# Updated photos of Ella Smella



## Chewbecca (Feb 12, 2010)

our adopted American Pit Bull Terrier.
She's SUCH a great dog. Yes, she's dog aggressive, so she cannot be around other dogs, but she is the best dog EVER.
She's not barky, has an "off" switch, is GREAT with humans (especially babies, she LOVES teh hooman babies), doesn't tear ANYTHING up.
Her biggest faults are her begging for food whenever we eat. But we're working on that.
She's very focused as long as a ball is involved. She'll do ANYTHING for an Orbee ball.
ANYTHING.






Gazing out our front window.






Ball Monster. Rawr.
Yes, that is what her ID tag says. And on the back is her name and my phone number.






"U play ball wif me? PLZ?"






"Pretteeee plz??"












Office Garbage Monitor. It is HER duty to monitor ALLL garbage thrown away in the office.






BEST EARS EVER:






Snow fun!










And that's it for now! Thanks for looking!


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## terracolson (Feb 12, 2010)

love it!!


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## Stephanie Logan (Feb 12, 2010)

I've never seen a cute pit bull before. I know they're lovable, I'm not knocking the species, one of my nieces has one, I've just never thought they're very attractive. 

Now I know different. 

Those are incredible ears. I'll bet one look from Stagger would frighten her from the room, though. Do they share that ball?


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## terryo (Feb 12, 2010)

She's beautiful. Did you adopt her from a rescue group? I'm surprised if you did because most rescue groups won't adopt any animal out if it is dog aggressive. We got a bull terrier...long story...but he was dog aggressive, so we had to get a trainer, and now he's great. How old is she?


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## Chewbecca (Feb 12, 2010)

Thanks, guys!!!

Ella is 6 1/2 years old.
And, yes, we adopted her from a pit bull friendly rescue.
Odd that rescues near you won't adopt out dog aggressive dogs, since for some breeds it's as ingrain as herding is for a collie or running is for a greyhound, or sniffing is for a beagle or bloodhound.

You can manage true dog aggression, but make no mistake, you cannot train it out of a dog.
A lot of times dog aggression isn't true dog aggression and it stems from an unpleasant situation that your dog was involved in, or it is an insecurities or lack of confidence.

But she was not dog aggressive when we adopted her. But she is now. She was 3 years old, and most every pit bull or bull breed dog is going to have some level of dog aggression in them. Just some are a bit more "tolerant" of other dogs than others are.
Her dog aggression started right around the time we ran into my neighbor who has an ill mannered female boxer that got crappy with Ella. She lunged, pulled, stood on her hind legs, growled and barked at Ella. Ella obediently sat next to me. But from that point on, she has hated other dogs.
With pit bulls, their dog aggression may not surface until they are mature adults.
It's usually known that it can surface (or they call it "turning on") around 2-5 years of age.

But as I said, dog aggression is manageable. And a HECK of a lot more manageable than human aggression.
If Ella EVER showed a sign of human aggression, I'd have to make a decision that would break my heart. But it would be my responsibility to make the right decision.

And honestly, LOTS of dogs are dog aggressive. 
It's not always a breed-specific thing.


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## Tom (Feb 12, 2010)

She's beautiful. I love the breed. They've really gotten a bad rap. Dog aggression is easy to fix, IF you can find a decent trainer in your area. Are you any where near Southern California? I train dogs for a living and a hobby. I'd be glad to help free of charge. I've been correcting that problem since the early 90's, as well as many others. You don't have to live that way.

Did you see the movie "No Country For Old Men"? That was my pitty, Scoobie. The red nose in the water. The black one limping in the beginning of the movie is my buddy Alvin's. His name is Pepper. Scoobie has since gone to doggy heaven, but he was a good one. We filmed that in New Mexico between Taos and Santa Fe in 2006.


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## terryo (Feb 12, 2010)

You're probably right, because a big Rottweiler who wasn't on a leash (we have leash laws here) attacted our Bully and after that she went crazy whenever she saw another dog. She never was that way until that happened. She was the best dog we ever had. Full of personality.


