(Parts I-XIII of Mr. Buddy Rose's story are posted below. If you would like to read them in chronological order, please scroll down to Part I. You may need to click "Older Posts" at the bottom of this page.)
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Mr. Buddy Rose's DNA test results are back. Because of where he came from I expected to see quite a mix of breeds, but I was wrong. Mr. Rose is about as close as he could be to being a full-blooded American Staffordshire Terrier. The AST was the only significant breed to show up in the test. There were no "middle" or intermediate breeds in his DNA. The only breed in his DNA except AST was a very small amount of Boxer. He looks like an AmStaff. This was one of the breeds we were sure would show up in the test, we just didn't think it would be almost totally what makes him up.
Although this test was fun for us humans. I don't think Buddy cared much about his DNA test. I broke the DNA results news to him. He yawned with that big ole' mouth of his, then laid his big ole' spotted head down and took a nap. Doesn't really matter what the DNA test said. We know whatever is inside of him is remarkable!
Because of his energy level and his increasing need to play more and more, I think he is likely healthier than he has ever been. He has completely recovered from his, hopefully, very last medical procedure which was getting him neutered. He wants to play more and more with Princess Mollie the Mini-Schnauzer but he plays a little too rough for her. She ends up running from him, or parking herself under a chair and snapping at him. However, when it comes to barking, Mollie starts it and then Buddy's happy to join, creating quite the cacophony of joy whenever anyone walks down "their" street.
Mr. Rose is getting much better on a leash and has learned to "heel." Well, how about he "heels" really well for more than a mile at a time after he's finished all of his toileting business. Cats are still an issue. I have been walking both he and Mollie together every morning for almost two miles. I walk them each separately for more than a mile in the evenings. Mollie has forgotten all of her leash manners and has really become the difficult one. So here I am walking down the street with the big ole' Mr. Buddy Rose walking calmly, loose-leashed beside me, and a Mini-Schnauzer pulling either leaning sideways or straight out in front. I can just hear the comments, "Look at that woman. She can control the big dog, but look at the little one!" The Mini Schnauzer can also get the big "Spot-Head" dog in trouble with her antics and misbehavior.
One thing I have learned is the extreme prejudice toward anything that resembles a "Pit Bull." When Buddy is under control, leashed and not pulling, I have been asked to take him to the other side of the street. I am so aware of the prejudice and downright fear that people have of these dogs, I move off the sidewalk and wait to give walkers, joggers, other dog walkers, etc. space. I usually speak to them and tell them that he's friendly. Some people have become downright rude when I tell them he is friendly. As we stood waiting, twenty feet off the sidewalk, one male walker replied, "Yea, that breed is known for their friendliness." When I said, "No, he really is friendly." His answer as he passed, "That's what they all say." This sort of behavior makes me not want to be "friendly" or even tell people that he is friendly. Let them find out on their own, or not.
For more than a year before we got Buddy, I have walked Mollie the Mini-Schnauzer to the same park, everyday. Everyday. Now, everyday, I walk Buddy & Mollie to the same park. Although Buddy is much larger, he is actually much better behaved and much more trainable than Mollie is. Although they are both well-socialized with people and dogs, he is the more friendly dog of the two. Yet, he really doesn't get much of chance to be the dog he can be because of the perceived prejudice about his breed. He's a dog first, just like Mollie. Breed has nothing to do with it.
Since we have had him, Mr. Rose has never growled, sneered, or bared his teeth at anything, human, dog, or cat. In the same time frame, he has never bitten anything, human or dog - whether he would bite a cat or not is still up in the air. He doesn't bark often, but he does bark. It's a big bark, but Mollie's bark is worse and harder on the ears. Sometimes, I suppose, he is happy to be outside and he's announcing that he is going for his walk, barking and pony-hopping. Sometimes I stop to watch a kite, soccer game, ball game. He'll bark when he thinks it's time to keep moving. (My decision, not his.) Sometimes we get close enough to another dog, and the other dog bears his teeth, Buddy will bark. Sometimes we get close to another dog and I won't let Buddy approach, he'll bark. Sometimes Mollie starts barking, for whatever reason-she really doesn't need a good reason, any reason really, and Buddy joins the fray. Sometimes he sees a cat, which I won't let him approach either, he barks. Dogs bark. He's simply a dog!
There have been times if Buddy was an aggressive dog, he could have been. The day at the park when a friend's little dog and Buddy's leashes got wrapped and twisted around each other. They were tied together. Buddy was trying to get away, pulling, which wasn't helping as we tried to unwind the leashes. The day the two little Lhasa Apso dogs were off-leash at the park and try as I might, I could not get Buddy and Mollie away from them fast enough. Mollie was yapping her fool head off the entire time. We finally just stopped and let them come. It didn't matter, Buddy just sniffed them. (Checking ID's as I like to call it.) Another day, a neighbor's Pug got out and she and Mollie literally went after each other. For whatever reason, Buddy was trying to lay on or sit on both of them. He never growled as I tried to get him and Mollie away from the Pug. On the other hand, I believe Mollie was in THAT one to WIN the battle.
Because of their smelling ability, dogs pick up so much of their energy from us. They sense our feelings probably quicker than we know we are feeling them. If you are confident and in control, they know it. If you are scared, they know it. They can sense it. If your dog senses you are fearful because you see a Pit Bull, chances are good your dog will be fearful too. (If you don't believe any of this, I suggest you look up Cesar Milan.) We do control many, many of our dogs reactions by our own energy.
It really does hurt me that, because of perceptions, Mr. Rose doesn't get all of the social chances that Mollie does. It's okay though. Mr. Rose is now attending "doggie play days" at a local kennel and will be getting all of the socialization he needs. If we don't find him a forever home in the near future, I will likely sign him up for training and he will become a better dog. If he could overcome just a few obstacles, he would likely make a great service dog. He's really smart and friendly. Everything we do with him and for him is to make him a happier dog. He could be the poster-boy for gentle, loving, sweet dogs that just happen to look like Pit Bulls. Oh, wait, he's not a "Pit Bull," he's an AmStaff or Staffie!
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