Should i get a Pitbull puppy?? pro's and con's?

Question

Ok so i was wondering if anyone out there owns a pibull or has had exsperince with owning one.
Right now i have a boxer. Very friendly, loves ppl, and loves to play with other dogs. He is not even 2 yet but 100% trained so i thought that it would be a good time to get him a playmate.
Ive always wanted a Pitbull...i guess i like the look of them as pitbull and boxers are very strong looking dogs.
Some ppl have bad things to say about pitbulls but i dont agree in all cases. So I was just wondering how loyal this type of dog was, is it trainable, friendly.
Could it be that ppl just dont take the time to train them correctly and could they be a good family dog.
Oh and if there are any laws pertaining to this type of dog in Halifax, as i know Ontario has a ban on them which i think is terrible. But thats just my opinion.
Thanks in advance for everyone advise! :)

Answer 1

I have a Pit Bull right now and I got her when my Cocker Spaniel was about 8 months old. They get along great and Bella (my Pitt) is the sweetest dog i've ever owned. Don't let all the attacks scare you about owning a Pitt Bull. I firmly believe its all in how you raise them!

I'm not sure where you live but in my state im required to carry insurance on all full bred pitt bull's. luckily mine's not quite full bred!

Hope you get one and love it bunches!!!

Answer 2

Well you have the pro version saying their pitbull is the most adorable animal around. So is a lion. I tell everyone which dog has the highest incidence of attacking people. Pitbulls.

A lion can be gentle and playful, but common sense knows that they still have a killer instinct in them and they can turn on you at anytime. Pitbulls were bred with the gene for being a ferocious dog. When was the last time you ever heard of a boxer dog attacking and killing someone. NEVER. Why? Cause a boxer may attack you like any other dog, but only to defend itself. A pitbull will kill you then still chew on you for good measure. Yes, I can not wait for the Pitbull people to show me the headline, "Chihuahua dog kills owner." LOL

Now, why do you think they banned pitbulls? Why do you think that you can not have a wild animal even though domesticated like a Lion or a Tiger for a pet. Granted Pit Bulls are out there that have never attacked no one and have made house pets. But you have to look at statistics. Which dog goes out of his way to attack you? Why a pitbull will cause that is how they were bred. I had a boxer and she ran to some kids that had the previous week had been teasing her while she was on the rope tied up. She went up to them and just started barking. Now if it had been a pit bull, the pit bull would have actually attacked the kids and mauled them.

And do not believe the hogwash that people do not train them correctly. There was an incident where the dog attacted the 3 year old baby. Now you know that family would have been really kind and gentle to the dog. But personally, I do not feel sorry for anyone that raises a pitbull and the dog attacks their kids. People buy them for a status symbol and like the drunk who says he is not an alcoholic and can quit at any time, so to the pitbull owner says, "Those people did not train their dog right."

Answer 3

I think there are good and bad about all dog breeds and sometimes dogs of the same breed are completely different. It has a lot to do with how they are raised but just a heads up to those that want a pit. They obviously have a bad rep so some towns outlaw pitbulls and it can actually be illegal to have them. Also when we bought our house and insured it one question the agent asked was if we had a pitbull, rottweiller, and there was about 3 others. Which we only have 2 labs. But if we would have they would not have insured our property. Just some considerations to take in until these dogs lose their reps.

Answer 4

I would say the only downside to pitbulls is that some people might be afraid of him, even if he's not going to hurt anyone.

There aren't any other cons. Pit bulls are strong, that is why irresponsible and dumb people fight them and train them to be vicious. Pit bulls can get along perfectly w/ other dogs & children. The rest is B.S.

Pro's
- they are too cute!
- you get the chance to educate others about how pit bulls aren't bad dogs
- they have lots of love to give
- not may people like them because of all the rumors being spread, so you will be giving a dog a home that might otherwise not have one
- they are very loyal
- they are easy to find at rescues!
- they don't shed a lot & are easy to groom

I don't know about laws banning pit bulls where you are, you'd have to ask your town hall. I know my friend had a pit and was moving to FL andhad trouble finding an apartment because lots of landlords didn't want someone with a pitbull in their building. If this ever happens to you DON'T GIVE THE DOG TO A SHELTER. THE DOG STAYS AND YOU FIND ANOTHER APARTMENT!

If you really think you could be a good & capable owner I'd say go for it. Look through lots of breeds first. Consider expenses. You can pay for 1 dog, but double that and see if it's in your budget.

One last thing, DON'T BUY THIS DOG FROM A PET STORE, PUPPY MILL, OR PET BROKER. FIND A REPUTABLE BREEDER OR RESCUE! YES, YOU CAN GET A PUPPY (NOT JUST AN ADULT) PITBULL FROM RESCUE BECAUSE PITBULLS ARE SO COMMONLY ABANDONED/LEFT TO RESCUES.

Good luck!

Sarah - anti-puppy mills!

