u/CowDungCollector

Today we drove 6 hours to rescue Carl from an amazing woman who rescues dogs. No, she doesn't rescue pits. His name was actually Clover, but Ethan, our autistic son (that Albert attacked,) calls him Carl, so Carl it is. 😂

What a journey. Trying to save my first pitbull because I had always heard, it's the owner not the dog, and of all owners, there would be none better equipped than me. I grew up raising dogs and training them, had at most 36 at one time, one won the AKC National championship.

As you all know, for no reason at all sweet Albert attacked our autistic son because we were having a small argument and Albert decided daddy was in danger. That is what pits do, they are bred to attack and kill, and to hell with all the hate mail I've received still claiming it was me or my family's fault. Rant over on that.

So meet Carl. He just hit the lottery on our farm, just like Cooper did. Albert was the best trained dog most people that visit had ever seen. He wouldn't move or enter a door without waiting for my command. But we all know how that ended. He was in his pen, somehow escaped it and no command could have changed that. Perfect training means nothing for an animal with those genes when they decide to attack. The poor boy was dealt a hand nobody could overcome for him. But he's in a much better place now where he can never hurt or be hurt.

But here's Carl, our newest blessing. He's part yellow lab and part Golden retriever. We are going to do DNA testing just to see what all he is, but I can promise one thing in years of working with and training dogs, he's a perfect addition to our sweet family and farm.

Welcome home Carl!! You are going to love it here, I promise.

EDIT: Thanks all for the input. But it's time for Albert to go to the only place where he can do no harm to anyone, not even himself. You are right, a shelter would probably be even worse.

Based on everything I've read here, I think it's best. Albert (on the right) showed up at my house one night 2 months ago. He was so timid, so scared, so sick, so malnourished. Sores all over him. He couldn't stop biting himself from so many bugs and ticks. He was covered in bites, bloody scrapes and scratches. I even gave him a bath to try to help him. I left him outside, and he had gone back to his home the next day, if you want to call it that.

We live on a 12 acre farm in a beautiful home, but we're surrounded by squalor, people living in trailers, houses that should be condemned. Not surrounded, but within a quarter mile. It broke my heart to see a dog so mistreated and abused. He was nothing but skin and bones. I went to the family a week later and told them no dog deserves that, either I will rehabilitate him or I'm calling animal services. They said we try to feed him, he just won't eat. BS. He now eats like a champ. This at a trailer with a roof caving in, yard just full of crap and next to a neighbor with dozens of dogs on chains.

Albert and Cooper (dog on the left), quickly became best friends. Not once did Albert try to fight or attack Cooper. They still to this day, right now actually, are wrestling and having fun in the living room.

Please keep in mind the only thing I had ever heard about pitbulls is that media will only report on their attacks, not doberman's, German shepards, just a misunderstood family pet. We have friends who have 2, 8 and 10, never a single sign of aggression, they love on and play with the grandkids.

But here's where the story changed. The healthier he has gotten, the more signs I can see. One of Cooper's buds that comes to visit (we have several dogs that just roam just like Cooper over our 12 acres), so I figured Albert would be similar to how he was with Cooper, eager to meet a new friend. They got close and the attack and fight was horrific to watch. I'm 53 and was barely able to pull Albert back up to our home. The other dog kept coming at us as well.

My sentimental dog loving dumbass wanted to blame it on the other dog since he followed us wanting to fight up to my back door, 100 yards away. But truth is, that was Albert. Once he got close to the other dog, there was no socialization like I can accomplish with most other dogs. It started to set in, no wonder he was covered in injuries when I took him in, he fights, wants to fight, wants to attack. I had to have him see a vet he had so many injuries.

Before, everybody that came to our house just loved how sweet he was to them. He would lay down in submission, and want them to pet him. But now, he has started lowering down in attack mode to strangers that show up, hair standing up, snarling. Of course now he's always on leash, every second of every day. I'm a great dog trainer, none of my dogs do anything if I don't want them to, they never pull on a leash, they sit when commanded, they don't run through doors without a command. He is now very well trained, he doesn't even walk without a command. But it's just different with him. I can see it.

I could easily see him attacking someone he sees as a threat and it being horrific or even deadly. He even does this to my wife's mom when she pulls in the driveway. Having to sit on a short leash every hour of every day out of fear of what he can do is no life for any dog.

Not all of us are horrible beast loving owners. There are some of us that watch for signs of it being an issue. Albert spent the first 8 months of his life fighting for his life, and probably fighting because of what he is. It's what he learned before he found us. It's probably just his nature.

This will be difficult. It makes me tear up to see his face looking at me wondering why I'm abandoning him. But I can't live in fear of what he might do, I can't subject anybody else to the unpredictability. It's just not right.

I think it's time he finds a new future, even if that means being lovingly and painlessly put down.

If you saw the pictures I posted a couple of days ago, I have found the answer. Another tomato plant has joined in the last 2 days. See photos. The 1st 2 are how it starts, the 3rd is the end result. It started on one and is now affecting 4 of my 30 plants. They will die. This is a good warning when using compost.

We live on a farm. I get compost from local farms that includes a lot of manure. Yeah my name checks out. Well I have tracked down that many of these farms use hay that comes from fields treated with herbicides. The animals take this is in and it passes through into the manure and stays active.

This my friends, is herbicide damage. Unbelievable. I just hope I don't lose them all. I spread 4 inches of compost in my entire garden, (last photo). I'm not even sure how to correct this. But we shall see. KNOW WHERE YOUR COMPOST COMES FROM!!!

The issue seems to be spreading. It started with the first tomato plant. You can see how pitiful it is now.

The one beside it started getting yellowing and leaves curling, the 2nd close up phot. Now the 3rd is starting to yellow in the center as well. I've put the photos in the order I described them.

Can somebody help me know what might be happening? If this continues I'm afraid I'll eventually lose them all.