# Other Pets > Dogs >  Pit Bulls?

## Crawly's Mom

Hey guys! Typically I am haunting the ball python area of the forum, however, I had a question I thought I would put out there. I keep an eye on several different forums, follow a few rescues on facebook, etc. and I cannot help but notice the overwhelming number of pitbulls. 

Now I know there is a big stigma about these dogs being aggressive. I have personally been around only a handful of them and have heard both good things and bad things about the breed. Most of the time when I hear bad it has to do with a pitbull doing something to another dog or an animal responding to training or poor care. 

We do not have any dogs or cats at all. We have snakes and some rats. We do, however, have a two and a half year old daughter. My question is more related to pitbulls as family pets. I know I have heard that they can be animal aggressive, does that ever translate to a child who's often playing around on the floor? I would never want to endanger my daughter. Does anyone have personal experience with the breed they could share? If so, I would truly appreciate it. 

Thanks!!!

----------


## heathers*bps

I know I have more pics, but these are what I have on Photobucket, and I know they aren't the best photos. The white pit is actually 2 months older than my daughter. They grew up together so they have a special bond. My black one is his dad and the little brown one is his mom and we'be had them for a couple years before my daughter was born. They have never shown any type of aggression towards her. They have never done anything other than lick her to death, lol. The big black one she use to sit on his back, hold onto his ears and ride him around. I could not have any better dogs than my pits and wouldn't replace any of them for a million dollars. They are truly the best dogs I have ever owned.

----------

_Carlene16_ (11-17-2011),Crawly's Mom (11-16-2011),PitOnTheProwl (11-18-2011)

----------


## mr.spooky

hi, iv had a few different breeds of dogs, and curentaly have a pit bull.. i can honestaly say that he is the best dog iv ever had. he was nuetered sp? as a puppy,, and i think that has alot to do with any breed.  he stays inside (when im at work) with a smaller terrier,, and a cat.  keep in mind that these dogs are one of the strongest breeds there are,, but dont let that intemidate you,, their heart and loyalty far surpass their streingth.
   something to look at (with and breed) is their needs. some are suited to lay around, some are suited to work. with this breed, they need alot of playtime and they need to be exausted.. proper training is a must.. 
    if you do decide to go with this breed, remember that you are getting something that comes with a bad name, so it is your job as a owner to go out of your way to change this...  with mine, he does not leave the yard (fenced in) without a leash. when someone comes up to talk, hees made to sit down.
      the worst thing you can do with one of these dogs is to leave confined, or on a chain all day (not saying that you would)..
    these are great animals,, but like all,,, there only what you make of them...
   spooky

----------

colbert (12-23-2011),Crawly's Mom (11-16-2011),_minguss_ (11-21-2011)

----------


## mr.spooky

had to post a pic :Embarassed:

----------


## Crawly's Mom

Thank you both for the info so far. I was reading more about them, I was truly curious. It shocked me to learn they had a better temprament score this past year than Golden Retrievers and Collies. I know if we ever get a dog again we will get a rescue. We don't want to go through the puppy stage, however, that being said its sometimes hard to know exactly what you're getting into with a rescue. I thought perhaps with a breed specific rescue you'd have a better idea of their temprement as they would have had a little more time and effort put into the dog than say a simple shelter.

----------


## aldebono

A reputable breed specific rescue would be really good I think. They know their dogs and they know the home they would be best placed in.

Adult dogs are wonderful. You know what you are going to get pretty much from day one. 
Puppies can be a gamble at what intensity and activity level they are going to be as an adult. 

You love an adult dog just the same as a puppy you raised, maybe more because you don't have to go through the potty training and chewing!

----------

Crawly's Mom (11-16-2011)

----------


## L.West

I have owned various breeds:  yorkies, poodle, boxers, dachshund/terrier mix and I have to say that the smaller breeds I've had were by far the worst with the issues/aggression.

My boxers have always been little cuddle bugs - not a mean bone in their bodies.

I think with any breed you always run the risk of having an issue but for the most part I am a firm believer that they will be the type of dog/personality that they are raised to be.  If you raise them up with good boundaries and rules and lots of love - you can pretty much rest assured they will return all that love and respect 10 fold to  ya.

With my case right now - if someone was to break into my house - they would have far more worries with my little dachshund/terrier mix then my 80lb boxer - lol

Good luck in your decision.

----------

Crawly's Mom (11-16-2011)

----------


## mr.spooky

here was my experience with a breed spacific rescue,
   first let me give a little of my background that was included on the application.
  at the time, i worked at U.T animal hospital, i had over 8 years there, i had D.V.M's recomondations, as well as others,  had a fenced in yard, as well as a 8 foot tall kenel. i told them that the dog would be kept in the house while i was at work, and in the fenced in yard ,or the kenel when i was at home.  i had no kids, and no other pets,,,,i was in my LATE 20's,,,,,,,,,, i was declined.. 
 this made me furious,, i mean what more did they want???? anyway, i did what i thought would be the next best thing in rescuing a APBT from a life of grief.  i got in the paper and found "pits for sale" ,,,,, i chose the roughest neiborhood, and went looking.. when i picked up my puppy, they showed me the mother "that was raising hell in a small kennell (i dident get close)  then they told me that the father was in a room and was mean, so i dident get to see him (im asuming he had fight marks all over him).  as i was leaving , i ask if the puppy had any shots, they said "bring it in here" so we went to another room and it was like a station set up for shots. odviousally they were breeding many dogs.  
   i KNOW that my puppy came from a line of fighting dogs.
 but like i said before,, hees turned out to be the best dog iv ever had,, he has shown ZERO agression to people or other animals.   Iv often told myself that after MR.SPooky passes (he was born on halloween, thats where he got his name)  ill probabally never have a pit again because no other one could match him.
   remember its all in how YOU raise the animal..
 spooky

----------

Crawly's Mom (11-16-2011)

----------


## Jessica Loesch

Pit bulls are great, loving, sweet.


I wouldn't steer anyone away from one.


But to address your question, would it be a good family pet?

I do know that they love to chew.  You are going to have to be really strict about this.  You can train them out of it, but make sure you have the time and patience to keep them trained well, whether that involves putting them in a kennel when you are gone (can be a great training tool when used properly if the kennel is large enough and provides a secure, safe spot the dog likes to be), or being extra strict (which may or may not deter their playful urge to chew on things, it depends on the dog).
This will be 100% worse with puppies.

As far as being safe, sure.  They are safe.  Just remember if you choose to adopt, you need to know that dog's background.  Not everyone takes the time and care to properly raise a dog.  If you can find an adult from a home where maybe they had to get rid of it because of apartment restrictions or something, that would be best.  A puppy would be easier to make sure there is no issues, but as mentioned, it may be more difficult to condition them.

All dogs have the potential to be dangerous.  Just like all retics have the potential to be dangerous when they are larger.  But we know how that goes.


