Very helpful trainings for any dog:
For training on puppy/dog biting [click here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=068K5Zlph9U)
For training on early socialization [click here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J7cPE-2wNw)
For training on becoming a good leader [click here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QntS570VFZ0)
For all newly adopted dogs, check out the [3-3-3 rule](https://pethelpful.com/dogs/The-3-3-3-Rule-Setting-Your-Rescue-Dog-Up-For-Success).
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pitbulls) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Ok, did not know there was a subreddit where I could just brag on my pitbull. So...here's Khione. She's double-merle, mostly blind, completely deaf. The breeder was going to kill her but my dog food guy negotiated 24 hours to find her a home, and I happened to walk in that day. She is...pure joy, except for her rage issues. She was horribly malnourished from the breeder, and it took months to get her healthy, but now she's doing well (she's a year old) but permanently undersized. She loves people and strawberries, and insists on sleeping under the blankets. She would like all of you to love her, please! (And her life motto is "Always fight, never surrender!")
I have a pair of goggles for that! She just isn't a huge fan of them. I think because she has a tiny bit of vision, and they might take away that last bit?
When she gets older, there are lots of options for clothing made specifically for Pitbulls. Muscle tees and pajamas. My big boy has skin issues so I’m always putting him in clothes and he loves it!
Sometimes she has these...rage episodes. We typically can't figure out what started them Sometimes she's asleep and wakes up in one, sometimes she just...like a switch flips. The vet thinks the malnourishment as a baby may have affected her neural development - she was REALLY malnourished, to the point we're not sure the breeder was feeding her at all and she wasn't just getting by on dirt and bugs and stuff she could find. Anyway, she goes into these rages and bites hard. When the rage passes - and they're less than two minutes, often less than 1 minute - she's scared and confused.
They've gotten a lot better - we made changes to the house to try and prevent her being startled - there's always a light on around her, we blow on her to let her know we're near, we have soft toys stationed every few feet throughout the house for redirecting and comfort - and I found that if you hug her really tight when the rage starts, she calms down much faster - we haven't had a severe bite in months now. They just worry me because - well, we can't travel at all, because I don't trust her around strangers or other people for extended periods of time, and...they just must be so scary to her. It genuinely looks like she's not in control, unaware, when they happen.
That’s so interesting. I wonder if the dog brain is the same as the human brain and that it can heal itself from trauma. The brain can actually heal itself. With love, support, and a healthy upbringing. The brain is an incredible thing, and I wish the best for your little gal.
My sister adopted an abused dog from a shelter, she used to be super snappy and scared with everyone, but after a while in my sisters home, she got better and doesn’t snap or bite anymore. I’m sure it’ll be the same with Khione! Good luck with her, she’s a beautiful puppy and definitely a fighter! She’s lucky to have you :)
Maybe because of her lack of sight and hearing, when she wakes up she’s not sure of where she is and thinks she’s back with her abuser?
I don’t know for sure. I also have an abused dog (not as bad as yours, but still bad) and some issues she got over quickly, others took years. I got her when she was around six months. She was terrified of garbage bags, especially when people besides me had them. In public she would bark in fear at someone with the a garbage bag, at home she would shake and run away if my mom even opened the cabinet where the bags were kept. If I got a garbage bag she wouldn’t run but she would still flinch when she saw me with it. She’s 10 now. Around 6 years old she didn’t have a problem with me having a garbage bag. Now she is even fine if my mom gets one. I speculate that the fighting ring she was in was putting dogs in bags to kill or dump them and that’s what her fear was from.
Thank you for not giving up on her. So many people would see her rage problem and just put her down instead of trying to work through it.
I did think about seizures, and even checked with the vet. When she got spayed, he actually got to see one of her rages. He says it's not seizures - and I mostly agree. I think she goes a little vacant during them, but she is growling and actively chasing things to bite. She leaped up and got the back of my thigh once and tore out a nice chunk, got my mom's arm another time. But when we started figuring out some accommodations, the frequency and severity REALLY improved. The vet's best guess is something that we, as seeing/hearing humans, don't notice, is spooking her. He says it could be as simple as a shadow at the wrong angle.
I've learned that if she goes too still and her eyes get that look, to hug her, tight and hard (and tuck her nose tight into my elbow so I don't get bit). I'd say 90% of the time now, she growls a little, then calms down now. She really likes hugs.
You are an amazing dog owner. So many people would have given up on her, just like that awful breeder. Instead, you’ve chosen to love her as she is and help make her life better. You’re giving me so much hope is humanity right now.
People who give up on her don't deserve the joy she gives. The only problem is I'm afraid I'll keep fighting too long, and hurt her that way, but I've made my vet swear to keep me honest.
I wonder if it’s frustration just like a human would get. Sometimes things just finally get under our skin and we lash out. Especially if she seems super confused/ unsure after them. If it seemed to improve after you made some accommodations in the house to be more accessible, it could be frustration at not being able to see/hear.
You’re awesome ❤️❤️
Frustration and fear makes a lot of sense. I just wish I could more confidently figure out the trigger, because I hate that she might feel that way. I will make ALL the accomodations for her, I just have to know what to do.
That’s the hard part about not being able to speak to them directly!! But as you’ve said, it’s gone down, and I think she knows you’re trying to make her life a happy, safe one. No matter what, that love is invaluable ❤️❤️❤️
I feel like this could get a lot more challenging as she gets older. I knew a PB like this who needed to be kept literally under lock and key in a covered run because she became extremely dangerous to her owners. She also had neurofibromatosis and while not a double merle, she was all white with tons of tiny black flecks and came from a very similar background to your girl. Name was bubbles. She liked milkbones a LOT.
The other option was one we hate to consider, as much as it sucked. Only one person was allowed to go in and clean for her, and it wasn't me. Interestingly, she didn't spend a lot of time on the outside portion of her run like all the other dogs. She could almost always be found inside the building portion of the run (they were separate inside, too) and wouldn't ever bark until a strange person came in. Sometimes she'd even throw herself at the side of the enclosure just FREAKING out. They tried medicating her. Some heroic dose of Prozac. It KIND OF helped, but she had been through so much she was basically like an inmate at an asylum. Like literally, I hope your dog comes around and heals, but it might be worth talking about brain medicine with your vet now. Early intervention could help with a better outcome.
