Last Sunday I just purchased my very first Pit. It was 9 weeks old. I also have a Chihuahua. The two of them get a long great (the Chihuahua is about 17 weeks). I have no idea what made me do such an impulsive thing such as purchasing a Pitbull, and I have no idea how I'm going to house the dog when I go back to work. I can always buy a little doggie house, but I fear that the dog will bark, and thus cause me drama with the home owners association. My purchase was impulsive and not well thought out. She is a cutie pie. And I have no backyard, only a deck that is big enough to put a doggie igloo type of housing out there for her during the day. Of course now that I get the dogs home and I hear all the stories of the "locking jaws' and 'fighting till the death".

I just don't expect that sort of thing to happen with my Pit because I've never exposed her to anything negative. My only area of concern, is that she is not as easy to read as the Chihuahua, so I am not exactly sure what she his thinking. But hopefully they are happy thoughts.

All kind thoughts and ideas would be appreciated.

So you bought a pit with no forethought, on impulse, you have no backyard for her, and you have no idea what you're gonna do with her when you go back to work??? Sounds like a recipe for disaster IMO.

Buying a pit or any dog isn't something you should do on an impulse cuz that's how so many dogs end up in shelters when folks get dogs they know nothing about then act surprised when the dog does what comes natural to them. They can be great dogs with the right owner and necessary training. But pits aren't for everybody. You need to be prepared to find your dog a better home if you honestly can't provide the best environment for HER.

Be sure to buy books about the breed and talk to reputable breed organizations for advice about both your dogs. Also, if you own a house you can actually void your homeowner's policy by owning a pit so you need to check to be sure.

Do everything you can to make her submissive to you and get her fixed AS SOON AS SHE IS OLD ENOUGH. Flip her on her back and gently hold her down everyday so she gets used to you being the alpha dog in your pack. Good luck and TRAIN her to be the dog she should be cuz just like you have to raise a kid you have to raise your dog.

I do not own a pitbull myself but have had dogs my entire life. I currently have a very strong willed, smart, active dog. The best advice that I can give you is to make sure you socialize your dog as much as possible. Make sure that you take the dog out of her environment (home/yard) as much as possible. We started very early with our dog, traveling, road trips, walks to the park with lots of ppl and dogs around.

Make sure you train her the basics as soon as possible. One good lesson we learned from the breeder we got our dog from was to put the food down, make the dog wait until you give it permission to eat. It helped our dog learn the "leave it" command which has helped in other areas of training. You need to establish that you are top dog in the house.

Use simple short words in training like "wait", "Ok" for release word, "come", "down".

One word commands are best in training, I have found.

If you want to learn more about pit bulls, contact your local breed rescue. They will be very helpful with telling you about the breed and can give you training tips to start rigth away.

Good luck!

This entire original post reads like a flame bait.

TheVoid said:

This entire original post reads like a flame bait.

The username screams [flame snip - CarrieMpls] Obviously thinks he's a bit of a character, a card, a riant
plaisantin, as it were.

Number23 said:

TheVoid said:

This entire original post reads like a flame bait.

The username screams [flame snip - CarrieMpls]. Obviously thinks he's a bit of a character, a card, a riant
plaisantin, as it were.

The pretentious French label wasn't supposed to be underlined and clickble, just italicised. I really don't like this fancy Dan new reply system. I prefer simplicity. Too many options leads to confusion - and death.

Number23 said:

TheVoid said:

This entire original post reads like a flame bait.

The username screams [flame snip - CarrieMpls]. Obviously thinks he's a bit of a character, a card, a riant
plaisantin, as it were.

Sometimes, I worship you.

TheVoid said:

Number23 said:

The username screams [flame snip - CarrieMpls]. Obviously thinks he's a bit of a character, a card, a riant
plaisantin, as it were.

Sometimes, I worship you.

Get in line!

TheVoid said:

Number23 said:

The username screams [flame snip - CarrieMpls]. Obviously thinks he's a bit of a character, a card, a riant
plaisantin, as it were.

Sometimes, I worship you.

Bet you had to google it though.

MrsMdiver said:

TheVoid said:

Sometimes, I worship you.

Get in line!

Girl, every damned time he logs on, I still think about his response to the "I'm a fighter" comment where he said, "Aren't we all, darling." or something like that.

I'm never going to stop laughing at that.

