Are pit bulls good family dogs?

I rescued this tiny puppy from a box in an alley on garbage day. My daughters and I took him right to the vet and found that he is a 5 wk old pit bull puppy. I am a little concerned that he may attempt to be dominant with my children who are 13,11,and 2yrs. How do I prevent this at such a young pup age? I don't want to use any physical punishment with my pets. How can we get the point across to this pup now and as he grows?

nope

YES! with the right training and upbringing they are! Just wait for the rest to put the breed down. They should ban PEOPLE NOT the BREED!

Pitbull dogs that have been properly socialized are loyal, courageous and friendly, even to strangers – much like their Boston terrier cousins. However, they often display hostility if they’re not trained right. American pitbull terriers tend to be aggressive towards other dogs of the same sex. Because of their somewhat unpredictable nature, this breed isn’t a good choice for a family pet.......................................................................................................Exercise: Vigorous daily exercise is best for these dogs, as they’re as energetic as the tireless husky. However, it’s best to keep them leashed. Riding a bike with the dog running alongside is an ideal activity.

He'll be fine. Just make sure that he makes it, he's really little.Pit Bulls are great with kids and good family dogs, make sure that you socialize it around other dogs and other people a lot when its a little older and has had its vaccinations.Dont listen to the whole "Pit Bulls are aggressive and violent" crap. Its not true. They are no more dangerous than any other dog breed, especially if you put the time into training and socializing them.Have fun with you new family member

Are your concerns because the dog is a pitt or would you naturally be this concerned with any dog??Either way, nothing special you need to do, just as with any dog, training is the key, once training starts, thats when the bond and respect start to grow. Your dog wont feel the need to dominate if you have control and he knows that, which he will. Naturally at some points through training and learning the dog will try and see how far he can get, you just need to make sure you catch him out every time.But this puppy, might not have a dominant personality, you'll just have to wait and see.

as long as you treat your dog well there should be no problem. pit bulls aren't violent dogs, it's their owners that are violent. a pit bull's mindset is actually set to PLEASE their owner. they are excellent dogs if trained properly. watch "it's me or the dog" on animal planet or watch "dog whisperer". there are lots of training tips on those shows on how to train your dog without physical punishment. physical punishment doesn't just make a pit bull violent, it can make ANY dog violent.

my son has a pit and he is very good with the kids, but you do have to teach them like part of the family. and with a stern but kind hand. my sons dog knows me as grandma and just like the kids he is happy when i come over to see them.

Pitbulls can be great dogs - You need to give this pup some training at 8-9 weeks of age - They can be a powerful dog so you need to be the Boss - training will gain the respect of YOU or your child as Pack leader.It was so nice of you to rescue this dog!!!My sister has a pitbull and he has the BEST attitude a dog can have...EASY to train / gentile / ( lap dog???) and still will protect the family from danger... JUST a pleasure to be around her pitbull.IT is how they are brought up... ( I don't believe in the Genetics )So, give it a good try and see how this dog grows. Work with the pit and give him a chance ....If things don't work out you can find another home or even put him down if needed.BEST wishes to you all:SEE Pitbull Q and A site:bullie site: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Bulldogs-2360/indexExp_100491.htm

There's really not a way to prevent this breed of dogs of becoming dominant. That is just their personalities. Using physical punishment with these dogs will only make them aggressive towards you. My aunt and cousins had two of these dogs and both dogs became aggressive and brutally killed their small dog. One of their pit bulls even attacked my cousin as she simply played on a swing without even bothering the dog.

yes as long as you take care of them and train them

it really does depend on how there grown up as to weather they are good pets.to train him u dont need any physical punishments. just do it were he does something good give him a treat (like the little walk ones)and if hes sitting on something you dont want him 2 pick him up and put him were he's aloud. if he's doing something wrong use a harsh tone and say NO, he should sooner or later recognise the saying and stop, if he doesnt give him like a time out room where he's by himself most dogs dont like 2 be alone so they will behave so they dont go in there.hope this helps

When he is a little older you need to take him in for training. You will need to establish pack order in the home, but you would need to do that with any breed of dog. At only 5 weeks old he won't have any bad habits already instilled by bad people.Pits are amazing family dogs and are naturally gentle with kids. Up until the last couple of decades, when idiots wanting to boost their image started using pits they'd trained to act vicious as accessories (overcompensation for feelings of inadequacy), pits were considered the ultimate family dog. You don't need to use physical punishment with your new puppy. A harsh or disappointed tone will break your pit pup's heart, they live to please their masters. Proper training and socialization (when a little older) are the key to a happy, well-behaved dog. He will go through the typical chewing puppy stage but can easily be redirected to toys or chewies (invest in kongs and horse balls for his toys, they are ~almost~ indestructible and will last a bit longer than typical dog toys). Start looking for a trainer now and read through some trainer's sites to get some general ideas to start with him in a couple weeks. At 5 weeks old he is just a baby and should have been left with his mom for several more weeks... you will be replacing her.My two rescue pits think the sun rises and sets around my 18 month old grandson. I have trained the dogs, they have been socialized and they recognise me as their leader. They are gentle and sweet with him, no aggression issues.~~~~EDIT @ *Kate* ~ Even the CDC, AVMA and USHUS state that the stats are wrong. A dog that carries the physical characteristics of a pit bull-type dog is often reported as a pit, even though mastiffs, rotties, most hunting hounds and a lot of mutts (just to name a few breeds) have the same general characteristics of a blocky head and muscular body.... Even as they compile lists of dog bite incidences the pit columns are often accompanied with a note explaining this fact. Yes, even animal control gets it wrong a lot of the time. THAT is probably why all the thumbs down.And, as a soc major/psyc minor who deals with stats and studies all day, I can tell you first hand that statistics lie, there are multiple variables, including the person/people compiling the data and their own agendas or personal feelings on an issue.

