This is a step by step instruction on how to splice 3 strand twisted cotton rope into a small circle with a tennis ball in the center to act as a dog toy. This line splicing is often used by sailors but for today it’s for the dog toy. Makes a nice gift for any dog or dog lover; cheaply. The rope/ line used in the video was purchased at a feed and tack store and is rated for animal use. Do not use nylon for dog toys.
How to buy a puppy!
When you call about the puppy ask if the parents and the pups have had a vet check, ask which vet. CALL THE VET & VERIFY before you go over there and fall in love with a genetically defective dog that should not have been breed.
Ask about the papers, get the registration number and verify the information with the registering agency, before you go see the pups (If you need AKC papers I can forged them on my computer for you, it’s really easy. It’s $20 per dog, $40 if you want an official looking seal).
Ask about the grand parents, contact that breeder and verify the information!!!
Has the sire or dam won any shows? Are the parents certified in any training? If it’s the CGC call the person who gave the test and verify.
If you get to many No’s, in any of the above, walk away! You most likely are just buying into a whole lot of health and possible behavior issues. I have a friend that paid $400 for a Shepard that of course had known hip problems. Yes, the breeder kept breeding the parents anyway. There are a lot of breeders in Vegas that flat out lie, they are mainly on CL. At least at Leid she would have gotten a dog that had passed a vet check. She couldn’t afford the four grand for hip surgery and the dog lived in pain it’s entire life.
I’ve seen some really great dogs at the dog parks. I ask where they got the dog and they all come from out of state. I can always spot a Vegas breed dog, they never seem to measure up to breed standards. Idiots are just breeding what is called pet quality dogs, these aren’t the pick of the litter, and they haven’t won shows. Show dog champions mainly produce what is called pet quality offspring. Pet quality offspring rarely if ever produce champions.
If you want to find a good breeder, contact a few vets and ask around. You may have to wait and spend a little more but really how much is your time worth? You will be spending hundred of hours working and training your best buddy. Most of the puppies offered on Craigs List aren’t worth the money, you are better off just finding a dog on the street or from a shelter or rescue. If you really want a puppy, then contact the rescues and tell them what you are looking for and get on their short list. You can also visit the shelters early in the mornings, talk to adoption councilors and get on their list as well. Check their websites regularly.
A reputable breeder will want references from you, they will want you to return the dog for them to rehome if you can no longer keep the animal, and they will want you to sign a contract. Good breeders usually have a waiting list and breed only when they have buyers already lined up. Honestly if the guy or gal just breeds their dogs, throws an ad up on CL, and then wants you to give them money, take the puppy and be on your way… how much time and effort do you really think they put into breeding quality dogs. And really if their product is all that, why are they on CL?
Lilly the doggy dog
Lilly a pit bull was found on the streets of Las Vegas as an 8 month old untrained puppy and is now the perfect companion. Well on the way to be a therapy dog! Lilly has inspired Matthew to donate time towards Pit Bull awareness campaigns through LillysFriends.com and a special thanks to PeaceLoveAndPitbulls.org and Sit Means Sit!
Lilly on a trailor out in Indian Springs, NV. I can take her anywhere.
To Everyone Talking About The Statistics (Balch Springs, TX)
I found this on CraigsList and of course the author didn’t sing his name. It’s mainly a compilation of the information from the American Temperament Test Society, Inc. website. Enjoy!
