Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

I am afraid of pit bulls and the like because they have the strength to do a lot of damage. Unless I know a dog (any breed) and the owner if I see them at a park or the like I usually steer clear just to err to the safe side. Actually chow-chows scare me the most because there was a mean one in the yard behind the house I grew up in.

Message edited 9/18/2006 11:53:55 AM.

Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

I am not scared of any dog breeds.I feel very strongly that certain breeds have gotten a bad rep. Its the owners who make a dog agressive. If a dog is trained correctly, it will not be agressive. However if its is not raised properly -and this goes for ANY breed - it can be come agressive and attack other dogs and maybe even people.
Some dogs have the reputation of being this way because they were orginally bred for their physical attributed to make them good attack dogs. But because they have these features does not mean that they are automatically going to be bad dogs, which is what a lot of people assume.

Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

I think my avatar says it all. I love my pit!!! She's an absolute mush - and she's as loyal as they come (and I also have a yellow lab - so I have the 'other' side of loyal too ).

That said - my pit 'came' with my DH when we moved in 5 years ago. Can't say that I wasn't a bit scared at first - but once you get past the stereotype - it's all love.

I'm not so naive to say that it's the same for all pits....I think some are quite dangerous. It's all in the way they're bred and raised.

PS - most people are terrified of my pit when they see her for the first time.

Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

I happen to agree with you on this.....

Pits, rotties, dobies, german shepards, all get a bad rap from movies, new reports, etc.

Pits are notorius for being the BEST family dogs around...why? Because they are SO obedient, they do anything to please their human. This is why they make good attack/fighting dogs.....if it's what the human wants......UGH.

Rotties....again, great family pets. Ours has been a treasure to us, great with the family kids, and great with strangers after a nice greeting. She DOES tend to be a little unwary of strange men.

I am so sick and tired of people assuming that big dogs are bad......

Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

I'm not afriad of any breeds, but if I am afraid of the owner... I may watch the dog a bit to see if I can sense any aggression.

Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

I haven't read all the posts, but our family (nice Jewish family from the south shore) had a pit bull for 13 years and she was the gentlest, lickiest, sweetest, most generous, kindest, yummiest, cuddliest, baby/kid loving, most delicious doggy in the whole world.

We lost her about 2 weeks ago and its so sad, a big piece of our family is missing. I would have another pit bull in a minute.



and hugs to my sister...she had her since she was a teensy baby pup

Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

I love dogs of all shapes and sizes but as a general rule, I won't approach a dog without checking with their owner first. Any dog can bite but larger breeds obviously will do a little bit more damage.

As for more aggressive large breeds, I think they should only be owned by those who understands the breed, dog psychology and can and will train them appropriately. Small dogs can be just as aggressive too but large dogs need someone who can handle them appropriately because of their size and capability.

Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

I don't know if afraid is the right word, but I am definitely wary of pit bulls, dobermans, rotties. Ironically, I've only been bit by small dogs - a poodle and 2 chihuahuas.

I don't care if you have the best behaved dog in the world. At the end of the day, they're dogs and they have instincts that are not always under their owner's control.

My girlfriend had a doberman in highschool. He was always a good dog, always friendly - I was never afraid of him. One night she was walking him and he got riled up because of another dog and turned on her. She got 30 stitches in her earlobe from his attack. Just an inch or so lower and he could have killed her.

Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

I am a HUGE animal lover especially when it comes to dogs.

To be quite honest, if I were to cross paths with a Pit Bull who I've never encountered I would most definitely avoid it because they can be viscous if they were not brought up properly.

My sister-in-law has a Pit Bull and she is such a sweetie!

ETA: It all determines on how it is raised and of course that goes for any animal.

Message edited 9/18/2006 11:47:48 AM.

Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

Message edited 9/18/2006 11:54:07 AM.

Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

To me, it is a combination of nature and nurture. There are some dogs that are just aggressive in nature but if raised properly can be the sweetest things. I also think that the most gentle dog if treated poorly can become aggressive.

I general judge the dog on their actions, not the breed. Mainly because i don't know enough about any breed. My friend rented a room in a house from a woman with an Akita. The dog was so sweet to all the animals in the house (it was like a zoo- 2 cats, birds, fish...) that I had no idea that the breed was known to be aggressive.

Now that I am a mom though, I would be wary to get any dog that has an agressive nature. Just because you never know when something could trigger that animal to be aggressive, whether it be a bird, or a child pulling on the dog. Ideally I want a dog that flunked out of seeing eye dog school but the waiting list is insane- about 10 -15 years.

Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

The reason people get pit bulls to make into guard dogs, and train them to be aggressive is because they have a more aggressive nature. I know it takes training to bring it out, but there are still natural tendencies in the dogs. That doesn't mean that all dogs are like that...but most of the dobermans, rotties and pit bulls I've seen in my experience were guard dogs, or trained to be aggressive, doesn't mean that every one is, but I'd be more comfortable approaching a collie on the street or something, than a rottie.

There's a reason collies and retrievers aren't used as guard dogs, they don't have that aggressive tendency built into them.

Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

alot of people are saying "they are KNOWN to be agressive" etc....

while i feel they are "STEREOTYPED as being agressive" etc

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Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

Message edited 9/18/2006 12:27:08 PM.

Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

I'm wary of them-partly because of their nature but also because I don't know how they were raised. If I am in the park and see strangers with these kinds of dogs I would be more wary because I don't know how they raised their dogs and would err on the side of caution and stay away.

Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

I had a pit mix so I know how sweet they can be. But having been nearly attacked by one while I was pregnant with Sarah I'm now terrified of them. Thank god the owner had a good hold on the leash and the dog responded to their commands.

One of my girlfriends was walking her Carin terrier one day a few years ago and a pit came TEARING out of a yard and nearly killed her dog. She was injured in the attack as well.

I'm also afraid of Pomerians, I was bit by one at a friend's house as a child and still feel like they are mean.

Re: spinoff: Pit Bulls

Message edited 9/18/2006 12:34:30 PM.