A question for pit bull owners

[Gempress]

I was wondering, what kind of reaction do your dogs get in public? How do people view your dogs? I'm especially curious to see how they're viewed in Canada, which has some BSL areas.

People usually think Voodoo is a pitty, and he occassionally gets some odd reactions because of it. For example, there are people who are initially leery of Voodoo, yet will approach Zeus without a problem.

Our local park has a nice walking/jogging track. I take the boys there fairly often because it's a great place to socialize. I once heard a lady say "I can't believe she brought a pit bull to a park. That's dangerous: there are kids here!"

When I lived in Austin, my pit bull Tank didn't get reactions like that. He was treated like any other dog. But then again, that was before BSL and so many pit bull maulings/deaths on the news.

What is the general tone in your area regarding pit bulls?

 

[ACooper]

No pittie here, but .................
My mom has always been afraid of dogs in general (never been bitten in her life) no matter their size or breed, so you are always going to have people that have a fear and take "reputations" to heart.
I have been bitten, have a scar on my lip, and I love and trust most dogs still...................go figure???

Look at the dog I own......................it's not just Pitts that get nervous stares!

 

[Jules]

Hmmm....very mixed, actually. I met my share of rude, ignorant people, who avoided T-Bone to save their life as it seemed. One woman was scared to walk down the aisle in Petsmart where I was standing and looking at toys. And that was when my monster was about 4 months old Some people seem wary..they stare at her and walk by slowly...but then again, I also met great people who ask me to pet her and absolutely love her.

When I visit my parents in D.C., people's reactions are worse than here in NC. I don't see as many Pits there as I do here. I took her to a park with me one day and a lady was letting her child romp around. I was sitting on a bench with T-Bone and all of the sudden this child popped up behind me, right by T-Bone who was laying next to the bench. I heard someone scream bloody murder...the mother had seen that her child was on the loose and about to approach my dog... everyone around me stared at T-Bone, it seemed like they thought she would shred that child to pieces. I'm not a big fan of people, especially children approaching T-Bone from behind and without my consent. I made T-Bone sit and let the child pet her. The mother stormed up to me, telling me how I could let a child near my pit bull. I started telling her off that she was da*m lucky it was me and my well socialized "pit" there and not some other dog. How she let her child romp around and if she never thought of teaching her child not to approach strange dogs... Everyone around us was listening to me and the lady turned turned red like a light. By that time T-Bone was laying on her back getting belly rubs from the little girl. A lot of people came up to me afterwards and started talking about pits, their reputation, etc. Even though it started off so bad...I was happy I could maybe make some people think.

Sorry that was long, but that was my last / experience.

 

[Sweet72947]

I'm not a pittie owner, but I walk some pitties at the rescue I volunteer for, and some people think they're cute, and others give you "the eye" when you walk by. By "the eye" I mean the wary look as if the dog will go beserk any minute. In fact, they do that even when I walk a rottie or a dobie. Especially if they have kids.

Out in public though, its different. I have seen people with their rotties and pitties and people don't really care, they see them as any other dog. At petsmart I met a guy walking two adorable pit puppies. I would have pet them but I was carrying a 50lb bag of dog food at the time :yikes:.

 

[patmunar]

Im not a APBT owner. But here in the Philippines APBTs got mix view. Some thinks they look cool, thinks they rock, and some are afraid.

I think those who are afraid are the ones who only hear bout the bad things about the breed.

 

[Bobsk8]

I don't own a pit but go to 2 different dogparks in my area on a daily basis. Most of the people in the park leave when they see a PB approaching the entrance gate. One PB 10 month old dog has already bitten 2 different dogs in the space of 2 weeks requiring vet visits, and several people have asked the owner not to bring his dog into the park unless it is empty....

 

[Gempress]

One PB 10 month old dog has already bitten 2 different dogs in the space of 2 weeks requiring vet visits, and several people have asked the owner not to bring his dog into the park unless it is empty....

That is disturbing. How can somebody just let their dog do than, than continue to bring them to a dog park??

 

[Bobsk8]

That is disturbing. How can somebody just let their dog do than, than continue to bring them to a dog park??

The owner of the dog is a teenager about 17, and he shows very little interest in training his dog. For him, is just easy to let it loose in the park so he can talk on his cellphone to his friends.

 

[Dolly]

Pit Bulls (generally speaking) do not belong in busy dog parks! :yikes:

I own a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, which is pretty much a small pit bull. Everyone thinks she's a cute little pit bull puppy but when I tell them she's full grown they're just amazed and often very interested. People don't seem to mind pit bulls around here, they're pretty common, though I have seen people walking their dogs move away from people walking their pit bulls.

I get a lot more wary looks with my big mutt, though.

 

[Aussie Red]

I don't own a Pitty but I will steer clear at times and for a different reason.
First let me say that I will steer clear of a great many breeds if I notice these things.
1. Unrestrained.. regardless of size
2. Owners dress and actions...regardless of breed
3 Dogs actions toward me or my pet.. regardless of breed

All dogs bite regardless of size or breed it is their defense. If my beloved Whiskey is confronted by a nasty animal and snapped at the fight will be on !
knowing this as I do and his temperment I do not allow people to just approach him or other dogs to.
ACDs are a bit stand offish and have the propensity to be agressive every bit as much as a pit and can inflict the same amount of damage as well !
For that matter so do Chows, Shepards , Rotties , Danes, Saint Bernards, and the list goes on.
Whiskey gets accepted by people because they don't know his breed and they are very curious and want to pet him and find out about him. First thing is I have to warn them not to just come up and pet my dog. I would be that way with a toy breed as well. Idiots just come up and pet dogs not knowing first hand if the dog wants you to or not ! Second if the owner wants you to.
Whiskey is very socialized but also trainned to not lick and jump and annoy others also not to allow just anyone to approach. I have him for my protection as well as for my companionship. I did not get him for the rest of the world. That is why I strongly believe it is the owner that makes a bad dog and does so with the publics help, regardless of breed or size.

