nyri
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Post by nyri on Nov 23, 2012 19:10:35 GMT -5
I was reading some article (which I'll post the link to if I can find it again) saying that pit bulls themselves are not human aggressive, but that if you mix guardian breeds with them, the resulting puppies are the ones that randomly snap and kill people and that is what gives pit bulls such a bad reputation.
I was just wondering if this was true, and if so, what are some breeds mixed with pit bull that you would avoid if you saw at a rescue/shelter?
I'm sorry if this has been covered, I used the search, but didn't come up with any results, so if I'm missing something, please direct me to the right page.
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Post by RealPitBull on Nov 23, 2012 19:31:29 GMT -5
Typical, temperament-correct Pit Bulls are very human-friendly. Unfortunately there are a lot of really shady dogs out there now, with bad temperaments.
A lot of dogs being called "pit bulls" actually ARE mixed breeds, or mastiff-type mixes. Mastiff breeds - especially some of the rare guardian mastiffs that many seem to like crossing into Pit Bulls nowadays, are notoriously leary of or plain aggressive towards people they do not know. So mix a tenacious, outgoing breed like a Pit Bull with a big, strong protective breed like a Neo or Corso or Presa, and you could end up with a scary dog.
Of course there are exceptions and some really nice Pit Bull and/or mastiff breed mixes available in rescue. Just like there are some really gnarly purebred Pit Bulls out there, too. Take each dog on a case by case basis. But if you want a Pit Bull, seek out a purebred with a correct temperament - that is your best bet. Overall, the mixes are just that - mixes, not a specific breed, and a total crap shoot as far as temperament goes.
Hope I've somewhat answered your question?
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nyri
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Post by nyri on Nov 23, 2012 21:14:54 GMT -5
Yeah, you mostly did. I do want a pit bull, but then at the same time, I want a dog. I'm not in any hurry to just take something home, but if I were to find a mixed breed at a rescue or shelter that clicked with me, I would probably want to get them.... and that is more of the reason for this thread than anything. There seem to be a lot of pit mixes around and if say... pit bulls crossed with GSDs (just an example) were known to be mean, I'd probably avoid them more than a purebred pit bull.
I guess it doesn't make much sense now that I've tried to say what I mean.
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sharron
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Post by sharron on Nov 24, 2012 4:32:35 GMT -5
If you are looking for a rescue pup / adolescent , or older pit bull. I can give you the names of the rescues I have contact with and have adopted from.
Where are you located ?
sharon
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Post by loverocksalot on Nov 24, 2012 9:01:31 GMT -5
The best dog in the world is the one I adopted from the shelter. I was told he was pure bred pitbull (street sale dog) whatever that means. He was a 4month old pup. His temperament for the most part is pit bull, extreme human friendly. Extremely intelligent with the eyes that give a human look . On the other side he has little drive. And he has shown to be fine with most dogs. At 7 years old he appears to be mixed but would never in my life guess what it could be. I went in to the shelters looking for a dog, not looking to get a pit bull but not ruling out either. However I found myself drawn to them even still having some fears embedded about them. I wanted a short hair larger dog that would be friendly and fun. I could not have adopted a better dog. Somehow I was lead to this little pup curled up and shivering in the dark in the back of a kennel with 4 other young dogs up front jumping up on the kennel yelling please pick me. But when I asked about him and they brought him out for me to see, I can still see his eyes looking right at me and that was it. Good Luck in your search. THere are plenty of great dogs out there.
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Post by zaeva06 on Nov 24, 2012 11:21:04 GMT -5
In truth, any mixed breed dog is going to be a crap shoot when compared to a purebred dog's traits and temperment.
Not that mixed breeds don't make wonderful pets, I've got an example of one laying on my feet right now, if you do want a true APBT, then it's best to go the extra bit of legwork and find a good breeder who can provide plently of background information on their dogs.
The guy selling a batch of pups on Craigslist..avoid.
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nyri
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Post by nyri on Nov 24, 2012 18:44:40 GMT -5
If you are looking for a rescue pup / adolescent , or older pit bull. I can give you the names of the rescues I have contact with and have adopted from. Where are you located ? sharon I'll be in Colorado Springs, CO next month... I'm currently in Dallas, TX. I would appreciate it if you could put me in contact with some of the rescues. The guy selling a batch of pups on Craigslist..avoid. Thanks for the advice. Most of what I come across on there is something that looks like a hippo... advertised as huge, mean, etc... and cost outrageous prices. I do keep my eye on Craigslist for people who need to get rid of their dog for whatever reason, just in case it's the perfect one for me. |
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Post by zaeva06 on Nov 25, 2012 11:00:25 GMT -5
Those one's that look like hippos are probably not APBT's.
