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@Lallyhop, thanks! He really is quite adorable. To be honest, he seemed much calmer on the car ride home than he does in my house. :))

Omg I wanna squish his face!

Could you believe they are illegal in Norway? Its absolutely ridicoulus!

Also illegal in the UK how dumb

Yeah, I'm a vet tech and i only react to short type hair (pit/bulldog/rottie). It can be really annoying sometimes!

But i have a coworker who is allergic to cats. So I'm not that bad off :))

FACTS its not the dog in most cases it's usually the person. I know some cases it is the dogs only because they're truly alphas I had this issue with a rottweiler male way back and he was scary he obeyed cause of training but he was very aggressive

Like I know where I am from they outlaw them to make it easier to shut down suspected pit fighting opperations.... If they have the dog they can take it away from them without it being a drawn out thing making the dog have to fight again which they say is worse than just being put down if it comes to that, But surely there aren't underground pit fighting operations everywhere... right?

Wolfgang, I admit... while most times it is the people... it seems worse when the dog is naturally aggressive. I had an Australian Shepherd puppy once (less than a year old, but older than 4 months) who was naturally terrified of people and peed every time anyone tried to interact with her, and she'd growl and look downright ugly towards strangers. She never charged at or bit anyone, but she definitely made herself look mean as heck. I can't say if it was just natural aggression, or if she'd been abused as a tiny puppy. She never showed aggression towards me, my grandmother, or our roommate, but most other people - she hated.

@StormwoodFarm, thank you so much! He's currently laid on the [3 cushion] couch with me and my cat. Lemme say... we do not all 3 fit here comfortably. =)) Anything for love. Lol

Yea I know what you mean I've also seen dogs like that. Was she around other people often from a puppy? How old was she when you got her?

He could've been the problem tbh little people contact and he sounds kinda shady no offense.

Congrats again on Rhett, Spry! :x

The two most aggressive non-Chihuahua dogs I ever met were both Blue Heelers, aka Australian Cattle Dogs. The dogs weren't bred just to herd sheep and look cute, they were bred to work stock and to protect them. Some Heelers are very much a one person or family dog and anyone else who tries to get near them better be ready to be bitten. Sure, many stock-type dogs are well-socialized and have never met a sheep or cow in person, but the instincts bred into them are still there. A lot of herding and 'working' breeds are like that unless properly socialized as puppies.

As for the whole bully breed thing, I'm very firmly of the opinion no breed is born bad, there are just some who were traumatized by bad owners who should not be allowed to have oxygen, much less a pet. The sad truth is sometimes after all the trauma people put them through it's kinder to a dog to end their fear and pain than it is to try to rehab them, especially if they're older. I've seen what's left of bait dogs and known several dogs seized from fighting rings, and the things they go through are horrible. Dog fighting should have one simple penalty everywhere: life on a short chain with no comforts at all. No plea bargaining, no fines, no buying their way free... Just chain them out in the Texas sun with a muddy bowl and walk away.

Why yes, I do have rather strong opinions on dog fighters. ;;)

My sweet "Am Staff" boy Toby was used as a bait dog as a pup but was very lucky because the fight where he was 'used' was busted up by the police before he died of the wounds. He went to a shelter that stitched him up and got him through the injuries only to see him catch everything under the sun in the shelter because he'd had no shots. He ended up with a rescue where he had to be kept in isolation as he fought off parvo and distemper and then pneumonia, all before he was five months old, which is the most important time to socialize a pup. He was left with some scars and scarred lungs that still give him trouble sometimes, but otherwise you'd never know he had such a rough puppyhood or that he spent three months alone in a small isolation kennel.

Toby has a heart big as all outdoors and is the sweetest dog there is. He has never met anyone he didn't like, greeting everyone he meets with a big smile and a wagging tail.


Toby is why I have a sign on my front door. Well, several actually, but the first one that I put up because of Toby is the most important one. An EMT (one who it's worth noting didn't actually come in and meet my dogs!) said I should warn people there was a "dangerous pit bull" inside so I went hunting an appropriate warning sign for Toby. It's maroon wood with white text and says the usual "beware of" in large letters with "dog" below just as large, but it's the line of small text in between that's the important part. The whole thing reads, "BEWARE OF our intensely friendly, licking and jumping, really excited you're here DOG".

It always makes people laugh until they come in the door and get mobbed by three dogs and realize it's the honest truth, though Toby isn't the one who jumps on people. :))

@Drafts26, huh. Weird. Lol

@Justa, oh healers can be something fierce. We used to have one, and I know other people who have one/some. They're definitely good at their jobs.
I'm not sure if you meant to mention blue heelers (Aussie Cattle Dog) just because, or if you thought I was talking about a AUS cattle dog. The dog I was referring to was an Aussie (Australian Shepherd; you know, the long haired dogs). Lol. I'm sure you know. I've found Aussies are usually just derpy things that are as goofy as they are smart.
Your Toby boy is beautiful. I'm not sure why, but I expected him to be a tan with black points (like a pug). His ears are cute, though.
I admit, that sign does sound pretty funny. Especially since it seems true.

@Hyborian, gotta love terriers. Lol. What color is she?

@Seaswell, thanks! Lol. I don't even have a computer. Kinda glad, tbh.

