Pitbulls and Children

Aimee - posted on 02/15/2009

Quoting Mary:

Pit bulls are dangerous dogs. period. I have heard the argument that pit bulls are sweet as long as you raise them that way yadayada, but if you look at statistics they are the most dangerous dogs to have. They can be sweet, raised in a loving home, etc, and then one day just snap and kill a child. I would not risk it, no way. I don"t even let my kids go to homes that own pit bulls. My sweet golden retriever was attacked by two pit bulls and almost killed at a dog park, when the police arrived the owner stated the same thing that I have heard owners say over and over again, "they have never been aggressive dogs before, they are so sweet and loving etc..." Oh really, then why did those "sweet loving animals" just try to rip my dogs head off unprovoked!? I say just look at government statistics and web sites dedicated to un-bias information regarding dogs like American Kennel Club and see, it is just not a safe thing to allow.

For the record, the American Kennel Club does not recognize the "Pit Bull." And, their stance is not that they are unsafe. They actually spend a ton of money every year FIGHTING bans on particular breeds.

Also take into account that the CDC report that fatality statistics are taken from also says this...

"Although fatal attacks on humans
appear to be a breed-specific problem (pit bull-type
dogs and Rottweilers), other breeds may bite and
cause fatalities at higher rates. Because of difficulties
inherent in determining a dog’s breed with certainty,
enforcement of breed-specific ordinances raises constitutional
and practical issues. Fatal attacks represent
a small proportion of dog bite injuries to humans and,
therefore, should not be the primary factor driving
public policy concerning dangerous dogs. Many practical
alternatives to breed-specific ordinances exist and
hold promise for prevention of dog bites."

Here is a link to the report: http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/duip/dogbreeds....

Amanda - posted on 02/15/2009

I have a pit and I have 2 kids. She is just a little over a year old and she is GREAT with my kids. She is protective of them as well as the home. We had a puppy and she was also good with the kids but as renting goes we could only keep one. I say that when you have a pit it is all in the way that you raise them and you have to let them know what is ok and what is not ok when it comes to your kids. Just keep in mine anything with teeth can bite but that goes for any dog.

Mary - posted on 02/15/2009

Pit bulls are dangerous dogs. period. I have heard the argument that pit bulls are sweet as long as you raise them that way yadayada, but if you look at statistics they are the most dangerous dogs to have. They can be sweet, raised in a loving home, etc, and then one day just snap and kill a child. I would not risk it, no way. I don"t even let my kids go to homes that own pit bulls. My sweet golden retriever was attacked by two pit bulls and almost killed at a dog park, when the police arrived the owner stated the same thing that I have heard owners say over and over again, "they have never been aggressive dogs before, they are so sweet and loving etc..." Oh really, then why did those "sweet loving animals" just try to rip my dogs head off unprovoked!? I say just look at government statistics and web sites dedicated to un-bias information regarding dogs like American Kennel Club and see, it is just not a safe thing to allow.

Aimee - posted on 02/15/2009

A Pit Bull with a PROPER breed temperament is a fabulous dog for children, but sadly, not ever breeds correct temperaments. But, I can say the exact same thing for Labs and Goldens.

That should be, not EVERYBODY breeds correct temperaments. Sorry, I apparently cannot type!

Jolynn - posted on 02/15/2009

I think it pays to be cautious with any dog you have around children, especially a baby. For myself, there are certain breeds I would be more cautious of than other, and the pit bull is one of those breeds, just because they are one of the breeds that are in the tops for attacks. That isn't to say that many people don't have them and have wonderful pit bulls. There are many wonderful breeds of dogs. I happen to have a malamute and they are know for their love of children.... but I am still cautious of him alone with my children, because sometimes my youngest child will pull his ears or be mean to him and he doesn't like it and he will verbally warn her that he is not happy with what she is doing. I pay careful attention to what is going on when they are together. But overall he is very tolerant and very gentle with the kids. Much more tolerant and gentle than my little maltese mixed. My opinion would be to go with a dog that is not in the top 3 or 4 for fatal attacks on children. You can research this to find out what those breeds are and I'm pretty sure that pit bull is one of the 4.

Aimee - posted on 02/15/2009

Pit Bulls can range from excellent with children to dangerous. Sadly, the breed is terribly popular and overbred, with many less than stellar examples being allowed to reproduce, resulting in dangerous dogs. A Pit Bull with a PROPER breed temperament is a fabulous dog for children, but sadly, not ever breeds correct temperaments. But, I can say the exact same thing for Labs and Goldens.



Than being said, one of our dogs is a Pit Bull. He was nationally ranked in competitive obedience in 2005, and is a certified therapy dog. I couldn't ask for a better dog around children.



Proper breed temperament doesn't mean that every dog of a particular breed is going to be good (or bad) with children. If you are wanting a dog of a particular breed, it is best to go to an experienced rescue or a responsible breeder if you are wanting a quality example of the breed.

