Opie and the Jolly Ball!

Sweet72947

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#1
Somebody left two new jolly balls in the play area over the week, and Opie decided that he loves to play with the jolly ball! Here are the pics to prove it.









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#4
Oh, man . . . . he is losing weight fast :( We've got to figure out how to do something . . . He is going to literally pine himself to death without a family. Some may not believe it, but a Fila really can die of a lonesome, broken heart.
 

Sweet72947

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#5
Oh, man . . . . he is losing weight fast :( We've got to figure out how to do something . . . He is going to literally pine himself to death without a family. Some may not believe it, but a Fila really can die of a lonesome, broken heart.
I know. :( But I just don't know what to do.

ETA: I can believe you about the filas dying from a broken heart. There are other breeds like this, such as the Akita. I was reading stuff on an Akita rescue and they had stories about some dogs who were so bonded to their previous owners that they refused to bond with anyone else, refused to eat, and basically refused to live. They had to be euthanized due to broken hearts. :(
 
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#7
I know. :( But I just don't know what to do.
Well, since they won't adopt to anyone who isn't local we might have to get creative.

Personally, I think anyone who could give Opie a good home would be a great candidate for a Kharma puppy addition down the road. Filas are like potato chips - one is never enough.
 

Sweet72947

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#8
Well, since they won't adopt to anyone who isn't local we might have to get creative.

Personally, I think anyone who could give Opie a good home would be a great candidate for a Kharma puppy addition down the road. Filas are like potato chips - one is never enough.
Its funny you should say that. I would LOVE to take Opie home, and I've also been thinking about a purebred fila puppy one day, now that I've gotten to see what loving a fila (even if a mix)is like.
 
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#9
Its funny you should say that. I would LOVE to take Opie home, and I've also been thinking about a purebred fila puppy one day, now that I've gotten to see what loving a fila (even if a mix)is like.
I'm dead serious about it. If there's someone here who can give Opie a good home and is ready when the time comes, I'll do my best to make sure there is a way for them to have a pup from Kharma, or if they aren't ready then, maybe one of her grandchildren.

I'd rather have her puppies in the right homes than be paid for a pup, by a long shot. The whole point is to have a good line of Filas and have them in hands that will love them and raise them right, so that they can live and function in the modern world without watering down the breed.
 

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#10
He has such a sweet doggy face. How old is he? Is his story somewhere? (I truly can't have another dog, but I'm curious about him and he's tugging at my heart. :()
 

Zhucca

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#11
oooohhh my! Poor little opie.

Why hasn't he been adopted yet? Who can resist such a beautiful face! I'd take him in a heartbeat.

:(
 

Sweet72947

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#12
He has such a sweet doggy face. How old is he? Is his story somewhere? (I truly can't have another dog, but I'm curious about him and he's tugging at my heart. :()
Well, his story is that he was surrendered to Frederick County MD animal control because his family's house was foreclosed on. FOHA then pulled him from that shelter when his time was up. He was adopted to a home with a 2 year old (something I never would have done had it been up to me) and then returned several weeks later for snapping at the child. He was adopted again to a different family with a 14 year old, and returned two weeks later for biting the father, a relative who came to visit, and snapping at the 14 yr old.

Opie is a skittish, sensitive dog. Just the word "no" spoken in a harsh tone will send him into a panic. Stef and I have found, though, that the "eh eh" sound is effective in getting your point across. He throws off every submissive behavior in the book, so I do not think those bites in the second home were "unprovoked" as the adopters had claimed. Opie will need a PATIENT, UNDERSTANDING, KIND owner (preferably a woman, he's more wary of men) who will work with him using only positive methods, as aversives will just destroy him. He needs to be allowed to grow on his own time, and not be forced into anything. Opie is not a dog for the novice owner. He does love other dogs, and I think a home with other dogs would be very beneficial to him.

Outside his run, Opie is jumpy and watchful. Inside his run he's cuddly and loving, rubbing his head on my chest and laying against me. I would love to bring him home myself, but its just not possible right now as I have no job, no money, and I live with my parents; my dad has a rather angry personality and gets verbally abusive when he's mad, and I think bringing Opie into this situation would be asking for another bite to occur.

Oh yeah, I believe he's about 3 now. We believe he is a fila mix.
 
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#13
Grrrrrr . . . . they should have hooked Opie up with a good Fila rescue from the beginning instead of trying to place him themselves. Anytime you can get a dog into a good breed rescue you're going to up the chances of putting the dog into the right home, especially one like Opie.
 

Sweet72947

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#14
The problem is, the Powers That Be (the board of directors that makes all the decisions) tend to be very possessive of these dogs. To get them to give Opie to another rescue would be like pulling teeth, to use an old cliche.
 
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I know, Sweet :( I'll be amazed if they allow him to be adopted even, at this point. He needs out of there in the worst way, though.

Do you know how to get in touch with the Fila breeder who looked at him? Maybe she can help you get him out somehow and into a home where he can stick.
 

smkie

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#16
I am so in love with Opie, i wish it could be me. Hope someone falls head over heels in love with him soon.
 

Sweet72947

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I know, Sweet :( I'll be amazed if they allow him to be adopted even, at this point. He needs out of there in the worst way, though.

Do you know how to get in touch with the Fila breeder who looked at him? Maybe she can help you get him out somehow and into a home where he can stick.
Actually they have no problem adopting aggressive dogs out to people (not that Opie is actually "aggressive".) *insert bitterness here*.

I have no idea how to get in touch with that fila breeder. I don't even know her name or anything. She left before either I or Stef were able to talk to her.
 

Izzy's Valkyrie

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#19
I wish I lived in MD. He's such a sweet looking boy that reminds me a lot of an abused GSD mix I had when I was younger with his story. I'd love a Fila IF I could find a house with a suitable yard for them. I love huge breed dogs.
 

Bunny82

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#20
Something about Opie just pulls at me.

We've been talking and are planning to move out be in a new place at the beginning of July (hopefully) but that is such a long way off so I don't think it helps much.

Even with that aside I am not sure if they would adopt Opie out to me with a toddler. :(

ETA: Crap I just checked FOHA's website and even location is a problem, they won't adopt out of the DC area. :(
 
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