Home Study with a dog in the house

Pit bulls are among the most sweet-natured, child-friendly dogs I know. Many pits are wholly or partially, Staffordshire bull terriers or American Staffordshire terriers. The Staffordshires used to be called "nanny dogs", reflecting the fact that they were often used to watch over babies and keep them from harm. A neighbor of mine has two pit bull females, and the older one (about 7) automatically takes on that role with the family's toddler. The younger one (age four) just wants to lick and love everyone, of any age. Other pits are genetically part English bulldog, boxer, or mastiff. Again, these are breeds known to be very sweet-natured. English bulldogs and mastiffs tend to be very tolerant, placid animals. Boxers are rough and tumble players with other dogs, but surprisingly gentle with people. The "Dog Whisperer" often uses Junior, a pit bull, as his assistant when he trains badly behaved dogs. Junior is truly a remarkable animal. One of the Dog Whisperer's favorite sayings is, "Every party needs a pit bull," and he actively promotes pit bull adoption, while pointing out that pits are very active dogs that behave best when they get plenty of exercise. Like all dogs, they benefit from socializing with both dogs and people. If you've ever watched Pit Bulls and Parolees, you'll know that even pits who've been rescued from lives of terrible abuse and neglect can sometimes make loving family pets. They tend to be survivors and to have rather deeply rooted instincts to be good with people (though not always with other dogs). Of course, they do need to be screened carefully, and like all dogs, they benefit from training and positive discipline. An occasional social worker may become nervous around a pit bull, or any medium to large sized dog. Some social workers may also have allergies to animal dander and saliva. It's always a good idea to ask your social worker whether he/she wants you to put your dog into the yard or crate for his/her visit, or whether she wants to observe your dog's behavior firsthand. Fortunately, most social workers that I know love animals and are not inclined to make distinctions based on breed. Sharon No pit bulls, but one elderly Airedale terrier who loves people and hates cats

I keep hearing people say things like that about Pit Bulls, I just don't understand why you would take the risk especially with kids around. Pits bite more often then any other breed by far, that can't be disputed. Period. Granted 95ish % of them are great dogs and never bite, but more than 4% of them do and that's double the % of the closest breeds.[url=http://www.dogsbite.org/dog-bite-statistics-study-dog-attacks-and-maimings-merritt-clifton.php]Dog Attack Deaths and Maimings, U.S. & Canada, September 1982 to December 31, 2012 - By Merritt Clifton - DogsBite.org[/url]

True, and it wasn't until I got a mix that my mother told me that her mother had a pit as a nanny dog in the 40's. Thank you for your advice :)

Perhaps you were too eager to impress us with article links, but I did say above "Thanks for any advice you can give. But please, if you're here to tell me that my pit mix is dangerous & could kill me or my child, allow me to tell you now that I don't want to hear it. You do not know our (well trained) dog." Thanks for your input, but you're advice is misguided & biased, and if you do any actual research into why the numbers are skewed, you will find that any dog considered a "pit bull" actually encompasses about 18 different types of dogs... so naturally, that would skewed the numbers when any report says "pit bull". That is just like saying "minorities cause most of the crime" and considering "minority" to mean anyone who isn't white. When you skew it like that, OF COURSE it appears that way. These reports are doing the same thing. But I am not here to debate this (as I stated in my OP). So, please, back off. :prop:

I was replying to another post in the thread, not to you. I was simply posting a reply to her view. I do have a strong opinion on the issue and considering that I had to deal with 3 different pitbull attacks in less than 3 years on the job (former cop) including a 3 year old that did not survive the attack, I am entitled to my opinion. I even had to dispatch 2 of them to protect myself. All 3 attacks happened in nice neighborhoods with the owners and neighbors all saying how "wonderful" the dogs were, before they snapped that is. They were the only 3 serious dog attacks I dealt with and this was one of the biggest cities in the country.

