# I have a vicious Pit Bull (Killer)- Rant



## Hallie (Nov 9, 2008)

I've had Axel a week, and he's been called 'Killer' multiple times, and one those 'killer' remarks came from a cop. When I was adopting Axel, literally signing the papers, a city worker walked by and said "Just give him a few months and he'll turn on that pretty Beagle of yours." He's not DA AT ALL. He's fine with children, lizards, Beagles, Chihuahuas, and even newborn kittens. He's a lover, not a fighter. 

I've always heard of the bad rap Pits get, but I never thought I'd face it so close to home. One lady was so surprised by his good behavior (he has a solid sit at 3 months) she called him gorgeous and asked what kind he was. When I said he was a Pit Bull, she seriously got wide-eyed and walked away. :doh:

Rant over. 

How could you not love this face?-


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## Edlam (Oct 19, 2012)

People suck. 
I wish I could bite them, ironically I wouldn't get put down for it.


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## marsha=whitie (Dec 29, 2008)

People don't make sense. He sounds like an amazing little guy. Keep up the good work!


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## Bangkaew (Jul 6, 2012)

Hallie said:


> I've had Axel a week, and he's been called 'Killer' multiple times, and one those 'killer' remarks came from a cop. When I was adopting Axel, literally signing the papers, a city worker walked by and said "Just give him a few months and he'll turn on that pretty Beagle of yours." He's not DA AT ALL. He's fine with children, lizards, Beagles, Chihuahuas, and even newborn kittens. He's a lover, not a fighter.
> 
> I've always heard of the bad rap Pits get, but I never thought I'd face it so close to home. One lady was so surprised by his good behavior (he has a solid sit at 3 months) she called him gorgeous and asked what kind he was. When I said he was a Pit Bull, she seriously got wide-eyed and walked away. :doh:
> 
> ...


@ Hallie,

It's always the same when people see a pit bull & Co is aggressive but not what is true, since Germany is much worse is glad that you're in the U.S.


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## aiw (Jun 16, 2012)

He sounds (and looks!) like a real sweetheart. I'm sure he'll be winning hearts and minds everywhere!


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## Jare (Aug 12, 2009)

I DIDN'T KNOW YOU GOT A PIT.


Now you match me and Aija  Except I don't have a beagle like you anymore


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

Look at that face!

People are stupid. Trust me, I work with the public, and most days, I'd welcome a good apocalypse. 

Just keep up the good work and silently show them how wrong they are.


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## Loki Love (May 23, 2010)

Can't Fix Stupid.

All you can do is enjoy your puppy and do your best to have him grow into a wonderfully, well behaved dog - as every dog owner should strive for, regardless of breed.


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## blenderpie (Oct 5, 2012)

My family has a boxer pit mix (
who you would think was all pit but the rescue had his mom, who was a boxer) women have literally shielded their children playing in the yard when he walks by. And he loooooooves kids, so whenever he sees them, he sits and refuses to move until the kids come pet him, which only freaks the people out more and we have to practically pull him away because, to him, little is as reinforcing as playing with kids.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

You just have to let it wash over you. Turn your dog into a breed ambassador and show people what a lovely, sweet, and well trained dog he is. Unfortunately, it is part and parcel of owning (or taking care of) pit bull type dogs. If it is people you know, you can talk to them about pit bulls as service dogs, working dogs (there's one that is a customs inspection k9), therapy dogs etc. Look up Sgt Stubby  If it is strangers, you can just let your dog's behavior speak for you.

I wouldn't be surprised though if you also start to get the flip side comments- the good ones I mean. I get people all the time that say things like "Oh, I love pit bulls, they are so sweet" or "I had a pit bull for 13 years and he was the best dog ever" etc. 
For every person that moves away from us in public (which, you have to figure some people do for any large dog), I get 2 people that want to have their face licked and get a big hug from the "scary" pit bull. I do live in a fairly pitty-friendly city, but it is still just random people I'm talking to, not "dog people" specifically.

At least with a male dog that is obviously neutered, you probably won't get the "What a pretty bitch, I got a Razor's Edge male at home...." offers to breed from random people on the street. 