Jenn - posted on 02/15/2009

I think that no matter what the breed, a dog has teeth and can be dangerous. If you really want a dog for your family do your research. Lots of breeds have health issues, grooming issues and a small dog can cost $16,000.00 do live into maturity. You also have to check with your homeowners or renters insurance cause alot of them will not cover you if you have certain dogs and please check the pounds and rescues before you pick your friend.

Jenn - posted on 02/15/2009

I think that no matter what the breed, a dog has teeth and can be dangerous. If you really want a dog for your family do your research. Lots of breeds have health issues, grooming issues and a small dog can cost $16,000.00 do live into maturity. You also have to check with your homeowners or renters insurance cause alot of them will not cover you if you have certain dogs and please check the pounds and rescues before you pick your friend.

Jenn - posted on 02/15/2009

I think that no matter what the breed, a dog has teeth and can be dangerous. If you really want a dog for your family do your research. Lots of breeds have health issues, grooming issues and a small dog can cost $16,000.00 do live into maturity. You also have to check with your homeowners or renters insurance cause alot of them will not cover you if you have certain dogs and please check the pounds and rescues before you pick your friend.

Corrine - posted on 02/15/2009

I have NO PROBLEMS WHAT-SO-EVER letting my son around Pits. Just yesterday we were at a tattoo parlor and one of the artists had his Pit there. She walked right up to my son and they started to play. For the next 30 minutes, I watched them chase eachother around the room and rough house. Pitts have such a bad reputation, it breaks my heart. Look at Micheal Vicks dogs, they were all trained to fight and now I think like 4 or 5 of them all live together. They were all able to be rehibilitated and adopted out. It's all in how you raise a dog. I grew up with a full size Doberman Pinscher (Apollo). He was the sweetest dog, he even shared his bed with the cat! But if he thought that either of my parents, myself or one of my 3 sisters were in danger, he got aggressive. Playing football outside with my dad one day, my dad tackled one on my little sisters, and unfortunatly Apollo had seen this happen and took off like a bat outta hell! He took my dads calf in his mouth and wouldn't let go until he had seen that my sister was away and at a safe distance. IT'S ALL IN HOW YOU RAISE A DOG!! Pitts have such a high tolerance for pain, it takes a lot to hurt them, especially if its a child inflicting it.

Dont believe me? This is a good website that my husband and I found while researching different types of dog breeds and their temperments.

http://www.atts.org/statistics.html

American Pitbull Terrier: out of 586 tested, 494 passed and only 92 failed. That's a passing rate of 84.3%

American Staffordshire Terrier: out of 548 tested, 457 passed and only 91 failed. That's a passing rate of 83.4%.

Staffordshire Bull Terrier: out of 80 tested, 71 passed and only 9 failed. That's a passing rate of 88.8%.

Pomeranians and Poodles did worse then the Pits!

The ATTS Temperament Test focuses on and measures different aspects of temperament such as stability, shyness, aggressiveness, and friendliness as well as the dog's instinct for protectiveness towards its handler and/or self-preservation in the face of a threat.

The test simulates a casual walk through a park or neighborhood where everyday life situations are encountered. During this walk, the dog experiences visual, auditory and tactile stimuli. Neutral, friendly and threatening situations are encountered, calling into play the dog's ability to distinguish between non-threatening situations and those calling for watchful and protective reactions.

Dogs must be at least 18 months old to enter this test. The test takes about eight to 12 minutes to complete. The dog is on a loose six-foot (6') lead. The handler is not allowed to talk to the dog, give commands, or give corrections.

Failure on any part of the test is recognized when a dog shows:

The ATTS Temperament Test consists of ten subtests divided into five subcategories:

Behavior Toward Strangers
Objective: To measure the dog's reaction to strangers in a non-threatening situation.

Subtest 1: Neutral stranger
A stranger to the dog approaches the handler, shakes hands with the handler and engages the handler in a brief conversation, ignoring the dog.
The purpose of this subtest is to evaluate the dog's reaction to passive socialization and the dog's protective instinct.

Subtest 2: Friendly stranger
A stranger to the dog approaches happily and briskly, is very friendly to the dog and pets the dog.
The purpose of this subtest is to evaluate the dog's active social skills.

Reaction to Auditory Stimuli
Objective: To measure the dog's reaction to auditory stimuli and the dog's investigative behavior.

Subtest 3: Hidden Noise
The handler/dog team approaches a hidden assistant who rattles a metal bucket filled with rocks and sets this bucket in the path of the team. The handler may encourage the dog to investigate the bucket only when asked to do so. The handler's focus must be on the bucket, not on the dog.
The purpose of this subtest is to test alertness and curiosity.

Subtest 4: Gunshots
The handler stops at a designated marker with his/her back towards a well hidden assistant. The assistant fires three shots using a .22 caliber starter pistol (SHOT-PAUSE-SHOT-SHOT).
The purpose of this subtest is to measure the dog's recovery response to a sudden noise.

Reaction to Visual Stimulus
Objective: To measure the dog's reaction to a sudden visual stimulus.