Number23 said:

TheVoid said:

Sometimes, I worship you.

Bet you had to google it though.

Look, I had to google Bergamot once.

well as you say, your purchase was impulsive and you don't seem that sure of how to raise

a pit, which is an entirely different type of dog from a (fairly easy) chihuaha.

no matter if the dog might have an underlying violent streak (which you won't be able to

judge at all at this age), the upbringing is just as much a key to her future behaviour. it's

just a lot more complicated with such a big, strong dog than it is with a chi.

if your chi has some issues, it's small enough to control. heck, you can just pick it up and

give it a good talking to etc etc.

but beyond all that, if you can't really sort out the housing arrangement and don't really

have the time to raise it up the right way, with regards to your being at work etc, i'd say

bring the pup back right now.

that might seem harsh or uncool but in the long run it's probably best for the dog. now that

it's still so young and no major problems occurred and she's not traumatised or anything,

it will be very easy to find a new home for it with someone who knows how to handle these

dogs and who will have enough time for it.

the longer you wait, the harder it will get since it will probably pick up some behavioural

problems along the way if you don't spend enough time with it and aren't able to control

it etc.

so unless you're sure you can handle it the right way and won't be overwhelmed in six or

seven months, i'd say find it a new home or bring it back where you got it from, even if

they don't give you back 100% of your money. just think about what is best for the dog in

the long run.

since you have no experience, got it on impulse, don't have a backyard and don't know

what will happen when you go back to work, the odds seem stacked against you and more

importantly, against the dog.

a dog who will develop some behavioural problem (barking when left alone etc) will be a

lot harder to find a new home for than a pup who can still be formed. you'll have to make

a decision soon to either return it or keep it but the longer you wait the more likely it will

be that you have to end up giving your dog to a shelter where it will be put to sleep once

replacement doesn't happen.

i'd say stick to the chi, that's what you know now and that dog is used to being with you

and with you going to work etc.

I'm more into rotties. I never had a pit myself but I graduated as a dog-handler a few month ago.

If you still want to keep her there's a few things to know. One can't act like an owner without a few notions.

Dogs perceive us as congeners, their minds work on the "dominant/dominated" divide. In case they notice any weakness from their owner they will always try to intimidate to regain the upper hand.

There's only one thing to do. Remain Firm.

Are you sure you can handle this?

Pits got a potential for being postal, the best thing is to protect them from nosense training like attacking people or other dogs. Don't play violent game with her, don't allow her to beg for food, shroud her with affection as much as possible.

She's a cutie pie... for now. Her personality is still "work in progress". If she end up to be an "alpha" dog I can predict she will take advantage on her size to attempt domination on the chihuahua. If the chihuahua accept to be dominated that's the best bu he/she might suffer from the situation. If they both go the "alpha" factor then jealousy can stettle down, leading to "fights"...

I generally love dogs, but despise dogs that are known to kill people

Ha, I'd be more scared of the chihuahua being vicious than the pit bull!

In fact my aunt's older than dirt chihuahua/jack russell mix is way worse temperment than my boxer/pit.

Most pits are actually gentle mellow dogs. It's stupid people that train their dogs to fight or be scared that is the problem, nothing to do with the breed.

I concur with SCNDLS...if you are not set up to have a bigger dog or 2 dogs then you should make other arrangements. Taking care of any life should not be a spur of the moment decision.

Also....why buy dogs when there are plenty free or cheap that have already been vaccinated and fixed?

SCNDLS said:

So you bought a pit with no forethought, on impulse, you have no backyard for her, and you have no idea what you're gonna do with her when you go back to work??? Sounds like a recipe for disaster IMO.

Buying a pit or any dog isn't something you should do on an impulse cuz that's how so many dogs end up in shelters when folks get dogs they know nothing about then act surprised when the dog does what comes natural to them. They can be great dogs with the right owner and necessary training. But pits aren't for everybody. You need to be prepared to find your dog a better home if you honestly can't provide the best environment for HER.

Be sure to buy books about the breed and talk to reputable breed organizations for advice about both your dogs. Also, if you own a house you can actually void your homeowner's policy by owning a pit so you need to check to be sure.

Do everything you can to make her submissive to you and get her fixed AS SOON AS SHE IS OLD ENOUGH. Flip her on her back and gently hold her down everyday so she gets used to you being the alpha dog in your pack. Good luck and TRAIN her to be the dog she should be cuz just like you have to raise a kid you have to raise your dog.

