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So even though "pit" isn't an actual breed, the pit type of dog gets a lot of news. Would you be afraid of a pitbull?
For some background, I'm reading Oogy right now.
Not an option, but I am not afraid of them. I've come across several of them and my mom had a pit bull that a friend bought from someone who tried to train her for fighting. Amber, the pit bull, wanted no part in fighting and was the most lovable dog ever. She was very protective as well, but that's part of her nature. Unfortunately, my mom couldn't keep her so I am hoping someone took good care of her.
I would only be afraid to have a pit bull around a small animal such as a cat or even my dog - she's a maltese.
I voted "Yes," but it is more complicated than that. I know pitbulls are absolutely wonderful dogs, but unfortunately a lot of people (in places I have lived) raise them to be mean. That being said, when I see one, I watch out.
I didn't vote because I'm not afraid of them, have met several, but don't own one. So there's not really an option for me.
ETA: Thanks for the new poll option!
my brother has one and he is like the least scary dog i have ever spent time with. we have never heard him bark and he is such a cuddler. he just wants to be loved!! he is strong and wants to please but extremely smart.. if you train them right they are incredible pets... i plan to rescue my own this summer.
also, they have the most human eyes and so much personality. when i still lived with my parents he was seriously my best friend. he slept, curled up in my arms every night :)
I voted maybe. I know they can be very nice dogs, but they also can be very aggressive. It all depends on the owner, but if I met one in a dark alley, I would certainly be cautious.
I actually do not have one, but you didn't have a choice for not afraid and I think they are great dogs.
Any dog that bites is very likely to be called a "pitbull" by the new media whether or not it actually is. I also think it is funny when the dog is described as a 80# pitbull, pits run about 35-45 pounds. If it's 80 pounds it ain't a pitbull.
I know of a vet who went to an investigation to ID the dog who "attacked"- a toddler ran up to a tied up dog, the dog jumped up in excitement and knocked the kid over. The kid hit his head and was badly hurt, but there was not a mark on him from the dog. The dog was a nice, hyper, retriever-type. The police and the media described it as a pitbull who attacked a child. Don't believe everything you read.
I'm not afraid of them. I dont' own one, but I'm around them from time to time, I have friends that have them, and I show my dog so there are pit bulls (Am Staffs) at the dog shows.
You never see the headline "champion show dog attacks" or "pit bull attack at agility competition", etc. The dogs that attack are typically those that are poorly bred (bred in the "ghetto"), untrained, and unsocialized, and usually chained. That's a recipe for disaster regardless of breed.
There actually isn't a breed "pit bull". The term pit bull refers to a type of dog; including American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and anything that resembles being full or part of those breeds. So a boxer/lab mix? If it scares someone, it's a "pit bull".
I hate when people think only thugs own pit bulls. This dog is considered a "pit bull", I can guarentee that no thug or white trash owns it!
Here's a good read for those scared of them "The Pitbull Placebo".
And a good video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9UCYoCzDoU
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Same as JennyW1....I'm not afraid of any particular breeds. I worked at dog kennels during and after my high school years and honestly, I came across nastier little dogs. I have a very sweet Cocker Spaniel, but boy did I meet some snappy Cockers. Lots of little terriers tried to bite my hand off, too. As far as the pits, dobies, rotties and shephards, I only met a few at the kennel that were a little "iffy". Most were absolute sweethearts.
I will admit that I live out in the suburbs and if I came across a pit bull in the city, I'd be more leary, for sure.
I have a pitbull and he is the most lovable thing ever! He's such a big baby :"]] We also have a cat and little dogs and he is great with them. Pitbulls do seem to get a lot of attention on the news, but there are so many other breeds out there with a worse reputation that you never hear about
I have a pit bull. We took her in after a friend couldn't take care of her any more. She was about four months old at the time and her name is Delilah. She's seriously the sweetes dog I've ever had and she has soooo much personality its crazy. She knows what she wants, when she wants it and if you don't give it to her she practically talks to you like a child. She snuggles on the couch on a regular basis with my sisters cat, and plays tag with my grandmas little 5 pound dog. Hype on the dog is overrated. Its the people who get their hands on them we should be worried about!
2010-10-29_22.02.16.jpg (419.5 KB, 32 downloads) 1 year old 2010-08-02_09.55.53.jpg (481.9 KB, 27 downloads) 1 year old
I'm weary of all dogs that shows signs of aggression or are without an owner (ie off leash). I have only met one mean pit bull out of the 7 that I have known and spent time around. She was a sweet dog, but didn't get along with my dog when she was brought into our home by my ex-roomie unexpectedly. However, I was bitten by a rottweiler and my dog has been bitten by a german shepherd, lab, rottweiler, an unidentified mix breed, and a dalmation. (aggressive dogs at the dog park).
