Cross Breeds - Why do poeple own pitbull dogs especially with children?

Why do poeple own pitbull dogs especially with children?

Do you think people who get pitbulls are trying to prove something? The dangers of the having this dog are known. Even if this breed isn't more likely to lash out anymore than another breed (which I believe it is anyway because of how they have been bred), their bite is a bad one that can cause a lot of damage, even death. So my question is, do people with children who buy these dogs just not believe they are dangerous regardless of the numerous attacks that have been all over the new over the years or do they just not care? Are they trying to prove something or maybe they are thrill seekers? Is it a staus symbol that says "look at me I own a dangerous dog, I can handle it."? I saw a report about one woman who raised her pitbull from a puppy and loved the dog and cared well for the dog and one day out of nowhere he attacked her and literally ripped her entire bottom lip off. Aren't people afraid these dogs will attack their children? Why would anyone risk it? Why not just get a different breed of dog? I'm not trying to down those who own pitbulls, just trying to understand the train of though that goes behind it. airforce wife...If you think they are only dangerous when raised that way, what about the tons and tons of proven attacks by pitbulls who were raised with loving care? can you please point out where I said they were bred to fight? Oh yeah you can't because I never said that! airforce wife: there is a difference because of the way a pitbull bites it is more dangerous when it does attack and I don't think they are scary looking, rather cute actually but it's a fact that they cause more damage when they bite. God Bless our troops...I never said they were bred to fight, I said "because of how they were bred" that was all I said.

Public Comments

I feel the same way. I think it's because, like that woman who had her lip bitten off, they come to trust their dogs and don't think they'd attack - even when the dogs are a breed that are known to attack. I don't think it's a good idea to have any dog around very young children anyway - but especially not a pitbull.
Yes, it's a "status" thing and usually the dog comes before the child. I don't mean the dog was there first but it has more importance than the child.
I don't think it's to prove anything. I think people are naiive, and forget that they are animals. However wonderful your pet is, you cannot argue instinct vs. logic. It's undisputable. I believe that you believe your dog could never cause any harm, but dogs... all dogs, even a reputable family dog... is still a dog and should always be watched. I think people who are partial to pit bulls (or akitas, or rotweillers, or any dog with a reputation for violence) probably had a great experience with one at some point, and assume it will always be that way. When we lose a pet, a way to get that happy memory back is to get the same kind of pet when we're ready for another one. I also think in some cases, the dog was in the family before the child, and the dilemma is presented of whether to keep the dog. I think a lot of factors play into it. I always watch my dog, and I wouldn't choose one I would worry about more than another. People will post that dogs are kinder than people. Whatever. Others will post it's the owner not the dog, and if the dog is violent, it's the owners fault. This is sometimes true. Not always, and the % of attacks from dogs NOT abused is still way too high for me to consider it.
I don't feel pit bulls are dangerous dogs by nature. They're only dangerous if they aren't trained properly and have irresponsible owners...just like any other dog breed. The make wonderful pets as long as they're taken care of. I don't know...it may just be that I'm from Southern California where pretty much every one and their mom has a pit bull including my family. EDIT: There are A LOT more reported dog attacks rather than pit bills, they just don't make the news because pit bulls *look* scarier and are so often used in criminal dog fights. German Shepards are high up on the list than pit bulls are. I've even heard of a freaking pug turning on it's owner! Granted a pug would do a lot less damage than a pit bull, but still. They're animals. Edit again: Yes, I agree. That's why I say people tend to be more afraid of them because of the way they attack. It's pretty scary. Owning a pit bull is a tough job because they require so much training, socilization, and love. But that doesn't make them any more dangerous than say a rot or a chow. They just need more than other dogs and when they don't get it and are owned by people who don't know the first thing about them is when they can get dangerous.
I seriously think they are dangerously tempting fete. Even if these people have those vicious breeds before they have children they should give them to someone without kids. I know people love their pets like children, but what do you do when your beloved pet kills, or seriously mauls your child? I'm sure there would be much less love for the pet after that! "look at me I own a dangerous dog, I can handle it." ^ This quote sums it all up, they are trying to prove something, and it is horribly horribly wrong!
