Up North

My brother has a pit bull that my dad ended up with she was the sweetest dog I know, I got bit by a beagle when I went to drop off a miss delivered package at the neighbors. They get a bum rap.

Pam

I agree, irresponsible owners are at fault, not the dogs. However, if they are not up to taking charge of what will be a very strong animal, use caution with your own pets while they are out.

granniebj

I there! Bj from Ohio here. This question intrigued me and I just had to say that I always agreed with everyone who said that it all depended on how they were raised, until....a friend of ours had one for 5 yrs. The dog and his 5 yr old son grew up together. Then one day out of the blue, the little boy was watching tv and the dog attacked him! Luckily my friend was also in the room, and prevented serious harm to his son, but the dog turned on him! He had the dog tested for poison and other things because he just couldn't believe it would attack them. He ended up getting rid of it, but down the end....the dog was put to sleep because it kept up the bad behavior. I haven't trusted pits since then. I hope you have a good experience with this neighborhood pit!

QuiltMania

I would be investing in a good strong fence. People always say "it's how they're raised" but you hear story after story of the family pit bull attacking someone. Our neighbors had one years ago when my children were small. They said it was so gentle and friendly but this "gentle, friendly" dog kept charging the fence every time we were outside. I kept a heavy shovel handy because if it ever got in the yard I was going to be swinging for the home run fence. Thankfully we had a good strong fence.

pocoellie

It all depends on how you raise them, just like any other animal. I've had 4 chows, 1 pit bull/chow and 1 german shepherd/pit bull. I've never had anything but compliments on any of them. Any animal can be made mean.

Right now I'm fostering a lab/pit bull puppy, about 7 months old, he's a sweetheart.

MadQuilter

On my way to work I encounter a big pit almost every day. He stands in the middle of the road and of course I slow down to get by him. This morning he actually charged the car. I am leary of that one.

If I had a chance to meet the puppy, I'd get to know it (and the owner) to get a better feel)

Chasing Hawk

He just wanted a ride with you to the quilt shop.

AtHomeSewing

Never ever trust that a pit bull will not fight.

Aunt Doggie

Pit Bulls are intirely different breed of dog from an Am Staff...
Am Staffs are wonderful loving dogs that are great around kids.
As a long time dog lover and owner, I have seen first hand how Pit Bulls can have a "screw loose" no matter how they are raised.

As a small breed owner, I would worry if a Pit Bull moved in next door!

Seanette

The only pit bulls I've ever met who were anything other than giant softies had been raised improperly, usually by some macho jerk who abused the dog into turning vicious because he thought it made him more of a man to have a mean dog.

I grew up with Dobes in the house (they have a similar bad rep), and the worst problem we had with any we raised was their inability to understand when they'd outgrown being able to curl up on a lap ("What do you mean I'm too big now? I used to fit!") We did have one we adopted as an adult who was fine with humans, but could not co-exist with cats. He wound up going to friends of my parents' who didn't have cats (we had quite a few, and they were there first. We always felt it was up to the new household member to adjust to more senior residents). They did have kids, but he was totally fine with them.

You will see the occasional individual in any breed with temperament issues, but I really don't think pit bulls are any more prone to that than any other breed if raised properly. I worry more about being bitten by the little yappy types a friend of mine used to call "rodents in dog suits", since they tend to be more high-strung and nervous. I find bigger dogs are generally calmer and maybe a bit smarter. :)