could I get a pitty

In the future I want more than one dog. They will be shelter/rescue dogs but i have researched breeds so that if i know what is in the mix I can have a basic idea of what the dog could be like. There are tons of pit bulls in shelters waiting to die and I would LOVE to have one. Plus I love their people temperament and think they are adorable. Since I want more than one dog, I had ruled them out as a possible candidate. I was thinking though, many of you have pits in multiple dog house holds and do just fine. So if I were to get a mature (over 3 years old) dog who has been temperament tested and proved good with dogs would it be safe to get one. What are the chances his temperament will change and he will be aggressive? is it too much of a risk? What conditions would they have to live under, like being separated when I was not home? How about with cats. if he has been tested with cats and proven good can I assume he is safe to get? I would not be getting this dog for at least 10 yrs. by the way. Also I'm assuming it would be safest if the Pitty was the last dog I got, do you think it matters whether the pit is the first or the last or somewhere in between?

I've been working in rescue for years now, and one of the most important things I've learned is that 99% of the purebreeds (we're an all-breed rescue) do not have every single quality of their breed standard - it all depends on the dog.

The generic "Pit Bull" term typically refers to the American Pit Bull Terrier, or the American Staffordshire Terrier. The APBT is not recognized by the AKC, but it is by the UKC. The AmStaff, however, is recognized by the AKC.

Other breeds that are commonly grouped in the 'pit bull' category are the Argentine Dogo, the English Bull Terrier, the American Bulldog, and the Perro de Presa Canario. However, from your post, I'm assuming you're inquiring about an APBT or AmStaff.

They look and act (for the most part) very similar, although the following varies:
-APBT have a larger height and weight range then the AmStaff.
-All colors in an APBT are admissible, with the exception of white, unlike the AmStaff.
-AmStaffs are typically less tenacious, less dog-agressive, and less prey-oriented then the APBT, but will still typically show agression to animals it doesn't know.

Now, it all depends on how they're raised. We've had AmStaffs that we could have around all other dogs and not worry. We've had others that would go looking for a fight.

So, yes, I would definately have the dog that you're looking at extensively temperament, dog and cat tested. If you have other animals, perhaps getting a young puppy would be best, as you can then raise it around animals.

Good luck!

Cheers,

Rosefern

An adult dog will have a set temperament, so there shouldn't be much risk of change. However, you'll want to get in certain habits either way. Such as not leaving the dogs unsupervised together while you're away from the house. Probably also exercise caution with triggers such as food bowls, toys, etc.

My recommendation would be to deal with a reputable rescue. That way, you can get a dog that has been screened for various types of aggression, lived in a foster home and learned some manners, etc. You can find a list of rescues at PBRC.net. Good luck!

bad rap's multi-dog page.

i would not get a pit bull if you're not willing to separate dogs, supervise dogs at all times when they're together, and live with the possibility that you may one day have to have dogs separated 24/7.

i have two. most of the time they get along fabulously. they sleep together. they play together. they have scuffled. they are never together unsupervised. they live with five cats. they would both kill an outdoor cat if they could catch one.

personally i don't think it makes a ton of difference if the pit bull comes first or later, what matters most is the individual chemistries and personalities of the dogs involved.

i think getting a mature dog from a responsible, knowledgeable rescue will definitely be your best shot at making things work.

other things to consider: are you willing to deal with all the crap that gets thrown at pit bull owners, is there BSL in your area or nearby, and it can be hard to get renters and homeowner's insurance with a pit bull.

It is tricky but it can be done. Amstaffs as said are usually less Dog Aggressive than APBT but there is a lot a variable in both strains. How they were raised (I believe) has more to do with their temperament. Sal is an Amstaff and is fine with all dogs (Just neutered at 6 years old). My Neighborhood has a rescue APBT who he adopted at 1.5 years and he is also great with other dogs. When he adopted "Elwood", Elwood came through the Wisconsin Humane society and came with lots of temperament tests and information about the former owner. (they gave him up because he was "Hyper"....heck if you walked him twice a day he becomes a lazy bum )

If you get a neutered Pitty from a quality rescue or shelter you should get a gem. I always tell my friends that if they want to adopt a great dog get a Pit Bull or a Rottie, because if they make it through the Humane Societies EXTRA test for those breeds they will get the best possible dog of any breed.