I think it might be to protect the kids from strangers and bad people
First off... pit bulls were NOT bred to fight. They were bred to wrangle bulls, hence the name pit BULLS. They would catch a pull and latch on to the nose ring, the "locking jaws" were so they could hold on the bullring to subdue the bull. That feature was purposely bred into them for the job that they were expected to do. PEOPLE are the ones that got the idea that these great dogs with such powerful jaws could be used to fight one another. SO number 1, do some research before you say you know HOW and WHY they were bred. 2- Statistically a German Shepard is the dog that attacks most frequently. Followed next is a Chow-chow, poodle, Italian bulldog, Fox terrier, Mixed chow chow, Airedale, Pekingese, Mixed German shepherd. The American Pit Bull Terrior does not make the top 10. Now with that being said... will that stop you from getting a poodle? ANY dog has the potential to attack and kill. There was a case of a 9 weeks old chocolate lab that killed and ate an infant alive last year here where I live. A PUPPY Labrador. EVERY dog is dangerous if you want to go down that venue. I own a pit bull. I am not trying to prove anything. She is a GREAT dog with the patience of Jobe, the loyalty of a battle buddy, the heart of a saint, and the energy of the Energizer Bunny! I have had SEVERAL dogs through out my life time, but still yet, none of them compare to my pit bull. There is no replacement for that dog. And to top that off, she is SMART. I have a 3 yr old daughter and if you could see them together you would not question it. That is the only dog that has not and would not try to bite a child of that size for the things she does to her. Ever seen these aggressive horrible monsters that we call pit bulls dressed up in a tiara and boa, sitting at the table having a "tea party" with a 3 yr old little girl that is not one bit agitated??? Have you ever seen one of these monsters we call pit bulls laying at the door of the bedroom of a little girl that is in bed with the flu, laying there watching her, worried??? Have you ever seen the horrible monster we call pit bulls push a little girl out of the way to get inbetween her and a stranger because she thinks the little girl is in danger??? Because I have seen all of those things... and in MY opinion, that is not a dangerous dog. That is LOVE. Edit- I will go ahead and answer for Airforce wife too... ANY dog is dangerous. They are animals, they have instincts. It is just as likely that my pit bull turn as it is a Chihuahua turn. You can not forget that DOGS are not people... no matter how you paint them and how human like you want to believe they are, they are still animals. You can't say "Oh well pit bulls are the only dogs that kill" because that is not true. With having ANY family dog, you always have that same potential. Edit2- Oh well EXCUSE ME... HOW where they bred??????? You insinuated that they were bred to fight or bred to be aggressive and that is not the truth.
Pit bulls are statistically less likely to bite a child then most other breeds, they just tend to do more damage in the case that they do. There are people who buy pit bulls as guard dogs and leave them unsolized outside or abuse them for fighting purposes, and their are people who breed pit bulls with nasty temperments(resulting in pups with the same) However most responsible owners enjoy the pit for its extreme loyalty to its owners(type in pit bull saves family on google and you get 306,000 answers) and its extreme human friendliness(pit bulls do have a well earned reputation for dog aggression but are typaclly human friendly.) Pit bulls were typically thought of as the ideal family dog for most of American history, called the nanny dog to there wonderful nature with children, it is only recently that they have devolped a bad reputation(and the myths that go with it Pits do not have locking jaws their brains do not swell and they do not have more pressure per inch in there bite then all other breeds), before them it was rotties, before them dobermens, and before them dalmations.
Any dog can be dangerous. When my sister was 5, she was bitten really severely by a golden retriever. It tore her cheek from her jaw, ripped her throat open, tore her eyelid open and her nose was just hanging there. She had to have massive plastic surgery. She wasn't doing anything to harm the dog. It was our sitter's dog and we were locked out in the back yard with it, and suddenly it just jumped up and did it. They insisted that my sister must have provoked it. A few months later, a 2 year old climbed the fence to play with the dog and ended up with the same injuries as my sister. After that, there was an uproar among the neighbors and the dog owner ended up having to put it down. The only real difference betweeen what happened to my sister and and a pit bull attack is that the golden retreiver is not usually a violent dog, so no one expected it. Anyone who has a dog and young children should supervise them when they interact.
