Pit Bull Puppy-Yay or Nay?

[Cwood]

This is the type of guy you want to get a puppy from Jesse.

I did, she is 14 weeks now and full of spirit! Pretty much have the house training down already.

Mira, keeping my chair warm for me!

 

[Benny]

Pits normally don't have this problem, if they do it can be indicative of things like astrids aka worms.

What problem? If you are referring to obesity, then I couldn't agree more...I can't recall a PB that wasn't solid muscle.

Any dog, prone to obesity or not, should be able to have food out 24/7 as long as they get the exercise they need...Regardless of food intake, it's only fair to give your dog daily(or at least close to it) exercise anyway.

I know my GSD puppy(is 20 months still considered a puppy?) is a COMPLETELY different dog when it pisses and pours for several days and he can't get outside to play.

 

[snowman46919]

What problem? If you are referring to obesity, then I couldn't agree more...I can't recall a PB that wasn't solid muscle.

Any dog, prone to obesity or not, should be able to have food out 24/7 as long as they get the exercise they need...Regardless of food intake, it's only fair to give your dog daily(or at least close to it) exercise anyway.

I know my GSD puppy(is 20 months still considered a puppy?) is a COMPLETELY different dog when it pisses and pours for several days and he can't get outside to play.

You got about 4 months until I would graduate it to adult. Yes, I was referring to the eating habits. Like I said my female will defer to playing even if you lay a T bone in front of her because hunger isn't exactly a problem they have. If they seem to be eating more than normal it is usually an intestinal parasite or anomaly.

 

[Benny]

You got about 4 months until I would graduate it to adult.

My thoughts exactly...2 = big boy

Yes, I was referring to the eating habits. Like I said my female will defer to playing even if you lay a T bone in front of her because hunger isn't exactly a problem they have. If they seem to be eating more than normal it is usually an intestinal parasite or anomaly.

If I have a tennis ball in my hand, Leonidas would completely ignore a dozen female GSDs with T-bones wrapped around their necks.

 

[Viking Queen]

Regardless of the breed that you choose, do not get one from a "backyard breeder" do your research and get one from a breeder who is careful about how they breed their dogs, who they place the dogs with and someone who has been doing this for a very long time.

If you do not have a lot of dog experience and insist on getting a pit or other known breed of dog with "agression issues" then you absolutely must find the very best professional trainer in town and start training early. I have known some really great pit bulls. And some awful ones too.

In my experience, dogs who attack always give some signals that they are not stable. It is never a case of "he was a wonderful dog and then he attacked for no reason" There is always a reason and they always give some sign of instability.

I would not take a chance on a dog breed that is capable of inflicting that kind of serious damage unless you are a very experienced dog person.

Some small breeds of dogs are also prone to being nasty, do your research. Talk to dog trainers in your area and get professional advice.

Unstable dogs are almost always "an owner operator problem".

I have a standard poodle (big poodle) who is a wonderful loving pet and also my medical service dog. Non-shedding, rocket scientist smart and wonderful with my 93 yr old Mom as well as great with kids. They are fabulous duck, goose, and game bird hunting dogs as well. However, I have a friend with Standard Poodle who is nasty, and an emotional wreck, due to a bad, inexperienced owner early in life. She may never recover and is too unstable to be around most people. Owner operator problem for sure.

I'm sorry for the long post, but this is a sore subject for me. If you do the right research and get the right advice you will have a great buddy for your little boy.

I still miss my childhood beagle, Daisy, and I am 62 yrs old. We had some great adventures together for 16 years.

Good luck. Viking Queen

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

recent article
Pit bulls

 

[snowman46919]

recent article
Pit bulls

It isn't a surprise to most pit owners. I have said it time and time again but a pit's worst and best trait is it's undying loyalty to do whatever the owner wants include fight. To the other above poster no breed is inherently aggressive, aggressiveness is being tracked through something a lot more simpler than a breed but a trait on a genetic level like the color of hair or eyes. Because of he recent upswing in using pits for fighting in dog circuits (used to be rotts and dobes the "bad dogs of yester year) we are seeing an upswing in breeding for the agressive characteristic. Although I am sure the media reports this completely unbiased.