Subtest 5: Umbrella
The handler/dog team approaches an assistant sitting in a chair holding a closed umbrella parallel to the ground at a 90 degree angle to the approaching team. When the dog is five feet from the assistant, the umbrella is opened. The handler may encourage the dog to investigate the umbrella only when asked to do so. The handler's focus must be on the umbrella, not on the dog.

Tactile Stimuli
Objective: To measure the dog's reaction to unusual footing.

Subtest 6: Plastic Footing
Both the handler and the dog walk the entire length of a 15-foot by 6-foot clear plastic strip.

Subtest 7: Wire Footing
Only the dog will walk the entire length of a 12-foot by 3-foot unfolded exercise pen.

The purpose of these subtests is to measure the dog's sensitivity to unusual footing, its ability to recover from the fear of unusual footing and to measure its investigative behavior to the unusual footing.

Self Protective/Aggressive Behavior
Objective: These tests collectively evaluate the dog's capacity to recognize an unusual situation, its threshold to provocation, its protective instincts, and its propensity to realize when the situation becomes a threat.

Subtest 8: Non-Threatening
The handler/dog team stops at the designated marker. A weirdly-dressed stranger crosses the path 38 feet in front of the team.
The purpose of this subtest is to test the dog's alertness to an unusual situation.

Subtest 9: Threatening
The weird stranger advances 10 feet towards the stationary handler in a threatening manner.
The purpose of this subtest is to evaluate the dog's ability to recognize when an unusual situation turns into a provocation.

Subtest 10: Aggression
The weird stranger advances to within 18 feet of the stationary handler in an aggressive manner.
The purpose of this subtest is to evaluate the dog's protective instincts.

Corrine - posted on 02/15/2009

I have NO PROBLEMS WHAT-SO-EVER letting my son around Pits. Just yesterday we were at a tattoo parlor and one of the artists had his Pit there. She walked right up to my son and they started to play. For the next 30 minutes, I watched them chase eachother around the room and rough house. Pitts have such a bad reputation, it breaks my heart. Look at Micheal Vicks dogs, they were all trained to fight and now I think like 4 or 5 of them all live together. They were all able to be rehibilitated and adopted out. It's all in how you raise a dog. I grew up with a full size Doberman Pinscher (Apollo). He was the sweetest dog, he even shared his bed with the cat! But if he thought that either of my parents, myself or one of my 3 sisters were in danger, he got aggressive. Playing football outside with my dad one day, my dad tackled one on my little sisters, and unfortunatly Apollo had seen this happen and took off like a bat outta hell! He took my dads calf in his mouth and wouldn't let go until he had seen that my sister was away and at a safe distance. IT'S ALL IN HOW YOU RAISE A DOG!! Pitts have such a high tolerance for pain, it takes a lot to hurt them, especially if its a child inflicting it.

Dont believe me? This is a good website that my husband and I found while researching different types of dog breeds and their temperments.

http://www.atts.org/statistics.html

American Pitbull Terrier: out of 586 tested, 494 passed and only 92 failed. That's a passing rate of 84.3%

American Staffordshire Terrier: out of 548 tested, 457 passed and only 91 failed. That's a passing rate of 83.4%.

Staffordshire Bull Terrier: out of 80 tested, 71 passed and only 9 failed. That's a passing rate of 88.8%.

Pomeranians and Poodles did worse then the Pits!

The ATTS Temperament Test focuses on and measures different aspects of temperament such as stability, shyness, aggressiveness, and friendliness as well as the dog's instinct for protectiveness towards its handler and/or self-preservation in the face of a threat.

The test simulates a casual walk through a park or neighborhood where everyday life situations are encountered. During this walk, the dog experiences visual, auditory and tactile stimuli. Neutral, friendly and threatening situations are encountered, calling into play the dog's ability to distinguish between non-threatening situations and those calling for watchful and protective reactions.

Dogs must be at least 18 months old to enter this test. The test takes about eight to 12 minutes to complete. The dog is on a loose six-foot (6') lead. The handler is not allowed to talk to the dog, give commands, or give corrections.

Failure on any part of the test is recognized when a dog shows:

The ATTS Temperament Test consists of ten subtests divided into five subcategories:

Behavior Toward Strangers
Objective: To measure the dog's reaction to strangers in a non-threatening situation.

Subtest 1: Neutral stranger
A stranger to the dog approaches the handler, shakes hands with the handler and engages the handler in a brief conversation, ignoring the dog.
The purpose of this subtest is to evaluate the dog's reaction to passive socialization and the dog's protective instinct.

Subtest 2: Friendly stranger
A stranger to the dog approaches happily and briskly, is very friendly to the dog and pets the dog.
The purpose of this subtest is to evaluate the dog's active social skills.

Reaction to Auditory Stimuli
Objective: To measure the dog's reaction to auditory stimuli and the dog's investigative behavior.

Subtest 3: Hidden Noise
The handler/dog team approaches a hidden assistant who rattles a metal bucket filled with rocks and sets this bucket in the path of the team. The handler may encourage the dog to investigate the bucket only when asked to do so. The handler's focus must be on the bucket, not on the dog.
The purpose of this subtest is to test alertness and curiosity.

