In dire need, please read and give your advice on my dog

[PyraLynne]

I adopted a female tripawd "pit mix" from the shelter about a year ago. We love her. She is family. I live in a rental in Southern CA, recently had our home inspected by the owner. The home owners insurance threatened to drop him if we do not get rid of our dog. They will not carry a pit on the insurance.(before Im asked, the owner assumed she is a pit mix and told the Insurance company this and after all she is licensed this way as well).If I can prove that she is not a pit mix then I can keep her (I hate this most of all because I dont care what breed she is all I know is we love her). I dont have a full body shot picture atm, only have this one from my daughters myspace. I want to show a few more for your opinions.

Im taking her to the vet first thing tomorrow morning for an exam. If the DR believes she is not part pit he will write me a letter stating so. Can any of you help me out with what other breed she might possibly be?? The only breeds I found close was the catahoula, lab/border collie mix, someone suggested american staffordshire terrier mix.

Also, has anyone else gone through this, what did you do? Was there anything you could do?

I dont want to lose my baby girl and our family is torn up over this. We will move if it comes down to it and I will NOT tell the next place that she is a pit mix.
Thank you for your time. Please offer advice if you can.

The image with the girl is my dog, Star. The other image is of another dog I found online (lab/border collie mix) that looks to be her twin. I am at work and do not have any other pics to post of Star but will add more when I get home.


Her snout is longer than pictured here, her ears fold, she has a medium long coat (not short like the pit) and she is not broad across the shoulders, she has a slightly lean build.

(btw this is my first post here so Im not sure if the images are viewable or not)

[Scootergirl]

Her head looks a lot like my Derby:



I call him a lab mix, but honestly have wondered sometimes if he has pit in him because of the shape of his skull.

Obviously, though, if he's MIXED with something I would have him classified as the other part of the mix just to avoid these kind of semantics. I hate insurance companies that do this, by the way. They should base their decisions on the dog, not the breed. I think if the dog can be certified CGC or go through a certified obedience class or become a certified Delta dog, etc. then the insurance company should make exceptions for these breeds and the owners.

So, you are definitely doing what you need to do by getting the vet's opinion. Be sure you tell the vet exactly why you are doing this. Hopefully, he will be sympathetic and skew his opinion in your favor - not lie, of course, but if he thinks your dog is a pit/lab mix, maybe he could write the letter to say your dog is definitely a lab mix, get it?

I think it's very hard to determine exactly what mixed breeds really are unless you know the parents. Derby looks like a lab mix one day, a pit mix the other day and he has double dew claws on both back paws so I suspect he has husky or some arctic breed in him as well (to go along with his slightly bushy, arched tail).

The most important thing is he is an intelligent, docile, loving, playful companion. And, I'm so proud of you for recognizing that moving to someplace that will accept you and your dog is the only decision and rehoming him again is not even considered.

We are here to support you.  Good luck and keep us informed.

[dogcrazyforever]

In my opinion, she doesn't look like a pit or american staffordshire in the slightest. Like you mentioned, I would say a lab/ border collie mix. She doesn't have the jaw muscles or coat to be part pit or amstaff (like you said). That is completely rediculous if they make you get rid of her when this dog is obviously not of bully breed! Best of luck!

[Scootergirl]

I think you're right. After looking at dogcrazy's amstaff again (which has the same basic skull structure as a pit), your dog is definitely not pit mix.

[Nina]

She definately looks like a border collie!


Nina

[maxsmom]

I am so sorry you are going through this.  When my son and his wife adopted their dogs, 2 brothers, puppies about 3 months old, from the SPCA, they were told they were pit mixes.  They lost their homeowners insurance.  They now call their dogs lab mixes and have had no problems in the past 3 years with insurance.  One of the dogs looks like a full blooded pit, the other looks like a mix.  There is not way for sure to know what is in them, unless someone wants to pay for the new DNA testing and that is only good for a limited number of breeds.  I think it is a sad commentary on the state of our great country, when a person can be penalized for having a pet of any kind, that has never done anything, other than be an amazingly good pet and family member.  Good luck and I will be hoping for the best for you and your family.
Kathy

[London_Pyr_Lover]

Hi there and welcome to BPO, although I'm sorry it's under such cr@ppy circumstances that you've come looking for advice.  I'm with all the others, I don't think she looks like a bully breed at all, and that Border Collie is probably your best bet.  Good luck at your vet tommorrow, and I'm sure that he/she will confirm that your pretty girl is no Pittie.  It is such a shame though that people can be so ignorent and fearful of a dog they don't even know, and that they can generalize that all pitties are bad because of a few dogs that had bad owners.  If it were a person that was being treated this way because of his or her breed (read- RACE) the owner of the house and insurence companies would be demonized and shut down for being Biggots.

