Question for those who have a pit bull mix...?

Question

I adopted a lab/pit bull mix from our local animal shelter. I was so excited to tell everyone because it has been three years since my dog passed away and I finally felt ready to have another one.

EVERYONE that found out she was pit bull mix has been telling me awful stories about this breed. They also tried to convince me that I should not have this dog around my kids.

Seriously though she is a baby. She has showed no signs of aggresion toward me or my children. She seems just happy to have a home. She does need some work on obeidence and walking on a leash but other than that she is a doll.

Can anyone tell me about their expierence with this kind of dog?

Thank you

Oh thanks for all the good stories. The doc thinks she is about 1 year old. Keep the stories comming =).

Answer 1

I work in animal welfare, and it is unfortunate that this breed, along with a few others, have the reputation that they do. As with any dog, good and consistent training (I would recommend going to obedience classes in your area as soon as possible) makes a world of difference. Pit Bulls were actually originally bred to watch over children! It is only because disreputable people have bred the dogs for fighting and taught them to be aggressive that there has been a lot of negative press about them. It sounds like you have found a great (and grateful) new member of your family. Enjoy her!

Answer 2

I have a Rottie/Pit mix. She can be stubborn and aggressive but it could have been prevented. She is my first dog and I've learned the hard way. She is extremely well around babies and kids, in fact seems to prefer them (she might get too excited when playing and knock them over for example though). I didn't socialize my dog soon enough because my vet told me that Rotts and Pits are more susceptible to Parvo so she couldn't even touch any floor outside my home. I also didn't know about the importance of the Alfa role and training. When she was spayed, they told me she was traumatized although they didn't tell me what happened. I could have handled all of these things differently, and if I had known then what I know now, the aggression wouldn't be there. It's not the dogs fault if they become aggressive, it's the owners fault.

I think if you're aware dog training is for the owner and not the dog, do it and stay consistent with it, socialize the dog, maintain the Alfa role, don't neglect or abuse the dog, exercise and give attention and affection, you should be fine.

I would also like to mention that I was a UPS driver and came in contact with many dogs showing aggression. They were not your stereotypical breeds. All dogs have this potential, but in my experience, smaller dogs were a bigger problem cuz of their "little dog complex" I guess. :) JK

Answer 3

did the shelter tell you this was a dangerous dog, or are you assuming he could be dangerous because of his genetic makeup? If the shelter says this particular dog is dangerous then you want to steer clear unless you have the right experience. If you're judging that this dog is dangerous based on his breed, that's silly. My parent's black lab is way more aggressive than my pit bull, and the reason is that I take my little boy for a walk every day, and my parents think it's enough to let the dog in the back yard to poop three times a day- so of course he has built up energy, which becomes aggression. So, if you're committed to be a responsible owner and put in the time, this dog, or any dog, could be better than decent.

Answer 4

good for you for adopting!!!
i volunteer at my animal shelter, we have pits there. i've seen many different types.
it's your call. in my experience, i have been bitten by 2 different pit bulls. one was extemely dog-aggressive and bit my finger when I was slipping a lead on because i got in the way of her trying to attack another dog thru the fence (it was my fault obviously) and another pit was just the sweetest thing, we temperment tested him and he passed with flying colors, but every time you took him out of his cage, he got SO excited that he'd bit onto your arm!! i just didn't understand! These were both mainly pits tho, purebreds.

i would definetly, with ANY dog, just teach your children to stay away from the dog when she's eating or has a treat. I even stay away from my dog, he's a lab mix. i just don't want anything to happen, and i don't want anything to form.

but I have known so many amazing pit bulls.. and i'm sure yours is one. so good luck.. just block what everyone else says because a lot of people just like to hear themselves talk! You are an awesome person because you adopted a dog. good luck with training.. all i can say is if you start to notice funny behaviour.. i'd say find an animal behaviourist.

Answer 5

I had a Pit Bull/Great dane. Oh yeah, HUGE HUGE dog. But she had a heart even bigger. Maggie, her name was a baby. Once she escaped as she usally did and ran to the neighbors. They had a little 6 or younger girl and she tried to ride Maggie and maggie just stood there licking her and loving her.
Pits have gotton that nickname because someone decided, "What the heck, these dogs are big and strong lets fight them," They are fablous dogs if you give them a chance. Maggie had a hard time with the leash. She thought she should grab some of it and walk her self! The silly goose!
When she bites, correct her and she'll learn. Otherwise, if she has never been beat and your kids don't mess and hurt her she'll be one big happy dog.
Good Luck and Hoped this helped!!!!

Answer 6

I am a nurse, and I have been lucky enough to meet 2 wonderful pits and a pit mix who work as therapy dogs, mostly with children. They are 3 of the MOST WONDERFUL dogs I have ever met. They are so good with the children! They lay in bed with them, and love the attention the kids give them.They are GREAT dogs!

My aunt raises Am staffs and a lot of her pups go to families, if a dog is trained and raised in a loving home, they are no different than any other dogs!

When people tell you those dogs are dangerous, ask them if they know that the CDC has a list of dog breeds most reported in bite cases, and the list includes huskies, malamutes, great danes, akitas,chows, shepherds, and saint bernards? Most people are very surprised to learn that!

Answer 7

If this dog is still a puppy, you could be in luck. I have had a pitt mix, and I raised pitts for 12 years. They are a friendly dog as long as you don'y sneak up on them or scare them. My dogs were all better off with my children than my children would have been with any of my human friends.
It is all in how you raise your dog. Follow the rules, keep it registered and on a leash if you are in the city. Have a big enough fence, and let your neighbors know that you are just trying to raise a nice family dog. You will most likely not ever have a problem unless someone is mean to the dog.

Answer 8

Many dogs adotped from shelters have behavior issues that need to be taught. Remember one thing....there are NO BAD DOGS, only BAD OWNERS, The Pitt Bull terrier is a healthy and loving breed if raised properly. Since you got a pup, as long as you don't teach the dog aggression, there is no reason to think he will be aggressive. Protective maybe, but not aggessive. Try to socialize him as much as possible with other dogs and people. When a dog has good social skills, they are less likely to be aggressive.

Answer 9

don't believe everything you hear. I have a purebred american staffordshire terrier and she is an awsome pet. both breeds (lab and pit) are listed in the top 10 biters. but believe it or not, labs have a higher bite rate. "pit bull" breeds are not for the casual owner. they require you to be a responsible dog owner. but then again, every dog owner SHOULD be responsible. great dogs though. get some obedience training and all should be ok.

they will however be dog agressive. you can train some of it out of them, but never trust a fighter not to fight.

Answer 10

My sister-in-law has the exact same mix, lab/pitt. She has 2 daughters, one is 7 years old and the other a 7 month old. The dog plays wonderfully with the 7 year old and gets along great with my dog with is a tiny chihuahua mix. She is very energetic and all-over-the-place but has never been aggressive. They just trained her from the beginning what "NO" meant and when to settle down.