Ok so I've been listening to all who've had comments about pitbull laws and such.. I have pitty mixes and am governed by such laws, but as of yet, have not been required to abide by the BSL in my area. (6 foot fences, harneses etc... I have rescue alleged pittymixes.) They have they're CGC's and the first leg of Rally novice. Should I have been given these dogs without training advice,no, but I did get paperwork about training an older rescue and how to add them to the pack, similiar to Ed's leashing of the new dog video. Was it enough for my 2 year old frenchy pitty mix? ...no..If it wasn't for this board and extensive training my male(far left in pic)would have been put down. Pitty's are a strong breed and should be adopted out as such, training included. There is a pitty rescue on line that offers money back after obediance training. I hate to say it but there should be limits,. My male used to go after my hubby. Yet his lunacy was never conveyed to me. I know how to handle him now,in fact he doeas quite well, but I think some kind of training or regulation should be recommended. Somehow the need of homing a pet or the need of supporting the "cause" of a breed needs to take a backseat to the match of the dog to a home. Have little kids with a pit," No." That is a big resounding NO. Could I raise a pitty with my kids, YES. But i would have it from a pup. Don't get me wrong I LOVE this breed and want to protect it, but somehow reality must prevail.

 Quote: michelle-pociask

Have little kids with a pit," No." That is a big resounding NO.

Hi Michelle:

I hear your concerns and agree that dogs should not be rescued just because someone has a soft spot or took a shine to a particular dog. Often folks think it’s enough just to provide a roof and meals, thinking their home is an improvement from the “tragic” circumstances the dog came from (insert rescuers worst possible depiction of what they assume occurred). Training, adequate containment and pro-actively dealing with behavioral issues often never enters the picture.

Personally though, I think you’re doing a big disservice to the breed by glomping all pit bull rescues under the umbrella that they should not be brought into homes with children. From my experience, the pit bull (unlike the “majority” of rescued, more independent breeds, chows, wolf dogs, LGD’s – which generally are immediately PST), do just fine with the family children – of course depending on the issues.

I also agree that homes are not adequately screened and often dogs are put into worse scenarios or less compatible circumstances than they came from, forcing the dogs to develop further issues and be re-homed again and again. I don’t know what the answer is but I think it’s so important that “breed” never enters the picture when we’re talking about “all” circumstances. It just simply is not true.

We all know that “all” breeds have teeth and the potential to harm humans. Given the wrong set of circumstances of unfavorable interactions with mankind, any animal (or human for that matter) has the ability to lash out and do some real harm. Mitigating those situations with sharing/acquiring knowledge, compassionate leadership and an accountability for our actions as well as those in our care would go a long way in reducing anger/aggression and false impressions.

Right I agree with you. The issue I have with pittys and little kids is in a nutshell-Supervision-Too many stories out there about an adult thought the visiting child was safe with the home's dog. I waited for my kids to be older to rescue these breed types. The kids have to be old enough to know it's not OK to play too rough with them. They consider the kids litter mates rather than alphas and hence the problems start. I've visited many homes where the family pet was a pitty and they were fabulous family dogs. But people should never lose sight that they are a powerful breed and need to be ruled by a strong leader. When they get into the wrong hands-someone who doesn't train them, you have a powerful menace. I liken it to this. My friend had a chiuaua who would bite your face off.You coudn't pet it or pick it up only she could. Imagine if that kind of ownership was placed on a pitty? YIkES. (Side bar my friend now has three very friendly lovable chiuauas and a rottweiler that have all been taken to training.) Oh and I didn't mean to glomp themall together. My rescue group wasn't just pittys they have a ton of dogs all in foster homes. I found a Pitty Rescue group out of Chicago I think it was that actually gives back your adoption fee after you complete certain stages of training. I will definatly go to them next if I don't get a shepherd.

I think if someone is responsible enough to socialize, and supervise a pitt, or similer breeds, they can often be the BEST dogs with children. Think of what these breeds were bred to do. They have insanely high pain tolerances. They have the potential not to care when a 2 year old child sits and bounces on them, pokes their eyes, or other nonsense that can happen with kids. I'm not saying that behavior is OK, or that there are not other breeds that can be tolerant of this stuff.... but the pain tolerance, IMO lends these bully breeds a hands up in dealing with the crap kids deal out.

