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Talk to me about Pit Bulls

The Menagerie
#41

My PB mix and my other dog:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=350411321651125&l=bb9c2517b8

Buster and his best feline buddy Moxie (she is no longer with us, had to be PTS due to cancer a few days before xmas):
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=101782616513998&l=db618a6578

He always lets her win:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=101782769847316&l=5c50c44e2c

Typical B-doodle behavior:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=206259666066292&l=fef505a545

He is a great dog. But there are some caveats:

He will go after unfamiliar animals that come into his fenced area.

The mailman/UPS pulls in driveway and honks horn when he has a package. I have to go out to meet him (outside underground fence). No, I would NOT trust Buster not to get aggressive. They know the dogs are never outside unless I am home and usually I am outside when they are. If I am not home they’ll leave things on the porch (since the dogs are in the house) or they put them inside my car or truck in the driveway.

I do have to take certain precautions with my dog, but that is just DOGS, not just pitties. They are all individuals with their own individual quirks.

#42

VCT, Pit bulls are my calling. My first pibble was my heart dog and taken from me way too early at 8 (she had a genetic condition which caused her brain stem to shrink). But she really made me understand how much they need a voice to speak for them.
I try to speak up whenever I can to try to stop the bad press the media says about them. Someone said “some of them are just scarey” on this thread. I’d really like to know what makes THAT one scarey and not another one.
This much maligned dog doesn’t deserve what “human beings” like Michael Vick do to them. But their power of forgiveness? AMAZING!

#43

www.atts.org is a interested place to check out as well. APBTs have a higher pass rate than Golden Retrievers…

#44

I once had a lovely sweet looking little husky mix. THE MOST AGGRESSIVE DOG EVER! Aggressiveness can show up in any breed, though it might be morecommon in some than others. Generalizing aggressiveness is as ignorant as saying all blondes are dumb, all fat people are lazy, and all Hispanics are illegal. Just plain STOOOOPID

#45

chancellor2, I love pitties too, they are just such goofballs.

#46

Oh, and Horror of Horrors…I used to have a wonderful, loving ROTTWEILER too! (GASP!)

#47

[QUOTE=VCT;6224878]
chancellor2, I love pitties too, they are just such goofballs.[/QUOTE]

I do so wish that people who didn’t love them wouldn’t get them. And if you don’t love them, then don’t get one but don’t prevent me from getting one!

#48

[QUOTE=chancellor2;6224830]
Here are some REAL facts that have been checked:

http://www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/uploaded_files/tinymce/2010%20DBRF%20Report%20FINAL_1.pdf[/QUOTE]

Just read that report and will be sharing with a few “close minded” people I know. A few years ago my county said pit bulls were the #1 biting dog. I asked for and received the bite reports. After many hours and weeks of time spent going through everything I determined my county was wrong and I only used the information they provided. So who knows if the “pit bull” listed was actually a pit bull… but I went with what it was and the they still were NOT the #1 biting dog. Surprisingly, we have a lot of bat attacks here…

#49

[quote=chancellor2;6224830]Here are some REAL facts that have been checked:

http://www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/uploaded_files/tinymce/2010%20DBRF%20Report%20FINAL_1.pdf
[/quote]

Thank you! I was waiting for someone to post that ridiculous website… it’s well known that the owner HATES Pit Bulls.

And the horror… an Amstaff AND a Rottie… together!

http://kadysturtsman.smugmug.com/Animals/At-the-Park-Pt-2/i-xfMMF2g/0/XL/IMG9108-XL.jpg

They’re BFF’s, btw.

#50

[QUOTE=CDE Driver;6223044]
Well… we have a Boxer that we completely adore. We wanted to adopt another one out of a rescue but we don’t qualify :frowning: We live on a 200 acre ranch, don’t have a fenced yard (no real way to do that) and live out in the boonies so they can’t do a home visit. Upsetting.

A friend of mine fosters for a Pit Bull rescue and she took in a lovely, very pregnant bitch. Seven puppies came last week and we are getting one of the little girls. We were accepted as “adopters” based on her recommendation.

We are very excited![/QUOTE]

Congrats on the Pittie pup!

FYI, our rescue would have adopted you a Boxer! We just had two of them! I’m sorry the other rescue turned you down.

#51

Speaking from the perspective of a dog trainer/behaviorist and owner of a dog training/boarding/day care facility, I will say that I think Pit Bulls and Pit mixes are GREAT dogs.

We are the only open play boarding/day care facility in the area that accepts Bully breeds and Bully mixes for day care/boarding.