I know my parents (who are not dog people, or at least were not before Chester and the others) never thought of pit bulls as vicious killers towards people, but they did figure they were all dog aggressive because their only exposure to them was the media. After meeting several, they've come to realize that not just are many of them dog friendly but they are even sweeter then they had ever imagined. 
One of the keys was my showing them media reports of "pit bull attacks" where there was a photo of the dog that was obviously not an APBT or like one case, where the dog turned out to be a Sheltie!! No one in the news had bothered to look at the dog or ask anyone, they just heard that a dog bit a child and wrote it up as a pit bull  I also explained how treatment of a dog- like leaving them on a chain all the time in the yard alone - can be very stressful and make them react badly in a way that isn't the dog's true nature.


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

You'll be dealing with it the rest of Axel's life, along with a few good comments, all be them ignorant, and offers to breed. 

I took care of a stray pit bull puppy once until we found her owner. I took her for a walk (she was a dream on a leash) and a neighbor came out with her kids to see her. They played with her, got right in her face and wrestled with her and loved on her, and the mother at one point looked up and said "Oh she's so pretty, so sweet! What kind is she?" I barely got 'She's a pit bull' out of my mouth before this woman literally grabbed her children, dragged them away screaming "Oh my god don't play with it! oh my god!" Because she obviously wasn't a pit bull five minutes ago when you were down on the ground with her. I tried to explain to her there was nothing to worry about. All I got was "I don't trust those dogs!" This coming from a woman who aided one of her dogs in becoming severely human and dog aggressive. After that, one of her children went to take one their dogs off it's chain and tried to fit it with Luna. He literally ran after us screaming "Lets fight 'em!" I was disturbed. 

I love this breed, but I'm not sure if I could ever put up with the parade of ignorant, biased crap that trails after them.


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## Bangkaew (Jul 6, 2012)

A pit bull is a dog like everyone else, he is not more evil than a sheepdog, dachshund, or a shear York, if I want I do every dog to the dog killer of whatever race he Listened.

But holding the other end of the line, that's the killer, not the dog.


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## Hallie (Nov 9, 2008)

He sure is a cutie! With an awesome personality to boot. I guess I'm just surprised that people I know can be so clueless/heartless just because of my puppy's breed. These are people that helped me get titles on Hallie, taught her obedience classes, work at the shelter, and I never thought they.. of all people, would be hatin' on my puppy. Oh well, like they say haters gon' hate. 

My boy is growing into a beautiful well adjusted dog. Not a Beagle slayer. 













Jare said:


> I DIDN'T KNOW YOU GOT A PIT.
> 
> 
> Now you match me and Aija  Except I don't have a beagle like you anymore


If I would've gotten him awhile ago we would have matched! ha! I hadn't thought of that. 
I love my Aija girl.  

I'm sorry about your Beagle.  You can have mine.


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

Hahaa, Hallie looks like she's about to kill in that photo 

As a whole, I love pittie personalities. Sometimes I want one just to 'show the world.' I know they're incredibly loyal, biddable, energetic, and goofy. There's so much to be done with that.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

OH MY GOD. He is adorable.

But unfortunately, that is the exact reason I will probably never own a pit bull (it used to be the $500/year registration fee and $2,000,000 liability insurance, but my city council repealed that by-law - Yay!). I get upset enough when people make snide comments about Snowball's leash reactivity... I can't imagine having to deal with comments like that when there's no reason for them. 

If it were me, I would claim ignorance, at least around people I don't know or don't know well, and assuming there's no law or by-law where you live that requires you to disclose to people that its a pit bull.


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## KBLover (Sep 9, 2008)

Edlam said:


> People suck.
> I wish I could bite them, ironically I wouldn't get put down for it.


You could kill someone and not get put down for it unless the "way you did it" is considered super horrible or calculated. If human laws were like the laws we have on dogs - I bet the world wouldn't be pushing 7 billion people...


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## KBLover (Sep 9, 2008)

Hallie said:


> I've always heard of the bad rap Pits get, but I never thought I'd face it so close to home. One lady was so surprised by his good behavior (he has a solid sit at 3 months) she called him gorgeous and asked what kind he was. When I said he was a Pit Bull, she seriously got wide-eyed and walked away. :doh:


It's sad isn't it, especially when the dog is just sitting there, being good and observing and sniffing the air.

