Introducing babies and pit bulls.

[Megan Amber]

Okay so I'm not looking to start an argumentative thread, I only want advice and experience on introducing children to pit's. Someone I know has one and is also expecting a baby soon. Thank you for your advice and help.

 

[FlySammyJ]

Pit-mix owner here. A lot of people assume that pits have violent tendencies because they're used to fight, but they're good fighters mostly because of their strong drive to please their owners in combination with their innate strength. Pits seek all the time to please their families, so they are very trainable and adapt to the attitude of their owners. Unfortunately, due to their popularity as fighting dogs, pits have become a favorite in poor urban areas where folks are, let's say, suspicious of their neighbors. The dogs pick up on that attitude and become suspicious of strangers, making them good guard dogs when set to that purpose (aka mean dogs). Long story short, just treat the introduction like you would with any other dog. Be relaxed and happy, and the dog will be too. If you're overly anxious, the dog will know and think there's something to be nervous about, making them more likely to bark or snap.

 

[Megan Amber]

Pit-mix owner here. A lot of people assume that pits have violent tendencies because they're used to fight, but they're good fighters mostly because of their strong drive to please their owners in combination with their innate strength. Pits seek all the time to please their families, so they are very trainable and adapt to the attitude of their owners. Unfortunately, due to their popularity as fighting dogs, pits have become a favorite in poor urban areas where folks are, let's say, suspicious of their neighbors. The dogs pick up on that attitude and become suspicious of strangers, making them good guard dogs when set to that purpose (aka mean dogs). Long story short, just treat the introduction like you would with any other dog. Be relaxed and happy, and the dog will be too. If you're overly anxious, the dog will know and think there's something to be nervous about, making them more likely to bark or snap.

Oh okay, that's a really great answer thank you!

 

[bestponymilo]

I don't know about your location--but around here many of the local pounds and obedience schools have classes to prep your dog for the baby's arrival. Might be something to look into