 

[savethebulliedbreeds]

It depends on the day lol. I live in Saskatchewan. BSL really hasn't made it here yet. Some people love him and will come right up and pet him. For example, we were at the park one day with him and a family with their 1 year old son came up to us and asked to pet him. They told us what a nice dog he was while Magnus sat there and licked the babys face and told us that they used to have a pit and would love to get another one.

On the opposite end. That same day a lady stopped to pet my moms pomeranian and I kept walking not noticing that she had stopped. When I did notice I turned around and walked back to my mom and this lady. When the lady saw Magnus, she literally jumped in the air screaming. Magnus was still standing beside me. He never even tried to walk towards her. Thankfully, when I managed to get the lady calmed down I was able to explain to her that he was an extremely gentle dog and that she could pet him and he would not hurt her. She did finally pet him and all was well.

 

[savethebulliedbreeds]

I don't own a Pitty but I will steer clear at times and for a different reason.
First let me say that I will steer clear of a great many breeds if I notice these things.
1. Unrestrained.. regardless of size
2. Owners dress and actions...regardless of breed
3 Dogs actions toward me or my pet.. regardless of breed

I don't think you should really judge people based on the way the are dressed or look. If you did that, you probably wouldn't come near me. And my husband and I are extremely nice people and responsible dog owners.

I have piercings in my face and my husband has tattoos all over. We usually wear jeans and hoodies, but we are good people. We don't drink, we don't do drugs, we own our own house and vehicle and we don't have the dog we do because he "looks tough"

Hahaha sorry about that. I'm just giving you a hard time :lol-sign:

 

[J's crew]

I know this question was addressed to Pit Bull owners but since I have Rottweilers I thought I would answer..........

I take my dogs pretty much everywhere that I can. I do get looks, glares sometimes, people will start walking down an isle at the pet store and turn around and walk the other way.....

I use EVERY opportunity that I have to show people what great dogs they are. When I see someone trying to avoid being near them I encourage them to come over and pet whichever dog I have with me at the time. I think I have changed alot of minds and try my best to educate when I can.

It's just one way I try to fight BSL. It's amazing how many people have ideas about different breeds without any first hand knowledge.

 

[Aussie Red]

I don't think you should really judge people based on the way the are dressed or look. If you did that, you probably wouldn't come near me. And my husband and I are extremely nice people and responsible dog owners.

I have piercings in my face and my husband has tattoos all over. We usually wear jeans and hoodies, but we are good people. We don't drink, we don't do drugs, we own our own house and vehicle and we don't have the dog we do because he "looks tough"

Hahaha sorry about that. I'm just giving you a hard time :lol-sign:

That may be so but what I am saying is the people with the bad A.. attitude if you get my meaning. My hubby is tattooed ( navy thing) and rides a harley lol.
What I was saying is the way a person acts you know the gansta, BAD A$$ thing ? Piercing and tatoos although not for me does not make you bad ( SILLY) maybe lol but not bad. I detected humor in your thread so I think you already knew that haha what I meant and you just wanted to pick at me lol

 

[oc_spirit]

My BF has two AmBulls with some pittie back in the lines that is more prodominant in his female, people will cross the street or walk WIDE around us when I have those two. And they always have one eye on the dogs while going by.

 

[savethebulliedbreeds]

I detected humor in your thread so I think you already knew that haha what I meant and you just wanted to pick at me lol

Hahaha you got me right lol. Just bugging ya!

But, yeah. I totally understand where you are coming from with the "gansta" attitude and dress though. I completely understand.

 

[oriondw]

I wish people crossed the street when I walk my dog

 

[Aussie Red]

Hahaha you got me right lol. Just bugging ya!

But, yeah. I totally understand where you are coming from with the "gansta" attitude and dress though. I completely understand.

See I had you pegged right :lol-sign:
Maybe I am a good judge of people afterall:lol-sign:
You made me laugh and that is always " A GOOD THING "

 

[bubbatd]

Denise Flaim has an interesting read in her " Animal House " today on Pitties.

 

[Bahamutt99]

I was wondering, what kind of reaction do your dogs get in public? How do people view your dogs? I'm especially curious to see how they're viewed in Canada, which has some BSL areas.

I'm in Oklahoma, and the tone is generally positive. When I lived in St. Louis, I did occasionally get asinine remarks, like "she's too pretty to be a Pit Bull," or "You've lived with Pit Bulls since you were 8 years old? But you don't look scarred to me." I also had a beastly lady almost hit us with her car, and then refuse to walk near us because "No, thems dangerous dogs." Down here in the south, people seem to be more accepting. It kind of makes up for the lack of some of my favorite places to eat at.

When I took my girl to an obedience trial in November, people came over just to talk to us (and our friend, who was also trialing her Pit Bull that day). They made nice comments about the breed, and how it was good to see APBTs out at the trials. And when I take her out for walks at the park, or run her alongside my bike, I can honestly say that nobody's thrown any stones yet. Of course I've only been here a bit over a year, so time may tell.