Wayward Ranch has always had a soft spot for underdogs, and our bully breed puppies definitely fit that description. This term encompasses American Pit Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and American Staffordshire Terriers as well as their mixes or dogs just just appear to have the "pit bull look." These often are wonderful dogs, however if you look at the bully breed dogs in your local shelter, chances are they have very strict adoption restrictions for at least a few of them. Maybe they have to be adopted to adult only homes or live as the only pet. It could be that the dog shows poor behavior due to the stress of the shelter life. It could also be that the dog comes from poor breeding and has a genetic predisposition towards aggression towards strangers or other animals. The dog may have been abused prior to arriving at the shelter and developed behavioral concerns as a result. The most likely cause is lack of proper training and socialization when the dog was a puppy.

 

Puppies go through several stages of behavioral development as they grow up and require proper socialization and training to come through those stages to be their best selves. Often bully breeds are so overbred by backyard breeders, that the majority of bully breed puppies so not receive the proper socialization, many are sold when they are way too young, and they are sold to families who are uneducated about what socialization is required to properly raise a puppy. These puppies are recklessly sold through online sites and apps. Each one unspayed/unneutered, and at risk of being put into a dangerous abuse situation or abusive breeding situation when they are older. Some of the bully breed puppies that come to us between 6-12 weeks old are already showing signs of human or dog aggression. These dogs may have genetic predispositions to aggression due to poor breeding, but many times they have been taken from their siblings at too young of an age and are in need of learning how to properly communicate with other dogs and humans. 

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Our Early Intervention program seeks to rescue and properly train and socialize bully breed puppies being sold online in risky situations. We take these puppies in anywhere from 3 weeks-1 year old and immediately put them into a foster home where they can receive the important training and socialization to become social with people and other animals. We utilize the research that has been done on the proper developmental stages of behavioral development of puppies to give a puppy what they need most at their current life stage. This socialization is crucial to the growth of a well-balanced bully breed dog that will function as a breed ambassador as they grow up.

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Your donations to this program help us to provide the necessary veterinary care to spay/neuter, vaccinate and microchip the puppies to prepare them for adoption. We are also able to use donations to help our foster homes care for the puppies throughout their socialization and training in their homes.