Of course, I experienced similar with Wally - not anything close to a Pit. Guy said, "that dog don't bite, because I'd kick that ****"

Who would even think to threaten a 15 lb white fluff ball who's just sitting there sniffing the stale air that came off of him?

Ugh. Humans. So "evolved" and the most ridiculous.


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## kelly.leo (Aug 4, 2012)

Mine's pretty vicious too.... I'm just waiting for her to turn on the puppy.






















Obviously you can see the "killer" in her eyes.


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## jax's_mommy (Oct 13, 2012)

Sadly some people are stupid and only believe what the media shows. It's a shame they only show the bad. Leaving people who love pits looked down on for owning a breed deemed dangerous. Because of that I cannot adopt one myself because they are not allowed in the community I live in.

That face is just adorable! Gorgeous baby there!


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## jax's_mommy (Oct 13, 2012)

kelly.leo said:


> Mine's pretty vicious too.... I'm just waiting for her to turn on the puppy.
> 
> 
> View attachment 38017
> ...


So vicious  Love the pictures! Beautiful dogs


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

My papillon and AKK always feared for their lives around my brother's vicious pit bull.




























When we moved away, the pit was five, and never once tried to attack either of my dogs. She once jumped on Crystal in play and almost flattened her, but that was it.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Aww, Cran, I love those photos, especially the pit's eyes in the second pic.

Here's a good response


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## Nuclear_Glitter (Jun 20, 2012)

I live in North Carolina, so there are plenty of pitbulls, especially where I'm at. I myself own one, as they're my favorite breed of dog. I always get comments/reactions on one end of the extreme. I either get asked do I wanna breed, cause he's so gorgeous, or I get someone who will cross as far away as possible. 

I always wanted to make sure Killian was a good dog because of him being a pit. Thankfully, he is a good dog, but he's a leash-puller and a lot of the times people mistake that for "Oh! He wants to attack me!" I am constantly having to explain to them that he just REALLY likes people and wants to see them. If a person just stands there and talks to me, he stops pulling and chills out. Sometimes he never pulls. About a week ago we walked between 3 people, 2 outside of a car, one inside of the car, and all of them were no farther than 3 feet away. 

Thankfully the people were all calm, and Killian behaved like a gentlemen! I was soo proud of him. 

It's very depressing that we have to endure these sorts of comments and reactions from people, but all we can do is make sure our dogs are well behaved and let them see it that way.


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## Fade (Feb 24, 2012)

Vader is a very large ( 90lbs) stocky and black. Most every time we walk down the street people stop to compliment him. and pet him and talk about him. Occasionally we run into the scared people but...a few times he met some very elderly ladies. and one asked what kind of dog he is.. and I told her, and she was like really? They say they are so vicious and he certainly is not! what a sweet dog. the other time a elderly lady had a collie puppy and she was getting in her car and just loved on him. She left and drove BACK and asked what kind of a dog is he. I told her and she was like well I really want a dog like him he is super sweet and I would feel safe with him because he looks scary lol. As she was leaving she said he was such a handsome dog and so sweet. You will find a lot of people who bad opinions. but on the flip side there are A LOT of pit bull lovers out there too that enjoy sharing stories and talking dogs. At least this is what I have found. People listen to what they are told in the media and they just don't know.
I have found though putting brightly colored collars on and scarfs and shirts on Vader, put people at ease. It brings out the pit bulls inner clown. and people see them differently and can give you an chance to tell people the truth and give them a good experience that they will remember.


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## Nuclear_Glitter (Jun 20, 2012)

Fade said:


> Vader is a very large ( 90lbs) stocky and black. Most every time we walk down the street people stop to compliment him. and pet him and talk about him.


Killian is always getting compliments like that too, because he looks quite stocky compared to the rest of the pitts around us. It makes me a bit uncomfortable at times though because I have no doubt someone would try to steal him if they could for breeding. 

I am gonna have to try those bright collars and shirt ideas, though. Killian gets a bit cold easily anyway, so he'd benefit from it. 

