dog adoption

[Battis]

Since 1983, I've gotten two dogs from a shelter. Walk in, find a dog, take it for a walk, pay the fee and go home. Worked just fine two times. The other 7 dogs found us somehow.
So, tell me if what happened lately is normal now, and if times are changing that much...
We found a dog online. We went to the shelter on Sunday. The dog was a little shy. Outside, the two trainers walked him on a leash. They made us stay on the other side of the driveway, slightly ahead. No contact, no speaking to the dog...nothing. Everything that dog did, he got a treat, though they never scolded him, even when he jumped on a "trainer".
OK, fine.
I went back Monday by myself. They brought me into a room and had me sit behind a cage/fence. Three trainers played with the dog in the open area, but I sat in "time "out" behind the cage/fence. Finally, they gave me a bag of treats and told me to toss them over the fence. No telling the dog to sit or whatever. They would not let the dog sniff my hand. Nothing. For over an hour.
That dog wanted to come to me in the worse way. Very smart Shepherd. I've had 9 dogs since 1983 - that dog and I would have been best friends in ten minutes.
No scolding, no correcting, just treats. Dogs are pack animals - they need an Alpha. Without one, the dog is in charge.
Is this how things are done now?
I asked how long this might go on - probably 5 - 15 visits.
I'm not going back.

[redneck1]

In these modern times it doesn't surprise me in the least , a couple years ago after my best friend of 20 years moved on to the dog paradise in the sky I went to a shelter thinking about getting a new best friend .
When they mentioned home visits I said thanks but no thanks and went along my way .

[Hannibal]

I've had a similar experience. Apparently shelter dogs have turned into a lucrative business. $750 adoption fee after a big run-around. Shelter is full of pit bulls because everyone is convinced they'll attack someone at the first opportunity. Whole thing irritates me to no end. I don't need a dog, now I'm convinced I don't want one.

[schutzen-jager]

in this area you can normally purchase cheaper from a legitimate breeder cheaper than from municipal or non profit shelter -

[imashooter2]

Activists make terrible management decisions.

[Winger Ed.]

Hmm. Our local shelter is run like they were in the old days.
Go in, pick one, play with it awhile, pay about $50. to 100. bucks, and take it home.
And it has already been 'fixed', and is current on its shots.

There are also specific dog breeds in the 'rescue' system here.
When the shelter gets in a obviously pedigree dog, they call them.
There are groups with all volunteers that foster them.

Years ago, we got a Great Pyrenees from one of them.
It was around $180. for all her shots, getting fixed, and a big bag of the food they feed them
so you can mix it in and adjust them to yours. The volunteers sort of do it as a loss.
I don't see them making much if anything by fostering and placing them.

They do screen you pretty well and make a value judgement before you can take one of them home.
You go to their house and play with it, they didn't do it for us, but you can expect them to drive by your house
and make sure you have a fenced yard, and the dog will have a good home.
If you live in an apartment and think you're going to adopt a big dog- they'll send you home kicking your lunch box too.

Here, we also have a over supply of shelter dogs, and a few times a year, a bunch will get shipped up North to snow country
where they seem to have a shortage of adoptable 'pound puppies'.

[BLAHUT]

NO shortage here of shelter dogs, just lots of bleeding hearts, Shelter dogs here run $500.00 or more. Want home visit, yes they have shots and are fixed, just a money extraction tool. I got my last 3 great Pyrenees F-males for a lot less than shelter wants, saw the parents, interacted with the parents, shelters does not get Pyrenees. Have two now, one a year old the other a year and a half old. Great with the wife, I pity the fool that tries to mess with her. Lot of dogs come up here from the south, some good - some not so good. Pyrenees pups don't last a week when advertised, seem to be somewhat rare around here ?? From the farm they will sell for $200.00 on up. Found one big male by here, but he was fixed. Have not found another yet.

[Winger Ed.]

Shelter dogs here run $500.00 or more. Want home visit, yes they have shots and are fixed, just a money extraction tool..