We all screw up right and make some not so very thought out decisions right? Which is why I posted this in the first place. My initial plan was to put her in an igloo type house outside, until I came home from work. Until I heard this Monstrous BARK that she has. That would definitely be a no-go in this community. I had some degree of plan, but hadn't thought it out military type style.

As far as the homeowner's policy is concerned, I've never read anything stating that I could not own such a dog. As far as the Home Owners Association is concerned. I called the local Police Department, and they told me to read my CC&R's , which state that small and "medium" size breeds are allowed. Pit's are considered medium sized. Of course I'm aware that they can pull something out of their azzes even if she does fit the medium size description, and barks too much. If I keep her in the house, she will likely wreck it, and how will she go potty. So that's where I screwed up, not giving percise forethought about what will happen when doggie barks too loudly, and neighbors complain etc. Sigh. We shall see. Too early to even think about giving the dog away at this point. I'll think about that once plan A & B fails when I return back to work.

Reel said:

SCNDLS said:

So you bought a pit with no forethought, on impulse, you have no backyard for her, and you have no idea what you're gonna do with her when you go back to work??? Sounds like a recipe for disaster IMO.

Buying a pit or any dog isn't something you should do on an impulse cuz that's how so many dogs end up in shelters when folks get dogs they know nothing about then act surprised when the dog does what comes natural to them. They can be great dogs with the right owner and necessary training. But pits aren't for everybody. You need to be prepared to find your dog a better home if you honestly can't provide the best environment for HER.

Be sure to buy books about the breed and talk to reputable breed organizations for advice about both your dogs. Also, if you own a house you can actually void your homeowner's policy by owning a pit so you need to check to be sure.

Do everything you can to make her submissive to you and get her fixed AS SOON AS SHE IS OLD ENOUGH. Flip her on her back and gently hold her down everyday so she gets used to you being the alpha dog in your pack. Good luck and TRAIN her to be the dog she should be cuz just like you have to raise a kid you have to raise your dog.

We all screw up right and make some not so very thought out decisions right? Which is why I posted this in the first place. My initial plan was to put her in an igloo type house outside, until I came home from work. Until I heard this Monstrous BARK that she has. That would definitely be a no-go in this community. I had some degree of plan, but hadn't thought it out military type style.

As far as the homeowner's policy is concerned, I've never read anything stating that I could not own such a dog. As far as the Home Owners Association is concerned. I called the local Police Department, and they told me to read my CC&R's , which state that small and "medium" size breeds are allowed. Pit's are considered medium sized. Of course I'm aware that they can pull something out of their azzes even if she does fit the medium size description, and barks too much. If I keep her in the house, she will likely wreck it, and how will she go potty. So that's where I screwed up, not giving percise forethought about what will happen when doggie barks too loudly, and neighbors complain etc. Sigh. We shall see. Too early to even think about giving the dog away at this point. I'll think about that once plan A & B fails when I return back to work.

You could crate train here so she cannot destoy your house, stay safe & not pee on your floor.

MarySharon said:

I'm more into rotties. I never had a pit myself but I graduated as a dog-handler a few month ago.

If you still want to keep her there's a few things to know. One can't act like an owner without a few notions.

Dogs perceive us as congeners, their minds work on the "dominant/dominated" divide. In case they notice any weakness from their owner they will always try to intimidate to regain the upper hand.

There's only one thing to do. Remain Firm.

Are you sure you can handle this?

Pits got a potential for being postal, the best thing is to protect them from nosense training like attacking people or other dogs. Don't play violent game with her, don't allow her to beg for food, shroud her with affection as much as possible.

She's a cutie pie... for now. Her personality is still "work in progress". If she end up to be an "alpha" dog I can predict she will take advantage on her size to attempt domination on the chihuahua. If the chihuahua accept to be dominated that's the best bu he/she might suffer from the situation. If they both go the "alpha" factor then jealousy can stettle down, leading to "fights"...

Yeah, she's been here a week today. I got her more for the protection factor, seeing that I'm a single female living alone at the time. I have no interest in the foolishness that people do with their dogs such as fighting them or attempting to make them mean dogs. I had to separate her and the Chihuaha because the Chihuahua was being pretty vicious with her, and would literally pin the Pit in her crate and bite her ears. I didn't want her stimulated like that on an ongoing basis, so I had to limite their playtime.

