# Dont Really Know How To Word This



## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

ok i have a baby rednose hes about maybe 6months old and i live in a town home with my buddie he has a goldenretriver and the 2 dogs get along great but when my rednose(lucky) is bye himself he crys and scratches at the door, he also chews up stuff when im not there, im moving into a smaller place and i was wondering how can i make sure he behaves when im at work???


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## American_Pit13 (Apr 23, 2007)

He is a puppy. He needs toys and things to entertain him. Bones to chew on. When he chews on something of yours tell him no and give him his toys. Crating also helps with chewing problems.


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

so what kind of toys should i get him???? cause he chews the couch and im not worried bout that he just has to be good while im not there and how do i keep him from crying and things like that when im not there or im sleeping cause when hes alone he crys and id let him in the house but i dont want him going to the restroom in the house


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## Indigo Bully Connection (Dec 21, 2006)

-DRE- said:


> ok i have a baby rednose hes about maybe 6months old and i live in a town home with my buddie he has a goldenretriver and the 2 dogs get along great but when my rednose(lucky) is bye himself he crys and scratches at the door, he also chews up stuff when im not there, im moving into a smaller place and i was wondering how can i make sure he behaves when im at work???


you need to crate your dog. Not only for you and your houses sake, but also for your pups. He could get ahold of the wrong thing to chew up and he'd be a goner for sure when you get home. Also, your pup is starting his change to being sexually mature. Now is when hormones start kicking in and you could possibly come home to a bloody Lucky and a dead/badly injured retriever. The crating is the best training tool you could ever own. It not only will keep your pup from chewing everything in mouths reach, but it will fine tune the potty training VERY quickly. First things first is he's going to reject the crate since he's been able to have the run of the house so you should feed him in the crate and give him treats. its not the easiest thing in the world to listen to your pup freak out for a week or so, but he will get used to it and love it because it will become his home...

Did we ever make a sticky for crate training???


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## wheezie (Aug 4, 2006)

i agree with neela, crating your dog seems like the best thing to do. lol... if i was you i would put a stop to the whole eating the couch thing. its gonna be a lot more difficult when you have a full grown APBT tearing up your couch.


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

so he stays in the crate while im at work and i wont have the retriver when i move cause its my room mates :snap: what is an APBT and also how do you keep him from doing that?????


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## Indigo Bully Connection (Dec 21, 2006)

-DRE- said:


> so what kind of toys should i get him???? cause he chews the couch and im not worried bout that he just has to be good while im not there and how do i keep him from crying and things like that when im not there or im sleeping cause when hes alone he crys and id let him in the house but i dont want him going to the restroom in the house


You should never leave your pitty outside because he can find all kinds of trouble... An annoyed neighbor may make him sick... he could get loose and run away or get in a dog fight... or someone may steal him (trust me it happens ALL the time)... and I've also seen where a dog who had serious separation anxiety has chewed through the exterior of the house and made himself a doggy door. It sounds like your pup is seriously missing you... You MUST crate him if you want to remedy any of this. He will cry BUT if you leave him plenty of toys something soft to lay on he will stop eventually because no one is around to listen... I promise go to work and come home on your lunch break and park a couple of units down and walk to your home... I guarantee he won't be crying. Dogs know the sound of your ritual coming and going.


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

thats what he did when i took him to my grandparents house i drove off to get him some food my grandma said he was paceing... and why does he jump on the door when i put him outside... should i just keep him in the house with me????


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

what is the APBT and how do you keep him from chewing the coutch???


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## Indigo Bully Connection (Dec 21, 2006)

-DRE- said:


> thats what he did when i took him to my grandparents house i drove off to get him some food my grandma said he was paceing... and why does he jump on the door when i put him outside... should i just keep him in the house with me????


He should go outside to get exercise and go to the bathroom, but it should always be supervised. Our breed tend to have little Mc Guivers in themselves and destroy things that are undestroyable and escape from the impossible. He's terribly attatched to you and he feels lost and anxious when you are gone. He jumps on the door because he likes to be in the house with the family and air conditioner!!!! lol He's a smart boy lol.


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## Indigo Bully Connection (Dec 21, 2006)

-DRE- said:


> what is the APBT and how do you keep him from chewing the coutch???


