Hey there! New Here!

Hello all! I got a link to this forum from another and I'm happy to see this in existence. I'm 26, live in MA, and I'm a Dog Trainer and the general manager of a dog daycare and boarding facility. I will hopefully be going back to school for human health, though, as I don't make nearly enough to support my Bulldog habit

I have been feeding raw for 5 years. It started with my old Greyhound who had liquid diarrhea for the first few weeks I had him, switched him to Euk Lo-Res and get got nice soft serve stools, and then on the suggestion of my Behavior instructor switched him raw and I haven't looked back since!

I currently have 2 Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldogs (don't worry if you've never heard of them . . . and NO they're not a dreaded designer breed ), and a rabbit.

Teeny (2 year old female). In training for agility, personal protection, and PSA.




Blue (5 year old male). Certified therapy dog, we begin work within the next month, in training for personal protection and PSA.




And Sexy Rexy (10-12 year old female Mini-Rex)



-Sis

Hey Sis! Welcome to the forum. Your dogs are beautiful, the breed is truly growing on me, pit bulls are my current favorite but I like the larger size of the Alapaha. What is their temperament like in relation to APBTs? That side shot of Blue is just striking, what a beautiful dog. Teeny is adorable, love her face. What kind of therapy do you wish to do with Blue? (hospitals, nursing homes, juvenile detention etc.) I hope you like the forum and can share everything you know about raw with all of us, I think you are officially our member whose been feeding raw the longest!

Thanks for the welcome Blue will be working with second graders in a Reading to Rover program and will also be working with high school kids in an alternative program (I used to work with these kids last year, and I can't wait to bring Blue in to work with them).

I first started into bullies with my love of the APBT also. I worked in rescue for a while, many fosters came and went, and I adored them. For me they were too small, I'm a big dog type of gal. I also like how dog aggression is less common in the Alapaha than in the APBT. And I'm a fan of their serious side. My lines were bred for personal protection purposes. A pup off of my friend's yard recently protected his owner. He is a truck driver and while at a truck stop walking back he was mugged by two guys. He had left his window open a couple inches, and his Alapaha forced the window down and took out both of the men. Blue, while with one of his former owners, jumped out a second story window to protect his owner when he was attacked in his front yard. Both of these without any training (Blue only started his training last year when I began working with him, 5 months before bringing him home). Mostly they are very easy going with people, much like the APBT, just super happy. Teeny is a bit more serious, which again is acceptable in the breed, just not nearly as common. Frankly I have hands down found my breed for life. They have it all: personality, temperament, working ability, and health. I couldn't ask for better dogs

Beautiful dogs! Welcome!

Welcome! You have gorgeous dogs, I am jealous. We have a chi (I call her a cat-dog), but I grew up with big dogs and miss them. Sadly, we live in a teentiny apartment, so cat-dog is what we will stay with for a long time!

Glad to have another veteran of raw on here, you can only help make the site better!

Your dogs are stunning! I'm so jealous.
Like Kelly, we currently have Chihuahuas due to small apartment living, I mean I think they are great dogs as well, I love em all, but definitely miss the larger breeds.
I also "have" a Bull Terrier, she technically lives with a family member but she is MY dog. I pulled her from a kill shelter when she was to be PTS, she does unfortunately have dog aggression but aside from that is an amazing dog. I'm really hoping to have another sometime. I wish I could get Cassie (the BT) on raw but its too much work for the person she lives with I think...

I live in a 12'x 24' semi-studio with Teeny, Blue and Sexy Rexy. Trust me, it can be done

Beautiful dogs. Love the last pic- priceless! I hope to do a reading program with my dog one day but haven't found the time to work on any type of therapy certification. We're aiming for the CGC first. I'm also the manager of a dog daycare and am working towards my CPDT certification. Very happy to have you here.

SisMorphine wrote:\

My son Connor right beside me "cute bunny, but why isn't he eating it?"

Glad to have an old timer on here to steer us in the right direction!

Timothea wrote:
My son Connor right beside me "cute bunny, but why isn't he eating it?"

Glad to have an old timer on here to steer us in the right direction!

LOL!!!! Tell him that rabbit has taken more bites out of dogs than dogs have attempted out of that rabbit! But I can guarantee if Blue were to have his way she'd be stew in no time

Trust me I have LOADS to learn myself. Truthfully I did my research way long ago when I first switched my Grey, now 5 dogs later I just feed without thinking. The other day we were doing an order and my friend said "No Lamb? Why not?" My response, "Wally didn't do well on it, so I don't feed it." Wally passed about 6 months ago yet I STILL feed my two the way I would feed him. I guess old habits die hard!!

Heather wrote:Beautiful dogs. Love the last pic- priceless! I hope to do a reading program with my dog one day but haven't found the time to work on any type of therapy certification. We're aiming for the CGC first. I'm also the manager of a dog daycare and am working towards my CPDT certification. Very happy to have you here.

Oooh good luck with your CPDT! My original goal was to get mine this spring, but a few months ago I made a big decision to actually get out of dogs and go back to school so I can make a living. I will continue to train in PP, but you don't need a CPDT for that. LOL!

The CPDT title, unfortunately, is only for show. IMO, the whole organization is.. questionable. I should be teaching classes relatively soon though, and get plenty of experience just doing daycare.

Heather wrote:The CPDT title, unfortunately, is only for show. IMO, the whole organization is.. questionable. I should be teaching classes relatively soon though, and get plenty of experience just doing daycare.

It's true. I used to work with a whole slew of CPDT certified trainers (I managed the daycare and boarding at a training facility, yet was a trainer elsewhere) who I would never trust to train my dogs. But people like to see the CPDT and the APDT membership if you're pursuing pet dog training. *shrug*