The Following are in order of how many times tested. From LEFT To RIGHT…
#’s Tested, #’s Passed, #’s Failed and the Percent of the graded breed
AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER 772 664 108 86.0% (I OWN)
AMERICAN STAFFORDSHIRE TERRIER 608 510 98 83.9%
AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD 634 517 117 81.5%
BOUVIER DES FLANDRES 893 759 134 85.0%
BOXER 418 351 67 84.0%
COLLIE 846 674 172 79.7%
DALMATIAN 329 271 58 82.4%
DOBERMAN PINSCHER 1,574 1,222 352 77.6% (I HAVE OWNED)
GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG 3,038 2,559 479 84.2%
GOLDEN RETRIEVER 746 631 115 84.6%
GREAT DANE 275 219 56 79.6% (I OWN)
LABRADOR RETRIEVER 763 704 59 92.3%
MIXED BREED 968 832 136 86.0% (I HAVE OWNED)
RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK 424 358 66 84.4%
ROTTWEILER 5,357 4,470 887 83.4% (I HAVE OWNED)
SHETLAND SHEEPDOG 491 334 157 68.0%
ATTS Breed Statistics
up to June 12, 2010
IF YOU WOULD LIKE A FULL LIST OF ALL DOGS TESTED PLEASE VIEW THE WEBSITE…
http://www.atts.org/statistics.html
Description of the Temperament Test
The ATTS Temperament Test focuses on and measures different aspects of temperament such as stability, shyness, aggressiveness, and friendliness as well as the dog’s instinct for protectiveness towards its handler and/or self-preservation in the face of a threat.
The test simulates a casual walk through a park or neighborhood where everyday life situations are encountered. During this walk, the dog experiences visual, auditory and tactile stimuli. Neutral, friendly and threatening situations are encountered, calling into play the dog’s ability to distinguish between non-threatening situations and those calling for watchful and protective reactions.
Dogs must be at least 18 months old to enter this test. The test takes about eight to 12 minutes to complete. The dog is on a loose six-foot (6′) lead. The handler is not allowed to talk to the dog, give commands, or give corrections.
Failure on any part of the test is recognized when a dog shows:
Unprovoked aggression
Panic without recovery
Strong avoidance
The ATTS Temperament Test consists of ten subtests divided into five subcategories:
Behavior Toward Strangers
Objective: To measure the dog’s reaction to strangers in a non-threatening situation.
Subtest 1: Neutral stranger
A stranger to the dog approaches the handler, shakes hands with the handler and engages the handler in a brief conversation, ignoring the dog.
The purpose of this subtest is to evaluate the dog’s reaction to passive socialization and the dog’s protective instinct.
Subtest 2: Friendly stranger
A stranger to the dog approaches happily and briskly, is very friendly to the dog and pets the dog.
The purpose of this subtest is to evaluate the dog’s active social skills.
Reaction to Auditory Stimuli
Objective: To measure the dog’s reaction to auditory stimuli and the dog’s investigative behavior.
Subtest 3: Hidden Noise
The handler/dog team approaches a hidden assistant who rattles a metal bucket filled with rocks and sets this bucket in the path of the team. The handler may encourage the dog to investigate the bucket only when asked to do so. The handler’s focus must be on the bucket, not on the dog.
The purpose of this subtest is to test alertness and curiosity.
Subtest 4: Gunshots
The handler stops at a designated marker with his/her back towards a well hidden assistant. The assistant fires three shots using a .22 caliber starter pistol (SHOT-PAUSE-SHOT-SHOT).
The purpose of this subtest is to measure the dog’s recovery response to a sudden noise.
Reaction to Visual Stimulus
Objective: To measure the dog’s reaction to a sudden visual stimulus.
Subtest 5: Umbrella
The handler/dog team approaches an assistant sitting in a chair holding a closed umbrella parallel to the ground at a 90 degree angle to the approaching team. When the dog is five feet from the assistant, the umbrella is opened. The handler may encourage the dog to investigate the umbrella only when asked to do so. The handler’s focus must be on the umbrella, not on the dog.
Tactile Stimuli
Objective: To measure the dog’s reaction to unusual footing.
Subtest 6: Plastic Footing
Both the handler and the dog walk the entire length of a 15-foot by 6-foot clear plastic strip.
Subtest 7: Wire Footing
Only the dog will walk the entire length of a 12-foot by 3-foot unfolded exercise pen.
The purpose of these subtests is to measure the dog’s sensitivity to unusual footing, its ability to recover from the fear of unusual footing and to measure its investigative behavior to the unusual footing.
Self Protective/Aggressive Behavior
Objective: These tests collectively evaluate the dog’s capacity to recognize an unusual situation, its threshold to provocation, its protective instincts, and its propensity to realize when the situation becomes a threat.