Can they be reactive and aggressive? Yes, but when I walk through the play areas and see who is playing roughly, who is starting sh*t and who had ended up in time-out, I see many breeds and mixes.

The poorly bred GSD’s that people buy give us the most trouble! They are extremely reactive and have ‘hair triggers’.

Many of the Labs are also trouble makers.

The main issue I see with the Pits and the Pit mixes is their EXTREME energy levels. Most people can’t deal with it. Plus they tend to get SOOO excited (in a GOOD happy way) when they see another dog/person that they start leaping around and pulling on the leash (and they are so strong) it can be hard to control.

Plus their strong jaws make it nearly impossible to find any toys that will last.

The worst bites I have received have been from a Jack Russell, a Husky and a Basenji! I’ve never been attacked or bitten by a so called ‘aggressive’ breed in 40 years of dog training/ rescue work.

#52

[QUOTE=farmgirl598;6224889]
Oh, and Horror of Horrors…I used to have a wonderful, loving ROTTWEILER too! (GASP!)[/QUOTE]

Oh I LOVE Rotties!:slight_smile:

Another great breed.

#53

[QUOTE=wendy;6224389]

And not for the OP- one specific requirement is the chosen breed must be good with other animals including other dogs, and the dog will apparently be off-leash often. Even lovers of pit bulls don’t usually suggest taking their dogs off-leash to be around other off-leash dogs. It’s just not a good idea with this breed. You’ll hear endless stories of the pit bull that was fine with the other dogs until one day he wasn’t in a way that was very tragic- thus the pit bull people strongly suggest you not take these dogs to dog parks, etc. , because there is that breed trait in there.
You wouldn’t suggest someone who wanted a dog that would be good with cats and be good off-leash get a greyhound for obvious breed traits; the same is true with pit bulls- they have certain breed traits. Sure, some greyhounds are fine with cats and can be trusted off-leash after extensive training, but that is an exception. Sure, some pit bulls are going to be fine with strange dogs, but that is an exception.[/QUOTE]

I raised a pit bull mix puppy for people who found it on the side of the road shortly before a pre-planned three month stint in England, and recently considered adopting or fostering a pit bull as a third dog.

I ended up choosing not to because of the leash thing. I like to let me dogs off leash in a wooded park on the weekends, and I don’t feel I could do it with a pit bull.

NOT BECAUSE I THINK THE DOG WOULD CREATE A PROBLEM.

But, if my 12lb dachshund mix and 20lb pom/jack mix go running down the trail tails awag, the general public sees it as “two cute dogs doing the happy run.”
If a pit bull does the exact same thing “their child is being attacked.”
The foster group said for this reason to NEVER let a pit off the leash because they have such a (largely unfair) negative perception that the smallest thing gets completely inflated to “Attack! I was attacked!”, which is no good for your personal dog and additionally no good for the breed.

#54

10 years ago you couldn’t convince most families to add a Rottweiler to their family. 20 years ago, a Doberman. Its weird that nowadays its downright offensive to say to a Doberman owner, “Thats a dangerous breed and I won’t have it around children,” but people are so quick and callous to say downright hateful things about pit bull type dogs. Confuses and embarrasses me.

You’ve received enough information from both sides, I have nothing novel to say, except that I went into a shelter looking to adopt another sheepdog-type dog to replace my old lady that had just died and took home a heartworm positive pit bull, and she is far and away the love of my life. She had obviously been abused (has no hair, scars) and I adopted her as an older adult and she is my once in a life time heart dog. I would trust her with the moon. I can’t say enough kind words in the favor of this dog…she has COMPLETELY changed the perceptions of my family (who had never owned a bully type dog). I will be lucky if I stumble across another dog in my lifetime who fills just one of her shoes.

A dog is a dog. Genetics play a part, but not all parts. Not every bully mix walking down the street is one parent away from a fight. Frankly, more are being STOLEN these days and forced and trained to fight than bred for it. Your average big-smiling bully mix at the shelter is not the product of a champion fighter–and even if it IS, that doesn’t mean its an inherently dog aggressive dog. Not every lab born is an excellent retriever. Not every cat is an excellent mouser. I think EVERY dog should be given a chance to be evaluated, as a DOG.

In my years at the shelter we euthanized many pit bulls and pit bull type dogs for being aggressive, but never once did I blame that on the breed. We also euthanized shepherds, hounds and any other conglomeration of types that fall victim to the dog-aggressive environment that is bred in every shelter. I had never owned or advocated for pit bulls PRIOR to working with them, but I certainly do now.

#55

I keep waiting for this thread to turn negative…Because they always seem to on the other board. I am greatly heartened to read this thread and see that in fact, there ARE some open minded people out there still.