How tall is Vader?


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## Fade (Feb 24, 2012)

He is pretty short I never measured but his back is about to my knee a little taller maybe.

I worry about Vader getting stolen too! I have my fence pad locked and always make sure if he is in the car with me I lock the doors. He is fixed but his blood lines are good and he would probably be happy to jump in someones car for a treat.

side pics


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

> I have found though putting brightly colored collars on and scarfs and shirts on Vader, put people at ease. It brings out the pit bulls inner clown. and people see them differently and can give you an chance to tell people the truth and give them a good experience that they will remember.


Oh yeah, this is a good one to mention. You don't have to go like all full costume or anything, but even a cute collar or a little bow tie or some fun item helps. 

Another thing is a serious harness. When a pit is wearing a service-style (no patches, nothing misleading) harness such as a Ruffwear or Julius K9, people seem to treat the dog with more respect. Some will ask "Is that a service dog?" and I say "Nope, just my lovely foster looking for a great home" but there is overall, less apprehension about interacting to begin with. 

I thought I'd share a few comments/situations from last night to give a positive mindset...
We were having an adoption booth with the rescue. We do mostly pit bull rescue but will take any dog in need if we have the space and ability. But because pit bulls tend to need the most help and we are experienced with them as a whole, we get pitties. So we had 4 pit/ACD mix puppies, one Rottie puppy, one adult pit bull and one adult boxer mix at an arts center drawing a middle/upper class crowd that may or may not be dog people (there were wedding receptions and such going on)

I was talking to one woman while sitting next to my adoptable pit girl. The woman was letting the pittie lick her hands and was chatting about how her *92 year old *mother had a wonderful large pit bull that was just the sweetest and best behaved boy  
At another time, 2 women from out of the area came up to talk and ask what we did etc. I talked a bit with them and they asked what breeds each dog was. That's that moment when you're like "pit bull mix" and wait. Yep, one of the woman had previously owned a Pit Bull/dalmation mix that she loved for years (it had passed) and said "They are such great dogs and get such a bad rap"

In the end, not a SINGLE person made a negative comment. We had offers for advertisement for the rescue, offers of networking and at one point a whole bridal party (high heels and short dresses and bride and all) stopped to coo over and admire the pit bull puppies. It was like a movie watching a crowd of well dressed women simultaneously put their hands over their hearts, lean over and go "AWWWWW"


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## Fade (Feb 24, 2012)

Shell said:


> Another thing is a serious harness. When a pit is wearing a service-style (no patches, nothing misleading) harness such as a Ruffwear or Julius K9, people seem to treat the dog with more respect. Some will ask "Is that a service dog?" and I say "Nope, just my lovely foster looking for a great home" but there is overall, less apprehension about interacting to begin with.


I LOVE this idea. I have been wanting to do this. for also the reason it gives me more control and it makes one look like they have control and people are less nervous. but I am going to look into the brands you mentioned I have yet to find one I like. I really want one with a handle on the back.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Fade said:


> I LOVE this idea. I have been wanting to do this. for also the reason it gives me more control and it makes one look like they have control and people are less nervous. but I am going to look into the brands you mentioned I have yet to find one I like. I really want one with a handle on the back.


This is my set-up (no, he doesn't wear everything all the time, it depends on what we have planned for the day)








It is a simple Ruffwear Webmaster harness and a 2 inch nylon collar. For close quarters, I have a traffic lead loop that he's tall enough I can walk him on (smaller dogs would need a 18 inch or 2 ft traffic lead rather than only a hand loop)

You should also look at the variety of leather working dog harnesses available, like at gun dog (hunting) websites and police dog websites.


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

Ready for combat.

Also, TWO collars?


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Canyx said:


> Ready for combat.
> 
> Also, TWO collars?


Tags collar is always separate from whatever a leash might be attached to. It is a very soft and flexible nylon collar so it won't rub his neck even under/next to a different collar. There is also a tag attached to the harness and the red thing is a motion and darkness activated light. 

