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 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.

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

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.

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.

Step 1:  If you haven’t already done so, introduce plain yogurt to her.  I use a brand called Mountain High, Original Style All Natural Yogurt Plain flavor.  Its reasonably priced and the quality is good.  Don’t get the reduced fat or nonfat.  The yogurt will feed the good bacteria in her digestive system that will begin the process of the change you have to make in her diet soon after.

For a fifty lbs dog, a tablespoon twice a week for two weeks, then every other day from then on, either in her food or as a treat.

Step 2:  If you’re not already doing so, give her good quality drinking water at all times and never give her tap water ever again. Very important too.  If you take her to a dog park, don’t let her drink from the community bucket of water (its tap) and always bring your own water with you for her.

Step 3:  Now, chicken, rice, and carrots, especially cooked, has very little nutrients outside of whatever protein that’s left after cooking and some trace minerals so you will have to broaden her nutritional intake.  Variety is the key.

Step 4:  The introduction transition to the new diet should be at 25% intervals that last several days each, so in roughly two weeks, your old diet should be gone and replaced with the new one.  Also introduce the Essiac tea at the same time along with the new food and keep the yogurt going as stated above.

Below you will find one of my dog’s diets but don’t be overwhelmed…  His diet is extremely simple once you get into a routine with it.  Besides, he has hip dysplascia and a deformed knee joint that this diet targets very well.

Since your dog has cancer, I will modify Jager’s diet towards your situation so to address it the best way.  The bulk of the diet will stay the same for your situation.

Jagermeister’s Typical Diet

Raw:

Daily (two meals)

Natural Chicken with bones and skin
Brown rice

Other Rotations (or added to): Natural Beef, Natural cottage cheese, Natural Beef Liver, Natural plain yogurt, Natural Lamb , Celtic sea salt Mackerel, Raw organic egg (with shell), Alaskan Salmon, Tuna, Sardines

Vegetables: Broccoli, Ginger, Carrots, Garlic, Peas, Spinach, Alfalfa sprouts, Green beans, Kale, Shiitake mushroom, Parsley, Red cabbage, Dandelion leaves, Collard greens

Also rotate: Beets w/ greens, Watercress, Squashes, Eggplant, Yam,  Swiss chard, Potatoes (no skin or eyes), Bean sprouts, Red bell peppers, Bok Choy
Green bell peppers, Green cabbage, Tomatoes, Mustard greens, Cucumber, Celery, Stewed tomatoes

Fruits (Daily): Wild organic blueberries, Dried cranberries, Apple

Also rotate: Apricots, Oranges, Peaches, Assorted Melons, Plums, Mango, Blackberries, Pear

Supplements, Herbs, etc: Glucosamine Chondroitin, Sea Cucumber, Licorice root, Tumeric, Cumin, Ashwangharu root, Kelp, Boswellia, Wheat grass,  Alfalfa, Maitake mushrooms, Reishi mushrooms, Flax seed, Horsetail grass, Yucca root, Salmon or Cod liver oil, Safflower oil (vitamin E), CoQ10 Complex, Canola oil, Olive oil, Sesame oil (vitamin E)

Treats: Natural beef bones (meaty only), Cucumber, Lamb neck bones, Bean sprouts, Carrots, Alfalfa sprouts, Celery, Pizza crust, Melon, Low sodium V8 juice, Hummus and Pita bread with olive oil, Mango, Apple juice, Mango juice, Cranberry juice, Guava juice, Peanut butter and honey sandwich, Orange juice, Red cabbage, Orange / tangerine,  Apple, Tomato, Frozen organic long green beans, Melons, Banana, Asparagus

Acupressure points (approx every third day or twice weekly):
GB34, BL40, BL60, BL28, BL54, GB29, GB30

Reiki treatment: Weekly

Deep massage: Weekly

Homeopathy: Arnica, Hypericum, Rhus Tox., Constitutional Pain Combo

Cancer diet protocol on following pages

Cancer Diet Protocol:

Daily (two meals)

Natural Chicken with bones and skin
Brown rice
Fruits and Vegetables
Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

Other Rotations: Natural Beef, Natural cottage cheese (or added to), Natural Beef Liver, Natural plain yogurt, Natural Lamb, Celtic sea salt, Mackerel, Raw organic egg (with shell), Alaskan Salmon, Tuna, Sardines

Vegetables: Broccoli, Ginger, Carrots, Garlic, Peas, Spinach, Alfalfa sprouts, Green beans,  Kale, Shiitake mushroom, Parsley, Red cabbage, Dandelion leaves, Collard greens

Also rotate: Beets w/ greens, Watercress, Squashes, Eggplant, Yam, Swiss chard, Potatoes (no skin or eyes), Bean sprouts, Red bell peppers, Bok choy, Green bell peppers, Green cabbage, Tomatoes, Mustard greens, Cucumber, Celery, Stewed tomatoes