I got the dog from Mexicans, and sometimes when I call the dog to me (seeing that the dog has a new name now and all), she does not always come. As a matter of fact, she never comes. And I don't know if there is some sort of language barrier or something.

I read that more German Shephards kill their owners each year by far than Pits. However, I am always looking for signs of agression such as lips curling, growling etc. Unfortunately almost all dogs growl at that owners at some point. The key is knowing whether it's a growl that will cause you to take the dog to the pound, or a growl that you can work through. My Chihuhahua growls at me all the time, until I check her...and that ends that.

I've been flipping her on the belly thing a lot recently. She's truly a baby now. No signs of anything scarey. She's scared of the Chihuahua. We shall see.

IstenSzek said:

well as you say, your purchase was impulsive and you don't seem that sure of how to raise

a pit, which is an entirely different type of dog from a (fairly easy) chihuaha.

no matter if the dog might have an underlying violent streak (which you won't be able to

judge at all at this age), the upbringing is just as much a key to her future behaviour. it's

just a lot more complicated with such a big, strong dog than it is with a chi.

if your chi has some issues, it's small enough to control. heck, you can just pick it up and

give it a good talking to etc etc.

but beyond all that, if you can't really sort out the housing arrangement and don't really

have the time to raise it up the right way, with regards to your being at work etc, i'd say

bring the pup back right now.

that might seem harsh or uncool but in the long run it's probably best for the dog. now that

it's still so young and no major problems occurred and she's not traumatised or anything,

it will be very easy to find a new home for it with someone who knows how to handle these

dogs and who will have enough time for it.

the longer you wait, the harder it will get since it will probably pick up some behavioural

problems along the way if you don't spend enough time with it and aren't able to control

it etc.

so unless you're sure you can handle it the right way and won't be overwhelmed in six or

seven months, i'd say find it a new home or bring it back where you got it from, even if

they don't give you back 100% of your money. just think about what is best for the dog in

the long run.

since you have no experience, got it on impulse, don't have a backyard and don't know

what will happen when you go back to work, the odds seem stacked against you and more

importantly, against the dog.

a dog who will develop some behavioural problem (barking when left alone etc) will be a

lot harder to find a new home for than a pup who can still be formed. you'll have to make

a decision soon to either return it or keep it but the longer you wait the more likely it will

be that you have to end up giving your dog to a shelter where it will be put to sleep once

replacement doesn't happen.

i'd say stick to the chi, that's what you know now and that dog is used to being with you

and with you going to work etc.

I'm not even remotely thinking about returning this dog at this time. I've had her for only one week exactly. Also, you don't always need a lot of physical space for medium sized dogs....the key is that you have to allow them to get thier exercise in, and that may include walking the dog a few times per day.

If in the unfortunate event I feel that this is not the right place for her, I will try to rehome her, if not then I will take her to the shelter. Heck, It's not like I gave birth to the dog, I would have tried my best to make things work with the dog, and if things don't work out after giving it everything I got, then I will have no choice but to send it to a rescue. It is far to early after 7 days for me to start trucking down to rescue agencies. That's really panic right there.

MrsMdiver said:

Reel said:

We all screw up right and make some not so very thought out decisions right? Which is why I posted this in the first place. My initial plan was to put her in an igloo type house outside, until I came home from work. Until I heard this Monstrous BARK that she has. That would definitely be a no-go in this community. I had some degree of plan, but hadn't thought it out military type style.

As far as the homeowner's policy is concerned, I've never read anything stating that I could not own such a dog. As far as the Home Owners Association is concerned. I called the local Police Department, and they told me to read my CC&R's , which state that small and "medium" size breeds are allowed. Pit's are considered medium sized. Of course I'm aware that they can pull something out of their azzes even if she does fit the medium size description, and barks too much. If I keep her in the house, she will likely wreck it, and how will she go potty. So that's where I screwed up, not giving percise forethought about what will happen when doggie barks too loudly, and neighbors complain etc. Sigh. We shall see. Too early to even think about giving the dog away at this point. I'll think about that once plan A & B fails when I return back to work.

You could crate train here so she cannot destoy your house, stay safe & not pee on your floor.

