first post in the lounge....its 1:35 am and i cant sleep so i am here twiddling my thumbs and got to thinking i should ask this question...
we found a stray dog last week. she was still bleeding from recently having had puppies, had too many injuries to her face (swollen face), chest, neck and legs (horrible limp)to count, was very weak , dirty and looked near starvation. what was i to do but bring her home? I couldnt find the puppies (country area) and i had no idea what breed of dog she was. so i took her home, fed her, gave her a bath and took her to the vet. the vet imforms me (calmly like its no big deal) that she is a pit bull. 
wow, that scared me for a minute because i had 3 young children in the vets office with me, as well as in the car with the dog!!! . well...she was so weak and lethargic, that we decided to nurse her back to health over a couple of weeks and then find her a home. so she had several abscesses on her face that began draining blood and pus (sorry to be so gross), a uterine infection which she was given antibiotics for, treated for possible heartworms and intestinal perisites (just a presumed precaustion since she was a stray) and had numerous injuries near her eyes, ears, nose, neck etc, as well as the limp. i dont know if she was so injured simply from being a stray for so long, or if her previous owners had her as a fighting dog. in the last day or two , she has regained a ton of energy and has loved going out for walks and playing in the backyard with us. she is the sweetest animal on this planet. my mom says that she will be incredibly loyal because we saved her life. she was seriously on the brink of death. anyway, i dont think my husband is going to want to keep her , partly because we have young kids and they are enough of a handful alone, and we're not much for pets. plus, i think the breed kind of scares us, yet she is so not like the biased idea i had of pit bulls. so= now , i love this animal, and secretly want to keep her. i dont know what to do or say to get my feelings across to my husband so that he understands, and i am afraid of what the neighbors will think about this. we all have fenced in yards, but some of them have kids= and have verbalized (in a "nice' way) that they would never have that kind of dog near kids..."looks like she was a fighting dog" etc... i do honestly have a small fear in my head that what if someday she attacked me, my children or someone else. i just cant get over how sweet she is to us though. i mean , sure she has a lot of playful energy and strength, but when i think of words that describe how she is, i think...loyal, grateful, friend, kind....
if you are an owner of a "pit bull" a.k.a. terrier, staffordshire bull dog, please share with me your experience, wisdom and advice. and thanks for taking the time to read such a long post!
I don't have one but my neighbor did. She raised hers from a pup and recently gave her away (she had it at least 2 years). We asked why and she just said she was scared she was starting to snap at the kids. I would just be worried of the dogs life before you. IF it were a bad life the dog might have some very bad habits like fighting, snapping, biting...And I really don't think this is the fault of the dogs but how they are raised. I know you must have a kind heart in you to take in such a dog...just be very careful with having small children around...JMO
Christi
First of all, thank you for saving this poor girl's life. Your mom is right, she will always love you and be loyal to you and your family because she knows what you did for her. It sounds to me like she was a bait dog - used as bait to train other dogs to kill. She was also used as a breeder to produce more fighting dogs and more bait dogs. You have saved her from a life of pain.
I don't have a bully breed, but our rescue has had one in foster care in the past. She was found as a stray and was fostered by a family with a young child, and was nothing more than a big lovebug. Please don't let this country's general bias towards these breeds influence your decision. Contact a breed club or rescue and learn as much as you can about their true nature and have your family research with you. If you still decide you can not keep her, please contact a breed rescue and surrender her to them so you can be assured that she will find a good home and not be used as bait once again.
All dogs should be kept in fenced in yards, and for extra security (for everyone, the dog included), get locks for your gates so no one can get in without your knowledge and approval. I recommend this to everyone, not just people with certain breeds.
Again, thank you. All dogs are what we as their owners make of them, and you have a wonderful opportunity to educate people about this breed and show them how great they can be.
-Lisa
P.S. Please also educate your children. I don't know how old they are, but it is the instinct of young children (mine included) to pull tails and poke and prod the dogs. It is the instinct of the dog to growl and snap when that happens. Dogs can't say "stop that, I don't like it," so they do the only thing they can in their defense. When the dog is being poked in the eye or hit with a toy (again, my kids have done this and I'm not saying yours have or will), he/she can not be faulted for growling at the offending child. Again, this applies to ALL breeds and I always tell adopters to always supervise children and dogs when they are together.
