Lab/pit bull mix with small kids?

Question

We recently adopted a dog that we were told was a chocolate Lab. My husband and several other people remarked that she looks like she might be part pit bull. We have two children under the age of 6. I don't want to overreact but I also don't have to protect my children. The dog is exceptionally sweet, affectionate, and behaves well. She shows no signs whatsoever of aggression. I read that pit bulls get a bad rap and were trained to attack dogs not people and they are actually very good with kids. I'd love to believe this but don't want to take any risks with my kids. Anyone who has actual experience with pit bulls (no uninformed opinions please) that can comment?

She is 3 years old.

Sorry, the above should read I DO have to protect my children!

Answer 1

I dont think you need to worry. If you havent taken her to the vets yet he is probably the best person to ask about any pit being mixed in.
I have seen some very big Labs that look like they may have a bit of pit in them but they are pure breed Labs.
Unless the people who told you that are experts in either breed then I would pay them no mind at all.

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Lab/pit bull mix with small kids?
We recently adopted a dog that we were told was a chocolate Lab. My husband and several other people remarked that she looks like she might be part pit bull. We have two children under the age of 6. I don't want to overreact but I also don't have to protect my children. The dog is...

Answer 3

I have worked with animals over the years and know a little about dogs. Labs are very loving and work great with people. Pits bulls do have a bad rep but so can any dog really. The pit bull has been bred over the years for the aggressive nature so I would watch for that, especially around food or things the dog might consider their territory. I am assuming the dog is an older one and not in the puppy stages (thought labs have been known to remain in the puppy stages until 4 years of age).

Answer 4

The owner is the key to the behavior of the dog (there are exceptions tho').

TRAINING IS MANDATORY for any dog.

Never, NEVER, leave a child alone with a dog, no matter the breed.

The dog may not have Pit at all -- You may have a "Blockhead" Lab. They're shorter in the body, stocky / muscular, and have a squared off head. I've seen them with shorter ears, too.

I assume this dog is large? I'd be more concerned about the hyper character of most labs. In their great enthusiasm, they tend to barrel through and often unintentionally knock a child down.

When well trained, Pits and their mixes make very good pets. Very loyal and sweet.
.

Answer 5

ANY dog needs to be closely supervised with young children. All breeds are capable of biting a child or even just injuring them while playing. I imagine your dog is larger than your 2 year old. Don't get hung up on the pit bull thing. I have a purebred and she shows no signs of human aggession. They are though, very powerful dogs and could injure a child without actually attacking. Statistically, smaller breed dogs are more likely to bite than larger ones. You just here about pit bull/rottweiler attacks because large, stronger dogs cause more damage when they bite. Unless trained improperly the pit bull breed is an overall gentle, loyal breed. If you check pit bull behavior and aggression tests that have been conducted, they have a higher passing rate than dogs such as golden retreivers.

Answer 6

You could ask if you could foster the dog for a couple weeks to see what it's like. Walk it around cars, bikes, people, children (if you're worried, muzzle it), and get someone it has never smelled before to come up to it and yell at it (muzzled of course, and not within reach of the dog). These tests can get you familiarized with the dog, how it reacts to specific things, and its intelligence level/trainability. Also, if you can, play tug with it. Do NOT let go! If it continues to pull, even after you've stopped moving it, watch it and see if he gets dominant over it towards you or is just playing. Knowing dog body language is important here. You can ask someone at the shelter to help you with reading it. A Pit Bull mix could very well be sweet and kindly, but then again, you don't know where it came from or who it was bred by and the temperaments of its precursors, so it could be dangerous, just like every other mutt or purebred that you don't know. All the best of luck to you.

Answer 7

American Pit Bull Terriers are the only breed to be bred to be speciafically not human aggressive. They were bred to fight and the handlers had to be able to handle their dogs in the pit without themselves, the other handler or the judge getting bitten. If the dog did bite he was put down.
It is true that labs bite more people than pit bull types do. Boulder Colorado decided to pass a breed ban on pit bulls even though their city bite statistics showed labs were the top biters. Since the ban, the number of bites have actually increased.
Now, I trust any one of my APBTs with anyone, child or adult. But, all of mine are full-blooded APBTs. I would have a problem trusting a mixed breed just because some of the stability the APBT has can be lost because of the other breed. However, training and a watchfull eye are the keys. NO dog should ever be left unsupervised with a child, regardless of breed.
Its good that you dont want to take risks with your children, but dont jump the gun. Give the dog a chance. Just remember to not leav e them alone together and, if he does happen to show any signs of aggression toward your children, have him put down.

Answer 8

I work with a variety of breeds, and from experience, labs are always very energetic and very friendly. Pit bulls are seen as vicious dogs, but I know many who are very sweet. A dog will be whatever you want it to be and whatever you make it. Train your dog to be good with kids, tolerant, and friendly. Never train any dog to attack (this will create issues). If their owner is in trouble, they will help, they don't need to be trained to do this. Unless your dog shows aggression, you should be fine. The best thing you should do (which everyone should always do with ALL breeds of dogs) is to always watch their dog when they are with children. Even the friendliest of dogs can get annoyed with a small child, so it is the parent's job to make sure that the dog is not getting irritated and that the children are treating the dog appropriately.

Answer 9

Pits tend to be ok with their own family-they are more often dog aggressive. You will need to be aware of that and take steps to keep her safe and keep other dogs safe. Don't turn her lose at the dog park and walk off and expect everything to be okay. Any dog can be a risk with young children. While adopting an older dog is great, it does mean you know less of it's history and if there were past issues (abuse, being bullied by kids, etc). Just remember that even sweet, docile dogs have a limit-always keep an eye on the situation and don't leave children with a dog unattended.

Answer 10

I'm 32 now and never have owned any other dog then a pi bull unless it was mixed with mastif. I have eight nieces and nephews and never had one incident that made me or anyone for that matter concerned for the welfare of the kids! seriously its not the breed its the owner and how you raise your dog. pits spirits are easily broken if physically struck or abused. i would never own a pit unless you raised it from the time its weened eather. you never can trust the human who had it first. not the other way around. i promise you will realy enjoy the breed if you give a little baby the chance to grow with you not grow agents you.a pit bulls reaction to human contact or with children tells you more about the owner then the dog.