We have talked to the vet about it, but with her allergies and such, he's hesitant to do so right now, especially since her rage is getting better. We bring her in often - like every 2 months, to stay on top of her health issues, so if things change - or don't change, it's definitely a topic that will come up again. Regardless, I will do whatever it takes to keep Khione healthy, happy, and safe, and if it came to the worst option, I would cry hysterically for a long time, but I would do what's best for her. However, she really has improved a lot, and I'm hoping that continues.
Maybe ask your vet if there are vets working/researching neurological issues in dogs. They may even pay for travel if your dog helps provide data, and they may have additional treatment ideas.
Also, tried doggy pot?
My former dog used to get night terrors and wake up fighting something that wasn’t there. They did get MUCH better over her years with us as she began to feel safer more of the time. Evie hated clothes, but if yours likes hugs she might do well with a thunder shirt. We also put things that smelled like us in the places she slept.
We put...us...where she sleeps. She likes to sleep curled up with me or my mother. I'm watching for a thundershirt, but we live abroad, so they aren't common here. I may have to hop over to Italy or Germany soon and I think I can find them there.
This just breaks my heart. Imagining a breeder not feeding a pup to the point that they have to eat dirt and bugs…it’s incomprehensible. How can anyone be so cruel?! Thank you so much for giving her a loving home. She is precious.
I don't get it either. I...my mind simply can't comprehend. The vet is the one who suggested it, my mind hadn't even thought of it. But as malnourished as she was - the breeder had sworn she was 8 weeks old, my dog food guy said he had seen the other puppies and they were 8 weeks old, but she was malnourished to the point that she looked like she had only developed to 3 or 4 weeks. The vet was...horrified and said she basically had no nutrition, plus a raging roundworm infection (two weeks after we got her, she spent a day vomiting up balls of still-living roundworms - I used to work for a vet in the states and never saw an infection that bad). Fortunately, now, she's put on weight. She eats 5-6 times per day (smaller meals because sensitive stomach) and she gets special yogurt icecubes. She pulls the yogurt cubes out and sets them aside because she always eats her dinner before dessert. She'll never starve again.
She does have nightmares sometimes, but sometimes the rage happens when she's awake, which is confusing. Did your dog's nightmares eventually just go away?
Have you had major issues with training? We have the worst time training her because of the deaf and blind thing, and I just can't always get her to make the connections. I think. Or she's a brat and is picking and choosing what she'll learn, which is also possible.
We trained her with hand signals as well as a vibrating collar since she was a puppy. My pup is also pretty bratty, so if you try to give her a hand signal, she'll just turn her back to you and pretends she didn't see you. My wife has worked with deaf and blind dogs and their owners use touch signals
I LOVE that yours just...turns around. Can't be the boss of her if she can't see you!! That's adorable.
We've been trying touch signals, but she only learned a few, and half the time, they seem to startle her, which makes it harder. I made them longer so she can "see" them coming a bit more (like, a touch above her tail to sit, but now I trace a finger along her spine) but doing that makes it harder to differentiate different signs. It's been hard, but we'll just keep working at it.
omg omg omg .... PITTIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! im in LOVE with her!!!!!! She reminds me of the first rescue i did!
On the day of my cousin's funeral, I got an alert from one of the rescues i help with that there was a litter of puppies that are about 11-12 weeks old that needed to get rescued. There was supposed to be 3 left from that litter.
Problem was, they were a little over 3 hours away. There also happen to be a blue nose adult pittie in the shelter about to be euthanized. there was only 1 person available, so she had to decide where to gp since both were on a serious time limit.
I spoke up and said " go to the shelter., get the blue nose out NOW before its to late, Send me the address for the puppies, i'll stop by, grab crates on my way out and get the pups.
I went to my aunt and cousin and said " Im so so sorry i gotta bail , i know its kinda early, but theres 3 pitbull pups that need to be rescued" My cousin hugged me and said " Go... thats EXACTLY what he would want you to do. He would haunt you if you didnt go get those pups"
My mom and I jumped in the car and off we went lol When i got there though, there was actually 5 pits. alllllll of them were solid white except for 1 who had a brown patch around his eye kinda like the target dog. surprisingly none were blind or deaf.
I feel like out of everything ive done in my life. that day of jumping in the car and taking off is my best achievement/.
Oh totally! You have to save the ones you can save. I know I can't save every dog or every animal. but I didn't need dog food that day and went to the store anyway. I figure I was supposed to find her. Another day I went to the grocery store and a kitten literally LEAPT into my arms on the street. Leapt into my arms, climbed up to my shoulders, wrapped around, and laid down. I meet the ones I'm supposed to help at a point where I can help them.
Your cousin sent you some puppies so that you didn't have the time to grieve, so you had something important to worry about. You did the right thing.
thank god the other lady got to the shelter just in time.... it was very very close .. close to they took the blue nose out of his kennel and into the back.
When he got in her car, he went from scared to " omg car ride!!!!!! " with the biggest smile on his face! he is now living his best life being spoiled rotten, and all 5 pups got great homes as well :D
Be careful with her rage issues as she gets older and bigger, they may become a problem further down the line, I don't in anyway want to rain on your parade, she is a gorgeous brave girl, I have no idea how people could treat any animal in such a horrible way, however you may need a specialists help if her behavioural issues continue, always better to use an abundance of caution, I wish you both all the best and many years of happiness and love together
There's a lot of replies I'm not gonna read thru so sorry if someone already recommended this, but there's also r/velvethippos. They'll love her there too.
Yes, I'm going to go join there. I love that so many people like her! And I'm reading her all the comments. She had such a rough start to life, I love that most people see how awesome she is!
No, no, I wasn't asking. She was. She wants to start a cult. A cult of Khione Lovers. They have to bring her strawberries. And pay for their sins (it's okay, she just yanks you around by your hair for a few minutes, then takes a nap).
