We've been seeing a Pit Bull Brindle roaming the neighborhood the last few days. Every time it would get within 50 yards of you and saw you it would bolt away to the woods. Last night I was doing some garden work and it came out from behind some Blue Spruce that line our yard. When we made eye contact it ran at full speed across the field about 500 yards total to the thick cover on the other side. I was thinking this dog will never be caught because it's so skittish. Well I was wrong because at 3:15 this morning I awoke to something laying on my arm. I turned my head and there was this Pit Bull standing on it's hind legs with its front paws resting on my arm. As soon as I moved it jump down and went to the middle of our bed room floor. I went out to the kitchen where the back door slider was left open by one of my boys allowing the dog to nudge the sliding screen door open giving her access to our house. I'm so thankful that it didn't lay her paws on my wife. I think the response would have been lets say a little more assertive. I put an add on Craigslist but ended up taking the dog to animal control. My neighbor may go and adopt the dog if the owner isn't located. I was able to reunite another owner with their dog as I was talking with the staff at animal control and was going down the list of animals on Craigslist which they do not check and found a match to a dog that had been brought in. If this is any sign of how the dog days of summer will be for the rest of the season, I better go buy some dog collars.

How did your own dog react? Didn't it give you a warning of some soert?

He didn't do anything until I turned the light on and he saw the other dog. Maybe they had already been talking as he spends most of the day outside and gets to come inside in the evening.

Good on yer Eric, I am a dog person too. We got our dog from the local pound "Renbury Farm"
http://www.renbury.com.au/ It is sad visiting as all the dogs want you to pick them.

This site tells the sad story of how homeless animals are unfortunately in abundant supply.
http://www.petfinder.com/index.html

Another dog person here. My dog was left at the dog pound as his previous owner found it he was going to go blind on the long run. I found him on the dog pound website at the age of 3. He had spend two years of his life in the pound. We have been together now for 9 years and yes he is now 12 and fully blind but he is loved and well taken care of, so a happy dog.

I believe that more checks should be made before someone can own a dog. Anyone can walk into a pet shop buy a puppy for their child and in a month chuck it out because the child is tired of it. February is when there is the greatest amount of unwanted dogs. Goes for Cats too.
A pet is a commitment, not a toy for someone's amusement for a while and I am always lobbying for strict regulations to be instilled. Our little fellow is part of the family, not a noisy pest to be shoved out the back door. They have feelings as do we.

Prism,
I fully agree with you. If one takes a dog, cat, bird, fish etc., it is commitment for life i.e the pets life.
It is a commitment to take care of it and ensure it is happy and healthy. To me my dog or any pet I have or have had comes first above all other.
It is just too sad that so many people see animals as a commodity you can just get rid of if it no longer suits you.

Our special needs son was desperate for a dog at the age of 14, and for the first 2 years, it had the desired effect both ways, homeless dog got a best friend and home, friendless child got a companion and so on.

Now he is 19 going on 12, child has little time for dog, my wife is at work all day, I cant handle the dog as he is to strong for me to walk etc, he has pulled my back out once already, and getting up and down to him all day when i am not in workshop myself is a little tiresome. Now the dog is not getting the attention it deserves, requires, nor enough exercise etc. etc. etc.

To make matters worse the dog hates going in the car, and when we are away on our boat he keeps us awake a lot of the night whimpering at all the noises outside, when the engine is running it has its tail between its legs, and at every bridge whole jumps of the boat and has almost caused accidents by getting up onto the road above . I tried tying him to boat that was almost disastrous, as he jumped and got trapped because of the rope.

I wish i had never given in and let him have the dog, or at least refused to let him have the Staff he wanted, but he would not accept something small and more handleable (Jack Russell) or similar shame lots of boaters have them, and they all seem to be of a more suitable nature.

How long does a Staffy live ? i have the responsibility until then, and rightly so , well at least my wife does she bought it for him.

Viv, Have you thought of attending some obedience classes for you and the dog. A good handler can show you the proper ways to control an animal while doing no harm.
What's your sons name? My hat is off to you as I understand the challenges that you face with your boy. My boss's son had spinal meningitis as an infant. He is now 12. He shows improvement but fights seizures that can occur on a min by min basis. The doctors did have him loaded up with meds to control most of the seizures but then he can't function. The parents have been able to regulate the meds to give their boy a good quality of life where he can actually participate in daily functions.
Thanks for sharing.