Originally Posted by Sewnoma;6825389
ANY dog, of ANY breed can be dangerous if they are raised improperly or treated poorly. I've even read stories of household CATS freaking out and attacking people.
I've owned a pit bull mix and he was the biggest sweetheart. We got him as a puppy and raised him properly. We were told over and over how dangerous he was, how he would "eat" our cats and kill us in our sleep. His best friend was a feral kitten we adopted around the same time we got him, the two of them were best buddies and would sleep all curled up together. He never, EVER did anything aggressive. Most aggressive he got was barking when someone knocked. Most dangerous thing about him was his habit of whipping you with his tail, he had a bony tail that moved like lightning! He eventually passed away from cancer and DH & I still miss him terribly. All our other dogs get compared to our pitty mix; he was the BEST dog.
I would not hesitate to have another pitty in the family as long as I got them as a pup. Ditto for Rotties, Dobe's, ...etc. I WOULD hesitate to adopt [U
any[/U] dog as an adult (especially a larger breed), unless I knew the dog's history. You just never know what's in that dog's head, sadly. Dogs can be crazy too, just like people.
i agree w everything you say. especially about cats. but my agressive kitty was rescued and brought to me when he was only a few hours old. he attacked dogs that attacked my dog, he didn't like men..tho he loved my ex, he attacked a couple of our male friends & while dating my second husband, Chaucer would force himself between us on the couch. hubby still tells the story even tho it was over 35 yrs ago
you nearly brought me to tears w your telling of your pit mix. i had a high content wolfdog for 11 short years. lost her to cancer 2 yrs ago. i read all i could find on the internet, and borrowed books fr friend from whom i was to acquire my choice or "pick of the litter". i wanted to learn how to raise, train & love my expected new arrival. i read about wolfdogs unreliable, don't trust them - they can be playing w you one minute then attack you in the next. don't allow around small children & animals. keisha had babies ..every abandoned kitten i fostered & finally kept. her favorite, Sherman, she would pull over to her, wrap her long wolfy neck around him & give him hugs. i had had her spayed before she had first heat (wolves only go into heat twice a year) and i have wondered if her kitties were her "forever" puppies. she adored my two grdaughters. was hugged, crawled over and snuggled by the oldest from the time she was born. grbaby would start her wolf howls as soon as they topped the ridge and she saw the valley where we live spread out below. that was before she learned to speak - human --but wolf she had down. and both girls loved Keisha.
not all the scary intimidating "facts" relating to what to expect from some breeds can be believed. it is the human & canine/feline relationship during formative youth of the animal that determines the peraonality of the pet.