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Raising Bulldogs: From puppyhood to Champion

Discussion in 'Dog Discussion' started by Rocky H. Balboa, Jan 4, 2006.

  1. TXGal

    TXGal Pup

    Thanks, I figured that would be the answer. I saw someone on here has something about your afraid of my dog....you should be afraid of me. Or something like that. I want to get a sign made that says beware of dog. No not the American Pit Bull Terrier the 20lb Rat Terrier. In all actuality(sp) the Rat is the more viscious of all our dogs, besides the fact that 3 of the 8 are pups. The rat is meaner than a rat/fox terrier mix, a pit/heeler mix, and 2 American Bulldogs. He charges them at the fence..he has never been near enough to them to find out, but he thinks he is meaner than them anyway. All 3 pups play with the pit/heeler. He gets a toy, runs into the room, squeaks it to get their attention and then runs the loop from our living room to our formal diningroom(now a man room) into the kitchen adn back into the livingroom. They usually stay in the livingroom, but sometimes they follow him the whole way around. HE loves to play. He plays with my roommates parents 9month 100lb Great Pyrenees that stands taller than me and by now I think weighs more than me. I think he may be 11 months now?! He was 9 at Thanksgiving when they brought him..If I can add he is about 11 right?
     
  2. SouthernDixie

    SouthernDixie CH Dog

    TXGal - you should start charging guests when they come over. (You know, for your petting zoo. ;) )
     
  3. c.knight

    c.knight Big Dog

    Yo This Is One Of The Best Post I Have Read Thanks A Lot
     
  4. TXGal

    TXGal Pup

    Besides the dogs we have a quaker parrot and 2 fiances that live here and one in Washington. I think with fiances that actually help with cleaning and grocery shopping we could make a pretty penny w/ our sideshow attraction! Growing up we had more of a zoo than my roommates and I have now. My brother worked at Fort Worth Zoo and sometimes brought critters home, besides his 2 Shar Pei, my Shih Tzu and my Lasa Apso. Off and on we have had cats, dogs, birds, rats, rabbits, snakes, sugar gliders, horses, lambs, goats, etc etc!! I have a picture of my brother's Maine Coon, Prince, lying on his back in my brother's arms w/ Ratbeau, my brother's pet rat, crawling on Prince's stomach I couldn't live w/out my animals. The barn I keep my horse at has chickens, rabbits, used to have pigs, goats, used to have a cow, horses(obviously), kids and kids(the goat and human kind) At home in houston I have a Green Wing Macaw, my mom has a 20+lb Maine Coon cat, plus when Chad and I come home we have the pup and the Rat Terrier



     
  5. All that you are saying is nice and all but not really pertinent to this thread. The thread is intended to aid those who raise, will raise, or are thinking of raising APBT. It does not matter (to me anyway) if your advise is from raising game-breds, show-bred, conformation-bred, or what have you. The point of this thread is to keep it within the topic. This way people will not have to read tons of unrelated posts.

    Sounds like you may have some dog raising experience, feel free to post those comments. Thanks.

     
  6. TXGal

    TXGal Pup

    Ok will think about that next time, but that post was made in reply to someone's comment about my "zoo". Previously I mentioned my roommates and I having 8 dogs, 3 of which are pups. The posts on my part started in regards to the allowing pups to play with adults. I have found most of the info on this thread to be useful in the raising of our pups. I guess next time someone makes a comment, about a prior post of mine, that is offtopic I will PM them my reply so there aren't 2 offtopic posts.



     
  7. SouthernDixie

    SouthernDixie CH Dog

    TXGal. It's okay. I was trying to make a joke with ya. It's very easy to get off-topic here.

    I have a question -

    My 7 mo. old pup likes his crate very well, yet he also likes to be outdoors. (I keep them both crated because my crackhead neighbors are too creepy and too interested in my dogs). Anyways, is he at a good age for starting on a chain? He wouldn't be on it all day, but he likes outside so much, I believe he'd enjoy it better than the crate.

    Also, it's supposed to be cold here in OK but it's not right now, though I'm sure it will get colder soon. At what temperature do you recommend putting a dog outside who is normally used to being indoors? 50s?

    And one more. I know nothing really about chains, widths, lengths, hook-up devices, etc. If someone could get pretty detailed here, that would be awesome!
     
  8. 14rock

    14rock GRCH Dog

    ................................
     
  9. SouthernDixie

    SouthernDixie CH Dog

    14Rock - thanks! I've been thinking about PMing B when he mentioned that.