Subtest 8: Non-Threatening
The handler/dog team stops at the designated marker. A weirdly-dressed stranger crosses the path 38 feet in front of the team.
The purpose of this subtest is to test the dog’s alertness to an unusual situation.
Subtest 9: Threatening
The weird stranger advances 10 feet towards the stationary handler in a threatening manner.
The purpose of this subtest is to evaluate the dog’s ability to recognize when an unusual situation turns into a provocation.
Subtest 10: Aggression
The weird stranger advances to within 18 feet of the stationary handler in an aggressive manner.
The purpose of this subtest is to evaluate the dog’s protective instincts.
The stranger is never closer than 10 feet from the dog. The handler’s 2 foot arm and the 6′ lead is added in for a total of 18 feet. Aggression here is checked against the breed standard and the dog’s training. A schutzhund trained dog lunging at the stranger is allowed, but if an untrained Siberian husky does the same, it may fail
About Canine Temperament
Because of breed-specific dog legislation and negative publicity associated with many breeds of dogs, temperament testing has assumed an important role for today’s dog fancier. The ATTS Temperament Test provides breeders a means for evaluating temperament and gives pet owners insight into their dog’s behavior. It can have an impact on breeding programs and in educating owners about their dog’s behavioral strengths and weaknesses as well as providing a positive influence on dog legislation.
What is temperament?
W. Handel, German Police Dog Trainer, in his article, “The Psychological Basis of Temperament Testing,” defines temperament as:
“the sum total of all inborn and acquired physical and mental traits and talents which determines, forms and regulates behavior in the environment”
The ATTS test focuses on and measures different aspects of temperament such as stability, shyness, aggressiveness, and friendliness as well as the dog’s instinct for protectiveness towards its handler and/or self-preservation in the face of a threat. The test is designed for the betterment of all breeds of dogs and takes into consideration each breed’s inherent tendencies.
The test simulates a casual walk through the park or neighborhood where everyday life situations are encountered. During this walk, the dog experiences visual, auditory and tactile stimuli. Neutral, friendly and threatening situations are encountered, calling into play the dog’s ability to distinguish between non-threatening situations and those calling for watchful and protective reactions.
Contacting ATTS
Mailing address:
American Temperament Test Society, Inc.
PO Box 800130
Balch Springs, TX 75180
Telephone:
(972) 557-2887
E-mail:
info@atts.org
A letter from Jet about cancer fighting diet.
Every once in a while you meet someone in a strange way and it turns out you have more in common with them than you would have originally guessed. I was at an ice cream social and ended up seated next to a guy named Jet. Eventually we ended up discussing dogs, dog behavior, and then the touchy subject of diet. I feed Lilly a partially raw diet. Even the best processed dog food is, well, processed. I know that eating processed food for long periods of time makes me restless, dumb and ichy… I can’t imagine it is any different for an animal. Biologically on a cellular level are we really that different. Lilly has a much shorter digestive tract than I do. She is also less susceptible to food poisoning from salmonella due to her short tract. There are a few differences between her and me. However, I’ve traveled all over the world to some pretty amazing places and have yet to see a kibble tree or bush where wild dogs go to feast. The similarities far out weigh the differences, and some raw food choices for Lilly has served us both well.
Jet asked me if I would like a copy of a letter he sent his friend outlining a raw food diet to combat a returning cancer in her dog. I of course jumped at the chance. For her privacy I’ve changed her name.
Debra,
You are about to embark on a quest that has the power to not only help your loving pet, but also make her much healthier.
First, you have to ask yourself if you are ready to commit to this type of regiment. It is time consuming and confusing in the beginning but will become a common daily routine in time.
Now, ask yourself this question: Do diseases and viruses exist in a host that has a perfectly functioning immune system? Of course not… So, since your dog has cancer a second time, her immune system is not functioning well, and I presume the vet will recommend either she go through the process again (which will not be good), let nature take its course (also not good), or put her down when she shows signs of additional weakness (not good a third time).