I agree 100% with Blue. I'm also a rescue volunteer and have seen so many dogs come in all kinds of conditions. So many "big" dogs gets uch a bad rep when they can be some of the sweetest, most loyal dogs out there. Nothing wrong with being cautious and weary but most "bad" dogs are like that because of their owners which is just unfortunate.
Melysa - you have a wonderful heart to take that sweet girl in and nurse her back to health. Not many would do that, especially knowing she was a pit. You are her saviour. 
I had a bulldog years ago before I had a child. He was a supersweet dog and was very loyal to me. Theres no way I would have one now. I would just fear too much for my son around one. My neighbor has one that runs loose and it comes onto my property and barks at my horses but it has one time to come around my house and I will call the owner after that I will call the dog catcher.
"Punish the deed, not the breed"
www.pitbullrescue.org
can give you some good information. Also local humane society or pitbullrescue can often do temperment tests on your dog (push their buttons in a controlled setting) that can give you a really good idea of how this sweetie would react in certain situations. Puppy mill beeders should be shut in a crate and forced to reproduce 4x a year!! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
I just read this and got teary eyed from the description of the dog when you found her, It's so sick how some people treat these animals. I just had to comment on this because I had a pit bull before (past away of old age) and she was the best dog ever! Got her as a stray, vet said she was about 5yrs when I got her. These dogs have such bad reps because people do use them as fighter dogs(sick bastards), but overall these dogs are very loyal, lovable, respectful and smart. I now have 3 small toy breed dogs and to be honest with you I'm more afraid of 2 of them biting someone than I was of the pit bull. just my two cents! Oh and by the way, you are an angel for helping and taking care of this dog, so many people would have just left her as is.
I don't have a pitbull, but I do have a rottweiler at home, which people also tend to have preconceived notions about. I have to tell you, my dog is the biggest love bug you can imagine! He weighs about 120 pounds, but he doesn't seem to realize that, and he loves nothing more than to sit in your lap and cuddle! lol We brought him into our home as a puppy, when our two young nephews were living with us, and he LOVES kids! He will let the boys climb all over him, and he is SOOO gentle with them! I would never allow him to play with kids unsupervised--that's true for any breed of dog, not just the big dogs--but I don't have any doubts about the sweet nature of my puppy.
I say, find yourself a good dog trainer--because you don't know the abuse that this dog endured before she came to your family, you should definitely get the assistance of a professional! If the trainer thinks that the situation is safe, and you in your heart feel that it's safe, by all means, keep the dog! If you have doubts, absolutely find a rescue club--afterall, the safety of your family AND the dog has to be the highest priority in this situation!
Please don't let the reputation of this dog's breed be the deciding factor in your decision! As almost all "bully dog" owners will tell you, in a safe, loving environment, these dogs make AMAZING family pets! Good luck!!!
Our local humane society will not adopt out pitbulls, they turn them over to pit bull rescue, not because they are "vicious" or because they can't adopt them out because of reputation, but because THOSE KIND OF PEOPLE are the ones who want to adopt them, the ones who are looking for a "vicious" dog, or want to scare people, they weren't looking for a pet, they were looking for a fight, and these are the type of people that have bred and given pit bulls the reputation they have today.
