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Old 08-28-2009, 07:39 PM
PeppyGPhiB PeppyGPhiB is offline
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[QUOTE=aggieAXO;1840948]
Quote:
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- No organization I know of uses pit bulls as service dogs in training. They are simply too aggressive. A service dog must be confident but very at ease with following direction from its handler, and must never growl, bark or show any signs of distraction or aggression toward other dogs or people. Particularly children. I know of no organization that would ever train a pit bull. Most use labs, golden retrievers, standard poodles, german shephards, belgian tervurens, labradoodles/golendoodles. Hearing dog organizations may use these dogs but also use corgis, as corgis are herding dogs with very confident/stubborn personalities. All of the big service dog organizations have their own breeding programs, and I'm telling you they do not breed pit bulls. There are a few small organizations that I think use pound dogs or donations, but if they accept a pit bull into the program I promise you it is not a reputable or large organization.

[QUOTE

One of the vets I work with is training a service dog right now and she is a pit bull. She was rescued from the local shelter and is very gentle and gets along with her 3 kids, 1 cat and 2 other dogs. Personally I would not trust a corgi around anyone except its owner. They are a breed that is known to bite (at least among vets and I think we have a pretty good concept of what breeds will or will not bite). When a corgi comes in I automatically have the muzzle waiting.
Your vet is training a pit bull. Not a service dog organization. Or are you saying your vet is training a pit bull for a service dog organization? If it's the latter, I'd be curious to know which org. it is, because I would be very shocked to hear if it was one of the big ones. Temperament is the most important trait in selecting a service dog and standards are so high in the leading organizations that only about 30% or so pass.

If your vet is training the pit bull to do something like Delta Society, that is different. Delta is a great organization for individuals who want to certify their pets to become therapy dogs. Anyone can do it if they go through the proper training and certifications - and of course your dog has to have the right manners. People volunteer in their own time, with their own dogs - it is very different from a puppy raising program from one of the organizations I'm talking about.

Yes, Corgis nip heels, as some herding dogs do. They have been known to herd children and nip at them. If they're nipping fingers, I'd chalk that up to poor training But that is one of the reasons why CCI stopped training them as hearing dogs - that and the breeding of them was difficult.
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