    I might just go to a hardwear store and try to learn the differences in grades of chains. 5/16 is about right you say, so I'll check that out to see just what it is. (I'm a girl, and not normally interested in chains LOL)

    Thank you for the information.
     
  10. Texasbulldogs

    Texasbulldogs Top Dog

    5/16 is about right you say
    Your situation-don't need it that heavy!
     
  11. Big Papa

    Big Papa CH Dog

    nice nice..
     
  12. TXGal

    TXGal Pup

    I knew you were joking...we do have a zoo!! My last comment was not made towards you, it just sorta included you. Also if your neighbors are creepy and you worry about them in anyway, I would stick to leaving him in the crate when you are not there to keep an eye on the neighbors.



     
  13. SouthernDixie

    SouthernDixie CH Dog

    What do you suggest?
     
  14. D'dizzle

    D'dizzle Big Dog

    Man that is alot of great information. Although I was wondering what kind of harm can it do by putting a pup (3-4mth) on a light weight chain outside. I have been putting mine on one for just 2hrs or so a day. One other silly question, what is BARF? I have heard about it alot on here but I still don't know what it is. I just wanted to ask since it was mentioned. Thanks for the info, Jeff
     
  15. jadedpitgirl

    jadedpitgirl Top Dog

    BARF~Bones And Raw Foods~ This means feeding a diet free of processed foods. You can find some good threads on it if you do a search. Everyone has different opinions on it, and it is best that you search out the threads and make your own. Personally, I feed barf with kibble. My dogs are fed barf about 3-4 times a week, and for 2-3 weeks strait when getting ready for a show.
     
  16. Rockstar

    Rockstar CH Dog

    How much (more) room does a pregnant female need in their last week(s) of pregnancy?
    No need for extra space.

    What should the humans do first (or immediately) after whelping?

    Just watch for problems or potential problems. Make sure all the pups are healthy and nursing; count their toes, check the umbilical area (occasionally the mother might accidently create an orifice in the belly in her attempt to sever the cord), look for any strange protrusions or such, check for any abnormalities in the limbs, etc. Keep an eye on Mama. There shouldn't be any excess bleeding or other negative indicators. Some vets will tell you that if a dog is still laboring for more than hour after the last pup was born, then there is likely a problem, but I've seen numerous pups born 2 or 3 hours apart -had one a couple years ago that was born 7 hours after his last previous littermate- and never seen any issues result from it. It's possible that a bitch can get an unborn puppy "stuck" inside of her, risking serious infection later on, so pay attention to her behavior. If something doesn't seem right, talk to a vet. Also, "rollover" is a very common killer of pups, so check every so often to make sure Mama isn't inadvertently crushing one of her offspring beneath her. I lost 6 of 9 out of my last litter because of this, and I've come to expect to lose at least 1 or 2 out of every one. After around 3 days, the likelihood of losing a pup in this manner reduces dramatically (I've never lost one to rollover after the 3rd day.)

    How much (more) room will the female and pups require? (Please note there may be 11 or 2 in a litter)
    They won't require much. Use your own judgement.

    Is it ok to keep the Sire together with the "family"? If so, at what time?

    A big fat NO! In rare cases it's probably okay, but most usually it's a recipe for disaster.

    Should pups be bathed as frequently as adults (2 times a month) if at all?

    I don't bathe pups at all if I can help it, but if I must, it's with a natural formula designed specifically for young pups.

    How early should puppies begin taking shots? Which shots are a must and which are recommended?

    I vaccinate at 6, 10, 14, and 18 weeks -Parvo, Distemper, Parainfluenza, and Canine Adenovirus *note* the CAV vaccine has been proven to cause immune suppression when given in conjunction with the Distemper vaccine, so this isn't exactly the best route, I do it as a matter of convenience. The CAV shot isn't available by itself. Then again, it isn't absolutely necessary.
    I never vaccinate for leptospirosis. The risks are too great, and the immunity doesn't last very long anyway.
    I vaccinate for rabies sometime during the first 6 months, usually at week 12. It isn't ideal to give it less than two weeks prior to, or after other vaccinations, due to the potential for interference with the other vaccines.
    One can usually get by just fine with nothing more than Parvo/Distemper and Rabies vacs.
    After the initial vaccinations, I never vaccinate again, except for Rabies every 3 years, unless there happens to be a specific outbreak of something in my area.

