I got something for you guys

I know it is good to socialize hEMI BUT SHOULD i DO THAT WITH JUST MY FAMILY OR SHOULD i TAKE HIM OUT TO pET sMART and places like that. I know some dont take there dogs anywhere and are fine with that. What approach do you think I should take..

 

yee when i first got my pup i took him on walks just got him used to the outside and i let him hang around me wit my friends. I wouldnt take him to pet smart or anywhere with lots of animals because he's still young and aint got all his shots, which makes em alot more prone to bacteria that could get em sick.

 

I think it depends on what your plans are. I like to take my pups and rescues (once well behaved enough) everywhere possible. I think it's important to get them use to new situations and learn how to behave appropriately. Some of the rescues I would be wary about at first, but pups and young dogs I always bring every chance I get. It's great to socialize them like that IMO. It provides a wonderful learning opportunity as well. Be sure to teach your pup manners...don't let him jump on strangers and don't let strangers just pet him and allow him to jump and lick all over them. It's cute when they're pups but when they're older...it's not so cute and to some it's scary. I use it as a stepping stone to having a good canine citizen, and to me that's very important as I take my dogs into public as much as I can.

Now..for those who have yards and don't really take dogs into public much...I don't think it would hurt (although I'm not experienced with this set up) to take them, but I don't think it would be drastic if they didn't.

Also, like mentioned before...make sure your pup has all shots before bringing him around other animals.

 

Yeah I'd be interested in hearing everyone's socializing tips...we waited a little late to get Dante socialized and he had a real bad experience on his first walk- he saw this crazy looking little girl on a tricycle wearing a helmet with a silver reflector face sheild. Neon pink bike with tassels- the works. She was coming down the street right at him and it was just bad. No incidents though, but no poor young bulldog should have to go through that. I suggest exposing them to lots of unique stimulation while young enough not to be completely unnerved by it. Dante is still on point when we go on walks and we don't go out enough because he's always tight as a drum. It's a bad cycle that could have been avoided if we'd socialized him earlier.

 

In my opinion, take them everywhere. I am not sure how old your dog is, but if taking him/her to Petsmart, just 'potty' them before you go in, so there is no accidents inside the store. That is a real 'pisser' (pardon the pun) when the dog takes a leak in the store.

I used to sit outside of the grocery store. People would come over and pet my boys. It's a good way to get them used to being around people and on occasion, other dogs walking down the street. I am all for socializing.


Andrew

 

I would wait till your pup is vaccinated fully. All 3 -4 rounds of Vaccinations. Before you take him out and about. Pet Stores, parks and places like that can be a breeding ground for diseases. I took both mine everywhere with me. I had the luxury to take mine with me to work at a Vet Hospital where they got used to everything. I wanted them to be used to every type of noise and surroundings. I took them with me in the car even if it was just to the corner store. But thats what I wanted a social dog that would not be timid.

At work I see alot of dogs come through there and are unsocialized and scared of everything.

It all depends on what you want to do with your dog.

 

When my pups are vaccinated, they go everywhere. I take them to the park, to pet supply stores, for walks in the neighborhood, to the local training club, Sonic and other food places with outdoor seating, anywhere I can think of. I also make sure to get them out at night, not just during the day. When we come across something that they're not sure of -- for example, Lonney's pup didn't want to walk across an iron sewer grate -- we immediately turn them around and walk them past/across it again, or otherwise encourage them to check it out and see that its okay. Since I want a dog that can go with me anywhere and be reliable, I think its very important to expose my dogs to all kinds of situations.

 

nice ^ reply!
see how you do.....



<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width="95%" align=center><TBODY><TR><TD width="30%" bgColor=white><CENTER></CENTER></TD><TD class=categorytitle vAlign=top>Quiz - Socializing your Puppy


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10 questions, rated Tough.
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i scored: 9 / 10

 

Yes I agree with Baha as well.

 

My vet also told me to wait until my guys are fully vaccinated before taking them anywhere. Unfortunately, their vaccs aren't complete until the age of 16 weeks (4 mos). So I've had some tough times w/ fear problems when they do get out b/c they had been isolated for so long. But with work they always get over it & I guess a little extra work is better than them getting parvo & dying.

 

Yeah you are right I took Hemi out once and he got sick I told my wife I was not going to take him out again like that....