Okay, I am a dog lover, but also a child lover. I have 4 sons who have all been taught to treat ALL animals with respect. We are the owners of a male bulldog and pomeranian, and before the death of old age...a St. Bernard. My mother in law is a Rottweiller lover. She has had three in the past. The two that she got as puppies were fantastic. They were totally loving and "lap" dogs. My kids could use them as pillows to watch tv. They loved the kids and the kids loved them. One dog, Thor was a 150 lb male that they rescued from the pound. The previous owners had been abusive to him. My in laws were the perfect people for him because of their experience with the breed and all the love and time they could devote to them (the were in their 50's and early retired). Everything was going fine, for about two years, then my two year old was playing swords at grandmas, and hit the couch BY Thor... it startled him, and he bit my son in the head. 4 stitches in the scalp, barely missing his eye. Lacerations along the whole side of his face. One bite. Because it was Thor's first bite, and perceived to be an accident, they were allowed to keep him, and were just more cautious. They put him out for about a year when the kids were over....then they got lazy... three more years pass...my two year old is 6, and he has a 4 year old brother now. That 4 year old was at grandmas, with all his brothers. They were watching a movie. Thor was asleep on the floor. My 4 year old went to hug his grandma, Thor reacted and mauled him. My 3 older boys had to witness their little brother be attacked by a dog that they all loved that was 115lbs heavier than their baby brother. My mother-in-law pulled him off and was bitten in the process. They had to put the dog down, but not until after my mother in law had to go to court for a vicious animal, which is a felony in my state. My husband is a police officer. Nice to have your co-worker come to arrest your mom. My child had to have iv treatment for 2 weeks. He almost lost his eye due to infection. He still has to have another surgery to repair some of the damage (a year later) He is afraid of dogs, is in therapy, and wets the bed (which he never did before). He doesn't even like our Pomeranian now. My personal advise is... YOU DO NOT KNOW THIS DOG. YOU CANNOT CONTROL YOUR CHILDREN ALL OF THE TIME. YOU CANNOT KNOW WHAT THE DOG IS THINKING. SHE MAY BE LOYAL TO YOU, BUT ARE YOUR CHILDREN HER ENEMY?? I am not against havign ANY breed of dog. I just think you need to raise them from a puppy, with training, and get them from a reputable breeder. This is my opinion, take it or leave it, it doesn't matter to me. All I know is that it is ONLY by the grace of God that my son did not DIE from the attack of a LOYAL dog, that was gentle and loving.
also, one more quick thought. Was so so beat up that you couldn't recognize the breed or did you not know what breed she was until the vet told you? The reason I ask is because a pit is a pretty recognizable breed, and maybe a labrador pup would be a better choice for a family with not much experience with dogs... some small dogs can be just as fiesty as the big ones. 
they ALL need to be trained, and so do your kids.
I don't have any prejudice against any breed, and frankly, I'm not really a dog person, but here's my concern... much of this dog's personality will likely be shaped by what has happened to her previously. My parents adopted a Lsasa Apso that had been previously abused and now will bite anyone in a heartbeat. BUT they have put forth no effort to train the dog otherwise, so I guess we know where that blame lies.
If you can take some of the steps mentioned above (training, temperament testing, etc), then by all means, keep her.
much of this dog's personality will likely be shaped by what has happened to her previously.
Hey Shellie, I have to disagree with that somewhat. While she will always carry the scars, mentally and physically, of her previous life, that does not mean she is destined to be a biter. I know that's not what you meant and is an extreme example...let me try to clarify. I have an Akita mix that we adopted from our local shelter last year when he was a little over a year old. He had spent several months in the shelter after being seized from his owner as part of a cruelty/neglect case. He is a wonderful dog who thinks he is a 75 pound lapdog and my 5 year old son thinks he makes the best pillow and best friend. He was abused and neglected for the formative first year of his life, and yet I have no reservations or qualms whatsoever about locking him & my son in a room together. {not that I have...although sometimes I'd like to lock up the kids 
}
That having been said, yes, we do see in rescue several dogs who we are not comfortable placing in a home with young children. Some of them have come from horrible backgrounds and need an environment where there isn't a chance of a small child accidentally startling the dog (since children tend to move quickly and wobbly at times). And some dogs just don't like kids. Yes, the chances of being bitten are less when you raise the dog from a puppy, but unfortunately can still happen. Especially when the puppy comes from a backyard breeder or puppy mill. Getting a little off topic here...
Melysa, the advice another poster gave about having the dog's temperment evaluated is great. I would contact someone who is knowledgable about the breed to have that done in your home, and not rely on an animal shelter/SPCA. That is a very stressful environment, and sometimes the workers there can have breed biases as well. Again, someone who works for a bully rescue would be a great resource.
-Lisa
ETA:
P.S. I just don't think it's fair to generalize that because one didn't raise a dog from a puppy, it's not a good idea to bring a dog into a home with kids.
I am the proud mamma of a 10 year old pit bull and I could not imagine my life without her.
Let me first say that ANY DOG has the potential to bite. I 100% believe that it the families responsibility to train and protect their friends, neighbors, etc from the risk of a dog attack. The reason people are so terrified of pit bulls has more to do with bad publicity than the breed itself--lets face it, if you pay attention to the news I guarantee that at least half the "pit bull attacks" they report on are a different breed altogether.
I always tell people with pit bulls that it is up to us to change the way that other people see our breed. The more you can do to show people that this is a loving, loyal and courageous breed . . . well, the more people who will realize that they shouldn't believe everything they hear on the news.