 

[sepe]

I can't stand people that aren't informed enough to believe past what they see on tv or read in a newspaper. Sure, bully breeds can be people aggressive or animal aggressive but if trained and raised properly they among the top of the breeds to own. Most people suggest a overgrown rat or some fruity fashion dog that fits in a purse and most people don't spend a minute training them. Ankle biters are called that for a reason, sure it doesn't hurt an adult but I've been bit about 500 times more by small breeds that by ANY of the bully breeds.

Only thing I'd say is that if you get ANY puppy with a young child around, work on training and watch don't leave them alone. If you don't have the time or patience to work with a strong willed dog, don't get one. If you have the time and are willing to put in the work, get a Staffy, APBT, "pit bull", Cane Corso, or any other breed. Get a dog you like and put in the work.

BTW, I have slightly more respect for the owners that dog fight than I do for the ignorant morons that need a change of pants when they see a properly raised and trained dog that is a "bad breed" in someone's backyard or on a leash. Don't think I have any respect for dog fighters or bad owners, I'd have no problem getting a bit people aggressive on dog fighters and many of the backyard breeders.

 

[Kitty]

Any dog can be trained to be aggressive. I can train a Pappion to rip you ankle out. I can train a Corso to be a lap dog. Both of these examples would be counter to breed characteristics and would take time an effort. And 'bully breeds" vary by country - a St. Bernard is considered a bully in some European countries. And as of the last statistics I remember (2009?) - Labs are the #1 biter in the US.

Breeds are a base line. They give you a physical outline, general temperament, working ability, and energy level but every dog is different. Meeting the parents, both sire and *****, is extremely important when choosing a puppy. I know some very good family breeders, I know crap professional breeders. Temperament test the dog or take someone with that knows how. Take the entire family - have everyone interact with the pup. And if it is a fit - get to work.

We always want to punish the wrong end of the leash. The jack wagon owner isn't the problem with the prong collar and 20 lb chain, it's the breed. "Bullies" are just bad. While you're at it, I think I heard about a bridge for sale in NY quite cheep.

 

[abnk]

I can train a Pappion to rip you ankle out.

You taking bets?

 

[peloe16]

people who say you're family is in danger because of a puppy are ridiculous. a puppy will become whatever dog you want. pit bulls are great and extremely inteligent, easy to train, and will be a great dog with your child. my fiancee runs a "bully" breed rescue here in cincinnati, where we have adopted pittie puppies and adults to families with very young children. the dogs usually become a nanny for the child and become more protective over the child than you could ever want. one day......far away when i have children i just hope my 2 pitties will still be alive and well to be there with my kid.

i understand what is said in the media about pit bulls, and thats why my fiancee and i help them out whenever we can. they are misunderstood, just like dobermans and rottweilers were not too long ago.

so do what you think would be best for you're family because to you, that is all that should matter. good luck.

 

[mac45]

Pitties are good dogs that have gotten a bad rap.
Like any other breed, you're gonna get out of it what you put into it.
Highly recommend you run him thru an obedience class.
Also would encourage you to socialize him by taking him to pet friendly places like Pet Smart or PetCo. We try and get the Rotts out a couple times a month.

 

[popeye]

Why take the chance with a dog breed developed to fight in pits? Keep in mind: If you get a PB the boys little friends may not be allowed in your house by their parents. Any puppy you get now will be full grown by the time your son reaches 3. Toddlers like to beat the crap out of dogs. Don't get a dog that will grow up to be under 25-30 lbs.. I'd get a shelter dog. They'll have some idea of the temperament of the dog and how much exercise it needs.

