Thinking of adopting....

[ninjacabdriver]

I was curious to know if I adopt a pitty here in my area, if there is a fee for getting them or what? I would like to save the 300+ dollars on buying a pit, and rather adopt one but I want to know what kind of fee's there are, and how to register a pup and all that good stuff.

[X-girl]

There are so many great PB's in need of loving homes and there are so many rescue pros on this board. Hang tight and someone will be happy to help you out. Good for you for rescuing!!

[pocketpit]

There are plenty of Pits in the area lookin for homes. Anything from pups to adults and in a wide array of colors, shapes and sizes. It should be easy to find one you are interested in. Please look at Petfinder.com A search there will bring up dogs from Bullseye rescue, Pit Bull Project, local shelters and other rescue groups that have Pits in need of new homes.
Everyone I know does charge a fee to adopt and it varies from group to group. It will be less than purchasing a pup from a good breeder. Plus most groups spay and neuter before allowing the dog to leave their care so that's one less thing you'll have to worry about having done! However I'm not sure what you mean about "registering" a dog. If you are talking about actual registration papers, you are likely going to be out of luck. Most rescues obtain dogs with little to no know prior background there for papers don't come with the dog nor is there a way to register them with a legitimate registry. If you are speaking of getting the dog liscensed with your county that's relatively easy.

[ninjacabdriver]

I talked to my dad today and convinced him as much as I could to let me take in a pitty. He seemed really hesitant about having dog in the house at all just because of the past few dogs that have been here all diff breeds. Always digging holes in the yards, and eating my moms plants, causing rukus. That's one thing i'm kind of afraid will make my parents get rid of the dog if I brought one in. Before I go off and get one, I want to know if its hard to get a pitbull trained on not to do certain things like create a WWII scenario in my backyard? My dad seems pretty cool about it if I am certain I will be taking care of the dog, he just wants me to run it through my mom before we go fourth. Any suggestions if I do end up getting the dog.

[whiskeyman]

He seemed really hesitant about having dog in the house at all just because of the past few dogs that have been here all diff breeds. Always digging holes in the yards, and eating my moms plants, causing rukus.

That is what dogs do. They dig holes and eat things! If you do adopt a dog please remember that these thigns are to be expected.
What has happened to the dog's that you and your family have had in the past?

That's one thing i'm kind of afraid will make my parents get rid of the dog if I brought one in. Before I go off and get one, I want to know if its hard to get a pitbull trained on not to do certain things like create a WWII scenario in my backyard? My dad seems pretty cool about it if I am certain I will be taking care of the dog, he just wants me to run it through my mom before we go fourth. Any suggestions if I do end up getting the dog.

If you are afraid that your parents will get rid of the dog then maybe you should wait a while before bringing one in. It will be in their home it will essentially be their dog and up to them to adopt.
Adopting a dog is a commitment and if you aren't able to fully commit for any reason then it may not be a good idea right now.


jeremy

[Steph-n-Wolf]

Here are a few post that I made on a thread about a great young guy looking to rescue a Pit Bull... you should check out the whole thread

(http://www.pitbullforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=5745)

While young and living with your parents, this is a choice and responsibility that your parents are going to have to commit to, as well as you. I suggest having them pop into the forum here, and also do other research on the breed...

(Happy reading... sorry that this is so long!)


You have put 2 years into studying and planning for this new dog. that is awesome! That is amazing! And it is friggin' unbelievable considering that you are the age that you are. You strike me as very well educated, well spoken, mature, and loving. I am impressed by this, again considering your age and the pressure from this culture for a young teenage boy interested in sports to be very different than you seem to be. Again, I am impressed. I find it wonderful that you have not lashed out in a defensive manner and you have taken everyone's sometimes stern suggestions as suggestions on actions and not a personal attack. Bravo.