Subtest 4: Gunshots
The handler stops at a designated marker with his/her back towards a well hidden assistant. The assistant fires three shots using a .22 caliber starter pistol (SHOT-PAUSE-SHOT-SHOT).
The purpose of this subtest is to measure the dog's recovery response to a sudden noise.

Reaction to Visual Stimulus
Objective: To measure the dog's reaction to a sudden visual stimulus.

Subtest 5: Umbrella
The handler/dog team approaches an assistant sitting in a chair holding a closed umbrella parallel to the ground at a 90 degree angle to the approaching team. When the dog is five feet from the assistant, the umbrella is opened. The handler may encourage the dog to investigate the umbrella only when asked to do so. The handler's focus must be on the umbrella, not on the dog.

Tactile Stimuli
Objective: To measure the dog's reaction to unusual footing.

Subtest 6: Plastic Footing
Both the handler and the dog walk the entire length of a 15-foot by 6-foot clear plastic strip.

Subtest 7: Wire Footing
Only the dog will walk the entire length of a 12-foot by 3-foot unfolded exercise pen.

The purpose of these subtests is to measure the dog's sensitivity to unusual footing, its ability to recover from the fear of unusual footing and to measure its investigative behavior to the unusual footing.

Self Protective/Aggressive Behavior
Objective: These tests collectively evaluate the dog's capacity to recognize an unusual situation, its threshold to provocation, its protective instincts, and its propensity to realize when the situation becomes a threat.

Subtest 8: Non-Threatening
The handler/dog team stops at the designated marker. A weirdly-dressed stranger crosses the path 38 feet in front of the team.
The purpose of this subtest is to test the dog's alertness to an unusual situation.

Subtest 9: Threatening
The weird stranger advances 10 feet towards the stationary handler in a threatening manner.
The purpose of this subtest is to evaluate the dog's ability to recognize when an unusual situation turns into a provocation.

Subtest 10: Aggression
The weird stranger advances to within 18 feet of the stationary handler in an aggressive manner.
The purpose of this subtest is to evaluate the dog's protective instincts.

Becky - posted on 02/15/2009

It does not allways depend on who trains the dogs one day the most loveing and careing dog any breed could just snap just think if the dog is having a toddler poking it in the eye or having his tail pulled etc that dog one day may snap and go for the one who did it could be one of your children. Yes your dogs may be lovely but it's not fair on the dogs to get pulled and poked about . If your going to get a dog wait till all your children are older to understand how to treat a dog. I had a dog when i was about 7 a choc lab and he was lovely but as i say i was at the age to understand

Kanisha - posted on 02/15/2009

NO WAY! I am a nurse at a children's hospital and I have seen what viscious dogs can do to a poor child. It's not even worth the risk.

Sherry - posted on 02/15/2009

A dog is an animal.  Animals can bite for many reasons....most of which people don't know because they don't think like an animal OR know how an animal thinks!   Some dogs maybe genetically wired wrong............but than again so can humans!!!!  Its just plain common sense when you have a child and dog(ANY BREED big or small)  to never leave them unattended together.  Most incidents with dogs can be prevented......most accidents are due to human error!

Sharon - posted on 02/15/2009

any dog around any child can turn at any time. i have a boarder collie and would never leave him in the same room as the baby unattended..i know deep down he would never have hurt her but you never know and it is always to be safe than sorry but don't let the dog feel left out always fuss over the dog when the child is in bed then the dog will learn not to be jelous of the child.

Carlie - posted on 02/15/2009

not a chance!! sorry but 2 many things go wrong with dogs, its not even worth the risk! my babys dads parent have a big dog, not a pit bull but dunno what it is, shes a lovely dog but they can get jealous especially round babies, i was well nervous when dan was newborn but shes got used 2 him nw n hes bigger but its sch a scary thought!! xx

Bobbi - posted on 02/15/2009

I have 3 children whom was all raised with american pits and with red nose pits.. It is all in how you raise them... They can be the most gentle dogs but at the same time they can be very mean. You just have to raise them from pups and teach them to know the children belong there also.

Misty - posted on 02/15/2009

Dogs are not born mean or aggressive they are just like any other dog. I is the owners who train these dog to be that way it's not the dog fault he only wants to please his owner, i have owned pitbulls for years some form birth and some adoped, they are just big babys  they want to sleeep on the couch and be next to you always and as my kids my dogs are there best friends sometime i think they like the kids more becauce they the dogs think they are just one of the kids. if you love a pitbull the only thing you get out of them is love, watch out for the liker, i have seen my pit give the kids a good bath from time to time,

Penny - posted on 02/15/2009

Quoting Malinda:

I think it's ridiculous to single out any breed. In 2005 a Pomeranian killed a baby in California.... so are Pomeranians baby killers? Obviously not. A Golden Retriever recently mauled a small child in my area. Do we villianize all Golden Retrievers now?

The reason you hear about "pit bull attacks" in the media are a) sensationalism (the Golden attack barely made the news, but if it had been a pittie..), and b) mis-identification of the breed. Check out this link and see if YOU can figure out which one is the Pittie:
http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/...

