I need your opinions asap!

[lotsopigs]

ok, my swell but sort of dorky best friend got a longhaired doxie from the pound several months ago...he is 7+ and obviously had a screwed up past, hates bulky males, biten me twice while doing normal things, like petting and picking up...yada yada...she is working through his problems upon my advice, but has no prior dog experience...like he wasn't enough of a handful on his own, she called me yesterday after work and told me she had already signed the papers for another dog at the pound, to be his friend....this new dog is a red-nose pit about 1yr old, thin and frail, but still happy and outgoing...i asked her if she could decide to not get him if she had to, but she said it's already in process...i've warned her that pits aren't always the best with other dogs, but she said he was fine with others at the pound...she also has a cat...since it is enevitable that she gets this dog, where do i go from here...by the way i love pits and have a pit mix, i just don't know if this is a good situation...

[brandy pup]

First of all IMHO the first dogs problems need to be worked on before adding another pet. The doxie is bound to not like the new comer and may actualy be the problem dog in this senerio. The doxie needs a full vet check, cbc, etc to rule out medacle problems for his actions. Then be able to work on the behavior part of it. A biting dog of any breed is NOT acceptable regardless of size and the situation needs to be adrdreesed without adding more stress of another pet.

There is no such breed as a red noes pit. It's just a fancy name given to one of the many breeds that the Pit Bull name includes. For me it represents a possible ill bred pit bull becuase only irresponsible breeders and people lacking the knowledge on pits call them anything other then what they are. BUT THAT isn't to say he is a great dog, I am sure he is. It's just circumstance. Why was he turned into the shelter? Has he actually met the doxie dog? Has he been cat tested? Does he have a prey drive? Is he food aaggresive or toy possesive? And many other questions come to mind first.

I would take my current pets to the shelter to meet the dog one at a time in a controlled enviorment that is not at the home. If things go well from that then I would consider adopting the dog. (granted the doxies problems should be worked out first)

I hope your friend knows what they are doing. They can decide to not adopt the dog even with papers signed. The shelter would rather not have the adoption go thru then have something bad happen or the dog returned.

Oh and I would have given this advice regardless of breed in question. Pits are wonderful animals and can live fine with other pets.
Good Luck.

[eviloxygen]

well if the shelter is any good at all they should already know this is a bad idea. You have to control one dog before adding another. The dogs need to meet. And let me tell you its not easy owning multiple dogs especially with a pit. I hope she doesnt do it. and if the shelter is responsible there is no way they will not let her back out or take the dog back.

[lotsopigs]

ok to clear some things up
...she did bring the mr. doxie to the pound to meet mr. pit and they loved each other, and they introduced him to a cat through the kennel bars and he was actually shy of it, that is why she is getting him in particular
...he was a stray just picked up alone
...she tested taking away a bag of cookies once he had started eating and he did fine, just looked at her longingly
...she tried playing fetch with a tennis ball but he didn't bring it back, however he allowed her to pull the ball out of his mouth
...the doxie has been to the vet a million times since she got him, he was overweight so now on a diet and goes in to be weighed regularly (i was a groomer for a long time and he is just biting like most spoiled brat doxies/small dogs learn to do if they don't feel like doing this or that right now, he makes me mad though because he thinks he is in charge and is acting dominantly so i've flipped him on his back until he calmed down each time reguardless of my bloodied hand!)
...oh and he doesn't have papers the people at the pound labeled him that because he looks that way...

[eviloxygen]

Well that is good, but shelters would still be smart enough to not let an owner who has behavioural and training issues with one dog take another one in. She needs to spend time training her first dog, as a new dog will NOT train the old one

[lotsopigs]

unfortunately SLO animal control has the best record for # of adoptions, this is only because they allow anyone to adopt as long as they are 18 and have the $....

[lotsopigs]

well an update...she has now had him for a week and both the cat and her doxie are in love with him...she keeps him kenneled when she is out of the house and he is having a bit of trouble with potty training, but otherwise he's been good...he runs the other way when she calls him so for know it's leashed walks and fenced dog parks...she's gotten criticized by a crazy woman while she was walking him, who thought she was keeping him that skinny on purpose...grrr the same thing happened to me the week i got my pound puppy...so the name of the game is be watchful and hopefully he'll be one of those exceptions to the rule...