need some facts

[bulldog426]

ok, me and my ole lady have been kinda arguing on some stuff lately. i need something in writing from some articles if anybody can help me. ok here's the problem i have a big fenced in yard out front, the dogs of mine that i actually keep at my house are 3 pitbulls and one catahoula. because i live in the city, so i have a few more of my dogs at a friend's. well anyways, in my yard i have my 16 month old male out front chained. and i have a 7 month old male that stays inside while we're home, but stays outside during the day, and i need some facts on why the 7 month old should start being chained or kenneled because of them trying to play dominant, she thinks because they've been raised around each other they won't try to fight, when they get around that age. haven't had a problem yet, the 7 month old pretty much just sleeps on the porch all day, or under the oak tree. but i know the day will come they will try to be dominant. and i need some facts in writing of why they should be kept separated.
and also we have a bitch, which is really my dog, but then it's her dog, she wants to get it spayed. i don't like getting my dogs spayed, they get fat, i've seen dogs have horomone problems after getting cut, and i'd also like to get a litter out of her, to see what she can produce, so i need something on why not to spay a pitbull, i've also heard that it makes a pitbull meaner, which i don't want, i haven't ever had any experience with spayed or neutered pitbulls, to know from personal experience. but i've heard from quiet a few people that it makes em have split personalities, be friendly one second, the next they mean, and growling.

and also i need something on overfeeding, because sometimes she feeds em before i get home, and she gives em too much food, and feeds em sometimes twice a day, i started noticing them getting fat.

[GSDbulldog]

Spaying and neutering does not cause a dog to:

1. Become fat. Over-feeding and a lack of exercise cause this.
2. Become aggressive.

If you notice that they are beginning to get fat, either increase their exercise or leave specific instructions for your wife on how much they should be fed.

[Suki]

it's a sheer myth about a dog becoming fat/lazy due to spaying/neutering. dogs get fat just like people~same rule applies=calorie intake is greater than what the animal is actually 'burning off'. keep the animal on a good, steady diet and then add a sufficient~key word sufficient, amount of exercise and you're golden.

spaying/neutering has ALL kinds of health benefits, not to mention does NOT bring into the world another :rolleyes: litter of unplanned/unwanted pups. spaying prevents mammory cancer, prevents unwanted, unsupervised males from suddenly appearing on your door step, prolongs an animal's life, ..
more:
http://www.vospca.org/archive/spayneut.html

as far as two dogs getting into it, well i LIKE to preach the old saying "NEVER trust them NOT to fight".
imo, it goes without saying, due to "the nature" of this breed, that a potential fight is inevitable and i think it's always best to be prepared then NOT to be prepared. One day they're fine together, and the next day something sets them off, and there you have it... :eek: , along with the possibility of a vet visit if you don't know what to do, medically...
again, comes with the territory. ;)
i will dig up some info, but this is the short and sweet version.
and if she is not worthy of being bred, by ALL MEANS, get her fixed~can't stress that one enuff....

[bulldog426]

Spaying and neutering does not cause a dog to:

1. Become fat. Over-feeding and a lack of exercise cause this.
2. Become aggressive.

If you notice that they are beginning to get fat, either increase their exercise or leave specific instructions for your wife on how much they should be fed.thing is she thinks a dog should eat, eat, eat, "refer to the last part" i've seen dogs have some horomonal problems from it, just want to get something in writing to persuade her not to. dog has a really good pedigree, and i originally got the dog for a brood bitch, but the ole lady come around about the same time, got attached.......... and i'ma wanting to atleast use her for a catchdog, and to me a spayed or neutered dog don't have quiet the prey drive, as a unaltered dog. i've heard people saying that a pitbull will be meaner if you have em cut, diddn't really think i should believe it. although i have seen some dogs that were spayed that had a bad split personality, but didn't ever know the dog beforehand to know if it was always like that. and i also had a beagle one time that was fixed, dang dog aged twice as fast as normal. when he was 5 years old, you would've thought he was 10, and had a rottie female once, that was fixed, had heath problems with her, horomonal issues. and to me a dog isn[t the same after they are fixed.

the bitch is worthy of being bred, i know her sire and dam, she's got alot of ch and gr ch in the ped. that's the thing i want her to stay intact, probably breed her around next fall.

[Suki]

thing is she thinks a dog should eat, eat, eat, "refer to the last part" i've seen dogs have some horomonal problems from it, just want to get something in writing to persuade her not to. dog has a really good pedigree, and i originally got the dog for a brood bitch, but the ole lady come around about the same time, got attached.......... and i'ma wanting to atleast use her for a catchdog, and to me a spayed or neutered dog don't have quiet the prey drive, as a unaltered dog. i've heard people saying that a pitbull will be meaner if you have em cut, diddn't really think i should believe it. although i have seen some dogs that were spayed that had a bad split personality, but didn't ever know the dog beforehand to know if it was always like that.
i think if anything, she'll have a more consistent prey drive after the spay, as her hormones won't be fluxuating so much....
TRUST me, it's a myth....;)

and as far as feeding, if you're feeding a good quality kibble, read the guidelines (yes, they're ONLY guidelines) on the manufacturer's bag, and go by that, as to the amounts to feed.
do not feed, feed, feed. 2x a day is sufficient. i don't recommend free feeding, as i think that's what leads to most over weight issues with canines.