And oh yeah, he thinks he's ready for combat with the local deer population


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## Nuclear_Glitter (Jun 20, 2012)

Fade said:


> He is pretty short I never measured but his back is about to my knee a little taller maybe.
> 
> I worry about Vader getting stolen too! I have my fence pad locked and always make sure if he is in the car with me I lock the doors. He is fixed but his blood lines are good and he would probably be happy to jump in someones car for a treat.
> 
> side pics



I gotta measure Killian one day. I don't ever leave him outside, and we don't have a fenced in yard, anyway. Killian is short, too. His head is at about my mid-thigh, and I'm only 5 foot. Everyone is always saying he is SO HUGE, and I don't really know why lol.


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## Bangkaew (Jul 6, 2012)

Shell said:


> Tags collar is always separate from whatever a leash might be attached to. It is a very soft and flexible nylon collar so it won't rub his neck even under/next to a different collar. There is also a tag attached to the harness and the red thing is a motion and darkness activated light.
> 
> And oh yeah, he thinks he's ready for combat with the local deer population


@ Shell,

I always thought only Stupid people in Germany, only the race of the
Pitbull & Co watch, as you can see at a killer

that there are so many Stupid in the United States, my New Media have just done a great job.

3 days ago the subject Pitbull & Co in a German forum have people without dogs experience as the most forecast screamed yes only Stupid believe everything the media


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## EdDTS (May 30, 2012)

I was helping a guy train his pitbull the other day.
It was a nice dog, just very excited and timid at times.

A woman asked if the dog was in training, of course I replied yes.
Then she asked what kind of dog it was. I said it was a pitbull.
She just said Oh.. doesn't even act like one. As if it should have been a wild, vicious animal. I just shrugged it off and continued with the training.
People are just dumb sometimes.


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## RCloud (Feb 25, 2011)

Ignorance. It plagues the Human race :/


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## beretw (Sep 25, 2012)

Oh, they're killers for sure. Each and every one.




























You're going to get those comments. You're also going to get an overwhelmingly encouraging amount from the other side:

"They're such sweet dogs, they just have such a bad rap." "Oh, I love pit bulls, they're so misunderstood."

You just need to learn to appreciate the good vibes coming your way and let the bad go in one ear and out the other. Chalk each negative comment up to ignorance. I feel bad for the people who think my dog is dangerous, because they haven't been fortunate enough to experience the intense love and devotion that pours out of a bully breed every moment you're together.


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## Bangkaew (Jul 6, 2012)

EdDTS said:


> I was helping a guy train his pitbull the other day.
> It was a nice dog, just very excited and timid at times.
> 
> A woman asked if the dog was in training, of course I replied yes.
> ...


@ EdDTS,

fully agree, you say stupid, I say tit


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## Bangkaew (Jul 6, 2012)

RCloud said:


> Ignorance. It plagues the Human race :/


@ RCloud,

Ignorance of one part stupidity


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

beretw said:


> /QUOTE]
> 
> LOLO He's so unamused.


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## KBLover (Sep 9, 2008)

Pit bull tails are lethal weapons.

Had a friendly Pit come up to me a few days ago. She's trying to be all coy and sniff - while trying to take my shins out with her tail LOL


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## Darkmoon (Mar 12, 2007)

Welcome to my life.

Try having a Pit Bull who is also a Search and Rescue dog. Wanna talk about watching people's heads spin? Even though Peanut is without a doubt a purebred in my mind, it seems like if I say "Pit Mix" people seem to be less scared of her. Something about the "mix" part means she's not dangerous because whatever else is mixed in balances her out. I get that all the time "Oh she's a mix? You're lucky she's not pure!" Whatever people. I do also get a lot of "I didn't know Pits could do that type of work?!??!" It's quite amusing. I take her to a lot of large events with the SAR team and she's the only dog on the team that can handle the large crowds, kids, and noises. After about 45mins the GSD has to be taken to the car, after an hour the bloodhound starts to snark a little so she's taken to the car. 5 hours later Peanut is curled in my lap still handing out kisses and snuggles while yawning in my lap. Also the only dog that no matter where's she's at doesn't have to be worried about. She's easily the guy's on my SAR team's favorite dog. Each one never knew that Pits could be like this, and every one of them now has more of an open mind on them. So far I haven't had any huge negative reactions to Peanut. Most people are just keep loving on her as they are shocked.