Fruits (Daily): Wild organic blueberries, Dried cranberries, Apple

Also rotate: Apricots, Oranges, Peaches, Assorted Melons, Plums, Mango, Blackberries, Pear

Supplements, Herbs, etc:
H. A. –Hyloronic Acid – for joint pain, limping, etc.
Dong Quai – helps to balance hormones for spayed female animals
Wild yam – same as above
Glucosamine Chondroitin- for her joints
Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar – full of wonderful nutrients (daily)
Celtic Sea salt – the only real salt still full of nutrients from the sea (occasionally)
Kelp- tons of great minerals and vitamins
Tumeric- circulation
Wheat grass- tons of great minerals and vitamins
Maitake mushrooms- anti-cancer properties
Reishi mushrooms- anti-cancer properties
Horsetail grass- for her coat
Safflower oil- rotate with other oils below daily
Canola oil
Olive oil
Sesame oil
Licorice root- once a week for hormone balancing
Dong Quai- for hormone balancing
CoQ10 Complex- for her heart functions
Ester-C- antioxidant
Vitamin E- antioxidant
Carnivora (Dionaea muscipula)- anti-cancer
Chaparral (Larrea tridentate)- anti- cancer and anti-tumor
Essiac Tea- powerful detox tea with anti-cancer properties
Hoxsey Therapy- You will have to find this yourself

Treats: Natural beef bones (meaty only), Cucumber, Lamb necks bones, Bean sprouts, Carrots, Alfalfa sprouts, Celery, Pizza crust, Melon, Low sodium V8 juice,
Hummus and Pita bread with olive oil, Mango, Apple juice, Mango juice, Cranberry juice, Guava juice, Peanut butter and honey sandwich, Orange juice, Red cabbage, Orange / tangerine, Apple, Tomato, Frozen organic long green beans, Melon, banana

Acupressure points (approx every third day or twice weekly):
KI3 (kidneys)
ST36 (qi strengthening, digestion)
GV20 (mind and spirit)

Reiki treatment: Weekly (editors note: you may want to do remote work nightly, a great exercise before bedtime)

Deep massage: Weekly

Homeopathy: Thuja (anti-tumor), Hydrastis (mammary), Phytolacca (mammary)

Chinese Herbs: Astragalus, green tea, Licorice (short term use only), Ginseng (specially with and after chemo or radiation), Medicinal mushrooms or its extracts (Reishi, Maitake, Shiitake, Cordyceps, Tremella, Coriolus Versicolor)

Ayurvedic Herbs: Tumeric, Ashwagandu

Western Herbs: Burdock root, Garlic, Red Clover

Flower essence: Rescue Remedy – by Bach Flower essences.  For physical and emotional stress:  The remedy will help cleanse the body and restore feelings of well – being.

Other considerations:
Color therapy – Use greens or greens with red; clothing, blankets, pillows, or even colored light bulbs.

Stay Optimistic – Your genuine positive energy and outward love sent directly from your heart to hers is crucial for her well – being and steady recovery.
Enjoy your time together and learn to live and love in the moment, just as your pet does. Stop focusing on the worse case scenario and instead focus all your positive energy on good thoughts.  It is a very strong medicine.

Now that you’ve seen it, do you still want to go this route?  To tell you the truth, most people would give it up without even trying once they see this protocol and I wouldn’t blame you if you did, it can be intimidating.  However, this commitment is still cheaper than any conventional cancer therapies in the long run and your pet will be much healthier too, and your bond will only grow stronger because she will know she is special to you just as you have always been to her and she will spend each day in the kitchen with you as you make her meals.

Now, once you are well into the new diet for a month or so, consider a “fast” day for your dog.  This isn’t a “starve your dog day”.  What I mean is, a day away from the routine.  Use this day to introduce her to new foods.  Saturdays around here is “Bone Day”.  My dogs get meaty bones, fruit and veggie treats, etc.  Stuff they don’t get during the week.  Like a change up.  They love it.  But the idea is not to fill their stomach like a meal.  Snacking all day long in little portions is more like it.  It gives their bodies a chance to absorb something new and unusual, yet still very healthy.  It also gives them a day to experience an internal cleansing.
But lets go on…

THE FOODS:

THEY HAVE TO BE ORGANIC OR NATURALLY RAISED IS BEST!

A lot of the list in the food section is rotational, meaning offering your dog a variety of flavors is super beneficial for her immune system.  The fruits and veggies must be organic because non-organic produce is full of pesticides and herbicides.  You don’t want any stuff like that eaten by your dog anymore.
Always remember, aging decreases her ability to tolerate poor or mediocre quality foods, dietary excesses or deficiencies, and abrupt changes in the menu.

Its cleansing time.
I get all my produce at Sunflower Market.  They are a lot cheaper than Whole Foods and have a much better selection than Trader Joe’s.
Always wash and rinse the produce well in drinking water, not tap (too many chemicals), before using them in her foods.

