Do you really believe pitbulls are vicious and a dangerous breed?

I own a rednose female pitbull named Emily. She is 4 years and I rescued her from Orange County Shelter when she was 6 months. She is wonderful, VERY smart, alert, and calm. She is not dog aggressive and great with kids. I love her so much and wouldn't want any other dog. I believe pitbulls are a very powerful breed, and the bite from a pit is alot more serious than from other breeds. The number one rule I tell people is to be a RESPONSIBLE PITBULL OWNER, and watch them like a hawk. If you leave a pitbull to do whatever it wants, you are asking for trouble. They are not killers, they are just not the type of dog that is easily intimidated or backs down. This is what gets alot of people into trouble, because they do not do their research and think they can own this amazing breed. I know that if anything bad were to happen, I would almost always be at fault because I own a "dangerous breed".If you would like to talk more with pitbull owners, please take a look at www.PitbullForum.com and check out the pics too!Congrats on your new pitty!

NO!!!!!!Rarely is it the dog (any breed) that is the problem, it is usually the dog owner. Sorry if that offends ... dogs are not little children. When treated as such they tend to be confused, etc. Remember as much as we want them to ... they do not speak English nor do they understand our body language.

I have 5 pits . They are not at all vicious. they are show offs that love attention and can actually handle the kids rough housing. Everyone of my dogs have their own personality. One thing they are not is vicious. They welcome anyone who will play with them into the house. The youngest one is a little rowdy but he is only 6 months and loves to play.

i have 2 males and my oldest is 2 1/2 and my youngest is 1 and i have not had a problem with either i love them both and the oldest thinks he is daddy over the youngest and dose put the youngest in his place when the youngest dose something wrong like try to take the oldest food from him when he has his own he dont bite but he will give a low growl to let him know he knows what hes doing and the youngest will go to his own food bowl but other than that they play with the other dogs and get along well running jumping , biteing each others tails and i my oldest dose tricks for treats , he sits , barks, and rolls over , and is teaching my youngest one for me they are awsome dogs if you take time and work with them , now if they feel you are in danger they will jump in front of you i had a prowler a few months back and my pitt jumped in front of me and wouldent let me go out side because he knew i would be in danger they are great and i also have 3 childeren ages 5-10-13

Make sure you are the pack leader and you will be fine.APBTs are extremely loyal, friendly, loving, adoring, and cuddly. Their every wish is to please their owner. They can be stubborn, so early training is a must. They are friendly towards people. A human-aggressive pit bull is probably an abused or otherwise an improperly raised dog. Socialization and training are key elements in making a pit bull friendly towards other animals and dogs. Some pit bulls are capable of amazing feats of agility, including high leaps, lightning-fast speed, perfect catches, and spinning and stopping on a dime. Others, however, prefer brute force to subtlety. They will simply mow down the ball or frisbee, grab and hold a rope for hours, or get a toy from another dog by crashing smack into them and hoping they'll drop the toy out of surprise. Most pit bulls are extremely intelligent. Their pronounced chest muscles help them primarily in pulling and tugging, and their jaw muscles allow them to chew through even the hardest doggy toys in seconds.

I used to own 3 pitbulls. A male and 2 females. I raised them from puppies. They were wonderful dogs and made great companions until they got older. At age 13 years, one female attacked my husband one night while he was watching TV.For no reason, she sprang up from across the room and tore into his leg. She tore a major vein and he almost bled to death. He needed over 200 stitches. The vet diagnosedage related dementia. He said it was characterised by sudden aggressive behavior. he said medicine only would work to control her for a very short period of time and thatit would get worse. We put her to sleep.At 14, the other female, attacked me for no reason. The vet diagnosed the same thing.At 15 years, our male pitbull attacked a neighbor's child with no provocation, while the child was at our home. The vet diagnosed the same thing age related dementia.After that, I did a lot of research and found out that Pit Bulls are geneticly prone to age related dementia because of a missing chromosome in most of their DNA. I've read that most pitbulls have an 80 percent chance of getting dementiaby age 10 years. The chances increase with age.Some research has been done to try to control the symptoms with drugs like humans take for Bi polar and other mental disorders, but most of the drugs only work to control the symptoms for a few months.Yes, i'm sorry to say I do believe pitbulls are a very dangerous breed when they mature because of the high risk of dementia.As wonderful pets as my dogs were when they were younger, Iwill never own another pitbull do to that risk involved.There are many other breeds of dogs out there that do not carry such a high risk of age related dementia.