Our shelters mostly have volunteers here. There is usually one employee that really runs the place and gets paid.
Payroll and however much supplies are donated may have something to do with the varied amounts they charge.
And the vet fees. If I'd gone to school all those years to be a vet-- I wouldn't work for free either.

[CastingFool]

Our dog came from a local shelter, originally came from Texas, along with 6 siblings and their mother. Eventually, they all got adopted.

[Battis]

I emailed the shelter and told them that I was done with the adoption process. They emailed back and wanted to know what went wrong. I told them that I absolutely have to interact with the dog. See what they say.

[xs11jack]

It's tough to walk away from "the one". When you think about it, don't turn the dog down, it's not the dog's fault that people running the place are a bunch greedy you know what's. You might have been the best that has looked at the dog and that will break his/her heart.
Ole Jack

[Battis]

The dog is 2, and he has issues. He's a 75 lb pure black Shepherd. His previous owner died of an overdose, so the dog was raised in a drug house, and he was abused. I get it and I kinda get why they're taking it slow with me. They did say he was more at ease with me than anyone else who looked at him. Tough one. Great dog with baggage.
They sent me a long explanation of what they're doing and why.
I'll probably give it another try. Wifey won't let me get a girlfriend, so my options are limited.

[Handloader109]

These folks whine and moan about needing folks to adopt the dogs but they put up so many roadblocks. Sorry, I'm not filling out a bunch of paperwork to adopt a dog, and pay 300 to 500 dollars for the privilege. I'd rather buy from a breeder....

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[Winger Ed.]

Here, big dogs over about 50 pounds are hard to place, and the shelter folks will usually be as accommodating as they can.

[SeabeeMan]

Our first dog when we got married was a Shiba from a breed specific rescue. Had to do a home visit, a little paperwork, and quite a drive to get her, but she was exactly what we wanted. Current big dog (110lb Husky/Golden Retriever mix) we got as he was being rehomed when he started getting big at about 6 months old. He is amazing and we've learned that a 6 month old pup is the perfect age to bring in. Past most of the house training but still plenty trainable for our needs.

Little Shiba died a few years back and it was time for a second. We found another Shiba through the same rescue and let me tell you, it's probably easier to get children from some countries than a dog from them. Application, background check, vet and personal reference, home visit/inspection, drive 2 hours to meet her with our big country dog and then go back the next day to pick her up. $400 but she is a puppy and fixed, shots, everything is good to go.

Our shelters in the area all still work like the old days you described. We tried 2 dogs from them over COVID and while they didn't work out and we ended up bringing them back, it was easy as pie.

[Winger Ed.]

Our dog came from a local shelter, originally came from Texas, along with 6 siblings and their mother. Eventually, they all got adopted.

That's good.

Here, we have an overabundance of (for lack of a better word) just low born trash.
They don't get their pets fixed, let them run loose, and when nature takes its course-- they just dump the puppies somewhere.
A lot end up in shelters, and a lot also end up being coyote food.

[bedbugbilly]

Huh? My question would be "who is going to adopt the dog? The "so called" trainers . . . or you?

I know that there is an issue with dogs/cats being "adopted" and then they "become too much trouble" (idiots) so the get tossed out and abandoned. BUT . . . . a lot of these shelters need to learn how to "read" people as well. If a person didn't want to adopt an animal, they wouldn't/shouldn't be looking. How else can you tell if a dog/cat and a potential "adopter" are a good match unless they are allowed to have one on one interaction?

We lost a long time little guy about a year and a half ago and were looking for a new little dog to replace him - for us and for my older little poodle. Like you, we found one on-line at a county shelter - called and went to look at him. He is a little mixture. They put us in a "socialization" room with him so we could get acquainted and we spent about 45 minutes with him - fell in love with him at first sight and he came home with us. AFTER we adopted him and got him him home - took him for walks, etc. - we discovered he can be aggressive with other dogs - however, he and our poodle never had any issues and they love each other. We have worked with a trainer on the aggressiveness and we are making some good progress, but will always be "wary" when we have him around other dogs as he really stresses out in that situation. Yea . . . he may be a "dented Ford", but he is now our "dented Ford" and our responsibility - and he has a loving home. It beats being put out of what was his original home to wander the streets and try to survive - the loss of his "security", etc. and we all have bonded and he is well cared for.

