New here - Looking for info

[warpig2003]

Hello,

Will be looking to adopt a pitty in the next few months when I am able to get moved back into my own house. Registered here to interact with owners in order to learn the best ways to train, interact with, and socialize my dog in order to take advantage of the good traits.

My wife and I are into rescue dogs, so we will be looking to go that route. Specifically looking for suggestions how to properly adopt and train a dog without knowing its background. The city we will be living in has a bad dog fighting problem, so its story could be a checkered one.

Thanks.

[warpig2003]

Apologies, read the stickies and it looks like you are looking for more of an intro.

My name is Richard, about to turn 27 and happily married to my wife for nearly three years now. Own a house in St. Louis, MO, but currently in Charlotte, NC for work. Applying and interviewing for jobs in StL, trying to get back to our families and back in our own house. I work in banking, my wife is a veterinarian technician.

We currently own a Boxer mix (Cody, seen below) who we got from a foster parent working with the local animal shelter. He apparently was never socialized before we got him at about 5 months old, as he wanted nothing to do with us. He quickly attached with my wife, but it took him a couple weeks to socialize with me. He is still very shy around humans, but has never shown even the slightest hint of aggression. He is often mistaken for a Pitty, but my wife has worked with probably 1000+ Pit Bulls at a previous job and we are pretty convinced he is mostly Boxer. We actually had a Pit Bull (Bimmer, seen further below) for about a year that we found at her previous job. At about a year old, his aggression turned for the worst and we were not comfortable with him anymore. We spoke with several and used my wife's experience to determine it was probably best to properly euthanize him. It was pretty traumatizing, but we miss him daily. We also had a French Bulldog, who was another dog we rescued (found on a farm with terrible fleas and worms), but unfortunately she blew out her back and we were forced to put her to sleep as well. So now, we are just with Cody but look to get another Pitty once we are back into our own house.

We are also into reptiles. Currently have a California King snake and a Red Albino Corn, and will probably also expand our reptiles as well.

Like I said, we look to get another Pitty and I want to learn the best way to train and socialize these dogs to avoid another repeat of Bimmer. Hard not to put blame on ourselves.

Thanks.

[AllisonPibbleLvr]

Welcome! Your pup is a handsome boy! I am very sorry for your losses but am thrilled that you are going the route of adoption! This place has a ton of great people AND resources.

[warpig2003]

Welcome! Your pup is a handsome boy! I am very sorry for your losses but am thrilled that you are going the route of adoption! This place has a ton of great people AND resources.

Thanks!

After my wife's stint at the Humane Society, not sure I could ever do anything but adoption. Just too many great dogs out there sitting around and waiting for a good home. Especially Pit Bulls.

[spammie]