There is an actual breed, pit bull terrier, but they look similar to other breeds, especially to those who don't know the breed well, and there are many dogs mixed with pit bull terriers, so it's hard to really tell for some people. Everyone loves to jump on pit bulls for being aggressive and dangerous and make them the scape goat for way more than their share of incidents, when that's not always the case.
@JMonzy: Your dog is so adorable! I love her color :"]] I would like a dog with the marble coloring :"]]
I'm not afraid of any dogs, just the owners! I used to have a rotty. People would literally run in fear if they saw her coming, but she was one of the sweetest dogs ever. It's definitely how people train them, I don't believe in bad dogs, only bad owners.
Not at all. I think a dogs manner towards others has more to do with how they are being raised, trained and disciplined more than the type of breed they are. Our neighbors have 4 pit mixes and they are still young but they are good dogs and they play well with our 2 labs and I never have an issue approaching them. They are so lovable and cute!
@futuremrsthomas: I would be wary of ANY dog I met in a dark alley.
I work in an area where A LOT of clients have pits. (I think this is probably a theme across the country- it's sort of lower income area in the region although I am NOT saying that all people who have pits are low income!). I would say that 99% of the dogs we treat are amazing, lovable pets. A lot has to do with how they are raised. Lack of any training at all, and a complete lack of socialization are going to produce nervous and quite possibly people/dog aggressive dogs, period. Note that I am not saying they are "trained to be aggressive" rather they just lack any training one way or another, period. And due to the area, a lot of the clients seem to have them as outside/"guard" dogs.
All the pitties I see that are indoor, family pets are awesome and I love them to death.
I'd rather work with a pit than a small/toy breed; most of the time, I know they are less likely to snap at me. :) Just my opinion after years of observation.
We have a pit and another dog and a cat. LOVE pitbulls, and all kinds of dogs really. Any dog can be aggressive, I agree with PP I am not afraid of any breed of dog only certain individual dogs. Our pit is the most loving cuddle dog I have ever known. She goes to the dog parks regularly and has never had any issues other than other peoples ignorance. She is great with kids and small dogs and cats.
Mean, cruel owners = sad and angry, confused dogs.
My first dog was a pitbull, and her name was Calamity Jane. She was the sweetest dog ever.
When I was a baby, she slept by my crib and kept watch over me. When I was toddling around, outside our front door, if I got too close to the street, she would gently tug on my clothes (usually the seat of my pants) and pull me back into the yard so I'd be safe.
She never bit anybody, except somebody who broke into our home, and it was the burglars' fault! Police found him by little blood flecks. Not hurt bad, but she protected our family.
She was loyal, loving, and I cried for months after she died when I was a young girl. My dad said she was the most loving dog he ever had.
I'm sick of prejudice against this breed! The ones who fight, are MADE to fight and the others with aggression problems may also be inbred too.
Look how wonderful Daddy was to Ceasar and his "pack" on dog whisperer!
RIP my beloved Calamity and Daddy:
This is Virgil. The shelter Mr. Dear and I rescued him from thinks he is a pit/sharpei mix. You can really see the sharpei from his nose and all the loose skin.
He loves his daddy:
And his bed and blanket:
@twentyeleven: agree, but mostly what I meant is if the dog was without an owner. Though I guess I'd be more willing to take my chances against a chihuahua, haha. I know small dogs tend to snap more, but I'd be less afraid of that than a big dog bite.
@futuremrsthomas: That's what I had in mind too, haha. Although I'd probably be weirded out either way ;)
I own a pit so I'm obviously not scared of them but I would definitely be wary of any dog larger than a cat alone in a dark alley!
Bones loves to play with my in-law's Westie. It's adorable how he handicaps himself. He'll flop over so that Q can be on top occasionally... I love watching them go at it. :-) He's hilarious as a watch dog. If you walk in like you own the place he'll assume you belong and welcomes you in. If you knock or act hesitant he takes it to mean you're a stranger and barks. It works quite nicely.
It definitely depends on the dog. I mean, if a chihuahua was growling at me, I'd be a little bit afraid! That said, though, if I came up on a random dog on the street without an owner, I'd rather it be a labrador than a pitbull :).
They're only scary if their owners raise them to be. When I was a dog groomer I had to refuse one 3 month old pitbull puppy because she was too aggressive. I told the owners that if they didn't start socializing the dog IMMEDIATELY then it was likely it would have to get put down in the future for biting someone. Poor thing was stuck in an apartment all day and only saw the owner day after day.
They're big babies!
