Puppies leave full of hope and wonder. I try to match the puppy’s personality with both the people and any other animals in the home. It does not always work out. In my Bull Terrier litter born in November 2022, starting around 8 weeks of age, the all-white girl got into fights with other girls in the litter. I separated her from the other puppies and worked on her crate and puppy obedience skills. She had time with her mom Amy, who is very rough and tumble, and does not set a good example for nice play. I set up visits with a couple of friendly dogs, both males, and she got along fine. She even fell asleep in a chair with my friend Beth’s super mellow boy, Aztec.
A Good Start Goes Bad
When a couple with a large, dog-friendly American Bulldog contacted me, I thought he would be a great role model for this puppy. At first, they were great friends and the girl followed him everywhere, they went on walks together and hung out peacefully. As she grew, she started playing rougher and rougher and just didn’t seem to know when to quit, her housemate gave her the doggy body language signals to stop and she ignored them.
Owners Try Options
Her owners and several trainers have worked hard to help her develop better self-control, She still will play to the point where she gets so over-stimulated she gets aggressive toward other dogs. Her American Bulldog forgave this to a point, but one day it came to a head and he felt he had to bite her to defend himself. Her people didn’t feel the dogs are safe together anymore, and they don’t want to live with two dogs that can’t be together. It was very hard for them to give her up, the other dog was there first and gets priority. If she were the only dog, she would still have a home.
Puppy Returns to Nuance
On her first day back at my home, she recognized me and my husband and had a great time running around in the woods in our backyard. She’s eating well, and calm, and has better manners than her sister that I kept. She’s used to going on walks in a downtown area and is very good on a leash.
Assessment Begins
This Bull Terrier puppy deserves a home and family of her very own, but she will need to have a thorough assessment before she leaves. She needs to be the only dog, other restrictions and “ideal home” criteria may be added as I get a better idea of her personality and needs.