zio

Mr. Atlas
Jul 28, 2000
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A little pit bull puppy let herself into our house the other day. She can't be more than 3 months old. We're trying to find the owner, but also planning what to do if we're unsuccessful. I'd like to know if they're really any more aggressive than most other dogs. She's a real sweetheart, and seems to be good with the kids so far. They can stick their hands in her food while she's eating, and she doesn't flinch. Actually, they can do about anything to her. She's very mellow, especially for a puppy. And she's adorable. I hadn't planned on getting another pet ever, but we're starting to get attached. Any concerns?
 

Smit-Dog

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I'm sure it's cute, but then again all puppies are. All animals (and humans!) have the potential to snap and attack unpredictably.

I'm sure Jeffery Dalmer was cute and adorable as a 3 year old.

The fact that you have no idea as to the dog's lineage... I'd be hesitant. Besides, there's probably some gangbanger in your neighborhood missing one of his up-and-coming fightin' dogs.
 

gospeedracer

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I know pit bulls have a bad rap but I have yet to meet a pit bull that wasn't just a total sweetie. They can be very lovey happy dogs. We had one as a kid and she was very playful, a little too playful sometimes though since she played rough. I know several people with pits and they are just happy-go-lucky, play, play, play types.

It's too bad they get such a bad rap. Dalmations have the highest attack rate in the country but you don't see people getting all freaked out about them.
 

Smit-Dog

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My wife grew up with 2 Dalmatians. She described them as hyper and mean. They also became vicious if anyone, including family members, got near them while they were eating.

Disney animation helped spread the myth about them...
 

zio

Mr. Atlas
Jul 28, 2000
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Smit-bitch ;) I know there's a ring in every town. I have a feeling this one is a family dog. She's clean, looks well fed, has a nice collar. I know, it's just a feeling. And I know all pets are animals, etc. And I have tried to keep the kids satisfied with a cat for a long time because I know what it means to own a dog. It's a big deal and I wouldn't enter the commitment lightly.

Aimee, we have friends that have a Dalmation. They're very concerned anytime our kids are around even though she's never bitten or showed any agressiveness. It's a shame. Dalmations are so cute, but I've heard that a lot of them end up in the pound because they don't always make the best pet.
 

gospeedracer

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Our neighbors in Santa Barbara had a dalmation and that dog would come into our yard and attack Lucy (my dog, attached to a skyline cable)! Good thing Lucy is tough, she lowered the hammer on that dog! She doesn't fare so well in confrontations with the damn pug though! :debil:

Have you guys put up flyers regarding the found puppy?
 

zio

Mr. Atlas
Jul 28, 2000
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no, we're asking neighbors if they recognize her, checked the paper, called the SPCA. I'll probably put up flyers this weekend. I've been warned not to be descriptive, as folks will lie to claim a pit bull puppy.
 

truespode

Moderator / Wheelie King
Jun 30, 1999
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Originally posted by gospeedracer
I know pit bulls have a bad rap but I have yet to meet a pit bull that wasn't just a total sweetie.

I have only had one dog that we got that was older than 6 months that ended up turning on us. It was a doberman that was a year old when we got it and by the time it was 4 it was crazy in the head.

I have found that most dogs, if you get them from a puppy can be brought up to have the temperment of the owner. My mother has a Shephard mix and my sister has one too. Both are over 90lbs and are big and intimidating. Both scare people when they bark or come near them.

However, my niece has been around them since she was 1 and she pulls there tail, takes their food and everything. She is 6 now and the dogs have never come close to even growling at her. They just walk away when they don't want to play.

Right now I have two dogs, one was a Collie stray and one we got from the pound. Both are over a year old and they are the sweetest dogs you could ask for. We make sure of it. When feeding them I will move their food sometimes just to make sure I can take things from them. They just look at me and wag their tail.

If you raise the pit bull right it will be like my cousins pit bull... a sweet dog that respects its owner and is protectful of its family. Worse thing that will happen is it will growl at a stranger or bite an intruder but at your command it will stop.

Ivan
 

mx547

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many newer subdivisions have provisions in their covenants that don't allow for the keeping of pit bulls and rottweilers. you might want to check.
 

Smit-Dog

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Check with your agent on any homeowner's insurance premium increases due to owning a pit bull (or any dog for that matter).