Good luck on your decision, and make sure you think about the time and patience you will be devoting to your new dog, whether it be puppy or adult, whether it be pit or other type of dog.  And remember, do not buy a dog based on "temperament score" found in an article, as it is likely not evidenced based research, plus it will ALWAYS depend on individual dog and how you raise them/how they have been raised.  You can pretty much say that any type of dog will have a similar outcome if the same person uses the same methods to raise them.  Some may have more chewing tendencies than others, or barking tendencies, etc.  But besides that, temperamental wise, it should mostly depend on you!  I'm guessing the article was based on experiences noted by owners, and I bet that the golden retriever people gave less time and devotion to raising their dog because it is "supposed to be a great family pet" already, and the pit owners gave the dogs more time and devotion, to prove a point that pits are really great dogs, plus the people owning them obviously love dogs or they wouldn't be choosing a pit.

Happy dog hunting  :Smile:

----------

Crawly's Mom (11-16-2011)

----------


## Homegrownscales

I'll just say I love my Pitt he's the best dog I've ever had. I got him when he was 8wks. Personally I love the pup stage and we've never looked back. He's been around animals of every kind, kids of all ages, everything. Socialization and training and discipline are the key to every dogs success. Keep in mind Pitts are a breed that need a strong leader. 



Check out what's new on my website... www.Homegrownscales.com

----------

Crawly's Mom (11-16-2011),Jessica Loesch (11-16-2011)

----------


## Crawly's Mom

The test I was speaking of was the ATTS test conducted regularly each year. From what I understand the training, age, and breed are all taken into account in measuring temprement. IE: A dog who's has extensive training is not measured in the same manner as one who has relatively no training. Granted I still regard these things as facts to add to a bigger picture, but it is still food for thought when you see pit bulls being scored as high or higher than breeds that people seem ready to quote as great family pets, yet pit bulls are usually given a terrible review by people who have never had one or been around them.

I have been around pits before and never met one that wasn't friendly, but I also live in a fairly good area where I would assume most people are not trying to breed or harbor aggressive animals. 

If we did choose to adopt an adult dog of any breed we would be looking into breed specific and reputable rescues. I want to make sure anywhere I adopt a dog from they have had enough time to learn the dogs personality and temprement. Every dog is different and the upbringing will have a big impact. I want to know that any dog I bring into my home is good with children, I do not want to further the risk of having any animal in my house with my daughter because it's known to be aggressive. Granted sometimes accidents happen, I understand if she hurts them then something could go wrong, but that's not a typical occurence. 

In general we are just gathering information right now for the possibility in the future.  :Smile:

----------


## jason_ladouceur

Animal aggression is a concern with any dog.  But with breeds that were breed for blood sports like the APBT that concern is of course more of an issue.  That being said I believe that with proper socialization that most if not all APBT can be quite well behaved around other animals.  They will always need you to keep a close eye on them when interacting with other dogs but if you bring them up properly you should have minimal concerns in that department.  As far as aggression towards people, especially children goes this should NEVER be an issue with the breed!  They were breed for 100s of years as pit dogs.  They were never breed for security work.  In fact most lines were selectively breed for a lack of human aggression because it made it safer for the handlers to separate 2 fired up dogs at the end of a fight.  Even during the early years of this breed when they were arguably at their most ferocious, even the most aggressive of them were welcomed into the owners homes and around there children.  In any breed there will always be exceptions of course but in my experience they are without a doubt the most patient, gentle and loving of dogs around children.

----------

Crawly's Mom (11-16-2011),PitOnTheProwl (11-18-2011)

----------


## Bellabob

Pitbulls are sweet dogs that will stay loyal to you. I have a Blue Brindle pit and she is the most loving thing in the world.

----------

Crawly's Mom (11-16-2011)

----------


## TheSnakeEye

To me, Pit's are the best dog. I trust my pit with children more than any of my other dogs. If you get them while young, properly socialize them with or children and other dogs, and train them properly, you will have the best dog period. They (as all other dogs) are a reflection of their upbringing. If they aren't use to kids and other dogs then you may have an issue, but if introduced to EVERYTHING from a young age, they will be great dogs. The bad thing about Pit's is not that they are "aggressive" is that they are powerful, and this put into the wrong care can equal bad things. To me, Chihuahua's are way more aggressive than Pit's, difference is you can literally swat a chihuahua away, but a pit isn't so easy.

----------

Crawly's Mom (11-16-2011)

----------


## Jessica Loesch

I agree, chihuahuas are torrents and I hate them.

----------

_bad-one_ (11-21-2011)

----------


## Inknsteel

With pits, it's all about the owner and how they raise the dog. My best friend (basically my brother) had a female pit for about 8 years who was the BEST dog I've ever been around. Even with the bad rap that pits get, I trusted this dog around my two young kids more than I would have trusted a chihuahua. And it's because my buddy raised her right. You have to be FIRM with pits in their discipline. You need to establish early on that YOU are the alpha and the provider. Once you gain their trust and respect, they are the most loyal breed you'll find...

Here's a pic just because it's one of my favorites...

----------

_Carlene16_ (11-17-2011),Crawly's Mom (11-16-2011),Jessica Loesch (11-16-2011),PitOnTheProwl (11-18-2011)

----------


## mr.spooky

now *THAT* is classic!!!!
 spooky

----------


## heathers*bps

All of the pictures everyone has shared are fantastic! Beautiful dogs, you all have  :Smile:

----------


## mainbutter

Pitbulls are great and can be great with children.

HOWEVER, I'd suggest you NOT get a puppy with a 2.5 year old, especially a large high energy breed.  You could probably pull it off just fine, but I would want to save myself a large amount of my personal energy handling a toddler and a high energy and athletic dog at the same time.

A potential injury from pitbulls exists from jumping and the size difference between a very young child and a muscular pit.  Every pit pup I've known were all jumpers at that "mostly full grown but still VERY much a puppy" stage and weren't 100% obedient with regards to jumping on people when excited and happy.

----------

Crawly's Mom (11-16-2011),Jessica Loesch (11-16-2011)

----------


## Inknsteel

> Pitbulls are great and can be great with children.
> 
> HOWEVER, I'd suggest you NOT get a puppy with a 2.5 year old, especially a large high energy breed.  You could probably pull it off just fine, but I would want to save myself a large amount of my personal energy handling a toddler and a high energy and athletic dog at the same time.
> 
> A potential injury from pitbulls exists from jumping and the size difference between a very young child and a muscular pit.  Every pit pup I've known were all jumpers at that "mostly full grown but still VERY much a puppy" stage and weren't 100% obedient with regards to jumping on people when excited and happy.


This is VERY true... While my buddy's pit was very obedient and well behaved, she was FULL of energy, even as an "adult". At 6 and 7 years old, she still had the energy of a puppy and was very excitable. She'd jump on your lap and darn near lick your face OFF the second you got in the door from work, but would calm down after getting some love and attention...