They could be what is known as American Bullies.
I'll let someone else give you more information on them...
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Post by maryellen on Nov 25, 2012 12:31:45 GMT -5
i have a pit bull mix that is probably mixed with german shepherd, he has a great temperment (was a therapy dog for 5 1/2 years) and it basically comes down to genetics.. just like humans, genetics is genetics its either good or not, he looks like a pit bull mix, so i cant go to any bsl towns
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Post by emilys on Nov 25, 2012 20:15:16 GMT -5
hm, for some reason my post yesterday didn't make it... A great contact for you in Colorado Springs is "All Breed Rescue and Training". I believe they rescued a pregnant mastiff-ish dog whose pups are now in foster as well as a bunch of other nice dogs.. and they will know about all the good rescue dogs in the area. They're very knowledgeable about dogs (and Lauren Fox, the ED, is really smart about "pit bulls") haveanicedog.org/ |
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Post by emilys on Nov 25, 2012 20:16:54 GMT -5
The Longmont Humane Society, in Boulder, has some great pit bull advocacy programs, too.
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nyri
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Post by nyri on Nov 26, 2012 13:57:50 GMT -5
Thank you for letting me know! Right now I'm talking to a woman who was helping with a rescue... but the person running it was put into a nursing home, so now she's trying to find homes for the dogs on her own...
I'm not sure if I should take one or not... of course I can't really decide until I've met them, I guess.
I'll try to find a more appropriate place to post a picture of the dog she wants me to take... see what you all think of him.
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Post by maryellen on Nov 26, 2012 17:59:48 GMT -5
you are better off with a reputable rescue that has their dogs in foster homes being this will be your first dog. this way your first experience is a good one.. dealing with a rescue that is up in the air is not such a good idea IMO
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Post by emilys on Nov 26, 2012 19:03:02 GMT -5
you are better off with a reputable rescue that has their dogs in foster homes being this will be your first dog. this way your first experience is a good one.. dealing with a rescue that is up in the air is not such a good idea IMO I agree completely, and the 2 Colorado organizations are highly reputable... in fact, you're likely to get a grilling from them on you ability to be a good owner.  |
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nyri
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Post by nyri on Nov 26, 2012 20:25:18 GMT -5
I don't really want a grilling... haha. You're right, though, I really would probably be better off with a reputable rescue, or getting a dog/puppy from a reputable breeder.
I have no idea how reputable this other rescue was before the owner was put away... the dogs WERE in foster homes, and it's the one foster parent that is now stuck with finding homes for all of the dogs... If everything with temperament tests, heart worm, vaccines, etc, checks out would it be a really bad idea to get a dog from her?
What about getting a puppy or dog from a humane society?
I'm not trying to come in here and be all defensive or act like I know what I'm doing... I mean, me not knowing what I'm doing is kind of the reason I'm here, and that's why I'm asking questions. I would feel kind of bad leaving this dog high and dry if it turns out we get along and everything.
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Post by suziriot on Nov 26, 2012 20:56:37 GMT -5
I'll just be really blunt and honest here (that's kind of how we do things on this forum!). All of my own personal dogs over the years - with the exception of one - have been complete unknowns. Strays that were found in the road, dogs that had been abandoned or were being mistreated by neighbors, all kinds of situations. We joke with our vet that we pick all of our dogs from the defective reject pile. Almost all of them have had serious health or behavior issues that we have spent A LOT of time, money, energy, and emotion on. They have all been beautiful wonderful dogs that many others would have passed up. My SO and I have committed our lives to our dogs. Our world completely revolves around them and we wouldn't have it any other way. And I have been an experienced pit bull owner and rescuer for several years now. I've been trained to do temperament evals, I'm able to arrange my life around my dogs' special needs. And for every dog that we have said yes to and brought into our family, there are dozens and dozens that we have had to say no to. Because the hardest reality you have to accept as a rescuer is you cannot save every dog. As a rescuer placing a dog in a home, I want to set up the dog and adopter up for success. So many dogs are returned to rescues and shelters because the adopter didn't understand or were not given all the info on what they were getting into. Only you know if you are prepared for a complete unknown, a dog that may have allergies to every type of food you try, a dog that has separation anxiety and destroys your things, a dog that is aggressive toward other dogs, etc. Since you are a new pit bull owner, I recommend going through a solid reputable rescue. They will most likely do a good job of matching you with a dog that best suits your personality and lifestyle. They will give you the resources and information that will help you as a new owner. Of course there are a lot of unknowns with any dog, no matter how they come into your life. But if you meet this dog and you really fall in love, I can't say that's the wrong choice. You just have to be prepared for surprises and understand that you won't have a rescue to support you through it. Hope that long rant made sense. |
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nyri
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Post by nyri on Nov 26, 2012 21:17:04 GMT -5
Yeah, it totally makes sense. I guess that's something else I'm trying to evaluate about myself. It's true that I have never owned a pit bull or completely unknown dog before, only dogs that I had raised from puppies (which I guess is a little unknown... but not the same as a strange adult dog). I know I'm willing to put a ton of time into a dog, but at the same time, I've never had to try and train an adult dog before, and while most sources I've read say it won't be harder than a puppy, I'm afraid that old habits may not die so easy... I am willing to go to training classes with any dog or puppy I get, just to make sure I get an idea of what I need to be doing in training, if it's any different than what I've done before.
