Mustard is still with me

[Emily]

Originally Posted by Michiyo-Fir

Is he good with small dogs? Does he show any type of dog reactivity or aggression?

Is he food/toy motivated?

Does he settle down well?

Can you tell me a little more about him??

By the way, whereabouts are you?

I want him sooooo badly and I'll talk to my mom again but I don't think she will agree She's adamantly against me having a 2nd dog while I live here...but I'll try.

Sorry, I had a nice response typed up and the computer at work ate it. So here we go again.

Small dogs? Yep, he's great. He plays nicely with Keeva and seeing small dogs zoom doesn't seem to trigger prey drive. I would give him the thumbs up with small dogs.

DR/DA - not significantly, no. No leash reactivity or reactivity in general. He's pretty much neutral to dogs he doesn't know. He also usually takes social cues from dogs that tell him to eff off, but it's not beyond him to snark back. When that happens, it's easy enough to end it with a sharp "HEY!"

At our house, we generally keep all chews/toys picked up when Mustard is out. It isn't a stressful ordeal, we just try to be cautious. If a bully stick falls on the floor, we don't have to be like, OMG GET IT UP NOW BEFORE HE TRIES TO KILL KEEVA!!! We're just trying to take precautions. He's not guardy with the other dogs unless someone (Keeva) tries to actually take it from him, but because she is such a bitch with a capital B, we do take precautions to prevent conflict. It works fine because Mustard has no problem settling down with a chew in his crate, anyway. We also feed him in his crate.

That said, he is what he is, and will (and HAS) jump into the middle of a fight, even if he didn't start it. He came to work with me one day but was not with the daycare dogs (for obvious reasons), just chilling in the lobby and following me around. Anyway, he nudged open an (admittedly) weak gate and followed me into the yard, where another pittie bitch and this collie mix just happened to get into it right then. Mustard dove right into the middle (tail wagging the whole time, lol) and grabbed the collie mix's face, but got nothing but fur, so I pulled him off easily and he did not redirect on me in any way. So, *shrug*, like I said, he's generally very social/tolerant but he's still a bulldog and he will fight "for fun", true to his nature.

Now THAT said, he cools down pretty quickly, and in fact, that day, I let him have a private, supervised play session with the little pittie bitch, and they had a blast. He's not difficult to have around other dogs at all. He just... is what a he is, nothing more and nothing less. Friendly, social, reasonable, but still a bulldog when push comes to shove. I hope that makes sense, lol.

He's uber food motivated, and getting there with the toys. He likes to grip so if somebody showed him what tug is, he'd probably have a blast, and tugging could be used to shape a retrieve. He's also super eager to please and focuses pretty well. Fun to work with.

He settles super well. He was following me around the kitchen while I did dishes; now that I'm on the computer, he's sleeping next to me on the couch. Lots of pep but an easy house dog.

A little more about him... um, he sleeps like a tons of bricks at night. Superior cuddling skills. Very, very sound, stable dog - loves all people, not weirded out by things in the environment. I call him APBT but he's probably mixed waaaaaaaaay back somewhere because his coat is just the slightest, slightest bit too thick. It makes him really nice to pet, lol. He does really goofy, endearing things all the time. Doesn't mind being manhandled, likes having his nails trimmed. Walks pretty well on leash! 2-3 years old by a vet's guess, weights around 40-45lbs. He's not put together too well structurally; he's way out at the elbows and has a weird rear, but it doesn't slow him down any. I wouldn't make him do anything crazy high impact, but I'm sure he'd be fine in dog sports if you conditioned him properly and kept him lean.

He's a credit to his breed type, though, and would make a great therapy dog if you chose to pursue that route.

I'm in Illinois, in Chicago.

[Emily]

Bbbbbmmmmmuuuuuuhhhhggghhhhh I got a response to his CL ad from a nice family and I don't know how to feel. :X lol

[*blackrose]

Originally Posted by Emily

Sorry, I had a nice response typed up and the computer at work ate it. So here we go again.

