February 18th, 2010

Anna asked:

I’ve just got a 5 week old APBT puppy from Wood and Carver bloodline. I have a 22 month old daughter and a husband who has previously owned Pit Bulls and has experience with them. Due to the big controversy that surrounds this breed nowadays, no experience on my side and my angry mother who thinks that I’ve brought a killer into my house, I am starting to wonder whether I should keep this puppy or maybe rehome it while it’s still young. My main concern is my daughter. I plan on giving this dog all my love and attention, socialization, plenty of exercise and quality time, yet I am seriously afraid that it will betray me one day in a horrible way. I’ve been frightened by the stories about loving and thrustworthy Pit Bulls (family dogs) suddenly turning on their owners and their kids. Am I just being biased or should I follow my insticts and get rid of the dog? My dog should be my life companion, not a potential lethal enemy. And I have a feeling that If we decide to make a 12+ year long commitment to this dog, something bad is bound to happen one day, even if we train it very well. I’ve had small dogs before, but never any experience with big ones. Please, help me out. Thanks! :(((

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12 responses to "Is Pit Bull safe to have with children?"

AshleyW said:
February 18, 2010

its not safe. if you have one keep it outside

aalexiaiveth said:
February 18, 2010

it depends
you should train it well
but it is not safe if most cases.

Miranda said:
February 18, 2010

Well the puppy is really young & at a very huge learning stage. I would let them play together since your daughter is almost 2. Make sure you are close to stop anything that may happen. If anything, the puppy will play & might use a little teeth, so train him/her well.
There shouldn’t be any reason to worry. Both are young & both will learn.
Besides, your daughter will have something to play with when you are busy.

kittycandy4040 said:
February 18, 2010

Ok first, dont listen to that idiot ashley. i work with pit bulls every day and they are just wonderful dogs. they have a bad rep. that’s all! if u get one from a puppy, your doing the best thing for that dog, because YOU can train it how YOU want it to grow up. the reason that Pit Bulls are nasty is because people make them that way. BUT…if you are scared of the dog, this pup is going to pick up on that. and you dont want to keep a dog around that your afraid is going to turn on you. think long and hard…because if the dog senses your afraid of him…they’ll know. and it’s not fair to you or the pup to keep him if thats how you feel about him.

iluvpink said:
February 18, 2010

no its not safe. there is something genetic about pitbulls they can be very loving at one point and then they will rip your face apart the next. my cousin has one and its sooo sweet but you never no what will happen next becuz like alot of people he knows have been bit by the dog when nothing was going wrong. this one woman got in his face and was petting him and then he licked her and out of nowhere he bit her. it was horrrible to see. trust me its too risky.

Marco said:
February 18, 2010

The puppy is great, you just have to train it, to know its boundaries. there is never a such thing as a bad dog just bad trainers/owners.

_Chigirl_is_a_she said:
February 18, 2010

If you feel you can properly care for this type of dogs needs PLUS tend to your child, then go for it & don’t go into it thinking that something bad may happen one day, because that kind of energy will carry over onto the dog.

The dog will need lots of mental stimulation & exercise as well as discipline & a lot of it. Will you still have time to tend to your child? & how much does your husband plan to help with his experience?

I personally, would never have one around my 22 month old daughter, if I had a 22 month old daughter, but that is just my personal preference.

This really should have been discussed between the two of you before deciding to go ahead & get the dog in the first place.

NEVER leave your daughter unsupervised with the dog & ALWAYS teach your daughter how to properly care & respect another living creature.

*&* the fact that the breeder let you have this pup at 5 weeks, is not promising.

Cara said:
February 18, 2010

Did you read about RAchel Ray on TV…the cook? Her Pitbull has been attacking other dogs. The Pitbull was raised w/lots of love. So….why would he be so aggressive??? Because it is their nature. Do you want to wait to see if he does actually hurt your dghtr…..or would you rather get another puppy that has a more stable nature. Actually a 22 mo old baby should not have a puppy of any kind. She should be 5-6 before buying her a dog,
You, yourself say you have a bad feeling about the dog….so go w/your gut….AND your mother. Wait a couple of yrs. OF course it is possible to raise one w/your dghtr, but better if you wait til she can understand things better.

R said:
February 18, 2010

Listen to your gut! You know what you need to do.

Bumblebee said:
February 18, 2010

Have you ever watched Little Rascals? I think you should.

Your fears are based on media as well as your mothers. I was attacked by a Golden Retriever as a child… my best friends at that, that they had for many many years. Bit right through my hand. I have never been hurt by a pit or had anyone I know hurt by a pit.

Funny they were called babysitters before the “Gang Bangers” decided they were awesome status dogs. Now they are baby killers. If you think about the news, also think about what they do for ratings, what they don’t tell you etc.

If you are going to be ignorant about it though just get rid of the dog. It’s the other end of the leash not the actual dog.

Jenny said:
February 18, 2010

One, return the pup to its mother and leave it there for another month. Puppies need the life experience of spending weeks 6-12 with their littermates, learning to control their teeth and settling their pecking order while their mom teaches them to be dogs.

If you are afraid of it, return it to the breeder and get your money back. No dog is guaranteed to be harmless, but a well-bred adult Labrador, Golden or Newfoundland makes a much better pet for a family with small children. You don’t want a puppy; having a toddler is enough work, without having to housebreak a puppy. You want an already-housebroken adult with experience living with kids. I recommend a good rescue (not a shelter), or a breeder in your area.

oregano13 said:
February 18, 2010

No dog is 100% child-safe, however Pit Bulls can be excellent with children given proper socialization and training. Dogs don’t become aggressive for no reason, and APBTs were actually bred specifically to exhibit NO human aggression. Those dogs you hear about attacking people, while they may have been thought of as ‘family pets’ are undersocialized, undertrained, and/or mistreated. You’d be surprised how many ‘family pets’ spend their whole lives staked out on a chain in the yard.

However, your puppy is not off to a great start as it was removed from mom and littermates too young (minimum sale age should be 8 weeks). Prior to 8 weeks, the puppy is still very much learning social skills, bite inhibition, and basic manners from its mother and littermates. So, puppies removed too young have a tendency to be nippy and relate badly to other dogs. This does not mean you should get rid of the puppy you have committed to. This just means you have some extra work to do with your dog to play ‘catch up’. A puppy preschool type class would be an excellent start.

Add: American Pit Bull Terriers have a HIGHER pass rate on temperament testing than do Golden Retrievers and other pets commonly recommended as ‘family’ dogs. The APBT has an 85.3% pass rate. The Beagle has 81% pass rate, the Golden Retriever an 84.6% pass rate. Obviously this is a temperamentally sound breed, by-and-large, that has unfortunately been vilified by the media. http://www.atts.org/

Dog aggression DOES NOT IN ANY WAY equate to human aggression. They are two very different behavioral traits and have two very different sources. Are American Pit Bull Terriers genetically predisposed to dog aggression- YES. Are they predisposed towards human aggression- ABSOLUTELY NOT.

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