APBT is an American Pitbull Terrier. That is what your Rednose's actual breed is called... Not just a "pit". You keep an eye on him and crate when you're gone. When you bust him chewing on the couch yell "No!" and give him a toy to play with instead. Once he has the toy you tell him that he's been good. You should never hit an APBT because it just makes training alot harder... they learn ALOT faster and better with rewards. They want to make you happy and when you show them that you are it just drives them to do it more. Are you letting your pup on the couch and the bed?


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

he is smart i put up a gate to try to keep him from hitting the door and he found out how to take the gate down up: :clap:


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## wheezie (Aug 4, 2006)

kongs are excelent ways of keeeping your dog ocupied, when i first started crate training i used a kong. you can get them at any pet store and even some department stores


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## Indigo Bully Connection (Dec 21, 2006)

http://www.gopitbull.com/pitbullfor...apbt-your-puppy.html?highlight=crate+training

here is a thread that was posted up a while back that pretty much breaks it down for a new APBT puppy owner. Just scroll to the bottom. If you need any more help feel free to keep on asking questions! That's what we're here for!!!


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

sweet thanx and also what is a kong... i was looking for help on my APBT and looks like i found some :clap: does the crate thing help it seems like it sounds mean or something


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## Indigo Bully Connection (Dec 21, 2006)

i would leave the cage door open and put your pups food in the back of the cage so he can go inside and get the feel of it (also put toys inside there along with a cushion of some sort... i use blankets)... Don't shut the door unless he doesn't notice, but do not lock it. Stand by the cage while he eats and praise him. I get down and mess with my dogs food (sticking my hands in the food, and shaking the bowl alittle), ears, tail, and feet while he's eating. it will get him used to it and you will have a lot more predictable dog around children because those are the kinda things they do without thinking twice about it. I'd feed him in there twice a day after about day 2 in the evening start shutting the door completely and locking it while he's eating. Also without food I'd putting him in the cage and sit by it and play with him and his toys and give plenty of treats. after about day 4 it's D-Day. Feed him in the crate in the morning and take him outside. when you bring him back in put him back in the cage(he still may resist, but u gotta shove him in there). Drop a few treats in there and go to work before he knows what hit him. He will later howl for you to let him out, but don't give in when you come home. Don't let him out right away if he is barking and being excited because he will learn that it's acceptable to do that all of the time when he wants out. Let him out after he has stopped barking (he will eventually quit like i told you before... he just knows that noises are a way of getting you to pay attention to him). Before you let him out of his crate give him another treat and tell him that he was a good boy. EVERYtime you let him out of his crate take him outside to go to the bathroom using the same door every time. he will get into a habit to go straight to the door when you come home and let him out of his crate instead of jumping all over you. He will learn not to throw those temper tantrums inside the crate because it's not something that pleases YOU.

Oh yeah you have a dog that requires alot of exercise... A tired pitty is a happy pitty. Take him for walks daily since you don't have a good sized back yard. A tired pitty also slows down for a moment to pay attention longer so training is best left to do after a meal and a good walk. Also, go to the DIY section to read up on some home made toys for your APBT... You will quickly find out that most toys made for "dogs" just don't hold up against your APBT. Here's the link to the Kong Website:

http://www.kongcompany.com/


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

what about him chewing up things and are they good garddogs if some one comes in he doesnt know will he defend the house i was reeding some article saying there not good gard dogs


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

yea i knoticed that i got some toys from my moms house and he chews on a rope he likes alot but i also got him some squeekers and he doesnt chew on them why???


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## Indigo Bully Connection (Dec 21, 2006)

-DRE- said:


> what about him chewing up things and are they good garddogs if some one comes in he doesnt know will he defend the house i was reeding some article saying there not good gard dogs


You're going to have to keep on his ass about that. Every time you see him doing something wrong yell "No!" and replace that action with a desired one and tons of praise for doing the right thing! Consistancy is the key.

Example 1: Getting on the couch.... You tell him "No!" and you take him by the collar and have him sit by your feet... When he sits you tell him that he was good and pet him.

Example 2: He takes food from your plate when you're not looking... you tell him "No!" and you take him to his food and have him sit inside his cage. You hand feed him a couple of kibbles (as good as a treat!) tell him Good boy and shut the crate door.... this will train him to go into his crate when you bring your food to the table.

