ATTN: American Pit Bull owners.

[Justino]

My friend has a pitbull and he is awesome!!! hes just like any other dog....i don't see why they get such a bad rep...my grandma still is freaked over them cause she thinks that they're vicious just cause they have that lock jaw thing, I on the other hand think they're very nice dogs and totally awesome! Just tell your mom any big dog can be vicious and kill people...

 

[PotterWatch]

You can tell your grandma that the lock-jaw thing is a myth. Pits cannot lock their jaws shut any more than any other dog can.

 

[Justino]

Quote:
really?

 

[Pluto]

I didn't read this whole post (because it is super long), but don't overlook properly screened adult bully breeds. Many times rescues have dogs in foster care that are ridiculously good, we are talking dog and people friendly, wouldn’t chase a chicken type of dogs. You actually have “more guarantee” getting an adult that has a proven temperament than trying to raise your own

A reputable bully breed rescue pulls the best of the best and can have some really great dogs avaliable. Adult dogs can be fantastic!

 

[PotterWatch]

Quote:
really?

Yep, really.

-Is it true that Pit Bulls can lock their jaw?
The infamous locking jaw is a myth. The American Pit Bull Terrier and related breeds are physiologically no different from any other breed of dog. All dogs are from the same species and none have locking jaws. Dr. I Lehr Brisbin of the University of Georgia states, "To the best of our knowledge, there are no published scientific studies that would allow any meaningful comparison to be made of the biting power of various breeds of dogs. There are, moreover, compelling technical reasons why such data describing biting power in terms of 'pounds per square inch' can never be collected in a meaningful way. All figures describing biting power in such terms can be traced to either unfounded rumor or, in some cases, to newspaper articles with no foundation in factual data." Furthermore, Dr. Brisbin states, "The few studies which have been conducted of the structure of the skulls, mandibles and teeth of pit bulls show that, in proportion to their size, their jaw structure and thus its inferred functional morphology, is no different than that of any breed of dog. There is absolutely no evidence for the existence of any kind of 'locking mechanism' unique to the structure of the jaw and/or teeth of the American Pit Bull Terrier."

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

but they do have a more powerful bite. Most dogs just use their top jaw to apply pressure, but the pit bulls use both their top and lower jaw to apply pressure.

 

[marytoast]

I had one when I was a kid. She was just a laid back precious angel.

 

[hensdeliverthegoods]

I see you've gotten tons of replies, but here's my two cents, for what it's worth. I work for a vet and see many different breeds every day. Pit bulls are one of the breeds that are LEAST likely to give us a bad time during exam. And they seem to be one of the cleaner breeds we keep in our boarding kennels. So just do what one needs to do with any new puppy; raise it with firm but kind discipline, and it should be fine. Good luck with your puppy hunt, and definetly post pictures of him/her, ok?

 

[Carole AM]

I have a connection that has 2 pit/boxer mix male puppies that they have to re-home. They are 3 months old. Our rescue is full so we cannot take them in. We are in northern Indiana. If I didn't already own 3 dogs and foster 3 more, I would consider them....

 

[Gatorpupsmom]

One of my favorite topics.....

When my husband and I were dating, and he told me he had a pit, I thought, "What kind of idiot owns pits?" Well, the kind I married and became, I guess

We've had pits and pit crosses for the 15 years we've been married. We've had some darn good dogs, and some not-so-good ones. The not-so-good ones were dogs that we got after someone else decided that they couldn't handle them. Only two turned out that way, and they both turned out to have a "loose screw." Couldn't take a chance, you can put up with a little dog with a loose screw, but not a big dog that could hurt someone. Not saying that it was because they were pits that they had a loose screw, you see it in every dog breed. Most of the pits we've had have been wonderful.

My vet says that pits tend to be big time "people pleasers," and I have found that to be true. They are mostly high energy, and I think that's where a lot of the problems come in....not enough exercise to burn it off. Our current pit is awesome with our other animals. When we bring in a new animal, we take it to him, and I tell him, "Boo Boo, it's a baby, and you be easy. DON'T HURT IT!!!" He's been fine with our chicks, kittens and goats. He's a big, laid back dork of a dog. My neighbors are terrified of him because of the breed reputation, and they run like crazy when I take him out front with me.

LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of good dogs euthanized daily because of that breed reputation, and it breaks my heart. Pit owners have to be more responsible than the average dog owner because of it.

Kim