Question about the young dog I am adopting.?

Question

Here's the thing, my fiance and I drove by a shelter and decided to stop by(we have been looking for a dog to adopt.) When we arrived we went through the screening process and asked to see any APBT/Mixes available. The second young man they brought out stole our hearts right away. He is a whopping 55lbs and just turned 1 year old. His face is Pit, but his ears stand up in the most adorable way.

Now, he surprised us from the start, already knowing sit, down, shake(both hands) and never got too shy, but also was gentle and not TOO excited. (I find this a good trait in dogs.) So yes, he seems perfect. We went back the next day(yesterday) and took him outside to go offleash. One thing we found out is he LOVES squeeky toys, more than treats. We also found that he would rather go in a shady corner and play by himself, as he does not know "come", or "fetch" yet. He is what they call, "inner motivated."

He was found a stray at 4 months, and has been in the shelter 8, that is how he learned some basic commands.


NOW! th questions.

1. Will an "Inner motivated" Dog, or I should say Pup, learn to be more involved with his owners when playing, with proper training? He LOVES to see the toy and sit for it and then run after when you throw it, so loves to play, just needs his time with the toy too. I'm thinking it's something he will break out of when he has a home and not in a kennel most of the day?

2. I NEED any dog I bring hom to adjust to my 6 year old cat. Thing is, my cat is with my mom right now in florida, so getting the dog now will make the dog the only pet in the house, until around April, when my cat comes home. Will a dog that's around a year and a half old be able to adjust to my cat? I understand all dogs have prey drive, i just need to know how long you think it will take at that age. My cat will eventually get used to him I'm sure, so long as my cat has me he's happy. Heh.

3. He IS mouthy, but gentle. My fiances worried he might bite on accident, but being NON-mouthy is easy to train, right?

4. Maybe you could tell me what mix you think he is? Definitely has APBT in him, which is what we wanted(great dogs), and the shelter thinks maybe great dane? (He IS tall, like I said 55lbs, still young and needs to put on 5lbs.) What do you think? He's such a beautiful boy...To me he looks mostly APBT. =]

http://www.care-evanston.org/pets/Wrigley_071909_a_FW.jpg <3

Answer 1

First off, thank you, thank you, thank you, for not only adopting shelter dog, and a pit bull, but also for thinking about your cat!



Ask the shelter staff to evaluate him with a cat (they should), or you can ask if you can take him into the cat room and see his reaction.



See if your mom has some friends who have dogs who can visit, and see what your cat does. OR, your mom can take the cat to a vet and sit in the waiting room and see how she reacts to dogs while in her carrier. If she seems to do okay, take her out of the crate, but be certain to have a harness and a leash on, for obvious reasons, and figure out if she'll adjust to dogs.



By the way, did I say thank you?

Answer 2

Wow, he's gorgeous! And I see what you mean about the ears.



The cat is the issue that bothers me. Clearly, this is breed-related, but not a comment on pit bulls - it's on many of their owners. He's had a fairly unstable life so far by being a stray and then spending 8 months in a shelter. The idea that you'd pair him up with a cat is a bit unnerving, because who knows what happened to him in those first important months of life.



I hate to say it, but the only I'd call this a good idea is if you're very experienced in training and would know danger signs and how to fix them. Otherwise, I just see a potential risk here for the cat. If you know a really good trainer who would be there at your home to supervise the meeting when the cat arrives, and you'd commit to that, then maybe so, but it's not something where you can take shortcuts if you're not experienced in training stray dogs.

Answer 3

Aww...he's a cutie



The only thing that I would be concerned over is the cat. Ask at the shelter whether or not he has been around cats?

If he tries to kill your cat, nothing against him lol...some dogs just do that kind of thing...then I"m not sure what you can do!



As for the other concerns...I would highly recommend calling a local dog trainer...(We've done that...they are not very expensive $60.00 an hour here)...

Even take her/him to the pound so that they can see the dog interact and pick up on anything that might be of a concern to you. They can also give you great tips on how to train your dog not to play bite and to enjoy playing games with people.

Answer 4

Tough query... As a ways as coaching is going, I have consistently located it less difficult to coach a dog. And I am somewhat uncomfortable bringing a puppy into my house (with my 3 youngsters) if I don't have any expertise approximately it is heritage or its genetics, although I *have* on a few situations... It is absolutely a noble factor to do when you have the know-how and persistence required to elevate an older puppy... Being sincere, a dog (that you *can* generally uncover at shelters, incidentally), will modify less difficult on your house and activities, and take extra readily on your coaching tactics. An older puppy could have an extended transition degree in which they're burdened and/or apprehensive approximately their new atmosphere. They might have already got dangerous behavior that you simply ought to paintings on, as good. On the opposite hand, they will already be housetrained and recognize a couple of methods! If you pass with a breeder, you'll be able to cautiously study the dog's household and recognize if they're healthful puppies, what their temperaments are, and so forth. That generally is a big remedy when you have young children round, and it could actually retailer at the vet costs as good. There are execs and cons to all sides of the limitation, and it quite is as much as you to make a decision what's high-quality for your self and your house and household. If you might have the time and power to help and re-coach an older, followed puppy, please do! Just uncover out up to you'll be able to approximately the puppy, it is heritage, and its temperament and wellness. No subject what humans throw at you, adoption is not for everybody, and also you ought to weigh that selection for your self. Whatever you decide upon to do, I desire you the high-quality! I wish you uncover the ideal puppy!

Answer 5

He looks and sounds like a real sweetheart!



To answer your questions:



1. Yes, an "inner motivated" dog can be loving and involved with his handlers. Chances are he's become "inner motivated" because he had to find ways to amuse himself (shelters try their best, but cannot give each dog the one on one attention it wants and needs because they have a lot of other animals to tend to). Pit bulls are very people loving and want to please them. Trick training would be a huge asset because it builds the bond between dog and handler.



2. The shelter should be able to test him with cats. Explain to them your situation and let them test one of their shelter cats with him. Can adult dogs adjust to having a cat as part of their pack? Yes. They'll just need supervision for a while to make sure the dog understands that the cat isn't prey, but an equal member in the home. Make sure to keep him on leash and remain calm when introducing him to the cat.



3. He's just getting out of his puppy phase and probably hasn't had the necessary outlets needed to discourage this behavior. When he does mouth, a firm "no" should suffice. If that doesn't work, give him an on leash correction and wait for him to calm down. Then, give him something he *can* chew on (like a Kong or chew toy).



4. I agree that he seems mostly APBT to me, but maybe there is some Shepherd up his family tree, which would explain the erect ears. Regardless, he is adorable and looks like a loving companion!



Good luck with him and thank you so very much for opting to adopt (not shop) as well as seeing past the undeserved stereotype put on pit bulls!