Hi Everyone,

I haven't been posting for a while but I have been looking.

On Friday I picked up a Presa Canario bitch that needed re-homing due to a family breakup.
Before I went for her Corso Girl gave me a load of info on this particular dog. Not that she came from Jackie.
She has been re-homed quite a few times poor thing. Some homes only lasting 2-3 days.
She has been badly treated physically and underfed. She's about 1/3 underweight.
The girl I got her from lived in Warwick, Coventry. She was gutted that she had to re-home the dog but she was also quite nervous around her.
We travelled half way to pick up the dog so it was very traumatic for her. We live in the NOrth East near Newcastle.The girl warned me that the dgo could be 'snappy' around food. That she was aggressive with men.
That she was not house trained. That she lunged at you when you fed her.
That she didn't like kids very much. That she would probably go for small animals and that she attacks all other dogs.
That she would snack at us if we tried to discipline her.
You might think I was a bit silly to take this dog on, even if it is to re-home her to a responsible person at a later date, the only other option was to have her PTS.
Well, this dog has been here for less than a week and I think the girl who had her before me had a different dog.
Thsi dog has been an angel. We have introduced her to our lot with no problems. She ahs been introduced to cats/ferrets and rabbits, she just ignores them. We have been doing basic obedience with her with very little problems , she definitely has never put her mouth on us.
She has never had an 'accident' in the house.
We have been very cautious when introducing her to people and animals but she 'seems' to be perfect.
Yesterday she came to a childrens disco with me, muzzled, she loved the kids and their parents were happy for her to be there.
We are being very careful and I am aware she may 'change' but I hope not.
We are taking her to her first training class tonight.
The only thing I would say against her is she is ignorant and selectively deaf, obviously has never had any training as she has no manners. She will happily push passed you , if you allow it.
I think she hasn't had an owner who has any experience with the Mastiff breed.

deleted due to duplication :rolleyes:

Good on you Dawn and well done for helping her :)

Thank heaven that this poor dog has now found an owner who knows the breed and is prepared to put the work into having a "good" dog, but who still has realistic expectations!

Well done Dawn, for taking her on, and good luck for the future - let us know how she progresses (what's her name for a start :D )

Margot

HI,

Her name is Phoenix but she doesn't seem to know it.
She's had this name since about 8 weeks old because it's on her vacc' card.
Another owner called her FiFi but she doesn't answer to that either.
She answers to F**k Face or Fat F**k so that just about explains some of her previous owners.
I do think she has had a few that have tried to 'do the right thing' by her, as I hope I am, but most have obviously been a waste of time.
I don't know this particular breed at all. I had heard of them but never seen one. I still think she's better off with us at the moment than someone who has no experience at all with this 'type' of dog. I'll just rack Corso Girls brains everytime I come accross a problem with her.
My vet can't wait to see her 'cos he's not seen one either.
I can understand people buying what in effect is still quite a rare breed. It's the 'feel good' factor as people stop and ask 'what' she is.
Everyone is very impressed with her. I'm so pleased that it is safe to introduce her to everyone after what I was told. It was almost a horror story.
One thing I could do with some advice about.
Phoenix has no idea how to 'play' gently with people, she never plays with dogs.
She grabs your arm, with her teeth, it doesn't really hurt much. It could hurt a child although she has not tried to do it to a child. She has had the opportunity.
We are currently not allowing any contact play. We just say 'NO' very loud when she opens her mouth. It's working at the moment but she is very persistent when she wants attention. If she gets too pushy we put her in her crate to calm down.

Jackie,

Have you heard anything about her haveing 'fits'?? There is a note in her paperwork that says she, I presume it means the dog, was fitting. There are also some Diazapam Rectubes with instructions to on how to administer them. This won't be a problem as long as she doesn't fit too often. She just won't be able to live with our Mandy. I have had a Rottie that, later in life, was fitting 2-5 times a night with medication.

Even the kids can get her off the settee!!!  She wears a muzzle where the little kids are at all times. Just to be sure.
And yes. We're in love. I do think she will be staying as long as she is being honest with us.
Unless this dog is the cleverest one I've ever met I can't understand why anyone would part with her.
So long as you ignore the fact that she is ignorant, selectively deaf, persistent, a pain in the rear at times, nosey and totally clumsy.
Basically a half grown dog that has never been trained or allowed to be a 'puppy'. other than not playing she very much acts like a 9-10 week old pup.

I'm still optimistic about her and keeping my fingers crossed.

Hi D4wn am still trying to find her breeder but the Presa breeders dont seem to want to know well the ones i have phoned, maybe one will surprise me and try and help? so we can find out a bit more, so when the time comes to find her a home, that is if D4wn and her great family let her go we will know alot more about her back ground but i know that she is in the right place and that she is being assessed by the right person/s  Thanks Dawn and her family for taking on a dog that know one else really wanted,,.

Hi corso girl,

I have been in touch with Esta. She was in tears. I had to convince her that she had done the best she could for Phoenix.
I am going to send 'photo's to her, and you, so she can see the difference in Phoenix. Been in touch with the two vets as well. They are going to fax Phoenix's details to my vet for me. I'm also going to send away the registration form for Phoenix's Pet Id. It's never been sent away since Esta had her 'chipped.
Esta is going to email me with everything she knows about Phoenix. She agreed with me, although I haven't seen him, that Phoenix's first owner seemed an 'unsavoury' character.
I've booked Phoenix in to be spayed on 26th April. 'Very cheap'. I have an excellent vet who is happy to help.
I don't think anyone will be able to trace Phoenix's breeder. She was probably bred for all the wrong reasons. Money!!Money!!Money!!
Esta said the guy had a Corso for sale the day she went for Phoenix. When he got her out of the 'garage' he belted the cr*p out of her.
The vet that vaccinated Phoenix, although he didn't say anything, didn't seem impressed with the bloke. They have 'a lot' of different dogs registered with the same vet.

Found something else out about Phoenix today that p***ed me off. She will not stay in the back of the car for love nor money.
We were on for hours trying to teach her but to no avail. She had to be restrained.

I have emailed Esta but no reply yet i need to know what area Phoenix came from was the breeder in the North and breeds Cane Corso/A.B/ and DDB because if he does then i know the s*** hole she came from.