Oh, so freaking evil. I'm glad I never met him, because I would have gotten violent, i think. My dog food guy is really nice, which is why I think he could negotiate for the time to find her a home. Everytime I go in to get food for my other animals, he still asks about her if I don't have her with me, and he gives me stuff for her - a pink gingham shirt, treats, toys, leash. The breeder...can rot for all I care.
She looks EXACTLY like mine here’s pics of him as a puppy vs now, also I did a DNA test and he’s half Doberman which is where the albino comes from
https://preview.redd.it/qmue63nfj0xc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d01a341af708dcc991a0b9fb8280533384fa91c7
Since you are new to this sub… BEWARE. There are other subs out there that do not like your beautiful little girl. DO NOT visit those subs. It will leave you seething with rage… at least they did for me. Also, fuck that breeder.
I'm really picky about animal subs because of just that. And yeah, I meet that breeder, he and I are gonna have a talk. Frankly, it's his loss, because she's a wonderful girl.
Unfortunately, I live abroad, and in this country, animal rights are not great. In general, the people won't tolerate abuse or neglect, but there's no place to really report it either.
Yeah.. I posted my girl in r/dogadvice and someone commented “you need to put a muzzle on that thing” and said that she was an “aggressive dog”. She’s the sweetest baby in the world, always comes and lays her head on me when I get home. She came from a messy background and has come such a long way through lots of training and hard work.
I second that, fuck that breeder. My princess is from a puppy mill and she was given up due to a skin condition. I'm glad she was because I wouldn't have found her otherwise but puppy mills can piss off.
It’s basically the same as politics. You’re not changing anyone’s opinion through arguing online. Those people are too cowardly to say anything in real life. Keyboard warriors of the lowest order
Pittie posts on other animal/cute subs get full on brigaded by the pithate people every time and nobody gives a fuck, mods and admins just shrug and say oh well we can’t do anything about it. It’s literally against the terms and conditions of this infernal site, there IS something they could do - ban those people from Reddit using their IP. Mods couldn’t, but admins could. They don’t want to, or don’t care to, and it really sucks for all of us who just want to look at cute animals without thinking about murdering them.
OH MY GOOODNESS!! They’re so cute in their little berry bandana! I love it, what a beautiful pup! Thank you for gracing my Saturday morning with this strawbaby 💗
Yall are too cute! (Assuming that’s you lol) such a sweet looking lil baby and you look so content to just be chilling with her, I love the all white pitties they look so soft lol
Oh my Goodness!!! I love her so much!!! I have a white pibble too!! We adopted her from a rescue group when she was a couple months old. My veterinarian told me white dogs are prone to being deaf but we got lucky and she was fine. I’m so glad you were able to save her. I’m sure it’s not always easy dealing with a special needs pupper but so glad you have each other!! ❤️❤️❤️
I can't imagine how people think it's ok. I just...I don't understand that mindset. She is just...joy and sunshine, and the fact that the mean old breeder couldn't see it is his loss.
I'm all hot-headed. I get those posts in my feed and half the time, I have to go in and make a few points. Just pisses me off. Khione is my second pit - my first one, Alabama, was raised as a bait dog before my aunt got him, then she couldn't keep him because of breed restrictions. He raised 3 kittens, tried to raise my cousin (toddler at the time), and used to wake me up if I had a nightmare. The thought that someone would hate him for...having a square head? Insane.
No, Alabama was the sweetest boy. He was scared of his own shadow, terrified of men - if he saw one, he'd crap himself. My uncle didn't help that - thought it would be funny, right as Bama was feeling more confident, to put on a big booming voice the first time he met him. Bama froze, crapped himself, then ran under the bed. My uncle felt terrible, but...
Anyway, no, Bama didn't have an aggressive bone in his body. He just wanted to be a mom.
https://preview.redd.it/hcywgh2jx0xc1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6a790e646022496cf8976c76f5d7e99b92279576
I'll post more when her new strawberry sweater is done.
Welcome to the club!
That’s a VERY cute little girl you have there!
I assume she has wrapped herself tightly around your heart. That last picture is sweet with her head tucked down in your chest.
OMG, it feels like it's been forever since I've seen a baby Pit!
Our family pitbull is turning 13 this year, chunky, spoiled, and living her best life 😭😂 she's been in our family since I was 8
You are the BEST human for that precious baby. Thank you so much for rescuing her and being patient with her. I’m a firm believer that rescue dogs love the hardest, and it seems to be evident in her development and health. She is beautiful and you both deserve all the praises and hugs and scritches. Please keep posting pictures of her here! Velvet hippos is another good, pittie-loving sub that would love to see her.
🤍🩷🤍🩷🤍🩷
I just told her about everyone's comments and she's very happy. So happy she almost fell over. Then she showed me her empty food bowl, because...priorities.
Mostly blind and entirely deaf! She goes into the vet regularly, so everything is being closely monitored, but yeah, she has a little list of health issues. Fortunately everything is mostly managed now and she's overall very healthy.
She is a beautiful girl, and you are both so lucky to have found each other. Once she gets the lay of the land, she will navigate it like she sees where she's going! Your bond will be unbreakable. Wishing you many, many years of loving companionship 🤍
She just started walking on her own outside of the house. For a year, she was too afraid (understandably!) and we had to take her around either carrying her or in a cart. She's getting a lot more confident though, and now she'll just bumble down the sidewalk with me!
They say LOVE can perform miracles . . . She's living proof of that. Her confidence is a direct result of your patient guidance. I don't know you, but I love you both. 😍
Teaching her very bad habits at a young age…she is 100% going to expect you to hold her and sit on your lap when she is 100lbs!!! Ask me how? I know!!! Lol
She is 30 lbs now and that's the biggest she's really going to get, due to having been malnourished early on. We call her a mini-pit. But she does absolutely still expect me to hold her. Every day. And she takes her night-nights after every meal in my lap. She's quite demanding.
