Dog Jobs? What are yours doing for work?

Ace is my service dog, Lilly is in training to be his backup. Ace also pulls my garden wagon loaded to help me around here hauling things. I have him in Agility for fun for him, which he loves. Because Ace is in public with me so much he is a constant ambassador for the breed. People are always amazed at how sweet and well behaved he is, Pit Bull or not he is a very well trained and behaved animal. He is always learning new things.
Leah and Ace

Very cool Leah and Ace!

It's great to know people are acting on behalf of the breed to dispel misnomers that are causing BSL!

Have you encountered (assuming you've been around or owned other breeds) anything that Ace (or APBTs at large) is less capable of doing than Labs, Goldens and GSDs?

I'd like to start my Lucy on weight pull with our garden wagon =D I was nervous and decided to wait though because she's a year and one month and I have heard it is easy to scare them going about the process, so I have just been looking on good literature to begin with =)

Very cool Leah and Ace! Thanks for acting on our breeds behalf!

-MolosserConnoisseur-

I have not found anything Ace or APBT's in general are less capable of. I actually from the Goldens, Labs and GSD I've been around or been part of the training in find the APBT more concerned and pay more attention with little to no training to the handler.

Very cool! I always was curious, thanks!

I have been to a few APBT shows and watched their weight pull entrys, but your boy wayyy out pulled the dogs I saw lol. I think they worked up to 3250 and that was it. Someone I know through a friend was starting his boy out for the first time (he's super game, very nice dog, scent hound as well) and weighed 52 lbs off the chain pulling 2350 his first time. He started low and moved up of course, but very cool stuff.

Is it difficult to begin training for competition weight pull? Or maybe a better question for you Kathleen, what makes a dog a good weight pull dog? I was thinking about it the other day and what are the equivalent traits that you would not weight pull your dog because of? In the show ring it's blue eyes, blue coat, very gay tail, two color eyes, etc.

Not sure if that totally made sense, but I hope it did! =D lol

Thanks!!

-MolosserConnoisseur-

Awesome post Kathleen! I totally know the "I'm just done, dad" look you're referencing. I'll pull up Thunder's videos when I'm at a personal computer without that blocked under proxy.

Very interesting theory, I'd agree with you on that, now having it pointed out to me. Sort of the difference between a 1/4 Horse that stands 16 hands and has good boosts of energy out on the trail when doing endurance riding; versus the Thoroughbred 19 hand Giant made to run his fastest and his longest every time you put his saddle on? =D lol.

Lucy has a good energy, that I haven't really experienced with a puppy too much before. She's 13 months old and she definitely does her puppy thing in random energetic bouts with her toys or just bolting around the yard, but she can totally come in and investigate (EVERYTHING of course) and then just come lay by me.

When walking her, she pulls like a madman. This hasn't really bothered me, as I kind of use it as a workout. I'll be starting pack walks with my Boxer and her, as I have had him walking next to me properly since very young. Do you have your pitbulls walk next to your side, as if you could drop the leash on their back and they wouldn't move any farther ahead of you?

I was just wanting to establish this new house as her home, now that I have moved and also to try not to reprimand her, instead using the positive reinforcement. While this is working very well because she is super smart, I have allowed the walking issue to go about normally as to pick my "battles" with her as the rest of her manners are developing. Couldn't be fun to have someone critique your every move at a new job before you understand even what your job entails. I hope someone can tell me if I'm on point in this aspect or way off.

I was debating Schutzhund or Weight Pull, but I haven't heard much as far as dog choice or choosing a job for your dog until now for weight pull. I think my dogs LOVE having a job and it's nice to give them to same feeling of accomplishment that I strive for in my daily tasks. If anyone has similar info they'd like to join the discussion with for Schutzhund, that would also be much appreciated! I think this could be a good newbie overview of canine jobs and associated requirements! lol =)

Thanks a Bunch,

-MolosserConnoisseur-