Planning to adopt in the spring, have a few qustions.

[Ursus]

Hi,
First I just want to say "Thank You" to the wonderful people who get involved with saving/fostering these wonderful dogs. Without your great help I wouldn't be able to find such a great variety of beautiful dogs to pick from.
I am currently looking to buy a house and I am being very careful to try and find a neighborhood where my future dog and I will be comfortable and safe.
I plan on putting up a 6ft chainlink fence (locked of course) for my new friend to play in safely.
My only real problem I see is my work schedule. I work a 12hr shift 3 or 4 days a week. That also gives me 3 or 4 days a week off to hang out with my new buddy. I realize that 12 hours is way way to long to even think about crating. I also don't think being left in the house would work. I cannot leave work to let him/her out during the day. So it would appear that daytime kenneling is going to be my only real option. I am thinking a 12x18 foot pen with a top that is connected to either a small yard barn or a garage workshop type area. A section of the kennel part would be lined with septic rock so hopfully the dog will not drag tons of mud and water into the nice cozy shelter part. The final plan is somewhat up in the air untill I get the site picked out. I hate the idea of the dog getting out while I'm at work but I see no other option, so I am trying to plan somethign as secure as possible. I realize this isn't a Pit specific problem, but it would be a Pit (or actually there is a beautiful AmStaff I'm really fond of if she is still availible in the spring) that I would be getting so if there is anything specific to the Pit's being kept out during the day I would need to know please say so. When I'm home though the dog would be inside with me, unless we are out playing/walking/training/etc.
Does the set-up I have outlined sound like somthing a rescue would find acceptible? I want to do everything I can so when I go to adopt a dog there will be no snags in the process.
Also what do they mean by vet refrences? I currently have no pets, so no current vet. I have used several vets in the past but haven't always used the same vet for each animal every time. I know the vet that I will want to use once I get a new dog, so do I talk to them about it first? The vet I want to use I used before for major issues like illness/spay/neuter/injuries but for routine things like shots I often used the vet that was close to where I used to live. I now live much closer to the one I used for major things and would like to use them full-time for everything for my new pet since they are now very conviently located. So what kind of records or info would I need to provide from that vet?
Microchipping, some rescues do it, some don't. Is it a bad sign if the rescue doesn't?
I have read and researched quite a bit before deciding that I think a Pit would be a good pet for me. I have no kids or other pets for the dog to disagree with. I have lots of free time to spend with the dog. I grew up with an English Bulldog. I have had several other dogs as an adult including a rotty and a bull mastiff. The ex still has the rotty, thought about getting another one but it just wouldn't be the same because I would expect it to be just like my old one. The pit bull seems to have the human affection factor like my rotty did (he might have been odd for a rotty, but he was a big butt-wiggling baby) but in a new package. I had a Papallion that was the most dog agressive animal I have ever seen. So I am used to dealing with that aspect of the pit bread as well. Infact the Papi would kick the big rottys butt :roll:
Sorry if I'm a bit long winded, but I just really want to make sure I do everything right so that come spring I will have a new buddy to share my life with.

[KimberlyGeorge26]

My pit can climb a chainlink fence, and easily clear a 6 foot fence by jumping! Homeowners insurance usually wont cover pitbulls, so some mortgage companies will say no.

[aaron kahn]

Welcome, and good for you for wanting to rescue a pit/amstaff!!!

Unfortunately, you will need to see what restrictions, if any, are in place where you will buy a home. There are breed specific laws, in many parts of the USA, which ban pitbulls.

You will also want to check with insurance companies (and lenders) about their restrictions. Here in Seattle, WA, I talked to my insurance agent about my pits (mixes!). She said that most insurers, including mine, restrict almost any big dog- but you are not required to notify them if you get a dog.

If you will be keeping your dogs outside for long periods of time, you will need to ensure that they are secure. This will not just prevent them from escaping, but also prevent anyone from getting to them.

www.workingpitbull.com has some good designs for outdoor kennels as I recall.

Different rescue groups will have different policies and requirements- some will want to at least know that you've talked to a vet. If you have a positive history with a vet, I would guess that is what they are looking for. Some microchip, some don't. MOST rescues that I've talked to will spay/neuter, microchip, and get the dog up-to-date on shots. They will pass this cost on to you as an adoption fee. If you work with a pitbull specific rescue group, you will have good odds that they will have done a good job of evaluating the dogs temperment- the "pound" may not have done this. One benefit of getting a dog, as opposed to a puppy, is that you will have a better idea of what the dog is like.

Do some digging through this site- especially in the rescue section, and you will find tons of useful information.

Good Luck, and post photos!!!

[Ursus]

Thanks for the information. I've already checked into the homeowners insurace. Being a former Rotty owner I discovered that the insurance companies often do discriminate against certain breeds quite awhile ago. I've found a company that will allow any breed as long as its well behaved, but if they have a claim against the animal they require that the animal be removed from the home, or they drop you. Not quite 'fair' IMHO but with good parenting on my part and always being careful I think it will not be a problem.

I wonder about my septic rock idea. For those that don't know septic rock is like big pea gravel. All different colors and all rounded off edges. Too big to get trapped in a dog's paw, but not too big to be hard to walk on. Never had any problems with the rocks and dogs before, but it seems that several of the people here have dogs that eat rocks?
Maybe a big concrete pad would be better for the kennel floor? Just been my experience that dogs seem to prefer doing their business on a more 'natural' surface. Plus I would think it would be less confusing for the dog if they knew grass is the only place doo-doo goes and hard surfaces like concrete, or the kitchen floor etc were no-nos. Maybe I'm not giving the dogs enough credit
Anyone see any danger to the dog in burying chainlink fence under the floor of the kennel so they can't dig out? Basically I would be making a big 6 sided box of chainlink and burying it about 1ft under ground.

[violet]

Burying the chain link in my opinion is a darn good idea..though I have had a lot more problems with fence hoppers and climbers than diggers where pitties are concerned.