They do seem to take just as much energy as raising a toddler... Good point there...

----------

Crawly's Mom (11-16-2011)

----------


## slithering house

i have a staffordshire terrier or pittbull they are the best dogs they are very loyal to their family my girl has never been agressive or hurt any animals i have a friend that also has a sibling from the same litter and her dog is very animal agressive because she didnt expose her dog early as a puppy to other dogs i would recomend this breed for anyone  but you must be a leader these dogs need them but aslong as you introduce them to animals of all sorts when their young you should have a very loyal family dog :Smile:

----------

Crawly's Mom (11-16-2011)

----------


## mr.spooky

> i have a staffordshire terrier or pittbull they are the best dogs they are very loyal to their family my girl has never been agressive or hurt any animals i have a friend that also has a sibling from the same litter and her dog is very animal agressive because she didnt expose her dog early as a puppy to other dogs i would recomend this breed for anyone  but you must be a leader these dogs need them but aslong as you introduce them to animals of all sorts when their young you should have a very loyal family dog


2 different breeds (am staff, and apbt)   am staffs are reconized by AKC,, pits are not,, there reconized by UKC.   but they are simular.
  but this leads me to a point..... when people claim pit bull attacks, are they truly pits?  could it be a am staff,  a american bulldog, or ever a kurr?
 here is a quick quizz...   this might explain why every dog attack is a pit...
http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html
  spooky

----------

Crawly's Mom (11-16-2011)

----------


## mr.spooky

heres a good way to exercise your pit bull.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6EIZRhpu5k
 spooky

----------

Crawly's Mom (11-16-2011)

----------


## Raider4Life

[IMG]http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z323/****ey1989/phone357.jpg[/IMG]     this is my little guy

----------

Crawly's Mom (11-16-2011),_llovelace_ (11-16-2011)

----------


## Raider4Life

hes a blue pit an nice as can be had a girl before him an she never bit or even thought about it she was a big baby pits are the best dog if you bring them up right

----------

Crawly's Mom (11-16-2011)

----------


## Crawly's Mom

As I said before, I think I would be more apt to adopt an older pitt from a reputable breed specific rescue. We really do not want to have to go through the puppy stage for starters, but we also feel that its harder to place older dogs than it is puppies. If they have been with a good rescue they should be temprement checked around animals, children, food, etc. I would want to make sure whatever dog I get, pit or otherwise was not aggressive in any of the testing scenarios, since I have a daughter. I am not as concerne with her getting bumped down as I would be with her getting bitten. A high energy bump here and there will not kill her. But I would like an older dog who's learned not to jump and who has gotten past the terrible puppy twos lol.

----------


## jbean7916

My best friend has a brindle pit and 2 small children (2 & 4). When her oldest was a baby I used to sit for her on my days off. Their pit was gentle and protective even at a year old. When colby would cry waking up from a nap Sadie would whine at the door to his room. If you didnt get up fast enough she would come headbutt your knees or tug at your pants until you got up. 

sent from my EVO

----------

Crawly's Mom (11-17-2011),_llovelace_ (11-16-2011)

----------


## llovelace

I have had pits since I was 12, raised all my babies around them, now my oldest finally put her allergies aside and got one for my grandsons



I have yet to find another right one for me, so until then my mini schnauzer babies keep me busy

----------

Crawly's Mom (11-17-2011)

----------


## rjk890

Here is a link to a thread I started over on Fauna, about my dogs, with photos:
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...d.php?t=273694

I have had a Pit Bull, or Pit Bulls, in my family for around ten years now.
They are in my opinion, one of, if not the best breed of dogs.

They do require a lot of exercise and play time, and they must also feel secure, and know that you are absolutely the Alpha.
If those things are not in place, it is a recipe for disaster.

However, they are the most loyal and trustworthy animals, as well as being one of the most intelligent breed of dogs that I have ever worked with.

I will have a Pit Bull in my family for as long as I live, but I do not think that everybody should own one.

Do your research, and see if your home is compatible with their needs.

----------

Crawly's Mom (11-17-2011),_mr.spooky_ (11-17-2011)

----------


## Crawly's Mom

Harvey is probably the cutest pit I have ever seen, Rob! Thank you so much for sharing. Thank you to everyone so far for all the input, it's really very helpful and I appreciate every bit of it.  :Smile:

----------


## ShockBunny

Let me first preface this by saying that this is one of my favorite breeds, and probably always will be. XD

My boyfriend did NOT know how to take care of his pets before we met. He was raised very differently from me in that respect. His dad would actually torture the dogs for fun, scaring them on purpose to make them pee, etc. So my bf is quite a step up from his upbringing. He adopted Boskov, a pit/rott mix, as a puppy then promptly left him with an animal-hoarder friend while he went away on a summer internship. He got knocked around a lot by the other dogs and had absolutely 0 stability or care beyond feeding for several months. In addition, when my bf got back and started training him, he used a very militaristic style and a lot of negative reinforcement. Basically, Bos peed inside or chewed something up, he got a smack for it. He didn't BEAT him by any means, but it was just about the worst way to go about training any dog, especially that breed type. 

After we met, Bos got neutered and he's on the right track, training-wise. But the damage has been done, and it is an EXTREMELY hard uphill battle trying to get Bos to a point where he can handle any sort of interaction outside of his immediate family. Even within his "pack", he's bitten both of my dogs bad enough to draw blood (once deep enough to warrant a vet visit). He absolutely loses his mind if someone comes to the door, or if he sees another dog.


I guess my point is, pits and pit mixes are really awesome (90% of the ones I've met in my 5 years working in vet's offices and groomers are total sweethearts). But if they get screwed up early on in life, they can be more dangerous than your average dog. You might end up with the nervous cringey dog, or you may end up with the unpredictable rage-machine like I did. Don't let it stop you from getting one, but definitely make sure it's had a good behavior screening before you bring it home. XD


ETA: I do agree that chihuahuas are one of THE most aggressive breeds out there. And their owners usually just laugh off as "cute" since they're so small.

----------


## Homegrownscales

I agree. This goes in fact for any large breed dog. Like someone said earlier Chi's can be swatted away. Pitts, mastiffs, rotties, etc CANNOT.  I am a full believer that with consistent good training, excersize, discipline, and leadership every breed, every dog is a good dog. 


