I am sorry if I have come accross with a breed bias against Pitties or other such breeds. I actually love the dogs. Some of my best and favorite clients have been mixes and purebred pits. My real reason I posted here was to try and get people to stop saying that "its all in the training" because that is hooey. Training, as I said before, compliments or exaggerates good genetics and temperament. In the same breath poor training exastorbates/exaggerates poor temperament and genetics.
My grandmother was a dog breeder her whole life. It was her primary source of income for decades. Over the years she specialized in several breeds including GSD and Karelian Bear Dog. One of my all time favorite dogs of hers was a Pit Bull. Her name was Punky. Punky had a flawless temperament. She was gentle with ALL children, a defender of her territory, non- dog aggressive, and an excellent discerner of people. I thnk, in all my time of knowing dogs and especially in the interest of dogs working for people, she was the best naturally temperamented dog I have ever known -- hands down.
Punky was an outside dog only, never trained in anything. Never was taught to sit, or walk on a leash. She was the only dog on my grandmothers property (this includes her several GSDs) that would reliably guard the home. Punky warded off several theives, and even challenged my older sister. Lola actually corrected her ONE time for growling at her and Punky got the message and never did it again. What I am spelling out here is the dog had an exceptional natural temperament. Not trained, not guided. She was a dog I respected above all others. She was, in my opinion, an amazing animal.
Pitties can be wonderful. Pitties can be terrible. Same goes for all the other breeds, well known and not, that I have had the priveledge to handle and train over the years.
All dogs can have unstable temperament, all dogs can have very bad hidden temperament flaws. Just do your homework and be smart. Every dog has aggression as a form of communication. Every dog can bite, every dog can harm. Not every dog is a good companion. Not every dog is good with kids, not every dog that is NOT good with kids will bite. Not every dog trained to defend will defend.
Not every owner is as smart as they think, some are smarter than I have given credit for as well. Not every owner deserves the dog they get.
