My husband wants to get a pit bull. We have a three year old daughter.?

Question

Is there anything wrong with bringing a pit bull into our home? Is it better to get a puppy so he can grow up used to a child, or is it OK to rescue one from the pound? Is it safe to have a pit bull with a small child?

My husband's family had a pit bull when he was a teenager. He just really likes the breed.

All opinions and advice are appreciated.

Answer 1

As someone who has a pit, I will tell you, I have never had a dog more loving and affectionate. With that said, he is still 70lbs of animal. period. I would say, given the circumstances most pits are in, a shelter pit is not a good idea. I am all about rescuing, in fact, I have never gotten one any other way. But you won't know the history and that will be important.

If you do decide to get a pit (and they are wonderful dogs), do not ever leave your child and the dog alone. I feel that way about all dogs, but keep in mind that this specific breed is very very strong. And I do not agree that they are naturally more agressive, but children do not understand dogs and what might be taken as a threat.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

I have three dogs, a 20lb Chihuahua, Terrier mix, a 40 lb Beagle and a 55 lb Pit.
The one I would trust least around children is the little guy. If he gets hurt he snaps, of course that may be his age, he is nine and getting cranky. Just like me. I am a lot more grumpy now then when I was younger.
The Beagle doesn't count because after the excitement of meeting someone wears off he is off to find a place to take a nap, he is always late for a nap.
The Pit is like any dog, he gets real excited when first meeting someone but then she calms down. She has bad manners and jumps on everyone except small children. When my daughter brings my baby grandson over and puts his carrier on the floor all the dogs go over to take a sniff and leave. Except the Pit. She will sit next to him as long as he is on the floor, as if to say " Hey stranger, you gottta get through me first". And mind you this happened the first time she brought the baby over, he was not a part of our pack.
Any way, I would not get a puppy of any kind as puppies are learning and like to bite anything and everything and have really sharp teeth. Also older dogs can get grumpy and set in their ways. I would go for a dog that is past the puppy stage but not really grown.

Answer 3

Really, any dogs can harm your children by accidents. Why not have your daughter pick out a puppy and you and your husband can make a decision together.

If you were to get a pit bull, I would highly recommend getting it directly from the breeder since they know more about their pit bull puppies OR adopting a pit bull puppy from the pound and make sure to get their health record.

It is especially important to teach your daughter how to take care of a puppy along with responsibility, rules, health, and how to be loving and caring to all pets. Sometime, a child can get upset if their puppy accidentally bit her or him and no longer want to play with their puppy. Children at a very young age can get the wrong impression that they are “toys” when they are not.

Use your common sense not to leave your daughter alone with her puppy since anything could go wrong.

In my opinion, I would say that a kid is ready to have a puppy preferably at age 8 and above if you still want a puppy right now; go ahead. Safety rules become a priority when it comes to your children.

A good pet for children would be a fish since they can feed on their own and less hassles of handling a pet.


Best of luck,

-Jessie-

Answer 4

jesus christ.

The ignorance in this place gets more and more astounding every day.

I can post 3 dog attacks by non-pitbull type dogs for any ONE that can be posted from a pitbull anytime anyone wants to do that.

Pitbulls DO NOT attack any more often than any other dog.

However, they are in the news because of the uproar and polarizing effect the word 'pitbull' has on people.

Bringing a dog into a family with a small child will require a LOT more supervision and time management than a home without.

Any dog should be properly supervised around a small child. There are reports in the news right now about children being mauled by chihuahas, golden retreivers, chows, and yes, pitbulls.

With all of that said, your childs safety has more to do with the individual dog, it's temperment, and how you train and manage the dog than the breed.

Your child will be just as safe with a pit as it would be with any other breed.

Answer 5

Uh... the site that Mrs."OVER my dead body" gave you rated American Pit Bull Terrier a 1=excellent with children???
I work with rescued pit bulls and I have seen the good and I have seen the atrocious. Honestly, a pit bull can be a perfect family dog. But because there are so many ignorant/abusive owners and breeders out there, I would advise you purchase a puppy from a reputable breeder... so you know exactly what you get. Genetics and handling are equally important factors when you are finding your dog. First, only purchase a dog registered from AKC. AKC has stricter standards and if you ever think your breeder tricked you they will have your back. There's more reasons, but a breeder like DP or Chetco would probably be able to explain that better.
How to find an AKC breeder in your area?
http://www.amstaff.org/breeders/breederlocator.htm
The dog registered as a pit bull in UKC is registered as an "American Staffordshire Terrier".
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/americanstaffordshire.htm
Here is information about finding the perfect breeder:
http://www.phouka.com/puppy/bdr_frames.html
http://www.spoiltdogues.com/Breeder%20Questions.htm
http://www.iupui.edu/~ihls400/responsible_breeder.html
http://cyberpet.com/cyberdog/articles/findpet/repbreeder.htm