*All* dog-child relationships need to be properly prepared for and monitor. My son and my Greyhounds get along beautifully, but I'm a responsible enough pet owner to also know never to leave them alone in a room together. All dogs have teeth and claws. It takes common sense, not breed-banashing, to protect our children from harm.

This is exactly it. ANY dog can turn nasty, not even it's own fault. Even labradors have turned when they've had brain tumours, or been in pain. ANY dog could kill a child if it wanted to, and ANY dog could attack without warning. Never leave any child alone with any dog. If you want a pit bull, research the breed fully, walk some, meet lots, teach your child how to respect dogs, then if you still want one, make sure you get good training with the children involved, and never leave them to play alone.

Cherie - posted on 02/15/2009

I had one in our family, and my brother also had one. They were wonderful with my children. They protected them. My kids used them as jungle gyms, and they didn't mind at all. It all depends on how you raise them. Also have to remember that when it comes to disaplining them they only feel like 10% of the pain given. Not saying to beat your dog, but if you spank it chances are it won't feel much lol.

Stephanie - posted on 02/15/2009

We have a WONDERFUL and loving pit that is the BEST dog we've ever had....I used to have a Pom when my son was born and I was scared to leave her (all 6 pounds of her) with my son. My pit (60 pounds) I TRUST with both my now 12 yr old son and my 3 1/2 yr old daughter! OWNERS OF DOGS... not the BREED make for BAD dogs. To many breeds of dogs are put in a stereotypical light caused by BAD owners that deters from the actual dog.

Sarah - posted on 02/15/2009

Quoting Lisa:

 i would never have a pitt bull around babies or kids. they could turn on you at anytime. it doesnt matter if they grew up with your child they can still attack them and anyone else. i think people with pitt bulls are  putting their childrens life  in danger.

I COULD NOT DISAGREE with you more!!!!  I grew up w/ one from age 4 til she was 19yrs. That dog was my best friend & I knew I wanted my kids to have a bond like that!! I have had all kinds of other breeds but PITT BULLS are the only ones that I just love & bond with!! I feel that i am a wonderful mother & my husband a wonderful father so I think it is wrong for you to say that!! I trust my dog COMPLETELY w/ my children!!! I don't feel people should speak a/b things that they are ignorant about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I believe more familys that have respect & love for the breed should get one & enjoy being loved the way that they love their familys!!! I do believe they should be an inside dog though!!

Keep pitt bulls in familys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  =)

Michele - posted on 02/15/2009

Educate your children on how to behave around dogs ... especially ones they don't know.

When a child approaches a dog they naturally, because they are human ... as they walk or run towards the dog they stare the dog in the eyes, and reach out with their hand, palm down, above the dogs head (... in an attempt to pet them)

One must put themselves in the dogs position ... the dogs perception of these motions is an attack and, if he is a leader, will defend his place in the hierarchy. Dogs/wolves/coyotes determine hierarchy by having "fights" ... biting, jumping, wrestling etc ... the dogs indicate their willingness to fight by staring into the others eyes ... they portray submission by looking away ... the battle ends and they know who the alpha dog is.



Teach your children to ASK the owner, look at the tip of their nose, to initiate petting them under their chin (palm up), approach from the side, pet them between the shoulders, NOT their heads. Do not allow your child to pull their tails or ears, sit on them or chase them ... this may be OK with the family pet, but when they go visit at their friends house ... their dog may not like it so much. Teach them to respect and understand all animals, they will be safer for it.

Krista - posted on 02/15/2009

Pretty much every attack I've heard of is when the child is alone with the dog. One parent thought their baby was safe inside some kind of corral while she took a shower with the moniter on. That poor baby got attacked. Training is a must for all dogs no matter what breed. If your gonna have a pet be wise and aware of what can happen when your not around. Even cats can be attracted to the smell of food and accidentally hurt a small child.

Emily - posted on 02/15/2009

We had pit bull and he was FANTASTIC with the baby. Unfortunately, the city we live in banned them so we had to bring him to a rescue. I think that if you get your pit from a good breeder, you shouldn't have any problems.

Emily - posted on 02/15/2009

We had pit bull and he was FANTASTIC with the baby. Unfortunately, the city we live in banned them so we had to bring him to a rescue. I think that if you get your pit from a good breeder, you shouldn't have any problems.

Alicia - posted on 02/15/2009

My ex and I bred pitbulls...we NEVER, ever had a problem as long as they were definitely full-blooded and we knew the bloodline. I will say that you have to be very careful if you do not have papers and you do not know the family history. There are different bloodlines, some are bred to fight and some are bred for pulling championships or just companionship...regardless of how you raise them, a fighting dog has a temper. They are temperamental and have a short patience with children...if you have a good pitbull with a good bloodline, they are the best dogs on the planet. They're loyal, protective, caring, and unbelievably smart...

