i have a pit bull....?

Question

we bought a pitbull like 2 months ago. hes full breed and hes like 3 months old. i have 3 kids and everytime somebody finds out whut kind of dog we have they freak out. he gets along with them. i just want to know if anything bad can happen in the future, cause u hear stories about how dangerous they are.

Answer 1

They can be very dangerous, as can ANY breed. Pitbulls get such a bad rap because they are so strong and can really do some damage. However, they can be excellent pets. The key is to get him enrolled in a professional obedience class and to socialize him. Take him everywhere with you and let everyone pet him. The more he is exposed to the better off he will be. Also, get hime neutered ASAP. Early neutering tends to help with aggression in alot of cases. Good Luck.

Answer 2

Pit Bulls are fine dogs with the right people. They must be treated with respect and also, they need someone who knows how to discipline them. I don't advocate hitting any animal. A firm voice is usually all that is necessary and some redirection for desired behavior. As far as other people who react negatively to pit bulls, they really don't know what they are talking about. They need to educate themselves.I just wouldn't mention it to anyone until you are confident that they give you a more positive reaction to the breed. Pit bulls can be dangerous if trained to be, or, if mistreated. One thing that you should know, any dog that is allowed to mouth people as a puppy, can become biters. And no tug of war games unless you are sure you will be the winner. Also, don't let cute puppy behavior become a habit when you know it won't be cute when he becomes an adult. Pit bulls are known for their strength, in body and in their bite. If raised well as a puppy, you should not have any problems.

Answer 3

There is a common misconception that Pits are naturally mean, that they will turn on you at any time, that they have locking jaws, and so much more! These are all myths. Pits are actually very loyal, loving, gentle family dogs. They can be aggressive toward other animals, and will defend it's family against people they do not know.
I have a Pit <<< I've had him for 2 years, he gets along great with my other 13 dogs, 5 cats, turtle, and horse. He also loves my daughters and all their friends! My 2 year old niece is his best friend, he lets her ride him. They aren't the killers everyone make them out to be.
Pits account for less than 5% of all attacks or bites in America. The following websites have great information about Pits and their history.

http://bless-the-bullys.tripod.com/
http://pitbullsthetruth.tripod.com/
http://www.realpitbull.com/
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/americanpitbull.htm

Answer 4

I am not a professional trainer. I am just relaying my experience to you.

Most of my life, I've had an attack dog or a breed with attack dog in it (Doberman, wolf, pitbull).

When people say that it is how the dog is raised, they are mostly right. However, genetics are involved as well.

I currently have a black Lab/pitbull mix. Besides being an excellent guard dog, he is obsessed with playing fetch. I never taught him that, it is just something he does. Was it how he was raised? No, it was in his blood.

Attack dogs were bred for guarding, attacking, and killing. If you treat an attack dog well, it will tend to be very loyal. At the end of the day, they are still an attack dog. I have had dogs turn on me for no reason other than it thought it was superior to me (the dog thought it was the alpha male...I always hated that f*cking Doberman, but it taught me a lot about mean dogs).

Can a pitbull turn on your children? ANY dog can turn on someone if it sees that person as a subordinate in the "pack". Children tend to be thoughtful and good natured. Most dogs love that...some see it as an opportunity.

Would I worry about a pitbull around your children? I'd worry about it more than a Lab, but not as much as some dogs (like Dobermans or Dalmatians).

As I mentioned, my current dog is a Lab/pitbull mix. I have two kids under 3. I would trust their lives to my dog. My dog is smart, loyal, and ready to kill if needed. The dog is very good at "reading" us and determining if a person in the house is a threat or not and he acts accordingly (I have taught the dog nothing other than to go potty outside).

Make sure that the dog knows that they are not the alpha dog. Watch a documentary on wolves and learn a little about how pack animals act if needed. If the dog threatens you, let it know in no uncertain terms that it will not be tolerated (alpha dogs tend to sit on/cover subordinates..use this to establish dominance if needed).

As long as the dog knows someone else is the boss, there shouldn't be any problems.

As for the Doberman...I was still a kid when my family got him. He bit me several times. He backed me into a corner once. I grabbed the only thing handy, a piece of quarter round, (we were doing home improvements at the time) and broke it over his head. I won't go as far to say it never bothered me again, but it was sure much more cautious about trying to bite me again.

Answer 5

dont believe the stories!!!!!!!! ok well lets see i fight for pitbulla ive own pits my whole life and what most people say is far from the truth.. it ALL depends on how the person raises him.. you only hear about the bad ones. the ones people have trained to fight or inbreed (brother sister type brings mental problems) now you will always have the people that will sit there and say very rude mean and out of place comments because they are ignorant that when you stand up for you new family member and show them they are wrong.. what you will first need to do is if you decide to keep him is to check out this web site and make sure your area isnt planning on having a pitbull ban.. next give him as much love as you can, his whole mentality is to please you no matter what.. take him and get him socialized with other animals thats a BIG key to this entire thing, get him involved with people and animals..


http://www.rott-n-chatter.com/rottweilers/laws/breedspecific.html


http://www.standunited.ca/sourcesforreading.html

Answer 6

I also have a pit bull, they do have a bad rep unfortunately. It's all how they are raised. My pit is very sweet, she likes to think she's a lap dog sometimes and she has always been great with my nieces and nephews.

Answer 7

first thing is have him neutered.....next...take him to obedience class.....show people that pitbulls can be family dogs just like any breed...my kids grew up with pits and NEVER had any problems!!!! they are not any more dangerous than any other animal with teeth...you can get bit by a poodle !!!!

Answer 8

I am a pit owner myself, with several Grandchildren youngest 1 yr. This breed is a very protective ,loyal,an loving animal and if you raise your pit with your children you could not ask for a better friend for them.

Answer 9

You should get your dog fixed, as dogs that are, are less aggressive. Pitt do get a bad rap but there are many people who own them and their perfectly find. No dog is born vicious they are taught to be vicious.

You should start training your dog and just love it, take it place it let it interact with other people

Answer 10

I had a stray dog that I had taken in and when my childern came over it showed no sigh of being agressive untill it was in the room alone with my ten year old. I heard my son begin to cry, and I came running and he said that it had tried to bite him, so I watched the dog and sure enough it tried to attack him and out it went. It was lucky to make it out alive because I kill if anything tries to hurt my childern!!!!!!!!!!!