First and foremost, educating your children and the neighbors on how to properly approach a new dog, etc. When I moved home from college I brought my pit bull with me. Until then, the kids in the neighborhood knew my parents lab would let them in the backyard whenever, etc. I went to each home, spoke with their parents and talked to the kids about my dog and the way to behave around her. I made it a point to bring those children to our home and introduce them to my dog . . . I let them get comfortable and pet her, feed her treats, and learn to trust her. I also made sure that there was a locked padlock on the gate from then on, etc. I refuse to take a chance with anyones safety--dog or child.
My dog has gotten me through the hardest times of my life . . . my parents were both reluctant to have me bring her home, however now they adore her and won't let me have her now that I've moved again! (I have to share my dog, ugh!) What people don't realize is that pit bulls are very family oriented dogs--they will love and care for your children simply because they belong. You have to be stern with pits, and teach them that the children are not pack members and the dog can't get too rough, but they will adore your kids.
It sounds to me like this dog was attacked or fought. Either way, its something to be cautious with. I would suggest limiting your childrens contact with the dog to times that you are supervising. Its important that they understand to speak softly or use babytalk--my trainer has taught me to do the babytalk thing to make my dog relax and get excited when she is nervous. Teach your children to give her a small treat but to make her sit for it each time they approach her. The more you condition this dog to see your children as caretakers, the better for her.
Just because this dog has been injured to this extent DOES NOT MEAN SHE WON"T BE A GREAT PET! I work in an emergency animal hospital and we have recently taken in a pit bull that was attacked TWICE by her housemate within 2 weeks. Her owner was a total jerk--the kind of guy who measures the size of his ***** by how bada** his dog is--and wanted to put the nicer dog to sleep since she kept getting beat up. GO FIGURE! How much sense does that make??? Kill the nice dog but keep the psycho aggressive dog alive???? GRRRRRRR! We couldn't find it in our hearts to euthanize her, so we talked him into relinquishing her to our office. She was so beat up it took weeks to get her up and going again. She seems dog aggressive now and after what she has been through we don't blame her. One of our vets took her home and this dog is AMAZING! She is so loving and affectionate, happy, energetic . . . and get this . . . she is starting to trust other dogs as well! Pits are just like any other breed, they need love, discipline and time to get through bad experiences.
Don't give up on this dog just because of the stereotype. Get her a kennel or crate of her own, give her a safe space and all the love you can give her. You have obviously done more than her previous owners already! Not only will you be surprised at how much you will love this dog . . . you will be surprised at how much she will do for you! (Security for one . . . a woman and children home alone with a pit bull are pretty darned protected--no one messes with a pittie! You'll be surprised at how safe your home will become!)
Good luck . . . I think you did an amazing thing and it will pay off a million times over. Kindness to animals never goes without reward!!!
I just don't think it's fair to generalize that because one didn't raise a dog from a puppy, it's not a good idea to bring a dog into a home with kids.
I agree, Lisa. I guess I mis-spoke, since every time my folk's dog bites someone they start making excuses.... 
You know, as soon as I typed that, I thought to myself, I'll bet I'm gonna get called on that statement... 
. I'm no expert, that's just based on my limited experience.
Melysa, definitely take as many precautions as you can, and don't take any chances (as if any of us would take chances with our children!) but don't let the prejudice against the breed stop you. I would sit down with DH tonight with all of this great info that the 'CC experts' have provided and have a heart-to-heart.
Please let us know how it goes!
My parents adopted a Lsasa Apso that had been previously abused and now will bite anyone in a heartbeat. BUT they have put forth no effort to train the dog otherwise, so I guess we know where that blame lies.
Ok . . . sorry to say this, but thats NORMAL BEHAVIOR for a Lhasa!!!
I'm not picking on you in particular, so please don't take offense, but it is the most frustrating thing for me when people constantly blame a dogs bad temperament on "abuse." Your parents dog may indeed have been abused, I'm not disputing that . . . I just want to scream though when people blame abuse as the reason the stupid chihuahua they have had since 8 weeks old that is a freaking land shark!!! Its the breed!!! Without proper socialization and training from the very beginning ANY DOG HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE A JERK!!!
Lhasas, chihuahuas, cockers, etc are all more freaky to work with (IMO) than rotties, pitties, dobies, etc. I don't trust em at all . . . and people tend to excuse away bad behavior in smaller dogs because they arent the breeds in the news. ARGH!!!!