ANY dog can turn and bite it just tends to hit the news when it's a pit bull Or more here in the UK Stafford shire Terriers (staffies) NO dog is 100% safe around kids the tiny little chapeauua is one dog that is NOT suitable to be near children as they get very possessive of their owner and don't like to "share" they often won't even accept their owner having a partner never mind a child. the 2 dog bites we've had in my family 1 was my brother bitten by a german Shepherd, the other my daughter bitten by a small terrier type (not sure of the breed) that was a family members dog brought up with kids. My daughter was talking to it through the fence and put her hand in to stroke him, (as she'd done many times) she did not startle the dog at all but it jumped and bit her hand Had she been on the other side of the fence it would have launched at her face. She got away with a gash on her finger, but it could have easily been so much worse. Pit bulls are dangerous but so are all dogs, as in they all could snap at any time
Actually I believe pit bulls can be dangerous dogs but so can many other breeds. If you stop and think about how many pit bulls there are in the world, you don't hear that many cases of pit bulls attacking. It's with anything, when something bad happens everyone relates it too ALL pit bulls and that's just not true. Some people raise their pit bulls to be vicious, that's not the dogs fault. My parents have a pit bull and honestly, she is the the sweetest dog ever, i am not saying she would never hurt someone because i don't know that for sure. Just curious if you saw someone with the same car is you and it was in a real bad car accident, would you automatically go get rid of your car? no, because just because one car like that was in a bad accident doesn't mean they all will be....my point exactly just because one pit bull attacks doesn't mean the other one will.
Plain and simple -- I agree with you. I've heard wayyyyyyyyyyyy too many stories of these types of dogs mauling children. I've never heard of a story where a poodle mauled a child. My son's father has a pitbull that stays at his parents house. My son will NOT go there unless that dog is fenced up in the backyard. End of story.
I have an American Bulldog and if anybody who knows about all dogs and breeds know that their bite pressure is higher than a pitbulls. Pitbulls like any other dog that are not properly trained and handled are likely to show their owner who is in charge which is the reason for their dominance and aggression. Any dog or should I say any animal can attack their owner if not handled the right way. I love my pets, and my daughter will always come first before them. However I know if any of my animals were to try to bite or scratch (cats) her 90% of the time it would be because my daughter was annoying them in some way. You have to know your pets and how much they can tolerate. I lucked out, all my pets simply walk away when they've had enough of my daughter. Even though she knows how to handle them, there are still days where she still just wants to give them big hugs and it's my job as a parent and pet owner to watch for signs that the animal is not in the mood. Yes, animals have grumpy days too! If your planning to have a dog (or any pet) you don't just train the pet and expect it to be perfect, your suppose to train your children how to handle them properly. People also forget that dogs need long walks, not 10 minute walks around your neighbourhood, but at least 30 minutes. It's also parents who think it's "cute" to watch their children jump off their dog or put him/her in the pets crate for a "picture". If there is a kid that behaves like a brat and swears, hits other kids.. Is it the kids fault because of the way he was conceived? Or do we blame the parents for the way he was raised? It's pathetic how people to this day are still stereotyping one breed for the actions of bad breeding and handling. We're in a society that likes to point fingers. If pitbulls are all killers, does that mean all gay people have AIDS?
My Husband had a wonderful experience with a Rottweiler as a kid. He wants one so badly that he can taste it. I have read up on the breed, and agree, they are a fabulous breed, however, he will be getting one when our children are grown . One of my concerns is their absolute loyalty to their family.... a great quality, but if another child comes over, and a Rottweiler perceives that their family is being threatened by this newcomer, what could possibly happen? Well, I am not willing to find out.
