Looking for a Dog

[BossyMossy 0]

Throw my vote in towards getting a bully breed.. Perfect scenario would be the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, not to be confused with the American Staffordshire Terrier. However, they are extremely hard to find in the US, and you definitely wouldn't find one for adoption. You would have to go through a breeder. They max out at 40 pounds, have sound temperments and are nicknamed the "nanny dog" in Great Britain due to their loving demeanor towards children. Also, due to the fact that they are a "bully breed", they have a high pain threshold and could withstand a child's "rough" play. (e.g. tail pulling, ear yanking, etc.).

 

With that being said, if you can't find a Stafford Bull Terrier, an APBT (American Pit Bull Terrier) or Amstaff (American Staffordshire Terrier) would do as well. However, in my experience, you need to be more selective and careful about what you are getting. Do not buy from any backyard breeders who breed for looks. Stay away from "blues".

[BossyMossy 0]

Rescue dogs are statistically much safer than store bought dogs ( and healthier) . Why? Because normal family people are usually the people who go adopt.

 

It is JUST like the gun statistics. If you really delve into children that were killed by dogs , one glaring common denominator hops at you - poverty , crime , human stupidity. It is usually a kid that is like 3 years old that was left alone playing in the yard with 3 or 4 dogs while his so called parents were elsewhere. And yes , they are usually pit bulls or rottweilers. That is because those are the dogs of choice of drug dealers , gang bangers , and irresponsible young males in general will pick that breed because of the image ..on top of that they are also most likely to be owned in poor neighborhoods where people don't spay their animals and there are always new pups for the people in the neighborhood.

 

If for some reason Dalmatians became THE "tough" dog to own for these people , it would only take a few years before the majority of fatal dog maulings were committed by Dalmatians .

 

Yes , a handful of adult owners are killed by their pit bulls every year , the same way a handful of people go on mass shooting sprees every year. If the media focuses on it and hammers the headlines with it , they can make it appear epidemic when in fact it is a rarity compared to the number of responsible owners who go through life with zero incident ( in the case of guns AND pit bulls) . Throw out the stuff that happens in very bad neighborhoods , and stuff that happened because parents were not watching their children in such a way that most people would shudder and you will find mainstream incidents of pit bull maulings are quite infrequent. Huskies actually lead the pack on biting the children in the family if you take gangbanger culture ( real or wannabes ) out of the equation.

 

I have plenty of info to support all that , but I have to go to the airport to get my mother in law. Irishpete'smom. If anyone wants to see it , I'll try and compile it at some point this evening.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself. People need to take into account who it is that is buying pitbull breeds. I've owned pitbulls my entire life. My father has as well. However, neither of us act like thugs or ghetto morons. Unfortunately, many ghetto morons end up buying Pitbulls because they think they are "Strong and tough yo". Again, if the Labrador Retriever suddenly had that allure, these ghetto morons would be buying them instead, training them to be aggressive, and soon enough would be getting mauled by their Labs.

[Underdog 1,593]

My roommate had a Amstaff in college and she was an awesome dog, but 70 lbs of power. I admire those breeds, but that is not what I am looking for. There are too many poorly bred and abused dogs out there in this category. I would not get one with my children. For me, it is NOT worth me taking a chance. I agree with Ron and would prefer a rescue PUPPY and may open that up to a teenager. The problem with that stage is the playful nipping, but that would have to be part of the training. Ideally, I want something like a goldendoodle, but other dogs might work as well, in-particular terrier or poodle mixes.

[Candide 0]

Why even bother with a pitbull when there are plenty of dogs out there that wont or even dont have the ability to maul/kill someone? I'm not against pitbulls but I dont feel it's worth the hassle. I don't feel like having to tell everyone that my pitbull is nice, how it's not the breed thats the problem, having people cross the street when I walk it, having to deal with living issues if you rent or homeowners insurance if you own. Yeah I know it's their problem not mine but I dont have the patience to deal with people. People act like such idiots when you have a pitbull.

 

Even the ones that love people are generally dog/cat aggresive. It will lick a babies face yet try to kill the neighbors dog. It's in the genes. You can try your best to socialize it but its not always possible.

 

So many other dog breeds or mutts out there that need a home, why bother unless you love the breed.