New neighbors just moved in across the street about a month ago. They have a pit bull. I have yet to actually see it personally, but I do hear it, and it does not sound nice. The owner (wisely) installed an electric fence that confines the dog to the back yard. Their backyard is a walkout, and slopes down from the street, so the dog can't see anyone on the street, or be seen. Now we do have quite a few deer that run though the woods and in between the houses. Will the electric fence stop a dog from busting through when 3 deer go running by?

Before the electric fence was installed, my wife found the pit bull in our backyard wandering around. This was actually our first indication that there was even a new dog in the neighborhood. Keep in mind that each lot on our street is about 1-2 acres, so it's not like we are super close. Fortunately our 3, 7, and 9 year old were inside the house at the time. I talked to the neighbor about it, and he assured me that with the electric fence, the dog would stay in their yard from then on. I completely dismiss statements like "my dog is gentle and would never bite/attact anyone" as pure bull$hit. If the pit bull ever ends up my yard again, the owner will be collecting his dead dog.
 
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muddy226

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Here in the UK the keeping of fighting dogs has been banned for a while now after a number of serious attacks involving ( mostly ) American Pit Bulls. Personally I tend to agree with this but ONLY on the basis that certain types of dog are more likely to be kept by certain types of people. It is very rare for a dog to be "bad" that has a good upbringing from a young age, and most doggy people will say that there is no such thing as a bad dog, only a bad owner. However, it was reported in the papers over here that some of these attacks were carried out by previously well behaved dogs, and were completely out of the blue. I personally would not keep a Pit Bull with young children, but of course you might say the same for many breeds. Our current dog, an English Pointer, is the most wonderful loyal and gentle creature, we've had her from 6 mths. old, but she cannot stand children who approach uninvited. If you combine a possibly unpredictable dog with the unpredictable behaviour of some children ( maybe not your own ) then you have to be very cautious. Best thing would be find the pup a nice home with no kids and buy a Lab
 

XRpredator

AssClown SuperPowers
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Aug 2, 2000
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I agree that the owner makes a big difference in the behavior of the dog. The college dorks that moved in next door had 2 pit bulls and they'd get out once in a while. You could tell what they were being bred for since they had the "gangsta-chain" collars on them. One actually had my wife cornered in our yard. I had to go next door and put a little scare into the neighbors about it. The dog too. (yeah, I can be scary too.) Anyhow, one finally got out and damn near attacked a neighborhood kid. That was it. It got put down and the other one was shipped out.

Now the wife's dog, a lab dumb as a post and twice as thick, would scare anyone just by her bark (which is rare) and her sheer size, but she's as gentle as a lamb, other than she's kind of a leaner, and tends to knock down the kids when she leans against them. It all comes down to how they are raised.
 

dirty~d~

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I have a friend who will own nothing BUT Pits. They are very loyal and extremely playful. Young Pits are super hyper, but they are harmless. Just watch out for your furniture... they tend to like chewing and shredding. I have yet to actually see one of his dogs get aggressive. I never saw them around kids so I don't know how well they act around the little'ens. Get them trained while they're young or you could run the risk of having a stubborn headcase after they hit two/three. If raised with compassion and trained diligently you could have yourself one hell of a dog. Good luck.
 

Jon K.

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Mar 26, 2001
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Pit Bull + Kids = Tragedy. These dogs are bred for fighting. Something about a child may (or may not, but do you want to risk it?) trigger the instincts. And the dog invariably goes for the face! Instincts are very deep, and can not be easily overcome by a proper upbringing.

Smit-Dog nailed it; the Dahmner thing is right on!

Pit-bulls are responsible for the majority (24%) of fatal dog bites in the US, followed by Rottweilers (16%) and German Shepherds (10%). These figures are raw, and don't account for the disparity in the population figures for the different breed. They come from the American Pediatric people.

Oh, and 10% of fatal dog attacks involve SLEEPING INFANTS! :whiner:

Zio, If kids were not in the picture; I would agree with the majority. But as you have indicated that you have kids, please, please, do not keep that animal.
 

Smit-Dog

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My managager's 6 year old kid was mauled last summer by a neighbor's german shepard in an unprovoked attack.

They have been neighbors for 7 years (right next door). The neighbor has 2 kids around 5-7. My manager's kids have played with the neighbor's kids for their entire life. The neighbor's dog has been raised along with kids since it was a puppy.

My manager's kid and the neighbor's kid were both playing in the neighbor's backyard. The wife (neighbor) went to open the back door to call the kids in for lunch. When the door opened, the dog darted out, made a bee line for my manager's kid, and started attacking. Completely out of the blue and unprovoked.