Right, she is being crate trained now, but I can't leave her in the crate for 8 hours a day. She'll be siting in her waste. I doubt that she can hold it 8-10 hours per day.

Reel said:

SCNDLS said:

So you bought a pit with no forethought, on impulse, you have no backyard for her, and you have no idea what you're gonna do with her when you go back to work??? Sounds like a recipe for disaster IMO.

Buying a pit or any dog isn't something you should do on an impulse cuz that's how so many dogs end up in shelters when folks get dogs they know nothing about then act surprised when the dog does what comes natural to them. They can be great dogs with the right owner and necessary training. But pits aren't for everybody. You need to be prepared to find your dog a better home if you honestly can't provide the best environment for HER.

Be sure to buy books about the breed and talk to reputable breed organizations for advice about both your dogs. Also, if you own a house you can actually void your homeowner's policy by owning a pit so you need to check to be sure.

Do everything you can to make her submissive to you and get her fixed AS SOON AS SHE IS OLD ENOUGH. Flip her on her back and gently hold her down everyday so she gets used to you being the alpha dog in your pack. Good luck and TRAIN her to be the dog she should be cuz just like you have to raise a kid you have to raise your dog.

We all screw up right and make some not so very thought out decisions right? Which is why I posted this in the first place. My initial plan was to put her in an igloo type house outside, until I came home from work. Until I heard this Monstrous BARK that she has. That would definitely be a no-go in this community. I had some degree of plan, but hadn't thought it out military type style.

As far as the homeowner's policy is concerned, I've never read anything stating that I could not own such a dog. As far as the Home Owners Association is concerned. I called the local Police Department, and they told me to read my CC&R's , which state that small and "medium" size breeds are allowed. Pit's are considered medium sized. Of course I'm aware that they can pull something out of their azzes even if she does fit the medium size description, and barks too much. If I keep her in the house, she will likely wreck it, and how will she go potty. So that's where I screwed up, not giving percise forethought about what will happen when doggie barks too loudly, and neighbors complain etc. Sigh. We shall see. Too early to even think about giving the dog away at this point. I'll think about that once plan A & B fails when I return back to work.

As someone who already owns one dog, I'm surprised that you wouldn't give getting a pit at least SOME thought. I regularly foster and rescue dogs and I must say that it's owners like you who irresponsibly get animals on a whim and are contributing to the millions of dogs that get put down every year.

Since this is a puppy you have no idea how big she will get or what her temperament will be. Just yesterday I was visiting a friend and playing with his 85lb pit. Ummmm, that ain't medium sized. She's a cute puppy now but in a year could easily be a 60 lb or more mass of muscles, teeth, and killer jaw strength with no home training. That's ideal.

You're already annoyed with the barking which is gonna get worse if you don't train her now. Your wait and see approach would be comical to me if it wasn't a dog's welfare that's at risk. As IstenSzek explained in great detail in his post, now is the time to return the dog if you are already coming up with all these issues and excuses.

And just cuz you haven't read anything in your policy about pits it is actually VERY common in recent years for pits and rotts to be banned on most major insurance carriers, at least in Texas, due to the perceived increased risk of liability so you need to ask your agent to be sure.

Like I said, recipe for disaster

[Edited 6/20/10 13:18pm]

Reel said:

IstenSzek said:

well as you say, your purchase was impulsive and you don't seem that sure of how to raise

a pit, which is an entirely different type of dog from a (fairly easy) chihuaha.

no matter if the dog might have an underlying violent streak (which you won't be able to

judge at all at this age), the upbringing is just as much a key to her future behaviour. it's

just a lot more complicated with such a big, strong dog than it is with a chi.

if your chi has some issues, it's small enough to control. heck, you can just pick it up and

give it a good talking to etc etc.

but beyond all that, if you can't really sort out the housing arrangement and don't really

have the time to raise it up the right way, with regards to your being at work etc, i'd say

bring the pup back right now.

that might seem harsh or uncool but in the long run it's probably best for the dog. now that

it's still so young and no major problems occurred and she's not traumatised or anything,

it will be very easy to find a new home for it with someone who knows how to handle these

dogs and who will have enough time for it.

the longer you wait, the harder it will get since it will probably pick up some behavioural

problems along the way if you don't spend enough time with it and aren't able to control

it etc.