Best to get a pro trainer if you're not sure- they are great dogs, it's the people who own them that can be a problem

Gosh, yes. One of that breeds' major good points is they so very badly want to please their people. Unfortunately, that is the quality that dogfighters and other nefarious parties capitalize on. Pitbulls are headstrong dogs, but probably not much more than terriers, and need a firm guiding hand in socializing and training them. They are intensely loyal and if raised with children will be their personal protectors. As with ANY dog, they should never be left alone with infants/toddlers as small children are unpredictable and make quick movements which may startle/confuse the dog.Pitties have gotten bad raps over the years and yes, sadly, bad things have happened with them. But most stories involve the lack of training and supervision. If properly brought up they are extremely affectionate dogs and don't deserve the bad press. Other breeds can be equally as dangerous if not socialized/trained but I believe the pitbull has been a target.All that being said, they do require a committment to consistent training, lots of exercise as they are an energenic breed, and as with any dog, supervision around small kids. Lots of socialization and exposing the pup to all sorts of situations would be a great start. Because training them is imperative, as it is with any dog that you want to be well-behaved, enrolling in a puppy obedience class would be one major way to make sure you begin on the right paw. Physical punishment is never the way to train any dog, positive reinforcement with treats and affection, and lots of exercise work the best. Remember that any dog that has been physically punished could "turn" on a human, so kind, yet firm guidance and ignoring bad puppy behavior in lieu of rewarding the good is the best training.

Column 1 is Breed Attacks doing Bodily Harm, #2 is Child Victims, #3 is Adult Victims, #4 is Deaths and #5 is MaimingsPit bull terrier 1110 495 397 104 608

I have two pit bulls. I have two children. I show them love, mounds of affections, and my children adore them. They are like big babies. Absolute best pet to have around children. Pit Bulls are not bad pets by any means. The owner that neglects, abuses, ect are the bad. I have a 3 year old and 6 year old boys. They even play tug a war with them. My Pits have been around children since they were born. The only way to train a pit bull that I have found is using a firm voice or a pill bottle half full of pennies. If they do something you feel appropriate then shake the pill bottle. Its something about the noise that makes my male pit just lay down and stop whatever he is doing, But I started training him with that simple thing as a puppy, My female Pit with just a firm tone she listens quite well, I have never hit, swatted, kicked or any form of abuse towards my pit bulls, they are family and they love us completely, As far as the dominant issue with your children it wont be a factor as long as you keep the puppy socialized with them, Allow him to be part of your family and in return you will have the best puppy.

Well i do believe any dog breed is good to begin with,i believe starting training at a young age well keep a puppy or big dog in check. if you yourself and children state your dominance at the puppies young age then it should not want to try to be dominant.my grandpa taught me a good key to see if a puppy well be nippy or calm, i know you dont want to hurt the puppy but one of the good keys involve slight pinching to the ends of both ears and between two toes now it wont hurt them it just makes them want yelp a little, if the puppy tends to want to bit you becareful as the dog gets older,now their is a trick to getting them out of that habbit when it bits make a loud yep noise and the dog should look up.the noise sounds like a puppy"like when little puppies are being ruff with other ones and are hurting them they make a loud noise telling them to stop.now for a lazy puppy their good dogs but can get into mischief obedience training for any kind of dog should start very young. now if you have trouble with your dog during training try to contact your local training school for classes and its important that you get your children to help to because you just dont want the dog listeing to one person you want the whole family and get the dkog used to strangers on dog walks and other dogs,because that in its self can be very difficult to handle.sory for all the typing if you need anything else just ask

Pitties are wonderfull dogs!! Yes there are a lot of stories out there of attacks and people will argue with statistics. Well here is one in Denver CO they outlawed Pitts. When they did they did a big story on the news. More Cocker Spaniels bit people then pitts and More German Shepherds bit people then pitts. So when you do hear stories it's because of the breed. Yes they can inflict more harm if they are out to hurt because of their incredible jaw strength. But if I were able to own a pitt where I lived I would have one and my daughter is 3 years old. They were originaly bred to be family dogs and to protect their family. They are big babies, think they are lap dogs, and if raised around kids they worship the ground the kids walk on. Yes they are very smart and also very blockheaded. You have to take control and be the alpha immediatly. But once you establish the "pack positions" in your home your pitt will follow them. And I wouldn't worry about your kids. As long as they treat the dog right the dog will shadow their footsteps. I would watch with the youngest as pitts can be full of energy and may knock the 2yr old down. Not to hurt them though!! Keep that in mind. Just to play! And once boundaries are set it will happen less and less. Exercise the dog frequently because of their energy. The energy level is high but so is the energy level of a Jack Russell. My friend would take his pitts (he had 3) to a ballpark that was completly fenced in and play fetch for hours. Bike riding, swimming, running just EXERCISE!! I love the bully breeds. If they are taught right and well socialized you can't ask for a better dog and companion.

Oh yes, especially if you have got some ugly toddlers!Pit bulls are very good at rearranging kid's faces!