 

[chraland51]

My son's previous dog was a pitbull named Nugz. His big head looked strong enough to rip the tire from the rim of a car. Nugz might have been an exception to the rule, but he was a great dog and took all the abuse that a 2 year old boy could inflict on him. When he got tired of it, he just walked away. He was very loyal and protective of his family. For some reason, he took a liking to me even though he only saw me once or twice a year. As far as I am concerned, you could not want a dog to be better to his family. Nugz retained his testicles and never was a problem unless challenged by another unneutered male dog. I guess that is pretty much like all of us unneutered males of all species.

 

[Westside]

i clicked wrong I ment get a different breed. not because I think they are mean but because I think they are ugly dogs. every pit I have met has been nice I just don't like them it's a personal thing. in my experience it's not the dog it's the owner.

 

[sepe]

i clicked wrong I ment get a different breed. not because I think they are mean but because I think they are ugly dogs. every pit I have met has been nice I just don't like them it's a personal thing. in my experience it's not the dog it's the owner.

They're only "ugly" when moronic owners decide to start cutting on ears with scissors and get them all scared up from fighting them. Since "pit bull" can mean like 5 million things, it'd be better to know the actual breed of bully. But yes, when it comes to bad dogs it is the owner. When it comes to moron kids, the parents are almost always at fault. Lazy people shouldn't have dogs or kids.

I agree that this dog is sort of ugly even though they're great dogs and I'd love to have one.

These dogs are absolutely beautiful...moments after the picture, several kids were mauled.

 

[ruger1800]

Did you get the pit

 

[Bill of Rights]

Wow, once again I am very thankful for the responses from everyone. It looks like we will be getting the puppy, and we will be training it, as well as ourselves. We will also be sure to socialize the puppy with other dogs as well as families while he is still small. As I previously stated, he has been around small children since birth, which does ease most of my concerns. Supposedly, he is also kennel trained, and potty trained. Additionally, he will be kept in a fenced backyard, and probably on a chain when he is outside. Still, feel free to offer additional suggestions, as it has been quite a bit of time since I have had a puppy. Thanks again for all of the input.

That dog will be absolutely vicious... against anyone threatening your family.
You cannot expect anything from him... except loyalty, bravery, and the epitome of love in a furry, four-legged package.
You would be well advised to get another type of dog... if you don't want those traits.

If you can't tell, I love the pit that we had and that now lives with my daughter. He's a sweet, loving, loyal, and protective dog and I trust him with her implicitly. They do need to know their "place in the pack", and they do need to know early that what is asked of them is expected, but that's true of almost any breed.

Good luck, and as always,
Blessings,
Bill

 

[gunman41mag]

The best dog I've ever had was a PIT-BULL, she would listen & follow orders, got along get with my son, We had her, before my son was born.

 

[7th Stepper]

Hi, I know you've gotten answers from a lot of other people, including my hubby Bill, but I wanted to throw mine in as well, as our daughter and I were the ones to train our Pit from puppyhood up. He is (by virtue of the prescriptions from several doctors (aka MD's) a "personal therapy dog"' That means he is a very calming influence and can sense when something is wrong and a lot of the time head it off, just by his being there.

Pits are a fantastic breed of dog, and they also used to be considered the "All American Dog" back before all the hype with the ********'s who fight them came into the picture. The RCA dog is a Pit, the dog in the Little Rascals series was a Pit, and so on. As Bill said, it's not the dog, it's the owner.

I've had a bit more experience with the breed than most, I've trained several, and helped run a "Pit Rescue" when I lived out in California. They are one of the most loving, gentle, loyal, intelligent, forgiving, tolerant (our daughter used to sneak up on one of ours when she was about 2 and yank on his tail, till I cured her of that. He NEVER responded with anything but to turn around and smother her with kisses) if people say they can be aggressive, as Bill said, just let the pup get a little older and bigger, and H*** help the person who tries to attack or harm your wife or child, (cuz Heaven sure won't) the dog will fight to the death to save them, from any foe, not just humans.