Think about how many dogs/cats are "Covid dogs/cas" . . . people were shut in so they "got a dog/cat" . . . but after people started back to work again, how many of those animals were "thrown away" because the no longer were at home and didn[t want to be bothered with an animal anymore so they just abandoned" them . . . they should never have been a pet owner to begin with and I'm sure many would do the same to their children if they could. Shelters are over crowded as a result . . . and also think about how many of these animals were not "socialized" because they were shut in as well. We think that this is the biggest problem with the little guy we adopted and his stressing out around other dogs . . . he was probably a "Covid dog" and was never "socialized" . . . and at some point, he was "too much bother" so was tossed out on the street and "thrown away" like an un-wamted item.

Personally, I can understand shelters wanting to make sure that an animal goes to a good loving home, but that is no excuse for "distancing" an animal from a potential person who could give it a loving, caring home . . . and it's not fair to the dog and the potential owner to not allow them to interact, play and get to know each other. We saw the same type of thing though, that you experienced, when we visited several shelters . . and I made no bones about commenting and asking why they were trying to prevent people from adopting an animal in their shelter . . . and some got offended and others had no reasonable answer for why they were so "protective" in not allowing the animal and potential owner from interacting and seeing if they were a good ""fit" . . . but then I chalked a lot of it up to their age and their ignorance.

[redriverhunter]

deleted

[BLAHUT]

My first f-male Great Pyrenees, well I got her at 6 weeks, and she spent the next 10 years with me, every second of the day and night, when she died it took over a year before I was ready to get a new friend, found a 8 week old Great Pyrenees f-male and drove down to the farm to get her, found out later she is part blind, she is a very good dog, her being blind is not a reason for me to get rid of her, she sees with her Knose, every morning she has to smell my face and make sure it is me, and she does well in a known area. She is kind, gentle, obeys good, trusts me, I understand her handicap and we work on it together. At 6 months I got a second Great Pyrenees f-male, so the blind girl would have a seeing eye dog as a companion, it has worked, the blind one followell's the young one around outside and protects her. Both are very good dogs. There is no way I would dump either one of them ! I still miss my first girl very, very much.................. These two are their own, individuals.......... Each are about 85/90 lbs, work good for the wife, obey wife, wife only outweighs either of the dogs by about 20 lbs, they each protect her, together they are a good safety blanket for wife. The dogs are wonderful companions.....

[Winger Ed.]

Talking about breeders reminded me of a life long friend that wanted a Rottweiler.
We have a lot of folks who will get a pedigree dog, and have one, maybe two litters of puppies from it they sell off.
Not to be confused with the puppy mills that supply most of the pet stores.

I don't have a picture of him, but if you look in a old dictionary under 'sarcastic', there's a little pen & ink drawing of him.
He was over at this lady's house, and they were playing with 4-5 puppies to see which one picked him.
One really attached itself to him and the lady said, "Ohhh, that's clyde. He's my favorite. I hate to see him go".

He told her she might want to think about breeding lawyers instead of dogs.
That way she wouldn't be so attached to them when it was time for them go to a new home.

[MaryB]

I went to the local shelter to see a 9 year old lab that was homeless after his owner died. He absolutely attached to me... then the shelter idiots piped up and said "Since he is a purebred we need $450 adoption fee"... for a fixed male? He is still there and will probably die there because of greed. I was willing to give him a nice laid back retirement home where he could enjoy his last few years... being a senior dog with medical needs nobody else has wanted him...

[.429&H110]

Animal League of Green Valley has homed two dogs with us, so far.
They work with what they are given, both people and pets.
Don't get mad at volunteers! They get paid the same no matter what they do.

