•The pit bull (over)population problem
•Dog bites / Dog safety
•FAQs
•Merchandise for pit bull lovers
•Toys
Dozer
"The Brawn"
Dozer is the "baby" of the household, and he acts like it, even though he's an adult dog now. He has several "disabilities" that make him a challenge to live with sometimes, but he more than makes up for it with his constant affection and adoration, along with his goofy antics and wide smile.
Dozer is not a purebred pit bull. He is a mix of some sort, possibly with Lab, although some people have suggested American Bulldog or Dogo Argentino. We don't really care what he is. He's cute and fun-loving, and has a good temperament, and that's all that matters to us. Big D is about eighty-five pounds - much too large to be a true "pit bull".
Dozer earned his Temperament Tested title from the ATTS without any hesitation. He has also taken two obedience courses and one agility course. He did not make it very far in agility because he grew too large and awkward to maneuver properly - a bit like a football player trying to learn ballet, I guess. I initially thought that his awkwardness was related to his immaturity, since he was still a puppy during the agility class. But even today, as an adult dog, he still has bouncy puppy-like movements and seemingly poor concept of spatial relations.
The D was born in 2000 and dumped shortly afterward at the local animal shelter, along with his mother and siblings. After he was weaned, he and one sister were put into foster care. The mother and the rest of the litter were euthanized for reasons unknown, but I suspect it was due to distemper, an often-fatal puppy disease. Dozer was lucky, but occasionally has mouth seizures that resemble those suffered by distemper victims. During those seizures, he "spaces out". If I put a toy in his mouth, the seizure stops quickly, and he's back to normal immediately.
The D has several behavioral difficulties, especially anxiety. He doesn't do well by himself. When I'm home, he is always right beside me or at my feet. When I work at my desk (like now), he sleeps behind my chair. When I watch TV, he sits on the floor at my feet. When I do dishes, he lies on the kitchen floor. When I sleep, he sleeps on the floor on my side of the bed. Dozer and Fel each have their own crate where they stay while we're not home, and as long as Fel is in her crate, Big D stays calm and quiet in his crate. If we take Fel with us somewhere - like to the vet - Dozer trashes his crate while we're gone. However, if the D is left home alone and not put in his crate, he will chew up windowsills, power cords, or furniture because he is so upset at being left alone. For his sake and ours, Dozer must always be crated when we leave the house.
Dozer has to have something in his mouth all the time, especially when anxious. He is virtually glued to his red rubber Kong ball. He is a very hard chewer, so we buy very durable chew toys for him, like black Kong toys and Galileo Bones. We've gone through a lot of toys because of him! Along with mouthiness comes an obsession for balls. The D's favorite toys are balls, but only the Kong ball has survived his chomping jaws so far. If he loses his ball, he will remain firmly in the place where he last saw it until someone finds the ball for him. This means that occasionally I'll look down and discover the D is nowhere to be seen, because as it turns out he is stuck in the living room waiting for the ball to roll out from under the sofa.
The D also has mild dog-aggression, of a greater degree than Felanie. With the exception of Felanie, our old roommate's two dogs, and very young female puppies, he does not tolerate other dogs. His aggressive response to other dogs is limited to brief skirmishes that are more noise and shoving than anything. He doesn't make an effort to sustain a fight but prefers to skirmish intermittantly; after the first approach-and-aggress, he wanders off for a while and does his own thing, but after a bit he will return to skirmish with the other dog briefly. It's as if he is saying "I still remember you're here, and I still don't like you, and I still want you to leave. I'll remind you of this again in a few minutes." However, in order to keep Dozer's aggressive self-expression to a minimum, we just don't let the D come in contact with other dogs.
By now, you're probably wondering, "How can you possibly put up with such a needy, difficult dog?" In fact, Dozer is very easy to deal with if you're familiar with his quirks. Keep him away from other dogs, and realize that he's extremely selfish, and you'll have no problem with him at all. All he really wants is lots and lots of love. The D loves cuddling, hugs and kisses, pets, baby talk, and tons of attention. He loves to play ball, or tug, or just run around like crazy. He likes to sleep on the bed right in-between Mommy and Daddy ("hey, no funny business, you guys!"). He's eager and ready to play at the drop of the hat. He will play fetch until he drops.
I think his intense love for me, and the way he puts his whole heart into everything he does - two very pit bull qualities - are what endear him to me so much. His eyes sparkle with curiosity and amusement, and he always seems to be laughing, laughing, laughing with sheer excitement at just being alive. He adores the touch, voice, and gaze of his Mommy and Daddy; you can see pure joy in his expressions when anyone gives him attention. And when I need someone to keep me company late at night, or oblige me when I need a hug, or hang out with me when I'm feeling down, Dozer is right there, eager and willing to help me out. When I cry, he worries, when I'm happy, he dances with me, and when I call his name, he practically flies to me.
No matter how old he gets, Dozer will always be my big baby boy!
Other Pages:
Copyright 2000-2007 by Jennifer
Thomas. Please read the disclaimer.
Hosting
provided by iPowerWeb