Check out what's new on my website... www.Homegrownscales.com

----------

PitOnTheProwl (11-18-2011)

----------


## Araidia

I have two pits, they live with two small kids, small dogs, cats, and birds. We came in yesterday and our little black female (she looks exactly like the black pit in the pic before) was napping on the couch with a cat and a two year old cuddled up with her and the bird on her back lol. Proper socialization and training is important with any dog, they do like to chew and need toys and somewhere to get their energy out but with good socialization they are amazing intelligent dogs. Pits are great and seem to be more pain tolerant than a lot of other breeds, ours put up with being ridden by kids and getting their ears tugged occasionally and have never done anything even remotely threatening while our chihuahua and our old beagle would have bitten them long before. I've only been bitten by a pit once and he had been mistreated so bad he was terrified of people while I've had several german sheperds and golden retrievers try to take a chunk out of me for no reason. I would get a puppy and introduce it to as much as you can especially new people and small dogs and cats and you shouldn't have any problems. I don't know if I would trust a dog from a shelter or rescue because you don't know what they've been through. The only aggressive pit we've had was a male we rescued who had been beaten severely and he would be a nice dog a lot of the time but would become really agitated when people started moving around to quick or got to loud. Any breed of dog can be aggressive when it's trained that way or mistreated though, unfortunately pits and other breeds like them just attract more people who treat them badly. All the pits we've had who grew up good would never hurt a fly though, ours are both chickens lol, they get bossed around by the cat.

----------


## TheSnakeEye

To me pits & amstaffs are one in the same. Pit's are to Amstaff's as Lessers are to butters. Their personalities are the same, their drive is the same, their exercise needs are the same. The only difference really is maybe perhaps their size and a true amstaff can only have a black nose (if I'm not mistaken). Again, I support anyone who wants to PROPERLY keep a pit. They NEED to be properly trained and socialized. But this goes for every dog. Having a well behaved dog who is people & dog friendly is the most rewarding thing ever.

Check out www.gopitbull.com and you'll see why they are the best dogs ever.

----------


## mr.spooky

> To me pits & amstaffs are one in the same. Pit's are to Amstaff's as Lessers are to butters. Their personalities are the same, their drive is the same, their exercise needs are the same. The only difference really is maybe perhaps their size and a true amstaff can only have a black nose (if I'm not mistaken). Again, I support anyone who wants to PROPERLY keep a pit. They NEED to be properly trained and socialized. But this goes for every dog. Having a well behaved dog who is people & dog friendly is the most rewarding thing ever.
> 
> Check out www.gopitbull.com and you'll see why they are the best dogs ever.


LOL,, there not the same,,,, lessers are to butters, because there both BP's, pits and amstaffs are two different breeds.   but i fully agree with your last four sentances  :Very Happy:

----------


## TheSnakeEye

If you put them side by side they are the same thing. One is recognized by one club while the other is not. Again I'm  no dog expert, but they are the same thing down to the core. The only differences Im aware of is mayeb size and that amstaff's have black noses. But other than that they are the same thing.

----------


## astoudt

First off let me just say I absolutely LOVE all of these positive posts on pitbulls! 

I am a huge pitbull fan and activist (I guess you could say that). I have done a lot of research on them as well. Including the topic of "pitbull" "APBT" and "Staffies" etc. From all of my research, they are VERY similar breeds. So similar in fact that they share almost exact same ancestry line. It hasn't been until recently that the breeds have expanded and branched out into defined separate lines, but there are still a lot of grey areas when classifying a bully to a specific breed because of so many mixes and un-kept records of bloodlines etc. If ANYONE is interested in the APBT specifically this website is VERY helpful in clarifying just what judges are looking for as a "perfect" APBT. 
http://www.apbtconformation.com/
You will notice a lot of the penalties given are common traits of staffies and other breeds including all of those involved in the slang term "pitbulls"(which is used to describe over 25 bully type breeds). This is evidence of just how much the different breeds are intertwined. I'm not sure how often the site is maintained and updated unfortunately but I know it is still helpful information.
With that being said I hope people don't start fighting about the differences in breeds because when it comes to BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) it doesn't matter if it's and APBT a Staffordshire or a Mutt that happens to resemble a pit, the government doesn't care and treats them all the same. 
We love them so lets not get caught up in the differences and remember what is important, protecting our rights to own them...

Good luck in your decision whether or not to get a pit! From personal experience (3 neices and a nephew) I haven't had any issues with my two pits and children, but as previously stated their energies can be sometimes too high for kids to handle. Just make sure you know a lot about the dog you choose no matter what breed you decide on and of course practice proper exercise and training techniques! 
My most hyper of my dogs is Xena (1.5 yrs) but she is actually the best around children. She will calm down as soon as she sees a kid and will let the kids do absolutely anything they want with her. I posted some pictures I have of her with kids. One is my youngest niece (a month or so before her second birthday) who is laying on her but I swear they think that is the best way to cuddle together. They do it all the time. Xena will lay on the floor and let my niece, Taylor, grab one of her legs and attempt to drag her all over the house. Kids can take Xena's toys right out of her mouth, hand feed her, and even take Xena's food away and Xena has NO problem with it.
Here are some pics of my babies. Sorry there are so many, they are just too cute too handle:




This one is Xena and a Friends pitbull "Sammie" being fed by my friend's son:

----------

_mr.spooky_ (11-18-2011)

----------


## heathers*bps

My little brown pit, pictured in my first post, is Xena! Lol how funny

----------


## Crawly's Mom

Very awesome pictures! Thank you again for all the input. I am honestly surprised we have gotten no negative feedback on this forum. I thought at least there would be one or two people taking an opposing stance, whether from third party information or some personal experience. It seems to me though that almost everyone who has had a pit has absolutely nothing bad to say about them, well around children!

I know they have a higher chance of dog aggression, but we have no other dogs and honestly probably only want one. That being said, I would still rather find a pit who is well behaved enough not to lunge or try to attack any other animals while say on a walk or at the park. I am torn now on whether I would want to find an adult from a good rescue that has been approved for temprement or whether I'd want a puppy and then raise it to be sure I know exactly what they have been through.

----------


## mr.spooky

be prepaired,,,, pitbulls PULL! atleast mine does and any other person that i have talked to does as well.  these are strong dogs.. if your interested, look up pitbull pull compititions on youtube.. my dog is perfect to a T,, but he pulls. iv tried every collar and harness on the market and none worked until i tried a prong/pinch collar. some people say that these collers are inhumane, but do the research,,, they will inflict less damage that a choke chain. they apply pressure evenly around the whole neck instead of just the throat.  i have a 2.5" lether collar that i will sometimes use, and when the walk is done, my hand will be blue and numd fron the leash. when i put the prong collar on, hees a different dog, there is zero pull. you seem like the type of person that dosent mind doing research and making educated decisions, so i would definateally look into one of these. if you do decide to use one, there are propper ways to use them, and if youd like i can go into that later on.  remember a collar is a tool, and with each tool,, theres a right, and a wrong way to use one.
    i would still be enclined to get a puppy,,,that way, the child and the dog could grow together.. im pretty sure that when they do these "tests" on shelter dogs, they dont bait them with a child to see how they will act.. they do food agression tests, and socializing tests (with dogs and people).
   im not trying to turn you away from anything, im just trying to give you as much info i can that i have picked up along the way.
   hope iv helped some
 Spooky

----------


## mr.spooky

> If you put them side by side they are the same thing. One is recognized by one club while the other is not. Again I'm  no dog expert, but they are the same thing down to the core. The only differences Im aware of is mayeb size and that amstaff's have black noses. But other than that they are the same thing.