so unless you're sure you can handle it the right way and won't be overwhelmed in six or

seven months, i'd say find it a new home or bring it back where you got it from, even if

they don't give you back 100% of your money. just think about what is best for the dog in

the long run.

since you have no experience, got it on impulse, don't have a backyard and don't know

what will happen when you go back to work, the odds seem stacked against you and more

importantly, against the dog.

a dog who will develop some behavioural problem (barking when left alone etc) will be a

lot harder to find a new home for than a pup who can still be formed. you'll have to make

a decision soon to either return it or keep it but the longer you wait the more likely it will

be that you have to end up giving your dog to a shelter where it will be put to sleep once

replacement doesn't happen.

i'd say stick to the chi, that's what you know now and that dog is used to being with you

and with you going to work etc.

I'm not even remotely thinking about returning this dog at this time. I've had her for only one week exactly. Also, you don't always need a lot of physical space for medium sized dogs....the key is that you have to allow them to get thier exercise in, and that may include walking the dog a few times per day.

If in the unfortunate event I feel that this is not the right place for her, I will try to rehome her, if not then I will take her to the shelter. Heck, It's not like I gave birth to the dog, I would have tried my best to make things work with the dog, and if things don't work out after giving it everything I got, then I will have no choice but to send it to a rescue. It is far to early after 7 days for me to start trucking down to rescue agencies. That's really panic right there.

Yeah, you sound real ignorant. First you say, you're not "remotely thinking about returning the dog" but then you say "It's not like I gave birth to the dog, I would have tried my best to make things work with the dog, and if things don't work out after giving it everything I got, then I will have no choice but to send it to a rescue." WTF?

Pits are almost always immediately put DOWN in shelters because of their reputation and because shelters have no way of knowing the dog's background and can't take the risk that they will attack after they are adopted. So you taking this dog to a shelter after you've had her for some time will be a death sentence. You have a choice now to do what's in the dog's best interest and that is to return her to the breeder now cuz you have no idea what you're dealing with.

SCNDLS said:

Reel said:

We all screw up right and make some not so very thought out decisions right? Which is why I posted this in the first place. My initial plan was to put her in an igloo type house outside, until I came home from work. Until I heard this Monstrous BARK that she has. That would definitely be a no-go in this community. I had some degree of plan, but hadn't thought it out military type style.

As far as the homeowner's policy is concerned, I've never read anything stating that I could not own such a dog. As far as the Home Owners Association is concerned. I called the local Police Department, and they told me to read my CC&R's , which state that small and "medium" size breeds are allowed. Pit's are considered medium sized. Of course I'm aware that they can pull something out of their azzes even if she does fit the medium size description, and barks too much. If I keep her in the house, she will likely wreck it, and how will she go potty. So that's where I screwed up, not giving percise forethought about what will happen when doggie barks too loudly, and neighbors complain etc. Sigh. We shall see. Too early to even think about giving the dog away at this point. I'll think about that once plan A & B fails when I return back to work.

As someone who already owns one dog, I'm surprised that you wouldn't give getting a pit at least SOME thought. I regularly foster and rescue dogs and I must say that it's owners like you who irresponsibly get animals on a whim and are contributing to the millions of dogs that get put down every year.

Since this is a puppy you have no idea how big she will get or what her temperament will be. Just yesterday I was visiting a friend and playing with his 85lb pit. Ummmm, that ain't medium sized. She's a cute puppy now but in a year could easily be a 60 lb or more mass of muscles, teeth, and killer jaw strength with no home training. That's ideal.

You're already annoyed with the barking which is gonna get worse if you don't train her now. Your wait and see approach would be comical to me if it wasn't a dog's welfare that's at risk. As IstenSzek explained in great detail in his post, now is the time to return the dog if you are already coming up with all these issues and excuses.

And just cuz you haven't read anything in your policy about pits it is actually VERY common in recent years for pits and rotts to be banned on most major insurance carriers, at least in Texas, due to the perceived increased risk of liability so you need to ask your agent to be sure.