ALGV gets $85 for dogs, paperwork is one page.
They will visit your home first and second, not optional.
As a bonus, if you adopt a 10+ year old dog
you can use their vet for free:
Medicare for dogs, great service!

Green Valley is an unincorporated town in Pima county
home to thousands of elderly people and elderly dogs
a good lapdog can survive several owners.

They sourced to us Chico, an eight pound elderly Chihuahua.
Four months ago Chico weighed 5 pounds, scrawny.
Chico came from a hoard, unsocialized, broken jaw, no teeth.
He will do anything for a Cheerio.
In four months I have Chico trained to a leash, walking around the block.
Chico bonded to his new mommy at first sight.
I taught this Chihuahua not to bark, only when really necessary, just growl.
Smart little dog, I can carry him concealed without a permit in Arizona.

Over in Tucson, Pima County dog pound has at least 400 pitbulls,
sorry, "Staffies", if you need a wild junkyard dog, take your pick.

[Battis]

I've been in touch with the shelter, and it looks like we've reached some kind of understanding. As was said in an earlier post, it's not the dog's fault. I'm going back tomorrow.

[BLAHUT]

I went to the local shelter to see a 9 year old lab that was homeless after his owner died. He absolutely attached to me... then the shelter idiots piped up and said "Since he is a purebred we need $450 adoption fee"... for a fixed male? He is still there and will probably die there because of greed. I was willing to give him a nice laid back retirement home where he could enjoy his last few years... being a senior dog with medical needs nobody else has wanted him...

So Sad

[Hannibal]

I'm not willing to pay several hundred dollars for a shelter dog with no idea what it's background is. If I'm going to spend money like that I want to see the pup's parents, see where it has been living, gauge the environment the pup and parents have been living in and make an informed decision.

Shelters have completely turned the priorities around. No wonder they are filled with unadopted animals.

[granville_it]

The people and dogs' are "sterling".

Mark

[ChuckO]

We have been breeding and showing pure bred dogs for over 50 years now. If you are looking for a specific breed, contact a local dog club or a regional breed specific club for a list of breeders. Often breeders will place retired show dogs or animals that just didn't pan out properly for the show ring or breeding. Most times we use the same selection process for their prospective owners as we do for placing the puppies that we sell. The retired animals are usually placed for only the cost of spay/neuter. We have had a waiting list of people who want a second or third retired show animal from us. Most of these dogs have had a lot of house time and some have show and/or obedience titles. There are quite a few breeders who work this way.

[BrassMagnet]

I've been in touch with the shelter, and it looks like we've reached some kind of understanding. As was said in an earlier post, it's not the dog's fault. I'm going back tomorrow.

We need friends and so do they!

[HWooldridge]

I purchased one dog in my life - a Brittany Spaniel, that was about 30 years ago from a private breeder - she has passed on now. The others (and there have been many over the years - too many for me to actually count right now) were all gifted to me or abandoned by someone. My son drives a lot for his work and has picked up several great dogs off the highway - none had collars or chips but all turned into outstanding companion animals.

So I don't go to shelters - I just put out the word when I get the urge for a new puppy and the heavens respond...

[Rapier]

I have found that dogs in general, are great judges of character, they know a dog lover at first meeting.

[Battis]

I've gotten two dogs at shelters, out of nine. The other seven found us, which included three purebreds. We haven't had a dog for two years. It's time. Churchill said that the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man. Same with dogs.

[Winger Ed.]

I have found that dogs in general, are great judges of character, they know a dog lover at first meeting.

We haven't been there in 20-odd years, but the SPCA shelter in Dallas would watch you as you 'shopped' for a dog.
They were more interested in the dog picking you than which one you wanted.

If the dog didn't like you, you didn't get it either.

[HWooldridge]

I have found that dogs in general, are great judges of character, they know a dog lover at first meeting.

