Hi guys!
I am looking for advice regarding taking a chance on a large Mastiff/Pitbull rescue dog. My family adopted a mongrel type dog that nobody else wanted. I was in charge of walking and taking him to training from a young age and we took him from a nutcase who wasn't socialised and very dog and person aggressive to a complete softy and he has been the best dog ever. He is getting very old now and so his activity has slowed right down. We used to go for daily 10km runs, but now he can barley walk a few miles and it is at a very slow pace. Some days he does not even want to go for a walk due to stifness and instead swims in his doggy bath and plays with toys, or enjoys strokes in the sun.
This means he is cooped up most of the day in the garden just relaxing, but he absolutely loves dog company. We looked after a relatives Doberman for a month and he was so happy it seemed to really pep him up. He would want to go out for little walks with the dobie and really thrived from the company.
Anyway to cut to the chase, we decided to adopt another dog to keep him company and for me to have as my own dog when I move out with my partner in the next year, as taking the family dog isn't really fair at his age and as I have lots of free time due to working online, having a dog to take out, take to training really gives me a purpose rather than sitting around the house and eating junk food to pass the time.
Our local shelter have an amazing Mastiff Pitbull mix that they have had brought back twice, both times because new owners were scared of his size or couldn't look after him due to their hours. The guy who runs the shelter won't let any first time dog owners take him as the shelter have a 3 strike rule regarding their dogs and 3 failed rehomes equals being put down. He took over recently and has since introduced new rules regarding big breeds and inexperienced owners not being allowed to adopt them.
He knows me from group training and asked me to consider Rex. He is around 18mo, is already quite large with a giant head. He responded amazingly well to me and I spent a good hour with me and by the end of it was rolling around at my feet. All the staff couldn't believe it as they say he is usually quite boisterous and barks non-stop during visits. I have to admit I have completely fell in love with him, however as a responsible person I don't want to commit to a dog without getting some advice from people who own this type of dog.
Rex has been in the shelter since he was 6 months and that is an awful way for a dog to of spent most of its life, cooped up with minimal time doing anything but sitting around. The shelter has a transparency policy and when people find out he has been brought back twice, they want nothing to do with him. A few "gangster types" have come and tried to get him, but after the home inspection they were refused.
Sould I take Rex as a fairly experienced owner of a small to medium rescue dog? What do I need to know that I might not of considered? Here is the plan, should I decide to adopt him:
- Introduction to the family dog after a few weeks of daily visits to the shelter with treats and bonding time (only adopting if they are compatible)
- Make sure it is financially doable, insurance quotes, food bill etc (This shouldn't be a problem from the quotes I have recieved and I make decent money)
- Talking to our dogs old trainer and seeing if he will take one on one lessons with him on a long term training schedule (He has agreed to give me 3 one on one lessons a week, but with such a large dog, this seems less intensive than I wanted, think it is enough?)
Sorry for the long post, but I really want to help this dog as he has clearly got a good heart, however I don't want to fail him or add to the bad image of the larger breeds (I myself had quite a negative stereotype in my head before meeting and falling head over heels for Rex).
Any and all advice would be appreciated.
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from Pets https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/bfqeum/advice_on_saving_a_pitbullmastiff_cross_from_the/
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