Kristen - posted on 02/15/2009

i have a pitbull as well and he is absolutely fine with my brand new son and my two year old nephew, and trust me my nephew is constnantly going up to him and poking him in the eye, pulling on his tail, sitting on his back, etc..... and that dog has not even raised his lip to them. he is an awesome dog, it just depends on who trains dogs which makes them aggressive

Lindsey - posted on 02/15/2009

no!

Lindsey - posted on 02/15/2009

no!

Kate CP - posted on 02/14/2009

Being a dog trainer I get this question a lot: "what kind of dog should I get for my 4 year old child?"

The correct answer is: NONE. A child should NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER be left alone for any amount of time with any animal. Period. End of discussion. Big big no-no. I have two wonderful dogs, one of which is a therapy dog (goes to medical facilities and nursing homes to provide emotional support and therapy). The dogs are NEVER allowed in my daughter's room and she has never been left alone with them in three years.

It doesn't matter what the breed of the dog is. Any dog can bite and any dog can do serious damage. More labs and chihuahuas bite kids than pit bulls do. Pit bulls (technically they are Staffordshire Terriers, American Pit Bull Terriers, or Bull Terriers) were never meant to be aggressive toward humans only other dogs and animals.

Would I let my daughter pet a pit bull? Depends on the pit bull. There are some Dachshunds I wouldn't let her touch. One of my good friends (who was also a student of mine) has a Staffordshire terrier and his daughter isn't yet two. The dog is the sweetest thing on four legs and loves their daughter and mine. The only dangerous thing about that dog is his tail-it stings like a whip! But, they followed my instructions in teaching the dog how to accept children and to never let their daughter be alone with the animal.

Don't get a dog for your children. You know that you will be the one taking care of it, walking it, feeding it, etc. Once the new puppy charm wears off most kids don't take an interest in taking care of a dog. Dogs are most commonly given up at around 6 months of age because they are no longer cute little puppies but not good, calm well behaved dogs either. My advice? If you have kids under the age of 7, don't get a new dog. If you do decide to get a dog you should be taking the dog to obedience classes for socialization and general manners from the time their shots are completed. As some of my friends in Pit rescue say: "Punish the deed, not the breed."

Malinda - posted on 02/14/2009

Quoting Stephanie:

I know a family that had a "very nice family pitbull" that while sitting in the floor coloring the dog calmly walked over to the 4 year old and ripped her arm off. 3 surgery's could not save the arm. I'm just sayin' some breads have little control over the instinct.

What did they find out about the dog (my guess is they didn't look - they just put the dog down)?  Dog attacks occur unprovoked less often than human attacks do - meaning almost never.  By "provoked" I don't necessarily mean that the child did anything, but there was a reason for the dog's actions.  Often cases like this are a result of undiagnosed or untreated medical issues such as hip displaysia or cancer.  Something may have triggered a sudden pain in the dog which caused it to lash out at the nearest thing, unfortunately a 4 year old child.  Again, this could happen with *any* breed of dog or any animal for that matter (though while it may be true that a Jack Russel could not necessarily de-limb a person, even a small animal can cause irrepairable blood loss).  What this story illustrates has little to do with the breed of the dog, but the importance of being a good caretaker and ensuring that your animal's needs (especially training and medical needs) are taken care of and that you are always responsible for the interactions between child and animal.  In my opinion, a well-trained dog does NOT approach a human (especially a child) unless it is asked to.  In my home, my dogs would not be allowed to "calmly walk over" to a child unless I or my husband specifically asked them to.  The interaction would also not be unsupervised - my dogs are never left alone with my child and if I were to see one of my dogs approaching my child I would be quick to step in and correct the behavior long before any physical contact could be made.

Regardless of breed, or even type of animal, I encourage anyone seeking a pet to first answer these questions:

1) Will I be able to care for the animal(s) (as well as the members of my household, especially children) without neglect?

2) Do I understand the type/breed of animal I am bringing into my home and what that animal's needs will be (food, medical, exercise, habitat, etc)?

3) Do I understand and can I ensure that I will be able to cover the cost of those needs for the entire life of the animal?

4) Will I be able to adequately train this animal to behave politely and safely around humans, and especially children?

5) Do I understand what method of training I will use and can I be consistent with that method?

6) If there comes such a time that this animal can no longer be kept safely around my children or I can no longer meet the animal's needs, do I know what my options are?  (For instance, most adoption organizations will happily allow you to relinquish an animal to them if you can no longer care for them - many require this in their adoption contracts)

If you answer no to any of these questions, I would not recomend having the pet under consideration.  Pit Bull, Kitten, Shi Tzu, Horse, or Gerbil.

Patricia - posted on 02/14/2009

I believe that yes, there are certain breeds of dogs that are not that great around children. You can research your breed of dog's tendancies pretty easily. I have a shitzu and a laso apso. Very cute and cuddly dogs. I believe that most (if not any) breed of dog can be trained how to act around your children. I also believe that you should teach your children not to provoke your dog or dogs. Dogs are emotional just like us (in some ways)...and if they are pissed off, they are going to let you know.