OK.
 spooky

----------


## boadaddy

> If you put them side by side they are the same thing. One is recognized by one club while the other is not. Again I'm  no dog expert, but they are the same thing down to the core. The only differences Im aware of is mayeb size and that amstaff's have black noses. But other than that they are the same thing.


 LOL they aren't the same, sorry bud..... :Confused:

----------


## PitOnTheProwl

> If you put them side by side they are the same thing. One is recognized by one club while the other is not. Again I'm  no dog expert, but they are the same thing down to the core. The only differences Im aware of is mayeb size and that amstaff's have black noses. But other than that they are the same thing.


Actually you are debating on _FOUR_ different dogs/breed.
There is the Staffordshire Terrier, American Stafforshire Terrier, American Pitbull Terrier, and now also the American Bully.
They are all different and have different standards. :Wink: 
There IS NOT a "pitbull" per say, it is a blanket term that covers A LOT of bully breeds as those listed above and include Mastiffs, Corsos, and Shar Pei.
Looks may be close but dna and blood are not. Its all about whats in the mix :Good Job:

----------

astoudt (12-01-2011),_Cendalla_ (11-30-2011),spygirl (11-19-2011)

----------


## PitOnTheProwl

> Thank you both for the info so far. I was reading more about them, I was truly curious. It shocked me to learn they had a better temprament score this past year than Golden Retrievers and Collies. I know if we ever get a dog again we will get a rescue. We don't want to go through the puppy stage, however, that being said its sometimes hard to know exactly what you're getting into with a rescue. I thought perhaps with a breed specific rescue you'd have a better idea of their temprement as they would have had a little more time and effort put into the dog than say a simple shelter.


I sure wish more people would study and learn facts rather than believe what they see on TV :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  :Good Job:

----------


## TheSnakeEye

> Actually you are debating on _FOUR_ different dogs/breed.
> There is the Staffordshire Terrier, American Stafforshire Terrier, American Pitbull Terrier, and now also the American Bully.
> They are all different and have different standards.
> There IS NOT a "pitbull" per say, it is a blanket term that covers A LOT of bully breeds as those listed above and include Mastiffs, Corsos, and Shar Pei.
> Looks may be close but dna and blood are not. Its all about whats in the mix


This is true. Others on the forum may disagree, and I honestly dont care. But to me an American Pitbull Terrier, an American Staffordshire Terrier, and a Staffordshire Terrier are almost the exact same things with a few exceptions. If I purchased an amstaff, I would not call it a pit and vicew versa. If you guys want to sit there and get technical, go right ahead. To me they are almost exactly the same. Same ancestors, same drive, same reasons for being bred, same size/shape/ build ratio to one another (one of the strands of staffys are smaller). And finally, to most people cannot tell them apart. 

American Bully's on the other hand, to me are not the same. To me they are glorified mutts, who all look different. You have the athletic body with the huge head, then you have the short legged, huge body/head, wrinkly faced ones. I don't recognize that as a breed.

----------


## mr.spooky

> American Bully's on the other hand, to me are not the same. To me they are glorified mutts, who all look different. You have the athletic body with the huge head, then you have the short legged, huge body/head, wrinkly faced ones. I don't recognize that as a breed.


   hahahahahahaha  +100!!!!!!  i gotta agree with that.
 spooky

----------


## ShockBunny

As far as pits pulling goes- a Halti or gentle leader is your best friend! They let you control the dog from the face like a horse rather then from the neck. The only downside is that they don't for certain breeds. So my sharpei mix has to do without it. Anything with short face or really fat muzzle may not be able to use it. But it's a godsend for our pit mix! I like the Halti brand because they have a "backup" lead on them. We attach it to a choke chain so we can have control in case he does slip out of the halti.

----------


## mr.spooky

iv tried the halti,,, still got it along with an assortment of unused leashes..  iv herd that those were really good leashes from alot of people, and most everybody says that they work for them... it just made my dog pull with his head down LOL..
 spooky

----------


## PitOnTheProwl

A halti will work with all the power breeds "with" training but I dont like the fact that a lot of the morons think its a muzzle :Rage:  :Rage:

----------


## jason_ladouceur

> A halti will work with all the power breeds "with" training but I dont like the fact that a lot of the morons think its a muzzle


that's because you don't live in Ontario.  Where some @$#%!^&&@#%$  decide to pass a law requiring all pits to be muzzled.  not only do haltis work to stop even the worst pullers with training.  but because they look like muzzle you can get away with walking your dog here without having to tie a cage over their face.

----------


## ShockBunny

> A halti will work with all the power breeds "with" training but I dont like the fact that a lot of the morons think its a muzzle


THIS. XD I use one on my husky, and people always assume she's vicious. Not even close. XD It keeps her from pulling like a sled dog, though, which I love.

----------


## Crawly's Mom

Okay so this is not how I expected this to happen... at all. I thought I would have a very, VERY long time to research more and figure out exactly what we wanted, then fate slapped me in the face. 

I was on Craigslist last night and happened upon an ad that stated that a person had a 5 month old pit bull puppy that they needed to get rid of. They were being evicted that night from their apartment and if they could not find somebody to take the dog by midnight they were going to leave her out on the street. To make matters worse the dog had been a rescue dog to begin with and not just a normal rescue, but an SPCA cruelty seizure. She has burns all over her paws and one quarter sized burn on her ear from where somebody put a cigar out on her. 

I went over and picked her up, sure enough there were several people helping the guy move his stuff out when I arrived, stuffing it into cars. He handed me the puppy and all the medicine for her ear, since it still needs to be flushed and iodined. She's been fixed, has her rabies shot, and all others. She's been around his daughter who was 1.5, sure enough my 2 year old doesn't phase her one bit. Despite all she's been through she is still all happy tails and cuddling. 

I know it was spur of the moment and I am not even sure we're prepared for a dog, let alone a puppy, but I couldn't let her get thrown out on the street.

----------


## Inknsteel

Good for you... I think its an amazing thing you're doing by taking this puppy in and giving it a loving home. Sure, it may have been a quick decision, but now that you're in if you do it right you're going to have a wonderful companion and addition to the family.

----------


## Inknsteel

Oh, one more thing... Pictures!!!

----------


## mr.spooky

CONGRADULATIONS!!!!!  im sure that this will be a special dog!
 spooky

----------


## Crawly's Mom

I just couldn't let any animal end up out on the street, especially not after all she has been through already. She's still so curious it's hard to get her to sit still for any real pictures. I got one of the burn that's still being treated though. It's about the size of a silver dollar on her head. I don't think I have ever even seen a cigar that big... somehow I doubt it's just that, but it is DEFINITELY a burn. What kind of sick person does that to a puppy?! She's so sweet and loving... it's just wrong.