If they ever meet Nubs, their minds will be blown. They still don't believe that Peanut isn't a "exception" to the rule not what the rule really is. Nubs is even more friendly than Peanut. Nubs is the best dog I could ask for. Solid dog. I couldn't dream of not owning a Pit anymore. 

Its a hard life owning Pits since everyone is against you. I love when I'm out and people get all huffy about my dogs. I laugh as people pull their kids away from my dogs anymore. They don't know if tomorrow their child goes missing, that dog they are hiding their kids from will be the one finding them. 

Just keep your chin up and make your dog the best dog EVER. Train, train, and train some more!


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## a7dk (Mar 30, 2011)

Squee! All the pics are adorable! I have a 60lb black pit mix and when I walk him I get a mix of reactions. Some people are terrified; others just want to pet and love on him. It seems to me the difference is whether people are comfortable with dogs in general. Dog people seem to be able to read Hobbes' body language a little better. He is pretty confident and walks with his head high and his tail flying like a flag. While some are scared, others recognize that he's looking at them like he wants to play or greet - not attack.

It was a lot worse when I was still leash training him using the gentle leader head collar. People often thought it was a muzzle, even though it seems relatively obvious to me that it does nothing to limit mouth movement. They would say "Will he bite?" and when I would respond that no, he's not aggressive, they would ask "Then why do you muzzle him?" It was very annoying and I was so happy when he got trained so I could stop using it.


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## JulieK1967 (May 29, 2011)

What a gorgeous face!! You're both going to be great ambassadors for the breed!


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## Hallie (Nov 9, 2008)

Everyone's Pits are so pretty! 
I did luck out with Axel. Not because he's a sweet pit, but because he's incredibly biddable and he's never been anything but friendly towards animals and people. He sleeps all night, walks well on a leash, and already knows sit and down. And he was just an abandoned shelter puppy.  I teach classes at the local kennel club, so he'll get plenty of good exposure. 

Darkmoon- I haven't seen you around in forever! Peanut looks identical to Axel, they have the same face.


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## BrittanyG (May 27, 2009)

Welcome to the family!


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## InkedMarie (Mar 11, 2009)

Congrats on adopting Axel, he's a handsome little boy.


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## DelilahJayneBadGirl (Oct 23, 2012)

I hear you and I sympathize. I have a 5 month old female pit named Delilah. When she was about 10 weeks old I had to go to petsmart, and brought her with me (carried her of course), and ended up in a 45 minute conversation with the most ignorant man I've ever met. At first he came up and petted her a while, let her lick him, told her how cute she was, and then when he asked what she was, and I told him, he jerked his hand back like it was on fire, and exclaimed "Oh but they are so vicious!! You should bring her back to the pound immediately before she turns on you" Seriously? she was JUST licking your face. Not to mention she was being carried....I kind of lost my cool and told him that it is how they are raised and how they were bred. I told him that it was incredibly ignorant of him to assume that just because she is a pit, that I got her from a pound, and then I went on to tell him that she is no more vicious than a chiuaua (sorry, I spelled it wrong). I told him that people like him were the reason that these sweet dogs get such a bad rap and that he should be ashamed of himself, and that acutally, more people are bitten by labs every year than pitbulls. Then I kinda huffed and walked away, telling him one more time how ignorant he was. In hind sight, I shouldn't have lost my cool, and just walked away. He definitely caught me off guard and on an off day....oops. Delilah's only 5 months now, but she doesnt have an agressive bone in her body. That day really hurt my feelings though (even though I should be prepared for comments like that), so now, unless we're at the dog park or somewhere where people say "oh what an adorable little pit!" I play dumb. Many people assume that because she is black, that she is part lab....I cant tell you how many people have asked me "What kind of dog is she? Lab mixed with something?"....I just let them assume.

People are just stupid. And like another said on this thread....ya cant fix stupid....