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## dreadyA (Feb 12, 2010)

Do you still sell dog collars? ?
Hehe ella is hating on the geckos


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## Chewbecca (Feb 12, 2010)

er...well, I'd hate to come in and correct someone whose dog obviously accomplished great things, but what do you mean by "fix"?

You can manage it. You can teach your dog to focus on you and not other dogs (though depending on their drive, it may or may not be a reachable goal), but if you leave the dog to his own devices, and he is INDEED truly dog aggressive, that dog will act on its instinct.

I'm trying to "tap into" her via her ball.
I'm trying to see if there is a connection in behavior between her ball obsession and her dog aggression.
Don't know if I'm wording this exactly correctly...It's the focus she displays with both things.
I know if she sees another dog, I can grab her ball, show her it, and she'll forget about the dog and focus on her ball.


Roachman,
Uh, do you realize how much of an uproar that scene caused in the pit bull community??? hahahaha.
Oh man! A lot of us got our panties in a wad over that one.



dreadyA said:


> Do you still sell dog collars? ?
> Hehe ella is hating on the geckos



Yes we do!

And if Ella could speak, that is EXACTLY what she would say everytime I have to kick her out of the room when I clean gecko cages.


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## matt41gb (Feb 12, 2010)

So cute!


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## Tom (Feb 12, 2010)

We tried for weeks to get them to use my Malinois for that film, but the Cohen Brothers insisted it had to be a pit bull. Every time Scooby worked, throughout his career, it perpetuated the ignorant stereotypes, because of the scripts, but everybody on set got to see what a great dog he was. I can't fight societal ignorance on a large scale, but several thousand people met him over the years and now know better. Plus, I've got bills to pay and somebody was going to do it if I said no.

By "fix" I mean train her to behave herself and not go after other dogs, no matter what. A have a pack of three (at one time four) male, un-neutered dogs, and i can walk around with them on voice control only. Another out of control dog can jump them and they will call out of the fight and let me deal with the problem. Our deal is: They protect me and mine from bad people and I protect them from bad dogs.

Most people unintentionally "train" their dogs to be dog or human aggressive and don't realize it. Too much to type, but PM me and we can exchange phone numbers and I'll explain it to you in depth. I'm the guy that gets called when two vets and three trainers (or worse, "Behaviorists") tell people to put their "incorrigible, dangerous" dog to sleep. I've saved countless dogs from death, but it would be sooooo much easier if people would call sooner, before they create such a problem. I'm basically the guy who gets to deal with the worst of the worst.


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## dreadyA (Feb 12, 2010)

Maan, very interesting.


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## Stephanie Logan (Feb 12, 2010)

Roachman26 said:


> I've saved countless dogs from death, but it would be sooooo much easier if people would call sooner, before they create such a problem. I'm basically the guy who gets to deal with the worst of the worst.



Yep! I've always agreed with the adage, "There are no bad dogs, just bad owners."


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## Tom (Feb 13, 2010)

Here's Scooby doing his thing.


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## Chewbecca (Feb 14, 2010)

Roachman, I would love to speak with you. Weekends just aren't a good time due to everyone in my house being home and loud.

Scooby is awesome looking!
NOTHING beats the physique of a pit bull with their muscular legs, arms, and chest, and their wasp waists.
That reminds me, I think people are used to seeing obese dogs because I've had people comment on how skinny Ella is.
My dad comes over and he always asks me "Are you ever going to feed her???"
It's just, like Boxers, pit bulls have a wasp waist/tucked tummy.
Hell, I wish MY tummy looked that good!

Here's Ella in action:




















"Will walk like hooman 4 teh orbee"


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## Tom (Feb 14, 2010)

I get the same thing with my Mali's too. I just ask people, "haven't you ever seen a greyhound?". These are like the olympic athletes of the dog world. They are fit and healthy with low body fat.

You know where to find me.


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## Stephanie Logan (Feb 14, 2010)

Oh, that is too funny...the "hooman walk" photo. 

She looks much lovelier in her custom black metal-accessory collar than in the plain vanilla leather band. 

She is sleek and fit...don't let anyone talk you into letting her get fat...there are far too many dogs that have become walking coffee tables!


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