Somebody Help Ziggy!

BulliesofNC

Somebody Help Ziggy!


Ziggy is a 10 year male Bull Terrier that is completely house broken, well mannered, affectionate, well taken care of, and has no issues. He may be an older dog but he still has plenty of energy and spunk. He loves to play and has always been a lovable lap dog.


Here’s the issue. The owner who has had him since he was 8 weeks old has an infant who is now a 1 ½ year old toddler that is obviously new to the house in Ziggy’s eye and is now starting to walk around as toddlers due. Unfortunately Ziggy is showing signs of dominance and jealousy. Ziggy’s owners have sought out advice from all sources and tried their best for the last 6 months to get Ziggy to accept the new family member. However, the child remains scared of the dog and Ziggy reacts to the nervousness of the child which creates a concern for the parents. In short, Ziggy has become too much of a safety factor for them to worry about Ziggy either knocking the toddler over or snapping at him due to confusion some dogs experience from the noises and actions of a child. The owners of Ziggy are distraut about having to find a home for Ziggy when they love him dearly. They do not want any adoption fee and are even willing to provide donations to help support his normal care. All they want is to see Ziggy in a good home where he’ll be loved like he has been for 10 years.


Ziggy is currently residing with the owners In-laws in Charlotte, NC. Unfortunately they cannot keep him due to their age and physical abilities. Please contact us if you have the heart to adopt Ziggy and give him the love and comfort he deserves.
[-O<

philsergeant

Oh! I hate this. I really hope someone will pick up on this opportunity. Trouble is most people believe that 10 is old for a dog. We've had bullies that have lived until 15 so Ziggy has some Jiggers left in him yet.

exiled

Sure do hope someone will adopt him SOON, and if not, that the owners will keep him and put in as much effort as it takes to make it work.  In the meantime, can they at least section off part of the house for Ziggy?  If it's a matter of fearing he'll knock over the toddler, it would seem like the toddler can have the majority of the house and Ziggy can be in the kitchen or some other part of the house that can be secured with child safety gates while the toddler is running around.  Then at night after the baby goes to sleep, Ziggy can snuggle with his owners.  Maybe it will work out if Ziggy gets a little more time?

philsergeant

@exiled... I'm with you... I wrote a whole comment and then thought the better of it, and deleted it.... But, after 10 years?????

BulliesofNC

@exiled and @philsergeant - Chris (the owner) actually contacted me as well as many others over 6 months ago not for help in regard to adopting out Ziggy but for advice with trying to get Ziggy to accept the baby. Ziggy seems fine when their baby was just a small newborn but once her started crawling around the floor the concerns with Ziggy's behavior became a concern. It was at this time Chris called me and I provided him with as much advice as I could. Chris also conducted a lot of online research. He was separating his child from Ziggy for a long time but knew isolating Ziggy wasn't the proper thing to do and Ziggy needed attention too just like he was used to for the last 10 years. Recently the concern for their babies safety got to the point where they made the decision to take Ziggy to there parents residence. However, due to their age and physical condition caring for Ziggy is too much for them. Ziggy is still at the parents house. However, Chris is in hopes that Ziggy can find a place that's better suited for him where he'll once again be the center of attention and loved. I can tell that it devastates Chris to give up Ziggy and I truly feel he has tried diligently to try and work things out so the issue between the baby and Ziggy could be resolved. However, the risks involved have been calculated and the decision has been made to find Ziggy a new home.

philsergeant

How about looking for someone that can care for Ziggy for a year, hopefully someone 'next door" so that regular contact and exposure can be maintained, until such time the kid is somewhat more robust and can "look after himself"...???  My 87 year old mother-in-law lives with us, is pretty frail,  and we also need be careful with our two rocket ships.

exiled

This situation confuses me.  I was single when I got my first BT, met my husband and got married a year or two later, then a couple of years later, had kids.  My BT was an adult dog that had been with me exclusively for a while, then transitioned to a growing family.  She was rambunctious to her dying day, and it took patience and love to keep her while my family grew, but I didn't give up on her when she reached the age of increased health problems and expenses.  Yes, I know how hard it is having a toddler with a BT.  I'll continue keeping *most* of my thoughts on the situation to myself.

Best wishes and some prayers for Ziggy.  @philsergeant has a great suggestion, and I hope it can work out that someone they know will adopt him so that he can still see them on occasion.

