Pit Bull Personality?

sylorna · Apr 3, 2008

Hi Hi,
I was wondering if anyone owns Pit Bulls? In Ontario, they are illegal to breed and the only ones owned were born before the ban. BUT in the past, all of the Pit Bulls I've known have been very sweet, with the exception of one very upset dog who almost attacked my good friend and I a couple summers ago (VERY scary!!!!).
My boyfriend really likes them, but I've told him that I don't want a dog that could break bones or kill my future kids.
HOWEVER! I keep on having dreams where a brown and white spotted Pit Bull named Missy supports and loves me...she's like a guide.
I am NOT asking for outsiders opinions on "bully dogs" but rather experiences from owners, or people who have been close to them.
What are Pit Bulls really like?

valanhb · Apr 3, 2008

I don't have one currently. My sister does. Axel is SO laid back. They have outside cats (they live in the middle of NOWHERE, but do have shelter for the cats) and he's never even thought of hurting them. They also have little dogs (a Jack Russel/Chihuahua, Min Pin, and Boston Terrier/Pug), and he's never thought of going after them either - even when they were annoying puppies.

When I was in high school/college, we had a pitty mix (dad was full pit, mom was every breed...we called Felicia an "LBD - Little Black Dog". She didn't realize that growling was a bad noise for a long time. She thought it was for playing.

She was a total wuss - she wouldn't walk through running water (we even had to pick her up and carry her over the gutter if there was water in it, even though she could easily walk over it

), she was scared of bags blowing outside, she was scared of owls, she was scared of baby lambs when they made a noise, she was terrified of thunder.

The thunder part got so bad that she wouldn't even go outside if there were dark clouds. Dad said that if someone she didn't know approached him without him telling her that they were OK, she would growl and act really mean. But she was a sweet dog - slept with us from the time she was a puppy, spoiled rotten, and very loved. Gosh I miss that little stinker!

carolpetunia · Apr 3, 2008

An acquaintance who used to have a pit bull told me this, but I don't know whether it's accurate or not: she said the issue is not inherent personality -- it's the fact that pit bulls are so incredibly strong (especially their jaws) that when they do become hostile, they can (a) hold on so tight that the victim simply cannot get away, and (b) do a tremendous amount of damage very quickly.

And according to the dog expert at my shelter, any dog who has been used as an attack dog (or otherwise abused to the point of generating hostile behavior) will always have the potential of "turning" on you, even long after the dog has been rescued from that hostile situation.

Thought I'd share, for whatever it's worth. Good luck!

jen · Apr 3, 2008

I work with them pretty often at work (humane society) and they are pobably the sweetest most laid back dogs I have ever met. Even the ex-fighters who are all beat up. They may be a danger and unadoptable because they will kill another dog, but many of them are fine with people. I love pit bulls. The laws in Ohio suck for them and I believe BSL is the stupidest thing ever. But I think they are great all around family dogs.

The Golden Retreiver is actually the dog with the most reported bites, not the pit, rottie, chow, etc. Believe it or not.

mochaviolino · Apr 3, 2008

My family has a couple pit bulls. It makes me so upset that people have an automatic negative reaction whenever they hear me say this, assuming they are blood thirsty and always looking to kill something. You can blame the media for that, as its really not true. Any dog has the potential to be incredibly aggressive (I've met my fair share of evil toy dogs!) and just like any other dog, it's all in how you train the pit bull.

I've found they are incredibly loyal, energetic, and strong, which I think is also their downfall. Most dog fighters take advantage of this and through a series of abuse, neglect, and antisocialism, they end up with dogs that are thirsty for attention, even if its negative. Often dogs that are put in those positions (particularly neglect) tend to become even more energetic and aggressive, since they are often released from such a small living space.

The two dogs we have are still a little young, just over a year old. They love to chase each other around and play catch, as well as chew everything

. I've never seen either of them become hostile towards strangers, but they do get loud when they hear strange noises.

Hope that helped!

white cat lover · Apr 3, 2008

I've fostered a few pits. They are very intense, driven, & stubborn dogs. They require a firm hand, constant training, and extra love.

strange_wings · Apr 3, 2008

Any animal can turn and so can people. It's just part of being a living being that can and has to react in someway to outside stimuli. Fight or flight, nature programs us all with this.

Pits and bully breeds are stubborn, and part of that stubbornness is determination. Some won't give up if truly set at something. That's why their bites can be bad, not because of whatever myths there are about their jaws.
They cannot close them so tightly or lock them so that you can't get them open, but they (and any dog) will do their best when it's time to take medicine.