Small dogs? Yep, he's great. He plays nicely with Keeva and seeing small dogs zoom doesn't seem to trigger prey drive. I would give him the thumbs up with small dogs.

DR/DA - not significantly, no. No leash reactivity or reactivity in general. He's pretty much neutral to dogs he doesn't know. He also usually takes social cues from dogs that tell him to eff off, but it's not beyond him to snark back. When that happens, it's easy enough to end it with a sharp "HEY!"

At our house, we generally keep all chews/toys picked up when Mustard is out. It isn't a stressful ordeal, we just try to be cautious. If a bully stick falls on the floor, we don't have to be like, OMG GET IT UP NOW BEFORE HE TRIES TO KILL KEEVA!!! We're just trying to take precautions. He's not guardy with the other dogs unless someone (Keeva) tries to actually take it from him, but because she is such a bitch with a capital B, we do take precautions to prevent conflict. It works fine because Mustard has no problem settling down with a chew in his crate, anyway. We also feed him in his crate.

That said, he is what he is, and will (and HAS) jump into the middle of a fight, even if he didn't start it. He came to work with me one day but was not with the daycare dogs (for obvious reasons), just chilling in the lobby and following me around. Anyway, he nudged open an (admittedly) weak gate and followed me into the yard, where another pittie bitch and this collie mix just happened to get into it right then. Mustard dove right into the middle (tail wagging the whole time, lol) and grabbed the collie mix's face, but got nothing but fur, so I pulled him off easily and he did not redirect on me in any way. So, *shrug*, like I said, he's generally very social/tolerant but he's still a bulldog and he will fight "for fun", true to his nature.

Now THAT said, he cools down pretty quickly, and in fact, that day, I let him have a private, supervised play session with the little pittie bitch, and they had a blast. He's not difficult to have around other dogs at all. He just... is what a he is, nothing more and nothing less. Friendly, social, reasonable, but still a bulldog when push comes to shove. I hope that makes sense, lol.

He's uber food motivated, and getting there with the toys. He likes to grip so if somebody showed him what tug is, he'd probably have a blast, and tugging could be used to shape a retrieve. He's also super eager to please and focuses pretty well. Fun to work with.

He settles super well. He was following me around the kitchen while I did dishes; now that I'm on the computer, he's sleeping next to me on the couch. Lots of pep but an easy house dog.

A little more about him... um, he sleeps like a tons of bricks at night. Superior cuddling skills. Very, very sound, stable dog - loves all people, not weirded out by things in the environment. I call him APBT but he's probably mixed waaaaaaaaay back somewhere because his coat is just the slightest, slightest bit too thick. It makes him really nice to pet, lol. He does really goofy, endearing things all the time. Doesn't mind being manhandled, likes having his nails trimmed. Walks pretty well on leash! 2-3 years old by a vet's guess, weights around 40-45lbs. He's not put together too well structurally; he's way out at the elbows and has a weird rear, but it doesn't slow him down any. I wouldn't make him do anything crazy high impact, but I'm sure he'd be fine in dog sports if you conditioned him properly and kept him lean.

He's a credit to his breed type, though, and would make a great therapy dog if you chose to pursue that route.

I'm in Illinois, in Chicago.

%$*& I didn't need to read this, I really, really didn't. Sounds just about perfect - size I want, temperament I want, cuteness I want, coat I want, and you said he'd be a good therapy dog, which is what I want. And I love me some pitties. UGH.
But, even if things work out that I can get another dog, it wouldn't be until August at the earliest and having you hold him that long wouldn't be fair. And he'd have to get along with Miss Snarky Pissy Bitch Face (and she'd have to like him) - but you are close enough that a meet in greet is possible.

Ugh.

[Emily]

Originally Posted by *blackrose

%$*& I didn't need to read this, I really, really didn't. Sounds just about perfect - size I want, temperament I want, cuteness I want, coat I want, and you said he'd be a good therapy dog, which is what I want. And I love me some pitties. UGH.
But, even if things work out that I can get another dog, it wouldn't be until August at the earliest and having you hold him that long wouldn't be fair. And he'd have to get along with Miss Snarky Pissy Bitch Face (and she'd have to like him) - but you are close enough that a meet in greet is possible.

