Please Don’t ….
Please don't give a living animal for Christmas!
As if it were not sad enough to read it year round, usually around the major holidays stories start to accumulate in the forums. Stories of owners not knowing how to handle their Bull Terrier puppies, not knowing how to exercise them, train them, nourish them healthy and understand their quirks and their strong personality.
For everyone who loves the breed, having to watch this hurts physically. Because everyone in his right mind knows who is inevitably going to pay the ultimate price, when things are not working out: The dogs.
And for what? Just because very useful books have not been read BEFORE, questions have not been asked before, evaluations not been made and forums not been consulted BEFORE the new member came into the house of those undiscerning owners and now of course the problems start rolling in.
Some at least take the time and start to ask questions when this happens, which is at least better than doing nothing.
Lately I’ve been witnessing one or the other discussion in this forum becoming a little tense, directly or behind the scenes. That’s because some members in this forum - including me - are hurting.
Some of the thread starters then become defensive for understandable reasons, not really getting where all of this anger rumbling in return to “just a simple question” is coming from.
Frankly, I have little hope that this post will be read by lots of ‘not yet’ Bull Terrier owners.
But, whenever YOU stumble over this post as a ‘not yet’ or a first time new Bull Terrier owner, please:
1. Don’t feel offended, just because we care for the well-being of your DOG (the breed and animals in general), and may try to shake and wake you up with some direct words of advice.
2. READ & RESEARCH!
EVERY pet deserves attention and being treated like a living being. But when it comes to Bull Terriers besides that there’s a ton more important to know.
These dogs are special - regarding temperament, intelligence, activity levels, nutrition, training - only to name a few aspects. And the Internet is loaded with information on that!
They can only thrive and reveal to be the jewels they are in the hands of very caring and at the same time determined and consistent owners, who love active dogs, DO care about their needs and do their best to meet them.
Neglecting the needs of a Bull Terrier - intentionally or not - in almost every case does not end well. At least for the Bull Terrier, who is the one ending up in a four by four foot cage, because he just became “too much”.
Christmas is around the corner.
Please do NOT give a living animal - neither to anyone else, nor to yourself just as a gift.
Rather wish for some of these very interesting books (some of those do not even cost any money in the Kindle version):
Bull Terrier Guide
http://www.amazon.com/Bull-Terriers-Complete-Owners-Manual/dp/0764135287/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447893339&sr=1-2&keywords=bull+terrier
Bull Terrier Guide
http://www.amazon.com/Bull-Terrier-Training-AAA-AKC/dp/1500998850/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447893339&sr=1-9&keywords=bull+terrier
Dog Training wth Bull Terriers:
http://www.amazon.com/When-Pigs-Fly-Training-Impossible/dp/1929242441/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447893339&sr=1-4&keywords=bull+terrier
If you are planning on getting a Bull Terrier, many of the members in this forum here are eager to help you and answer all of your questions, not only about the things that should be asked first and foremost:
a) Will I have enough time for a dog?
b) Will I be able to entertain, train and exercise my dog?
c) Will a Bull Terrier get along with other pets or my kids, possibly in the house already?
d) As a first time puppy owner: What is important to know about Bull Terrier puppies? (A LOT!)
…
I am sorry, if anyone feels indoctrinated by this post. I am usually more of the helping type, and not really used to writing monologues without a single training tip, health advice or a problem solution.
But this needed to get out.
I appreciate EVERY new owner of a Bull Terrier, yearning for this extraordinary companionship. All of us once were first time owners.
But let’s face it, we do not simply by A CAR, rather take the time to compare specs and stuff first, see if we can afford the loan etc., look for what we like … BEFORE we buy.
Why should the importance of the decision be any different with a Bull Terrier (or any other pet), especially when they are not just things, but living beings!
As if it were not sad enough to read it year round, usually around the major holidays stories start to accumulate in the forums. Stories of owners not knowing how to handle their Bull Terrier puppies, not knowing how to exercise them, train them, nourish them healthy and understand their quirks and their strong personality.
For everyone who loves the breed, having to watch this hurts physically. Because everyone in his right mind knows who is inevitably going to pay the ultimate price, when things are not working out: The dogs.
