Well, before John & Dianne had Winston, they had their Stupendous American Staffie, Norton.

Norton didn’t have his ears and tail docked, so he didn’t have “The Look”, but he was all Staffie nonetheless!

Photos Below: Left – When I Was a Young Man, Right – Drying Off

This is what they had to say about their baby, Norton:

“He was a good dog, loved other dogs, as long as they could keep up with his energy level…(Good luck with that L.O.L.)

He got along with everyone and was spoiled rotten.

We moved three times while we had him and finally found the right back yard for him and us, which he was happy to defend…

Loved Him, Miss Him, Never Forget Him.

Cheers, John & Dianne”

Photo left: Hi Buddy, Photo right: Happy Day with Norton & Dianne

What a terrible nagging ache from losing our best friends…

…Amazing dogs that loved you no matter what you looked like, felt like, smelled like or what you were doing…

Their lives revolve around us, and all they want to do is show us their affection and how badly they crave our companionship.

You will never forget your best friends, but it is such a fabulous thing to remember all that they were, all that they did, and what they meant to you. Their memories live on forever…frozen in time!

Photo above: Come On, Let’s Go!

I would like to thank John & Dianne for sharing their memories of Norton with us, and the new ones they are making with Winston!

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I hope you enjoyed this American Staffordshire Terrier post on Terrier Lover! Until next time…

Love Your Terrier,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. I found the coolest American Staffordshire Terrier Mousepad! Check it out:

Patriotic American Staffordshire Terrier Mousepad Patriotic Gifts for American Staffordshire Terrier dog owners and lovers! $15.99

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…And Before Winston Was Norton is a post from: Terrier Lover

His name was Winston and he was black and white tuxedo with some brindling effect on his bottom.

Photo left: Hangin’, Photo right: Loungin’

What I loved about Winston is how friendly he was, especially with children and other dogs that were walking by.

Winston’s best feature…His tongue. Bless his heart, he has nerve damage that causes his tongue to hang out to the side almost 100% of the time.

However, what is his “handicap” to some, is his most endearing quality to me…

Photo left: Bright Light, Photo right: Before Winter Walk

As a term of endearment, they sometimes call him Winsock, because that’s what it would sound like if he were to say his name with his tongue out like that…LOL…Good sense of humor!

He is a happy guy with amazing owners, John & Dianne, that just love him to death!

* They promised to send me these photos of Winston to show with this post…I’m so glad they did!

Photo above: Yummy

I’m sure you’ve fallen in love with him, just like I did!

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I hope you enjoyed this Boston Terrier post on Terrier Lover! Until next time…

Love Your Terrier,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Okay, I found a really cute Boston Terrier mousepad…Too cute:

Boston Terrier Dog Mousepad Boston Terrier Dog, Boston Terriers, t shirts, t-shirts, tees, tote bags, gifts, presents, dog shirts, coasters, ornaments, caps, hats, jersey, magnets, mousepad, mugs, pets, shirts, stickers $16.49

Technorati Tags: Boston Terrier, Port Dalhousie, terrier breed, American dog

Winston the Amazing Boston Terrier is a post from: Terrier Lover

Absolutely…YES!!!

Knowing that this breed of terrier has been bred for their sheer size and strength, they have been known to be a prime breed for use in the dog fighting arena…However, the dogs used in the dog fighting arena have been socialized to be aggressive and brutal…

Photos: My friend, Amanda’s Pit Bull Terrier Puppy, “White Boy”

As with any of the dog breeds, the perfect situation would be to adopt the pit bull terrier as a puppy, as soon as it is safe to separate the puppy from the mother health-wise, so they can truly bond to you and your family as a unit. This will also ensure that you can socialize the puppy properly around other people, children and animals. It wouldn’t even be a bad idea to meet and visit the puppy before it is separated from it’s mother to start this bond off right.

Pit Bull terrier puppies are very loving, loyal and intelligent, when the time is put in to training your pit bull. Adopting a pit bull into your life can be a very joyful and rewarding experience. Here are some very important facts and suggestions to train your pit bull the right way.