The breed loves to chew. It has to be directed to proper toys and when they're puppies, it's best to have them crated or be willing to lose some item of furniture (determined dog plays in here).

Once trained to listen you'll end up with a dog that really wants to please you. If you're mad at it you'll end up with a pouting pitty. Growing up, we had a male that would whine and cry if you were upset up him. If told to be quiet he would sit there and sigh really loudly and give you these horrible looks that seemed to be saying "you're so mean to me, how could you".

This was usually because we told him no and to go lay down.

We didn't have aggression problems at all. They loved cats... a little too much, cats tend not to like dog slobber baths.

Whenever we had kittens we'd have a horrible time keeping the dogs out. Every single pit we owned wanted to take care of the "babies" and would cry for them. All dogs were raised from puppies with cats in the household. I think it had a negative impact on the male dog... he acted a bit like a cat sometimes. He would try to circle around your legs and rub on you, tried to use the scratching post.

Our male had an unusual fear of water too, he was scared of puddles and would cry during baths. Another just hated the soap. And one was scared of bubbles, like the kind a little kid would blow...I never figured out why.
A few years ago I was visiting with my dad's wife. His dog had been left outside since it was a nice day and when we returned we discovered that she'd got a hold of a stick. I had to have my dad's wife hold her mouth open while I reached into her mouth and removed the piece of stick that was stuck inside her mouth between her teeth. The poor dog was panicked at this point and I still wasn't afraid to reach into her mouth.

So don't fear their jaws. Their anatomies are just like any other dog's.

They're like any dog really. There's responsibilities and you owe it to the dog to make sure it's trained and properly cared for.

Cons:
I consider them a somewhat needy dog, they need your approval.
Some like humans and cats better than other dogs.
Stubborn (but less so than any cat

)
They're strong, if not properly trained to walk on a leash you will be dragged. With proper training some APBTs are entered into weight competitions - some of them can easily pull over 200lbs (it's amazing to watch!).
Don't expect them to keep out strangers. They may or may not protect you, but anyone wanting to walk into your home when you're not there may just be greeted by a wagging tail.
They tend not to show that they're in pain. They will quietly endure injuries and sickness, often while putting on a "happy" face - wagging tail, greeting you like normal.

tavia'smom · Apr 3, 2008

Originally Posted by strange_wings

Any animal can turn and so can people. It's just part of being a living being that can and has to react in someway to outside stimuli. Fight or flight, nature programs us all with this.

Pits and bully breeds are stubborn, and part of that stubbornness is determination. Some won't give up if truly set at something. That's why their bites can be bad, not because of whatever myths there are about their jaws.
They cannot close them so tightly or lock them so that you can't get them open, but they (and any dog) will do their best when it's time to take medicine.

The breed loves to chew. It has to be directed to proper toys and when they're puppies, it's best to have them crated or be willing to lose some item of furniture (determined dog plays in here).

Once trained to listen you'll end up with a dog that really wants to please you. If you're mad at it you'll end up with a pouting pitty. Growing up, we had a male that would whine and cry if you were upset up him. If told to be quiet he would sit there and sigh really loudly and give you these horrible looks that seemed to be saying "you're so mean to me, how could you".

This was usually because we told him no and to go lay down.

We didn't have aggression problems at all. They loved cats... a little too much, cats tend not to like dog slobber baths.

Whenever we had kittens we'd have a horrible time keeping the dogs out. Every single pit we owned wanted to take care of the "babies" and would cry for them. All dogs were raised from puppies with cats in the household. I think it had a negative impact on the male dog... he acted a bit like a cat sometimes. He would try to circle around your legs and rub on you, tried to use the scratching post.

Our male had an unusual fear of water too, he was scared of puddles and would cry during baths. Another just hated the soap. And one was scared of bubbles, like the kind a little kid would blow...I never figured out why.
A few years ago I was visiting with my dad's wife. His dog had been left outside since it was a nice day and when we returned we discovered that she'd got a hold of a stick. I had to have my dad's wife hold her mouth open while I reached into her mouth and removed the piece of stick that was stuck inside her mouth between her teeth. The poor dog was panicked at this point and I still wasn't afraid to reach into her mouth.

So don't fear their jaws. Their anatomies are just like any other dog's.

They're like any dog really. There's responsibilities and you owe it to the dog to make sure it's trained and properly cared for.