Like I said, recipe for disaster

[Edited 6/20/10 13:18pm]

Well I don't live in Texas, and I did thorough reading of my HoA and HOI policies. And I can understand your frustration with people not precisely planning out how they will fully manage a dog that they obtain. But you know what, as I mentioned earlier. I did not personally give birth this to this dog myself. Who's to say what the dog's plight would be if I hadn't obtained her. Perhaps she would be in a dog fight or something. I have no guilt at all about what I did. I'm planning on how to make things work, if the Igloo does not work. Now, if you are a frustrated rescuer and you see signs in my post that reminds you of your daily tasks, don't paint everyone with a broad brush. Save your anger and frustration for the ones who are not getting their animals fixed and who are actively overbreeding them. It is not the owners or purchasers of the dogs that cause dogs to get put down each year it is the breeders and the ones who do not spay or neuter. So get your facts together.

What if things work out perfectly well in the long term? As I mentioned, i have absolutely no intention of sending this puppy away after only 1 week unless something really unexpected happens. If the dog grows to be 80 pounds (which I doubt since I've seen her parents), then we'll take it from there, perhaps my living situation will change in a year.

[Edited 6/20/10 13:33pm]

I am very surprised a breeder allowed you the pup. Having two dogs at 9 weeks and 17 weeks old (ages too close) when the hormones kick in your going to have a difficult time especially if they start fighting for hierarchy. My advice is training - training – training and even then with the best training in the world the fight for position in hierarchy will happen.

I would not advertise it as a pit, more and more cities are putting more and more strict rules on pits.

In some places they are classified as a vicious bread. (their word not mine) and thus have some pretty harsh rules for keeping them locked up. So you might want to research your local ordinances and know what you are facing.

I know in some areas they say they have to be kept in a covered pin. .

Pits are horrible dogs.

They should all be put down.

My opinion.

Arent they illegal in most states now?

OnlyNDaUsa said:

I would not advertise it as a pit, more and more cities are putting more and more strict rules on pits.

In some places they are classified as a vicious bread. (their word not mine) and thus have some pretty harsh rules for keeping them locked up. So you might want to research your local ordinances and know what you are facing.

I know in some areas they say they have to be kept in a covered pin. .

Here (UK) they are a banned breed:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/w...eaflet.pdf

&

http://www.thekennelclub....pg_ftr_art

I’m a believer of “deed” not “breed”, in the right hands these dogs are great but in the wrong hands a nightmare. I’ve seen so many put down due to Human incompetence but with the law here now the minute a “pitbull type” comes into a rescue the dog is put down Everyone I know that’s involved hearts break each time. In my opinion its human incompetence that’s to blame, bad breeders, bad owners and its the dog that pays the ultimate price.

Pits are very social animals, and are not dangerous unless they are abused.

I owned two pits before.

They hate to be lonely, they don't have "lockjaws" but they teethe in a ferocius way.

A female pit will exercise her anger in chewing everything in site to shreds if you leave her alone. The chichuahua will keep her company, but she will tear up all your furniture while you are away. This would include your stairs, banisters, countertops, dining table, leather sofas, etc.

Pits are not dangerous, they are just fustrating animals to own since they are high maintenance. They destroy stuff (more so that other breeds) , this is why owners give up on them and they end up in shelters. They need space to run. They should never be left alone in a yard because children tend to tease these animals. Since Pits by breed tend to be animals that are curios in nature and confident they will attack children if children are constantly allowed to tease and bother them. This will happen if you leave a Pit alone and at the mercy of mean kids. A Pit will rememeber and attack everytimeif she has been abused or hurt by anyone. So don't leave your dog out unattened.

A Pit can clear a 6ft. fence in one hop, they can climb trees, they are smart can figure out how to escape out of anything. Kenels are no good for this breed. IMHO

I say this, get a dog sitter, and train your dog. Be patient and treat her with lots of love and affection, feed her or she'll tear your stuff up, walk her or she'll tear your stuff up. She will grow to be about 45 pounds and be full of energy. She will keep you active.

She is not a Lab or a Retriever, she is a Pit and as such you have to guard your new pet from ignorant people who assume you have a potential killer on your hands.

Keep her updated on all her shots and don't train her with a choke chain. She will be stubborn but when she is trained the reward will be a great one in a loving companionship.

paintedlady said:

Pits are very social animals, and are not dangerous unless they are abused.

I agree with that...it is true with all type of dogs.....but honestly, i am scared of them, and would probably freak out if one ran towards me!

I also think that owners of these dogs should be more responsible, and if their dog attacks well then they should be facing heavier penalties....the poor dogs get put down and then these people just go out and get another one...that's the stupid thing.