“A person’s perception is their reality…” ~ Unknown

This quote is so true. For many folks, just knowing that your pit bull terrier has been socialized as a puppy by a loving family will ease their mind around the dog…This may alleviate complaints of your puppy and may allow people to be less fearful around your pit bull terrier, which by the way, dogs can sense and could play up on…

People are more apt to want to help you socialize your puppy by petting, holding, snuggling and playing with the Pit Bull Puppies because people are not particularly afraid of puppies…

…Even one of my miniature schnauzers really plays off of people’s fear…She senses a person’s heightened emotion, and herself gets into a heightened mode of protection of our family. It’s basic “fight or flight” instinct.

Puppies, especially breeds known to be somewhat aggressive, should be handled regularly, and should have a caregiver most of the day. Pit bull puppies should be pet and touched all over their faces, ears, feet and belly, so it is not a surprise when a stranger or a veterinarian makes an effort to handle them.

It is also an important exercise to handle their toys and food often, to ensure they are not possessive and get angry or protective of their food and toys. I suggest with more aggressive breeds, to keep food out on a regular basis, instead of scheduled feedings, as this will allow them to feel as though they have no reason to “protect” the food as it is always supplied.

My Motto: “It’s all in the way you bring up your puppy. If you are calm, cool and collected, your dog will be too. If you and your family act like crazy people, guess what your dog will be like…” ~ Kimberly Edwards ;D

It is very important to make sure your pit bull terrier knows that you are in charge at ALL times! They must obey your commands, so training your pit bull puppy is very important to begin early using rewards for good behavior, and being stern and firm when they do not obey your commands.

It is also important to maintain a hierarchy in the household, as dogs understand this in their packs. You are the master/s, and they must know where they are in the “food chain”, so to speak. Children must be assertive and as the parent of the puppy, you must make it known how important your children and other pets are in the household. Your dog will react accordingly in the chain of command.

I am not even against recommending that you allow your dog to sleep in your room or at the end of the bed with you, so that they know how important they are to you, and they can really bond with you, as they would in their packs.

* Important Note: Many Pit Bull Terrier puppy owners spend the intensive time bonding and training them, as recommended above. This being said, Pit Bull Terriers are especially prone to separation anxiety, as when they grow up, the intensive bonding and training tapers off. They are known to misunderstand this pulling away from them, as people’s lives get busy and feel that their job is mostly done training their pit bull.

If you cannot continue to devote time to this kind of pit bull puppy care, this may not be the right breed of dog for you. Many other terrier breeds are more independent. When adopting a pit bull terrier, know that their average lifespan is 12 years and this is a serious commitment to make, similar to a child.

I hope these tips and tricks on socializing and training a pit bull terrier puppy are helpful and allow you to build a wonderful bond and relationship with your puppy.

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I hope you enjoyed this installment of Terrier Lover! Until next time…

Love Your Terrier,

Kimberly Edwards ;D

P.S. Get updates to this blog by subscribing at the top of this page.

Technorati Tags: American pit bull terrier, pit bull puppy, pit bull terrier, pit bull training, pit bull puppy care, dog life expectancy, pit bull pictures, dog breeds, American dog, terrier training, dog training, socialize puppy

Is It Important To Adopt A Pit Bull Terrier As A Puppy? is a post from: Terrier Lover

As any Pit Bull owner will tell you, Pit Bulls are very social and crave a lot of time and attention from their owners. They are very devoted and loving. Pit Bulls often have a hard time coping when their owners have to leave them alone. Your Pit Bull doesn’t understand that although you love him very much, you cannot stay with him all of the time. It is important to train them well, so that they can better deal with this separation anxiety.

Pit bulls will often suffer from separation anxiety for a number of different reasons. Often, if you have had your Pit Bull since it was a puppy, and if you have a strong bond, he is just unable to deal with you being away from him. This is often made worse if you have always made it a point to keep your pit bull at your side, and then all of a sudden are unable to. Young puppies will occasionally suffer from separation anxiety when they are taken away from their mother.

