ricey Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Hi all, My old pit bull terrier Hobbes is getting way old now (14 to 15 years old); quite a bit of arthritis, deaf as a post, and probably a bit of doggy dementia. Spends most of his days sleeping in the sun, and only occasionally playing with my other dogs or human kids. But he still has it in him. We do get a few rats as the garden is pretty lush, and we live reasonably close to the river. I didn't see this but my wife did. Hobbes dropped a decade off his true age; quick as lightning, turned on a 5 cent piece, 1 bite, 1 dead rat. All over before the other two dogs noticed anything. I actually quite like rats; they are intelligent, inquisitive, and they make great pets. But I don't like sharing my house with the feral variety as they are not toilet trained and they think that our food is their food. So if Hobbes continues to eradicate them I am not too upset about it. At least he is quick and efficient, and there is not the protracted execution that cats delight in. Pit bull terriers; bull AND terrier. Too many American Pit Bull terriers and American Staffordshire terriers nowadays are all Bull but no terrier. Big, bulky, and very, very handsome but only half the dog they should be. ricey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vehs Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Good boy Hobbes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ari.g Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Chilli, APBT, at 12 years old, still likes to catch herself some gecko's! :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melzawelza Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Good boy Hobbes! Still want to see a picture of the grand old man :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boronia Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Penny who is 16 is still a good ratter and even though she has lost most of her teeth she still has her canines and puts them to good use with one bite and a head shake. Mac usually waits for Pen to kill the rat then he will proudly carry it home (and hide the body under the sofa cushions unless i quickly swap it for a yummy treat). Daisy get over excited, squeals, and gets in the way :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raz Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Good boy Hobbes! Still want to see a picture of the grand old man :) Me too. Hobbes has been on the board for ever. Good old man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VizslaMomma Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Yay for Hobbes! Photos would rock too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricey Posted February 17, 2015 Author Share Posted February 17, 2015 Yes, I will take a few photos of the grand old man tomorrow and upload some. He is so grey in the face, and he has lost a bit of muscle bulk in his hind quarters. His back has a bit of a sway and he has quite a few lipomas; a bit like me really except for the lipomas. Sure I know what love is; a boy loves his dog (thank you, Harlan). ricey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackun Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I remember you posting at all pit forum seven years ago.. your dog was brindle am I right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darien Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Well done old boy :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VizslaMomma Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 My darling Tibor left us just at the start of December. He made 15 years, 3 weeks & 4 days. ( Great innings too). Just before he crossed over, he actually beat the young whipper-sniper puppy to two small pieces of dried liver. He did this wee dance to get to it before Puppy. I was so proud of him. Puppy was amazed. I am sure it was a final act of defiance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mita Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 I owe Hobbes. 10 years ago, when I joined DOL, all I knew about pitbulls was the common idea they were born savage. You used to post about Hobbes & how he was a trusted part of your family, with photos of him with children. That gave me pause for thought... Then I met a lost pitbull girl in real life. And I had the confidence to give her the benefit of the doubt. Yep, she proved to be sensible, affectionate & biddable We caught her & found her owners. Thanks, Hobbes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VizslaMomma Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 I owe Hobbes. 10 years ago, when I joined DOL, all I knew about pitbulls was the common idea they were born savage. You used to post about Hobbes & how he was a trusted part of your family, with photos of him with children. That gave me pause for thought... Then I met a lost pitbull girl in real life. And I had the confidence to give her the benefit of the doubt. Yep, she proved to be sensible, affectionate & biddable We caught her & found her owners. Thanks, Hobbes aw. that's such a tribute. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melzawelza Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 I owe Hobbes. 10 years ago, when I joined DOL, all I knew about pitbulls was the common idea they were born savage. You used to post about Hobbes & how he was a trusted part of your family, with photos of him with children. That gave me pause for thought... Then I met a lost pitbull girl in real life. And I had the confidence to give her the benefit of the doubt. Yep, she proved to be sensible, affectionate & biddable We caught her & found her owners. Thanks, Hobbes Love this. Love all your posts, Mita. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricey Posted February 18, 2015 Author Share Posted February 18, 2015 I remember you posting at all pit forum seven years ago.. your dog was brindle am I right. Yes, tiger brindle with a white blaze and white front paws; I haven't worked out how to post photos yet but I will. ricey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricey Posted February 18, 2015 Author Share Posted February 18, 2015 I owe Hobbes. 10 years ago, when I joined DOL, all I knew about pitbulls was the common idea they were born savage. You used to post about Hobbes & how he was a trusted part of your family, with photos of him with children. That gave me pause for thought... Then I met a lost pitbull girl in real life. And I had the confidence to give her the benefit of the doubt. Yep, she proved to be sensible, affectionate & biddable We caught her & found her owners. Thanks, Hobbes Thanks, mita. Hobbes has been rock solid dependable with kids and people in the 13 years I have known him (although if you ask rats their opinion of his temperament, you may get a different answer....) I knew less than nothing about pit bulls when Hobbes bounded into my life. I didn't even know he was a pit bull for the first year with him. I thought he was a very big Staffordshire bull terrier. Then a woman at the dog park told me he wasn't a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, but an American Staffordshire Terrier 'and a very good example'. This woman is a Terrier group judge at ANKC shows and she knows Amstaffs well. So then I did a bit of Googling on Amstaffs; long story cut short, any AmStaff without breed papers is a pit bull terrier in Australia. So I became involved with dog politics around 12 years ago and still am. Possibly, if I'd known that Hobbes was a pit bull back when I first met him, I would not have been so keen to have him in my home. I'd read stuff about pit bulls in the papers and seen articles on TV. Fortunately, ignorance is bliss, and I am smitten with this dog and his breed. When Hobbes bounds over the bridge, I can't see myself getting anything other than a rescue pit bull puppy. ricey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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