[bulldog426]

i added a few things to that one post so there may be some changes. i can't stress the fact to my ole lady that she's feeding too much, i tried hiding the dogfood, she just went to the store and got more. i'ma have to lock my dogs up to keep her from overfeeding em behind my back. and to prevent unwanted pregnacies, i can put her in the pen to keep her from getting out, or any male from gettting in so that's no problem there with unwanted puppies, and if i intentionally bred her, it wouldn't be hard for me to find homes for the puppies. this bitch is the dog that everybody wants you know, everybody who sees this ped is like man where did you get this dog!!!! basically what it is with her, i want the dog to remain intact, she wants her fixed. so i was hoping i could get some facts "links" to convence her not to spay. and also some facts "links" of why not to feed too much, and also about da.

[Suki]

stuff to read:

http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/responsible.html


10 Easy to Remember Tips for Responsible Pit Bull Owners</SPAN>

1. Exercise your dog everyday. Pit Bulls are high energy dogs that need some way of burning off that pinned up energy. Even a short 10-15 minute walk or game of fetch in the backyard will help burn off energy that can lead to behavior problems.

2. Never leave pit bulls alone with other dogs (or any animal). Even if you're dog gets along great 99.9% of the time with other animals the Pit Bull is known for animal aggression and it is possible something will happen. A good piece of advice I received a long time ago was, Never trust your Pit Bull not to fight.

3. Always have your dog on a leash in public. Most if not all towns, cities and states have leash laws. Obey these laws. This will help people see your dog in a positive light and keep accidents like getting hit by passing cars from occuring.

4. Always supervise your dogs and never allow them to roam free. Loose dogs are often hurt by cruel people and accidents can happen as well. Always know where your dog is.

5. Supervise your dog with small children. This is a must. Small children are often hurt by dogs not out of angry, but because dogs can scratch them, step on them, and otherwise injure them.

6. Spay or Neuter your dog. Unless you plan on doing something where the dog can not be spayed or neutered get it done. This will reduce accidental breedings and stop roaming males from getting loose.

7. Train your dog. Take your dog to obedience classes or hire a private trainer to help you train your dog. This is very important for Pit Bull owners. If you can not control your dog bad things will eventually happen. Get your dog into training as soon as possible.

8. Avoid dog parks. While your Pit Bull is a puppy and up to date on all their shots going to a dog park isn't a bad idea. However, when the dog gets older it turns into a bad idea. Because you have a Pit Bull is not the main reason for not going to places like these. Rather it's because other dogs and owners are not responsible and let their dogs run around like jackasses. This can cause friction between your dog and another dog at the park. Not a good scene rio.

9. Socialize your dog. Take your dog to as many places as you can, meet new people and while they are young meet as many other dogs as possible. Socializing your Pit Bull will help curb any future problems that might occur.

10. Keep your dog properly confined. Pit Bulls are known to be great escape artist. Make sure you have the means to keep them in your yard and properly confined. Installing a six foot privacy fence is not a bad idea either.

Responsible ownership starts from the time your Pit Bull comes to live with you. Irresponsible owner's are one of the major causes for all the problems the breed faces today. It's our hope here at Pit Bull Lovers we can spread the word and educate more owners to take responsibility for their dogs actions.

In order for things to change, we must change the way we look at our own actions and how they effect the world around us. Until we do that, things will simply stay the way they are right now.

http://www.pitbulllovers.com/american-pit-bull-terrier-myths.html
http://dog-breeds.suite101.com/article.cfm/about_pit_bulls
http://dog-breeds.suite101.com/article.cfm/about_pit_bulls

these should get yah started...

[bulldog426]

had a beagle one time that was fixed, dang dog aged twice as fast as normal. when he was 5 years old, you would've thought he was 10, and had a rottie female once, that was fixed, had heath problems with her, horomonal issues. and to me a dog isn[t the same after they are fixed.

