[erroxiainsona]

Well, i know its been along time since i have posted, but i wanted to log in and share.. I havent yet made the jump to pitbull ownership, not out of lack of ability to find very well bred dogs, or ability to pay for them but out of sheer fear and cowardice. I have long wanted a pitbull, but have always resisted buying one. Everything i have read about them tells me i would enjoy having one, from there personalitys to there working ability. My issue is, pitbulls still make up a lot of dog bites in my area. My grandfather is a insurance sales man, and keeps track of this kind of stuff. He pointed out a recent confirmed pitbull attack in ohio as reason not to own one, and said was a damned fool for wanting one. I have 2 young kids and im afraid, even if i get the best well bred pit, socialize it to the best of my ability i will be putting them in harms way. If it was just me, i wouldnt care, i carry a gun, and am a martial artist so i can handle my self with my bare hands if needed. Basicly im just scared.

I know that alot of factors go into dog bites, and that some of the media is biased against them, but surely not all media reported cases are mistaken identity?

Now whats drawing me to them is there loyalty, they seam to be heros to there owners, often putting them selve in danger to protect them. DO they make good guard dogs, no be cuase guarding requires a different kind of dog with a different kind of disposition. There intelegince and athleticism and great affection also draw me to them. I recently met my first bully type dog 2 days ago. I was on my delivery route and one of my new clients hand a large well muscled bully type dog. I inquired and found out it was a American Bulldog. It was the most friendly loving, thing i had met in a long time. It just followed me around begging for pets and rubbs, happily wagging its tail. I was unsure what i was going to get with this dog but was surprised it was so nice. This encounter reminded me of my conflicted thoughts on bullydogs and pits in general,and reminded me of this forum.

Now if i were to get one, i would get it from a local kennel in my area called Bentwrench kennels. They used to have a website but the owner shut it down, he dosent breed often, and is very strict on temperment. He culls out the ones the fails. He breeds a line called Bullyson(i think thats how its spelled) His dogs are not like the ones you see bred to be huge as hell, he breeds them to be like the perfect specimens from way back in the day. His dogs rarely if ever get over 60lbs. He said none of his dogs have ever ended up on the news.(lol)

Part of me thinks pitbulls are like glocks, so many of them out there, that a small percentage dogs may be causing problems but a small percentage of a huge number is still a big number.. I just cant help but shake the feeling that, something is just not right with this breed. Why are so many of them attacking, i just cant understand it. I wish i had a good answere.

So ya, there i am, im a coward, i want a dog, but am afraid to pull the trigger... Maybe someday ill get something in the bully family, I just dont know. I dont want to comehome to find my cats dead, or my son/daughter chewed up. I could never live with my self..

[wmcelesta]

I would strongly agree with your decision to NOT get a pit bull or any bully breed type of dog.

I think it is completely unfair to a dog to have it start out behind the 8 ball; and that's what ends up happening whenever someone gets a dog that they are already afraid of or uncomfortable with before they even have it.

Then what happens is every time the dog engages in a perfectly normal dog behavior or tests it's boundaries the way ALL dogs will do; instead of just calmly addressing the behavior...the person freaks out, thinks their dog is human aggressive, gets more anxious and fearful - which makes them less effective in dealing with the behavior - it's a vicious circle and it usually ends up with a dead dog.

IMHO, it just isn't fair.

And the dead cats would be a definite possibility; but that isn't specific to just bully breed types of dogs. Lots of dogs kill cats if given the opportunity.

[Anypeny]

I agree with Jazzy.

Also, I have a child and I in no way am 'putting her in harms way' by owning my dog. So that statment pisses me off. A lot of people with kids own bully breeds.

[erroxiainsona]

I Just wish, i hadnt missed the Pits in the park event that was near me. Up till this point i have never met a pitbull, and a park full of them, im bound to see most of the available personality types. I know that, yess your right jazzy right now i am not right for pit ownership, due to my own fears.

Now my question is, how can i work to alleviate these fears? There seem to be so few pit events, and i never hear bout them till its to late.
What are the current pitbull dog bite statistical trends? Are they trending up or down? I wish i could go some place, with my kids and just meet a bunch of them.. Spend some time with them.

There seems to be so much crap out there, i dont know whats real and whats not..

