If You Had Only Known...

I at first did not know Raja had alot of Pointer in her along with hound, so I had no idea what I was getting myself into. She resembles a Lab, and my family has always had Labs. So I thought ok great dog to get I know exactly how they are...
hahahah....
Raja has a huge prey drive, she is obsessed with anything that moves, and she is very vocal and also a whiner! She is also very stubburn. But, she is getting better with some of them and I am learning how to deal with  a dog like her. Also I have never seen a dog beg like she does, she will get in your face and will not budge. But, I am still very happy I got her of course

i know this is an old post, but after reading it i had to contribute....
 
the poster who wrote about how pits need a firm hand" is right on the money!! none of my other dogs have ever needed the level of leadership that my bullies need.
 
and truly, all the research in the world will never prepare you for how powerful bullies can be.  it's absolutely explosive.  my male can clear a 5 foot fence from a seated position.
 
their prey drive is so intense that often they will bicker amongst themselves to release the energy built up from staring at a cat/squirrel/ferret/horse/cow/deer/bird/etc.....  when asked to remain seated in the presence of prey, my dogs often begin to shudder with adrenaline.  when this happens, i know it's time to go home.
 
but the number one things on my "if i had known" list is:  if i had known how close minded and miseducated people can be about my dogs, i would have bought a compound and locked us all inside so i could just live my life instead of worrying constantly about being an ambassador.  i live for my dogs, but forcing them to be on their best behavior all the time can really be exhausting.  i see so many other breeds getting away with stuff that would get my dogs impounded and it infuriates me. IF YOU AREN'T PREPARED TO BREAK DOWN THE STEREOTYPES, BULLIES ARE NOT FOR YOU.

and i just noticed some of the other pit posts about goofiness...
 
good god, my dogs have had me rolling on the floor in tearfull fits of laughter.  both of them.  sometimes just the look on their faces is enough to get me going.  they do funny, funny, things with their ears, especially if they want something that they're not supposed to have: pizza, beer, socks.  some of the neighborhood its (mean people leave them tied up outside all the time) have been known to sit on their houses and survey, or get excited and destroy their houses... probably annoying to their owners but funny to me. 
 
i also saw someone post a pic of a pit puppy with his tongue sticking WAY out, and mine does that, too.  it's a RIOT.

I always thought that I wanted/had to have another sheltie and that would be the only breed for me, even though I liked the labs a lot.  I have since learned that it really depends on the individual dog, all shelties are not like my Hunter and even though I have fostered many there has never been another that I clicked with like I did with her.  She is now almost 7 years old and she has been the best, most loyal friend that I have ever had.  We just recently added a young lab and it is her personality that I love.  Our 2 dogs act/look very different, but their personalities are what makes me love them.  I really learned a valuable lesson[]