This one hit a nerve.
I also think its the breed....I am sometimes more afraid of the smaller breeds then a larger one. Now don't get me wrong..If I see a big rottweiller running towards me you bet your sweet patootie I am going to go up a tree...but I to think it is the breed. I also know that in the nearest city Louisville that a pitty, doby and rottweiler owner has to take out a substantial insurance policy on these dogs. I think in the last 3 years there has been attacks on children by Pitbulls at least 12 times...several were fatal. (In Kentucky) I also think it is this breeds (pitbull) potential also to be very aggressive...there have been several shows on these dogs on the animal planet and pbs. Maybe people have been lucky and have recieved mild mannered pitbulls but it is a well known fact that they are aggressive. Not trying to step on toes here. Just when I went researching for a puppy for my kids (been searching for 1 whole year) I was told by breeders that these weren't for households with small children, because they are powerful dogs. They are beautiful dogs as well as rottweillers and dobeys but i don't hear as much with these dogs as I do with pitbull.
Sorry not meaning to step on toes like I said...just stating what I have been told and the research I have done.
Hope you have lots of luck with your the dog
I have a bullmastiff who I got from the city pound when she was 2. I have had her for 5 years now and thank god everyday that I am lucky enough to have such a wonderful dog.
She was not physically abused by her previous owners, but had psychological damage, was starved, and neglected. It took months to have her respond to being called, to get her to play with her toys, and trust me. She is very large at about 135lbs and hates strange dogs. I did not find this out until after I had adopted her when she attempted to eat my mom's shih tzu the first night (luckily the cone on her head from being spayed prevented any damage). After years of training and conditioning her she now can learn to like new dogs once she meets them slowly and recognises no threat but I still cannot walk her next to any dog on the street.
The scary part about adopted or rescued dogs is that you cannot predict how they will react in certain situations (I still worry with mine sometimes, so I deal with it by never letting my guard down with her, always keeping a leash on her, and watching her very closely for signs of discomfort) .
If you decide to keep her just make sure she is never, even for an instant, left alone with children and that your children respect her space and know to be calm around her.
Good Luck! It was wonderful of you to get her this far even if you don't keep her!
I've also found that the smaller dogs have usually been the ones to bite and be snippy. Any dog we've had come in that has lashed out has usually been a chihuahua, lhasa, shih tzu, etc. We do not adopt out any dogs under 15lbs to people with kids under 10. Some of those dogs don't tolerate the constant touching (especially of the face) and coddling that kids can do and kids just don't know better sometimes. (as to how rough they may be)
But I firmly believe that a lot of it falls into the lap of the owner. Yes, I think some characteristics are common to certain breeds but training at an early age is so important.
I don't have a pitbull, but I do have a rottweiler at home, which people also tend to have preconceived notions about. I have to tell you, my dog is the biggest love bug you can imagine! He weighs about 120 pounds, but he doesn't seem to realize that
Nannaraquel - one of my good girlfriends has a rottie too and I absolutely ADORE that dog. He is the sweetest, gentlest scredy cat! lol I hate to see people cross the street when they see him or judge him based on his breed because he wouldn't hurt a fly. She's had him since a pup and he's so smart and loving all of the time. He runs from mice and lets small dogs and cats run him.
2508s42 - I am so sorry to hear that about your sons. I hope the youngest is doing better....I can't imagine how traumatizing that would be. 
Ironbaker, thanks for your comment. He is seeing a counselor, and he still holds a lot of anger about it. He loved animals, so it is really sad. We got our bulldog puppy after my son's bite, and they have been growing up together. The counselor suggested that. The breed was our choice. My son loves "Tank" and they are great together. I pray that he will make a complete emotional recovery.
I understand that every breed has good and bad dogs. I am not anti-any breed. I just know that in my state you are supposed to carry special insurance to have a pitbull, Rott, or Dobbie. I found that out the hard way. My in laws did NOT have that insurance. It was a very expensive lesson, both financially and emotionally. ALL of us have had to have counseling.
I am just wondering...if these breeds are so passive, and it is only the training that has not been given to them, why would so many states require that insurance?? I am aware that small dogs bite too, but certain breeds are man made for special reasons. For example... Alaskan huskies are not agressive, but they have been bred to run. You can not "train" that out of them.