[BlueLineFish 615]

Why even bother with a pitbull when there are plenty of dogs out there that wont or even dont have the ability to maul/kill someone? I'm not against pitbulls but I dont feel it's worth the hassle. I don't feel like having to tell everyone that my pitbull is nice, how it's not the breed thats the problem, having people cross the street when I walk it, having to deal with living issues if you rent or homeowners insurance if you own. Yeah I know it's their problem not mine but I dont have the patience to deal with people. People act like such idiots when you have a pitbull.

 

Even the ones that love people are generally dog/cat aggresive. It will lick a babies face yet try to kill the neighbors dog. It's in the genes. You can try your best to socialize it but its not always possible.

 

So many other dog breeds or mutts out there that need a home, why bother unless you love the breed.

 

Wrong! My dog is mostly pit and loves all people and animals. Any other breed can be dog/cat/ human aggressive. it's all about the owner. Blaming the dog is ignorance

[djg0770 481]

All dogs have the ability to maul/kill. I've never ever been bitten by a big dog. EVER. Those little yappy dogs though - they're the nasty ones.

[BlueLineFish 615]

All dogs have the ability to maul/kill. I've never ever been bitten by a big dog. EVER. Those little yappy dogs though - they're the nasty ones.

 

Agreed. My mother was recently bit by a Weimaraner for no good reason. I have been bitten but by smaller breeds.

[Xchange1980 0]

Smaller breeds, especially toy breeds are very prone to bite because it is there only defense mechanism . Everytime I take my dog to the dog run in my complex there have been many instances where a small breed has nipped at me. i never have issues with the bigger dogs.

[O-gre 7]

 

 

Agreed. My mother was recently bit by a Weimaraner for no good reason. I have been bitten but by smaller breeds.

Same experience, my neighbor had a Jack Russel that has nipped my 8yr old and 4yr old! One more time and I'm choking it!

[O-gre 7]

Also if you wait, jan thru Feb are big months for puppies due to misguided Christmas gifts.

[A-Tech 8]

Why even bother with a pitbull when there are plenty of dogs out there that wont or even dont have the ability to maul/kill someone? I'm not against pitbulls but I dont feel it's worth the hassle. I don't feel like having to tell everyone that my pitbull is nice, how it's not the breed thats the problem, having people cross the street when I walk it, having to deal with living issues if you rent or homeowners insurance if you own. Yeah I know it's their problem not mine but I dont have the patience to deal with people. People act like such idiots when you have a pitbull.

 

Even the ones that love people are generally dog/cat aggresive. It will lick a babies face yet try to kill the neighbors dog. It's in the genes. You can try your best to socialize it but its not always possible.

 

So many other dog breeds or mutts out there that need a home, why bother unless you love the breed.

 

So far from the truth. Pit bulls are BARELY in the top 10 strongest dogs, are less likely to maul/kill than many other common dogs like rotties and German shepherds. It's insulting to the breed to say everything you said. People need to wake up and see how amazing the Pitbull breed really is. They were originally bred to be a family pet to watch over the children, tend to foreign animals in the barn, and to rid the house of rodents. Nothing of what you said is "in its genes". I adopted my boy as he was brought into the shelter. He had white paint all over him as if someone dumped it on him. He is the best dog I've ever had. He's a natural protector, amazing attitude towards other animals and people. He looks at the little toy dogs that try to attack him as if its a joke. He's only been trained by me for the basics. No temperment training. They are naturally loyal, caring dogs. ESPECIALLY with children. Once again, bad dogs are a result of bad owners.

[O-gre 7]

Do threads always get derailed? A Pit is not what he is looking for. Last time I checked they shed like crazy. They are great dogs when raised right. Getting one from a rescue is nothing short of russian roulette.

[A-Tech 8]

Do threads always get derailed? A Pit is not what he is looking for. Last time I checked they shed like crazy. They are great dogs when raised right. Getting one from a rescue is nothing short of russian roulette.

 

In order :

Yes.

 

They are short hair dogs, little to no shedding at all. My Jack Russel sheds 100x more.

 

Puppies are no roulette.

 

It may not be the answer the OP was looking for, but incorrect facts and regurgitating false, hateful info helps nobody. It's why that breed is so hated, and I take it to heart after rescuing them for a long time. The OP says that he wouldnt want to take a chance on Pit because he has kids. I say why take a chance on any other breed. I guess that's just because I know the facts of what the breed is really like.