[Amy (guffer)]

I just have to throw in my two cents.  She's definitely a border collie mix, possibly even full blooded smooth coat BC!  (the narrow head and chest and longer muzzle, the traditional black and white markings, the eyes say BC also).  The words "Pit" or "terrier" wouldn't even cross my mind looking at her picture.

And since she's a "mutt" from a shelter, the insurance company should have to prove beyond doubt (which is nearly impossible) what breed she is, not the other way around.  Sort of an "innocent until proven guilty" thing I guess, although just being a certain breed should not not instantly make a dog "guilty" of anything!  If I were you, and the vet's letter isn't good enough for them, I'd probably get a lawyer before looking to move.  Oh- another idea... maybe a letter from a border collie rescue representative saying she looks BC would help your case?

I'm sorry you have to go through this because of some insurance company's ignorant policy.  When I bought my home, I was totally naive, because I didn't realize they could tell you what breeds you could own.  They asked me what breed my dogs were, and at the time I had just my yorkie mixes.  When I asked the lady why it mattered, she said I couldn't get home insurance through them if I owned a pit, rottie, or chow breed.  Unbelievable!  It makes me so mad that this crap has become the norm.

I wish you and your family Good Luck!  Keep fighting for your girl.  Stay strong, and don't let them push you around.  Please keep us posted on how things are going! 

[mynameislola]

I also would recommend trying the genetic testing because that is the only valid way to tell what a mixed breed is.  That dog looks nothing like a pit to me. 

Don't be surprised if you cannot get a Vet. to sign anything stating what breed your dog is.  They also have insurance companies.  If if were my dog, I'd give it a new name to denote its status as a Border Collie and find a new Vet.  Take it in for a checkup and keep copies of all the paperwork for the confused landlord.

Side note-- when we bought a house, we looked into getting insurance for it.  Paying for the insurance for 12 years was the same price as the house, so we started a "replace the house" account instead.

Another side note--in 1980 I moved from Long Beach in Los Angeles County to unincorporated San Bernardino County due mostly to LA's Draconian Animal Control people.  They are spread so thin out here that when I caught a lost horse, the County AC said they could come and get it, in a week, maybe.  The AC guys in the closest town made a few calls and had the owner in my driveway with a trailer and a Vet. in a couple of hours.  Rural rocks.

[karateblossom]

wow, it makes me sad you have to be prejudged on something that isnt even an obvious truth!  Ur baby doesnt carry the pit 'look' but im definately no expert.  I would have the vet (as long as he/she is an expert in mixed breeds) give your baby a once over and i would absolutely do my research on bc mixes and discuss that with the landlord. 
In some rental contracts they may have clauses for this stuff but if not, then unless there is a clause where u agreed to be an at will renter, then he cant evict just because he THINKS that your girl is a pit mix.
I'd tell him that the dog is a bc/lab mix (hopefully verified by vet) and since there are no problems associated or no incidents involving your sweetie, that it would be unwise to evict. 
Our landlord met our dog when we came to look at the house and despite the size, this little ol country man agreed (n we didnt even have to pay pet deposit)!  The worst thing odin has done is deposit slingers on the walls...which i immediately hone in on and scrub off!   
If he pursues and you can afford the fight and have written proof of his threat and claims and there are no incidents or excessive damages by your baby and nothing in ur lease agreement thst gives him legal rights to non renew or evict, then i'd say bring it on jack!  Otherwise, despite how sad it initially may be, this could mean you should look for another better place for your pack.  This may be a hidden message telling u that this isnt a good place for your pack.....i hope it works out!     

[mastiffmomoftwo]

Hi there.
You can actually get DNA testing that can be done to correctly identify the breeds that are in your dog.  Of course now I can't find the site!
I would go to another vet (not your regular one) and ask how to go about this.  If there is some pitty in your dog, and you don't want that known, then go to another vet that isn't on record as your current vet.  Get the testing done and see what the results are first.
I believe they can correctly identify nearly 200 different breeds.