[Suki]

i added a few things to that one post so there may be some changes. i can't stress the fact to my ole lady that she's feeding too much, i tried hiding the dogfood, she just went to the store and got more. i'ma have to lock my dogs up to keep her from overfeeding em behind my back. and to prevent unwanted pregnacies, i can put her in the pen to keep her from getting out, or any male from gettting in so that's no problem there with unwanted puppies, and if i intentionally bred her, it wouldn't be hard for me to find homes for the puppies. this bitch is the dog that everybody wants you know, everybody who sees this ped is like man where did you get this dog!!!! basically what it is with her, i want the dog to remain intact, she wants her fixed. so i was hoping i could get some facts "links" to convence her not to spay. and also some facts "links" of why not to feed too much, and also about da.i see overweight dogs come in at the clinic almost on a daily basis. it's alarming!!!! (and heart breaking) overfeeding is SO bad for a dog: it strains their hearts, adds unneeded/unnecessary pressure/strain to their limbs, causes kidney issues, ...
please show your girl this:
http://lifestyle.sympatico.msn.ca/Foreseeing+the+Dangers+of+OverEating/Pets/Articles/Dogs+and+Overeating.htm?isfa=1
and it seems like everyone has that one that just "has" to be bred....
BEST to BEST!!!;)

[Suki]

had a beagle one time that was fixed, dang dog aged twice as fast as normal. when he was 5 years old, you would've thought he was 10, and had a rottie female once, that was fixed, had heath problems with her, horomonal issues. and to me a dog isn[t the same after they are fixed.i currently have an Eli cross who's 5 and she's a TRUE definition of lightening!!!!
seriously...
and yeah, she's "fixed"....
nothing, and i mean NOTHING slows this bitch down. raised rotts, as well for 15 years, had 2 females fixed~neither never put on an extra ounce.
good feed, good exercise=good dog. ;)

[bahamutt99]

My best dog is spayed. It means I can show/pull/trial her at any time of year without worrying about heat cycles interfering. And she, too, is a dog that tons of people are interested in, but that is just justification, not a reason to breed. Anyway, point is, you're not going to find much in writing that backs up your viewpoint, because its just not the norm. Now I have read studies that say to wait until 14 months to spay/neuter, but that's the best I can offer.

[bullydogs]

i added a few things to that one post so there may be some changes. i can't stress the fact to my ole lady that she's feeding too much, i tried hiding the dogfood, she just went to the store and got more. i'ma have to lock my dogs up to keep her from overfeeding em behind my back. and to prevent unwanted pregnacies, i can put her in the pen to keep her from getting out, or any male from gettting in so that's no problem there with unwanted puppies, and if i intentionally bred her, it wouldn't be hard for me to find homes for the puppies. this bitch is the dog that everybody wants you know, everybody who sees this ped is like man where did you get this dog!!!! basically what it is with her, i want the dog to remain intact, she wants her fixed. so i was hoping i could get some facts "links" to convence her not to spay. and also some facts "links" of why not to feed too much, and also about da.Wow, your situation is similar to scenarios i have encountered also. Listen, regarding you wife over feeding.....just try to sit her down and read some articles on the net about healthly feeding. Better to see it coming from other sources than just you. Most of my family,friends, and even people in the city i live in think that that my dogs are too skinny. Any hint of rib and my mom and grandmother are telling me that i am starving them. Our only defense is to try to educate on what we belief. My mother used to try to give my dogs an endless amount of treats. She would spread them all over the carpet like landmines. Now she respects what i am trying to do, but it took alot of convincing.

Not sure your gonna find anything in writting about why to keep your dogs apart. Its just common knowledge that at some point there could be a fight. I know like everyone else, read the stories about being having dogs together for years. And then one day they get into it, and you dont wanna be away when this happens. Not to scare you, but people have come home to a dead dog/ or injured one. Its just not worth it, chain them up, crate and rotate, etc.

[DryCreek]

I decided to look at some science to see what researchers have to say.

Scientists have studied sterilization (including juvenile) with respect to growth and bone density (1,2), osteosarcoma (3,4) and cognitive impairment in the aging dog (5) but researchers agree that more study is needed. There are few long-term studies of the effects of sterilization (6). Short-term studies (7) covering periods of months or a few years show some risks but due to the length of these studies, the results are not conclusive or even particularly useful to the average pet owner who keeps a dog for life.

According to researchers, spaying and neutering may also have behavioural implications not previously considered.(8)

Korean investigators studied German Shepherd Dogs to examine the effects of spaying on behaviour. Kim et al discovered that the bitches who had been spayed displayed higher reactivity than those who were intact. (9) In another study, the same team found that spayed bitches barked more frequently at a different pitch and were more territorial than intact bitches of the same breed. (10)

Dr K Overall, a canine genetic behaviourist, has some concerns about the benefit of spaying for the average pet owner in view of behavioural implications.(11)

This leads me to question the wisdom of mandated spay/neuter as sweeping public policy in an attempt to make dogs (and especially bitches) more placid. If anything, based on this research it may have no effect at all, or worse, the opposite effect to that intended on problem behaviours.(12)


The above quote was found here...
http://caveat.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2007/11/28/3380151.html

Included at the end of this blog is a list of reference materials.