Pit bull safety?

Question

My daughter got a pit bull. And he has grown by leaps and bounds. Yesterday he put a hole in my shirt. He doesn't realize how big he is. He is being treated kind. What are the chances that he is safe around my grandkids? Can he turn mean on a dime? Or if he is treated right will he be safe to be around?

Answer 1

Never accept behavior from a puppy that you wouldn't accept from a full-grown dog. Don't get caught in the trap of "oh, it's a just a puppy and will grow out of that behavior".

If the Pitty snaps or jumps at you, this behavior needs to be stopped now before the dog gets any larger and stronger. Whenever the dog pulls at your clothes, for example, tell him calmly but firmly, "no bite". Close his mouth with your hand, if you must, and push him away from you.

Don't yell at the dog, swat it or hit at it. This teaches it nothing but to be afraid of you -- and fearful dogs can be very aggressive.

Never leave the dog alone with small children. (This is true of any breed, not just Pits.) Children are often loud and unpredictable in their movements which can make any dog antsy... And dogs don't always understand how strong they are, and may inadvertently hurt a child if left unsupervised.

Don't let your grand kids anywhere near the dog until after they have been instructed on how to properly approach and treat a dog.

If you treat your dog with kindness AND train it (and your family members) well in what behavior you will and will not tolerate, you should be fine.

Answer 2

I think much of the risk with pitts and other large breeds is they ARE large and mouthy. Untrained dogs of any breed can hurt children and adults.

Some dogs also have more prey drive so they are not safe to leave with cats, birds, etc.

If your daughter's dog (I am guessing this pup is older than 6 months??) bit and put a hole in your shirt and you were standing up, then your grandkids are not safe (unless they are bigger and stronger then you are.)

This is not breed prejudice. This is a statement of fact: if the dog tore your shirt playing, the dog is too rough and must be trained immediately. The dog will only get bigger and stronger.

Even if the pup is only 4 months old, the same thing applies---the dog needs to be taught not to leap on people, bite people or pull on their clothes.

If this dog is not trained now, it will only get harder to break him of this habit.

Please do not think that I am saying the dog is mean, will turn mean or is bad. The dog needs to be taught where and when rough play is allowed before he accidentally hurts someone.

Any dog can "turn mean" if treated improperly. Treating a dog "right" means training them to know their limits and making sure they get enough exercise.

Call the local humane society and ask about trainers, look on the internet and also look for training clubs through www.akc.org.

Answer 3

No dog, regardless of breed, should be allowed around children unsupervised. Someone should always be watching the interactions between the dog and the kids. This is because no matter how friendly a dog is, if he has teeth he has the potential to bite. Maybe a pulled tail that elicits a instinctive snap.. you never know.

Sounds like he is being a boisterous young dog. It would be a good idea for them to take him to an obedience class so he can learn some manners, and an even better idea to work towards getting him CGC (Canine Good Citizen) certified. Getting him a CGC will help you be able to tell if he has a stable temperment, and having one comes in handy when people question his temperment just because of his breed.

The American Pit Bull Terrier UKC standard, by the way, states that APBTs are very friendly, even with strangers (note that the dog aggression refers to the dog having aggressive tendencies towards other dogs, not towards people). Aggression towards humans is the result of irresponsible breeding and lack of proper socialization. I believe they are the two biggest factors in "pit bull" attacks.

akcrottie: I feel your pain. I've been bitten by a Pomeranian before, but never by a Rottie, APBT, Doberman, or German Shepherd..

Answer 4

The whole "pitbulls will turn vicious for no reason thing" is myth. I can gaurantee all the dogs that you hear about in the news exhibited aggressive tendancies. The right/wrong treatment doesnt always make a dog good/bad. You should make sure you put effort into your dogs training and seek expert help if you see signs of aggression towards people. If he is just a giant oaf I would not worry about him turning into Cujo, it just doenst happen. Millions of pitbulls are discarded on the streets each year and there are only hundreds of attacks, so the majority of these dogs are not monsters. I will tell you though large unruly dogs can be a bad mix with little kids. I received a bunch of stitches in my lip as a child resulting from a lab head-butting me by accidednt. If the puppy is unruly enough to rip your shirt get him iin obedience class and monitor him around kids.

