The Pit Bull, The Cattle Dog And Bark Busters

By: Bark Busters Home Dog Training | 6 Shares 471 Reads

(Friday, December 01, 2006) - "My husband, Craig, was terrified of Pit Bulls. According to him they are "nasty dogs," and he said he would NEVER get one! Next thing I know he brings home Jade, a fi ve-month-old Pit Bull that was found in a box in the City of Poughkeepsie waiting for the garbage man to get her. A friend of ours initially had taken her home, but we believe our friend was trying to make her the "stereotypical" Pit Bull. So, my husband interceded and acquired her. At that time, we already had a seven-year-old Yellow Lab, Finster, and two cats. Jade, of course, fi t right in. Our Lab accepted her and started teaching her all his bad behaviors. Fast forward a couple of years. We had to put Finster down, and Jade seemed to be heartbroken. At the time, I was friends with a man who owned a pet store where I shopped. He had for sale a "cuter then hell" Aussie Cattle Dog. I wanted her SO BADLY, but I knew what it takes to raise a puppy and I wasn't sure I could give her the time. Not to mention that Jade was now top dog in the house. The owner of the pet store contacted me about a month and a half later and told me he thought the Cattle Dog was deaf. So, with very little thought, my husband and I brought her home and found out she is, in fact, 100% deaf from birth. I just couldn't have her euthanized, or given to someone else who might beat her because she was deaf. So, I decided to take the time to train her—and, brother, has it taken time! I read and read, and read some more about the breed and raising a deaf dog. Her behavior was the worst thing I have ever seen: the barking, the peeing and pooping in the house were just some of the many problems. Jade has learned to get along with our current brood of five cats and two chinchillas, but the deaf Cattle Dog, Stitch, she didn't like. They are both females, so it became a major power struggle. Jade saw Stitch as a threat, and over time, the behaviors of both dogs got worse. There was competition for food and attention. Jade attacked Stitch when people came to the door (Stitch cannot hear a knock), and both dogs wouldn't let people come into our house without jumping all over them. They would jump, sit on, and lick our friends without stopping. It was so bad we decided not to have our friends visit. If anyone came over, the dogs were banished to separate rooms. In addition, Stitch would not walk on a leash— she is a "tug boat." And as soon as it gets dark outside, the men in the house (my husband and stepson) were not allowed off the couch. Stitch would attack them and occasionally "make contact." These were just a few of the issues we were dealing with. Craig and I had no idea what to do.
I am a vet tech and have access to medicines. So, I tried drugging Stitch with acepromizine, clomicalm and some natural products. Everything made things worse. I was at the end of my rope and fighting every night with my husband. I had almost given in to getting rid of her, but I felt responsible and decided to keep trying. However, I knew it was costing me my marriage. One day I was at work and two "angels" entered the clinic dressed like Bark Busters trainers. After talking to Barbara and John Fassett about what to do, and getting information about the company, I asked if they had ever personally worked with a deaf dog. They said they had not, but that the Bark Busters national home office would provide them all the help they needed. Within a few weeks, I called them and they went out of their way to accommodate my schedule. Barbara and John spent about 1 ½ hours training me and getting to know the dogs. Then, with the knowledge I learned, I started to train the dogs. The first thing we addressed was the attacking at the door. Within minutes, it stopped. OH MY GOD, I could not believe it! I never thought I would be able to have unexpected visitors come to the house without blood flying. They did it! I cannot believe these people—they are AMAZING. I felt like I must have been dreaming. Jade and Stitch are now two transformed dogs. The work that Barbara and John did was REMARKABLE! Thank you, Bark Busters! Recently, Barbara and John came back to my house so we could work on some other issues. Once again, I was amazed. I was thinking, "Stitch, walk on a leash? No, never!" But, she is – WOW! It took time, but she walked on a leash with my husband like a good girl. It was more than amazing! We realize that this is work in progress, and that both Jade and Stitch will continue to challenge us because of their domineering traits. But, now we know how to be their leader, and that changes everything. One last thing. The Pit Bull breed, in my opinion, gets a bad rap. It is a wonderful, loving dog. But, things can go wrong if the dog is mistreated or if it is taught to be mean. With proper training, Pit Bulls are tremendous family companions. Finally, all I can say is that Craig and I, along with Jade and Stitch, would never have made it without Bark Busters." Bark Busters trainers now offer a seminar to vet hospitals that will help the entire staff better understand how to reduce the possibility of dog bites. During the seminar the staff is provided an overview of 'canine communication' (how dogs communicate with each other), and how these techniques are used in Bark Busters training. These same techniques are then applied to show how veterinary staff can reduce the possibility of bites in their facility. Dr. Stephen Thimmig of Zeeb Pet Health Center in Dewitt, MI made the following comment about a presentation made by Bark Busters to his staff. "Kendra Tycocki from Bark Busters gave my Health Care Team a marvelous and in depth overview of the process Bark Busters uses to help pet owners build a life long relationship with their furry family member. She fielded questions that demonstrated her mastery of the subject. I feel confident referring easy to train, and darn near impossible "beasts" to her. Time after time I am pleased to hear the referral I have made to Bark Busters has exceeded my client's expectations." Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Holidays to everyone from your friends at Bark Busters.
Have a joyous New Year! Andrew Brooke President and CEO Bark Busters USA Happy Holidays to All

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