Pit Bull Terriers as Pets - Yes or No - and most importantly - WHY, especially i

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   killerdillardposted 13 years ago

   Pit Bull Terriers as Pets - Yes or No - and most importantly - WHY, especially if you answered yes?
   
   I personally am against having Pit Bulls as pets (especially for a family with children) for the very simple reason of “instinctive trait”.
   
   Pit Bulls were selected and groomed to be fighting dogs based on traits that were identified years ago by men interested in engaging in Dog Fighting.
   
   This is not a new practice as some breeds have been identified by certain traits that make a certain dog ideal for guarding and herding livestock.
   
   My rational is, if you get bit by a Sheltie, it will probably be in the hand or lower leg; if you get bit by a Pit, it will be in the chest/neck/head area.
   
   

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2. 63

   amymarie_5posted 13 years ago

   I used to think this way too.  Read my hub.  It will tell you exactly why pit bulls are not dangerous dogs.
   
   http://hubpages.com/hub/Facts-About-Pit-Bulls

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3. 73

   Mel Jayposted 13 years ago

   Yes! They are excellent, sweet natured, social, fun loving dogs.  They are not difficult to train and really love people and being part of the family. They thrive on affection and need to be with company.  Any dog is a problem if it is not raised right.  There have been more problems with bites here from Shepherds and Labradors than there ever were from Pit Bulls - my local council publishes statistics on dog bites every year.

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   Jonesy0311posted 13 years ago

   I have a one-year old pit bull that I raised from a pup after finding him tied to a stop sign. He's rambunxious and rebellious but has never bit anyone nor acted aggressively toward a human or animal. Breed means next to nothing. Based on that logic I could say that all African-Americans should conduct manual labor since white settlers bred them to be slaves. See, the logic falls apart. Also, don't forget that the term "pit bull" encompasses several different breeds which look similar. It's all about nurture and training.

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   Mr Grimwigposted 13 years ago

   Yes! You mentioned that Pit Bulls were bred as fighting dogs - well, of course they were, but they were bred to fight DOGS, not HUMANS. They were very specifically bred to be extremely friendly towards people, because their handlers would break up the dogs during the fight, and they didn't want to be bitten by the dogs. So Pit Bulls (technically American Pit Bull Terriers) were bred to be FRIENDLY with people and aggressive to DOGS. The trait is to be friendly towards people!
   
   Later on, of course, idiots started breeding them to be aggressive towards people, but the majority of Pitties have the instinct to be FRIENDLY towards people. Sorry for the caps use; I just want to get my point across.
   
   You might say that if a dog is aggressive towards dogs it can become aggressive towards humans - but this is NOT true; it simply doesn't happen. Please, please, please meet a real, well-cared-for Pit Bull and you'll know they're awesome, friendly, wonderful dogs.

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   annbrownposted 13 years ago

   They are good family dogs and the myth about "viciousness" is nonsense. They are loyal, athletic and high-energy dogs. Their willingness to please their owners is tremendous. That particular trait is what makes "bad owners" want this breed. They are highly intelligent and have determination. This is why when you put those traits to good use (i.e. therapy, law enforcement), they exceed expectations. They used to be used as "nanny dogs" and were highly valued in United States as being an All-American breed. Don't forget that until the last two decades, other breeds were considered dangerous (Dobermans, German Shepherds). What you stated in your post is based on common myths that are sensationalized by media. A Pit Bull is not a breed. There are many breeds that fall into a category of pit bull type such as Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffodshire Terrier, American Bulldog. What you see on TV is highly inaccurate. If you cross a Boxer and a Lab, guess what an offspring may end up looking like? If the dog who attacked resembles a pit bull, media will report it as such. It's not fair to people like me who have dogs that are normal family dogs. I have three children who I will raise to be kind and accepting of different breeds of dogs. I will be sure to educate them on fears and stereotypes. They love our dog who is an American Staffodshire Terrier (all 65 lbs of her). She is loving, caring, sometimes crazy and acting like a clown. I adopted her as an adult (see my Hub) with no fears or concern. The bottom line is, do your research and ask people who know about the breed before passing any judgement. There is nothing worse than blind fear.