Answer 6

Pit Bulls were popularly purchased as "Nanny Dogs" in the past in the USA because they are so good with children, having a high tolerance for what a child can put a dog through. "Petey" from "The Little Rascals" was a Pit Bull as was "Sue" the Crocodile Hunter's dog. I think this is a better breed to have with children BUT with any breed of dog, some pups can be more aggressive. I noticed this when I got my Pit Bull mix (largely Pit) as a rescue that I bottle fed. She had a litter mate that was very aggressive while she was very gentle. So get any potential pet that a child will be around, temperament tested. Or take someone with you when looking at a litter of puppies to help you pick out one if your husband is not sure what to look for though it sounds like he is.
Training is good for all breeds not to mention training children how to respect animals. I am sure you will do all this, so with that in mind, I'd say a Pit Bull is a GREAT breed to have around children.
The only thing about a pound puppy of any breed, is you don't know it's history. Some can seem (any breed) to be very friendly and then maybe they don't like how someone sounds or looks at them and can bite and do damage. They could also always be as good as gold, but is it worth the risk?
I'd personally go with hand picking a puppy with a great temperament and raising it with the child. Any large breed is capable of knocking a child over, and a Pit Bull dog tends to be boisterous and likes to lick faces, etc of little kids, and that can be overwhelming but also corrected with training. I have three dogs and the Pit mix is the best around kids. She watches out for them and likes when they play with her. The five year old likes to watch movies with her and cover her with covers and treat her like a doll, which they both love. The baby loves to crawl around and play with the dog.
All are supervised and never any problems.
The other two dogs are a bit temperamental when around the kids and I have to watch them closer. They get irritated by little kids. (Aussie mix, Golden Retrieiver/Anatolian Shep mix)
They are friendly under supervision but would be apt to give a warning nip if a child stepped on their tail or something.

Answer 7

Might be a good idea to wait until your daughter is a teenager. They can't be trusted around small children. Is the size of the child, not the age. Short and approximately the same size as the dog. The dog has that "in your face" thing going for it.

Many pits now a bred and inbred and this brings out all the nasty qualities the breed has. Wouldn't dare get one from the pound or an older dog. Would have to start with a young puppy. Isn't just the Pit Bull breed that I wouldn't want around my youngster. You would have to be sure to Never leave the dog and the child alone together. I would be to afraid.

Answer 8

My boyfriend has had a staffordshire terrier and a pit bull around his son when his son was just a little one. They do need to be puppies so they can grow around him and become accustomed to each other. I wouldn't rescue one from the pound unless you REALLY plan to take it to obedience training and watch your son very carefully. A pet requires a lot of patience and care (like a child). If you're not willing to put in that effort, then it may not be the right choice, especially with an animal that is naturally aggressive. My friend has an American bulldog (and it's a puppy and HUGE!) and they brought it home as a puppy with a 10 year old and a 2 year old. He's doing quite well, you just need to raise them together. Good luck!

Answer 9

I don't see any problem with that, however it's how you feel that matters.
Pit bulls aren't exactly what they are made out to be, but they are a more aggressive dog than say, a golden retreiver.
I own a pit bull and she is very sweet, however she does not put up with children hanging on her or trying to play with her. That is most likely due to the fact that she was not raised around children.

I know another pit that just loves children though, he lays on the ground and loves when they climb all over him. He was rasied around kids and is dumb as they come. So I think it has a lot to do with the personality of the dog, as well as the way it was raised.

Buying a dog as a puppy, you have control over how it is raised. You don't have alot of control over the personality, but buying a quality dog, from knowledgable and good breeders will really help. A good breeder will also make sure that your family is fit for that dog, meaning she or he, will help you determine if that dog is going to be a good fit with your lifestyle. They would not sell you a dog if they did not think it was a good idea. If you find a good breeder you can learn alot about pit bulls, their needs, their behavior, etc. and it would be a good idea to visit one and spend some time learning about this breed.

Remember that the dog has needs too, they must be met otherwise the dog, any dog, will get out of control. It is your responsibility to make sure you are able to take care of this dog and it's needs.

If you do decide to adopt a dog, spend some time with the dog and your family. I have found many nice, sweet, mellow, pit bulls at the pound. Give the dog plenty of time to adjust, and look around his new home.

No matter what you choose, it is very important that your daughter understands how to treat the dog. That means no hanging on the dog (at least at first), no picking up his food, no pulling on his legs, etc. Children often like to play with animals in ways that animals do not appreciate. This goes for any animal, any dog, any breed.

Your dog also needs to understand that you are the boss, your husband is the boss and your daughter is the boss. My dog would never bit, or even nip, at me. I could take her food from her, whatever and she would do nothing. If another person walked up and took her food, she would bite. A very good reason I do not feed her when strangers are around, especially children who like to "help feed" the dog. But she could easily be trained to allow another to take her food, as long as she understands that they are the boss as well.

Dogs need to know where they stand, especially more aggressive dogs like a pit bull. They are, by nature, aggressive. All dogs have certain qualitys, and this is one that the pit bull has. That doesn't mean that the dog is so aggressive they will run around and bite people or something like that. They are only as aggressive as they are allowed to be. Dogs will very easily understand the order of things. Anything, or anyone, that they are above (in command) they will try to control, but everyone they are below, they will listen to very well. Like I have said, this goes for all dogs. It's their pack mentality.

If you have a good dog, and you have the time and capability to take care of this dog and it's needs, you should have no problems, no matter what the breed is. A properly trained and socialized pit bull is no more dangerous than any other dog and make wonderful pets.

Answer 10

Just say no. And definitely don't get one from the pound. While it's "how you raise a dog" that MOSTLY determines it's traits genetics plays a big part. I've been around pit bulls & have seen aggressive litters. I've seen the opposite also. Knowing your dogs breeding lines increases the chance of getting what you're looking for. So stay away from the unknown by going to the pound for a dog like that. You owe it to your kid.
What's wrong with a sheep dog? I have one & it's been the best family dog ever.