If you could see the resulting scars on this little kid's face, neck, and arms, you might think twice about the potential tragedy that could occur. Sure nothing could happen at all, but then again it's your kid not mine.

Unfortunately the neighbor did not want to put the dog down, so they are moving out of the neighborhood. Needless to say, they are no longer friends.
 

Enduro_Nut

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If you like the dog and can't find the true owner keep it. I personally am not a fan of pits - BUT, if brought up properly can make great pets! The key is proper training and socialization. All dogs need the basics, the real issue is not allowing aggresive behavior and showing the dog who the alpha of the family is.

ALL dogs have some propensity to bite - they all have a wild heritage that can be provoked in the right situation.
 

truespode

Moderator / Wheelie King
Jun 30, 1999
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Originally posted by Enduro_Nut
showing the dog who the alpha of the family is.

I agree 100%. Unless something is wrong with the dog they will respond to the correct training and upbringing.

One reason the statistics are so bad concerning the dog attacks is b/c the pits and rotts are used a lot in fighting. I would like to see how the stats of true pets that were brought up correctly and not raised to fight or never had a chance to socialize.

Nothing aggrivates me more than a dog that is left out on a chain and never has a chance to socialize with anything but a tree and a food bowl. All of our dogs when we raise them are taken to places where other people are around and we invite visitors over with other dogs so ours learn how to interact.

I'm not saying our dogs are perfect. They jump on the couch and love to put their paws on peoples chests but they are very docile and fun friends to have around.

Ivan
 

funktree

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pit bulls arent any more aggresive than other dogs. I have a couple and known several. All were good dogs, no violent problems at all. I think most of you are buying into all the media hysteria about em. Its Just like when they freaked out about 3 wheelers years ago.
 

Smit-Dog

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Originally posted by funktree
pit bulls arent any more aggresive than other dogs. I have a couple and known several. All were good dogs, no violent problems at all.
Your empirical evidence overwhelmingly supports your hypothesis...
 

dirty~d~

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Ivan, I agree about the stats. Where is the percentage of those stats that reflects how many of those attacks were by well trained dogs that came from a caring family? Those three breeds listed just happen to be commonly used for fighting and 'protection'. Any dog raised under abuse and harsh training can become prone to "unprovoked" attacking.

Zio, as to whether or not you should keep the puppy, that's up to you. If you are that concerned about the safety of your family then the best thing to do would be to turn the dog in to the local animal shelter. The owners may be searching for the puppy and typically people will check with the shelters to see if their animal has been picked up or turned in.
 

funktree

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Jul 21, 2001
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I admit its not very scientific, but I honestly believe that they are harmless as any other dogs. It takes more than statistics to prove something to me. The only attacks we have had locally involved dogs trained to fight. I would try to get a pit bull that came from a good home but thats true of any dog.
 

muddy226

Sponsoring Member
Sep 14, 2003
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Originally posted by Enduro_Nut
If you like the dog and can't find the true owner keep it. I personally am not a fan of pits - BUT, if brought up properly can make great pets! The key is proper training and socialization. All dogs need the basics, the real issue is not allowing aggresive behavior and [showing the dog who the alpha of the family is.] Whilst I agree with everything said about proper upbringing etc., what happens when the alpha is not around ? And assuming that the dog realises he is at the bottom of your pack, what about if he unexpectedly meets juniors of a different pack ( kids ) who don't understand pack language ? With a dog bred for fighting I stiol think its a risk.

ALL dogs have some propensity to bite - they all have a wild heritage that can be provoked in the right situation.
 

muddy226

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Sep 14, 2003
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Sorry about mis-quoting you enduronut, I got my buttons mixed up. my intended reply is the bit in the middle of your post which looks out of place !
 

gospeedracer

Chat Mom
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Unbeliveable. Some of you guys sound just like those people who hear about casualties from dirt bike riding and instantly decide dirt bikes are the debbil. :|
Geez, I was maliciously attacked by a freaking, flying PUG for cripes sake! I suppose you should put out a bulletin about crazed Pugs. :silly:

Enduro_nut is correct about ALL dogs having the propensity to bite. My Grandmother's toy poodle for example!
 

Jon K.

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Mar 26, 2001
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Grandma's toy poodle can't remove an entire face in 3 microseconds.
 
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