What do I need to know about pitbulls? (pg4 update)

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Rappel

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 3:58 pm

I'm looking for advice from any current/past owners of pitbulls.

We currently have two kids, two cats. We're thinking of adding a dog to the household in the next few months.

DH really wants a dog, and I like them too, though he'll be the one taking primary responsibility.

He really wants a pitbull-like dog. He loves their faces, their attitudes, their energy, their size. Everything about them.

I think they're sweet too, but I have reservations about their inbred instincts. I'm from Brooklyn, and roaming dogs were always a problem, and were usually pits. I've read about how a pit can be perfectly friendly, and then turn around and kill another dog in seconds.

I don't know what's hype, what's breeding, and what I would look out for, other than a normal, confident dog. Are my kids at risk? My cats? Other dogs? Until I'm sure of these things, I will not allow a Pitbull in my house or my neighborhood.

Does anyone have experience with the breed? Advice? Tips?

Last edited by Rappel on Sat, Oct 26 2019, 3:36 pm; edited 1 time in total

sequoia

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 4:02 pm

I feel like pitbulls are up there with terriers as “not a great idea.”

How about a nice goldendoodle?

amother

Jetblack

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 4:08 pm

Honestly? Do you have friends or family who will enjoy him as much as you will? (Alternatively will you put him away if guests are afraid?) I ask because that would severely limit my ability to be friends with you. I’m scared of dogs but a pit bull?!? Terrifying. I don’t think my feelings are unique.

nchr

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 4:10 pm

sequoia wrote:

I feel like pitbulls are up there with terriers as “not a great idea.”

How about a nice goldendoodle?

Btw everyone I know with a golden doodle regrets the purchase. They have very bad traits - anxious, hyper, etc. Pitsbulls are easier to train and if you are a good owner they are safe. I wouldn't get one because of the reputstion but that doesnt mean they are bad dogs. I own very happy pit owners. Speak to a vet.

amother

Honeydew

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 4:13 pm

We've owned a dog for about 10 years. We adopted him from the local dog shelter, which is of course the best place to get a dog (please adopt, rather than buy).

In any case I would never adopt a pit bull. They are dangerous dogs. Yes, I know, some of them can be very friendly, etc etc. But they have serious aggressive tendencies. And people are scared of them. I would think ten times before sending my kids to a house with a pit bull.

Just read the statistics. Isn't it enough?

Pit bulls make up only 6% of the dog population, but they’re responsible for 68% of dog attacks and 52% of dog-related deaths since 1982, according to research compiled by Merritt Clifton, editor of Animals 24-7, an animal-news organization that focuses on humane work and animal-cruelty prevention.

The only people I know who adopt them are power hungry ערס types. Macho guys with a need to flex muscle.

By the way, in Israel they are defined as a dangerous breed:

בהכנת רשימת גזעי הכלבים שהוכרזו כמסוכנים בישראל, נלקחו בחשבון שתי תכונות עיקריות של הכלב: מידת תוקפנותו ומידת הנזק שהוא עלול לגרום. שמונה גזעי כלבים מוגדרים כ"כלב מסוכן" בחוק להסדרת הפיקוח על כלבים, והם:

אמריקן סטאפורדשייר טרייר (אמסטף)
בול טרייר (אנגלי)
דוגו ארגנטינו (ארגנטינאי)
טוסה אינו (יפני)
סטאפורדשייר בול טרייר (סטאף אנגלי)
אמריקן פיט בול טרייר (פיטבול)
פילה ברזילרו (מסטיף ברזילאי)
רוטוויילר

Dangerous breeds have specific laws:

החזקת כלב מסוכן מותרת רק בידי בני 18 ומעלה.
החזקת כלב מסוכן ברשות הפרט חייבת להיות באופן שלא יוכל לצאת מהמתחם הסגור, תוך הצבת שלטי אזהרה, ושימת זמם בכל מקרה שיש בסביבה אדם מתחת לגיל 16.
החזקת כלב מסוכן ברשות הרבים הוגבלה לידי אדם בוגר מגיל 18. הכלב חייב להיות מוחזק ברצועה שאורכה לא יעלה על שני מטרים, ושפיו חסום בזמם.

He has to be in a closed, gated space at all times. No one under 18 can walk him in public. If at any time someone under 16 is in the area, he needs to wear a mouth harness. (Do you have kids? So that will be all the time. Poor dog).

Now I guess there are all kinds of pit bulls. Maybe you will find one that doesn't fall under these legal definitions. But they all belong to the same family. Why on earth would you take such a risk with your family and everyone else in the neighborhood?

Rubber Ducky

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 4:15 pm

Pit pulls do not easily let go of their prey. They are bred to hang on tight. Not a good trait if one bites a person chas v'sholom.

If you get a pit bull, please do not invite me over.

amother

Scarlet

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 4:16 pm

Rappel wrote:

I know nothing about dogs. I do know that almost every time the news reports a horrific dog-related death, it's a pit-bull attack.

Jewishfoodie

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 4:25 pm

That sometimes an alligator is a preferable pet.
And sometimes you can say "no" to a DH.

Is your husband into being/looking macho? Does he carry a weapon? All the pit bull owners I know have an inferiority complex. They love that their pet intimidates people. I want to own a giraffe. Cuz, why not? Thing is, I have nowhere to keep him or her, and I don't think he or she will fit in my vehicle. So, I'm not getting one. I'm okay though. Still cooking for Yom tov..

