Starting a BSL Project.

Today I am going to start my BSL project. I've never done anything like this, so my main goal for this one is going to be self-education. I know a little bit about BSL, but as far as specifics and BSL's history, I'm a bit new. So hopefully by doing this project, I will be able to feel more comfortable talking about BSL, and feel more confident when explaining it to other people.

Other Goals:
Find out when BSL on Pit Bulls really started and what set it into motion.
Research the cost and effectiveness of BSL in area that have already enforced it, and still have it.
Research reasons why certain areas have repealed their BSL, and how their BSL affected severe dog bite statistics.
Show people who do not own breeds affected by BSL how these laws can directly affect them.
And... I'm sure a few other topics will come up in the process.

So! This is where I'm at momentarily, and I hope to update about the progress weekly.
If you have any ideas, or would like to maybe help out, I would appreciate it very much!

You can comment on this, or Email Me.

Thanks Everyone!

The REAL Strength of a Pit Bulls Bite!

Many have said that the Pit Bull has the strongest bite force of all of the dog breeds. Some have even claimed it to be as powerful as 10,000psi! The same rumors have been said of the Rottweiler and German Shepherd. 

Here are a couple videos to blow those statements out of the water! Domestic dogs simply don't have that much power behind them. Neither do wild dogs. Take a look!

Click here to view a video of a Rottweiler, German Shepherd, and Pit Bull's bite force being recorded.

Click here to view a video of a Wolf's bite force being recorded.

Rottweiler

American Pit Bull Terrier

German Shepherd Dog

The Pit Bulls bite force was recorded at 130psi and 235 psi. The lowest of the 3 domesticated dogs.

The German Shepherds bite force was recorded at 130psi and 238psi.

The Rottweiler's bite force was recorded at 265psi and 328psi.

***Please remember that NONE of these dogs meant any harm to man testing their bite force. These dogs are TRAINED in personal protection/shutzhund and are under complete control of the handler.***

Wanting to Start a Bully/Shepherd Rescue

I am wanting to start a legitimate Bully and Shepherd Rescue. My plan was to start one a little ways down the road, but lately, there have been so many bullies needing homes that are being cross-posted on FB and I don't want to sit around wishing I could do something about it any more.

I am looking for someone to go into this with me. Full force.

This is what I am looking to do:
Obviously I'd like to get all of the legalities taken care of first (fundraising permit, insurance, etc.)
Do some fund raising, find a vet, start an account.
Interview, accept, and line up at least 5 foster homes.
Recruit some volunteers
Do some more fund raising to get some money to buy a couple kennels
Write up a foster agreement, adoption application, volunteer forms
Get anything else that needs to be taken care of done before any dogs are taken on

And finally, TAKE IN DOGS! =)

If you are interested in possibly getting into a Bully/Shepherd Rescue, please contact me to talk about specifics.

Diesel Helps Remove Trash from the Ocean

Diesel at the Beach

My husband and I have started a new nightly routine that includes going for a run on the beach with the dogs. Diesel and Gypsy are usually off lead and Bella is on the long lead. Diesel likes to swim when we stop for breaks and today, he must have had a secret agenda. First he went out after a lost baseball cap, next he brought me back a beer can, and then he went out after a Tide Detergent container. (Not really sure how a Tide bottle got into the ocean??) Every piece of litter and trash he brought back to me made me think that maybe I should use him for community service on all of the beaches! He'd have a blast bringing me all the trash he could find!

Do any of your dogs have odd habits that could be beneficial to others?

Our Bella Bear

Bella Bear (This was taken when we first started fostering her)

Bella (originally Angel) was found by a Good Samaritan tied to tree, under weight, and missing hair, she had ring worm, and a number of other problems. She was brought to Friends of Bay County Animal Rescue who placed her with us to foster.

At first, she drove me crazy, and I knew that she was going to be a project to turn around. She wasn't really concerned with people all that much. She just wanted to chew her bone, play with the other pups, and eat. When I first started loading her clicker, she took the treats from me very roughly. She was high energy, so she couldn't focus for very long. She was also a MONSTER on-leash. (All of which are very fixable, and probably a product of how she was treated). What really got to me though, was that she NEVER wagged her tail

Two months later, she was walking without pulling my arm out of the socket, she took treats with her tongue instead of her teeth, and she started to ask for more attention. She was going to weekly adoption events... But sadly no one had shown any interest in her. 

Then.... there was Bella's "incident". I had gotten a call that Bella had bitten somebody at an event that I hadn't stayed for. So I drove back out to the beach to pick her up and bring her back to my house. Wondering the whole way what was going to happen to her, and how this would effect her chances of being adopted. After picking her up, we came to the conclusion that Bella was probably just trying to play and had not meant to bite. Feeling a little better about the situation, I drove her back home and sat down with my husband.

Bella is dog that you really have to understand to be able to take care of her. You really have to know her as a dog to know her tendencies and know how to manage her. Bella does not like being approached from behind, as this is a vulnerable spot for dogs. She also does not like men that are strange to her. And she plays rough, even with people (we are still working on teaching her bite inhibition). However, all of those behaviors can be worked with and managed. My husband I and were afraid that if someone adopted her without fully knowing her, that she would be returned. We also knew, that what this dog needed was stability. A schedule. Something that she could depend on. 

This is Bella Bear cuddling with me, Diesel, and Gypsy.

Needless to say, Bella is our "foster failure". (In other words, we adopted her.)

The first thing we did was change her name from Angel to Isabella (AKA Izzy or most commonly, Bella), bought her a collar, name tag, and leash. She slept in bed with us that night, and she has never been the same since. 

Bella is an amazing dog. She is always there to put a smile on our faces with her spunk. Her tail never stops wagging any more, and it seems that there is always a smile on her face. I know that all she needed was a little bit a stability, and as soon as she was able to predict what was going to happen in her daily life, she settled down quickly. She will never again have to worry about tomorrow. 

She drove me crazy in the begging, but now I can't imagine how life would be without her.

My Goals

For me, obedience training is not about the money, I enjoy what I do. Currently, I work with all breeds of dogs and offer free training to local animal rescues.

However, my goal is this:

For the next 5 years (give or take), I want to work with all different kinds of dogs from all kinds of different backgrounds. I want to get as much experience as I possibly can working with shelters, rescues, and privately owned dogs.
Also during these years, I would like to become a professional groomer and a certified veterinary assistant (which I'm already in the process of doing).

When all that is taken care of, and I feel I have enough experience in all of those fields, I would like to start my own business(es) and Bully Rescue. My **plan** is to either buy or build a facility that would have a grooming salon and a boarding/doggy-daycare facility. I want to use the profits from those two to fund a Bully Rescue/Rehabilitation Program.

My plan for the program:
To take in dogs that have been rejected by other rescues for things like behavior problems, medical needs, or for some other reason have a low-adoptability status. I would like to work on the issues they have, put them through a basic obedience course, have them spayed/neutered, and micro-chipped.
I would **like** if possible, to send them home with all of their basic necessities, such as a collar and leash, food and water bowls, a dog bed, a kennel, a kong, and some other toys.

Yes, I know that this is something that requires a lot of funding, and a lot of time, and I know that its not going to be easy. Heck, I may not ever be able to send them home with all the things I'd like to, but it is definitely something that I want to try very hard to accomplish.

Oh, and I am thinking about also specializing with shepherds also... Especially Aussies.
Any how, any thoughts, comments, or suggestions would be appreciated! =)