Do not get the dog right now. That is my suggestion. There are many reasons, some I agree with strongly others seem far less important... I am a young woman that has been very active in animal rescue for many years. I have also been on my own since age 13, with pets. I have been homeless with a dog. I have had animals suffer in my care because I was unable to be in complete control of my life being unsupported, very young, and working for a living. You have been delt different cards, and I am aware that your young life does not mirror mine in the least. But what I am saying is that I have been on both sides of the pole. I was never abusive or neglectful to my animals, and my intentions were always gret, but I would have been better of service had I waited until I was 18 at least before having my own dog that was exclusivly 100% my responsibility.

I would say 80% of the animals I have done rescue with have been previously under the care of owners under the age of 25. The other 20% have been crack heads and animal collectors! But you get my point... and I am not suggesting that you would be part of this percentage, but do consider what that percentage means...

It seems to me like you would make a wonderful Pit Bull owner. You present yourself in your posts as being smart, active, fun, and compassionate. I am not denying your ability to give a dog a wonderful life (you already are with Fantom)... however, there are a lot of variables that are not under your control during this transitional time in your life. Having a plan is great and neccessary, and I commend you for having one. The thought that you have put into this is greater than most adults would do for anything, let along becoming responsible for life. However, you are involving a lot of people in your plan, and each of these people will have their own set of varibles... It makes a lot of sense that your are very dependent on your parents and family in this matter... YOU ARE A 15 YEAR OLD CHILD! That is why they call 15 year olds "dependents"!

With that being said, I would only adopt a Pit Bull if I were in your situation if I was participating with my mothers choice to adopt a Pit Bull and commit to my mother to be 100% responsible for the dog.

This would mean that you mom will have to be as fully knowing about this breed as you are, and make a pledge to work it out and keep both dogs seperated if they do not get along, for their whole lives.

This takes imposing ownership of the dog on your father or uncle away completely, and promisses the new dog stability no matter what. A rescue org usually has it in their contract that the dog come back to them rather than be rehomed. Rehoming the dog with your uncle should just not be an option in you mind, in my opinion. it seems as if thinking of the dog going to your dad in the future is not something stable enough to dock your boat up to, either.

It seems like the Pit Bull could still go to your dad's house with you, if that is alright with him, when you visit. If by the time you are 18 and ready to move out and on (3 years can make a big diff in a young person's life), if you are able to take the Pit Bull with you, then it will be grand. But if you are not, your mother has made the commitment unresentfully to continue to allow the dog to live with her. Make sense? This is a big responsibility for your mom, but if she is as "in to" it as you are and willing to adopt the dog... then I think that it MAY just work out. There are other things to keep in mind, but I think most of them have already been mentioned in this thread.

and

There is the possibility that if you were to aquire a Pit Bull right now everything would be great forever. You are not the typical example of a young man your age, from what I can tell from your posts. However, you did ask a community of educated people that are passionate about this breed, many that work in rescue, for their opinion. You have received that opinion. I think that just about anything you post will not change that opinion. With that said, if you do get the Pit Bull (or any Pit Bull) any time soon, I really do wish you and the dog the best of luck and hope that you continue to come to this forum for questions and to share your experiences...

Do I think that it is a good idea? No. You very well may be the exeption to the rule for most of this, but due to my experience, I am REQUIRED to say that it is not a good idea, in my opinion... I probably would not have said it had you come to the forum with the news that you have adopted a Pit Bull... but since you asked, I've given my answer. Everyone else has as well.

Good luck on your decision... who knows, maybe all of this has happened so that you would hault on this dog because some higher power has another dog in mind for you...

Keep open minded, and forgive many of us for our close minded and jaded suggestions that come from experience. I think that you will be a wonderful Pit Bull owner... I do think you should wait. Or foster, if your mother is willing to be the responsible adult party behind it.

No matter what you do, thank you for considering it as hard as you have

and

You get to have the fun of having a wonderful dog with you (saving a life!) and doing some amazing service work. You would be suprised how easy it is to let a foster go when that perfect home comes available. And it feels really good! It is a huge moral high to know that you have helped so unselfishly save lives... You could be of an amazing service to this breed as a foster with how active and loving you are with dogs, and do some great PR, as well.