Kelly - posted on 02/14/2009

Quoting Evelyn:

Quoting Lisa:

 i would never have a pitt bull around babies or kids. they could turn on you at anytime. it doesnt matter if they grew up with your child they can still attack them and anyone else. i think people with pitt bulls are  putting their childrens life  in danger.

 

Here's another site for more info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pit_bull

Pls read certified research and statistics....

And I'm sorry but " i think people with pitt bulls are  putting their childrens life  in danger" is insulting to most responsible pit owners.  The ppl putting their childrens' lives in danger are those with cockers, or labs, or whatever "friendly" dog who leave them alone with their kids for whatever brief period of time unsupervised!  I would never trust my child around one's Poodle or Chihuahua, or Collie or whatever "non-aggressive" dog one may own!  WE are ultimately responsible!

 

Jessica - posted on 02/14/2009

i personally have a 5 year old and a 4 year old pitbull...and they love my 11 month old son. he can pull their ears tails, whatever it don't matter. they just follow him around waiting to play or for him to drop a snack.

Kelly - posted on 02/14/2009

Quoting Linda:

Any dog can turn on you. Some of the popular breeds, such as poodles, jack russels, labs, etc., can be very aggressive. Especially toward kids...I have a pit bull and also have a 12 year old, 2 year old and a 7th month old. Stella, (my Pit) treats my kids like her own. She is very protective and gentle with them, she would never harm them. We also have a cat, which, by the way, Stella is afraid of.

When I read your last sentence of Stella being afraid of the cat it really made me laugh out loud! Thanks!

Kelly - posted on 02/14/2009

Quoting Evelyn:

All I can say is that the majority of ppl who are against pits, have not taken the time to educate themselves about the breed. Their opinions are usually based on what they have heard on the media, read in papers, etc.  It's simply discrimination and stereotyping.

Pls just take the time to educate yourself and read up on as much as you can about pits... both good and bad and then make an educated decision.

I'm not going to tell you pits are great just because I happen to have two of them.  I will tell you though that there are a lot of facts/statistics/expert opinions that prove they are good dogs to have around children.  I did a lot of research before deciding to have them before the birth of my daughter.

Check facts on the AKC... read about the police station that now has one on it's K9 unit, read about the Michael Vick ex-fighting pits that now work as rehabilitation dogs, find out why they're used as fighting dogs (they are one of the few breeds that'll attack the owner in the ring!)... etc.  Take all reports about pit bite stats with a grain of salt as many experts can't even identify a "pit bull" so how could a reporter or policeman fare better (check out the quiz posted earlier).  Anyways, all this to say, fine you've asked for ppl's opinions but keep in mind not all are educated opinions and you should go out and research for more facts before making your final decision.

Lastly, I'll leave you with this....The American Temperament Test Society has tested dog breeds since the 1970s, and maintains a list of results on its Web site showing what percentage of each breed it has tested fails the group's temperament test. On average, pit bulls fare better on the temperament test than many breeds with friendlier reputations, including beagles and collies.

Good luck!

 

By the way, as I type this there's a great show on National Geographic called Dogtown and it's all about the Michael Vick dogs being rehabilitated!

 

 

There are alot of websites that pop up when you google pitbulls....do you know of a good website to go to?

Barbara - posted on 02/14/2009

I was a professional big cat trainer before we decided to have our son, and I can tell you that there is a possibility for ANYTHING to bite.

I would not get a pit bull simply because if they did bite, it would be a terrible bite.  They have a lot more jaw pressure than other dogs do, and if a situation arose in which it may accidentally bite, (it was injured, it was accidentally stepped on while sleeping, etc.)  the consequences could be tragic.  I think of it this way, a pet is like a child, but with built in weaponry.  Can you imagine having a two year old running around your house with a machine gun? (assuming he knows how to use it.) You have to consider what it's packin' before you let it in your house!

I have met very sweet pit bulls, but I have also been bitten LOTS  of times by lots of different things, and it SUCKS!  I definitely want to keep that from happening to my son.

EMILY - posted on 02/14/2009

I have a Pit bull right now & two kids, 6 & 4. Our Pit is 2 now & we have raised her since a puppy. I believe a dog of any kind will act how it is raised & trained to be.  My babe is the sweetest & smartest dog I've ever had & she is protective of us. I absolutely love everything about her & would never give her up. She's also very calm & laid back.

Amie - posted on 02/14/2009

I don't think it's so much the breed but any dog you should seriously think about before you bring it into your home. We've had a chocolate Lab and a shit-zu. Both of which have had to go. They were fantastic with our children. Our lab would actually herd them for us if they got to close to the edge of our front yard. She was a lot quicker than we were at running to them. But with 4 legs I'd hope she can run faster than us. lol! Our problems with them both began after having them a year. They'd become so attached to our children and were so protective of them, especially our youngest, they were starting to snap at my husband and I. Since they were doing it to us we were worried how they'd start acting with others, obviously if they're snapping at us their going to do it to others who get to close to the kids who they think are a threat. Now I do admit the only time they snapped at us was when we were upset with the kids, dogs have good senses for when people are upset but we could not allow them to stay. It's all we needed was the kids starting to argue with one of the neighbors kids and our dogs taking chase after them. Our kids still miss them and we do too but when their older and the dogs hopefully won't be so protective, we'll think about getting one or two again. =)

Evelyn - posted on 02/14/2009

Quoting Lisa:

 i would never have a pitt bull around babies or kids. they could turn on you at anytime. it doesnt matter if they grew up with your child they can still attack them and anyone else. i think people with pitt bulls are  putting their childrens life  in danger.