#56

We recently added a second dog to the household. Our senior dog is reactive, although he’s mellowed enough in his old age to convince us that adding an apprentice dog would be possible. We weren’t looking for a pit, but we walked into the shelter, described our senior dog, and asked for their thoughts on what they had available that might do well with him. Just so happened that the best candidate – we looked at a couple of dogs, including a retriever, and did three visits (two with our senior dog) before taking her home – was a pit bull.

I’m no expert on the breed. But we’ve had this dog long enough to have a good feel for who she is, and who she is, is awesome. Many, many fine qualities, but the most important to us is that she is a social genius. We don’t take her good behavior for granted – but her basic temperament is incredibly solid and stable, she’s thus far easy* to manage and train, and she has been a rockstar with every dog and person she’s met so far.

I’ve always enjoyed other people’s pits, but our new girl has turned me into a believer. GREAT dog.

  • Relative to what she is, which is of course an energetic, powerful, and thoughtful critter who benefits from a certain amount of tiring-out. So she’d be a step up from some of the super low-maintenance/energy breeds. My first dog was a Lab, and the senior dog is probably Boxer/Beagle, so that’s my basis of comparison.
#57

Regardless of what you think about the breeds mentioned, DO understand that your farm/homeowners insurance, when they find out you have one of the breeds on their ‘do not insure’ list (or wahtever they call it) WILL cancel or try to cancel your policy.

My neighbor is going through this right now because her daughter took her bf’s pit bull and won’t give him back. I think he called insurance about it,and the police, and they are now in jeopardy of being dropped because of it.

Too many instances of pit bull family pets mauling children and others for me to EVER trust one, no matter what is said by who. And I simply don’t care for them as a breed, anyhow, so moot point in my corner.

ETA: I’d much rather be bitten by a Rottie or GSD than a Pit anyhow, since the former two don’t have the locking jaw mechanism, and the tenacity to never let go, like the Pits do.

#58

[QUOTE=Melelio;6225966]

ETA: I’d much rather be bitten by a Rottie or GSD than a Pit anyhow, since the former two don’t have the locking jaw mechanism…like the Pits do.[/QUOTE]

They do not. No such mechanism exists. Strong doggy with strong jaws, yes. Locking jaw mechanism, no.

#59

[QUOTE=Melelio;6225966]
Regardless of what you think about the breeds mentioned, DO understand that your farm/homeowners insurance, when they find out you have one of the breeds on their ‘do not insure’ list (or wahtever they call it) WILL cancel or try to cancel your policy.

My neighbor is going through this right now because her daughter took her bf’s pit bull and won’t give him back. I think he called insurance about it,and the police, and they are now in jeopardy of being dropped because of it.

Too many instances of pit bull family pets mauling children and others for me to EVER trust one, no matter what is said by who. And I simply don’t care for them as a breed, anyhow, so moot point in my corner.

ETA: I’d much rather be bitten by a Rottie or GSD than a Pit anyhow, since the former two don’t have the locking jaw mechanism, and the tenacity to never let go, like the Pits do.[/QUOTE]

GOOD LORD! Why do people still believe this bull shit??
There is no locking jaw mechanism. That is a fallacy further fueled by the media.

Additionally, SOME of the more intelligent insurance agencies are beginning to see the error of their ways and ARE insuring homes with pit bulls. Liberty Mutual here in MA insured us after meeting my (then) two pit bulls and realizing there was no way they were going to bite someone. Farmer’s insurance, I believe also has no unfair “breedist” rules on their books.

BTW, my Scarlett once had a small animal in her mouth. I yelled Drop it. And she did.

#60

[QUOTE=chancellor2;6226051]
GOOD LORD! Why do people still believe this bull shit??
There is no locking jaw mechanism. That is a fallacy further fueled by the media.

Additionally, SOME of the more intelligent insurance agencies are beginning to see the error of their ways and ARE insuring homes with pit bulls. Liberty Mutual here in MA insured us after meeting my (then) two pit bulls and realizing there was no way they were going to bite someone. Farmer’s insurance, I believe also has no unfair “breedist” rules on their books.

BTW, my Scarlett once had a small animal in her mouth. I yelled Drop it. And she did.[/QUOTE]

Then you have the stories like three months ago here, a lady left her week old baby in her bassinet and fell asleep in the sofa and woke up to their pit bull dragging the baby by it’s head around the room.
The baby died and the outcry here against pit bulls was tremendous, undoing years of fights against trying to ban certain dogs with breed specific laws.

After that, you could not find a commissioner wanting to be on record as voting against ban pit bull/“big, dangerous dogs” laws.:frowning:

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