sustraley

My daughter has been attacked twice. Once from a sharpee and once from a beagle. The sharpee was a neighbors dog and she was always around it. One day it just lunged at her and bit her arm. It also attacked two other neighbors. One was an adult and the other was her small son. The beagle was a dog that was running around the neighborhood (again a neighbors dog she had been around before). It attacked both of her calves. She still has scars today. The dog still runs the neigbborhood when he gets off the leash. Both of these dogs are dogs that are constantly tied up. I think they attack when they get loose as a way to show there dominance. She now has a pitbull/bassett hound mix. He was rescued from the local shelter. He is absolutely the BEST dog ever. I have a cocker spaniel that can sometimes be very protective of us. I have had many dogs through the years. I am no expert. Pitbulls get a bad rap. Any dog has the potential to be aggressive. It depends on many things. How they are raised and cared for. My husband goes in peoples homes everyday for his work. He has been bit many times. Each time it has been a small "yappy" dog that has bit him. Good luck!!

Edie

I do not like the word Pit Bull! I really don't! They are American Staffordshire Terriers. Or, American Staffordshire Terrier Mix. When my husband had surgery several years ago, an older gentleman brought in his AST and being a dog lover, my fears were lessened because I was petting and loving the sweetest of all dogs. This dog was a "comfort" dog. Last year our next door neighbor rescued an AST, brindle, smaller size. He is in a family of two other dogs and two cats and is gentle and kind with all of them. Oh, sure, they play around in the back yard, but in fun. One of the other dogs is a Katrina rescue dog.

I remember many years ago some guys walking their AST's down the street and the dogs were loaded down with steel chains (big chains). Found out they were strengthening them up for the Pit. Isn't that horrible? Call the owners of those dogs the Pit bulls, not the dogs.

Also read a book called "One Good Dog" by Susan Wilson. It is one of the best books I have read.

An AST is a loyal dog, a good dog, you don't teach it to fight and make sure that the dog doesn't come from fighting stock. They are bred to do that (by inscrupulous owners, by the way).

I am sure they will enjoy their new dog. Edie

fidgety

I have a Pitbull/hound mix. I have a 3 year old GD. Although I would never leave her alone with the dog ( and thats because I would never leave her alone with any dog).

Our Bernie loves our granddaughter. She is very protective of her. If you get close to her Bernie is there pushing you away from her. Hannah can do anything she wants to this dog and Bernie takes it with stride. She has never once snipped, "smiled" or growled at her, and believe me Hannah has had this dog in some of the most precarious situations. She grabs her around the neck and squeezes her, puts her nose to her nose and stares her in the eyes.
I would not let her do this to our golden retriever however due to he is older and not much on little ones. It is all in the owner and the training. Dogs may turn but there is usually a reason for it.

damaquilts

8 years in rescue and the only dog that bit me was a chihuahua. sooo.. I have stopped on the side of the road for a pitty and he ended up in my lap. I am wary of any dog because I know that any dog can bite. The foster I have now is a cockapoo and she bit her owner. It was his own fault he didn't watch her body language and she was stress out because there were small children around. She was an abused dog when they got her 5 years ago and they did nothing to work with her issues So whose fault is it that he got bit?

There are no bad dogs just bad owners.

Dogs tied up all the time are going to bite. They are unsocialized and untrained.

If the dog is trained and well socialized she should have no problem with it.

sewgull

I think yo have a lot to worry about. Even trained a pit bull can and will be dangerous. We travel in our motorhome, and almost all camping resorts or campgrounds will NOT allow pit bull dogs.

SuzanneG

Here are some things to consider with pit bulls. First, they can be wonderful, loving pets. They do take an owner who knows what they have. These dogs are highly intelligent and need an outlet. Training, daily walks and constructive play are needed every single day. They need to be socialized at a young age. Your DD's dog has an unknown history, therefore, in my opinion, making him too much of a question mark to bring into a home with children.

Don't assume that the shelter would not have given him to your DD if they didn't think he was safe. They are in the business of finding people to adopt dogs. Plus, they have these dogs in their care under unusual conditions, not home conditions. They also may have had this dog for a short period, therefore not allowing for long term problems to show themselves.

Oh, and as for Rachael Raye owning one - did you know that not too very long ago her dog bit someone? It was all over the news.

I'm not against Pit Bulls. I actually like the breed. But they are not for everyone and I personally don't think they're for families with small children. (Especially an adult with an unkown history.) There are just too many wonderful 'family' type breeds out there that would be a much better (and quite frankly, safer) fit.

I know this is long, but I just have to add one more thought. The reason Pit Bulls have such a terrible rep is many and varied, (some deserved, some not) but I think it has a lot to do with the fact they are a "rip and tear" breed of dog. When most dogs bite, they bite down, release, bite down, release. When Pit Bulls bite, they bite down, hold on and rip away. This causes massive damage to the bite area and is a major contributor to their dangerous nature.

teacherbailey

I have two and they are sweethearts. Both were rescues and like many rescues, seem grateful for anything the get. Any dog will be aggressive if treated unkindly. Marco is 70 lbs at 10 months and is just learning how to be a part of a family; he needs to settle down some. Belle lived with kids for a long time and misses them but has Marco and three more doggie buddies here. She moved in with me after she played too roughly with a small dog next door to her and they blamed it on her breed---insisted that she get euthanized when she was playing with him the way she plays with bigger dogs, by nipping and running and growling like most dogs play. Most of the aggression at my house comes from the Beagle. She's the smallest and most conscious of her personal space.....and the pits just grin their doggie grins and move on.

Socialization and lots of fun experiences with all different sizes, genders and races of people are key to having any dog be happy and well adjusted. Pits are no different!

thequiltmama

From what I am told they do get a bad rap. It all depends on how a dog is raised. And I am not sure but someone told me once that the only are mean to other dogs, not kids. But I truly don't know personally. Best of luck. Maybe you could ask the shelter it came from????

tina romero masters

I volunteer at a humane society full of pits, and I work at a doggie day care. And I am careful with all the dogs because if you haven't been around them since they were a pup you never really know how they will act if cornered or over excited or scared. So it's a matter of common sense and respect regarding any dog. Pits are no different than a beagle, it just depends how they were raised as a pup. I love pittys!

Lv2sew2011

My Aunt has a pit bull and the dog is friendly as he can be, even around other dogs!