First I’ll start off by saying that I don’t trust ANY dog 100%. Dogs are animals and in my opinion, can turn no matter what the situation. I do believe some breeds have a tendency to do this more than others. (And yes, I feel pit bulls fall into that category, but that’s only my opinion) We have a black lab and another dog that I seriously don’t know her exact breed. I trust my black lab, but never 100%. She’s gentle, kind and loving and GREAT with my son and my stepdaughter. She’s an old lady, and I do sometimes worry because she’s old. She can’t see as well, she can’t hear as well – so who knows? The other dog makes me nervous because she’s high energy. So is my son. They have a great bond, but a scary one. I really don’t trust the two of them together for many reasons. My husband has always wanted a pit bull because he was raised in S. FL. Me? Over my dead body will he bring a pit bull into our house. Not around our son. I’m just not comfortable with that! To each their own when it comes to pets. But you won’t see me around a pit bull. No matter how well behaved.
It can't happen to me.
"Look at me I own a dangerous dog, I can handle it." Lol that is the stupidest bullshit I have ever heard! I own an APBT and a Toy Poodle…….guess who is the violent one? That’s right, the Toy Poodle is. We got the Pit Bull as a young puppy, the poodle was from a pet store and older and had never been socialized. I have NEVER seen a Pit Bull get aggressive towards a human. They are not bred to be violent, in the beginning they were not even bred to be dog aggressive; they were bred to attack Bulls. I have seen parents who own pit bulls and those pits have never once attacked a child. Truthfully, it IS how you train them. Do me a favor and until you own a Pit Bull do not make comments on how they are all aggressive. To those of you who said wonderful things about APBT’s and other bully breeds….thank you and to those who have said that they don’t trust them and all that bad shit……until you own a Pit Bull or another bully breed you really have no right to an opinion until you have seen firsthand what these dogs are really like, not just what you’ve heard. Don’t believe what the media always tells you.
my american pitbull terrier is a very sweet well tempered 5yr old dog. but just the same, i don't allow any dogs (even my own) to be alone with any children (even children who are familiar to him). never *ever* trust an animal to be unsupervised with children. it's irresponsible. those attacks happened b/c the dog was allowed to be unsupervised with the children (example: the baby asleep on the bed? why was the dog allowed to go in that room anyway?) i could very well make the same generalization about jack russels. they are wild, rambunctious, and one of their bites could easily kill a child. i know this b/c one bit my 30yr SIL and literally left a hole in her chin. she had to have reconstructive plastic surgery. we've got the pictures and court documents to prove it. her plastic surgeon happened to own a couple jack russels and he said it was going for her jugular vein, trying to kill her. b/c that's what animals do when they attack. it was instinct. i could also generalize that all lhasa apsos are psychotic b/c my SIL dog as well as my childhood friend's dog both were very ill-tempered, easily bit, terrorized kids, snatched food off the table, etc, etc. i will not let my kids anywhere near my SIL dog, not b/c of her breed, but b/c of her temperament. she was raised to play too rough and now does not know to play gently with kids. BUT i know that all dogs have their own personalities. ***lumping them into generalized stereotypes is as stupid as racism*** and MOST bites could have been prevented if the owner/handler had control of the dog and if the "victim" had respected the dog properly. the real victim is the dog.
Well, for me, someone gave us our boy dog (who happened to be a pitbull) back in 1998. We got our girl dog in 2001. I got pregnant in 2008. Our dogs were well socialized with other dogs and with children of all ages. Should I have given my dogs away because I got pregnant? The breed has such a bad reputation, due to bad owners, that our animal shelter won't even adopt them back out. They are killed, even as puppies. Pitbulls do have bad bites when they bite. They also happen to be one of the smartest and most loyal breeds. That is why they do anything, including fighting, to please their owners. If you actually read up on it, there are many breeds that are considered a poor fit for children. They just don't make the news as often.
