people being afraid of my dog?

Question

I have a two and a half year old pitbull even though he can be mean sometimes he wont just bite someone I need some tips to tell people not to be afraid of him

Answer 1

Pit bulls are aggressive by nature and can be friendly one minute just to turn nasty the next minute.

People should be leary of this breed.
I have a 12.5 foot pet alligator,not afraid of humans and loves to have her tongue patted or tail shook.She is a beauty and pretty much docile with me for now...but I'm also sure she would like to meet you as well ? You know I can give you some tips on how to react quickly if she starts to become aggressive.Since she is my pet I hate for you to be afraid of her. I think gators gets such bad media. Some can be friendly at times when they are not hungry or moody. You just have to know when that it before going near her.

How lucky do you feel? :0)

Answer 2

unfortunately people will always be afraid of pitbulls. At least those who buy into all the myths that pitbulls are vicious. I own 2 pitbulls. The sweetest dogs ever. I try not to let just anyone approach my dogs. I do have them in my backyard to keep people from trespassing or whatnot. Nobody will come near my house because they know I have them and because they are afraid. But friends and family that know my dogs, know better than to think that they'd turn on anyone or bite. When you're out, it's okay to educate people about pitbulls. It amazes me how many children have approached my dogs and have asked me if they can pet them. I am always willing to let them: i warn them of course to watch out for the giant slimy tongue...they love to give kisses. lol --- of course their parents are more cautious. Then there are those people who favor the breed and understand the reputations that are out there, and are always praising my dogs on how well behaved they are. I'm used to the negativity. I wish it would stop though. It hurts me to think someone would believe my dog is a vicious monster.

Answer 3

The media has created a tremendous fear of this breed. Your dog could rescue a newborn baby from a fire and not leave a mark on it and some people will still be afraid of him just because of his breed. The "he can be mean sometimes" comment is a concern, though. If your dog is unpredictable, their fear may be warranted.

As others have said, the best way to get people over the fear of your dog is to make sure that he has impeccable manners and training. He should walk politely on leash, not bark at dogs or people (even if it's friendly barking - most folks don't know the difference), and know lots of tricks - people aren't as afraid of a dog who will shake their hands, wave at them, or play dead. I think that every well-behaved Pit Bull should get Canine Good Citizen certification, too. Once certified, you can get a tag for his collar that proves it.

I also believe that dressing your dog up does wonders. A simple bandana can do the trick. But tee shirts, hats, etc. all make most people smile. And, remember, you want people to see that your dog is a sweetie, not a fearsome bruiser - no Harley Davidson shirts, skulls and crossbones, studded collars, etc.

Answer 4

I had a Saint Bernard that people were afraid of because of her size, so I decided to offer a stuffed animal to her when I walked her to give the vision of a cute, happy dog. I used a pink bear, and she would carry the bear in her mouth while trotting down the sidewalk. Amazingly, the pink stuffed animal would distract the image of her being vicious because it looked like she wanted to play instead of bite.

At first, she was not so much into stuffed animals, so I bought the bacon "beggin strips" and rubbed it on the bear to make it smell good enough for her to eat. I would constantly offer the bear to her along with her treat, and eventually she enjoyed her stuffed animals.

I know how difficult it is to try to explain that your dog won't bite while it's practically foaming at the mouth and barking uncontrollably (been there), but if you haven't already, I would invest in a thin choke-chain collar so you know you have control over your dog all the time. Unfortunately for you, pit-bulls just have that "attack" reputation, and you will probably always have to deal with people being afraid of your dog. Good luck to you!

Answer 5

My wife uses a Seeing Eye dog and several of our friends have medium and large (105 pound shepherd) guide dogs from several sources and these dogs are never out of control and never bark, yet there are people who climb the walls and scream when they encounter one and these dogs are in a working harness, not just on a leash. So I think your chances are nil with a pitbull. You might try a pink ribbon. And ask yourself why the dog is mean sometimes.

Answer 6

He can be mean? Then people should be afraid. It's not like the dog is going to give notice that today he's in a bad mood.
However, that isn't very constructive. So if you don't want people to be fearful of your dog, your dog must have excellent manners. He stays in a sit or down mode when people arrive. He doesn't bark or jump. If you cannot train him consistently to be this way, then people are going to be afraid of him.

Even when just playing, those dogs can hurt because of their strength. People don't want to take the risk and who can blame them?

Answer 7

I have the same problem. I have a Rotty. She is so friendly. But the man who owns the house next to me threatened to sue me. What I did was socialize her as much as possible. Dogs sense fear anyway so if a person is very afraid, naturally the dog will sense that and may react differently. I keep her on a leash and walk her letting her approach people only in a calm manner. Then once they pet her they are usually ok and are more calm themselves.

Answer 8

Training your dog will be a huge part of your interaction with him for the first few months. Learn here https://tr.im/crAOY
This includes housetraining, leash training, obedience training, socialization, and problem solving. In addition to providing your dog with needed skills, this time will also be a great opportunity for you to bond with him. Take the time to really get to know your pet while training him and a loving relationship will easily develop.

Answer 9

I have the same problem with ppl. They dont understand that its not pitbulls that are mean its how they are raised. You can talk their ear off all day but if they have it stuck in their ignorant minds that pit bulls are mean its really hard tochange that. You can show them that your dog is nice by having them pet it or hang around and maybe they'll see its not a mean dog. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 10

well, usually people who have pitbulls love their dogs, but other people may not think they are approachable my mommom has 2 pitbulls they aren`t approachable but the pitbulls totally love the kids. Oh yeah my tip is... it`s okay he won`t bite unless you get on his nerves though. : )