Funny you say that. Many years ago, I was visiting a friend’s house when their next door neighbor came over with a beautiful sable dachshund. She came up to me and immediately made friends, then sat with me the entire time the neighbor was at the house. They left and that was the end of it…until the owner had to get rid of the dog because her apartment manager noticed she hadn’t paid the pet deposit. She called my friend, who in turn called me, so I ended up with Rhea, who lived with us 14 years until her death, and gave birth to an entire line of local dachshunds. We used to say she was the smartest dog who ever lived…which simply shows how we felt about her.

[1eyedjack]

Our dog found us at the shelter, little guy was in a cage with two other dogs one of which snapped at the volunteer. The dog in the corner was handed to me & we sat down for a visit, he was shaking & seemed scared for a bit, then a big lick up my face wife said she better pay for MY dog now he's curling up next to her! She treats him better than she does me.

[Battis]

Years ago, my former neighbors bought a very expensive Tibetan Terrier, spent alot of money on training, etc. They were not dog people. I took care of that dog quite a bit over the years. They moved a few years ago when the dog was 13. They didn't want her anymore, so I said I'd take her. She lived to be 16. How do you give up a dog after 13 yrs?
Friends of friends had a purebred Weimaraner (with papers) for three years, and they hated her. The 3 yr old dog never ran, and had been penned all the time. I took her. I'll never forget the first time she ran in an open field. Beautiful dog. I had her until she was 11.
Some people should not have dogs, guns, cars, kids...

[reddog81]

I've been in touch with the shelter, and it looks like we've reached some kind of understanding. As was said in an earlier post, it's not the dog's fault. I'm going back tomorrow.

What was the outcome?

Their procedures would be logical if the dog had some kind of bite history or similar issues. I've helped socialize shelter dogs and German Sheperds can be very difficult to handle if they are under socialized. It's not uncommon for German Sheperds to bond to one person or a family and view everyone else as the enemy. Those GSD's are likely to end up at a shelter when something bad happens. A normal friendly GSD at a shelter usually gets adopted quickly.

If that is their normal process for every dog it seems like a recipe to drive away every adopter.

[HWooldridge]

What was the outcome?

Their procedures would be logical if the dog had some kind of bite history or similar issues. I've helped socialize shelter dogs and German Sheperds can be very difficult to handle if they are under socialized. It's not uncommon for German Sheperds to bond to one person or a family and view everyone else as the enemy. Those GSD's are likely to end up at a shelter when something bad happens. A normal friendly GSD at a shelter usually gets adopted quickly.

If that is their normal process for every dog it seems like a recipe to drive away every adopter.

Australian shepherds can also become single owner protective. I was given a red merle named Hannah, she had been terrorized by a kid whose family thought he was a little darling…

She stayed away from everyone and was a biter, until I got on her good side. Unfortunately, I created a monster because my wife and kids could not approach me without Hannah going after them, so I finally gave her to an older couple. I will say that I never felt safer going on a walk - she stayed just behind my right leg, no matter where I went.

[MrWolf]

NO shortage here of shelter dogs, just lots of bleeding hearts, Shelter dogs here run $500.00 or more. Want home visit, yes they have shots and are fixed, just a money extraction tool. I got my last 3 great Pyrenees F-males for a lot less than shelter wants, saw the parents, interacted with the parents, shelters does not get Pyrenees. Have two now, one a year old the other a year and a half old. Great with the wife, I pity the fool that tries to mess with her. Lot of dogs come up here from the south, some good - some not so good. Pyrenees pups don't last a week when advertised, seem to be somewhat rare around here ?? From the farm they will sell for $200.00 on up. Found one big male by here, but he was fixed. Have not found another yet.

I paid $600 for my puppy (in my avatar) from a farm four hours away I Virginia. Both his parents lived/worked there. Told his Father I would take good care of him. Yup, talk to dogs as if they are human. They understand. Anyway there were no Great Pyrenees around here in shelters as they are used as working dogs. My Ruger is the best dog I have ever had but they do require a lot of time spent with them.