----------


## Crawly's Mom

Oh... does anyone have tips for jumping? She hasn't jumped on my daughter, but she does try to jump up on me. I don't want her to accidentally jump on the baby or swat her. I've just been pushing her down and saying no, not sure if anyone has a better method lol.

----------


## Crawly's Mom

A couple more pictures. I snapped one of her sleeping and one when she was barking at the reflection of the television in the window lol. Good little guard dog.

----------


## Brass City Reptiles

1.0 pastel 
0.2 female normal 
1.0 pinstripe 
0.1 het albino
0.1 chocolate 
0.1 spider 
1.0 yellow belly 
0.1 black pastel
1.0 fire

----------


## spygirl

> Oh... does anyone have tips for jumping? She hasn't jumped on my daughter, but she does try to jump up on me. I don't want her to accidentally jump on the baby or swat her. I've just been pushing her down and saying no, not sure if anyone has a better method lol.


Bear with me, because this is going to be long... But I just freakin love bully breeds! As a dog trainer, they're some of my fave breeds to work with.

OK, so jumping... The key is consistency, so make sure every one in the family gets on board. There are several methods I use all at once, so you kinda pick and choose what method to use in different situations.

1.) Walk away. If she starts to jump up, turn your body away, don't make eye contact, and walk away. As soon as all 4 paws are on the ground, praise her in  a soft, gentle voice. If you use an excited voice, it will just get her all riled up again.

2.) Prevent the jumping. Start teaching her "sit", "stay", etc. When you see her about to jump, interrupt her with a command. Then praise. 

3.) Use a command. I like to use the word "off" to mean get off of me, get off the couch, get off the table, etc. *NOTE: You don't have to use the word "off". Just pick a word and stick with it. Most people will say "down" to mean get off of me and then use the same word to mean lay down. It confuses the dog to have a command word mean more than one thing. Again, consistency is your friend with dog training.* She jumps up, you say "off", and then use the walk away method. 

4.) "Time outs". I use this phrase loosely because they really aren't time outs, its just a chance for the dog to calm down. So say no matter what you do, she just keeps jumping up and refuses to listen. Take her gently by the collar, lead her to her crate, a bathroom, or some place she can be safely confined, and let her stay in this safe place for 2-3 minutes. Don't use an angry voice or be visibly upset. You're not punishing her, you're just giving her a safe place to be to calm down. After 2-3 minutes try again. Dogs hate being ignored, so this can be a great teaching tool. Eventually, they'll figure out that when they do X behavior, they get ignored. But when they do Y behavior, they get love and attention. 

Personally, I would get her into some group training class ASAP. The class will help you bond and give an active puppy something to do. Bring the whole family because again, consistency is key. 

Congrats on your new addition! They make such great family dogs. Ya'll are going to have tons of fun with her!  :Smile:

----------


## Crawly's Mom

Alright. So far I have been working with her using off, it doesn't always work, but she's getting a bit better about it. The main time she jumps is when she's excited. IE: When my husband came home or when you have something she wants. She does seem to know what sit means, she is slow to it sometimes, but she definitely knows the word. 

I got to look her over a bit more when she was asleep. Found several more burns on her paws at different stages of healing, some close to completely healed and others still red and raw looking. I made an appointment with a vet tomorrow at 9:30, so I will be taking her down to get her all checked up. At that time I will probably grab some info about training too.  :Smile:

----------


## TheSnakeEye

Consistency, positive reinforcement and love are key... Also I cannot stress enough that you should take every opportunity you can to socialize her. Whether it be with strangers, dogs, small children. She is already large enough that if she wanted to she could cause some damage, but still young enough to make any aggressive behavior she may have go away. Once she is healed, UTD on all shots, and on a heartworm and flea preventative, I suggest taking her for walks where you will come across other FRIENDLY dogs. If not call w.e friends you have, that have dogs, and go to a park and just chill. Even if it a 2 lb chihuahua, you need to make sure she is well socialzed. Also, and this applies to EVERY dog, make sure she is not food aggressive. Get her use to you putting your hand near her face while she is eating. I have a dog that is food aggressive, luckily I have no small children, cus I can defintiely see a child going to mess with the dog while he's eating, only to get bit.

----------


## PitOnTheProwl

> Consistency, positive reinforcement and love are key....


They can also be bribed very easily with treats in the begining too

----------


## TheSnakeEye

> They can also be bribed very easily with treats in the begining too


Lol that falls under the positive reinforcement and love category

----------


## Crawly's Mom

So far we have learned in the day that we have had her:

She is not food aggressive. My daughter walked up grabbed her bowl and walked away with it, she was also hand feeding her at one point, one piece of kibble at a time. Oddly enough she only seems to eat if you are in the room with her. 

She is afraid of rats. She was sniffing the cage of our two full grown female pet rats. One hopped on the bars and scared her, now she will not even go near the cage. 

She doesn't like the vaccum cleaner. She attacked it when I turned it on, it took a no three times and a sit before she would leave it alone. Now she just growls at it from the couch while I vaccum.

I think she might have been hit with sticks. She was playing with my daughter at one point, they were both running around, baby was squealing and excited. She picked up a stick and the dog immediately turned around and ran under the table. She didn't even make a motion to hit her or anything, yet she tuckled tail and ran off quick. 

In general she's been really good though. We have some stuff to work on with her. Obviously the jumping needs to go. I am gonna get her to the vet. I do have the paperwork on all her shots, including rabies. I will get her on heartworm. She's already spayed. So hopefully I can get some cream for her burns and get her on the right track. Soon as the doc says she's okay to be around other animals, I'll look into some training classes.

----------


## TheSnakeEye

That sounds great! From time to time, while she is eating just randomly go up to her and just grab the bowl, it should help keep from being food aggressive. You have to do it while she's eating, just go grab while she's eating. As for the stick, show her the stick without moving it around and get her to come near it, perhaps by using a treat or something. When that works great, that she no longer worries about it and acts like it's not around, trying moving it around while continuing to give her treats. She should realize that the stick is not going to be used to hit her and that stick= treats.

----------


## ShockBunny

Aw, poor puppy! I'm glad she'll be taken care of now.  :Smile:  You did a good thing. She's really cute. Lots of good advice in this thread, too. I think the lack of socialization as a puppy is one of the biggest issue my boyfriend's dog has. Definitely not one to skip!

----------


## GoingPostal

> That sounds great! From time to time, while she is eating just randomly go up to her and just grab the bowl, it should help keep from being food aggressive. You have to do it while she's eating, just go grab while she's eating .