@Justa, I figured you did, but I was confused and wanted to be sure. :))
I definitely understand all breeds having the possibility to have some that are aggressive, but I admit... my Aussie was the only one I knew of then that was. Most of the others I knew were either overly friendly, or downright silly. But it's just like chihuahuas... so many people think they "aren't mean" or "can't be mean", but they can be, and some are.
It kills me when people tell strangers about their dog, "Oh, they don't/won't bite!" When in reality, sure, they've never bitten you or anyone else (that you know of), but! That doesn't mean they 100% never will. Someone may give off a bad vibe to the dog, and the dog may react. Or that person might be an annoying little kid who's aggravated the dog enough it's mad.
My mom's chihuahua is terrified of most people, and yet my mom swears to strangers she won't bite them. I tell her all the time, "She hasn't, no. But she's terrified of them so that might be enough to cause her to if they come at her wrong or too fast." Yet she still insists she still won't bite them, even if that's the case.

Toby looks really sweet and caring, as does Murphy. But Murphy also looks a lil tired, but I don't blame him cuz he's 16! I'd be tired at that point, too!
Bella definitely looks like one who'd like, "I know I shouldn't, but watch me still do it!" :))
That's one thing I love about Rhett. He learns very quickly. Last night he tried coming over a barrier I have to keep him out of the kitchen, and I got him off of it and told him, "No! You stay!" (Only once!), went back into the kitchen did what I needed, and came back to him sitting there on the other side patiently waiting for me to come back. We also tried him with a food container that once had macaroni in it, and put it near him and he tried getting it, and we said, "No! Leave it!" about 3 times and he turned around and laid down and never looked again.

That's an adorable photo of your three, though.

@Justa, see that makes much more sense than acting like there's no chance of them biting.
I think the photo looks good, and honestly wouldn't have known anything was "messed up" had you not told me.
They sound like the perfect combination for a household. Lol
He's been wonderful so far. He's actually seeming really smart and catches on to commands really quickly. Telling him no, or something similar, he seems to immediately know what I want and don't. I fussed at him once for trying to get a cat, and he's ignored the cats since. He only wants to sit on the chihuahua, and I'm trying to get him to understand that my lap and the entire chihuahua don't *always* need to be sat on.
Rhett is also bad about being up someone's butt all the time, but he's learning that it's not necessary, and he's beginning to stay on the sofa more when I get up.

@Justa, he's still doing great. My only complaints so far that are big ones are he's destructive as heck. As long as I'm there, he's not. But he's destroyed the wire kennel with his jaws. I've caught him trying to eat the house siding. And the worst of them all, he wishes (and tries) to kill any male dog around, even if they're trying to be friendly. I'm really unsure what to do about that, but I'm looking into a muzzle for if we go on walks so he can't bite another dog if they come near us. I've seen him reacting to the neighboring males through the chain link fence, and... well... it's definitely not pretty. He seems fine around females, but it's the males. Worries me a lot, honestly.

@Justa, I actually tried him with one of those big bones. He just sat next to it and got angry at any animal that went near. So I picked it up, since he wasn't eating it. I actually got him some hooves, and he liked them but they last as long as a milkbone it seems. He also doesn't care for milkbones. :))

I never actually thought of plastic crates. I found one crate made like those super sturdy parrot cages that seemed good. The wheels lock. Would you go the plastic or this one?



I was planning on getting a wire basket type muzzle. We took him to a store the other day and he did really well, but was very interested in another dog and seemed "too interested" in my opinion. He was standing firm and nearly pulling, and wasn't breaking concentration, until I pulled the leash a little hard and he turned and followed me. I'm glad the situation wasn't worse, but I'd like security for future situations, in case he's less "calm", or the other dog is more hyper than that one. The dog that day was calm and kept distance, which probably helped in the end. I'm just hoping that what you've suggested does actually help. He will lay nest to Cupcake, and tries to play with the chihuahua, but most of the neighboring dogs are males and he wants to shred them. He can't even be near my mom's 3 legged dog because the 3 legged dog has equal feelings towards Rhett (but no other dog that we know of).

Popping in to say what an absolute cutie pup. And that my parents have staffies. And they DESTROYED plastic crates. They would yank the wire doors in bending the metal. And then chew their way out. To multiple crates. It sucked big time. I think they've given up on crating them and put them outside when they leave. Or something with a doggie door. (Whenever I visit they take the doggie door out since I have a toddler and they have a pool.)
I wish you the best of luck with finding a good kennel.

@Seaswell, wow.
@LumosRain, holy dog! LOL
@Justa, thank you so much! That all makes sense! I'm definitely extra cautious with him in places because I don't know how he'll he and don't want the wrong thing to happen. Especially something that could cause him to be "punished" beyond the words "bad dog". I'm pretty sure I've found the plastic crate I want. It seems really good, and actually is made of that material those rubbermaid cow water troughs are made of. He's learning quickly, really. He's horrible at the command stay, but last night, I said stay, and when I left the room - he was staring at the door with his ear flipped backwards. I came back in the room 5 minutes later to see him in the exact same position, staring at the door, with his ear still flipped. I like how seriously he took me. That being said, he's behaving better than my older dog, who is usually really well behaved.