Your family would probably be very impressed with your maturity (as would the forum!)... you and your fam would be gaining experienec... and you would have a bully!

YOu could be a mericle to a rescue... so many rescues are so busy with the dogs that they have little time to do the foot work of getting the word out. You, as an extension of the rescue, could start helping put dogs into homes, one at a time. Since you are so active, you could hang flyers up with the rescue's info while out on jogs... YOu could volunteer to attend events... you could increase the foster dog's chances of being the right dog for a family by doing TDI training, advanced obedience, agility, etc... and that would be great PR and adversisement for the rescue!

It would all look good on a resume as well.

PLEASE think about this option...

and

Write an e-mail/letter explaining very clearly your love and investigation of the breed. Let them know how much time and energy you have put into becoming informed on Pit Bulls. You can use pitbullforum as a reference. Tell them that your parents are in agreance with your choice to foster, and will be the legal responsible parties. Tell them why you want to foster in general, and why you want to foster Pit Bulls in spicific. Say that you would like to come in and start by voluntering your time where it is most needed, so that they can meet you and get to know who you are before allowing you to take a dog. Tell them that you are also interested in coming to socialize with the dogs, go running, play ball, do obediance, etc...

Tell them that you are responsible and knowing in your letter and then follow up by showing them that you are responsible by your actions.

Show your mom this thread.

Good luck! I am excited for you! Fostering is a blast!

AND

Every rescue is a little different in the way that they do things, but usually there is a person in the rescue that does homechecks if it is local... usually someone that has been doing it for a while and knows what to look for and what to look out for. They know what questions to ask, but even more important what questions they want the adopters to ask! There is a very real chance that they will invite you to come with them, but I doubt that you will be flying solo.

You first have to show the rescue, not tell them, but SHOW them that taking a dog home with you will be safe and no extra trouble to them.

Rescues can be hesitant in letting adults, let along minors foster. Fosters can become baggage pretty easily; they either have to have their hands held the whole way and take time and energy away from the rescue, or they take too much initiative and run the show or disreguard the rescues guidlines once the dog is home.

Fostering is so wonderful and an amazing help to the rescue when a great foster comes along. But it takes a little time for a rescue to make sure that the potential foster is the "real deal". Please do not be hurt if you do not walk through the doors the first day with a leash in your hand. Plan instead to come and visit several times, offer to help wherever is needed, ask questions about how the rescue would like to see things done and about fostering in general, and let them ask you about what you know instead of throwing it at them (I have done this so many times and always slap myself later... I get excited and blah, blah, blah.. I start SPEWING at people!)

Your probably going to be responsible for taking care of the dog, feeding the dog, playing, exercising, obediance, and socialization. The rescue will most likely be doing the screening and fielding of potential adopters. You can assist further by making face to face contact with people and let them know about the dog(s) for adoption and send the them direction of the recue, pass around flyers with the rescues info, etc... but this is service work above the common duities of a foster home. Fostering is between you and the dog; the rest of it is extra credit. Get it?

[ninjacabdriver]

Step-n-wolf: Thanks for posting all of that, it makes me think twice about responsiblities of owning a dog. I'm going to wait for a while before I maybe adopt, so I can have time to set a schedule where I can have plenty of time with the dog, so that its not here alone too much, because I have work 5 days out of the week, and school.. To answer Whiskeymans question about where the past dogs have gone... We just let other family friends take them for new homes.. Its not that they didn't have a good place here, its just the actions of a puppy that didn't really appeal to my mother and father, such as digging and eating plants. Other than that, my house was and still is a great place for any pet to grow up in. I just want to give it some time for my mom and dad to understand that like all of you said, pups will do that sort of thing growing up.

Thanks for all of the information, and i'm going to do all that I can to help my parents get informed some more on the pups that I would someday like to bring into the home.

-Anthony.

[FantomsDad]

hehe thats a thread from me. How old are you? There might be another teen on here.

[ninjacabdriver]

I'm 18.