Well, from my perspective, I would address the immune deficiency immediately, since that is the most important system to fight her condition on its own. Once it becomes stronger, it has the power to stop the spreading or even reverse it, and the vet may not tell you that. If he did, he may lose a patient.
I’ll give you a list of things that will most definitely help her, and where to find them. But you have to believe in your heart that you truly want to help her because unless you begin this protocol and stick to it, don’t bother, and nature will take its course.
The introduction: When you introduce this type of diet and supplementation protocol to your dog, there is something you have to do first, and that is to get her ready to accept it. What I mean is that you have to get her body ready to accept the foods and process it efficiently the way nature originally designed her to do.
Eighty percent of her immune system exists in her digestive system so you have to focus on getting it to work at its peak and to always keep it healthy thereafter. Remember, nature designed her system to accept unprocessed and uncooked foods for optimum health. Continue reading
A Letter from a Shelter Manager
Pit Bulls are more likely to be euthanized than any other dog at a shelter... simply for being a live.
“This is an article that gets posted on CraigsList quit often. I have no way of verifying that it is true but having volunteered in two shelters in two different states: I feel comfortable posting it as realistic fiction. Please remember different states have different rules and regulations.” For everyone that posted a reply, I’m sorry that this post implied that I wrote it. This wordpress template lists everything that I post as if it was written by me. I will try to update the template to list me as poster and not writer.
I think our society needs a huge “Wake-up” call. As a shelter manager, I am going to share a little insight with you all…a view from the inside if you will.
First off, all of you breeders/sellers should be made to work in the “back” of an animal shelter for just one day. Maybe if you saw the life drain from a few sad, lost, confused eyes, you would change your mind about breeding and selling to people you don’t even know.
That puppy you just sold will most likely end up in my shelter when it’s not a cute little puppy anymore. So how would you feel if you knew that there’s about a 90% chance that dog will never walk out of the shelter it is going to be dumped at? Purebred or not! About 30% of all of the dogs that are “owner surrenders” or “strays”, that come into my shelter are purebred dogs with AKC papers (not that they’re any measure of quality in a dog).
The most common excuses I hear are; “We are moving and we can’t take our dog (or cat).” Really? Where are you moving to that doesn’t allow pets? Or they say “The dog got bigger than we thought it would”. How big did you think a German Shepherd would get? “We don’t have time for her”. Really? I work a 10-12 hour day and still have time for my 6 dogs! “She’s tearing up our yard”. How about making her a part of your family? They always tell me “We just don’t want to have to stress about finding a place for her we know she’ll get adopted, she’s a good dog.”
Odds are your pet won’t get adopted & how stressful do you think being in a shelter is? Well, let me tell you, your pet has 72 hours to find a new family from the moment you drop it off. Sometimes a little longer if the shelter isn’t full (which hasn’t been the case in the past 3 years, thanks to the economy) and your dog manages to stay completely healthy. If it sniffles, it dies. Your pet will be confined to a small run/kennel in a room with about 25 to 100 other barking or crying animals. It will have to relieve itself where it eats and sleeps. It will be depressed and it will cry constantly for the family that abandoned it. If your pet is lucky, I will have enough volunteers in that day to take him/her for a walk. If I don’t, your pet won’t get any attention besides having a bowl of food slid under the kennel door and the waste sprayed out of its pen with a high-powered hose. If your dog is big, black or any of the “Bully” breeds (pit bull, rottie, mastiff, etc) it was pretty much dead when you walked it through the front door. Those dogs just don’t get adopted. It doesn’t matter how ‘sweet’ or ‘well-behaved’ they are.
In most states the meat is processed and used in dog food for can and dry kibble. It's labelled 100% meat! However the chemicals to kill the dogs is still in the meat... so now your dog is getting slowly poisoined!
If your dog doesn’t get adopted within its 72 hours and the shelter is full, it will be destroyed. If the shelter isn’t full and your dog is good enough, and of a desirable enough breed it may get a stay of execution, but not for long . Most dogs get very kennel protective after about a week and are destroyed for showing aggression. Even the sweetest dogs will turn in this environment. If your pet makes it over all of those hurdles chances are it will get kennel cough or an upper respiratory infection and will be destroyed because shelters just don’t have the funds to pay for even a $100 treatment.