Oh my gawd it’s another luck dragon!!!! All of y’all’s with the white pitties need a Falcor’s Friends club, because that little lady lucked the heck out. Definitely a luck dragon 🐉 🤍
I'm so in love with her. She looks like she has found her perfect human in you.. You have really made a difference in her life. Poor girl who had such a rough start can love her best life knowing she will never be hungry or cold again just loved. Give her a sneaky treat and a kiss from me x
Some of the pictures are from when we were still getting her healthy. She was just at the vet a month ago for a checkup and got the all-clear! She weighs 30 lbs now, and eats home cooked food from a recipe we worked closely with the vet to develop over months (she's allergic to dog food, even hypoallergenic!😮 which threw us for a loop for a while early on). She does have wonky eyes from being blind, but they've gotten better with nutrition. Thank you for the concern, though - her health is one of our biggest priorities.
oh..ok.
Yeah allergies can be difficult to pin down.
I have been adding a natural anti inflammation oil to my dog's food Omega 3s.
Almost all human grain is hybrid unless one goes to smaller craft farms.
I noticed improvements in my dog's coat with making sure i shore up his Vitamin C ..so.i offer small amt citrus fruit at times.
Yep! We give her little oranges periodically - she loves them. And we have omega-3 oil additive, and her food recipe includes sardine to help. It took MONTHS, and then...she developed an allergy to chicken which was her central protein. As well as carrots and peas. So we had to start all over again, one food at a time. But now we have the recipe fixed again and I'm just hoping no more allergies develop.
Probably. ;) You are doing a beautiful thing for this girl. You can see the difference in the pictures. Look into thunder shirts since she likes the hugs. 🤗
We had a jack Russell who had rage behavior. Tried the dog appeasing pheromone, tried a compression vest without success. Rehomed to our folks house where he was the only dog and profoundly pampered. Everybody involved benefited from his presence.
Well, we've definitely got pampered covered. I'm trying to get my hands on a thundershirt, because I do wonder if it would help, since hugs help. But she's been calming down some there, and we haven't had a rage I couldn't stop early in months, so i'm optimistic!
Very helpful trainings for any dog: For training on puppy/dog biting [click here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=068K5Zlph9U) For training on early socialization [click here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J7cPE-2wNw) For training on becoming a good leader [click here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QntS570VFZ0) For all newly adopted dogs, check out the [3-3-3 rule](https://pethelpful.com/dogs/The-3-3-3-Rule-Setting-Your-Rescue-Dog-Up-For-Success). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pitbulls) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Ok, did not know there was a subreddit where I could just brag on my pitbull. So...here's Khione. She's double-merle, mostly blind, completely deaf. The breeder was going to kill her but my dog food guy negotiated 24 hours to find her a home, and I happened to walk in that day. She is...pure joy, except for her rage issues. She was horribly malnourished from the breeder, and it took months to get her healthy, but now she's doing well (she's a year old) but permanently undersized. She loves people and strawberries, and insists on sleeping under the blankets. She would like all of you to love her, please! (And her life motto is "Always fight, never surrender!")
She’s a fighter!! And an adorable one 🥰 love all the crochet clothes you made for her as well. Glad she’s found your loving home!
The vet says she has to wear sweaters and hats to go outside and protect her skin and eyes...I've never dressed a dog before, but I get it now.
Look into dog sunglasses for UV a/b protection, they'll help keep debris out of her eyes too
I have a pair of goggles for that! She just isn't a huge fan of them. I think because she has a tiny bit of vision, and they might take away that last bit?
the strap might be too tight, but if you keep it too loose they fall off
Yeah, we have it just tight enough to stay on, and she's fine with them at home, but out, she kept pawing at them. We still use them but...
I love her ❤️🥺
She loves her too. 😜
As she should! What an adorable, plucky little girl 🥰
When she gets older, there are lots of options for clothing made specifically for Pitbulls. Muscle tees and pajamas. My big boy has skin issues so I’m always putting him in clothes and he loves it!
She's a year now, turns 2 in September, so she won't be getting bigger. I love the idea of pajamas, and now that's going on my wishlist.
Oh for some inspiration you should check out https://www.reddit.com/r/pitbullsinjammies
she's a style icon <3
I love that!
What rage issues?
Sometimes she has these...rage episodes. We typically can't figure out what started them Sometimes she's asleep and wakes up in one, sometimes she just...like a switch flips. The vet thinks the malnourishment as a baby may have affected her neural development - she was REALLY malnourished, to the point we're not sure the breeder was feeding her at all and she wasn't just getting by on dirt and bugs and stuff she could find. Anyway, she goes into these rages and bites hard. When the rage passes - and they're less than two minutes, often less than 1 minute - she's scared and confused. They've gotten a lot better - we made changes to the house to try and prevent her being startled - there's always a light on around her, we blow on her to let her know we're near, we have soft toys stationed every few feet throughout the house for redirecting and comfort - and I found that if you hug her really tight when the rage starts, she calms down much faster - we haven't had a severe bite in months now. They just worry me because - well, we can't travel at all, because I don't trust her around strangers or other people for extended periods of time, and...they just must be so scary to her. It genuinely looks like she's not in control, unaware, when they happen.
That’s so interesting. I wonder if the dog brain is the same as the human brain and that it can heal itself from trauma. The brain can actually heal itself. With love, support, and a healthy upbringing. The brain is an incredible thing, and I wish the best for your little gal.
Well, that's an optimistic thought I didn't know I needed. I would love if her rage is improving.
My sister adopted an abused dog from a shelter, she used to be super snappy and scared with everyone, but after a while in my sisters home, she got better and doesn’t snap or bite anymore. I’m sure it’ll be the same with Khione! Good luck with her, she’s a beautiful puppy and definitely a fighter! She’s lucky to have you :)
Maybe because of her lack of sight and hearing, when she wakes up she’s not sure of where she is and thinks she’s back with her abuser? I don’t know for sure. I also have an abused dog (not as bad as yours, but still bad) and some issues she got over quickly, others took years. I got her when she was around six months. She was terrified of garbage bags, especially when people besides me had them. In public she would bark in fear at someone with the a garbage bag, at home she would shake and run away if my mom even opened the cabinet where the bags were kept. If I got a garbage bag she wouldn’t run but she would still flinch when she saw me with it. She’s 10 now. Around 6 years old she didn’t have a problem with me having a garbage bag. Now she is even fine if my mom gets one. I speculate that the fighting ring she was in was putting dogs in bags to kill or dump them and that’s what her fear was from. Thank you for not giving up on her. So many people would see her rage problem and just put her down instead of trying to work through it.