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## Roloni (Aug 5, 2011)

Many years ago when I as a little boy ...
I was walking my Aunts Poodle "Mimi"around the neighborhood. Some neighborhood kids had something to say:
"Nice Looking Dog Ya ***!!"..
I tried to show them how extremely smart Mimi was..
Mimi went through her entire routine of tricks (this dog could do every trick ,and she had a fantastic personality).
The kids just made fun of her and me.

When I got a Labrador Retriever I heard this comment often :
" If a burgler broke into your house..that dog would play with him..they are just goofy"

When I walked my girfriends Chihuahua I heard : "Place Negative Comment Here"

So forth and So on..etc etc..

I have a Rottie now...
Unlike other dogs ..(that just get negative comments and passing remarks about them.)
Its actually a very serious situation for certain breeds when they are labled as being killers.


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## mitzi (Aug 3, 2010)

BrittanyG said:


> Welcome to the family!


Wow! What IS that?


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

mitzi said:


> Wow! What IS that?


That is a hyena. Pits have been banned in many areas in africa so they fight hyenas now.

I have no idea why that picture has been posted.


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## aiw (Jun 16, 2012)

They call it the 'African Pit Bull". People hand raise these hyenas and walk them around town as a status symbol and to generally look like a badass (as some of the worst contingent of pit owners will). Now THAT is a dangerous pet...


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## mitzi (Aug 3, 2010)

Oh My gosh that thing looks huge and downright frightening! Not something I would consider 'street legal'. 
Here in So. California the shelters are overflowing with pit bulls and chihuahuas.


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## AgentP (Dec 12, 2011)

Hmm. Not entirely true. Any breed that was bred for a long time to turn on each other will have more issues with dog-dog aggression than breeds who didn't get selected for those traits. So it's not always the person on the other end of the leash. I love pitties though; my best dog ever was a big black and white APBT/Am Staff; and she never picked a fight. But I've seen others. Well socialized dogs, more often males. All you can do is know your dog and watch for behavior change when they mature. Having a well trained dog will make things easier should they ever change.

To the OP - your dog is absolutely adorable. Makes me want to get another pit... but I am a bit burnt out being an advocate. I can't just walk away from stupid comments about them.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

AgentP said:


> Hmm. Not entirely true. Any breed that was bred for a long time to turn on each other will have more issues with dog-dog aggression than breeds who didn't get selected for those traits. So it's not always the person on the other end of the leash. I love pitties though; my best dog ever was a big black and white APBT/Am Staff; and she never picked a fight. But I've seen others. Well socialized dogs, more often males. All you can do is know your dog and watch for behavior change when they mature. Having a well trained dog will make things easier should they ever change.
> 
> To the OP - your dog is absolutely adorable. Makes me want to get another pit... but I am a bit burnt out being an advocate. I can't just walk away from stupid comments about them.


Most issues with pits seem to be that people think the pit will turn on its owner or attack children, rather than aggression towards other dogs. (Of course, its different with most dog-people who actually have a dog to worry about being attacked).


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## AgentP (Dec 12, 2011)

gingerkid said:


> Most issues with pits seem to be that people think the pit will turn on its owner or attack children, rather than aggression towards other dogs. (Of course, its different with most dog-people who actually have a dog to worry about being attacked).


Yeah I know. Just wanted to point out that there can be issues. They are not easy dogs for say a first time owner. Stubborn, strong and possibly incompatible with their own kind. That said, we have a lot of nice pitties in the area but now that I own a small dog I am just a tad worried when we meet up on our daily walk. I've just seen them go off in the past. Of course dog-dog aggression and dog-people aggression is not related.


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## Hallie (Nov 9, 2008)

I just wanted to point out that my Beagle is 10x more stubborn than my Pit. She's also more hyper and more reactive. She gets scared easily, and is a nut case... but I love her!
My Pit is more eager to please me, whereas Hallie just wants treats. I've never had a more affectionate dog than my Pit. He loves everyone and everything. 

IMO my Pit, aside from the bad rap they get, would have been an easier first dog than my Beagle.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

I wouldn't call the pits I know to be stubborn at all. Their people pleasing personalities has made them really biddable. But then, I am used to my hound dog. Hound dog is focused on what he wants (sniff, chase, sniff) while pit girl is focused on me and seeking praise. 
I hate to say it but I actually have the current pit girl walking much better on a leash in 10 weeks than my own hound in 3 years. He's not bad on a leash, she's just already heeling without being asked and frequently looking up at me while he's nose-to-the-ground and pretending I don't exist.