Here’s a little euthanasia 101 for those of you that have never witnessed a perfectly healthy, scared animal being “put-down”.
First, your pet will be taken from its kennel on a leash. They always look like they think they are going for a walk happy, wagging their tails. Until they get to “The Room”, every one of them freaks out and puts on the brakes when we get to the door. It must smell like death or they can feel the sad souls that are left in there, it’s strange, but it happens with every one of them. Your dog or cat will be restrained, held down by 1 or 2 vet techs depending on the size and how freaked out they are. Then a euthanasia tech or a vet will start the process. They will find a vein in the front leg and inject a lethal dose of the “pink stuff”. Hopefully your pet doesn’t panic from being restrained and jerk. I’ve seen the needles tear out of a leg and been covered with the resulting blood and been deafened by the yelps and screams. They all don’t just “go to sleep”, sometimes they spasm for a while, gasp for air and defecate on themselves.
When it all ends, your pets corpse will be stacked like firewood in a large freezer in the back with all of the other animals that were killed waiting to be picked up like garbage. What happens next? Cremated? Taken to the dump? Rendered into pet food? You’ll never know and it probably won’t even cross your mind. It was just an animal and you can always buy another one, right?
I hope that those of you that have read this are bawling your eyes out and can’t get the pictures out of your head I deal with everyday on the way home from work. I hate my job, I hate that it exists & I hate that it will always be there unless you people make some changes and realize that the lives you are affecting go much farther than the pets you dump at a shelter.
Between 9 and 11 MILLION animals die every year in shelters and only you can stop it. I do my best to save every life I can but rescues are always full, and there are more animals coming in everyday than there are homes. My point to all of this DON’T BREED OR BUY WHILE SHELTER PETS DIE!
Hate me if you want to. The truth hurts and reality is what it is. I just hope I maybe changed one persons mind about breeding their dog, taking their loving pet to a shelter, or buying a dog. I hope that someone will walk into my shelter and say “I saw this and it made me want to adopt”. THAT WOULD MAKE IT WORTH IT.
-Anonymous
In home pet sitting available!
A good trusted friend of mine Marci Wallace is available for home visits and over nights for your pets. She can also handle special needs cases! Please call her direct for pricing and availability.
Marci Wallace
702-373-6680
Jake the dog left tied to a tree, needs to have his boys removed!
Hey you need a kiss, and you need to pet me! Put down the camera and come here!!!!!
The dog who was tied to a tree and left as his owners moved out has a long term foster but desperately needs to have his boys removed. Lilly’s Friends is paying for his first round of shots and we are taking up pledges to get his balls chopped off. Think of it this way, one less breeding pitbull in the over populated pet population… or think of them as belonging to that horrible ex husband, or boy friend. If you are a straight man, think of them as belonging to that annoying personal trainer that keeps hitting your girlfriend or wife. Do something good while having a cathartic experience!
Jake is getting to that age where they are making him harder to train and focus on being a good boy, that you can clearly see he is trying to be.
Kid rocks demo from Sit Means Sit Anthem
This was at the Artisan52 Farmers Market in Henderson NV. Robert Pablico was away from the both when I got there, but his teenage son was playing with the dog and running it through the commands and I was able to get some video footage. It was really hot. If you watch the kid purposely keeps working the dog into shade spots. Unfortunately I didn’t get the young man’s name or the dogs… yeah it was that hot. However I think the father was there only to pass out business cards because the son totally rocked the demo.
They are on Facebook and you can friend them! Or visit their website at
Update on Hope’s Rescue
Hope an abandoned pit bull here in Las Vegas finds her miracle because one woman refuses to give up. Sabina Charles is truly remarkable in her tenacity and resolve to do the right thing!
Hope was living among a couple of abandoned (fore closed houses), probably waiting for the / her owner to come back. Unfortunately it’s a common story here in Las Vegas. People loose their house and just abandon their dogs. Most end up at the shelter where they are being put down at alarming rates. There simply isn’t enough room or adopters to pick up the slack.