Cons:
I consider them a somewhat needy dog, they need your approval.
Some like humans and cats better than other dogs.
Stubborn (but less so than any cat

)
They're strong, if not properly trained to walk on a leash you will be dragged. With proper training some APBTs are entered into weight competitions - some of them can easily pull over 200lbs (it's amazing to watch!).
Don't expect them to keep out strangers. They may or may not protect you, but anyone wanting to walk into your home when you're not there may just be greeted by a wagging tail.
They tend not to show that they're in pain. They will quietly endure injuries and sickness, often while putting on a "happy" face - wagging tail, greeting you like normal.

Thank you that is the best describtion of a apbt that I have ever heard.

I have had three of them and they are wonderful dogs. Sweet, loving, loyal, they actually smile when happy and they cry when sad, they are very intelligent, almost too much, and they are terriers. Terriers are all very stubborn dogs. They can be trained to do almost anything even search and rescue. And when you give a pit a job to do you better believe it will get done or they will die trying. They are so close to their families that alot of them suffer from seperation anxiety. My Princess did she hated when I went to work she chewed a couch in half one day because I had to go to work. Cindy was much the same but Cindy was a bit more serious than Princess but both were so very smart. And Hooch was just a big love bug I do have scars from him but it was where he scratched me on accident because he wanted to reach for me he actually saved me and Lady my border collie one day. We were out walking and the neighbors mutts were loose and they came after me and Lady just as I made it to our yard and Hooch whom was chained for a bit, because I could not walk both at one time, came off the porch and protected us from both dogs long enough for me to get to my stepdad so he could chase the dogs off. That was the only time he ever acted aggressive and I considered it to be more protective than anything.

Bruiser was another pit mix he was pit, boxer, and lab and he was the most awesome dog we ever had and he was so smart he was our farm dog and his job was to protect our house and livestock and he did it so well and then he would play with the neighbors kids like a big pup one day one of the two year olds was literally swinging from his neck and he just kissed them. He was so smart that if it was muddy out I could call him to me and he would let me lean on him kind of like a rail to steps and he would actually walk me to the door of my house. I absolutely love pit bulls and them and rat terriers and boxers are my favorite dogs.

sylorna · Apr 4, 2008

Those are exactly the types of stories that were coming up when I did a search on PB's.
I wonder if all of the stories you hear are because they are dogs who are in the city...maybe they're better off in a more relaxed atmosphere.
I do believe that nurture plays a huge part with these guys though....like I said....I've seen nice ones and then that really really scary one who almost attacked. I suppose the fear would have been the same if it had been a lab too (they also bristle similarly at the neck). I've seen that dog before and since, and there's obviously something very wrong with it, it's always barking and snarling on its chain.

I think my friends dad eventually called animal control for fear that it'd get to one of the many kids on the street.

baloneysmom · Apr 4, 2008

Strange_wings had a great post and I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t think much can be added to that other then peoples personal experiences.

In my own experiences Pitt Bulls are great dogs. All the Pitts I have known were sucky lap dogs that loved to be loved. If trained correctly they are obedient companions that are eager to please.

IMO the media loves to play things up, if people are scared of pitts then any story of a pitt will be put in the media hence the fear of them. I am actually shocked at how many people are convinced that all pitt bulls are so dangerous you shouldnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t be anywhere near them and when asked if they ever had any experience with a pittâ€¦. They say noâ€¦ I wish people would learn to make their own opinionsâ€¦ There would be a lot less pain for these misunderstood dogs.

EnzoLeya · Apr 4, 2008

I agree that the media plays up the whole pitt bull thing. The dog CAN cause great harm because of their strength, but I'm not sure they are any more likely than other breeds to attack or kill you if they are raised right. I have met a couple pitt bulls that were the sweetest dogs I had ever met!

My advice is buy one as a puppy. As in, under 4 months. That way you know how her life was as a puppy. You also want her to be good with pets and I think buying a very young dog would be the best option for someone with cats or children.

strange_wings · Apr 4, 2008

Originally Posted by EnzoLeya

My advice is buy one as a puppy. As in, under 4 months. That way you know how her life was as a puppy. You also want her to be good with pets and I think buying a very young dog would be the best option for someone with cats or children.

