Pit Bulls?

[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.