What Someone Told Me About A PitBull

[BlackBart]

With that train of thought I suppose my little rescue Maltese, Eva, had Pibull in her as she would aggressively protect the car.

 

[turtleblossom]

I was in Feeders Supply with my seal colored pitt (think black-nosed chocolate) Beamish, and this lady walked up and asked to pet her. Of course I said yes.
She said, "How old is your chocolate Lab puppy?"
I laughed and said, "She's no puppy,and not a Lab. Beamish is a 6 year old Pit Bull."
The woman jerked her hand away as if my dog was red hot, stammered "..oh...sorry..." and slowly BACKED AWAY from her, then fled the store.

Words failed me...

 

[taraann81]

Quote:
Very similar thing happened to me when Lily was still with us(red pit). A man asked to pet her and stated she was a unique color for a lab. When I said she was actually a pit . He stood up quickly, sneered and said "shes cute now but wait until she turns on you". It seems if you own a pit it gives complete strangers the "right" to make rude comments to you.

Now days with the breed specific legislation here in Ontario. I have on numerous occasion been rudely accosted for not having "That Dog muzzled because its the law" "That dog" is my 140lb Bullmastiff. Who is not on the ridiculous"banned" list.

But people still feel the need to make comments, regardless of how uninformed they are.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

tell 'em the dog ate the muzzle along with the last person that asked about it.

Steve

 

[Hoosiermomma]

Quote:
I completely agree! All dogs have the potential whether they are are a pit, beagle, chow, lab etc to be vicious, it's instinctive. However I think the envirornment in which they are raised is what determines whether or not that instinctive nature will surface. For most it never will but for others unfortunately it will and mostly as a result of mistreatment or neglect. Still even those that have been deemed aggressive, can more times than not, be rehabilitated and turned around.

You are exactly correct in that. Lucky, pictured above was chained to the door of the Craven County animal shelter, she was about 8 months old and the chain had grown into her neck and had to be removed by surgury! She had exactly zero pack skills, was very timid and scared of everything. She wasn't outwardly aggressive but if she was backed into a corner that was all she knew. I have a nice scar on my arm from her. But anyway, we have had her two years + now and she has done a complete 180. She is very much a creature of habit and probably the smartest of our 4 dogs. Sharon heard about her via a local animal shelter and she was scheduled to be put down if we didn't take her in. I'm very very glad we did.

Steve

Thanks for looking past all of that and giving this girl a chance. That's all they want. I have been in rescue for 18 years now and there is nothing more gratifying than seeing the look change in a dogs eyes from fear, aggression to adoration and love! You have done a wonderful thing for Lucky and you can see it in her eyes that she is forever grateful !!!!

I wish more would look at the potential and not what's on the surface.

 

[Amyable]

Quote:

If I was put in that situation, I'd tell the person, "You think my dog is mean, wait and see what I'm gonna do to ya."

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
You are exactly correct in that. Lucky, pictured above was chained to the door of the Craven County animal shelter, she was about 8 months old and the chain had grown into her neck and had to be removed by surgury! She had exactly zero pack skills, was very timid and scared of everything. She wasn't outwardly aggressive but if she was backed into a corner that was all she knew. I have a nice scar on my arm from her. But anyway, we have had her two years + now and she has done a complete 180. She is very much a creature of habit and probably the smartest of our 4 dogs. Sharon heard about her via a local animal shelter and she was scheduled to be put down if we didn't take her in. I'm very very glad we did.

Steve

Thanks for looking past all of that and giving this girl a chance. That's all they want. I have been in rescue for 18 years now and there is nothing more gratifying than seeing the look change in a dogs eyes from fear, aggression to adoration and love! You have done a wonderful thing for Lucky and you can see it in her eyes that she is forever grateful !!!!

I wish more would look at the potential and not what's on the surface.

Thank you! we are very very glad to have been able to save her.

 

[ducks4you]

Quote:
I AGREE! SO much is in the training of an animal, or lack of. AND, since I own one dog who is 1/4 GS and 1/4 Pitbull, I know that you need to encourage the behavior which you approve of and minimize behavior which is inappropriate. My two dogs knows that when they get into trouble with ME, I march them to the basement and they have to sit in their crates, separated from the family upstairs. I usually give them a few hours to think about it before I bring them back up to be with us, the pack. "Baby Pyg," (my Pitbull mix) was frightened of being hit for the longest time EVEN THOUGH I brought her home at 8 weeks old and never hit her. She would wimper and whine just as if we did beat our animals. For the longest time I wouldn't even smack her on the rump. She is, at almost 2 years old much better now. I yell and chew my dogs out when they've done wrong, very much like dealing with a child. If that doesn't work, isolation usually does. I HAVE encouraged her to growl and bark when she hears anybody outside--my dogs sleep/live INSIDE--thus encouraging her as a good watchdog. My Vet knows that she growls and barks, then backpedals, at strangers. HER suggestion has been to have others ignore my dog, and for me to demand sit. Pyg always runs to me and lands on my feet and legs when I tell her to sit.
I don't know how much of any of this behavior is Pitbull, German Shepherd, or Lab--she 1/2 Yellow Lab, too. I just know that I have certain minimum expectations of my dogs: they must come to a call, sit and down on command, stay in the yard (Rose is working on that one!) and be civil to my neighbors. They are MY dogs, NOT my family's, since they watch what I do and follow ME everywhere, so I have the responsibility for their bad behavior, NOT the breed(s).