[As I said in an earlier post, there seems to be a wealth of information on these forum websites. The woman who posted this thread seems to be one of those people who is in denial about her dog. She dismisses the dog's growling, its 'nips' on other people and just wants to love it and make it happy. Thank God she is asking for advice from others familiar with the breed before something horrible happens.]
Thread: Please Do Not Berate Me.
Winterspring posted:
So, my whole life, I've been wanting a dog. A BIG dog. I didn't want a little frou-frou lap dog. I have three cats. If I wanted something small and floofy, I would have gotten another cat. Especially since my 13.5 year old tortoiseshell cat is a bit...crabby and would probably put the poor thing's eye out.
After searching shelter after shelter, we looked at craigslist on a lark. There he was, a beautiful dog that looked cheerful and silly, cuddly and enormous. ..
They were getting rid of him because he'd developed some aggression towards their other dogs (Huskies) after having sired an illicit litter with one of the Husky females. We have no other dogs, and I figured after a good neutering and some training, we could get him to settle down. Again, I thought she was blowing smoke up my rear, and we went to see him. Yes, he was initially distrustful. I didn't mind. I liked that he was protective. They had a baby in a walker and he practically put the kid's head in his mouth, wagging his tail while the baby giggled and patted him. He seemed a bit shy, but as soon as she touched my hand, he seemed okay with me petting him. I didn't care what kind of Mastiff he was. He was beautiful, with a dark coat and silly ears, and what seemed like a calm, floppy disposition. He didn't display any of the traits I later read about.
When got him home, THEN I did the research. I wondered if she really WAS having me on. She wasn't. Hunting. Guarding. Wonderful with family, but hackles rise with strangers. Herding. Was there anything this dog didn't do? But the aggression. The fact that he was banned in at least ten countries, and that it was illegal to import them to others. National Dog of Brazil. "Faithful as a Fila". There, at my feet, lay a $2000 dog, the National Treasure of a major country, drooling at my foot and looking up at me with one ear folded inside-out. Dear God, what had I done?? This was NOT a dog for a first-time dog owner! It's one of the reasons I didn't get an Akita! And now I have him.
I WILL adjust. I WILL not give him up. I WILL be a good Mama to him, come hell or high water. I took on the responsibility, and my whole family (four adults and three cats) WILL pitch in to help meet his needs. Where would I send him? How could I trust someone? How could I possibly toss someone into the fire of a dog this incredible, this remarkable, and be satisfied that they would take proper care of him?? He's our "youngest" now, and I REFUSE to be any more irresponsible than I already feel I am. Especially since he's almost everything I wanted in a dog.
But I need advice. I know this is a long post, but I felt you needed some background on how I acquired him, and that I now know that people need to be more educated about the rarer breeds. His name is Taurus.
What We Have Observed:
He sticks close to Mama and if I'm having an argument with my boyfriend, he'll bark and growl at him, standing between the two of us, defending me, tail still wagging as if to say, "I still love you, but don't you dare hurt my mommy".
He's only nipped twice at people. Once at my boyfriend, who was trying to give kisses while Taurus was growling (idiot....) and once at my friend, who was trying to pet Taurus while he was...you guessed it....growling. (idiot....) I think Taurus was perfectly justified.
He snores. And it's hilarious. And he pouts.
Any and all advice and assistance is appreciated. I refuse to let my dog, who I've been waiting for all my life, suffer because of my initial ignorance. I love him, even when he's hogging the bed, and every time I look into those gorgeous yellow eyes, I fall in love all over again.
Questions I Have
1) He's just a year old. I know that giant breeds mature more slowly. We've been operating under the assumption that he's still a puppy. Is this correct?
2) I've been told by some (none of them veterinarians) that I should wait to neuter him until he is at least 18 months - 2 years old because I would have to introduce foreign testosterone into his system to continue his growth. I do not like the idea of introducing something into his body that it didn't create on its own, unless it's medication for an illness. He absolutely must be neutered. Yeah, I realize I could probably make a mint off stud fees, but his coloring is wrong, I think, being a dark sable color that's a little peppery, as if in utero, he couldn't decide if he wanted to be black or brindle, and ended up kinda both, and all mixed up. I like it, but I don't think it's breed-correct. Plus, I think he's cow-hocked, which isn't good for anything. Except cows. And even if I wasn't able to be as responsible as I would like to have been, I would like to think I wouldn't breed a dog that wasn't breed-sound.
3) Is what I've been doing for him good?
4) How do I encourage him to play more? Seems whenever we try to run around with him or play "tuggies", he looks at us like we're dopes.
5) CAN the ojizera be toned down some? I don't want it ALL gone. I know it CAN'T be all gone. I just want to be able to have people over without an incident, or sticking him elsewhere in the house or outside. He's such a good boy. I want everyone who sees him to be as impressed as I am with him, and to adore him as much as I do.
[And this is what I really like. Someone who is familiar with a certain breed who makes no bones about telling this woman that she needs to recognize the traits which were bred into this type of dog and always take precautions rather than insisting that all dogs are the same]
ruthcatrin posted:
Its going to require some changes to how you percieve dogs, not just conciously, but unconciously, and not just you, but every person (adult and child) who enters your house.
1: yes, he's basically still a pup though he's old eough to have some adult temperment and stubbornness.
2: if you are SURE you can keep him from taking off after a bitch in heat then yes, for his sake please wait till he's at least 1.5 before neutering. 2 would be better. This means no off leash outside of a secure fence, even if you're right there. No assuming he'll be good. Dogs will travel miles to get at a bitch in heat. And no, neutering won't affect his protection drive.
3: I don't think you've done anything bad, but heed Chuck's advice about him with strangers and staying away from his face. Honestly, NEVER EVER do "kissies!" with a dog that you don't know 100%, regardless of the breed and how well someone else insists the dog is fine, its an aggressive move and even sweet tempered dogs will take offense at it.
4: some dogs don't play much
5: not really. You can social the HECK out of him, and expose him to as much as possible and hope that he'll learn from it, but many Fila's don't give a care, the person is not FAMILY, therefor they are a potential threat. I highly recommend having him always on a leash ( and a family member adult HOLDING the leash) ANY TIME there is a non family member in the house or on the property. He MAY tolerate non-family, he may not. As he matures you may have to crate him when ever you have someone over. It doesn't mean you failed, its just him, and trust me everyone will be happier you did so. Understand that as he matures he's likely to he less and less accepting of stranger interaction. I highly recommend buying a muzzle and training him to wear it now. You'll likely need it for vet visits if nothing else.
Keep in mind when I say "family" in reference to a Fila, I mean the people, adult and child, who live in his household. THAT is his family, regardless of blood bond. His family will NOT include any extended family who don't live in the same house, and it won't include the friends of your kids.
(Fila Brasileiro Forum - June 24, 2013)