You want someone who is around a lot of Pit Bulls? I would be the one to ask. I am a Dog Training Instructor and I would at least say that 40% of the dogs in our area are Pits or Pit mixes. They can be dangerous, in the wrong hands or if they have been misbred. So can a lot of other dogs...Cane Corsos,German Shepards,Chows,SharPeis, Rotties,etc.... It is very important that they are with the right owner. An owner who has studied up on the breed, knows what their dog is capable of, and is able to stay calm and assertive with it when they need to be. Just like you need to study up on any dog and know you can handle it's strengths and weaknesses. I don't think it's right for them to constantly go on about this breed being "the most agressive of all". Whatever. I had a Chocolate Lab attack another dog in class, she wanted to go after every dog. She had me more worried than any Pit that ever came in. Pits can be so sweet and loving. They are big clowns with these amazing eyes that are so full of wisdom. They are as good of a dog as any dog. I love them all, really. Anyways....... a really good site that I recommend to people is www.pbrc.organother one to check out isgprime.net/flash.php/thepitbullproblemafter this video, they give you a bunch of different places to check out information on Pits. I found it very helpful. In fact, I hand out a paper with a bunch of these websites whenever I have a new class starting up. I do that to help show people the good side of Pits. I figure even if only one person checks out the information, they will pass it onto another person and so on. The only way to take away fear is knowledge. One of my favorite things that happen in class is when I have someone who was scared of a Pit open their minds up and pet one, makes me want to cry. All you ever see is the bad stuff on the news, in the papers, and you hear from people who have had a bad experience with them and don't understand how to not judge every dog because of a bad experience. If we banned a dog breed every time someone had a bad experience with a dog, we wouldn't have any breeds left. Also, so many dogs look like Pits, people mistake them and say that it was a Pit that was agressive. Anyways, sorry about the novel. This is a big subject for me. I am always sticking up for the underdogs, be it an animal or person. I must say thank you so much for being one of the responsible owners by studying up on the breed and doing right by it. You are one of the reasons they will get a better name. : )

Dear Stephanie:I'll tell you only facts.Certain types of dogs were bred to do certain things over hundreds of years. It was not evolution perse, but one or more of the dogs in a litter were developed to do what they were trained for.Examples are Queensland Heelers, Australian Shepard's, and St. Bernard's.Pit Bulls are a persons dog. They were developed to fight. As they get older their instinctive gene (?) to fight and kill becomes very prevalent.I had a pit bull for a short time. I named her Coco. Unfortunately, she attacked my other dog, and a horse!I cried when I had her taken away.Please don't be fooled by others that give lots of information about how nice they can be.Not all, but most are a very vicious and dangerous....and the Pound is full of them!Incidentally, my Granddaughter has two purebreds. So far they are nice and gentle....I hope they stay that way!My advice to you is... if you are thinking of getting one...Don't!

Some pitbulls are vicious and dangerous, but like any dog this is due to poor breeding, poor genetics, and not being trained, socialized and raised correctly. Just like any other breed, a lot of things contribute to the temperment of the dog.That being said, a tempermentally sound pit bull IS NOT human aggressive!! This is an unacceptable trait for pit bull type breeds, and any human aggressive pit bull should be humanely euthanized for the protection of the dog, the owner, the general public and the over all reputation of pit bulls all over the world.Be sure to have both of your dogs neutered or spayed. This will lessen the chance that they will get into a fight. Animal/Dog aggression is common for the breed.Your two dogs may get along famously now, or for years. One day, this could end over anything...a toy, piece of food, a vehicle that the dog does not like the sound of...and if you are not their to supervise and they are left together, you may come home to a bloody mess and major injury or death of one of your dogs.Make sure to crate these dogs in separate rooms when you are not home or able to supervise. This will eliminate the chances that a deadly fight will break out.Never feed them together. Make sure to remove any aggression triggers such as toys, beds, treats, chews, or anything else that may cause friction between the two dogs.Click on the link below to read my article on this topic.

pit-bulls are only as bad as the person that owns it. my family has had two pit-bulls they good loyal dogs and very smart. the thing is picking a puppy you have to watch the pups and see how they act with each other if you want a good pet do not choose the dominate pup pick one that is laid back and docile turn the pup on its back if it goes on the fight you don't want that pup, but you don't want a timid pup, take a pair of car keys and rattle them at the pup if it runs away you don't want that pup.you need to spend a lot of time with these dogs and train them they are working dogs so you need to walk them and keep them busy if you want to know more e-mail me

no i dont think all pitbulls are that way.. i had a pitbull and it was the sweetest thing ever! and the people in my neighborhood train their dogs to fight and be vicious/tough so its all how the owner handles the dog.. i think your best bet would be to treat it gentle.. also lots of drug dealers buy pitbulls for protection so they train them to defend the owner.. which gives pitbuls a bad rep.hope i helped =)

Question: "Do you really believe pitbulls are vicious and a dangerous breed?"Allow me to give you my long and well thought out, brilliant answer:.......No. =)

I have bred Pit's in the past, and a Pit Bull is only going to be mean and vicious if you make it that way. Just socialize it, play wiht it nicely, don't be mean, or starve it or anything like that. They were originally bred to be a family dog. Just keep doing what your doing and it'll be fine. But make sure that if your pit shows any kind of aggression at all, correct it immediately and keep a good eye out for more behavior.

no some are bred that way by evil malicious breeders, but no dog is born with hatred.

