Pitbulls.......Are they dangerous dogs to have around children?

Question

I would like to know from those of you who actually own pitbulls...My boyfriend has a pitbull (she's about 6 months old) and my daughter and I will be moving in with him next year. Should I be worried about my daughter playing with the dog? Whats the best way to raise pitbulls to ensure they're not agressive.

Answer 1

Never mind the breed. ANY dog can be a danger to your child if it is unstable in temperament or not properly brought up.

Look at this dog in particular. Is she a nice, friendly, confident, outgoing dog? Or is she snappy, or fearful? Is she well-behaved (considering she's very young) or is she out of control?

Look at your boyfriend too. This is not the time for rose-colored glasses, your child's safety is at stake. Is he responsible? Does he teach the dog manners or does he let her do what she wants? Is he careless? Is he a "tough guy"? Does he have a pit for the "image"? Or for "protection"?

Be careful. A dog can be a wonderful thing for a child to grow up with. Or it can be a disaster.

Answer 2

As with any dog (especially a young one) you need to properly introduce the dog and the child. Before they meet, teach your daughter the correct way to act around a dog (i.e., don't pull ears or poke eyes, leave the dog alone when she is eating). My pitbull is 1 1/2 years old and has been around kids since I've had him (I have a 3 year old niece). To properly socialize him, we went to puppy school, family dog training, and he goes to play-camp as often as possible. Pitbulls are wonderful, fun, loving, playful dogs, but they are also very strong. Be sure to ALWAYS supervise your daughter and the dog to make sure everyone is happy and safe.

Answer 3

Pits will always be agressive toward other dogs. This love to fight other dogs is bred into them. However, years ago any Pitbull that showed to be aggressive toward a human was put down. To train a Pitbull to attack people is an inhuman thing to do. The old saying is "all dogs will bite."

I had 3 Pits in my lifetime. They all loved people and especially children, but when that Pit turns you will have a different dog to deal with. Most of my dogs had to be kept apart after six months old. They would fight each other and they are not easily pulled apart. Your daughter will not be able to enjoy her dog with other people's dogs. If you have a full blooded Pit, you have a fighting dog. One dog must dominate and every Pit will challenge that dog because the Pit is born to dominate.

Yes - you should be worried about your daughter playing with a Pitbull. This is a grown ups dog. They aren't trained to fight. They are born to fight.

I never fought my dogs, but two of them were stolen from me. They took a lot of care. Would I ever have Pitbulls again? NO.
They are funny. They are loveable. Greatest protection you could ever have, but they are a man's dog or a strong woman's dog. They destroy a yard. No fence can hold them. They must be chained outside or totally stay inside or kept in a dog run with a fenced top and sides.

Answer 4

It depends on how your boyfriend raised the dog. If he's a responsible owner, then no. Pitbulls are wonderfully sweet dogs who are good around kids.

However, that being said, NEVER leave a child alone with a dog of any kind. An animal can always be provoked and young children often don't know what is appropriate around an animal (ie. yanking on a cat's tail will get you scratched, pulling on dogs ears or being rough with it might cause it to nip, etc.).

Always be there to observe their interactions and teach your daughter how to act around the dog.

Answer 5

I have a pitbull, and owned them in the past, I also have 3 kids, and since your boyfriends is still a puppy I suggest socializing your daughter and the dog so they really get to know each other....pit bulls are awesome family dogs, I know from experience, its all in how you raise them...any dog could be vicious, not just pitbulls :) I am a pit bull lover hehe :) and the best way to raise them is with a lot of love :)

Answer 6

"By no means are these dogs people-haters or people-eaters. Their natural aggressive tendencies are toward other dogs and animals, not people. However if they are properly socialized they will not even be aggressive with them. These are truly quality companions for quality owners only! The American Pit Bull Terrier is a good-natured, amusing, extremely loyal and affectionate family pet, which is good with children and adults. Excellent with children in the family, they have a high pain tolerance and will happily put up with rough child play. As with any breed, they should not be left alone with unfamiliar children. When properly trained and socialized, this is a very good dog and a great family companion. Unfortunately, some choose to promote the fighting instinct in the breed, giving it a bad name."

Answer 7

this all depends on the dog. i have met pits that i would trust with an infant, including mine, but i have also seen many who grew up totally normal then one day turned. a friend of mine had 2 from 8 week old puppies, took impecable care of them and loved them, and within the last 6 months (they are 5 years old now) both turned and attacked her and had to be put down. Her puppies did not come from fighting bloodlines and they were from 2 seperate litters.
its hard to give you a definate answer since we dont know the dog. but one question i feel important in this is, did he get the dog form a shelter and have no idea of the back ground? or is it from a respectable breeder where you can see the parents? after you figure out the dogs blood, figure out her training and her attitude, females are more intuned to be protective and snap at strangers while males tend to be more laid back. also did he bring her for training? does she understand she is not alpha over a child?

I see a pit and a child together as a risk, but if your willing to keep an eye on her always and work with her then it should work out. good luck to you and your daughter!

Answer 8

Blunt honesty is right. Pittbuls are naturaly aggressive but their not down right mean unless they are taught to be. There was a story on the news a coulpe of days a go where a six month old pup chewed off four of a neww born baby's toes because he was trying to nurse. The parets were right there beside the baby asleep on the couch. So why didn't they hear this baby cry???!!!! It was neglect on their part. With the dog being so young I don't think you need to worry. You daughter and the pup will get to each other and be comfortable around each other. Owners just need to know how to train and socialize their pitts. I hate that they have gotten such a bad wrap because of people who train them to be attack dogs for purposes of earning money. The best way is to go to a proffessional trainer so that the dog can learn who the leader of the pack is and just where does he fit in the pack. They will work with your daughter on how to command him also so he sees her as an authoritive figure.

Answer 9

It's a question of training the owner in the behavior of a pitbull / any type of dog that can become aggressive! Make sure he is fully aware of what the dog is capable of, make sure the dog is put into obediance training (all dogs should have this) and make sure that your daughter treats the dog with respect (as she should learn to do with all animals) and everything should be fine!

Answer 10

Pits are only dangerous if you train them to be mean. They are big dogs and they are strong dogs. They can get a little rowdy, but if you train them to obey simple commands like sit, no, down, lay, etc... they should be fine.

The one thing about pits and the way they play that can be a bit scary is they like to wrap their mouths around arms, hands, etc... and gently gnaw on them. They won't bite down unless provoked, but it is a gesture of trust. Don't panic, gently pull the arm away if it scares you. If you panic, they can sometimes see it as a sign of agression.

Pits are good dogs. The scary ones are scary because they have bad owners. If you are concerned about your daughter and the dog, watch them while they play. If the dog shows any behavior you don't appreciate, separate them and gently scold the dog. A simple, stern, No, will do.

They're very intelligent and pick up on body language very easily. The breed in general, wants to please their owners more than anything else, and if you express displeasure in their behavior, they stop.