Here's another site for more info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pit_bull

Pls read certified research and statistics....

And I'm sorry but " i think people with pitt bulls are  putting their childrens life  in danger" is insulting to most responsible pit owners.  The ppl putting their childrens' lives in danger are those with cockers, or labs, or whatever "friendly" dog who leave them alone with their kids for whatever brief period of time unsupervised!  I would never trust my child around one's Poodle or Chihuahua, or Collie or whatever "non-aggressive" dog one may own!  WE are ultimately responsible!

Jamie - posted on 02/14/2009

i think in how you raise your pitt bull my ex has a beautiful pit named teela she is very causious around kids very protective,her owner has treated her like his kid and id have her around my family friends and babies anytime..IT'S ALL IN HOW YOU TREAT THEM AND RAISE THEM...... Jamie

Stephanie - posted on 02/14/2009

I know a family that had a "very nice family pitbull" that while sitting in the floor coloring the dog calmly walked over to the 4 year old and ripped her arm off. 3 surgery's could not save the arm. I'm just sayin' some breads have little control over the instinct.

Linda - posted on 02/14/2009

Any dog can turn on you. Some of the popular breeds, such as poodles, jack russels, labs, etc., can be very aggressive. Especially toward kids...I have a pit bull and also have a 12 year old, 2 year old and a 7th month old. Stella, (my Pit) treats my kids like her own. She is very protective and gentle with them, she would never harm them. We also have a cat, which, by the way, Stella is afraid of.

Lisa - posted on 02/14/2009

 i would never have a pitt bull around babies or kids. they could turn on you at anytime. it doesnt matter if they grew up with your child they can still attack them and anyone else. i think people with pitt bulls are  putting their childrens life  in danger.

Andrea - posted on 02/14/2009

Yes, Pit Bulls can be dangerous but all animals can be dangerous. It is more important that your children learn how to treat animals and your dog learns how to treat all humans. I think that no matter what the breed take the dog to obedience training and if it is a puppy take it to puppy kindergarten. And some plain old common sense will go along way. Keep your kids involed in the care and feeding of your dog.



I have noticed in our puppy K class that the larger breeds are much better with children than the smaller ones. I am not sure if that is related to the owners training or not. Hope this helps in your decision.

Andi - posted on 02/14/2009

We have a pitbull, (American Stafford Shire Terrier) and she is the sweetest dog ever! Not a mean bone in her body!! I've also heard the Am. Staff. breed makes good family pets. Unfortunately, she LOVES strangers, so she isn't much of a guard dog, ha ha! And she tolerates my son wrestling with her, getting in her face. I wouldn't have any other breed! We love our pitbull, I think it really depends on the owner.

Sarah - posted on 02/14/2009

I LOVE PIT BULLS!!! I believe it is all in the way they are raised!! We have one right now that is 6years named Jade!! She is the BEST dog. Our kids love her but I believe she LOVES them more!!!!! She is sooooo gentle with everyone. She loves people & just wants to be loved!! I just can't say enough positive things about her.

Heidi - posted on 02/14/2009

We adopted our American Pitbull Terrier from the Animal rescue league when she was 6 months old. She is now 8 years old and is (and always has been wonderful with children). She is the sweetest dog and my children, 19 months and 4 years have given her many reasons to be less than patient with them, but she has never even growled at them. Children should be taught to respect dogs and how to approach them, care for them gently and explain that if they startle, take food etc, any dog can react unkindly, by growling, biting or worse. The stereotype that Pitbulls are aggressive dogs is just prejudice. They are very loyal and will do pretty much anything their owners teach them to do, with that said, as with humans, there are some dogs of every breed that have a bad temperment.

Raquel - posted on 02/14/2009

We have a german sheperd but I wouldn't never have a pitbull. Not even a rotty. But then others may say they would never have a german sheperd either.

It all does come down to how you raise your dog. Ours is a great guard dog. I've seen the hair on her back stand on end whenever a strange adult approaches and I believe she would attack if she felt it was necesary.

However, I have never seen her do that toward children, even strange children. Shes the absolute opposite, her ears go down, her tail wags (as does her body cuz she wags it so hard) and she gets all happy and excited.

With that said, she is a dog and we never leave her unattended with our children, specially the younger ones. Our youngest is 5. I am her pack leader and although we treat her as below our kids in a pack hirarchy I think she doesn't quite agree and that's when you'll get dogs attacking kids.

However, pitbulls are well known for attacking children. Some things in a dog are learnt others are bred in them and no amount of loving will take it our of them.