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      Doglvr4life77posted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Yes thank yoi

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7. 85

   Barbsbitsnpiecesposted 13 years ago

   @killerdillard...Well, anyone with a user name like yours would answer that way! Ha! Seriously, I am a member of the camp that says a dog will treat you the way you treat the dog. So, yes, definitely, pit bull terriers can be pets.
   
   I had a beautiful Newfoundland. They are trained for water work and water rescue, and have an instinctive trait for water. But guess what? They still have to be introduced to the water when they are pups. The first time I took Ebony to the lake, a few weeks after adopting her from an animal shelter (she was about nine months old), she had no idea what the water was all about. I had to teach her how to get into it and how to fetch and how to play.
   
   What would you teach a pit bull terrier?

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   GiGi777posted 12 years ago

   I'm glad you've asked this question. Yes, pit bulls make excellent pets... that is if you're willing to invest hours a week on training. Any dog can be "vicious" at first, but love, dedication, and extensive training will go a long way, even in the most ferocious of dogs. I honestly believe that pit bulls have a bad rep, but I've been friends with several pit bull owners, all of which have children. When adopted or rescue, a pit bull's "instinctive trait" will always be to protect it's owner, even if this means biting people who seem a threat. This can be controlled. Rather than constantly scolding a "vicious" dog all the time, praise them at random for doing something good that their doing. Encourage "play time" where pit bulls can release their "inner wolf"!

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   Dubuquedogtrainerposted 12 years ago

   Some of my favorite dogs have been pit bulls. My favorite dog in training with me right now is a pit bull mix - absolutely lovely dog! Yes, it's true that these dogs and dogs like them were bred to be fighting dogs, but that doesn't make every pit bull aggressive or dangerous. It's a myth. Pit bulls are serving as assistance (service) dogs. Just look at those that were rehabilitated and never turned aggressive after the abuse suffered at the hand of Michael Vick!  Every dog is an individual; no dog is inherently aggressive or dangerous based on its breed.

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    Brett Winnposted 12 years ago

    I used to think that way to, until I met a few pit bulls. I am sure (as with any breed) that there unstable specimens, but I must say that I have never met one. I've met a few that had dog aggression issues (usually rescues from fighting people) but I've never met one that wasn't friendly to people. And I am a dog trainer, dog class instructor, and have met quite a few.

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    Djaakposted 12 years ago

    I think yes. They make very good pets. I live in South Africa where pit bulls are very common because of theft. I personally know a few pitt bulls who are the friendliest dogs in the world. The trick is to make sure to give them lots of exposure to people from birth and if you play with him, play hard but be strict so he knows where the line is. Hope this helps

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    Doglvr4life77posted 7 years ago

    This is hard for me not to be upset while answering thos?. First U must really research better on your dog breeds and training. I am a dog trainer and I specialize in Behavior modification. Pit bull terrier were not breed for fighting. They were nanny dogs. These "Aggressive "breeds that people really should get educated on  are not so aggressive. Think about we  are humans and have our faults and problems we get aggressive . When we are scared or mad we all have a fight or flight  reaction. You lnow those cute lil ol fluffy dogs are more dangerous than tan someone educating themselves better on this situation. You all are killing innocent lives. I may be a little harsh right now but I am very passionate about what I do. I really want to educate and save lives. I have a huge passion and am very compassionate about  educating mankind.  I believe that pit breeds are more suitable for a family. As opposed to a smaller dog. However keep in mind if we are going to shelters to adopt and some of these dogs will  come with behavioral issues . So it's not the dogs that need to be screened it's the adopter.  Everything and angle must be covered. I aslnthat no matter what dog u adopt before judging  research your breed yourself. We hate it when we are judged by our cover. Education is what will save life.

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    Whitney05posted 7 years ago

    Pit bulls were bred for dog aggression. If you look into their history, you'll find that they were NEVER bred for human aggression, which is totally different. These dogs were often retired and treated well in home situations as family pets. Fighting dogs that showed signs of human aggression were culled and not allowed to breed. They had to handle these dogs. They didn't want to fear their lives. I have a pure bred pit bull and a pit bull mix and trust them with my 6 month old baby. Of course, I use common sense.
    
    You really have no clue what you're talking about.

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