Answer 5

I used to rent a room from a gal who owned a pitbull. He was a great dog although she was a very submissive and quiet person.
One of the best things she ever did with this dog was to take him to a professional trainer so that he learned from the beginning who was the boss, and was trained the right way.
The most important thing i think with pitbulls is NOT to use physical reprimands when they do something wrong. Pitbulls are very smart dogs and a lot of the problems people have had stem from bored and untrained or badly trained dogs so they need a lot to do. Also makesure that the puppy you get is bred out parents who are known for being friendly and good with people. Don't make the mistake of buying one that might have a history of fighting in it's recent bloolines.
It is good to introduce them to another dog in the house when they are young and keep them socialized. Generally pitbulls are more dangerous to other dogs than people because as fighting dogs had to be handled by their owners in the pit without them getting bitten.
I love pitbulls and as along as you are careful about who you buy from and which puppy you pick, they are very rewarding and loyal dogs. I would suggest contacting an expert in the breed, possibly through the AKC (or Canadian equivalent) pitbull registry who could help you out and recommend renowned and quality breeders.

Answer 6

We found our pitbull wandering around by our home, and I'll tell you what. I have NEVER had such a well behaved dog...EVER!!!! He is so smart and he adapts to new things so easily! My children can even control him. If they are playing, and things seem to be getting a little out of hand, my kids can snap their fingers and put out their hand and he stops in his tracks!!! I have never seen a dog do that before. So I would say go ahead with the pitbull...My only suggestion is that you do very careful research about where your puppy is coming from. I guess I just got lucky with mine, but with any dog, you can never be 100% sure all the time.

Answer 7

i owned a pitbull and ive had it since he was 5 weeks old and i never ever had any problems with him being agressive at the time my youngest brother was i would say 6 yrs old and never show any agressiveness to my lil bro , the only proble i had with him was how much rejection it got from people just by him being a pitbull i even move to a different state to be able to keep him,but i couldnt still so i look for him a much better home with a big back yard (10 acres) that my relative own
he is in a much better place now funny how he is such a big dog but yet he is scare of chihuahuas i would have to say that if you want to get one do it but keep in mind that the breed gets alot of rejection

Answer 8

pros:

if you get your pitbull as a puppy and spend alot of time training it (ie; puppy classes and socialization) it will be a GREAT dog.
-make sure you go to a reputable breeder, do your research!

con:
once you get a pitbull, you can never have just one :]

I think pitbulls are wonderful dogs. I had one and she was my best friend. When she was in her older years we got a pekingnese puppy and she treated her like she was her own baby.

I live in a small town with alot of kids, so I took it upon myself to teach the kids about pitbulls and how to act around them, let alone any dog. She was socialized very well, and I even got my neighbor (who was afraid of her) to babysit her one day! It felt amazing. She grew to be wise in her years and loved everyone until she passed. The only time she ever growled or acting "bad" was when one day I went to the bathroom to put on my makeup and shut the door. I had forgot to keep it open and she nearly chewed a hole in the door trying to get to me! so much for vicious huh?

We knew the bad rep pitbulls always had so we had her microchipped, took her to puppy training classes, bought training books and trained her alot, and most importantly socialized her with kids, tweens, teensm adult, men, women, and senior citizens, dogs and cats. (and no she was not dog agressive she LOVED dogs, and she ignored cats.) All the kids in my neighborhood loved her.

If you want a pitbull just know it takes alot of work.

I couldnt find anything about pitbulls being banned in Halifax but you could call your local humane society to see if they have any information.

Good Luck in deciding :]

Answer 9

American Staffordshire are very affionate loving animals but if you buy them as a puppy Training is a must who wants a very fit lbs dog pulling on the leash or not listening. As to they don't get along with other dogs thats rubbish i know a pitbull and a poodle that are best friends and love to play with eachother

Answer 10

ok first off half of the people on the thing are smoking crack and need to get a clue and stop listening to the media. all you hear about these days are how pits attack everyone..pits pits pits...well..I know for a fact that pits are NOT the only dog capable of attacking someone...any dog will do that. I LOVE pits. if you are going to get one you need to understand everything about the breed. they are a powerful breed and need proper training and socialization. pits just like german shepherds, rotties and dobes do NOT do well in shelters...one of my favorites from the shelter I worked at..was soo sweet when she got to the spca but because of ignorant people that didnt know anything about the breed. I watched her get worse and worse everyday until she had to be euthanized because she went crazy from being in a cage..it was the saddest thing I had every seen. she was so sweet. pits can be perfectly fine with kids. Pits protect their families and their territory and are VERY loyal. they will protect your children. and for the person who said dont get 2 males was ALSO incorrect. if you are going to 2 male powerful breeds you need to make sure they are BOTH fixed or YES you will prob end up with a fight. but a female can fight with an un neutered male just as much as a male one can. so if your boxer isnt fixed please do so before you get another powerful breed. pits are also VERY trainable...they are a very smart breed. and yes..there are more and more laws preventing people from renting apartments and so forth...thats just something you will have to deal with. If you go to a shelter..you need to ask for all the information about the dog. ask if they have done behavior evaluations on the dog to see if they get along with other dogs, kids, cats etc. also ask if they would allow you to bring in your boxer to meet the pit before you bring him home, incase a fight does break out. when you bring home another dog you need to have the 2 dogs meet one neutral grounds... so neither one of them will feel better then the other. just PLEASE check out shelters before a breeder. if you love the breed, then you understand that pits are euthanized every single day at a shelter.. good luck and read up on the breed before you make any decisions...or even better go to a pit rescue :) I dont like breeders..I love my shelters..but I have looked into rescue groups for many different types of breeds. and most of their dogs are rescued from breeders and puppy mills. hope this helps some