Rappel

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 4:25 pm

Hey, I'm with all you guys. I'm not usually a Superstitious Sarah, but I grew up knowing the dangerous side of pitbulls, and the idea of owning one makes my liver shrivel.

I just don't know if that's because every pit I met was trained for fighting, or because that's just the way they are. (Ex: I would never get a Rottweiler. They are just too independent and dominant for a family. That's an inbred trait.)

DH doesn't ask for much, so if the breed is psychologically safe, but just really strong, then I won't protest. We're a healthy family, and good trainers, and I truly think we can work with any puppy. But my experiences make me very wary, and I want to hear real information from the horse's mouth. (Our vet hasn't worked with any pitbulls, for the reasons honeydew pointed out.)

Rappel

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 4:32 pm

Jewishfoodie wrote:

Lol, no. He used to be a martial arts instructor, and I think that essentially made him a pacifist. He's the opposite of a macho muscle man. When he thinks Pitbull, he thinks jogging buddy with a big smile, who will fit in our house and be nice with our kids

He just likes their size , and their energy, and their big, broad faces, and funny barrel chests, and their happy dogginess. We'll be looking in Israel's shelters, so it's unlikely we'd find an actual Pitbull, but let's face it: any dog who looks like that out here is going to have some bulldog/mastiff blood, and it will probably be at least partially a Pitbull, mandatory neutering laws aside.

So now I'm thinking this over, and trying to sort out facts from prejudice, before we even start down that road.

Last edited by Rappel on Sun, Sep 22 2019, 4:34 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

Brown

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 4:32 pm

nchr wrote:

Nah. I love my golden doodle and wouldnt give him up for the world.
It's all about what you have room and energy for too, some dogs require more space and energy than others.

Jewishfoodie

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 4:34 pm

Rappel wrote:

Lol, no. He used to be a martial arts instructor, and I think that essentially made him a pacifist. He's the opposite of a macho muscle man.

He just likes their size , and their energy, and their big, broad faces, and their dogginess. We'll be looking in Israel's shelters, so it's unlikely we'd find an actual Pitbull, but let's face it: any dog who looks like that out here is going to have some bulldog/mastiff blood, and it will probably be at least partially a Pitbull, neutering laws aside. So now I'm thinking this over, and trying to sort facts from prejudice, before we even start down that road.

You sound kind and even tempered. I have a feeling that no matter which way you go, you'll get your way.. (consider the humble giraffe. So majestic! I truly look up to them. Because I'm so short..)

amother

Honeydew

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 4:36 pm

Rappel wrote:

Let's look at this again.
Cons:

1. Potentially very dangerous.

2. People will be terrified.

3. Kids may not want to come over anymore. Your kids may lose friends.

4. Cruelty to the animal. Did you read the laws I posted? He will need to have a mouth harness at all times that kids are around him. Is that fair to an animal? He can't sniff or lick or do all the things dogs love to do. He will be angry and frustrated, and that will make him more dangerous (unless you plan on breaking the law, and letting a dangerous breed wander around without a harness. Which is insane).

5. Where will the dog be? If in the house, where most dogs prefer to be, he will need to have a mouth harness 24/7. If in the yard, no one will be able to enter your yard. No kids' friends, no neighborhood ladies. Are you and the kids ok with being isolated like that?

Pros:
1. Dh thinks they're a cool breed.

Tough decision me thinks.

behappy2

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 4:37 pm

I dont know a thing about dogs but every time I hear a crazy dog story it's always a pitbull.

Rappel

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 4:38 pm

Jewishfoodie wrote:

You sound kind and even tempered. I have a feeling that no matter which way you go, you'll get your way.. (consider the humble giraffe. So majestic! I truly look up to them. Because I'm so short..)

"The man may be the head of the household. But the woman is the neck, and she can turn the head whichever way she pleases."

~Nia Vardalos, My Big Fat Greek Wedding

LOL

I too, have a passion for giraffes. My dream is to stay in the Giraffe Hotel, if I can ever find a just halachic reason to leave Israel for Kenya.

justmarried

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 4:39 pm

I happen to love dogs, but don’t live in a place where it is acceptable to have one. However I watch a lot of shows like Judge Judy, The People’s Court...and there have been many cases regarding pit bulls. This is what I learned from them: Any dog can get violent - they are animals. But the risk with a pit bull is much worse. Because when a pit bull decides to bite someone it’s jaws lock down and it’s very hard to get them off. So what would be a regular bite from a different dog that got aggressive can be fatal or very bad when it comes to a pit bull bite.

I would not feel safe to have them around any children or other pets.

Iymnok

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 4:57 pm

We had a friend who bought a pit bull. She treated it as her kid. After she got married and had a kid or two she bought another. The dog would bite onto a stout stick and her dad would hold it and spin around. That pit bull loved it!
(I prefer the big calm dogs, a husky/wolf mix cured me of my fear of dogs.)

sequoia

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 5:02 pm

Their barrel chests do look pretty cute. Like, hey I’ve been working out!

But there are better breeds. Some of the prejudice against pitbulls is just that — hype and prejudice. But some of it is warranted. And there are breeds that are super chill, patient with kids, wouldn’t ever bite anyone. Look into one of those.

Whatever you do, do not get a cocker spaniel!

angelgirl

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 5:09 pm

They are not legal in the UK as far as I am aware. Unless I am mistaken and a pitbull terrier is a different dog to a pitbull? But any crossbreeds of the banned dogs are also not allowed.

flippingout18!

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 5:25 pm

What about a dog that sort of looks like a pitbull? I grew up with a Boxer dog

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