Ours were known to take on Cougars in CA, to protect their "person" and "pet (aka horse) from any stray they ran across on the trails while riding, as well as bite a rattlesnake in half if it coiled to strike. The dog will give it's life willingly, and fight to the death to protect yours.

As long as your son grows up with the puppy (and both are adorable I might add), the puppy will view your son as one of "his people", and your wife could leave the house to get the mail, leave your son alone for a few minutes (NOT recommended btw), leave the dog with him while he slept in the crib, and if anyone tried to break in while she stepped out, probably would be in serious need of medical attention by the time she got back in. The dog by then would have assessed the attack and taken appropriate action to eliminate the threat, aka the intruder. Your son would remain unharmed.

They will swim very long distances to rescue a person drowning, and are strong enough to pull that person back to shore, and if trained to harness, can actually pull a 1 ton concrete block about 2 inches from where it stands. I don't recommend harnessing him tho, unless you intend to have him pull a cart, wagon, swimming pool over snow, etc., they tend to pull a bit on a leash after that.

Also establish the "pecking order" when the pup is still very young. Present yourself as the Alpha Male, your wife as the Alpha Female, and your son as the Beta male, then the dog will view you (as all dogs do, regardless of the breed) as a pack, to be protected, loved, and respected at all times. The "oh he'll turn on you, just u wait and see" is a load of CRAP! If you treat the dog with nothing but love, kindness and respect, as you would any member of your family, you will be hard pressed to find a better suited new addition to your already well loved family. And yes, I'm long winded, but this is one of the causes I've fought for, and against stereotyping for almost 35 years now.

I've trained both dogs and horses, and none have ever turned out anything but loving and gentle. It all boils down to how you treat them, as to how they treat you. If you want to learn more, there are 2 shows on the Animal Channel that you can watch, "Pit Boss" with Shorty Rossi, and "Pits & Parolees". Both are excellent examples of how loving a Pit can be, and how they can be rehabilitated, even after having been fought. Shorty and I are email friends, he helped us rescue a Pit this last time I was in CA, and also get the BK commercial, the mailman with the Pit & Rotti attached to his mail bag. I went ballistic when I saw that commercial at 3 in the morning, fired off an email to Shorty, and he applied the pressure to get it removed. His Pits are all qualified "Service Dogs", which requires more training than a "therapy dog", but Hercules is one of the greatest! I'll climb off my soap box now, it's just that the hype about Pits from the unknowing out there, who've never had one and believe what they see in the news, will put me up there in a heartbeat. I wish u the best, I think your wife will love her new "baby", as well as your son, and you, since they'll be growing up together (it takes 2 years for Pits to reach maturity) will make a great duo, and be friends for life. Plus you'll have the peace of mind of knowing that even without a firearm in the house, you have the next best version of "home protection" u could ever want.

I just wanted to share the benefit of what I learned while being in the business for so many years. Also, what Bill didn't mention, was that our daughters home was almost broken into while she slept, twice, and because of Benji (the dog everyone prayed for) was there to chase the perp off. (NO offense to LPDs finest!) The bozo had eluded the police regarding capture for other break ins as well, but in our case, was thwarted by a 65lb Pit determined that he was NOT going to get in and harm his person, our daughter.

Oh, one last factor that is very important, start now, and socialize, socialize, socialize, and expose him to other people, other animals, and just about anything else you can think of. This won't mean that he'll trust everyone, just that he won't take offense at anyone INVITED into your home, walking outside, delivering mail or UPS, and will great them with a wagging tail and a happy kiss. They LOVE to kiss their people, the only problem is they do tend to slobber. LOL Anyway, u asked, I gave it all I have, and I wish u the best of luck with your new puppy!

"May the light at the end of your tunnel be always one of hope"
Bobbie