Answer 5

Dogs can get that way, just like kids....they don't realize how big they are....and you have to stop behaviors before they get bad....never allow a pup to get away with anything you don't want them to do as an adult....the younger they are when you start training the better.....as far as grand kids go, I would not let any young child near any dog without supervision......young children don't know what buttons they can and can't push....like a young child when they grab a handfull of your hair you say no and possible slap their hand....a dog can't talk and the only thing they do is act on instict when in pain...and that may mean biting at what is causing pain....young children need to be taught how to act around dogs, just like dogs need to be trained on how to act around people. If the dog is getting all the proper training and love then everything will be fine. I would also recommend some obediance classes....these can work wonders for hyper dogs....

Answer 6

I own a jap Akita canines and a few human beings have self belief that my no longer liking pit bulls is inaccurate because of the breed I own. they do no longer recognize even nevertheless that an Akita is not extra risky presently than maximum breeds. they have not been bred for struggling with in an prolonged, long term and extremely infrequently have attacked human beings. of direction an particularly few have yet even in England they're variety ten on the main threatening canines checklist at the back of such breeds as great Danes and St Bernards. The pit bull even nevertheless is variety on interior the united statesA. or maybe England the place they're banned. it is becuase and for this reason i do no longer in easy terms like the breed - they're nevertheless right this moment used for pit struggling with and it is an particularly risky trait. Akita's like maximum canines are no further services to attack or be canines aggressive interior the comparable way as a pit bull. the reason of it is easy Pit Bulls are knowledgeable right this moment ( no longer many some years in the past ) to attack without provocation and to Kill and not placed up there prey. Pitbulls are set off chuffed they have killed extra human beings than any breed on earth they're owned specifically by way of criminals. This have been shown to me by way of the quantity of abuse I actual have taken over pit bulls. some human beings in this internet website have become aggressive and swore at me on multiple occassions optimal to state that pit bull proprietors are morons. ( no longer all ) yet some. those human beings shouldn't own a pitbull.

Answer 7

As with any dog, obedience is very important. Both the dog and the children need to learn what is acceptable behavior. I personally have a rottweiler who knows his place in the family. As is turns out he is at the bottom of the pack, with the cats even being higher ranked. Socialization and obedience are key. I personally have been bit by several small dogs that have drawn blood. Size doesnt matter.

Answer 8

If raised correctly he should be a sweet dog. We had the same concern when my brother got a baby pitbull - she grew like a weed in just a few months! She is the sweetest dog now and loves everyone *lol* I don't see why your dog would be mean to your grandkids unless you are rough with the dog. But you said that its been raised nicely so it should be ok. But just monitor the dog with kids to make sure they all get along.

Answer 9

Pitbulls are super intelligent, very sweet and really like to please. They are also powerhouses of muscle so helping them understand situational behavior is crucial.
Don't put the dog in the backyard when the grand-kids come over because the dog will begin to resent the kids and that is dangerous with any dog.
Get him fixed if he is not already.
Train him to be calm around the kids by sitting with them and the dog. Show him a correct calm behavior for inside, like maybe he needs to lay down to be near the kids or sitting next to you. Not rushing around and possibly knocking them over. Praise, lots of praise. Use a regular to stern voice to communicate with your pit, yelling or shouting makes pitbulls feel defensive and that will keep them from learning.
You also need to teach your grand kids that some types of play are not appropriate with this dog. Rough housing, pulling toys from the mouth and getting in its face are a huge No No.

Answer 10

He needs obedience training asap. Always correct an unwanted behavior asap. Pitbulls are great dogs, powerful and good family protectors. I would recommend training of all sorts, and definately socialize the dog. Children need to learn boundries too. I have a two year old, two boxers and a stafforshire bull terrier. The baby understand "be nice". But sometimes she hits the dogs or pulls on their ears, and I correct the baby too. The dog just needs love and trianing.