It depends on the owner and how they care for the dog. If they miss treat their dog then yes they will be mean. I have been in a house where the dog was half bitbull and the dog was just great and I meet another one and the dog just walked up to me and rolled on her back for a stomach rub. I just depends who cares for the dog. If you give it a lot of love the dog will be fine.

the people who are answering here do not have sufficient knowledge or background to give an intelligent answer to a question like thisthe answer is yes they can be, but it is the owners responsibility to prevent this with proper training and alertness to their dogs behaviour. calling them sweet shows your ignorance of the dogsAlso, asking a question and relying on people to answer from experience and ignore media or other negative events is even more uneducated than the answerers you would like to deny. to educate yourself on the breed requires looking at every part of the spectrum. you request that only people who own, spend time around, or breed the dogs answer. now tell me who is going to be the person that says " Yes, I spend oodles of time around these dogs and i own them but i am terrified of their vicious and dangerous behaviour". also, you ask for their true personality. if a dog attacks a child is that not part of its personality. ? if its not the personality of that dog, what is it? read more about "flight or fight syndromes" soon. by the way i do own one. i am truly amazed with his personality, he lives here with a rat terrier, and 2 cats. he is a powerful animal and he is very alert to anything in his environment, when i take him to work with me i stay constantly alert to his body language, because he thinks i need his protection. like i say he is a great dog and we have great playtimes together, but i must respect his speed and power when other peoples safety is involved

I have a general "hesitation" when it comes to pitbulls in general. Here's why...while I realize there are many great natured pitbulls who would never hurt anyone (and I've met a couple!), I'm a pediatic nurse who whorks in the ED. I've seen many children who have come in with vicious pitbull bites. Some of them were from their own dogs, in which they were simply walking by them when they were chewing on a bone, or when they were barking at something else and the child went near the dog. While I don't hold anything against the breed, I've seen too many unpredictable behaviors by that breed that even their owners couldn't believe.

aww that cool. i have a pit too. his name is Cyros. hes a baby. lol. he loves other dog. and adults, kids, and other animals. he chases bears though. and thats one thing he is not afraid of. he is stuborn though. he dosnt do any tricks lol. the only one he knows it how to beg. he taugh himself that. lol. my pit is so energenic. he love to pop balls. lol. he can pop basketballs. and soccer balls, etc. he can run fast too. mine can run about 35 miles an hour or more. and the other pit that we had could run like 40. there fast. mine like to cuddle under the blankets. and he begs. its annoying cuz he chews like a man. lol. well if u have any more questions u can e-mail me. heres a pic of him. http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s316/Dogcrazy21/SEPTEMBER2006132.jpg

I have been around pit bulls my entire life. I have owned one, and though I adored that dog, I probably will not own another one. It's not that I think they are a bad breed, it's that it's just not the right dog for me. I think that a potential pit bull owner needs, as with any other breed, to consider what fits best in their lives. As an owner, there are a few things that you can do to help keep your dog mild mannered. Socialization, of course, is key, but make sure that you are socializing with adults, children, dogs, and cats (if possible). Try not to chain the dog and exercise him every day. Consistently pull on your dogs ears, tail, etc, to get him used to the things a child might do to him. When the dog is eating, pull his food away, stick your hand in it, etc, to cut down on food aggression. Also, you have to establish yourself as leader, and do not allow the dog to "over-protect" you. This is the biggest mistake. Some owners think it is cute or cool or great that every time a person comes near them, their pit steps between. You are encouraging the behaviors that lead to aggression. Don't worry about protection, if you really need it, he'll be there. He does not need to protect you from everything. I believe that the breed, on a whole, is not bad. I am, however, not convinced that there aren't a few bad eggs out there. But, consider this, it is probably the most popular "aggressive-type" breed in america. And though most owners are wonderful with the dogs, it also leads to tons of owners who do not know what they are doing with the breed. Also, more of a breed means more reported bites from that breed. Because it is a large breed, these bites are terrible. But, consider this, do you really think it's that many more than, let's say, a chihuahua or a yorkie. It's just that those bites cause no more than a band-aid to repair. However, as an owner of a pit, it is your responsibility to know your dog, know the breed, and take no chances.

I own a 5 year old female pit bull, She is just a big mush ball and everyone who meets her loves her. I agree with everyone that it is how they are treated that turns them into aggressive dogs (true with any breed) Things to do include ...socializationtraininglots of walking to keep her happy/healthyproper leash training (they can pull massive amounts of weight)lots of toys and fun and lovethings not to do..rough play and tug games. These instill the desire to be vicious the side to side head shaking "tearing" or "killing" their catch. (true with most of the bully breeds) You can play tug, just be sure only YOU initiate it, and only YOU win. And the game stops when you say so, otherwise you have a dog that wants to dominate.