why would you want to have a pitbull? (ridgeback, how much, golden retrievers)

[Mach50]

Originally Posted by nicolepsy

could you give me the warning signs please so that i can feel more comfortable?

It is all about the demeanor of the dog and owner combined.

First I evaluate the owner, if the owner looks high-strung, walking too fast, a little tentative or a little too tough, holding the dog on the leash with no slack on the line, these are all signs that this owner has no control over the dog.

I'll walk right by them.

If the owner checks out, I then move to the dog.

If the dog is walking forcefully, switch-backing diagonally on the leash, jumping erratically, or any type of nervous behavior. I will deem this animal out of control.

Those are some of the most detailed ways, there are also the obvious ways, like if the dog has a reputation or has attacked things around it.

When in doubt, trust your dogs instincts, if your dog does not want to approach that dog, then don't make it.

[Mom2Five]

Originally Posted by citybythebay

Awwww, soozin, your dogs are beautiful!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I have to laugh at the "yellow eyes" comment from above..haha...

Anyone see "yellow eyes" on my baby??? No? I didn't think so...LOL

Oh, and in case any alarmists are wondering what's on her face?
She likes Mom's Chilli....
I get a kick out of threads like this!

Cutie, and I can also imagine some jerk thinking she's got blood on her face

[riveree]

Originally Posted by Mach50

When in doubt, trust your dogs instincts, if your dog does not want to approach that dog, then don't make it.

And your own thoughts/feelings will influence the outcome as well - if you are nervous about an approaching dog, your own dog will pick up that - better you cross the street and keep a distance between the dogs if you are not comfortable about an approaching dog.

[soozin]

Thanks Riveree and Mom2Five, I have another black small chihuahua, who was given chili to eat, so her first night she spent pooping chili every where. That was a sleepless night.

Riveree, I had some time to poke around the forums and read the thread about your newest foster pit. Loved the story, broke my heart at first then made me excited to see that you kept the dog. Love to hear stories like that.

We had two dogs killed on our street in 2 months. Dogs who's owners let their dogs run around with out supervision. A cute jack russell started hanging around my house and sleeping on my back porch.. ugh how do they find me... Tried to find it's home with no luck. I didn't want her to get hit by a car. She is a year old or maybe a year and a few months. Have had her for 3 months. I seem to find the nicest strays. She is now housebroken, crate and leash trained and ready for a good home. She loves sleeping under the covers if you let her.

I live in Dunlap, TN, if you know anyone willing to give her a good home I would appreciate it if they would contact me. I have her posted everywhere on the net that I could think of.


In the year and a half that I have lived here I have taken in 6 dogs.. that shows you the problem with strays that we have in this town with not animal control.

[PudelPie]

Soozin, what a cutie!! And thanks to you for all of your obvious good work.

That kind of answers the question that started this thread...sometimes dogs just find us, or choose us, not the other way around. And for most of us here, once we open our heart, we commit to finding the best home possible--sometimes that home belongs to us...

[GreenMachine]

I agree. Any dog can bite anytime. My dog has bitten people and lunged at them many times. Fortunately, she only weighs 25 pounds. One time she bit some guy totally out of the blue. We were walking down the sidewalk and I had her on a leash. We walked past this man who was trimming a hedge with a loud machine. The noise upset her, so she bit him on his leg and broke skin. (She also does not like motorcycles.) It was upsetting, but it happens. I also had a blind poodle who bit everyone who came over to my house. He was a rescue and had a bad past. He was only 12 pounds. He also bit me at first, but that calmed down after a while.

Bigger dogs that bit are a problem. The owner either needs to learn how to control it or the dog ends up being put down. My friend had a pit bull that she did not know how to control. She was not the type to have an aggressive dog and the dog was difficult to train. After the dog scared some neighbors and bit the housekeeper, it was put down. Very, very sad.

But to return to the OPs question. I'd own a pitbull, yes. A dog is a dog, and I've met some of the sweetest pitbulls you can imagine. But I'd make sure I lived in a house, because some landlords feel funny about renting to people with pits...

Greenie

[MarriedWithOutChildren]

I don't even want to get into this thread, read my comments on other threads regarding pitbulls......Many of you want everyone to be educated on the breed and be forgiving of these animals, yet CitybytheBay and AnyDayNow use the term, 'tard'. Are you kidding? That is the most ridiculous thing that I have read thus far...even from us 'uneducated pitbull' people.

[citybythebay]

Originally Posted by MarriedWithOutChildren

I don't even want to get into this thread, read my comments on other threads regarding pitbulls......Many of you want everyone to be educated on the breed and be forgiving of these animals, yet CitybytheBay and AnyDayNow use the term, 'tard'. Are you kidding? That is the most ridiculous thing that I have read thus far...even from us 'uneducated pitbull' people.

It's called being facetious MWOC...and no, I'm not kidding.

fa·ce·tious /fəˈsiʃəs/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[fuh-see-shuhs] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–adjective 1. not meant to be taken seriously or literally: a facetious remark.
2. amusing; humorous.
3. lacking serious intent; concerned with something nonessential, amusing, or frivolous: a facetious person.




Walk a mile in my shoes with my dog and let me know what kind of uneducated comments and opinions are passed out.
On second thought, I read some of your "comments"...nevermind.

[BrianH]

Our local surgeon who passed away recently had a dog that came from fighting parents. It was fine. Played great with dogs, children, adults, cats and whatever.

Am I worried about a deep trait ? No. Ive seen his parents and they where not fighters. They were more pampered than my Dakota is.

Originally Posted by nicolepsy

what about genetics? what about the dog's lineage? even if you have trained and raised your dog properly don't you worry that there could be some deep down hidden trait in your pitbulls that you just havent witnessed yet? a trait that he/she received from his relatives? of course this could be said about any breed but because of the power of the pittbull it seems more frightening to me.

[BrianH]

Originally Posted by nicolepsy

i only said "measley" for comparison to a head.

When was the last time you saw a pit bite somebodys head off ?