Actually that's a great way to train a dog to be food aggressive, seeing as you keep going up and randomly taking their food.   Dogs that guard stuff do so because they are afraid you are going to take it, doing just that isn't going to help matters.  Instead make you near their bowl a good thing, drop some treats in while they are eating, once they are comfortable with that, take it away for a milisecond and drop something really yummy in and give it right back, pretty quick you'll have a dog who loves people by their stuff, not one who thinks people are out to steal it.  I'll never understand why people are so dead set on messing with dogs while they eat anyways, I expect my dogs to leave me alone while I eat and they get the same respect.

----------


## Crawly's Mom

So far we have had zero signs of food aggression. Like I said my daughter was over petting her while she was eating and even was hand feeding her pieces of kibble. At one point I caught her holding the water bowl for the puppy to drink out of too. My daughter already loves her. She squeals and runs around and the puppy chases her. At one point she fell and the pup stood over her and gave her kisses. It has gotten to the point that when my daughter wakes up from her nap the puppy runs to her door and whimpers and it's only been one day lol. 

I trimmed her nails today with the pedi-paws (aka dremil with a guard lol), which she was perfectly good with, just sat there and let me clean them up. I figure if she is going to jump she needs her nails to not be so sharp!! So far all is going well... except I am struggling with a name. I can't think of anything to call her. My husband and I were batting around the possibility of doing something Christmas/Holiday themed, since it's just around the corner. Anyone have any ideas?

----------


## spygirl

The jumping up when excited thing will take some time to work through. Again, consistency is key. So when your husband comes home, have him ignore her. Walk through the door and don't make eye contact. When she's better at "sit", have her sit as soon as you walk through the door. If your not excited, it'll keep her from getting excited. Make a routine, so she knows what to expect.

For example, here is my routine for when I come home. I walk through the door and if I speak to the dogs, its in a soft, soothing voice. I let them out of their crates and let them outside. They do their business and we may throw the ball around to get that pent up energy out. Then we head back in. They have to sit at the door and wait to be invited in. I tell them to come in and by that time they've pretty much settled down. 

As for the food aggression thing and taking food away from her... It works in certain situations with certain dogs. Both of my dogs have a happy past. No problems with abuse, etc. So we practiced sitting for food/toys and having me take away food/toys. So when its time to put up the toys or rawhide or what ever, I have no problems from removing the item from their mouth. So far, she's shown no issues with food. As she gets more comfortable with you, she may see how far she can push you. In this situation, I would put my hand near the bowl, in her bowl, or hold the bowl while she eats and then treat for good behavior. Same with toys. Then, when you've become a more established "alpha", practice gently taking toys away from her and treating for good behavior. 

There was something else I was going to mention, but now I've forgotten... Maybe after the baby goes to bed I'll remember.  :ROFL:

----------


## TheSnakeEye

> Actually that's a great way to train a dog to be food aggressive, seeing as you keep going up and randomly taking their food.   Dogs that guard stuff do so because they are afraid you are going to take it, doing just that isn't going to help matters.  Instead make you near their bowl a good thing, drop some treats in while they are eating, once they are comfortable with that, take it away for a milisecond and drop something really yummy in and give it right back, pretty quick you'll have a dog who loves people by their stuff, not one who thinks people are out to steal it.  I'll never understand why people are so dead set on messing with dogs while they eat anyways, I expect my dogs to leave me alone while I eat and they get the same respect.


I've never had that issue with any dog I've owned. Especially if I'm petting him while trying to remove the bowl. The point is to show dominance and who is the alpha. As for you not understanding why this is done... It's just in case any little kid tries to mess with the dog while eating, you wouldn't want the dog to have a bad reaction. When I eat I like to eat in peace, and when my dogs eat I like to let them eat in peace, but since they don't speak english, I can't tell them "hey don't bite anyone if they stick their hands in your face while you're eating". Difference between us and them.

----------


## TheSnakeEye

Also when I said just go up to her and take the food away, what I meant was that while she is eating go up to her, pet her, tell her what a good dog she is, gets closer to her face and eventually just reach for the bowl. Eventually you can just skip the whole petting process. Actually if she isn't food aggressive now, I would just let her know you're there and let her know you're going to take it from her. But she has to be eating, because if you get her to stop eating, let's say to sit, while you grab the bowl, it defeats the purpose. Dog's usually show food aggression while actually eating or sticking their face in their bowl.

----------


## Crawly's Mom

All finished with the vet visit! She is a whopping 25 lbs. A little underweight but not drastically. The burn has a bit of an infection, so I got some antibiotics that she gets to take once a day. She also has some infection around her spay incision, so the antibiotics should clear that up too. They are going to try and use the number on her ID to get some info on her shot record from the humane society, however, if they can't get anything she'll need to have her puppy shots again. 

We get to go back in two weeks to have her checked out once more to make sure all is well. Everyone absolutely loved her, said she was the sweetest thing. I think I have ten different people approach me to say hello to her. So much love for my little pit puppy. We've decided to call her Cinnamon or Cinny. So we'll see how it all turns out from here!  :Smile:

----------


## PitOnTheProwl

:Bowdown:  :Bowdown:  :Good Job:

----------


## astoudt

Great to hear that the vet visit went well and congrats on your new baby she is *so* adorable.. 

Side note to all of you bully lovers:

I'm sure you've heard of Villalobos Rescue Center (from the tv show Pitbulls and Parolees). They are in a contest to win a LOT of money to help pitbulls. This contest would be huge and amazing for them. They need votes so if any of you are on facebook and can vote it would be so great. Also share it with as many of your friends as possible!!! There isn't much time left!!!

Here's the link. http://bit.ly/uoWhxW

----------


## DMTWI

Congrats on your new pup, she is a cute little gal! Good luck with her and nice job stepping in to rescue her!     :Good Job: 

  Our guy Chewee says hi....he's also a rescue dog.

----------


## pigfat

Congrats on the rescue!! You have a great heart!! I dont think thats a full-blood pit though, maybe I skipped over information?

----------


## Crawly's Mom

According to the vet she is a pitbull, using the definition of any bully breed that has no real record of lineage. So we are going with it lol. I think she looks a little mixed too. To me she seems a little taller than most pits I have seen and more narrow, but I adore her, no matter what she is lol.

----------


## Dpineiro87

i've had Several Pitbulls through out my child hood and i have got another one a few months ago and he not one bit aggressive i have a 6 month baby boy and he very protective of my son he lets us know when my son is getting into thigs he will come and grab our clothing for us to follow him. There Only As Bad As There Owner Train Them To Be......