I had a friend who owned a pit bull from 6 weeks and I would often keep this dog overnight, I took him camping, he slept in my tent. I loved this dog and He loved me, but at 8 months old this dog turned on me and attacked for 20 minutes, when he quit it was like a switch was flipped it was over like it began, out of nowhere this happened. I have my own dog now, a mutt, I've raised since 5 weeks old. I treat her the same as I did the other dog, at now 4.5 years of age this dog has never attacked me. If she gets snippy it is in a predictable situation with her warning first. I for one do believe pitt bulls are more prone towards violence.
i agree with you. and yes the dogs CAN be friendly and they may never turn... BUT when a pit bull bits they have to bite through they don't have a choice their jaw locks.. so say you have a 4 year old its running around and trips falls on the dog startles it and it snaps... its going to cause a lot of damage. so even if they are friendly would i want to even take that risk? no. would i own another type of dog with small kids? maybe... only if i could completely trust it and more then likely it would be a smaller one. my cousin owned two pit bulls when she ahd her daughter.. she always took one with her ( the "friendly one" ) she visited once while we were both pregnant. it kept growling at me and trying to Corner me. with my brother it sat on his lap and growled at him. and the other one they couldn't take anywhere because it was to mean! i have no idea why she would keep those particular dogs around a new born baby... especially since they had jealousy issues....
According to the Clifton study, pit bulls, Rottweilers, Presa Canarios and their mixes are responsible for 74% of attacks that were included in the study, 68% of the attacks upon children, 82% of the attacks upon adults, 65% of the deaths, and 68% of the maimings. In more than two-thirds of the cases included in the study, the life-threatening or fatal attack was apparently the first known dangerous behavior by the animal in question. Clifton states: If almost any other dog has a bad moment, someone may get bitten, but will not be maimed for life or killed, and the actuarial risk is accordingly reasonable. If a pit bull terrier or a Rottweiler has a bad moment, often someone is maimed or killed--and that has now created off-the-chart actuarial risk, for which the dogs as well as their victims are paying the price. You can defend your pit bulls and whatever else you like but these are the facts.
yeah I do- pit bulls and big trucks= small packages! Lmao, but I agree you are trying to prove you are some type of bad *ss or something. All I have to say is- my gun can kill your Pitt before he comes near my family! So who's bad now!!!! I am totally joking, I would shoot the owner, not the dog :)
Simple. They are the same people who also think it cool to go around armed with knives or worse, to drive around at dangerous speeds in high powered uninsured cars and so on. They are morons.
i think it is how the owners raise them, any dog can have an attack. i know some really nice pits, sweet to children and not aggressive. i am sure some people get the dog cause its "dangerous". but its all on how the dog is raised, if its raised to be mean it is gonna be mean, if it is raised to be nice and raised around children nothing is wrong with it.
'until you own a Pit Bull or another bully breed you really have no right to an opinion' Now, *that* is BS!! That's like saying, "Until you've had an abortion, you have no right to have an opinion." Utter nonsense... Have you never had an opinion on something that you're really not involved with? Of course you have, if you're honest. That said, I think some dogs are just naturally more aggressive than others, whether it's their breed, how they were raised, or whatever... I don't condemn Pit Bulls, as an entire breed, but I also will never have one.
i have 2 pit bulls. im a 22 year old girl. im completely normal, no tattoos, just my ears pierced, i shop at old navy and the gap, just graduated college this summer. i am not a criminal. my dogs are trained and loving. they are also extremely supervised with other dogs, although they both have never had an issue with another dog, and children, although again no issues. stop judging the breed, and how the owners must look or behave. these dogs like ALL dogs need to be supervised with children and other animals! just be responsible and it will all be okay! you can own ANY dog if you are just responsible!!!! i would be embarrassed to be so ignorant and so one dimensional on a subject. honestly!
I have sweet large pitbull dog. I had two kids. They were happy together very along good. If someone train pitbull bad, and the pitbull would bite peoples. If someone teach pitbull right way, and pitbull will be great. Everybody need to stop blaming on Pitbull dog. Alright, Human's fault. Pitbull is innocents.
When is this "pointing the gun" at pitbulls going to end!! An animal is an animal,there are just as many scary people out there that do worse things to people and they don't get killed for it! A parent has to be carefull with any animal, just like they have to be careful with any human around their kids.