And for what? Just because very useful books have not been read BEFORE, questions have not been asked before, evaluations not been made and forums not been consulted BEFORE the new member came into the house of those undiscerning owners and now of course the problems start rolling in.
Some at least take the time and start to ask questions when this happens, which is at least better than doing nothing.
Lately I’ve been witnessing one or the other discussion in this forum becoming a little tense, directly or behind the scenes. That’s because some members in this forum - including me - are hurting.
Some of the thread starters then become defensive for understandable reasons, not really getting where all of this anger rumbling in return to “just a simple question” is coming from.
Frankly, I have little hope that this post will be read by lots of ‘not yet’ Bull Terrier owners.
But, whenever YOU stumble over this post as a ‘not yet’ or a first time new Bull Terrier owner, please:
1. Don’t feel offended, just because we care for the well-being of your DOG (the breed and animals in general), and may try to shake and wake you up with some direct words of advice.
2. READ & RESEARCH!
EVERY pet deserves attention and being treated like a living being. But when it comes to Bull Terriers besides that there’s a ton more important to know.
These dogs are special - regarding temperament, intelligence, activity levels, nutrition, training - only to name a few aspects. And the Internet is loaded with information on that!
They can only thrive and reveal to be the jewels they are in the hands of very caring and at the same time determined and consistent owners, who love active dogs, DO care about their needs and do their best to meet them.
Neglecting the needs of a Bull Terrier - intentionally or not - in almost every case does not end well. At least for the Bull Terrier, who is the one ending up in a four by four foot cage, because he just became “too much”.
Christmas is around the corner.
Please do NOT give a living animal - neither to anyone else, nor to yourself just as a gift.
Rather wish for some of these very interesting books (some of those do not even cost any money in the Kindle version):
Bull Terrier Guide
http://www.amazon.com/Bull-Terriers-Complete-Owners-Manual/dp/0764135287/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447893339&sr=1-2&keywords=bull+terrier
Bull Terrier Guide
http://www.amazon.com/Bull-Terrier-Training-AAA-AKC/dp/1500998850/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447893339&sr=1-9&keywords=bull+terrier
Dog Training wth Bull Terriers:
http://www.amazon.com/When-Pigs-Fly-Training-Impossible/dp/1929242441/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447893339&sr=1-4&keywords=bull+terrier
If you are planning on getting a Bull Terrier, many of the members in this forum here are eager to help you and answer all of your questions, not only about the things that should be asked first and foremost:
a) Will I have enough time for a dog?
b) Will I be able to entertain, train and exercise my dog?
c) Will a Bull Terrier get along with other pets or my kids, possibly in the house already?
d) As a first time puppy owner: What is important to know about Bull Terrier puppies? (A LOT!)
…
I am sorry, if anyone feels indoctrinated by this post. I am usually more of the helping type, and not really used to writing monologues without a single training tip, health advice or a problem solution.
But this needed to get out.
I appreciate EVERY new owner of a Bull Terrier, yearning for this extraordinary companionship. All of us once were first time owners.
But let’s face it, we do not simply by A CAR, rather take the time to compare specs and stuff first, see if we can afford the loan etc., look for what we like … BEFORE we buy.
Why should the importance of the decision be any different with a Bull Terrier (or any other pet), especially when they are not just things, but living beings!
Thanks for reading this.
Comments
"It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
www.bulliesofnc.com
Looking at u Phil.
I'm sure everyone has seen those totes cute videos of kids or girls crying about getting puppies for gifts awww cute how adorable whatever whatever -- what I would like to see is a video about two weeks later to see how they're doing and if the kids really even care about that dog anymore. My parents got me a dog when I was 10 and it was "my dog" (he was not a present, btw, we went to the shelter and picked him) but they knew full well a 10 year old wasn't going to have the brain to take care of a dog, and I didn't. I just hope these people in these videos care about their pets as much as my family did and give the dog the attention it deserves even when the stinky kid doesn't pay it any mind.
Also...totally jealous of Phil's warmer weather...but Michigan might need it more than we do right now!!