There is an add in our local newspaper for Fila pups for free to a loving home. Can this be? To get a dog with good breeding and not have the health problems associated with large dogs, the only prices I have seen has been in the $1000 range. For those Fila owners out there, I was curious what your thoughts were regarding this. Also, are these dogs as good and easy to train as I've heard and read? Thanks, c.d.

-- c.d. (his4ever@mac.com), November 27, 2001

Answers

Go to www.google.com , do a search on "Fila dog". Looks like these dogs are highly specialised, and you'd need to think very carefully about what you'd expect of them, and whether that could fit in with their nature.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), November 27, 2001.

Maybe they dont have room for pile of big dogs in there home. Are you sure they are not mixed breed flia? Maybe they are not registerable and therefore pretty worhtless to a breader. If you want a dog the price is right, if you want a breeding dog maybe its not the one.

-- Gary (gws@redbird.net), November 27, 2001.

Aren't these the breed that KILLED that woman in the bay area???????? Hope anyone who owns them has REALLY good insurance, you're going to need it!

-- catvet (kestrel91315@aol.com), November 29, 2001.

The dogs who killed the lady in the bay are were preso carnas, cross between mastife and a Iland fighting dog.

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), November 29, 2001.

C.D.....SOMEONE OFFERING FREE PUREBRED DOGS IS ODD.THE ONLY REASONS I`VE SEEN THIS DONE BEFORE ARE.

[1]THE DOGS BRED WERE LITTER MATES[BROTHER/SISTER] [2]UNREGISTERABLE...NON-PUREBRED PARENTS OR ABOVE. [3]MORE THAN ONE DOG GOT TO THE BITCH AND THE OTHER ONE WASN`T A FILA. [4]SOME TIMES BREEDER FARM OUT DOGS[USUALLY FEMALE DOGS].YOU GET THE DOG FOR FREE BUT ANYTIME THE BREEDER WANTS TO BREED YOUR DOG.YOU ARE STUCK WITH REARING,FEEDING,CLEANING UP,PUTTING UP WITH THE SMELL. SOME LITTERS GET INTO 11-17 PUPS.THEN YOU MIGHT HAVE TO SHOW THEM TO PROSPECTIVE BUYERS IN YOUR HOME. [5]I`VE SEEN A BREEDER WITH THE BEST SHEPHERDS,PAPILION LINES.GIVE THEM ALL AWAY FOR FREE.[THE PAPILION WAS WORTH A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS AND WAS PREGNANT WHEN GIVEN AWAY.]THE BREEDER WAS DYING AND VALUED GOOD HOMES OVER SELLING THEM. [6]SEE BOTH PARENTS

BE SURE TO GO TO A VET AND HAVE THE PUPS LOOKED AT.IF THEY ARE SICKLY ITS BEST TO DEAL WITH IT UP FRONT AND JUST RETURN HIM/HER.

CORDWOODGUY PS:AS A RULE YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.BUT AFTER SAYING THIS I WAS ONCE GIVEN A PIT BULL THAT THE OWNER PAID BIG DOLLARS FOR.HE BOUGHT THE DOG FROM UTAH.IT WAS FLOWN TO A BROKER IN MONTREAL THEN FLOWN TO NOVA SCOTIA.SHE MADE SUCH A LASTING IMPRESSION ON ME THAT MY NEXT DOG WILL BE A PIT.IF I HADN`T TAKEN HER SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN PUT DOWN.

-- CORDWOODGUY (cordwoodguy@n2teaching.com), December 01, 2001.