Is it rue that if you look a pit bull in the eye it will attack you.?

Question

I was talking to a friend of mine and it said that if you look a pit bull and the eye it will attack you even if you knew it for a long time.Can you answer this telling me the answer and why are how you know.And i was thinking about getting a american pit bull but I dont know,If this is true I wont.Thanks

Answer 1

This is not a pit bull thing. It is all dogs, but your friend is not entirely correct. Not looking a dog in the eyes, but STARING a dog in the eyes is a challenge. If you watch dogs, when one challenges another it will square off and stare at it. The one that looks away is the submissive member of the two. Therefore, looking away when a dog stares at you is not advisable either. Anyway, if you get a moderately submissive pit bull, and raise it right, and train it from the moment you get it, this would not be a problem.

Answer 2

There is some truth to it. Lets make it more general if you look a dog in the eyes it may take you as a challenge. It may attack. It may feel intimidated and that good that what you want. If you look a pittbull in the eyes and it attacks you, and don't break a couple of its ribs. That dog will attack you every time he sees you. A dog will only attack what it thinks will not fight back. You really hurt that dog he will think twice, before even looking at you.

If you just want a mean visous dog. Then get a Chow Chow or an Akita. Most Pit bulls I know are mutts, and good loving dogs.

Answer 3

According to the Dog Whisperer thats true with all aggressive breeds it challenges them. So he says to avoid eye contact but I don't think its true for the owner of the dog. The owner should already have established they are the Alpha dog already in other ways. Also I believe eye contact would mean a long look into their eyes not a glance see their eyes and now they are attacking you, if that was the case the dog is just dangerous. Also I want to add that there are dogs that don't want anything to do with hurting a human. Those are the dogs that if you stare them in the eye they keep looking away same with a cat. I had a Husky/Lab mix and that dog I could stare in its eyes all day he would be the one avoiding eye contact I never saw anyone who couldn't. Some dogs are dominate some are resessive.

Answer 4

No its not true. I've looked pit bulls in the eye plenty of times and I have never been attacked. This goes for American Staffordshire Terriers and Staffordshire Bull Terriers, as well as APBTs. Maybe if the dog was already prone to bite, but a well trained dog will not attack. Some dogs do get excited about it. I had a Pit Bull/Wolf hybrid groing up and when I looked at her in the eye she would bark at me and run around like crazy.

Answer 5

The direct eye contact is a form of challenge in dogs that are linked to wolves in direct lineage. A wolf hybrid, Husky/Wolf etc. My Malamute/Wolf took it as a challenge and would actually lunge at anyone who did this to him but being part domestic the dog took it as a challenge to rough play. He would launch his 160lbs into you trying to knock you down. You would never do this to an Alpha Wolf. In a Pit Bull more than likely you would see no reaction. The eye to eye or staring is linked soley to the Wolf and specific Wild dogs other than those that are domestic.

Answer 6

It is true that you will rue the day you make direct eye contact with a dog of any kind that is displaying aggression towards you.

All animals rely on "body language" to communicate. Dogs are "Pack-mentality" animals, and their position in the pack relative to other animals is vitally important to them. If they don't know their position in the "peck order" relative to another animal, they will go through a display of aggression and posturing to try to establish who is the "top dog." In most cases, one of the dogs will back down and show submissive behavior before a fight starts, but if neither dog will back down, fur is going to fly.

Direct eye contact is considered by dogs to be a sign of aggression, so a dog that is threatening you is going to perceive direct eye contact as a challenge. You may be able to get the dog to back down, if you can make him believe that you are a more dominant animal than he is, but you might also provoke him to attack by staring at him.

If you have established yourself as the "alpha dog" to your pit bull, then he should show submission when you stare at him-- i.e., he will break eye contact, adopt a physical posture of submission (cowering and wagging his tail, lowering his body, maybe even lying down and rolling over). If, on the other hand, your dog believes that he is the alpha dog in your "pack," then by staring at him you are challenging his dominance, and he may respond by showing aggression-- up to and including attacking you.

Answer 7

Direct eye contact with any dog could prompt a bite! The dog views direct eye contact as you challenging him, if he is a very dominant animal he will bite

Answer 8

This is just crazy. I have a pitbull and I look into his eyes all the time, he doesn't attack anyone. Pitbulls are not crazy dogs, they are just like other dogs. But I will say if you have a fear of the breed maybe you should pick a different kind of dog. Pitbulls need strong minded "leaders of the pack" or your dog will think he is the boss, and that is not good for any breed of dogs.

Answer 9

DON'T GET A PIT BULL!!!!! THEY ARE VERY AGRESSIVE AND ANGRY DOGS!!!! YOU KNOW WHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT DOG ATTACKS ON THE NEWS, IT IS USUALLY A PIT BULL! THEY ARE NOT CUTE EITHER, GET A FRIENDLY CUTE DOG YOU WOULD BE MUCH BETTER OFF!

Answer 10

first of all,, you do not need a pit bull,, you only want one because you think they are cool...... secondly,,, direct eye contact with any animal is a sign of dominance.. stable temperamented dogs do not attack when eye contact is made.. if you seem to get all exicted about the pit bull frenzy.. PLEASE do not get one........ you are not ready to train, etc...