[fatelk]

We hadn't had a dog since kids came along a couple decades ago. My wife's miniature schnauzer just wasn't good around kids, so he went to live with Grandpa the rest of his days (which worked out well).
To be honest, I'm just not a dog lover either. To me, dogs are a messy nuisance.

Fast forward a decade and a half, and the kids had been wanting a dog for a long time, so I finally relented. We did the shelter thing for weeks it seemed, couldn't find the right fit. My oldest REALLY wanted a dog, and kept looking and looking. She found one that looked promising, listed online at a shelter about an hour away. We went as a family but never got to see the dog.

They took us into a room and started into a spiel about "adopting". She told us that you don't "buy" a dog, because that's akin to slavery; you "adopt" because a dog is a member of the family. Whatever.
She then went on to tell us how this particular dog was an "escape artist", and had anxiety issues, was known to destroy furniture when left alone, and didn't like men with facial hair. Before giving us a chance to even respond, she told us that she would need a written plan on how we would deal with these issues, and they would also need to do a home visit during this extensive process. It would also be several hundred dollars when it was all said and done. She seemed taken aback when I interrupted her to say this is not the dog for us.

My daughter was frustrated that it was taking so long to find a dog, but a few weeks later we ended up buying (yes- buying, it's a dog, not a person) a border collie mix puppy for $300.

OK, so I'm not a dog lover. We didn't get along too well at first. He chewed up and peed on everything. He barked and whined. He really annoyed me. The kids LOVE him, and he really is a good dog. As much as he must know I'm not a dog person, he really seems to think that I like him. He runs to the door when I come home, wanting his ears scratched. He brings his favorite toy, wanting to play. OK, I admit it, we're buddies. Maybe I'm not such a dog hater after all. :)


I have found that dogs in general, are great judges of character, they know a dog lover at first meeting.

I would definitely trust a dog to pick up on subtle cues and alert you to a suspicious character in general too. Our dog loves everyone, doesn't know a stranger, but one time a friend came over and the dog had a fit. He growled and stood in his way, made it clear he didn't like this guy at all. It took a little while to calm him down.

I was talking to my sister later, mentioned it, and she got concerned. Dogs know evil, she said, don't let that guy in your house ever again; he must be a really bad guy. BS, I said. Dogs pick up on subtle body language, smells, and clues that we don't notice. There was something that bothered him, but it doesn't necessarily mean my friend was "evil". Sometime later, my nephew stopped by, with facial hair and a ball cap similar to my friend. The dog reacted the same way. He just didn't like the way he looked!

My friend was here again just last week, and the dog was fine, sniffing and making a new friend. I guess he must have changed his evil ways. :)

[Battis]

reddog81 said:

German Sheperds can be very difficult to handle if they are under socialized.
Maybe you hit on it, the way the shelter is handling this. I don't know how they handle other "adoptions", but this dog does have issues with little or no socialization. Maybe they are truly concerned about the dog going to the wrong home, considering what he's been through.
They're not charging any extra for this special attention, and in an email they thanked me for my patience, and said that it will be worth it. Maybe I'm just too old school.
Anyhoo, I do want that dog. I'm going back tomorrow morning. Maybe they won't put me in the "time out" cage and let me interact with the dog.

[samari46]

I read this last night. We had to put our pitbull/lab Bob to sleep due to cancer and he was loosing control of his back legs. This was about 3 years or so ago. Both the wife and myself missed him so bad. Well late this afternoon I got a call from my neighbor who does the maintence on my truck. Would I be interested in an 8 week male pitbull/lab puppy?. He's now sleeping in crib the wife made from a laundry basket. So tomorrow off to wally world to get some puppy chow and canned dog food. Strange how funny things work out. Frank

[Winger Ed.]

Maybe they won't put me in the "time out" cage and let me interact with the dog.

If you behave, hopefully they'll give you a treat.:bigsmyl2:


I did that when our company transferred a guy from another location to be our new general manager.
We got along fine. One day (he hadn't been at our location more than a week or two),
I did something good, and he called me in to the office to tell me how wonderful I am.