Ugh.

[ThoseWordsAtBest]

I didn't USED to be, but now I feel I am all about signs. My Magpie was a foster. She was in horrendous condition (she was a cruelty pull- living in a single car garage with 25 other dogs) where her nails were so long she couldn't walk (her toes are permanently splayed/look like fritos from that) mange and a secondary skin infection. I saw her on an internet community and her face got me. I said I HAD to foster her and wish there was a way.. and it turned out she was only a state away. When she got here and got well I adopted her out to a woman who looked great on paper, seemed perfect when we met, and her vet reference checked out. We even dog sat her about a month or so after she had been adopted and she was great. Happy ending.

Until the woman messaged me saying she was pregnant, can't keep her, etc. Then goes back on it. Then before any time has passed I am browsing PetFinder (as I always do) and find my girl at animal control. When I picked her up all they could say was that she was dropped off as a stray DAYS before the woman even messaged me saying she couldn't keep her, with four days left until her euth date. The woman NEVER responded to my calls or emails after that. So, three years later this October, Magpie has remained mine.

So.. if things keep falling through.. it just MIGHT be a sign..

[*blackrose]

Originally Posted by Emily

No, bad. Very, very bad.

[Emily]

He's gone. I can't believe it, but he's gone to a new family. I'm overjoyed and heartbroken. I think I've been crying on and off all day, but we had to let him go.

Our landlords had a good friend from Ohio visiting, one of whom was looking for a dog. She and her kids are recovering emotionally from a bad divorce. They were planning on adding a smallish, pit bull mix dog to their family for a while, and she promised the kids they would get a dog come spring. I know that they are wonderful people, and that this is going to be wonderful for them. It was a really hard decision to make, because suddenly I was forced to make a decision regarding whether or not I wanted to keep him, and right away, as she was heading home tonight.

It hurt, a lot, but I really believe he is going to help this family heal from what they're going through. He is that kind of dog. The kids are freaking wonderful and he loves kids point blank, so I know that he will work out there. If he doesn't, our landlords are going out there in like a month and they'll bring him back. If he comes back, he stays forever. But I don't think he'll be coming back. I think he's home.

[JessLough]

I'm super glad he has a home, even though it couldn't be with you.

(((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))) you did right by them.

[Michiyo-Fir]

Originally Posted by Emily

He's gone. I can't believe it, but he's gone to a new family. I'm overjoyed and heartbroken. I think I've been crying on and off all day, but we had to let him go.

Our landlords had a good friend from Ohio visiting, one of whom was looking for a dog. She and her kids are recovering emotionally from a bad divorce. They were planning on adding a smallish, pit bull mix dog to their family for a while, and she promised the kids they would get a dog come spring. I know that they are wonderful people, and that this is going to be wonderful for them. It was a really hard decision to make, because suddenly I was forced to make a decision regarding whether or not I wanted to keep him, and right away, as she was heading home tonight.

It hurt, a lot, but I really believe he is going to help this family heal from what they're going through. He is that kind of dog. The kids are freaking wonderful and he loves kids point blank, so I know that he will work out there. If he doesn't, our landlords are going out there in like a month and they'll bring him back. If he comes back, he stays forever. But I don't think he'll be coming back. I think he's home.

That's wonderful that he found a new home. I was trying so hard but my mom just wouldn't agree at all.

[Panzerotti]

Originally Posted by Emily

It hurt, a lot, but I really believe he is going to help this family heal from what they're going through. He is that kind of dog. The kids are freaking wonderful and he loves kids point blank, so I know that he will work out there. If he doesn't, our landlords are going out there in like a month and they'll bring him back. If he comes back, he stays forever. But I don't think he'll be coming back. I think he's home.

This is amazing! It really is great how things end up working out. Good job with saving the dogs and helping out this family.