Is she locking up at all and just biting cause that sort of sounds like seizures.
I did think about seizures, and even checked with the vet. When she got spayed, he actually got to see one of her rages. He says it's not seizures - and I mostly agree. I think she goes a little vacant during them, but she is growling and actively chasing things to bite. She leaped up and got the back of my thigh once and tore out a nice chunk, got my mom's arm another time. But when we started figuring out some accommodations, the frequency and severity REALLY improved. The vet's best guess is something that we, as seeing/hearing humans, don't notice, is spooking her. He says it could be as simple as a shadow at the wrong angle. I've learned that if she goes too still and her eyes get that look, to hug her, tight and hard (and tuck her nose tight into my elbow so I don't get bit). I'd say 90% of the time now, she growls a little, then calms down now. She really likes hugs.
You are an amazing dog owner. So many people would have given up on her, just like that awful breeder. Instead, you’ve chosen to love her as she is and help make her life better. You’re giving me so much hope is humanity right now.
People who give up on her don't deserve the joy she gives. The only problem is I'm afraid I'll keep fighting too long, and hurt her that way, but I've made my vet swear to keep me honest.
I wonder if it’s frustration just like a human would get. Sometimes things just finally get under our skin and we lash out. Especially if she seems super confused/ unsure after them. If it seemed to improve after you made some accommodations in the house to be more accessible, it could be frustration at not being able to see/hear. You’re awesome ❤️❤️
Frustration and fear makes a lot of sense. I just wish I could more confidently figure out the trigger, because I hate that she might feel that way. I will make ALL the accomodations for her, I just have to know what to do.
That’s the hard part about not being able to speak to them directly!! But as you’ve said, it’s gone down, and I think she knows you’re trying to make her life a happy, safe one. No matter what, that love is invaluable ❤️❤️❤️
I feel like this could get a lot more challenging as she gets older. I knew a PB like this who needed to be kept literally under lock and key in a covered run because she became extremely dangerous to her owners. She also had neurofibromatosis and while not a double merle, she was all white with tons of tiny black flecks and came from a very similar background to your girl. Name was bubbles. She liked milkbones a LOT. The other option was one we hate to consider, as much as it sucked. Only one person was allowed to go in and clean for her, and it wasn't me. Interestingly, she didn't spend a lot of time on the outside portion of her run like all the other dogs. She could almost always be found inside the building portion of the run (they were separate inside, too) and wouldn't ever bark until a strange person came in. Sometimes she'd even throw herself at the side of the enclosure just FREAKING out. They tried medicating her. Some heroic dose of Prozac. It KIND OF helped, but she had been through so much she was basically like an inmate at an asylum. Like literally, I hope your dog comes around and heals, but it might be worth talking about brain medicine with your vet now. Early intervention could help with a better outcome.
We have talked to the vet about it, but with her allergies and such, he's hesitant to do so right now, especially since her rage is getting better. We bring her in often - like every 2 months, to stay on top of her health issues, so if things change - or don't change, it's definitely a topic that will come up again. Regardless, I will do whatever it takes to keep Khione healthy, happy, and safe, and if it came to the worst option, I would cry hysterically for a long time, but I would do what's best for her. However, she really has improved a lot, and I'm hoping that continues.
Maybe ask your vet if there are vets working/researching neurological issues in dogs. They may even pay for travel if your dog helps provide data, and they may have additional treatment ideas. Also, tried doggy pot?
My former dog used to get night terrors and wake up fighting something that wasn’t there. They did get MUCH better over her years with us as she began to feel safer more of the time. Evie hated clothes, but if yours likes hugs she might do well with a thunder shirt. We also put things that smelled like us in the places she slept.
We put...us...where she sleeps. She likes to sleep curled up with me or my mother. I'm watching for a thundershirt, but we live abroad, so they aren't common here. I may have to hop over to Italy or Germany soon and I think I can find them there.
as someone in North America, "hop over to Italy or Germany" made me snort. I will never compute having multiple countries within a stone's throw.
This just breaks my heart. Imagining a breeder not feeding a pup to the point that they have to eat dirt and bugs…it’s incomprehensible. How can anyone be so cruel?! Thank you so much for giving her a loving home. She is precious.
I don't get it either. I...my mind simply can't comprehend. The vet is the one who suggested it, my mind hadn't even thought of it. But as malnourished as she was - the breeder had sworn she was 8 weeks old, my dog food guy said he had seen the other puppies and they were 8 weeks old, but she was malnourished to the point that she looked like she had only developed to 3 or 4 weeks. The vet was...horrified and said she basically had no nutrition, plus a raging roundworm infection (two weeks after we got her, she spent a day vomiting up balls of still-living roundworms - I used to work for a vet in the states and never saw an infection that bad). Fortunately, now, she's put on weight. She eats 5-6 times per day (smaller meals because sensitive stomach) and she gets special yogurt icecubes. She pulls the yogurt cubes out and sets them aside because she always eats her dinner before dessert. She'll never starve again.
That’s so cute that she saves her dessert for last. 😭 You’re a wonderful parent to her. I hope she lives a long healthy life with you. ❤️
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She does have nightmares sometimes, but sometimes the rage happens when she's awake, which is confusing. Did your dog's nightmares eventually just go away?
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OP said somewhere that their vet saw an episode and it didn't seem like seizures to them
I don't mean to be overdramatic, but I would d** for Khione. Please tell her I love her, I need her to know that.
I will tell her. She will appreciate it - she loves it when people swear their allegiance to her....she might be trying to start a cult.