He got done, I thanked him, and stood there with my mouth open.
After a bit,,,,,,, He asked me if I was OK......
I told him, "Back at the institute,,,, when I did something good, the staff always gave me a M&M".

I guess nobody had ever done that to him because it sort of scared him.

[reddog81]

reddog81 said:

Maybe you hit on it, the way the shelter is handling this. I don't know how they handle other "adoptions", but this dog does have issues with little or no socialization. Maybe they are truly concerned about the dog going to the wrong home, considering what he's been through.
They're not charging any extra for this special attention, and in an email they thanked me for my patience, and said that it will be worth it. Maybe I'm just too old school.
Anyhoo, I do want that dog. I'm going back tomorrow morning. Maybe they won't put me in the "time out" cage and let me interact with the dog.

Hopefully it works out. Once that dog bonds with you he will be loyal to a fault. It might take a few meetings but once you are on his good side, he should be a great companion. Don't push him too hard at first. You have to work on the dogs schedule, not yours. Even meetings where you don't say anything to the dog, don't look at the dog, and don't have any interactions at all are beneficial as they allow the dog to become familiar with you and realize you are not a threat.

I had a German Shepherd that it took 4 to 6 meetings before he warmed up to a person but once you were his friend you were good to go. Even people he hadn't seen for years he'd remember and run up on them and want attention.

[Battis]

Their procedures would be logical if the dog had some kind of bite history or similar issues.

Yep, you nailed it. They told me today, for the first time, that the dog bit one of the young workers awhile back. Not a bad bite, not an attack, but more of a hand grab. That's why they're doing what they're doing.
The problem is that, even if he eventually takes to me, we'll have to repeat the process with everyone new, including my wife. I'm not sure I could ever trust this dog. Maybe if it was just the dog and me living in a cabin in the woods, it'd be fine, but...
Now there's a thought...

[Hannibal]

Yep, you nailed it. They told me today, for the first time, that the dog bit one of the young workers awhile back. Not a bad bite, not an attack, but more of a hand grab. That's why they're doing what they're doing.
The problem is that, even if he eventually takes to me, we'll have to repeat the process with everyone new, including my wife. I'm not sure I could ever trust this dog. Maybe if it was just the dog and me living in a cabin in the woods, it'd be fine, but...
Now there's a thought...

WHY didn't they tell you that in the first place? Sounds to me like you're dealing with several problems all at once. I'd be backing out and telling them exactly what I thought about the whole mess. Idiots.

[Battis]

Yep, it would have helped if they had told me up front.
I think my next pet will be a Pepperidge Farm goldfish. You can eat them when you get tired of them.

[reddog81]

The problem is that, even if he eventually takes to me, we'll have to repeat the process with everyone new, including my wife. I'm not sure I could ever trust this dog. Maybe if it was just the dog and me living in a cabin in the woods, it'd be fine, but...
Now there's a thought...

Probably not a good choice for a busy house with people and kids coming over on a regular basis, but not too hard if you have an area where you can isolate the dog when guests come over occasionally. But it is something you will need to be cognizant of at all times. You can pretty much guarantee your house will be safe from opportunistic burglars with a dog like that on guard.

[Battis]

It's not really a busy house. And he can definitely be isolated when needed. But, I like to walk in the woods alot and there's always other people with dogs. I was feeding him peanut butter on a spoon through the fence and I gotta say, he is a scary **** dog - black nose, fur, eyes. It was like feeding a bear. I would not bother a house that he was in.
I'll probably go back next week.

[Hickok]

This my buddy "Dutch!"

After I lost my best friend "Curly" due to old age, I had a big empty spot in my heart. Went to an animal shelter, and there he was, just waiting for me and the wife! We paid $100, he had his shots, and took him home the same day! He was 4 months old when we got him, now he is 2 years old and and rules the house!

