Bitofablonde
Songster
As someone who has worked in the vet industry for 11 years, can I just say thank you @black_cat for doing your research prior to getting a puppy. American pitbull terriers and American stats are very different then the "pit mixes" then you find in the shelters. Depending on where you live you maybe be able to find a purebred, but it isn't always the case.
Any breed and I mean ANY breed can be aggressive to humans and animals. Breeders need to breed for temperament just as much if not more then the breed for the 'looks' of the prospective puppies. Genetics, and the temperaments of the parents play a huge factor in the overall soundness of mind of a dog. But the other big factor is exposing and socializing that little puppy to literally everything and anything that might cause the dog to be fearful and react. Unfortunately by 16weeks of age puppies have some 'set' ideas on things and that can be hard to correct as they get older, though in the right hands, (someone with experience) those ideas can be changed and the desired behavior can be achieved.
My own Border collie, is a shelter dog, horrible life by the time she was 1.5, multiple homes, undersocialized with life, people, dogs etc. She was emaciated, missing hair, terrified of men the whole meal deal. But after 2 years of hard work with her, you would never know. She's great with kids, she can be standoff-ish with men but never aggressive and she is good with dogs. She's particular about the dogs she interacts with, but from working with her and reading her I know what she can and can't handle. So I always monitor closely and never put her into a situation that would cause her to react. She's almost 11 now
and becoming a cranky old lady lol but people never suspect such a bad start to her life because of how she is now. She's a sweet girl to both men and women, she's just very aloof with people in general including her family lol.
I've worked with sooooo many dogs of all kinds. Any dog, of any size or breed or breed mix can bite in the right circumstances. It's NEVER ok to assume that your beloved dog would never bite anyone. Always be cautious, learn to read their body language and do your best to never put them in a situation that makes them uncomfortable. Socialize the crap out of that puppy, and do positive reward based training.
Best of luck to you!
Liz
Any breed and I mean ANY breed can be aggressive to humans and animals. Breeders need to breed for temperament just as much if not more then the breed for the 'looks' of the prospective puppies. Genetics, and the temperaments of the parents play a huge factor in the overall soundness of mind of a dog. But the other big factor is exposing and socializing that little puppy to literally everything and anything that might cause the dog to be fearful and react. Unfortunately by 16weeks of age puppies have some 'set' ideas on things and that can be hard to correct as they get older, though in the right hands, (someone with experience) those ideas can be changed and the desired behavior can be achieved.
My own Border collie, is a shelter dog, horrible life by the time she was 1.5, multiple homes, undersocialized with life, people, dogs etc. She was emaciated, missing hair, terrified of men the whole meal deal. But after 2 years of hard work with her, you would never know. She's great with kids, she can be standoff-ish with men but never aggressive and she is good with dogs. She's particular about the dogs she interacts with, but from working with her and reading her I know what she can and can't handle. So I always monitor closely and never put her into a situation that would cause her to react. She's almost 11 now
and becoming a cranky old lady lol but people never suspect such a bad start to her life because of how she is now. She's a sweet girl to both men and women, she's just very aloof with people in general including her family lol. I've worked with sooooo many dogs of all kinds. Any dog, of any size or breed or breed mix can bite in the right circumstances. It's NEVER ok to assume that your beloved dog would never bite anyone. Always be cautious, learn to read their body language and do your best to never put them in a situation that makes them uncomfortable. Socialize the crap out of that puppy, and do positive reward based training.
Best of luck to you!
Liz