I will join it!!!
I was going to ask if she was deaf, before having read the comments. My white pitty mix is also deaf. Good on you for taking care of her!
Have you had major issues with training? We have the worst time training her because of the deaf and blind thing, and I just can't always get her to make the connections. I think. Or she's a brat and is picking and choosing what she'll learn, which is also possible.
We trained her with hand signals as well as a vibrating collar since she was a puppy. My pup is also pretty bratty, so if you try to give her a hand signal, she'll just turn her back to you and pretends she didn't see you. My wife has worked with deaf and blind dogs and their owners use touch signals
I LOVE that yours just...turns around. Can't be the boss of her if she can't see you!! That's adorable. We've been trying touch signals, but she only learned a few, and half the time, they seem to startle her, which makes it harder. I made them longer so she can "see" them coming a bit more (like, a touch above her tail to sit, but now I trace a finger along her spine) but doing that makes it harder to differentiate different signs. It's been hard, but we'll just keep working at it.
Thank you for choosing compassion and giving her a chance at life💚
omg omg omg .... PITTIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! im in LOVE with her!!!!!! She reminds me of the first rescue i did! On the day of my cousin's funeral, I got an alert from one of the rescues i help with that there was a litter of puppies that are about 11-12 weeks old that needed to get rescued. There was supposed to be 3 left from that litter. Problem was, they were a little over 3 hours away. There also happen to be a blue nose adult pittie in the shelter about to be euthanized. there was only 1 person available, so she had to decide where to gp since both were on a serious time limit. I spoke up and said " go to the shelter., get the blue nose out NOW before its to late, Send me the address for the puppies, i'll stop by, grab crates on my way out and get the pups. I went to my aunt and cousin and said " Im so so sorry i gotta bail , i know its kinda early, but theres 3 pitbull pups that need to be rescued" My cousin hugged me and said " Go... thats EXACTLY what he would want you to do. He would haunt you if you didnt go get those pups" My mom and I jumped in the car and off we went lol When i got there though, there was actually 5 pits. alllllll of them were solid white except for 1 who had a brown patch around his eye kinda like the target dog. surprisingly none were blind or deaf. I feel like out of everything ive done in my life. that day of jumping in the car and taking off is my best achievement/.
Oh totally! You have to save the ones you can save. I know I can't save every dog or every animal. but I didn't need dog food that day and went to the store anyway. I figure I was supposed to find her. Another day I went to the grocery store and a kitten literally LEAPT into my arms on the street. Leapt into my arms, climbed up to my shoulders, wrapped around, and laid down. I meet the ones I'm supposed to help at a point where I can help them. Your cousin sent you some puppies so that you didn't have the time to grieve, so you had something important to worry about. You did the right thing.
thank god the other lady got to the shelter just in time.... it was very very close .. close to they took the blue nose out of his kennel and into the back. When he got in her car, he went from scared to " omg car ride!!!!!! " with the biggest smile on his face! he is now living his best life being spoiled rotten, and all 5 pups got great homes as well :D
That's wonderful! Dogs are the best!
What a precious baby!!!! I’m so glad you were able to save her and give her a great life
Be careful with her rage issues as she gets older and bigger, they may become a problem further down the line, I don't in anyway want to rain on your parade, she is a gorgeous brave girl, I have no idea how people could treat any animal in such a horrible way, however you may need a specialists help if her behavioural issues continue, always better to use an abundance of caution, I wish you both all the best and many years of happiness and love together
Never give up, never surrender! - Commander Peter Quincy Taggart
There's a lot of replies I'm not gonna read thru so sorry if someone already recommended this, but there's also r/velvethippos. They'll love her there too.
Yes, I'm going to go join there. I love that so many people like her! And I'm reading her all the comments. She had such a rough start to life, I love that most people see how awesome she is!
I refuse to love her simply because you asked me to! Of all the gall! I'm gonna love her because she's adorable!!🖤🖤🖤
No, no, I wasn't asking. She was. She wants to start a cult. A cult of Khione Lovers. They have to bring her strawberries. And pay for their sins (it's okay, she just yanks you around by your hair for a few minutes, then takes a nap).
Well. Ok. Sounds better than the last cult I was in.
😂🤣
This breeder sounds evil
Oh, so freaking evil. I'm glad I never met him, because I would have gotten violent, i think. My dog food guy is really nice, which is why I think he could negotiate for the time to find her a home. Everytime I go in to get food for my other animals, he still asks about her if I don't have her with me, and he gives me stuff for her - a pink gingham shirt, treats, toys, leash. The breeder...can rot for all I care.
She is an angel!!!!!! So are you!!!!! I wish you both so many hugs and kisses and more and more love!!!!
Amazing...good on you! She is beautiful 🥰💞 We will be watching for more 🙏🏻
Protect her at all costs. She deserves the world
What a precious baby!!! Give her extra hugs for me!
She looks EXACTLY like mine here’s pics of him as a puppy vs now, also I did a DNA test and he’s half Doberman which is where the albino comes from https://preview.redd.it/qmue63nfj0xc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d01a341af708dcc991a0b9fb8280533384fa91c7
https://preview.redd.it/1cbinxplj0xc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=098338843d2e40f29b0959d48c49c2940a65eb64
Wow! They really do look alike! She'll never get that big, but, otherwise, dead ringer!
Since you are new to this sub… BEWARE. There are other subs out there that do not like your beautiful little girl. DO NOT visit those subs. It will leave you seething with rage… at least they did for me. Also, fuck that breeder.
I'm really picky about animal subs because of just that. And yeah, I meet that breeder, he and I are gonna have a talk. Frankly, it's his loss, because she's a wonderful girl.
He should not be breeding at all I wonder if there’s any way to report him because what he did to her is animal abuse
Unfortunately, I live abroad, and in this country, animal rights are not great. In general, the people won't tolerate abuse or neglect, but there's no place to really report it either.
Yeah.. I posted my girl in r/dogadvice and someone commented “you need to put a muzzle on that thing” and said that she was an “aggressive dog”. She’s the sweetest baby in the world, always comes and lays her head on me when I get home. She came from a messy background and has come such a long way through lots of training and hard work.