I am not saying the pets that some people have are bad or are destined to attack just because they are fighting dogs, but some dogs have fighting in their genes. Bulldogs (like mine) were literally named that because they were originally bred to fight...BULLS. They have the flat nose so they can breathe when the blood runs down, the wrinkles are channels for the blood, the under jaw is like a vice grip. They were bred to bite a bull in the holes of the nose and clamp on and bleed a bull to death. We have had special training with our dog to see and defuse any aggressiveness, since if he gets in a fight, he has it bred into him to fight to the death. He is not a bad dog. We all love him very much. It is just his breed, and that is why we are extra, extra careful.
Just be smart, that's all. Sorry to be all preachy. The thing with my kids still burns strong to my heart.
I am just wondering...if these breeds are so passive, and it is only the training that has not been given to them, why would so many states require that insurance??
I live in California and I have never heard of this before. There is always a move to make it more expensive for people to own "At Risk" breeds by charging exorbitant fees for licensing, etc.
I would honestly pay whatever fee's necessary for me to legally be able to own my pit.
I believe part of the issues with this breed is that they have become the poster children for the trashy part of our society--drug dealers, etc. I used to work in an animal hospital next to Pomona . . . not the best of areas. I would get people who could barely afford to put food on the table who would bring in their pit bulls wanting their ears cropped, to find out what to do to build up muscle and make them look more menacing, etc. Most of them were disappointed by how friendly and outgoing their dogs were--not the bada** dogs these people thought they were getting. I've even had a guy who brought his dog in wanting us to implant Neuticals (fake testicles) NOT because we were going to neuter his dog--No, he wanted his dogs testicles to look HUGE!
This is why I firmly believe that any breed, any dog has the potential to be aggressive . . . and it is up to the people who bring these dogs into their homes to properly train their pets and educate their neighbors. The more people who realize that the breeds problems come from the people who ENCOURAGE that kind of behavior, the more I think people will work to promote responsible pet ownership rather than mass euthanasia of a specific breed. Breed bans do nothing but enhance that breeds cool factor . . . if more and more traditional families begin keeping pits, dobies, etc as pets, maybe the drug dealer types will find them less attractive.
I am just wondering...if these breeds are so passive, and it is only the training that has not been given to them, why would so many states require that insurance??
Only because of the negative publicity that surrounds an attack on a humans invloving these breeds. I was talking to an ER doctor a few years ago, and he said he sees the most dog bites from Golden Retrievers. But my homeowners insurance won't "allow" me to have a Pit Bull, Rotti, or Doberman. Whatever.
-Lisa
This is why I firmly believe that any breed, any dog has the potential to be aggressive . . . and it is up to the people who bring these dogs into their homes to properly train their pets and educate their neighbors.
Yes, yes, yes!! And ditto to everything else you said
-Lisa
whew, thats an earful! thank you everyone for your words of caution, wisdom and encouragement.
I am sorry to the poster who had accidents with the dogs and their children. i cant even fathom....i had tears reading about that!
we are going to look into the dog rescues, obedience training and temperment testings.
i did keep the dog secluded from the kids (3,5 and 8 . )for the first few days so she could rest and recouperate in a safe environment, and have slowly and cautiously reintroduced my children to her over the last few days, supervised ONLY and i keep her on a leash while they are out. i hold on to her leash while we play and walk so that she can still move around (rather than chained up) yet i can still have some control. the kids are being very cautious, but still have a lot to learn before i feel comfortable. not necessarily because of her temperment (i can not tell you enough how loving and sweet she is...sometimes when she looks me in the eyes, i want to cry because she looks at me as if she wants to say how truly thankful she is -then the sweet moment is sometimes interrupted by a big slobbery lick! ...) , but more because of my BIASED fear that still lurks in the background. (we've never had a family dog).
someone asked what the reason was that i didnt know her breed when i found her....basically i just dont know the name/look of any breed other than a "mutt" because thats all we had growing up- we always took in the strays! my opinion previously was biased based on negative publicity, which to me pretty much confirms in my own head at least , that this is why there are insurance laws/ bans etc, in places because people fear because they are told to, not always necessarily because they have ever had a real experience with this breed, this can be true of any animal i am sure. anyway,
i will make sure that i get a lock for my gate, and i have been thinking of going to my neighbors to introduce them to her one on one as well (one of you suggested that too, thank you, its a responsible pet owner thing to do!)....as well as look into the states requirements for insurance etc.
lisa, were you the one who mentioned the "bait" dog/breed dog" ? i told my husband and we are both curious to know more details...we've never heard of that, it sounds horrific.
again, thank you for ALL views and suggestions, i do not take anything lightly and will carefully consider them all. it is also so good to know that if we decide we can not keep her, we can take her to a rescue , so i will feel safe that she will never again be put in an abusive situation!