All I have to say is, "You want to go for ride?", and he is on the move!!!

307006

[MaryB]

It's not really a busy house. And he can definitely be isolated when needed. But, I like to walk in the woods alot and there's always other people with dogs. I was feeding him peanut butter on a spoon through the fence and I gotta say, he is a scary **** dog - black nose, fur, eyes. It was like feeding a bear. I would not bother a house that he was in.
I'll probably go back next week.

Can always use a muzzle on walks at first. Until you learn his temperament. He may have grabbed her hand because he wanted something, my lab Misty did that and would drag you over to her toys then let go and pick up the one she wanted to play with... never broke skin but clamped on hard enough you were not getting your hand back until you went with her... she only did this with adults and teens. Young kids she would bring the toys to them and let them pick. So until you know what she really wants I would not ascribe it as biting...

[BLAHUT]

Can always use a muzzle on walks at first. Until you learn his temperament. He may have grabbed her hand because he wanted something, my lab Misty did that and would drag you over to her toys then let go and pick up the one she wanted to play with... never broke skin but clamped on hard enough you were not getting your hand back until you went with her... she only did this with adults and teens. Young kids she would bring the toys to them and let them pick. So until you know what she really wants I would not ascribe it as biting...

Years ago, I had a timber wolf cross, big, beautiful animal, he did not like males, tolerated me and my sons, loved women, except one crazy girlfriend of my one son, he knew she was nuts, well he got rid of her, she claimed, she knew big dogs, she came in and plopped down in-between my son and the dogs food and grabbed for him, he nailed her, that cost me a bundle.. Great lead dog, good with the family, only drawback was he loved skunks and cats, not sure which was number one favored food. I could rough house with him, the spit would fly, growling, snapping, I could put my hand in his mouth and he would only gum my hand, only time he ever drew blood from me is when I waded into a dog fight and tried to break it up.

[Battis]

The biggest problem would be if I needed someone to take him for a day, or let him out, feed him, etc. I'm working this in my mind every which way but I'm thinking it might not work. I'll see how he is next week.

[jonp]

I've had a similar experience. Apparently shelter dogs have turned into a lucrative business. $750 adoption fee after a big run-around. Shelter is full of pit bulls because everyone is convinced they'll attack someone at the first opportunity. Whole thing irritates me to no end. I don't need a dog, now I'm convinced I don't want one.

Problem with Pit Bulls that are in a shelter is that they are there for a reason and are an unknown quantity. I wouldn't go near one unless I knew who the trainer was and even then most likely not.

[Winger Ed.]

The biggest problem would be if I needed someone to take him for a day, or let him out, feed him, etc. I'm working this in my mind every which way but I'm thinking it might not work. I'll see how he is next week.

I looked after my neighbor's dog one time that was one of those red Australian collie-something dogs.
It was unapproachable except for the family.
I looked after it when they went on vacation one time.

I could flush & change its water bowl by holding a hose over the fence.
It would stand back and let me slide its food dish through the gate enough for it to clear so I could close it.

I always wished it was more playful, but it was no big deal to look after it for a week or so.

[Hannibal]

Problem with Pit Bulls that are in a shelter is that they are there for a reason and are an unknown quantity. I wouldn't go near one unless I knew who the trainer was and even then most likely not.

Based on what I've seen dogs are a lot like people in many ways. Some behave well no matter what the circumstances, some behave poorly no matter the circumstances but with most of them it largely depends on who they're around.

[GregLaROCHE]

Beware of shy skidish dogs.

[redriverhunter]

My daughter picked up a stray pit bull. That dog has not shown any agression towards anyone. I think the dog was either abanded or dumped my daughter fed a hungry dog and that dog now has the good life. I think alot of dogs end up in the pound, because people are moving and dont to take them on the move. The other reason I believe alot of dogs end up in the pound is they got the puppy and it starts grow and it became a pain the chewing, house training, making them mind. I think all my furture dogs will come from the pound that has outgrown chewing and is house trained.