Introduction

Welcome! We hope you enjoy the 12 Step Pit bull Rescue Guide.

A funny thing that gets said often today is that kids are different then they used to be. We have always said, “Kids are exactly the same it is the parents that have changed”. People never want to blame them selves for problems in their lives including their dogs. I can assure you Pit Bulls today are the same as they were in the yesterday. “Pettey the pet” from the little rascals’ was a Pit Bull, the first ever hearing assistance dog Yep! You got it, Pit Bull.

Our hope is not fight to bring down the homeless Pit Bull numbers or change the euthanized stats. It is about not making them any worse and not letting your dog end up being one of the stats.

Pit Bulls live 12-14 years, which is a commitment. Pit Bulls are very dependent on their humans and crave love and attention. They tend to be very confident and outgoing dogs. However, their natural confidence can be lost by severe abuse or long confinement without human contact.

Owner surrender of Pit Bulls is usually because of dog aggression (which often looks a lot like human aggression by inexperienced owners). That is why you need to have a system in place for you to form a bond with your dog in a very controlled environment that is familiar to you. Do not bring your dog for a walk on someone else’s block till you can control them on yours. You need to build slowly and gradually expanding your parameters.

Other reasons for surrender include:
Destructive chewing- we found out that this is the result of a lack of exercise or a lack of stimulation.        
Too much energy- which really means you, do not have time to meet the dogs needs.
Pit Bulls most often are brought in as strays or confiscated from bad people, dog fighters and criminals.
Being that Pit Bulls are a people breed and that they tend to be dog aggressive, Pit bulls are not happy in a kennel. This breed does better in a home fostering situation, as they tend to bond quickly with new people. How well they tolerate a rescue or shelter depends heavily on the amount of human attention, contact, and exercise they receive. It also depends on the individual dog's temperament and past experiences. Keep this in mind when you get ready to rescue your Pit Bull. Rescues with a solid foster program have Pit Bulls available that have already been introduced or reintroduced to a home. However, these dogs could take longer to bond with you.

There is something that happens between you and your Pit Bull when you are the one to dig them out of the gutter and clean them up and restore their pride and dignity that was stolen by some punk. After you go through the Rescue System you will have the tools that give you the choice of what type of rescue you want to make.

Be A Responsible Owner

The goal is to become an owner of a Pit Bull who is a responsible person committed to the care, training and exercise of their Pit Bull. A good owner should be willing to learn about the breed, be very aware of the dog aggressive but people loving nature of the breed. A responsible owner should protect not only their dog, but also the breed as a whole from the mainstream media hysteria fueled with negative press and bad owners.

A responsible owner of a Pit Bull would never allow their dog to roam the neighborhood, be off leash in a public place or around strange dogs. Good owners spay/neuter their dogs. It is essential that your dog remains socialized with all types of people. Keep their dog securely contained when not supervised by an adult, obedience train their dog, and insure that your dog is well exercised every day. Responsible owners should NOT be looking for a guard dog, as Pit Bulls are very people friendly. Good owners should consider their other pets. We have made it our goal to have social well-behaved dogs and as a result we have four dogs living happily together.  This is only the case since we were willing to put in the time and energy necessary.  We were also careful to pick dogs with temperaments that complimented each other.  For example we would not have two dominant male dogs in the same home. Sometimes common sense isn’t very common.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions or comments.

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