Example 3: When both of you come inside from a walk or a potty break... He bolts into the house before you get to come inside... You say "No!" and go grab him by the collar and bring him outside shut the door behind you and start it all over... You have him sit by your side and tell him to stay. You open the door and walk inside then tell him "common" or whatever cue you want to use. (it's good manners)

A properly bred APBT is NOT a good guard dog. They are not supposed to be mean to humans but they are supposed to be with other dogs. HA is human aggression and DA is Dog Aggression and they are two seperate things. The APBT has been finely tuned to be as far away from the basic thinking of the wolf. They are one of the smartest animals I have yet to work with... Mind you I said SMART not TRAINABLE. They are trainable with a strong minded good hearted people. Some dogs are different though... I have one female who puts a big front on for strangers and because of what breed she is people to give coming into my yard a second thought. There is a stereotype that comes with these dogs that you should be prepared for. You probably have the best dog in the world, but alot of people won't give him the time of day simply because he's "pitbull". It works out to your homes advantage, but not for our breed unfortunately because of all the Breed Specific Legislation going around in the air.


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## Indigo Bully Connection (Dec 21, 2006)

-DRE- said:


> yea i knoticed that i got some toys from my moms house and he chews on a rope he likes alot but i also got him some squeekers and he doesnt chew on them why???


they're not a challenge... Once he does get ahold of the squeekers they will probably be in particles all over your moms house! Most pittys love ropes... some even untie the knots at the end! lol they love to chew and its a good thing if they are chewing on the RIGHT thing!!


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## smokey_joe (Oct 14, 2005)

-DRE- said:


> what about him chewing up things and are they good garddogs if some one comes in he doesnt know will he defend the house i was reeding some article saying there not good gard dogs


They're generally not good gaurd dogs. If they love you, they will protect you with their lives. But, if someone were to break in while you're gone, they'll probably show the robber where the valuables are. It's just not in their nature to hurt people.

On the upside, the name "pit bull" alone is enough to deter some theives. A few years back, someone was going on a robbing spree in my neighborhood. All of my neighbor's houses were broken into, but mine was never touched. Hum, wonder why?


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

yea the rope he has he loves alot and he likes to play tug i took him in the car and he was scared at 1st but i think he likes it now... so im probly going to take him to petsmart and let him get some toys


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

now will he at least growl at people cause my dads akita does that but it wont byte unless you get close to him.. im not tryin to fight him or anything i just dont want any one taking him or robbing my place


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## wheezie (Aug 4, 2006)

an APBT should not act aggresivly nor shly around humans


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

so why do people think there so mean???????


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## BullPunk77 (Jul 30, 2007)

people think they are mean because "pit bull" has become a buzz word in the media to get ratings, and there are a lot of idiots out there who beat up their dogs and make them aggressive but our breed is human lovers! your dog may show some guard behaviors, i have delivered packages to places that have apbt that do bark when i am coming up to the door but for the most part i would say they are not the best guard dogs. tuck barks when someone knocks on our door but then wags his tail as soon as i open the door and he sees a person, i do not doubt that my dogs would protect me and my girlfriend at all cost from an intruder but my property when i am not around is a whole different story,
on the crate training seeming "mean" that you said i would say it is not mean at all dogs need/like boundaries when i started crating tuck and what i am now doing with molly is stuffing a kong full of treats or a small amount of peanut butter and i hide it in the back of the crate. this will distract the dog when you leave and ease him or her into being alone. leaving your apbt alone with free run of the house can lead to major damage and if you are a renter as you sound like you are this can get you into all sorts of trouble down the line. 
good luck


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## wheezie (Aug 4, 2006)

-DRE- said:


> so why do people think there so mean???????


one resaon is because there are so many other dog breeds that get confused for APBT, http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html

all of which have differnt temperments


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## litter mates (Jun 5, 2007)

people are mean because they are ignorent, they only know what the hear for the news. do you exercise your dog? this might take some of the energy out of him. also i would look into basic obedience training. crates are not mean it is for protection for everyone. as far as guard dogs, mine will lick you to death before they bite some that walks in our house.


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## Nation (Sep 27, 2006)

Not to be mean but you sound really like a novice dog owner and in my opinion this is not a breed for a novice.......