Of course im not likely to win the dog debate, the wifey wants a English mastif...

---------- Post added at 09:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:41 PM ----------

K-hodges im not trying to piss anyone off, i was just stating what was on my mind.. Sorry to offend you.

[whimpykid]

i stopped at "cowardis" so you should of stopped right there. if you FEAR these dogs, DONT GET ONE. people love pet spiders, but you dont see me going out and getting one just because other people like them.

[kenowinnumberss]

I would strongly agree with your decision to NOT get a pit bull or any bully breed type of dog.

I think it is completely unfair to a dog to have it start out behind the 8 ball; and that's what ends up happening whenever someone gets a dog that they are already afraid of or uncomfortable with before they even have it.

Then what happens is every time the dog engages in a perfectly normal dog behavior or tests it's boundaries the way ALL dogs will do; instead of just calmly addressing the behavior...the person freaks out, thinks their dog is human aggressive, gets more anxious and fearful - which makes them less effective in dealing with the behavior - it's a vicious circle and it usually ends up with a dead dog.

IMHO, it just isn't fair.

And the dead cats would be a definite possibility; but that isn't specific to just bully breed types of dogs. Lots of dogs kill cats if given the opportunity.

I was reading the original post and didn't even know where to start. good job summing it up. I couldnt agree more if you are afraid of the breed already why would you want one. I have a there year old daughter and we got her Layla for Christmas. Layla has been great with her and every other person I have had around her. Now I am not saying every dog will be like this. But if you don't have enough knowledge and confidence to train your dog properly, GET A CAT! If you get a dog that you are afraid of it will end up being another sad dog living in a shelter.

[erroxiainsona]

So, what steps can i take to work on my fear. Should i just get out and meet more dogs? Volunteer at a shelter?(lots a pits there apparently). I can train dogs, I have spent alot of time working on my beagles training and have near 99% recall on him.(no beagle can have 100% recall, lol its a scent hound after all) So im no stranger to dog training..

Surely there is something i can do guys?

[valiumcheepval]

Before getting one try going to a shelter or a rescue to get yourself comftorable with them..whether it be hyper or a low key mannered one you need to be okay and calm with any personality they may have. Pits take a lot of attention, training, loving, and time time time. I would really suggest shelters...they will usually let you take them out and walk them.once you feel okay with the breed and get your ground then rethink getting one. They are for sure awesome dogs..but they also take a special kind of owner who isn't scared to step up to them and take the dominance role away..otherwise you can have an out of control dog that no one will know what to do with

[whimpykid]

if you want to rid your fear of them, just volunteer at a breed-specific rescue. just dont come home with one. please. lol

[Adimos]

Personally, I would respect a person more if they knew they had issues with the breed and made no moves to obtain one. Go volunteer at a shelter or something, particularly one well versed in bully breeds

[TeftyJokip]

I am with DWC I am glad you are not trying to hide your fears. I have 2 dogs, an american bully and a bully breed mutt and I can tell ya they are great with my baby (she is going on 5 months) I would never leave ANY dog alone with a child though, dogs can only tolerate so much before they get pissed and if your not there to stop the kid then who can blame the dog...anyhow I think going to a rescue or shelter to volunteer would be great, maybe after your there a while you can work on training some dogs and help them get a home because they know some manners and such that they would give them a leg up so to speak

[Pypeassesty]

If you're afraid of the breed, don't get one.

Also, if I remember correctly, Bullyson was a man biter. Not dogs I'd be looking into if you're leery of pit bulls.

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[wmcelesta]

Personally, I would respect a person more if they knew they had issues with the breed and made no moves to obtain one. Go volunteer at a shelter or something, particularly one well versed in bully breeds

X2

And if you get comfortable, I would still wait until the kids were older teenagers.

Even if you conquer your fear, there will always be a niggling doubt in the back of your head when it comes to the kids; and again imo - it sets the poor dog up for failure.

[arriplify]

I used to be just like you. I could not believe my siter in law went and got a Pit mix from a shelter. Then a couple months later went and got another one. It took me awhile but after going to their house for parties I realized that dogs are what you train them to be.

Ask your grandfather if he kept track of the circumstances of the dog bits. I would be willing to bet most if not all was stupied owner reasons.

Someone made the comment about being willing to step up and take the dominant role away, I disagree with that. You train them properly and you naturally become the dominant or alpha or what ever you want to call it.