BulliesofNC

I've learned over the years not to assume all Bull Terriers can be trained to overcome bad habits. Many have invested countless days of dedication in high hopes of getting their Bull Terrier to get along with their new dog just brought home or getting their new adult rescue to get along with their current family dog. Often the problem can escalate vice improve. Gambling on a future dog fight is one thing and gambling on an infant being bit in the face is another.
What makes it difficult for some to be confused as to why an owner won't simply dedicate to serious training in order to obtain peace and harmony within the household is because they may be comparing the temperament and personality of their Bull Terrier as well as the few they have had in their lives to each any every other Bull Terrier.
Thinking about the success in training your Bull Terrier may be completely different than another. Those that have experienced an Bull Terrier with dog aggression issues understand what I'm talking about and unfortunately there's no Cesar Millan that's going to be 100% successful in training some dogs to become completely tolerant of other dogs. Some will always have aggression issues which create a safety concern and liability factor for the owner.
This particular Bull Terrier has 10 years worth of sustained character and temperament and is most likely pretty set in his ways. Efforts have been made by the owner for a very long time.
The owner Chris would love to hear from anyone that was willing to provide encouraging guidance, suggestions, or recommendations. With this said, if any of you would like to speak to him please PM me and I'll be happy to provide you with Chris's number. I'm confident after speaking with him you'll be a little more prone to thinking he isn't giving up on his Bull Terrier but has concluded that he will always be a "Risk" for the safety of their child.

exiled

The first paragraph is what leads to confusion on my part:

"Ziggy is a 10 year male Bull Terrier that is completely house broken,
well mannered, affectionate, well taken care of, and has no issues. He
may be an older dog but he still has plenty of energy and spunk. He
loves to play and has always been a lovable lap dog."

Then, a different vision comes to mind in the second paragraph:

"Unfortunately Ziggy is showing signs of dominance and jealousy."

To be honest, this rescue sounds daunting.  So it boils down to Ziggy not being able to be trusted with the toddler, and I get that.  Clearly, NO ONE wants a toddler (or ANYONE from an infant to a 100-year-old person) attacked or even emotionally scared.  Ziggy must go.  As much as I love all pets (except snakes and lizards) people come before pets--especially our children. 

However, the elephant in the room can't be ignored.  Ziggy is 10-years-old.  He's reaching an age where vet bills have the potential to become exorbitant.  It's sad how it worked out, but it is what it is.  May God richly bless the person that agrees to take on the commitment that was made to Ziggy ten years ago.

Came back to edit and also add that should Chris ever read this, I can only imagine how torn your heart was if your baby cried in fear of Ziggy.  You have had him as your cherished pet for 10 years, and I'm certain without ever speaking to you, that you would have kept him and cared for him for the rest of his life had he been gentle with your baby.  You have been given the blessing of a baby that you have to care for above all else, including pets.  I truly do hope, and pray, that somehow your load can be lightened by a good person stepping up and giving Ziggy a home. 

BulliesofNC

I thought for sure someone would take me up on contacting Chris with words of wisdom in regard to some secret training technique passed down from the ancient Gods that would miraculously mold Ziggy into a whole new dog with the calmness and patience to accept their baby whole heartedly with loving tenderness. :-&

Hmmm, I don't think that's going to happen. Ziggy's character and temperament are well explained in both paragraphs depicted in my initial post and hopefully I've articulated it properly by describing him to be a Bull Terrier with a lot of love and affection but lacks acceptance to young children who may confuse and stress him to the point he reacts in an inappropriate fashion that projects a threat to the safety of their toddler. Yes, a fault within his character and temperament but one that may have no merit in a home free of young children.

Ziggy's age coupled with his acceptance of young children are his only downfalls. However, due to my experience with many other Bull Terrier rescues that have extensive problems ranging from OCD, aggression, allergies, and health issues I would say that Ziggy's adoption may be far less daunting than what you perceive. 

exiled

Fingers are crossed that people will be stepping up to adopt him very soon.  

No telling how words come across in emails, texts, forums, etc, but to be clear, I wasn't complaining about the original comment describing Ziggy or attacking anyone's character or commitment.  I kept visualizing two different BTs in my mind, but it did become clear that the owners have really tried, and that having him separated in one part of the house really won't work.  To picture one of my kids being scared of a pet, it is without question the pet would have to find a different home.  No gods have whispered anything to me about BT behavior, because my first BT was definitely not the best behaved.  Rodney is pretty good, though, but I'm chalking that up to his breeders.   

I'm looking forward to reading about Ziggy being adopted soon.  I'm sure that will lift a burden off of their shoulders to know their loved pet will be king of his castle in a new home.

BulliesofNC

Ziggy's story is sad but there's no question he has issues batting against him especially his age. Many don't wish to take on a dog of his age not just because he may be prone to health issues associated with old age but because some may not wish to get emotionally attached to a dog that may only be in their life for a short period of time. Additionally, the competition of seeing other younger Bullies available for adoption may attract more people who would prefer a younger dog.

My fingers are crossed too.   [-O<

exiled

You've hit the nail on the head why I am not allowed (by my family) to adopt an older rescue.  Before I called you and got on your waitlist, there was one whose owner lost his house after a hurricane, and he was 9 1/2 years-old.  My husband knew I personally could not handle the loss so quickly.  It's something some people handle gracefully and others become despondent and distraught.  I'm the latter.  It's not that dire with Ziggy because he sounds healthy and active.  I've been wanting to post his pictures, if it's okay with you and his owner, on my facebook page.  I get lots of comments when people see my rescue and know how much joy he's brought to my life.  The stories and experiences are different, but for the right person, this could be a wonderful opportunity.

mbgood

Any update on Ziggy?

BulliesofNC

Unfortunately, I haven't. I need to call Chris back and check up on him. I'm praying a friend, relative, or neighbor had the heart to adopt him.