I do think it isn't unreasonable to be aware of the potential for developing dog aggression as a pit bull puppy matures. It can happen and I always tell adopters that if they want to be as confident as possible that a dog will be dog-friendly as an adult, then they need to adopt an adult who is known dog-friendly. Even the most well socialized puppies _can_ grow up to be dog-aggressive or (what I think is more common) dog-selective where they are fine with known dog buddies and generally fine on-leash in public but not like "yay dogs" and require careful introductions to new dogs.


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## mashlee08 (Feb 24, 2012)

Is it stupid I want to get a Pit just for the reason of showing people they can be amazing pets? Not my type of dog at all, but if I were to have one would have an English bull terrier. But holy bloody moly it makes my blood absolutely boil when I hear comments like that! 

My older cousin is looking into getting am English bull terrier and her friend was around once when she mentioned it and her first reaction was "I would never trust a dog like that, they can turn in a second, I would know, I have had dogs for 40 years and they are dangerous!" I kept my cool and said asked what what she thought made them dangerous. Her reply was that her friends one bit their kid that had ran up to the dog in one of those walker things, and was asserting its alpha status by biting the kid.
I said "no it doesn't work like that, more then likely the dog was scared and no one failed to read the signs and supervise" she then went on to say that parents should be able to leave their dog ad kids alone together if they want but that dog was bad news from the start. Fair to say she wasn't at my house much longer after that.


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## AgentP (Dec 12, 2011)

This was my Layla. She died over 15 years ago and I still have her pic on my nightstand...

This was her successor, Omba, an English Staffie:









She was a lovable little thing; her worst behavior was licking people half to death upon meeting them. 

Neither was dog aggressive either, but they also didn't enjoy playing much - with canines that is.


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

mashlee08 said:


> Is it stupid I want to get a Pit just for the reason of showing people they can be amazing pets?


That's what I want to do 

But even besides that, having worked with/near pits for the last few months has truly made me see how awesome of a breed they are. Granted that most of the ones I see are chained or fenced 24/7, some are aggressive (towards dogs and people), but more often than not they are the sweetest, most tolerant dogs I've met in my life. 
The three caveats for me are:

-I like loyal and attentive dogs but I don't like clingy dogs, though it seems for pits it really varies between individuals
-I would LOVE to get into pit fostering, and dog knows they need the help, but not sure if I have the time and energy to handle a larger sized dog at the moment
-My own dog is selective when it comes to med-large sized dogs, so I would have to be on constant alert, which is not the case for my current tiny dog situation


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## mashlee08 (Feb 24, 2012)

HollowHeaven said:


> That is a hyena. Pits have been banned in many areas in africa so they fight hyenas now.
> 
> I have no idea why that picture has been posted.


If I am wrong, I think the picture is what pit owners must look like to the general public (well in their minds) and that to them they are all crazy African hyena owning people that look absolutely batty.


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## beretw (Sep 25, 2012)

mashlee08 said:


> If I am wrong, I think the picture is what pit owners must look like to the general public (well in their minds) and that to them they are all crazy African hyena owning people that look absolutely batty.


Crazy Halloween costume ideas running through my head for the derp derp and me.... What crazy mind warp would that be?! A pit bull dressed as an 'African Pit HyenaBull'... Oh my!


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Canyx said:


> That's what I want to do


Add me to this list, but-

I love, love, love pits. I think they are the most awesome dogs in the world, with the biggest HEARTS, ever. I just - I love them.

They'd be a lousy match for my personality, though. There are probably some individual animals I'd do just fine with, but overall a lot of what I love about them would make me crazy to live with. Bug reminds me a lot of a pit, actually (which makes sense, given their similar history) and while I love her dearly, if she was twice her size and still that ...exuberantly loving, I'd probably go out of my mind. So, um. I'll add Pits and Boxers to my list of dogs I really really love but really really wouldn't love living with.


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