Our dog is just under 6 months old and weighs 51 pounds when playing rough with her she can dish out more then we can but when she is around our grandkids which are 4,5,1 she is gentle as a kitten, well accept her tongue.

We

[arriplify]

I used to be just like you. I could not believe my siter in law went and got a Pit mix from a shelter. Then a couple months later went and got another one. It took me awhile but after going to their house for parties I realized that dogs are what you train them to be.

Ask your grandfather if he kept track of the circumstances of the dog bits. I would be willing to bet most if not all was stupied owner reasons.

Someone made the comment about being willing to step up and take the dominant role away, I disagree with that. You train them properly and you naturally become the dominant or alpha or what ever you want to call it.

Our dog is just under 6 months old and weighs 51 pounds when playing rough with her she can dish out more then we can but when she is around our grandkids which are 4,5,1 she is gentle as a kitten, well accept her tongue.

We

[SergeyMaikov]

Kudos to you for taking the time to think things through, so many don't. I agree with the others about getting over your fears before you even entertain the notion of getting a bully. With that said, this forum is a great resource full of tons of useful information. Stick around, read, read, read all the stickies. Getting past the MSM stereotype takes time. Thank you for researching the breed first, as it is not a breed for everyone.

[BqTyG9eS]

I want to address one of your concerns. Why are so many pit bulls attacking?

There's a very good answer for that. =) Because the "pit bull" is not a single breed of dog. Several breeds are classified as "pit bulls". All such breeds are popular. So there are a lot of them. Also, any dog that resembles a "pit bull" is labeled as such in a dog bite report. (Imagine, if you will, a boxer/lab cross. It can create something that will very easily look like a "pit bull".) You see what I'm saying here? SEVERAL breeds, most of them popular, and any mix that fits the physical description is a "pit bull". That's A LOT of dogs.

Just to give you an idea... the only true "pit bull", the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the Bull Terrier, the American Bully, the American Bulldog, and the Black Mouth Cur. Poorly bred Boxers, Bullmastiffs, Catahoula Leopard Dogs, Cane Corsos, Dogo Argentinos, Presa Canarios... I think you get the point. Haha. These are all dogs that have been are often lumped into the "pit bull" category, whether because of their breed or because of their looks.

Plus, "pit bulls" are "tough". They're going to attract an unsavory crowd. Just like the GSDs, Dobermans, and Rottweilers did. Remember how people used to be terrified of them? (And they're still included in BSL today) Also, the "pit bull" breeds, being popular are overbred. Overbreeding, poor breeding, backyard breeding... these things plague popular dogs. And it leads to badly bred dogs.


Anyway, don't get a bully breed if you're afraid. Spend some time around them. Get to know many different dogs. Bullies require a firm hand. They'll run all over you otherwise. Dogs know when you're not a confident leader. And a bully will take charge. That wont be fun for you or for your dog, as behavioral problems often arise from this. Just take your time. Become familiar with bullies. Allow yourself to become comfortable with the idea of owning one. READ ALL THE INFO YOU CAN FIND ON THIS SITE. Educate yourself.

And good luck. =)

[P3bWjm1j]

If you are that afraid of them, then I would say the breed is not the one for you. There have been numerous excellent posts in this thread detailing why it would not be the greatest idea for you to get one.

I'm curious, why would you even want one if you are so fearful of them? There are plenty of other breeds that would be good active companions as well.

I agree bigtime iwth the suggestion to volunteer working with foster dogs instead of becoming an owner.

[JessiPollo]

How old are your kids? I would wait until they are at 2-3 when they can comprehend what to do and what not to do.around a dog. But personally Ive grow up with APBTs and amstaffs all my life, they have been the most loyal dogs, just always watch the dog around you kids especially when it is younger, and make sure you break habits like jumping, food aggression, and socialize him as much as you can.

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[IdomeoreTew]

I second going to the shelter and volunteering in order to deal with your fears. At the shelter I go to, there are tons of "pit bulls" and they range from tiny to humongous; super calm to super energetic; some couldn't care less about being walked, some just want to cuddle in your lap. sometimes the teeny ones are harder to walk than the big ones that just want to be petted and cuddle.
Don't get a dog that you are afraid of before you even bring it home!