In the end I'm sure I'll end up taking everyone's advice and going with a safer option, but of course, I could just fall in love with him when I meet him.
I REALLY hope that someday I can have a lot of experience as an owner and maybe I'll try volunteering with a rescue so I can have more dog experience in general... I really would love to be able to actually rescue dogs someday and take home unknowns confident that I'll be able to handle them, no matter what happens.
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Post by suziriot on Nov 26, 2012 21:23:09 GMT -5
Oh and to address your original post in this thread, one of ours is a pit/mastiff mix that we rescued at 12 weeks. We socialized him, got him neutered, and he got along really well with the other dogs. Until he turned 1 year old. He started resource guarding and became VERY dog aggressive almost overnight. We have worked very hard with him, but since then he has lived completely separate from the other dogs. He got loose once and almost killed one of them. There is NO possibility of him being able to interact with other dogs at all. We do what's called crate and rotate. Many if the multidog homes here on the forum have to do this. He even tries to guard things from us, like the couch or a toy. It happens very rarely, but as I said we do a lot of positive conditioning with him. Just one example of dealing with an "unknown." That's also why I recommend that you get a dog at least 1 or older.
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Post by RealPitBull on Nov 27, 2012 10:06:10 GMT -5
Quick run-down of what I recommend for first timers (these are JUST recommendations, and of course your milage may vary):
*Get a dog from a reputable PIT BULL rescue that has done thorough evaluation (i.e. RPB keeps a dog in foster for AT LEAST 30 days)
*2+ years old (you get a better read on the dog's temperament when they are mature/closer to maturation)
*If you want a Pit Bull, get an actual PIT BULL (aka APBT). The advice we are providing here pertains to APBTs - if you go the route of a mixed breed, everything here becomes irrelevent. The exception would be a reliable, ethical Pit Bull rescue that takes in PitMixes with temperament that would be correct of a Pit Bull.
(Too many people make broad, sweeping generalizations about dogs that merely LOOK a certain way, calling all these dogs "pit bulls". They could be anything from a Pit Bull to a Lab to a Rottweiler mix and everything in between.)
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Post by loverocksalot on Nov 27, 2012 14:29:28 GMT -5
as a not experienced dog owner I took in a dog that needed a home from someone in my neighborhood. Fell in love with the dog as did the whole family. Was not a pit bull but a doberman. Within two weeks we found that she had god awful anxiety and would not allow me to have friends. With a young teenager and a 9 year old son, she could not be trusted around their friends. So in the time I had her I did research finding her the best rescue in the country, working with her and teaching her to like a crate for her 5 hour ride in the car which she needed sedatives for. Should have been a red flag when the old owners gave me a bottle of sedatives for her but we loved her at first sight. After a spot opened for her and I was told bring her today or miss her chance for training and set up with a doberman savvy home, I decided it was best for her and for us. After she left I basically had a break down. It was so painful that I had given up this dog that I had worked with for months. I longed to have a dog. I searched and put in to rescues but at the same time I visited many shelters. That is when I found Rocky a story I already told about on one of your threads. He is probably an APBT mix and an amazing dog who has passed CGC, American Temperament test and he is a therapy dog. However if I were to adopt again especially while he is in my home I would most likely go through a reputable rescue that fosters the dogs and or a shelter that allows for a trial at least which is how my mom adopted her dog. One thing no one suggested yet that may be a good option for you, is for you to foster. For example possibly you can offer to the foster you know if you could foster one of the dogs she needs help with and if it goes well then you can adopt. Or consider signing up to foster with the reputable rescues that Emily mentioned if you fall in love with your foster you can adopt the foster. I suppose it all depends on your experience though. I would assume a new foster would be given an easy dog to foster. I never fostered though so I am not sure what the requirements are.
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I look forward to learning much here