Couple with pitbull looking for help living at NH Seacoast (hardwood floor, renter)

[Declan's Dad]

How old is the OP? 18?

His whining about his dog use of the phrase "stupid insurance companies" makes me think he's not exactly the type of neighbor most people would want to have.

Those "stupid insurance companies" have policies against pitbulls for a reason. If you look at the statistics they are the breed of dog that accounts for the most fatal attacks. If you and your gf had a child would you want it around the pitbull? Do you think people living in apartments want a powerful, dangerous dog nearby?

Grow up and get rid of the dog. How's that for advice?

[blessedme]

Originally Posted by Aptor hours

Why don't you just get ride of your children? Pitbulls are wonderful dogs that have been given an unfair bad reputation. Rules banning pitbulls are like rules banning black people in an apartment.....crazy

OK, this is really one of the STUPIDEST comments I've read on here.

Are you REALLY comparing a dog who can kill you by just biting you to black people??

And the last time I checked, none of my kids can bite you to death.

And by unfair bad reputation - do you mean their jaws have magically changed their structure in the last 5 seconds and can't lock down on a person???

[Valerie C]

Mine in blue, below

Originally Posted by kcInNH

Hi everyone,

My girlfriend and I are moving in together. She has a pitbull, and it seems damn near impossible to find someone to get renter's insurance from.

Also, most places flat-out ban pit bulls and other "mean" dogs, probably due to their stupid insurance companies.

Any advice on renter's insurance, where to live (we're looking at the Seacoast), and how to legally live with a pitbull in NH? We're getting pretty discouraged.

Thanks!

What is your GF's situation that she is able to have a pit bull where she is presently living? Perhaps you should consider moving there instead of finding a new rental. To be honest, most rentals don't allow pets, period. Some will allow ONE cat, some will allow ONE dog under a certain weight.

There are a dozen reasons why an owner won't allow certain breeds, and liability insurance is just one of them. Unfortunately, it's the BAD owners who have made it so difficult for the responsible dog owners. The only option for you will be to find a privately-owned multi-family property--you will likely NOT find a complex that will allow any of the A good place to start is to show how responsible your GF has been with her pit bull--be ready to show letters of recommendation from neighbors where she currently lives, from the dog's veterinary hospital, boarding kennel, obedience trainer, and everywhere else that this dog should have been going to on a regular basis. Socialization for these breeds is all-important, and as a previous vet tech/receptionist, I've written dozens of these for GSD, pittie, rottie owners. If a dog of WHATEVER breed has a good temperment, it will be no trouble at all. It's very difficult to rent with ANY breed of dog, not just pit bull terriers. To even have this dog considered, it's up to the owner to show how responsible they have been in the past.

Originally Posted by Aptor hours

Why don't you just get ride of your children? Pitbulls are wonderful dogs that have been given an unfair bad reputation. Rules banning pitbulls are like rules banning black people in an apartment.....crazy

Aptor, not EVERY pit bull is a wonderful dog, and not every owner has property socialized their dogs to 'bomb proof' them. Pitties are terriers, and many of them ARE dog aggressive-they have been bred this way for generations! Naturally going to have some aggressive tendencies, as does EVERY terrier. They are NOT for everyone, despite what many well-meaning (but misguided) people want to think. They require training, socialization and an owner who isn't afraid to give a correction when necessary.

Originally Posted by miu

While some pitbulls are wonderful dogs, unfortunately many of them aren't due to bad owners and poor breeding. And I've encountered more than a few pitbulls that were very dog-aggressive. Also, when they have it in their mind to attack, they are extremely difficult to calm down. Plus the fact that they are all muscle and have a very damaging bite.

And yeah, you can't compare pitbulls to black people.

I am in agreement with mui here--while pit bulls might not be the breed that bites MOST OFTEN, they are the breed that when it DOES chose to bite, they inflict FAR more damage than other breeds. In all my years of working for vets (in various states) I've found that cocker spaniels and chow-chows were FAR more aggressive than pit bulls.

So my advice to the OP is to show that they have been RESPONSIBLE OWNERS in the past--this is the best gauge for the property owner to see that they will continue to be RESPONSIBLE OWNERS in the future. And hopefully make it easier for the next responsible pittie owner to be able to secure a rental.