    What are signs (or age) to look for to indicate the "family" needs to be separated? (this included Dam from pups, pups, and Sire from pups/dam). Is it possible to have some pups together (after separation) even when they were game-bred? (female/male pups together for example).
    I try to keep pups together as long as possible, but I usually end up having to separate a few at 6 or 8 weeks. My buddy had one sever her sister's toe at 4 1/2 weeks, and I almost lost a runt last year at 6 weeks old after she got into it with her littermates. I've had males get along with females for years without incident, but never two of the same sex for very long. I had a couple sisters who were best friends for about a year and a half, then they decided to try to kill each other one day. Don't ever put too much faith in "bulldog buddies".

    After pups are separated, should they be placed immediately in adult chain setups?
    Too many possible variables to answer that one.

    May these separated pups eat BARF? If not, how old is the minimum required to feed BARF?

    I never feed raw food. Natural foods lightly cooked, but never raw. That's just me.

    What are things available to look at (if any) in a pup that will tell you of "faults" or other deformations, etc.? (Please advise age)

    Some physical faults won't begin to manifest themselves until adulthood. If something looks abnormal, then it probably is.

    At what age should pups begin light exercise and for how long and/or what length? (please advise "light" exercises)

    I let pups do what pups do until they exhaust themselves. I don't begin any real workout regimens until around a year old or more.

    Will a shy pup become a shy adult? In more general terms, will a cur acting pup become a cur adult? How probable is it for a cur pup to become "game" adult? Is it more probable to have an aggressive pup become a game adult?

    There are no such probabilities with a pup. However, the probability of being ruined after a bad kennel accident can be pretty high, for all those with bright ideas about rolling pups:(.

    Why should a game-bred pup be socialized with other animals if it is most likely it will tolerate them as an adult?

    Confidence primarily. One of the best dogs I've ever seen won't even glance twice at another dog unless it challenges her or her owner. It's very impressive to me.
    I have a 4-pound chihuahua who runs around with 13 gamedogs who all hate each other but love her. She's the yard boss;)

    Should adult (APBT) dogs be allowed to play with young dogs (7 months and up and adult is muzzled just in case)?
    (I ask this one because a buddy of my allowed his then pup (6-7 months) to play with an adult American Bulldog. He stated the AB did not bite his pup (did not have a muzzle). Instead, the AB used the top of his head to lift and throw the pup. The pup would get up and eagerly go back for another lift.)

    I believe it's sometimes necessary to muzzle a dog (vet's office after a bad kennel accident, for example) but not for such reasons as the above.

    Is there a minimum age when pups may begin to safely play with the spring pole, tug-of-war, Kong toys, etc(due to teeth and jaw immatureness)?

    Speaking from experience, I wouldn't say there is a minimum age, provided that such play is mild and brief. Don't let them get overzealous. The closer they are to 2 years, the lesser the chances of a broken tooth or worse.

    Is there such thing as too much walking for a pup? (If so, please advise ages and distances)

    Even an adult dog can be over-walked. You'll know when enough is enough if you pay attention to your pup. I don't take mine walking until after vaccinations, due to the risk of infectious disease.

    When should adult conditioning begin? How long should his beginning sessions be?

    At least 20 months before I'll consider a serious conditioning program, and the closer to 2 years, the better. An hour or so a day for the 1st week, upping 30 minutes a day every week until hitting 3-5 hours a day, depending on the workload. To not allow a day per week of complete rest is insane, imo.

    What should you rub on your young dog's pad to prevent injury to them?
    I generally toughen a dog's pads by walking him/her on an asphalt surface, but a copper napthenate solution works pretty good if you can't do the walking.

    Are the benefits of "rub downs" exaggerated?

    No. A warm bath and a rubdown is very beneficial after a tough workout.

    What solutions would you recommend for a rub down? (i.e. 50/50 water/alcohol)

    Bare hands is fine.

    How should you rub your dog after each workout? How long should you rub your dog?

    Full body rub for around 20 minutes is about ideal, imo.

    Is boiled water helpful for a working dog or is it just a myth? (Boiled water is said to be without the fat producing elements)

    The cleaner the water, the better.

    At his/her peak, what should a conditioned dog be able to accomplish in terms of exercise? (i.e. run 20 miles in an hour, run the mill at full blast for 2 hours, etc.)

    As Stillwater stated, if they outlast thier compitition, they have accomplished the goal of conditioning. Well said.
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    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 6, 2006

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