Meats should also be naturally raised, hormone and antibiotic free.  The beef, beef liver and heart, and lamb can be found reasonably priced at Sunflower Market again.  They are all natural.  For the chicken, I go to Smart and Final and get Foster Farms All Natural, its hormone and antibiotic free and usually under a buck a pound with their club card.  Get the whole chicken with all the giblets.

Now, I give all my food a detox bath.  Meaning I want to make sure there is nothing on the surfaces of the meats or produce before I use them so I sterilize them.  For this, I use 2 tablespoons of Braggs Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (Sunflower Market) per gallon of drinking water and soak up to 30 minutes, then rinse and soak for ten minutes.  This takes care of your worries of Ecoli and Salmonella, etc.  Fruits I have to peel don’t need this soak, but still need the rinse.

The canned fish is important for its Omegas but it also has salt so I only use them a couple times a week as a meal enhancer, not a meal in itself (she’ll love it).  Be sure to use up all the liquid too and rotate as often as you like.  The tomato sauce sardines also adds lipids to her diet and that’s a good thing. Reduce carbohydrates and increase fats.  Tumor cells prefer carbohydrate sources for energy but have a difficult time using fats.  By feeding less carbs and more fats, you can help starve the tumor cells, thereby helping to reduce the spread of cancer or slow the growth of existing tumors.  The added fat will help stem the weight loss that will often occur when cancer cells rob the body of its nutrients.

More top quality protein (animal source) in the diet will also keep her from losing muscle mass, weight loss, and help the ailing immune system.
Vitamins A, C, and E (d-alpha tocopherol), will also increase the well being of her immune system and in some cases could have a direct anti-cancer effect.
Words of caution:  Vitamin A and E should always be used together to avoid toxicity.  Check with your vet for recommended amounts if you decide to supplement her.
Increase the protein to about 60% of her meal (poultry, meats, salmon, liver, heart, etc.).
Decrease carbohydrates to about 10% per meal.
Increase the produce intake to 30-35% per meal.  Variety of raw, pureed fruits and veggies so they are loaded with phytonutrients and vitamin content.

Be sure to increase fats (fish oils, flaxseed oil, olive oil, etc) slowly.  Otherwise it could give her runny poop.

Multiple vitamin and mineral and digestive enzyme supplement per meal.  ( I recommend  starting with a product called Seameal by Solid Gold. Provide a calcium source unless you already are, i.e. fresh meaty bones, organic egg shell crushed (pureed) in the food, etc.  Be sure she is not diagnosed with high blood levels of calcium first (this occurs with some cancers). Bioflavanoids and other plant extracts (green tea extract, grape seed extract, lycopene, quercetin, fermented Noni juice, etc.  I prefer rotating these every couple days.

Now, let’s put it together as a shopping list:

Smart and Final:  Foster Farms All Natural Chicken (whole), canned sardines in oil, in tomato sauce, canned salmon, canned mackerel.  You might also try the 99 cent store for some of these products.

Sunflower Market:  Organic Fruits, Veggies, Natural beef and lamb, Apple cider vinegar, homeopathy, extracts and oils, Essiac Tea (Flo-Essence by Flora), dried cranberries (bulk section).

Trader Joe’s: Organic carrots ($ .79 / bag), wild organic blueberries (frozen), organic peas (frozen), organic brown eggs

Herbally Grounded: Good herb selection (Charleston and Decatur next to Smart and Final)

Certain produce should always constitute the base of each meal.  I would suggest the following:
Red cabbage
Collard greens
Alfalfa sprouts
Wheat grass
Apple
Blueberries
Cranberries
Maitake mushroom
Carrots
Parsley
Dandelion leaves
Green beans

All your produce has to be processed in a food processor.  Your dog’s intestinal track isn’t long enough to break down large pieces of produce so pureeing it will increase the bio-availability of its nutrients (important).

You’ll have to somehow get over your indoctrination of paranoia for feeding your dog raw foods. Her body has already been changed permanently from her last bout of conventional cancer therapy and as a result it will be even harder to fight it a second time for her.  That’s why I must ask you to reconsider the raw diet.  It is her best chance…

Call me.
Jet

PS  Raw chicken bones have the perfect natural balance of calcium and phosphorus that nature set for dogs among many other minerals.  Crush them if you have to.  Oh, give her a raw egg at least once a week with the shell (calcium).  If she’s not getting calcium from bones, crush the shell in her food too, she won’t mind.

PPSS  One last thing…  When you use the anti-cancer herbs and such outside of the mushrooms, be sure to use one or two at a time for at least one to two months before going on to the next one.  You can use all of them at once but then you won’t know which one works best for her and which ones don’t. Give my best to your beloved pup.

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

Marci Wallace
702-373-6680

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.

They are on Facebook and you can friend them! Or visit their website at

http://www.SitMeansSitAnthem.com

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.