 

All honesty, I take them nowhere. I do bring the pups for car rides and the only time they go out in public would be to the vet or a short 2 house walk to my sisters. Any socializing they do is at my home or at my sisters, I have 7 brothers and sisters and 15-16 neices and newphews of all ages so my dogs see plenty of people. I have a very large yard that is all fenced in so they get plenty of exercise too.

I no longer feel the need to take my dogs out in public, I have had my fair share of altercations while out in public so I no longer want to put my dog in situations which will lead to failure and fuel for the BSL machine. I think with all that is going on with our breed it is better to keep them out of the public eye.

 

^ I understand what you're saying, but I couldn't disagree more. The more the public sees well behaved APBT's in public, the better off the breed will be.

Too many people look at them as some lower class form of pets. They need to see them doing everything that every other dog does. Of course the owners need to be responsible and recognize any need to put limits on the dogs exposure to other dogs, but by all means if you have good dogs, get them out there and let people see for themselves the myth that media has created.

We have perhaps the greatest people dogs available and that's the side of this breed that the public needs to see. Far too many people think a people friendly APBT is the exception rather than the rule. It's up to us to change that perception.

 

IMHO its that kind of thinking that has gotten the breed in this whole mess to begin with. Everyone wanting thier dog to be the difference and thats when accidents happen.

 

Quote:
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td class="alt2" style="border: 1px inset ;"> Originally Posted by heelinok
^ . Far too many people think a people friendly APBT is the exception rather than the rule. It's up to us to change that perception.
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Colby Dogs wrote: "IMHO its that kind of thinking that has gotten the breed in this whole mess to begin with. Everyone wanting thier dog to be the difference and thats when accidents happen."
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I see both sides here. It's up to the seasoned APBT owner to decide how his/her particular bulldog could better the breed in its own way. Some higher octane working bulldogs may certainly do the breed as a whole more good by staying out of public. Then at the other end of the spectrum you have bulldogs such as beemerchef's Spirit traveling cross country in a sidecar, creating possibly one of the best memoirs ever of an APBT for the public to see. Each dog has his own calling and/or niche. It's up to us to figure it out and make sure we let our dogs find their appropriate one without being careless and letting an incident happen.

 

You can do some socializing at your house if you're worried about sickness. Get some hand sanitizer -- better yet, something with bleach -- and make people put their shoes on the front porch.

 

i agree with colby dogs on this one. the last time i took my brindle to the park he was dead four days later. too many sad stories have been told because of taking our dogs out. i don't completely isolate my dogs. they are all well socialized to people. i wont tolerate a man-biter. they'll only do it twice. the first time they might be missin some skin on their a$$, and the second time is it. that's when they meet the business end of my model 66. that's just my approach. everyones technique varies. and the whole socializing them to other animals is a waste of energy IMO. that's why i personally would never take my dog to pet smart. that and the potential for picking up some disease or sickness.

 

IMO, its not a waste of time to socialize them around other animals. Doubtless you wont be instilling the "best friends for life" value, not with these dogs. But if a dog is going to do shows or anything like that, they need to know that when they're out on a leash, they're on your time, so no BS. And the more they're out and around other dogs, the more able they are to ignore them when its time to work.

But again -- as has been said and is worth repeating -- it depends on what you want to do. If your dog will never see an event or trial that requires them to work near other dogs, you can probably get away without molding the correct behaviors. A lot of the stuff that I do with mine relies upon them not actin' a fool when they see another dog.

 

My husband laughs at me, but this is what I am thinking of getting for my pups:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=15131&Nty=1&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=All&N=2001&Ntt=dog%20stroller&Np=1


That way I can take them out & about & don't have to worry about what what the pups may pick up on their paws & I don't have to worry about what folks bring to my home.

 

And what are the " correct behaviors" that my dogs are not getting ? So if I bring my dog to petsmart will they learn this behavior , or do I need to let them meet every dog they come across while out on the town ? Some of us have pefectly sound dogs without doing those things, I can achieve anything right in my own back yard. There are quit a few people that compete and do not bring thier dogs out into public so they must being doing something right while at home.

No one will ever convince me that taking them out into public these days is anything good. Too many morons out there and bad things tend to happen alot more frequintly these days and i do not ever want to put my dogs at risk over something stupid and pointless when it could have been avoided in the first place.

JMHO