[Aptor hours]

Originally Posted by blessedme

OK, this is really one of the STUPIDEST comments I've read on here.

Are you REALLY comparing a dog who can kill you by just biting you to black people??

And the last time I checked, none of my kids can bite you to death.

And by unfair bad reputation - do you mean their jaws have magically changed their structure in the last 5 seconds and can't lock down on a person???

They have the same jaw structure as any dog. My German shepherd has more bite rh
an a pit.

[miu]

Originally Posted by Aptor hours

They have the same jaw structure as any dog. My German shepherd has more bite rh
an a pit.

But GSD's have a better temperment for obedience. That is why they are the dog breed of choice for police K-9 units, rescue and guard dogs. You can train them to attack and then quickly order the dog to stand down. Not so for a pitbull, and you don't see any pitbulls in police work.

I've with a lot of rescue groups. All my current dogs are rescues from the south. I have two lab mixes and several small (under 20 lbs) terrier mixes. Different breeds do have distinctive personalities and traits. And I do love stubborn terrier personalities, but I will only have small ones.

Pitbulls need owners with strong alpha personalities who will train and be consistent with disciplining them. Pitbull owners in particular have to be proactive and anticipate potential problem situations. They are not a good dog for sloppy dog ownership.

It sounds like the OP's girlfriend has not taken her dog to obedience classes or the better Canine Good Citizen program. Because if she had, the OP would have mentioned it. And she should remedy that ASAP. Otherwise, insurance companies have for many years now have policies against certain large breed dogs. So this situation is something that they will have to deal with as long as they have their pitbull.

And the "stupid" insurance is to cover any damages their pitbull could cause. Can the OP and his girlfriend afford to pay for the medical costs if their dog bites another person or their dog? I'm guessing probably not.

[avlis13013]

Cruise around any shady section of a populated town/city in the summer and you see plenty of young people showing off with pitbulls. I doubt many of them are homeowners. They are renting somewhere. Mostly likely they are renting without the landlord's knowledge of the dog (this happened to my neighbors who rented their house). So you can try that and hope you don't get caught. Or reconsider pet ownership until you can buy a house.

If you prioritize pet ownership over shelter, you have few options. If you prioritize RISKY pet ownership over shelter, you have even fewer options.

Some shady characters rented a house in my neighborhood (not the one mentioned above) and they had at least two pitbulls, loud motorcycles, and apparently no other clothing except "wife beaters" and jeans. They had "friends" coming and going every 5-10 minutes 24/7. One section of roof NEVER had snow on it, it always melted (must have been pretty warm in there). They successfully lived in the place for about a year. If they can do it, you can too.

[miu]

That's completely wrong of you to suggest to the OP and his girlfriend renting and keeping their pitbull a secret.

[avlis13013]

Originally Posted by miu

That's completely wrong of you to suggest to the OP and his girlfriend renting and keeping their pitbull a secret.

I'm pointing out (not recommending) one likely alternative to getting rid of the pitbull. One that carries many obvious risks. If the OP can't handle the risk & consequences, they should give up the pet.

[miu]

Originally Posted by avlis13013

I'm pointing out (not recommending) one likely alternative to getting rid of the pitbull. One that carries many obvious risks. If the OP can't handle the risk & consequences, they should give up the pet.

It's not the same as "pointing out" that the OP can try sneaking a pet cat or a chihuahua into a no pet apartment. If the pitbull does end up doing damage to a person, since the OP and his girlfriend don't have any significant assets, their landlord would get sued instead. There's good reason why pitbulls aren't welcome, and they should not be snuck into a rental situation.

[bignhfamily]

My 11 year old daughter was attacked by a pitbull earlier this spring. The dog ran passed the owners, out of their apt, crossed onto private property and tore her up. Required a trip to the emergency room and many stitches. If I was there I would have shot the dog dead on the spot.

I've got NO PROBLEM with dogs. We have 6 of them and they will tear you up - on command or if you're trespassing.

Do yourself a favor and get rid of that dog. They really are unpredictable