----------


## SnowmanTG



----------


## Amon Ra Reptiles

I know this is an old thread but.... I figured I'd give my thoughts. 
    I love the breed and they do make wonderful pets. I'm a member of the pit-bull chat forum. This is by far the most educational forum for this breed. The people there are 100% devoted to the breed. There are threads on care and training, weight pulling,showing, breed history, ect. Also sections for the different bully breeds ( Am staff, bull terriers, APBT, am bullies, ect ). 
    I have to disagree with the " it's all in how you raise them ".....  " the owner makes them mean and dog aggressive "  This is false. It's in their blood. It's what they were bred for for 100s of yrs. I didn't read past the first page but I did see one person state the truth. They are not naturally human aggressive and the trait of HA is a trait that is strongly frowned upon . A lot of breeders will cull HA dogs. That's one trait the breed should never have. They were bred to be like stated pit dogs. If they were HA the owner wouldn't have been able to separate the two dogs. Dog fighting is not what it used to be. I DO NOT at all agree with fighting dogs! But the media and todays idiot breeders and fighters have made the breed frowned upon. It's complicated to understand and I didn't really until I became a member of pit bull chat. 
     They are a hyper breed for the most part and need a lot of attention and exercise. They love people and make good pets for a family setting. As I said being dog aggressive is in their blood and some are and some are not. But with any new bully breed you need to watch them with other dogs. They also have a high prey drive. So make sure a new addition will be ok with cats lol. 

This is Kylie. She is an American pit bull terrier. Besides being crazy lol shes the sweetest dog!

----------

_aldebono_ (12-23-2011),_DNACurtusK_ (08-12-2012),PitOnTheProwl (12-23-2011)

----------


## Miss Tuniwha

I will chime in..  no, I didn't read up on the entire thread  :Razz: 

I have a pit..  he was a rescue..  he is now almost 6 years old..

He does great with cats, other dogs, even my bird..  

Only downfall is they have a LOT of energy, so he would get too excited sometimes and topple small kids..

----------


## Amon Ra Reptiles

> Actually you are debating on _FOUR_ different dogs/breed.
> There is the Staffordshire Terrier, American Stafforshire Terrier, American Pitbull Terrier, and now also the American Bully.
> They are all different and have different standards.
> There IS NOT a "pitbull" per say, it is a blanket term that covers A LOT of bully breeds as those listed above and include Mastiffs, Corsos, and Shar Pei.
> Looks may be close but dna and blood are not. Its all about whats in the mix


Thank you!!! Someone with a know-how of the breeds and how they are DIFFERENT.  They are all different. An APBT looks way different than a staffie.

This is a true APBT
 
Picture is from Stillwater kennels. 

This is an American bully

Picture is from bullybros kennels

This is what poor back yard breeding has done to the breed. These dogs are nothing but eye candy for people with a poor knowledge of what a APBT should be. These dogs have horrible joint problems. They can't be active because they can't move and get around properly. They can't breath right. The blue coats have skin issues...... I'll stop now lol

This is an Am staff

Picture is from sbigstaff.com

Staffordshire bull terrier

Picture is from massiesstaffys.com

Credit was given to the breeders of each dog.

See big difference in the breeds.

----------

_BallsUnlimited_ (01-25-2012),_mr.spooky_ (12-23-2011),PitOnTheProwl (12-23-2011),_Redneck_Crow_ (12-23-2011)

----------


## PitOnTheProwl

> Thank you!!! Someone with a know-how of the breeds and how they are DIFFERENT.


Thank you, I didnt make up my screen name because it was cool :Wink:  It was given to me and I have kept it for almost 20 years now :ROFL:  :ROFL:  :ROFL:

----------


## Redneck_Crow

A friend of mine when I was a kid had a pit that was amazing.  Babysat kids.  Never started a fight with another dog.

However.... let there be a ground hog, possum, or a coon and Patty turned into Satan, only less genteel.  She was one heck of a varmint dog (back in the sticks where nobody cared what breed they were if they could do the job) and not so good but still OK on squirrel too.

----------


## Bennydog

Best dogs ever.. Great with kids.. Had them since i was a baby.. raise them right like anything and they will be loyal and loving to the end... The meanest most agressive devil dogs I ever had were Min Pins,,,  :Surprised: 

Abby and my new pup Rocket checking out my son Declan..they are best friends now! 


 pup

----------

PitOnTheProwl (03-28-2012)

----------


## Serpentine

I love Pit bulls but they are banned in my area, however mixes are allowed, so I got a mix he's a pit/beagle. He was nippy at first with the kids, luckily my kids were older and we would correct him together. I've always believed it's the owner that makes any breed 'bad' and not the dog's breed itself. However they are very powerful dogs, therefore could cause a lot of damage so proper training is a must! You have to be the leader, not the dog and consistancy is the key with anything really... even when you're tired!

Sorry for the weird pic, but there's no other pics of Buster (the brindle colored one) on this computer

----------


## Jazi

Old topic, reply to an old post, but re: AmBullies it's really all structure structure structure. Personally, I don't see healthy dogs in the Pocket, XL, and Extreme variety, but Standard and Classic do have very nicely structured dogs that aren't hippos and aren't as prone to problems with their backs, hips, and joints. For comparison...

Standard


Pocket


XL


Extreme


Classic


All images taken from the ABKC official website; theabkcdogs.org. None of these dogs are particularly my cuppa... technically pit bulls as a whole aren't really my cuppa as I tend to prefer the larger German working breeds, but having worked with an ex-fighting dog I was rather forced to learn the difference between the breeds. Speaking of...



This is Baby, a dog that my sister got about 6 years ago. She's an APBT/AmStaff mix that was purposely mixed in an attempt to obtain a better fighting dog by her previous owners, who were street-level fighters that had absolutely no idea what they were doing (A: AmStaffs aren't good fighters, B: breeding for both dog and human aggression = bad fighting dog, C: neglecting, starving, and beating their dogs to make them "meaner" = bad fighting dog, all of which any _actual_ dog fighter knows, not that I support those either). She "wouldn't fight" and was used as bait instead, my sister heard the dogs going at it and bravely went over to give her neighbors an earful. They in turn dumped all the puppies on her in an attempt to get her to not call the police. She took the pups and rehomed all but one, but called the police anyway  :Good Job: 

It's covered up well in this picture, and the scars aren't nearly as bad as one who spent their whole life in the ring, but her chest, jowls, muzzle, and ears are rather torn up under the thin fur. We've managed to work out most of her dog aggression out to the point where she's just reactive in certain circumstances, and she was never human aggressive, just a bit fearful, which she's managed to overcome in her 6 years in a good home. My nephew and their other dog can get in her face, play rough, even bug her while she eats (my nephew likes to freak his friends out by putting his face very close to her when she's eating... she backs up and waits for him to be "done" at her bowl) and she takes it all without a growl but with lots of buttwiggles and kisses.

I currently use her alongside my parents' dog as a therapy animal for my mom's special ed students... nothing better than having a low-functioning autistic kid open right up to a pit bull's adoration.

----------

PitOnTheProwl (03-28-2012)

----------


## mrkrec

Me and my girl Sassy... She is Pit Bull/ American bulldog mix..

----------