Maybe, or adopting a puppy as there's aways some that end up in shelters. Maybe ask if there's in any out in foster homes.
Puppies, like kittens, need to be with their mothers though. So never take one too early. My mother did that with our male pit... he ended up with a real attachment to his blankets, he would suck on them for comfort.

sylorna · Apr 4, 2008

yeah, we wouldn't be able to get one as a puppy anyway, unless it was a mix (which I always think is preferable anyway). Like I said...breeding Pits is illegal here now

I think my family would be more comfortable with a "lab mutt" anyway, even if the other part of that mutt were Pitt. People are so silly! Either way it's not going to be for a few years, I want to have a more stable environment before getting a dog, they're so much responsibility!
My kitten Dynah does the whole blanky sucking thing....but then there's no surprise there....we rescued her litter around the age of 1 week. I AM mom

strange_wings · Apr 4, 2008

Originally Posted by Sylorna

Either way it's not going to be for a few years, I want to have a more stable environment before getting a dog, they're so much responsibility!

Good for you for realizing this! Who knows, maybe the law will be overturned in a few years when people realize how stupid it is? I don't like bans on any animals. The only laws there really needs to be and that must be enforced is leash laws. Holding the owners responsible if the dog so much as steps a foot off it's property without a leash and handler (no matter the breed) is the only way to cut down on attacks.

Pits do ok in towns and cities. They're very much an urban dog, but they do need to be walked. They're much more fit to that sort of life then say a herding breed would be. Which is the other reason I think dogs bite. They get bored and have no way to work off their frustrations! Give the dog a job and you have a happy dog.

I can't remember where I seen the site, but there are some people who enter their pits in agility. Some of the smaller pits are great at it! And of course I'm sure you've seen pits used as service and therapy dogs.

sylorna · Apr 4, 2008

You know, I haven't!
My aunt has a bull mastiff who is a therapy dog....
And when I used to work at a mental hospital there was this really strange lady who would rescue small dogs and bring them to visit the clients (bad move in my opinion, most of them were blind/had arthritis/tended to startle easily and I don't think that is suited to a therapy dog, regardless of the good intentions).
Sounds like they'd be well suited to it though. It's something I'd like to do sometime, but that shouldn't be a surprise...I am in school for Therapeutic Recreation afterall

strange_wings · Apr 4, 2008

Originally Posted by Sylorna

My aunt has a bull mastiff who is a therapy dog....

Do you have any pictures of the dog? Or any of it working? I love big dogs, there's something so sweet and silly about them.

Originally Posted by Sylorna

It's something I'd like to do sometime, but that shouldn't be a surprise...I am in school for Therapeutic Recreation afterall

That sounds like a wonderful idea! A lot of people rescue pits and turn them into therapy dogs, so even an older dog could be great for that. And you'd be making one more great spokes dog for the breed!

I've read a few stories on pit forums of people that had to leave with their dogs - therapy dogs at that because cities had passed BSLs.

You would think a dog's wonderful record of helping people would be enough to change peoples minds and overcome fear.

sweet72947 · Apr 4, 2008

Here are two very good sites for information on the APBT:

http://www.badrap.org

http://www.workingpitbull.com - There is controversy about Diane Jessup in the APBT world (some don't like her ethics pertaining to her LawDogs program) but she is a great authority on all things pit bull.

nekochan · Apr 6, 2008

I have known and worked with a number of "pit bulls" (Amstaffs, APBTs, and mixes) and they all have these personality traits in common: Very friendly with people, laid back/easygoing, eager to please, and sweet. Most of them were also goofballs (silly/goofy dogs). The ones I have known were pretty easily trained because they just want to please you!
Although they are technically a "terrier" breed the pitties I have known did not have the independent personality or the extreme focus and tenacity of my Rat Terrier... They can be very driven when it comes to toys or prey but the ones I've known do not quite exhibit the seriousness or intensity that my terrier gets when he is focused on something.

nekochan · Apr 6, 2008

Originally Posted by strange_wings

Do you have any pictures of the dog? Or any of it working? I love big dogs, there's something so sweet and silly about them.

That sounds like a wonderful idea! A lot of people rescue pits and turn them into therapy dogs, so even an older dog could be great for that. And you'd be making one more great spokes dog for the breed!

If you'd like to see some nice photos of large-breed therapy dogs, check out this page:
http://www.caninetherapycorps.org/about_dogs.asp

and also:

http://www.caninetherapycorps.org/ev...bumId=3&B1=Go!

sylorna · Apr 7, 2008

Here you are!
Just had to find the pic and give it a little cropping

Presenting: Maslow, the therapy dog! (my aunts)

Pit Bull Personality?

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