[Candide 0]

Yeah I am so wrong. I have heard of so many deaths, bites, or maulings by chihuahuas or yorkies. Gotta watch out for those Pugs and Boston Terriers too. I'm scared of French Bulldogs and Malteses as well. Death by Pomeranian?

 

Fact of the matter is that pitbulls are one of the more dangerous breeds. I understand you guys support your pitbulls but you are biased. My dog plays with my neighbors pitbull 5 days a week. They are best buddies.However it doesnt mean that I wouldnt pay a little more attention if I had a kid and there was a pitbull around vs say a beagle, or hell, even a great dane for that matter.

 

Like I said, it's fact. Excerpt from Wikipedia

 

Some studies that have been performed on the number of human deaths caused by dog bite trauma have surveyed news media stories for reports of dog bite-related fatalities. This methodology is subject to several potential sources of error: some fatal attacks may not have been reported; a study might not find all of the relevant news reports; and the potential for misidentification of dog breeds,^[2] although courts in the United States^[31][32] and Canada^[33][34] have ruled that expert identification, when using published breed standards, is sufficient for the enforcement of breed-specific legislation. It is possible to distinguish dogs by breed using DNA testing,^[34] but test results for any one dog can vary widely depending upon the laboratory that performs the test and the number of purebred dog breeds in the laboratory's DNA database.^[35]

One 9-year (1979–1988) review of fatal dog attacks in the United States determined that, of the 101 attacks where breed was recorded, pit bulls were implicated in 42 of those attacks (41.6%).^[36] A 1991 study found that 94% of attacks on children by pit bulls were unprovoked, compared to 43% for other breeds.^[37] One 5-year (1989–1994) review of fatal dog attacks in the United States determined that pit bulls and pit bull mixed breeds were implicated in 24 (28.6%) of the 84 deaths where breed was recorded.^[38]

One 15-year (1991–2005) review of dog attack fatalities investigated by the Kentucky Medical Examiner determined that pit bulls were implicated in 5 of the 11 fatal attacks (45.4%).^[39] Another 15-year (1994–2009) review of patients admitted to a Level I Trauma Center with dog bites determined that pit bulls were involved in most of these attacks: of the 228 patients treated, the breed of dog was recorded in 82 attacks, and of these, 29 (35%) attacks were attributed to pit bulls. All other dogs combined accounted for the remaining 65% of attacks.^[40] In 44.8% of the attacks, the dog belonged to the victim's family.^[40] The authors state:

Attacks by pit bulls are associated with higher morbidity rates, higher hospital charges, and a higher risk of death than are attacks by other breeds of dogs. Strict regulation of pit bulls may substantially reduce the US mortality rates related to dog bites.

^[40]

One 5-year (2001–2005) review of dog attack victims admitted to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia determined that pit bull terriers were implicated in more than half of bites. Of the 551 patients treated, breed was identified in 269 cases. Of these 269 patients, 137 (50.9%) were attacked by pit bulls.^[41] The authors write:

...the overwhelming number of bites involving pit bull terriers in this study and others certainly has some degree of validity when it comes to identifying bite-prone breeds. Pit bull terriers, German shepherds, and Rottweilers were the offending breeds implicated in our study and have accounted for the majority of dog bites according to other investigators.

^[41]

One review of the medical literature found that pit bulls and pit bull cross-breeds were involved in between 42 and 45% of dog attacks.^[42] Fatalities were most often reported in children, with 70% of victims being under the age of 10.^[42]

[Candide 0]

In order :

The OP says that he wouldnt want to take a chance on Pit because he has kids. I say why take a chance on any other breed.

 

Facts are that pitbulls are more dangerous,especially to children then say Pugs are for example. I think he would much rather take the chance of his kid being bitten by a pug then bitten by a pitbull. I know I would. I've personally seen a Pit grab a groundhog and crush it's skull in seconds, sounded like a walnut. I highly doubt a pug could do that

[A-Tech 8]

What Wikipedia(Lol for quoting them BTW) doesn't state, is how old those dogs were, what the neighborhoods were (could easily determine the dogs being raised for fighting), and what the situation actually was during the bite (intrusion or attack). It says nothing about puppies. Im sure you can grasp the idea that because its one of the most over populated breeds, that it will carry the higher end of a lot of statistics.