Pit Bulls don’t know how to handle the symptoms of separation anxiety, and will often give in to destructive behavior to try to make themselves feel better. If they have free reign in your house while you are gone, they may give in to the urge to chew on your furniture or belongings that are in reach. If you are gone for a long period of time, or if your Pit Bull is highly susceptible to stress, he may also suffer from diarrhea, nausea, and may use the potty in the house when he is otherwise housebroken. Most dogs suffering from a case of separation anxiety will show symptoms usually in the first hour or so the owner is away.

There are a few things that caring owners can do to help ease or eliminate separation anxiety in their Pit Bulls. Crate training is often very helpful because it gives the Pit Bull his own safe space, so that he will feel comfortable and secure usually even if you are not around. Sometimes having a special chew toy that you only give your Pit Bull when you have to leave may help eliminate anxiety, or at least give him something safe to chew on while you are away. Some owners also say that leaving a radio or television on while they are away also helps. Pit Bulls that have went thru obedience training courses generally are less affected by separation anxiety.

In extreme cases of separation anxiety that seem untreatable, your veterinarian may be able to prescribe some medication to help, at least in dealing with the symptoms. He may also recommend other methods of keeping your Pit Bull calm when you are away that may be successful. Pit Bulls crave a lot of love and attention, so sometimes all it takes is a little extra time from you when you are home to make them feel better when you have to be away.

To learn all about raising an American Pit Bull Terrier and training Pit Bulls, visit http://www.pitbullsrevealed.com/ today.

Article Directory: Article Dashboard

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(This article does not represent the views of Terrier Lover or Kimberly Edwards, positive or negative. These parties are neutral in opinion on this topic.)

I hope you enjoyed today’s installment of Terrier Lover! Until next time…

Love Your Terrier,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Check out this Complete Guide To Owning, Raising, And Caring For Pit Bull (Pitbull) Terriers…Great Info:

Pit Bull Terrier Dog Guide

[tags]American pit bull terrier, American pit bull, pit bull terrier, pit bull, separation anxiety, understanding your dog, dog, pets, terrier, terrier breed, terrier health[tags]

How To Ease Your Pit Bull Terrier’s Separation Anxiety is a post from: Terrier Lover

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Facts On Blue Pitbulls
By Trevor Albinez

The rise in popularity of blue pitbulls has been on the rise the past decade with the ever-increasing interest in the dogs themselves. The interest is spawned from the media coverage that a pitbull gets when it attacks someone however; this fact is pretty uncommon also. It’s hard to say how many people are attacked by pitbulls in a year because many are owners attacked and go largely unreported however, on average in the United States there are only a reported 3-4 cases a year. There is no reason to speculate on why or try to understand why these things happen but blue pitbulls haven’t been an issue, yet.

What is a Blue Pitbull?

A blue pitbull is a pitbull is interbred with another species of pitbull to achieve the desired effects such as a blue pitbull. In Ireland many hundreds of years ago, the breeders wouldn’t allow this practice to happen because they kept pedigrees a secret and it was thought of as a highly protected secret. This ties in to blue pitbulls because when the gene pool is relatively small it can increase recessive traits such as blue pitbulls. The blue pitbull is just a dilution of black that looks blue to the human eye and the regular pitbull started getting variety called the blue pitbull. Its imperative to realize having said this that sometimes breeding these dogs to one another for too many generations can cause unknown and known problems and perhaps this is the case of excessive aggression displayed in some blue pitbulls.

How Can I Get a Blue Pitbull and What is the Cost?

A blue pitbull can be extremely hard to locate because they are very rare and in high demand so its not a common thing to find one. Most pitbull breeders, if they have a blue pedigree will constantly try to breed them to produce more but there is no guaranteed equation to make a blue pitbull. The breeders try to have them but due to these reasons it is sometimes a lengthy wait to acquire this rare pet. The general rule of thumb in trying to find a blue pitbull is to put your name on a waiting list and then once they become available you can go and have your pick of the litter.