Get a pup from quality lines, raise it up, socialize the hell out of it, and expose it to every evil thing a kid can do, and I don't think anyone will have an issue!

With an adult rescue- I think the responsibility falls into the rescues hands. I work for a rescue. We don't have any breed bans in our area. Actually, we have TONS of pitt's, and mixes, due to the heavy navy population. (Seems to be the popular breed of choice with them) We take purebred pit bulls, and pit mixes, but only on a case by case basis, and you'd better be willing to prove to us you've got the experience to handle a bully breed before you walk out our doors with one!

Not that I have much to add to this thread, but this morning on the Morning Show they had a thing about the Vick pitts that were rescued. I actually had tears in my eyes. At least two of these dogs had fighting scars, but are now therapy dogs, and work directly with children.

I would never presume to say that rescuing a pitt with children should be "a resounding NO." It is a case by case basis and should have nothing at all to do with breed. Many dogs should not be in a home with children, and all homes should be screened, but the breed should not factor in to the decision...

All JMHO...

I watched the same segment and also had tears in my eyes. As a mother I would be very cautious about rescuing any adult dog, regardless of breed, especially large ones.

Certainly something soft and lovey like a golden retriever is often more accepted for integrating with kids, but there is no reason a pit, GSD, Dobie or other Scary breed wouldn't be perfectly fine as well. It all comes down to the individual dog


On a similar note we were at petsmart a couple of months ago and there was the sweetest little female pit. She had freckles and green eyes and everything about her little body said LOVE ME!!

She was wiggling and curving her little body all the way around into a C and making googly eyes at every one that walked by her.

The sweet thing was also play bowing at every dog she saw. Not a tense or stressed out muscle in her body.

My son asked me if he could pet her and I said sure as long as her owner says its ok. He went and asked, and it was fine, so he knelt down and was showered with kisses.

Sure enough in the backround I hear people talking about how I was letting my son pet that horrible dangerous dog...sigh.

 Quote: Jennifer Lee

On a similar note we were at petsmart a couple of months ago and there was the sweetest little female pit. She had freckles and green eyes and everything about her little body said LOVE ME!!

She was wiggling and curving her little body all the way around into a C and making googly eyes at every one that walked by her.

The sweet thing was also play bowing at every dog she saw. Not a tense or stressed out muscle in her body.

My son asked me if he could pet her and I said sure as long as her owner says its ok. He went and asked, and it was fine, so he knelt down and was showered with kisses.

Sure enough in the backround I hear people talking about how I was letting my son pet that horrible dangerous dog...sigh.

I LOVE those eyes! Pitts do seem to have the sweetest eyes. I've met many of the loveable ones like that as well. I adore seeing them in public. Thats what the uneducated, judegmental people NEED to see. Big scary dog, muscles rippling, giant head, rubbin up on everyone for love!

 Quote: Kelly Byrd

I LOVE those eyes! Pitts do seem to have the sweetest eyes. I've met many of the loveable ones like that as well. I adore seeing them in public. Thats what the uneducated, judegmental people NEED to see. Big scary dog, muscles rippling, giant head, rubbin up on everyone for love!

Which kind, the googly love me eyes or the green ones? LOL

She really was a doll and fairly petite for a pitt, I would have taken her home in an instant!

I was offered an adult cocker spaniel not too long ago, we went to visit her thinking she might be a good match for my parents and she tried to charge my son with zero provocation.
Once again, any breed adult dog must be aproached with caution when rescuing with kids in the picture.

BOTH! The googly eye, but even more so if they are green!!!

Cockers are a breed I stay away from at all costs. I mean, I'll even cross the street to avoid one. Yikes they scare me.

We had one of those big muscular guys come through the human society. Whenever I saw a dog like that I would go in with them to see how their basic manners were and what we needed to work on. It was his first day and he was a little nervous so I just sat down in his kennel with some treats. About 30 seconds later I had that big boy sitting in my lab cuddling up with me and whining this tiny little baby bird whine. Well behaved boy for his background too. I told one of the other volunteers that he was a sweetheart and she wouldn't believe me just because of the way he looked.

I'm with you on the cockers. I've met a ton of unstable ones. I avoid them and never suggest them as a good breed for kids. Individual dogs are fine but as a breed they just aren't great kids dogs. Part of the problem is show breeders going for such a small head that there isn't enough room for the brain anymore.