I am just curious how you came to own this dog or why you choose an APBT in the first place.

My suggestion to you since its pretty obvious you know very little about this breed or training a dog is to enroll him in puppy training, and buy some basic dog books explaining how to train a dog and a pit book that explains a little of their history so you know what to expect.

Because as you mentioned this breed does have a bad reputation and 99.9% of the time its the owners fault.

For your problem get him a crate that he can barely turn around in and doesnt give him a lot of space to move. I say that because most dogs dont poop where they sleep if the crate is too large he will dump on one side and sleep on the other. Stick him in their while your at home when he starts crying and going crazy ignore him. When he settles down you can let him come out only when he settles down so you dont reinforce his bad behavior.

This breed is very intelligent and he should take to the crate within a week or so. Tough love in the beginning makes things a whole lot easier in the future.


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

cool ill do all that you guys were talking about and the reason i got him was cause ive always wanted one there awsome dogs.... and he kinda found me so ... i love hime lots


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## Patch O' Pits (Aug 3, 2007)

A lot of good advice was already posted

Yes, APBTs are not reccommended for a novice owner, but a novice owner willing to take the time to learn and put in the work is better than some experienced owners that don't really work with their pups from what I've seen. Many of us hear started as novices in the breed with our first one including myself.

Make sure not to leave the pup with toys like ropes when you aren't there to supervise. They can end up eating pieces of it and getting an obstruction

My pups also all could tear apart Kongs so depending on the pup it may or may not be a good choice. A stuffed Kong is great when you do ot have an aggressive chewer. Nylabones are also great chew toys. Frozen carrots are also good for teething

Make sure also to puppy proof the house.

Keep asking questions abpout your concerns as you go and it will be a great help to you with the pup.

If you have not started obedience and socialization training do so asap


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

what exatly is puppie proffing the house... all the dogs i have ever had belonged to my parants and some one was always home with the dog so now that i have my own and work i know how to take care of one i just dont want him getting in trouble lol :woof:


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## Patch O' Pits (Aug 3, 2007)

-DRE- said:


> what exatly is puppie proffing the house... all the dogs i have ever had belonged to my parants and some one was always home with the dog so now that i have my own and work i know how to take care of one i just dont want him getting in trouble lol :woof:


 Cover outlets don't leave shoes and toys you don't want him getting on the floor. Put remote controls and computer games, CDs, chemicals and cleaners up high and beware most like to get into paper towels and Toilet paper too LOL

... puppy proofing is just like kid proofing a house.

Most improtantly NEVER leave the pup unattended unless he is crated or securly confined in a safe area where he can't get into anything


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## Judy (Dec 12, 2005)

Buster is my first "pit bull" dog and at first it was pretty overwhelming. I did a LOT of reading on the breed, and joined a few pit bull forums for advice. You're on the right path. Keep asking questions if you need help, we've all been in your place before.

Definatley call your local vet/shelter/spca and inquire where obedience classes are held. That's very important. And when you go to the pet store, pick up these two books if you can:


















and read:

http://www.badrap.org/rescue/owning.cfm

http://www.pbrc.net/breedinfo.html


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## BullPunk77 (Jul 30, 2007)

we bought and read and re read both those magazines very helpful especially for novice apbt owners


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

sweet thanx guys / gals ... could i get thoes books at a book store or a pet store??? and i was out last night and i got this rawhide bone its not to big and not to small i think he will like it but i dont want to give it to lucky around the other dog my roomate has they may fight so i was going to give it to him when we move out sometime at the end of the week... oh yea almost forgot i also gotta cage it has dividers for when he grows


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## litter mates (Jun 5, 2007)

-DRE- said:


> sweet thanx guys / gals ... could i get thoes books at a book store or a pet store??? and i was out last night and i got this rawhide bone its not to big and not to small i think he will like it but i dont want to give it to lucky around the other dog my roomate has they may fight so i was going to give it to him when we move out sometime at the end of the week... oh yea almost forgot i also gotta cage it has dividers for when he grows


yes those books you can get a pet store. also read Leader Of The Pack and you can get that at a book store but you may have to oder it. read about pit bull in general. watch giving rawhide bones. mine got them caught in their throat luckly we were there. it was pretty intense.


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

even is the bone is big and the dog is little he can still choke??? and what is a good bone to get them??