For a price. Blue pitbulls are extremely expensive and depending on how many dogs were in the litter, and what order of litter picking you are, the price can be even more inflated for first choice, second choice and so on. Blue pitbulls can be upwards of two thousand dollars and usually a down payment is required much like buying a house.

To learn more about ‘Pit Bulls’ or more specifically ‘Blue Pitbulls’, then check out PitBullSuccess.com – A comprehensive resource covering every topic about pit bulls. Loads of information including articles, pictures, books and more… Take a look for yourself at http://www.pitbullsuccess.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?Facts-On-Blue-Pitbulls&id=459091

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(This article does not represent the views of Terrier Lover or Kimberly Edwards, positive or negative. These parties are neutral in opinion on this topic.)

I hope you enjoyed today’s installment of Terrier Lover! Until next time…

Love Your Terrier,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Be sure to get that perfect Pitbull Terrier ornament for the person you love this Christmas! Check them out here:

DogShots, Ltd. Ornament (Round)This handmade flat ball shaped ornament measures 2 7/8 inches across. Made of high quality porcelain in a classic holiday shape. Red ribbon included. High quality porcelain Round

Technorati Tags: pitbull terrier, terrier, terrier breed, pitbull, pit bull, Staffordshire, American, American dog, terrier, fighting dog, dog training, dog breeding

The Rare Blue Pitbull Terrier is a post from: Terrier Lover

The American Pit Bull Terrier has so much awful news surrounding the breed regarding dog attacks and fatalities caused by them that nothing else ever gets talked about regarding this terrier.

Today, I am going to talk about the Pit Bull’s ability to track, for which they are especially adept due to their athleticism, endurance, strength, intelligence and determination. Compared to other dog breeds, these traits were originally bred specifically for the purpose of bull-baiting and fighting. However, all of these special traits are equally essential when tracking.

Tracking is not the same thing as Search & Rescue (SAR). When performing search and rescue, the dog tries to pick up a person’s scent on the wind, whereas tracking or trailing dogs use the combination of the scent on the wind and the footstep scent.

The AKC offers tracking tests, however only purebred American Staffordshire Terriers can partake, or rescued pit bulls that can acquire an Indefinite Listing Privilege (ILP) deemed by the AKC, meaning unregistered dogs of registrable breeds…but the pits will compete as Am Staffs.

Schutzhund clubs also offer tracking training and tests.

These tests are not actually timed, but are pass or fail. It is more important that the dog completes the task with a calm, cool and collected attitude.

There are many levels of difficulty available to test on varying from the scent aging 30 min to 4-5 hrs. Variable surface tracks have been introduced into the testing that are very challenging for the dogs as well. The tracks could range in distance anywhere from a couple hundred meters up to 1 mile or a few kilometers.

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I hope you enjoyed today’s installment of Terrier Lover! Until next time…

Love Your Terrier,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Be sure to Subscribe to this blog by Clicking on the Subscribe button at the top right-hand side of this page…

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The American Pit Bull Terrier’s Tracking Ability is a post from: Terrier Lover

* Neat Terrier Fact: One little hairless puppy was born in a litter of Rat Terriers in Louisiana, and the owners loved the temperament and appearance of the dog, that they decided to breed her! Well, after a few litters, they were successful, and in 1981, the breed was born…well, at least the foundation stock of the breed!

The American Hairless Terrier is also referred to as the AHT, and is a very rare breed of dog.

As you can decipher yourselves, this breed does NOT shed! LOL…

I hope you enjoyed today’s installment of Terrier Lover! Until next time…

Love Your Terrier,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Get your American Hairless Terrier Christmas ornament before they’re all gone! Only $11.99:

Christmas Star & American Hairless Ornament (Oval)Christmas Star and American Hairless Terrier – oval ornament

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American Hairless Terrier Was Bred By Accident is a post from: Terrier Lover