Everytime I see the cover of Oogy I get teared up.
I have a part lab part pit girl and I love her to pieces. She is the sweetest dog in the world. She has never snipped at me and is protective without being dangerous. She is so gentle and knows when there is a hand in a glove so she doesn't bite too hard.
It really depends on the owner and how they treat/train the dog.
"When I was a dog groomer I had to refuse one 3 month old pitbull puppy because she was too aggressive."
How was exactly was the dog "aggressive"? Are you sure it just wasn't scared or hadn't learned bite inhabition? It's pretty much unheard of that a 3 month old puppy is truly aggressive. (And at 3 months old, the puppy was just getting to the age where it could be safety socialized, before that the vaccinations aren't effective yet so puppies shouldn't be taken all over the place.)
If it was truly aggressive as evaluated by a professional trainer, do you know where they had gotten the dog?
A two months old puppy actually bit me in the face- I was hugging it (it belonged to my friend-) so I know that puppies can be agressive. It was a "pit" but a pit without papers she bought on the side of the road. She was just like, "Oh, are you being crabby Bella?" to the dog. I would have reprimanded it if it were mine. Again- that is to say that it is a poor owner, probably not the dog's fault.
Slightly off topic- I had the worst experience with an Akita. It tried to bite me and almost attacked (it was stalking) my friend. It was a rescue. I also knew a loving one that belonged to my Grandfather when I was a child. He had it completely trained and under control. I was age 0-4 with that dog and I loved it.
I know they get a bad rap, but honestly, I have met so many that i adore that Im not scared of them at all
All the pitbulls I've met have been friendly, and I am unreasonably NOT afraid of dogs (even when I should be). However, I do think they can have a violent tendancy if they are not trained correctly by a kind and loving owner. (Any dog can, but some dogs are more prone to violence I think if they are treated poorly)
"A two months old puppy actually bit me in the face- I was hugging it (it belonged to my friend-) so I know that puppies can be agressive."
I don't consider that "aggressive". I consider that an untrained puppy. And, please don't take offense to this, but your actions did egg it on. Hugging a dog, the dog interprets that as you dominating it and it can be scary for the dog if it doesn't know you well. A puppy that hasn't learned teeth never touch human skin yet very well may give a nip as a "back off" message if other messages went unnoticed or ignored.
I do agree that the puppy's owner should have corrected the dog. Bully breeds are stubborn and strong-willed; they need an owner that will set and enforce boundaries.
Not really. A good friend has a few pits, and they are the sweetest, most loveable dogs I've ever met. I think they are prone to aggression, but I also think a lot of it depends on their upbringing.
@abbyful: It's pretty much unheard of that a 3 month old puppy is truly aggressive.
I would say it's uncommon, but definitely not unheard of. I have worked with plenty of puppies well under 6mos that showed definite early signs of aggression- growling, baring teeth, snapping- and it was obvious through body language that they were not exhibiting playful behavior.
Bad, careless breeding is what I've noted as the common denominator in a few of those situations and I would think that is probably the case with many of those puppies the PPs have come in contact with. Any owner that says "aw, are you being cranky" when their dog just tried to bite someone is the type of person who doesn't train and is exactly why these things are perpetuated.
Nope, not afraid of them. FH and I have one, maybe two (we're not sure what our other dog is). I agree that they have very human eyes.
I also have an 8lb Chihuahua/ Rat Terrier mix and he use to chase around my pit. It was really funny and cute. :)
Also, our pit loves kids/ babies. I had a 9 month old boy at my house a while ago and my pit bull just laid on the floor right next to the bed that the baby was sleeping on. He just wanted to be around the baby and protect him. It was really sweet. :)
I'm not afraid of pitbulls at all. I'm more afraid of the bad dog owners out there who terrorize their dogs and train them to behave in a violent manner.
"I would say it's uncommon, but definitely not unheard of. I have worked with plenty of puppies well under 6mos that showed definite early signs of aggression- growling, baring teeth, snapping- and it was obvious through body language that they were not exhibiting playful behavior."
Those cases are few and far between. What I was getting at is that the vast majority of puppies I've seen people say are "aggressive" really aren't, it's almost always that the human is misinterpreting the dog's actions.
Growling, baring teeth, and snapping can be caused by fear as well, which isn't "aggression". And it's also reinforced if the owner or other people react to those actions by jumping back or backing away in startled manner. An aggressive dog and a fearful dog may have similar actions, but their reasons are completely different.
In my opinion, before a puppy gets labeled "aggressive", it needs to be evaluated by a professional trainer (and not a trainer someplace like Petsmart, I'm talking a real trainer that really knows their stuff and knows how to deal with every issue that walks through the door).
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