kimr
New Member
Posts: 3 
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Post by kimr on Jul 28, 2015 14:27:49 GMT -5
Hi there,
I am hoping to add a Pit Bull to our family in the fall. I fell in love with them through volunteering at our local shelter. We currently have 4 cats, 1 spayed female Bulldog (English), 2 kids ages 9 & 10 who are respectful of dogs. At first I thought a puppy would be best, I thought it would help if the puppy grew up with the current pets. But then I read that sometimes Pit Bulls can change their attitude toward the current pets at age 1yr. Does this happen often? Then I thought a 1yr or older would be better. Any thoughts?
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Post by RealPitBull on Jul 28, 2015 14:34:33 GMT -5
Honestly given your current residents, a fully matured male 3+ years who has been properly tested around kids, dogs, and cats would be your safest bet. Some people make the mistake of thinking a puppy "raised with" such-and-such will mean the animals will always get along, but this is just not true in the least. Also, a 1 year old is still essentially a baby and what you see is not necessarily what you will get in the long run.
It is very common for Pit Bulls to get along with other animals at a younger age, but then become more picky about who they want to interact with as they get older. Also, many Pit Bulls will get along very well with other family animals 99+% of the time, but they can trigger very easily and a fight could start, so for that reason, careful management/supervision of Pit Bulls around other animals is very important. Learning signals that mean a dog is getting stressed (which could lead to fight behavior) is important as well.
I tell you all this not to scare you away from the breed, but it is my goal to make sure people are prepared. For Pit Bull owners, this stuff needs to be "just the way it is" and sort of become a way of life with the breed. For some people, dog-directed/animal-directed aggression is just not something that they want to deal with on a day to day basis, so this breed isn't for them.
It's all about what you want, what your family dynamic is, and what your ultimate goals for your animals are.
Hope that helps?
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Post by melonie on Jul 30, 2015 19:41:03 GMT -5
I brought a 9 week old female Coonhound mix into my family. She has caused a lot of problems with my dogs. So bringing that pup in isn't always the best idea.
In your case I would look at an older dog (2-3yr) and at rescues who foster and train and temperament test their pit bulls.
Honestly, I think this would be the best route to go to help ensure the future peace and happiness in your home.
Sent from my SGP561 using proboards
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Post by maryellen on Aug 1, 2015 9:24:50 GMT -5
Maybe An Older Male Who Has lived with other dogs and cats and kids might work. Adding another dog will change the dynamucs.
And does your female dog really want another dog in the house?
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I look forward to learning much here