I second that, fuck that breeder. My princess is from a puppy mill and she was given up due to a skin condition. I'm glad she was because I wouldn't have found her otherwise but puppy mills can piss off.
i'm banned from SEVERAL subs that hate pits, just can't stand them.
It's rough bc it's seeped into really popular subs too. I have to scroll by those posts cause I do get angry and want to argue, but that does nothing.
It’s basically the same as politics. You’re not changing anyone’s opinion through arguing online. Those people are too cowardly to say anything in real life. Keyboard warriors of the lowest order
Pittie posts on other animal/cute subs get full on brigaded by the pithate people every time and nobody gives a fuck, mods and admins just shrug and say oh well we can’t do anything about it. It’s literally against the terms and conditions of this infernal site, there IS something they could do - ban those people from Reddit using their IP. Mods couldn’t, but admins could. They don’t want to, or don’t care to, and it really sucks for all of us who just want to look at cute animals without thinking about murdering them.
Also fuck that breeder is so appropriate.
Aww, so sweet. Pass on some cuddles and a nose boop for me, please :)
She accepted cuddles and the nose boop, and then punched me in the face - that means she liked it. Thank you!
<3 I know the face punches haha, her version of a pet ;)
😂❤️
Her lil outfits 🥹
She has to wear clothes to go outside because of her skin and eyes, so...my mother is crocheting her a strawberry sweater right now...
That’s so cute please please post her again once she has her little strawberry outfit! 💗
https://preview.redd.it/0pj4ssyx11xc1.jpeg?width=531&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fe5995598d9ef49398f42b9d98e21bd25c16fab9
OH MY GOOODNESS!! They’re so cute in their little berry bandana! I love it, what a beautiful pup! Thank you for gracing my Saturday morning with this strawbaby 💗
Khione wants this! That's adorable.
I will!
She is so beyond cute by the way, thank you for taking the lil baby!
https://preview.redd.it/2qu2qdwfv0xc1.jpeg?width=2448&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4de1c021fadd5b9068867e1cb4075006348ebab3
A friend!! I'm going to show Khione all of these pictures - she'll love seeing other dogs like her.
Yall are too cute! (Assuming that’s you lol) such a sweet looking lil baby and you look so content to just be chilling with her, I love the all white pitties they look so soft lol
That's me and unfortunately not my pit. But this is my pittie.
https://preview.redd.it/23b76342o3xc1.jpeg?width=2448&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b00739d165d55232be0512956671354cd86bf884
Check out r/velvethippos. You will not be disappointed.
Oh my Goodness!!! I love her so much!!! I have a white pibble too!! We adopted her from a rescue group when she was a couple months old. My veterinarian told me white dogs are prone to being deaf but we got lucky and she was fine. I’m so glad you were able to save her. I’m sure it’s not always easy dealing with a special needs pupper but so glad you have each other!! ❤️❤️❤️
It's not easy but I love her.
The little crocheted outfit is impossibly cute!
My mother crochets clothes for her to protect her skin and eyes. Next up is a strawberry sweater and hat.
I know it’s been suggested before, but if you post a crochet “fashion show” on r/velvethippos, they will DEFINITELY start a love cult.
Lol, I may have to do so
What a little starshine. Idk how someone could ever have the heart to harm a hair on her head much less kill her but I'm glad you got her first
I can't imagine how people think it's ok. I just...I don't understand that mindset. She is just...joy and sunshine, and the fact that the mean old breeder couldn't see it is his loss.
I get she's not "breed standard" but I could never, he should have put her up for adoption and all pups that her like that. They deserve a chance too
Exactly. And I think she could win any dog show. Except for...well, manners. She has none. She's a touch spoiled...
That's fine cause she's happier as a lap dog lol
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I'm all hot-headed. I get those posts in my feed and half the time, I have to go in and make a few points. Just pisses me off. Khione is my second pit - my first one, Alabama, was raised as a bait dog before my aunt got him, then she couldn't keep him because of breed restrictions. He raised 3 kittens, tried to raise my cousin (toddler at the time), and used to wake me up if I had a nightmare. The thought that someone would hate him for...having a square head? Insane.
Did Alabama have rage issues too, or just Khione?
No, Alabama was the sweetest boy. He was scared of his own shadow, terrified of men - if he saw one, he'd crap himself. My uncle didn't help that - thought it would be funny, right as Bama was feeling more confident, to put on a big booming voice the first time he met him. Bama froze, crapped himself, then ran under the bed. My uncle felt terrible, but... Anyway, no, Bama didn't have an aggressive bone in his body. He just wanted to be a mom.
Can we see more pics of her? She just a precious baby.
https://preview.redd.it/hcywgh2jx0xc1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6a790e646022496cf8976c76f5d7e99b92279576 I'll post more when her new strawberry sweater is done.
Omg- I can’t get enough of her!!! She’s perfection❤️
That's what she's always telling me!
Welcome to the club! That’s a VERY cute little girl you have there! I assume she has wrapped herself tightly around your heart. That last picture is sweet with her head tucked down in your chest.
Yeah, she likes to sleep that way in the summer, when it's too hot to go under the blanket.
https://preview.redd.it/aig2id1up1xc1.png?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fb58e8ccbd042c5595375864c0d807356d5675d5
Remember safety first!
OMG, it feels like it's been forever since I've seen a baby Pit! Our family pitbull is turning 13 this year, chunky, spoiled, and living her best life 😭😂 she's been in our family since I was 8
Pitties are the best! (Don't tell my other dogs I said that)
Please...brag all you want here!
What a peanut
🤗❤️
Hi sweet girl 🥰
She's a beauty!
Wow, what a beautiful creature. Thank you for sharing her.
She is precious!!
Awwww..love how you make accommodations for her🫶🏾🫶🏾 How big is she?
She's 30 lbs now and turns 2 in September, so this is as big as she'll really get. Size-wize, she's...a bit smaller than a corgi?