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## MY MIKADO (Apr 7, 2006)

I buy my guys smoked knuckle bones from the feed store I also go to the butcher and get them knucle bones and leg bones that still have some meat on them. Chalice loves them and will work for days to get all that good stuff out of them.


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## litter mates (Jun 5, 2007)

-DRE- said:


> even is the bone is big and the dog is little he can still choke??? and what is a good bone to get them??


we never give them rawhide. they chew and they get small then they try to swallow them. we are like mikado, only knuckle bones and only in their crates. if you want to give them rawhide when it gets small take it away. but i don't think it very good for them anyways.


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ok i dont want him geting hurt


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## BullPunk77 (Jul 30, 2007)

i find rawhides to be a bad idea, they have always made my dogs' stomachs upset and a lot of them found in large chain pet stores are imported often from china where they are much more relaxed on quality control. we really like raw bones from the butcher and also bully sticks which are beef tendons, they are cheap and keep tuck and molly chewing for a while.


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

what about some chicken could i get him one of thoes giant chicken bones from the fair????


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

and can you feed him chiken????


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

when i took him for a walk yesterday he ran around all happy and then he just sat down and looked at me lol does that mean hes ready to go in????


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## litter mates (Jun 5, 2007)

-DRE- said:


> what about some chicken could i get him one of thoes giant chicken bones from the fair????


even if they are giant, i'm pretty sure that they will splinter. bad idea.
stick to shoulder bones and knuckles bones.


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

ok and you can get that at a pet store right


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## litter mates (Jun 5, 2007)

-DRE- said:


> ok and you can get that at a pet store right


yes but watch for coated bones they may give your dog the . the butcher shop or a grocery store. they are called soup bones.


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

so i could go to an HEB and say i need soup bones??? not being difficult i dont want him getting sick


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## ericschevy (Nov 10, 2006)

I was told on another site that all bones are fine as long as they are not cooked. Except for fish bones I imagine those would be too small..(Choke hazard).


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## Judy (Dec 12, 2005)

Dre try a bully stick, my dog loves em!


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

oki will get that bone where can i get it tho?? also i tryed the teaching him to sit thing and it worked.. i also tryed the .. come here thing.. it worked also.. and he peed on the carpet and i put him out side when i cought him doing it i told him no.. and when he went outside and did his business i gave him a treat now he goes to the door (i still watch him) thank you all for the info


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## Judy (Dec 12, 2005)

That's awesome :clap: you are off to a good start with training.

Here's some pics, click here 

I buy on ebay as I get them for a better price in bulk, but you can buy a single one at a pet store and see how your dog likes it.


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

what about pig ears would thoes be ok??? :woof:


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## wheezie (Aug 4, 2006)

i give my dog pig eears when were standing in line to pay at the pet store. it only takes him about 25 seconds to devour a pig ear. hey mikado how long do those bully sticks last your dogs?


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## BullPunk77 (Jul 30, 2007)

i don't like pig ears because tuck has a very sensitive stomach and they are greasy so they make him  and sometimes even throw up the bully sticks tend to last tuck quite a while depending on size some last 5 minutes some like the ones we buy not that are named moo! last at least an hour because they are thick and at least 1 to 1 1/2 feet


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

cool but mines little he probly wont eat a pig ear that fast


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## Judy (Dec 12, 2005)

Buster eats pig ears and cow ears too. Cow ears seem less greasy. Buster will eat anything quickly - nothing will last long. I use the bully sticks when we come back from our walk to have him "relax". I give him a bully stick and he sits on the rug and chills with it, while I do housework and stuff.

Braided bully sticks last longer. Here is my favorite eBay store:
*
http://stores.ebay.com/Discount-Pet-Direct*


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

sweet link im going to use it but right now im getting him a kong and i gave him that rawhide bone and he at it in like 2 hours and hes a up: i had to take it from him lol cause it got 2 little


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## Judy (Dec 12, 2005)

Thats great that you picked it up when it got too little. Your doing a great job! Did you say you got the kong or were getting it today?


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## -DRE- (Oct 3, 2007)

i got it for him but after he ate the one treat on the outside he put it down.. dono why but he chases that damn thing every where.... and when i walk him he runs and it tires me out lol should i just get a bike and let him pull me or what???


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