makes a big difference in the look of the dog.
It is purely cosmetic and provides a clean polished look. However, leaving the ears uncut is a personal preference that you will have
to decide for yourself.
Cut ears require extra care (for at least 1 week) and costs
around $400 to have done. We
do not provide ear cutting as a service because our puppies leave us at
8-9 weeks old and the vet will want
to know what length you would like them cut (tall, medium or short) and may even ask to see pictures of dogs that have
ears that you like. Therefore it is in our best interest not to provide this service because the puppy's ears
may turn out in a way that you do not like, and
could need to be recut (which would cause the dog
extra and unnecessary pain).
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If I buy my pit bull as a puppy, will it get along with my other pets?
A pit bull can live in peace with other animals
if it has early and continual socialization with
them. However, the pit bull was bred to fight
with large animals and to withstand any pain
inflicted upon them during a fight until it got
the job done. This also holds true for many pit
bulls today. If the pit bull is left unattended
with another dog it may get into a fight with
it, especially if they are the same sex. This is perfectly normal for a pit bull. It
is what they were bred to do. The pit may not
always start a fight, but it will try to finish it once provoked. It is important to supervise
your dogs when they are together. Do not leave them alone or you may regret it. For safety it would be best to
place them in separate rooms when you are not at home, or put them in a crate or outdoor area where they cannot
reach one another. Most fights occur with dog's that are the same sex (female against female or male against male).
Some pits may get along with other animals until they reach maturity at 2-3 years of age. Spaying or neutering may
help to counteract animal aggressive behavior.
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Do your dogs have show titles? What can they do?
We use our pit bulls for hog hunting, unfortunately there are no titles to be earned for hog hunting. We have found that there are too much politics
involved in dog shows so we prefer NOT to attend them. We know of one person that is running dog shows in our area that is not taking care of his dogs
and is very dishonest. Dog shows seem to be more about who you know than the actual dogs and some of the people running the shows are keeping the
money for themselves. I'm sure not all dog shows are run this way, but because of the people doing them in our area, we do not do it.
We are a working kennel and prefer to work our pit bulls by hunting wild boar with them. Many of the people that have bought our pit bulls are doing well at dog shows and
have earned titles for their dogs. Our pit bulls are very athletic and intelligent dogs so they can be used for a variety of purposes. The red nose pit bulls we have
produced have been used for schutzhund work, french ring and PSA competitions, hog hunting, personal protection work, conformation showing, and weight
pulling, and as therapy dogs. One of the main things my pit bulls do on a daily basis, is protect me on hikes when I am walking alone in the mountains. My dog Bittersweet saved my
life in 2009 when a man followed me in the woods. Just as I would protect my dogs with my life, they do the same for me... It is a love that knows no bounds.
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Are pit bulls good with young children?
Pit bulls are GREAT with young children. Our children have played with our pits ever since they could walk, and before
they could walk we made sure that the dogs seen them and knew that they are a part of our family. Our kids have
played with pit bulls their entire lifetime and none of our dogs have EVER attempted to bite any of our children. Our Pit Bulls
love our kids like they are their own. They look out for them and protect them if they feel it's necessary.
Never leave your pit bull
unattended with children (that it knows or doesn't know) at all. As a matter of fact, no medium sized dog OF ANY BREED, should ever be left
alone with a child, no matter how much you trust the dog. If a kid hurts the dog, even though it is their fault that the dog bit them, the kid
could be disfigured and the dog you love could lose its life. So it's VERY important that you protect the children and the dog from the very
beginning. Just in case!
Most pit bull attacks on children happen because someone has
left the dog out in the yard alone with a kid that the dog doesn't know (and very rarely this also happens with a child that
that the dog does know). Many times the children
will pull the dog's tail or ears, when left
alone with them, which could cause the dog to
defend itself. The point is to NEVER leave your pit bull unattended with any child. Either way, it is better to
be safe now than sorry later.
If you follow my advice your new pit bull puppy will grow up happily along with your children and protect
and love them as if they were it's own. Pit bulls really do love people. Their aggressive tendencies are usually toward other
animals (which they may see young children as if they don't know them, another good reason to make sure your pit is around various children from an early age) or
to strangers they feel are out to harm them or their family. A pit bull is truly a loving and loyal family dog if it is bred and raised correctly.
As responsible dog owners, it is necessary for us to understand their genetic dispositions and to take precautions for the protection of our
children and our dogs. We don't want any irresponsible people out there giving pit bulls a bad reputation because they didn't take the precautions that they should
have. Our pit bulls should not suffer for our stupid mistakes.
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