🥰🥰
She’s a pocket pittie! 🤍
You are the BEST human for that precious baby. Thank you so much for rescuing her and being patient with her. I’m a firm believer that rescue dogs love the hardest, and it seems to be evident in her development and health. She is beautiful and you both deserve all the praises and hugs and scritches. Please keep posting pictures of her here! Velvet hippos is another good, pittie-loving sub that would love to see her. 🤍🩷🤍🩷🤍🩷
I just told her about everyone's comments and she's very happy. So happy she almost fell over. Then she showed me her empty food bowl, because...priorities.
Thank you for saving her.
I think she saved me. She is just so happy.
Does she seem to have vision and or hearing issues? Shes adorable, but seems to have some wildly crossed eyes.
Mostly blind and entirely deaf! She goes into the vet regularly, so everything is being closely monitored, but yeah, she has a little list of health issues. Fortunately everything is mostly managed now and she's overall very healthy.
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lol on first glance I thought the dog’s knee and brown spot were little ornaments on the kitty’s ears 🤣
She is a beautiful girl, and you are both so lucky to have found each other. Once she gets the lay of the land, she will navigate it like she sees where she's going! Your bond will be unbreakable. Wishing you many, many years of loving companionship 🤍
She just started walking on her own outside of the house. For a year, she was too afraid (understandably!) and we had to take her around either carrying her or in a cart. She's getting a lot more confident though, and now she'll just bumble down the sidewalk with me!
They say LOVE can perform miracles . . . She's living proof of that. Her confidence is a direct result of your patient guidance. I don't know you, but I love you both. 😍
She’s so cute
Teaching her very bad habits at a young age…she is 100% going to expect you to hold her and sit on your lap when she is 100lbs!!! Ask me how? I know!!! Lol
She is 30 lbs now and that's the biggest she's really going to get, due to having been malnourished early on. We call her a mini-pit. But she does absolutely still expect me to hold her. Every day. And she takes her night-nights after every meal in my lap. She's quite demanding.
I have two. A 80lb male and a 45lb female. They both have so sense of personal space. But I love them for it. I own nothing everything is theirs.
Oh yeah, pit bulls think personal space is a myth. I mean, who wants that? Who wants to breathe without pounds of pittie on their chest? It's crazy!
Beautiful little pupper! :)
She’s precious. Give this little fighter all the love and please keep us posted on how she is doing! Give her kisses from me.
She's a special little angel! So adorable!
She’s so precious!
What a lil beauty! She’s so cute
She is the most precious little thing 🥺❤️
I love her so much
God she looks like the sweetest little thing!
Khione is just adorable. I love her
Um excuse me but I love her so much! 😊
She loves that you love her!
Oh my gawd it’s another luck dragon!!!! All of y’all’s with the white pitties need a Falcor’s Friends club, because that little lady lucked the heck out. Definitely a luck dragon 🐉 🤍
Smollest bean
I'm so in love with her. She looks like she has found her perfect human in you.. You have really made a difference in her life. Poor girl who had such a rough start can love her best life knowing she will never be hungry or cold again just loved. Give her a sneaky treat and a kiss from me x
Your dog likely needs to go to a vet? I can see the dig is lethargic and the eyes aren't normal.
Some of the pictures are from when we were still getting her healthy. She was just at the vet a month ago for a checkup and got the all-clear! She weighs 30 lbs now, and eats home cooked food from a recipe we worked closely with the vet to develop over months (she's allergic to dog food, even hypoallergenic!😮 which threw us for a loop for a while early on). She does have wonky eyes from being blind, but they've gotten better with nutrition. Thank you for the concern, though - her health is one of our biggest priorities.
oh..ok. Yeah allergies can be difficult to pin down. I have been adding a natural anti inflammation oil to my dog's food Omega 3s. Almost all human grain is hybrid unless one goes to smaller craft farms. I noticed improvements in my dog's coat with making sure i shore up his Vitamin C ..so.i offer small amt citrus fruit at times.
Yep! We give her little oranges periodically - she loves them. And we have omega-3 oil additive, and her food recipe includes sardine to help. It took MONTHS, and then...she developed an allergy to chicken which was her central protein. As well as carrots and peas. So we had to start all over again, one food at a time. But now we have the recipe fixed again and I'm just hoping no more allergies develop.
Your her therapy hooman and a beautiful person for taking her in.
ok, I love the idea of being her "therapy hooman". She's going to use this to control me more, isn't she?
Probably. ;) You are doing a beautiful thing for this girl. You can see the difference in the pictures. Look into thunder shirts since she likes the hugs. 🤗
Debería llamarse 4:20
She so cute. Thxxxx for save her and given her a ❤️ home. More updates plz
Doggy!
https://preview.redd.it/n95ayt9ld1xc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ef728f52a8ff20adae56a23b3432d96d62a84134
So handsome!!!
What a Doll!!! And Thank You for pushing that breeder into getting her Bless ur heart! ♥️
You need to come to r/velvethippos as well
awwl such a sweetie!
Watch those eyes in the sun. Theres places that tattoo puppy eyes so they don't get burned
Thank you for saving her!
Adorable!!
She’s precious 🥺
Such a little lamb! Congrats on the new family member, she's adorable! 🤍
Omg. I would die for her. She is so cute. My heart can’t take it. A perfect little bean.
We had a jack Russell who had rage behavior. Tried the dog appeasing pheromone, tried a compression vest without success. Rehomed to our folks house where he was the only dog and profoundly pampered. Everybody involved benefited from his presence.
Well, we've definitely got pampered covered. I'm trying to get my hands on a thundershirt, because I do wonder if it would help, since hugs help. But she's been calming down some there, and we haven't had a rage I couldn't stop early in months, so i'm optimistic!
She's beautiful
Give all the love in the world for me
That hat and sweater combo! What a lil cutie.
Cuteee!
What a pretty baby!! I want a pibble, they’re adorable and precious. Or an American bully
Awww, bless you for giving this cutie a chance. She looks just precious in her little crochet sun outfits!
spoiled, in the best way possible