[checko 180]

I am not biased at all to pit bulls as I've never owned one bit if get one in a heartbeat. You just may not be the right owner for such a breed. A competent and strong owner should have no problems training and trusting their pet.

[checko 180]

What Wikipedia(Lol for quoting them BTW) doesn't state, is how old those dogs were, what the neighborhoods were (could easily determine the dogs being raised for fighting), and what the situation actually was during the bite (intrusion or attack). It says nothing about puppies. Im sure you can grasp the idea that because its one of the most over populated breeds, that it will carry the higher end of a lot of statistics.

 

This. Maybe I should go in and change the article lol.

[BlueLineFish 615]

Quoting wikipedia...lol...failboat. now that i think about it i have been bit by more humans...dont get one they are a dangerous breed. Even if you get em young. Thread derail continues.

[Candide 0]

Man, you guys will rationalize anything. If any of you think that a pitbull is no more dangerous than something like a Beagle or a Boston Terrier than you are an idiot with their head in the sand.

[heaterbob 53]

check out friends of rocky mount for a rescue dog, we have two for them, they come with all there shots and are fixed.

[checko 180]

Man, you guys will rationalize anything. If any of you think that a pitbull is no more dangerous than something like a Beagle or a Boston Terrier than you are an idiot with their head in the sand.

 

German Shepards and rottwielers have more bite force than a pitbull. You saying they are bad family dogs? More dangerous? Your thinking is flawed and invalid.

[T Bill 649]

[email protected] 908-362-1333 Blairstown, NJ. She understands dogs and your needs. Very nice to deal with. This is a rescue adoption center.

[O-gre 7]

 

 

German Shepards and rottwielers have more bite force than a pitbull. You saying they are bad family dogs? More dangerous? Your thinking is flawed and invalid.

do they also lock their jaws when they bite down? Dogs are bred for a purpose. A pit is not bred to be a family dog. Sure they can be raised that way and all is fine however that is not the breeds intention. The problem I have always had is I am completely unable to read them. With Sheps I have a great feel for how they will act. I look at a pit and have no clue. That said I love my golden doodle for many reasons and the main one is that my 4 year old daughter can yank on his tail and punch him in the head and all he does is licks her. He is also protective around strangers. Highly intelligent.

[checko 180]

do they also lock their jaws when they bite down? Dogs are bred for a purpose. A pit is not bred to be a family dog. Sure they can be raised that way and all is fine however that is not the breeds intention. The problem I have always had is I am completely unable to read them. With Sheps I have a great feel for how they will act. I look at a pit and have no clue. That said I love my golden doodle for many reasons and the main one is that my 4 year old daughter can yank on his tail and punch him in the head and all he does is licks her. He is also protective around strangers. Highly intelligent.

Lmao. They don't lock their jaws. So they are dumb and dangerous because YOU can't read THEM? Hmmm. OK then.

[O-gre 7]

 

Lmao. They don't lock their jaws. So they are dumb and dangerous because YOU can't read THEM? Hmmm. OK then.

actually I love them! Just think there are better family dog options. Pits DO lock down when they bite.

[checko 180]

Can you provide me with something that can substantiate that claim other than an old wives tale?

 

Edit: btw my first family dog choice would be the boxer like i said before. But I wouldn't hesitate to take a pit in.

[panteramatt 27]

Wow the rescue places up north must be a lot better than the ones around here! Im a firm believer in saving a dog but weve had nothing but HORRIBLE experinces with these places. We just got a puppy that we kinda "rescued" from a bad living enviroment. Im shocked no ne has mentioned a lab. No dog is smarter and more loyal and they dont shed too bad either. And unlike boxers their intelligent and dont drool.

[panteramatt 27]

And I dont agree with the whole "its how their raised" philosephy when raising pits. Ive had 2 friends that raised and LOVED their dogs and they were both attacked by them very bad and they were from breeders. Another buddy had one jump through his screen door twice and attack other dogs walking down the street so ive seen the other side first hand and will never own one. Plus remember owning one will make your homeowners go up.

[A-Tech 8]

actually I love them! Just think there are better family dog options. Pits DO lock down when they bite.

Ok now you're just an idiot. There is no locking mechanism in a pitbull's jaw. PERIOD. A rottweiler and a German shepherd both have a higher psi of bite force, and NO DOG can lock its jaw. THIS is the misinformed vomit that makes the breed look bad.