I admire those of you who take the chance .... I love all dogs , but would never bring any into my home that COULD hurt me , my dogs, my family , visitors etc . I could never bring in a dog that I might have to re-home after I've fallen in love with it . I'm too chicken !

Honestly, that could include any dog of any breed.

Cass.

^Agree.

~Tucker

^I agree as well. The most dangerous dog I ever owned was a Golden Retriever.

but in bringing home a dog *period* you already have.

Agreed with what everyone else said. I volunteer in rescue and I can tell you that the only time I have seen a pit returned was when it had heartworms and the new owners didnt want to pay for treatment.

Heck, the rescue I work with had a Chi returned last week because she "went after" the new owner's Huskies.



To the OP-I wish you luck. Everyone has given you great advice. You HAVE to post pictures when you get him/her though.

Oh Lord....for Pete's sake, everyone! I'm pretty sure we all know that Grammy is not a pit bull hater!

I *think* what Grammy was trying to say is that she wouldn't feel comfortable or capable of owning a dog with the aggression potential of a pit bull! And yes, while all dogs can bite or have agression issues, I think we can all agree that you have to more careful with certain breeds....like rotties, pit bulls, dobes, American Bulldogs, etc. After all, isn't that what we tell EVERYONE who comes to these forums and asks "Is a rottie/dobie/American Bulldog/Cane Corse/Fila the right breed for me?"

Please let's not turn this into another debate. Pretty please? *sad eyes*

Actually the bully breeds were not and are not bred for aggression to humans they can be DOG aggressive which IS in their genes. Any dog can be prone to aggression, But HA (Human aggression) And DA (dog aggression) are two diffrent things. I guess what i'm trying to say is the bully breeds are more prone to being DA than HA, They were bred for fighting other dogs hence why the DA but bred to be good with humans. If you think about it back in the days when they originally started people bred for a good fighting dog in the ring but if it was HA it wasn't any good to the owner therefore put down, the owner needed to be able to have contact with them, now this is not my history but the history of the breed. Just my two cents.

Good post elegy.

As for the "older dogs have a set temperament" comment, I just want to share one incident that changed the household routine once again. Akee & Shaker seemed to love each other. Whenever I was able to provide close supervision, I would bring the 2 into the house together & let them play, lie around, or do whatever they wanted to (except when Akee was in heat). For a little over 5 years they had a great relationship with each other. One day, while I was in the kitchen, BOOM it came out of nowhere....or so it seemed. To this day I still don't know what started the fight, but it was an all out brawl that left my living room of my rent house looking like I slaughtered animals in there. I was home alone & it took me around 20 minutes to get them safely apart. From that day on, the never got along. Just the mere sight of each other got hackles raised. The moral of the story? It may not be yesterday, it may not be today, but tomorrow is a whole new day & anything can happen.

I do own several APBTs & we wouldn't have it any other way. They are athletic, they are cuddlebugs, & they are great with humans of all ages. But most are not good with other dogs. That's just the way it is. And my rescues are included in this grouping. IMO, if you are willing to devote lifetime of human-dog bonding vs. trying to force 2 dogs to bond & be friends, then you can make it work. But you have to really love the dogs & really want them to live a lifestyle of "crate & rotate".

Thanks everybody for your replies. I think I've decided that I will not get one. I actually only want to own one dog, maybe two and foster the others but I would not want to risk the lives of the other dogs. Maybe when the day comes and I plan to get dogs I may decide to stick to just one dog and if that's the case I'll most likely get a Pit bull from a rescue. We'll see, like I said it could will be 8-10 yrs. from now once I'm through college and am settled a bit I will get my first dog all on my own.Thanks again!