Well I have not read all the post but read yours.
I have a rottweiler/staffordshire terrior and maybe black lab in her. She was a rescue puppy from the shelter. She is categorized as a pit. We had to have all our neighbors write letters that we were good people and will care for the dog. I know you have hesitation but My dughter was nine months and Hailey our dog was three months.
She is six now and she is the best dog I could have ever asked for. People say all the time why would you put you daughter at risk??? Hailey is very protective of my daughter and our family. She would never harm any of use or anyone for that matter...unless they were harmng us.
HTH!
still up! had a quick thought...a couple days ago on our walk around the neighborhood, some teenage boys were sitting out in the driveway hanging out. as i passed, one of those shouted out, "you wanna sell her?" i was so taken back and dont remember my exact answer, but somewhere in there was a "no" and something about not wanting her to be breed again. it didnt cross my mind till now but, why in the world would a teenager ask if they could BUY her? duh- the only reason i can think of now is that it would make him look cool to have a tough dog, or to have puppies to sell to others who think the same thing. how sad. i'm glad i stuck up for her!
Get used to that . . . unfortunately it happens a lot.
I had two guys follow me in their car while I was out walking Rajah once . . . they kept asking me if I breed her, how much she weighed, etc. I didn't answer them except to say I was not interested. It freaked me out enough that I called my Dad to come get us insted of allowing them to follow me home.
I also had my ex-boyfriends pit bull almost stolen from our backyard. I came home and found a HUGE laceration under his neck and couldnt figure it out. The next day the police came by and said a neighbor called them the day before to report a guy hanging over our fence trying to pull my dog over the fence using a leash looped like a noose. Thank goodness it didnt work . . . and apparently the neighbors quick thinking saved the dog.
The flip side is that you will meet so many people who have a genuine love and respect for the breed that it will warm your heart. Every time you are able to reach out and teach someone the truth about this breed--and get the message out that any breed has the potential to be bad, and its good ownership that makes the difference--you will get a huge sense of satisfaction. Your doing a good thing for this dog . . . good kharma always pays off.
I just wanted to update that it has been a month and we still have "Emma"...she needed a name! there is only ONE rescue in our state that will take in pitbulls and adopt them out..all others euthanize without question. couldnt let that happen! she has been nothing but sweet, loving, playful, obedient and appreciative. her wounds are healing...done with the antibiotics, no more swelling, no more limp!!! she will always have lots of scars (hundreds!) but she knows she is LOVED and i KNOW she feels safe. I am taking steps to get her spaid and vaccinated, also looking into obedience training- just for precaution. I really adore her, my kids, even my husband have developed a soft side for her. she is slowly also getting to know our neighbors and their dogs. one day a friend brought over their puppy (a lab) and they INSTANTLY bonded! it was so heartwarming to see her SO happy. i do get sad now and then thinking about the hell she must have gone through with those horrible people!!!! tonight my husband was driving and saw a teenager walking his puppy pit bull- on a chain- pulling a tire. i dont cuss, but i can tell you my thoughts werent exactly clean when i heard that! that is a felony! it just burns me up to think of the abuse some people put these animals through-
i do have a question for those of you who have worked with or have a bulldog that had a fighting background...
1. can you tell the difference between a bait dog or a fighting dog? (ie. physical, behavioral etc)
2. what types of words/ actions should we AVOID around a dog of this background (ie: "kill" , fetch etc) .
alright, its soooooooo late, going to bed. thanks again everyone for your encouragement and education when i first found her. you all SAVED HER LIFE. had it not been for the realistic information, we may not have given her the chance she deserved, and we would have missed out on an important lifechanging lesson. thank you.
Glad to hear things are working out for you so far!
My sister-in-law has a pitbull and he definetely behaves better when he's with her. But my SIL's hubby doesn't feel the need to back up the training that my SIL does with the dog and then they have behavioral issues on the days she's not home 
I would love to have a dog again, but first I have to have a place that will allow me to keep a dog, and I have to have the time to spend with it.
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