I live in a big city, too, and in the early 9 years I have lived here, there has not been one "pit bull" attack. And we also have one of the largest "pit bull" populations in the US. There have, however, been over 30 reported attacks by "lab" dogs, and over 75 by poodle/ schnoodle dogs, and well over 100 from chiuaua type dogs. And that is only in the past 3 years. I also know two different babies attacked by collies, but I am not saying they are a problem. Bad dogs come from bad owners- no matter what the breed. So you were a cop. Good for you & thanks for your service. But, as my father in law, also a cop, says- cops are trained to be prejudice- you look at a group of people & use statistics to sum up who you need to watch & who you need to focus on. But that doesn't mean you're always right. And it seems that you are showing that same prejudice here. You saw three attacks. I am sure you also saw teenagers commit vandalism. But saying pitbulls= attacks is as ignorant as saying teenagers= vandalism. Now please, show yourself out of this thread. It is not about dogs, it is about home inspections. I am asking you politely to go away. Please kindly do so. If you want to debate pit bulls, go find a pit bull page to do that on. There are plenty of them. Thanks a million :prop:

Sorry but you don't get the last word. "Bad dogs come from bad owners- no matter what the breed." This is a common line that pit owners like to quote. A bad owner can certainly make ANY dog a bad dog. The problem with pits good owners does not always make good dogs. Stats don't lie and even if you want to believe they are skewed they are not. I am NOT trying to convince you, its obvious your mind is made up. However I am not going to just leave it alone, someone may read this and decide not to risk going with the breed if they have kids. They should hear both sides and not think its all rainbows and butterflies.

Clearly, your strength is not in reading comprehension. I didn't say that it was all "rainbows & butterflies". I trained my dog extensively, she has passed the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizenship tests (which most dogs cannot pass, just FYI), and when we did that class, there were five other dogs- only one was NOT a pit mix. It is just as ignorant of you to assume that all pit mixes will be dangerous as it would be if you assumed that any person of color is out to rob you. It is simply prejudice. Now, I have asked politely, twice, for you to back off. I have been cordial while you attacked me, and I have been civil, and I am asking you, politely, again, to show yourself the door. If you want to start a thread about how terrible pit mixes are, I invite you to do so, elsewhere. Maybe someone will read that & it will change their mind. I wish you luck with that. But you have high-jacked my thread with your bigotry, and I am insisting now that you leave the conversation. Again, if you want to talk about pit bulls, you may either #1 Start your own thread or #2 check out one of the literally MILLIONS of websites about pits- both for & against. I am certain that you will find the fight that you are clearly seeking in one of those places. I sincerely hope that I have stated this clearly enough, and with small enough words, for you to understand what I am saying. Thanks & have a pleasant day. :love:

I don't know why you think you have the right to ask me to back off. I am not sure who has reading comprehension issues but I have stated already that I was not replying to you, I was replying originally to the post that made them sound all rainbows and butterflies. You can live in your dream world all you want, for the rest of the people that live in the real world I am posting the facts. I just realized you live in Philly and you said there have been no pit attacks in the last 9 years lol, again, you're living in your own little dreamworld. Anyone can do a search and find MANY pit attacks in Philly in the last few years including fatal attacks. That's ok though, live in your dreamworld. :)

Bad dogs don't ONLY come from bad owners. Some dogs have bad genetics. Unfortunately, there are breeders who do not breed for good temperament. They breed for size, ferocity, and so on, especially with some of the naturally protective breeds. What you wind up with is a dog who is a menace. And of course, street dogs who breed indiscriminately may also pass on some characteristics that don't work well. I once house-sat for a German shepherd for a whole year; I got to know him well. Aside from the fact that he wasn't neutered -- and an unneutered large male dog in a family neighborhood is a problem in and of itself, especially since Zev was quite an "escape artist" who could open doors and climb fences -- he was a neurotic mess and had bitten other dogs and strange men. Poor Zev was fearful of many things -- loud noises, for example -- and he tended to lunge and bite when spooked. He was raised in a nice family, though one that had no clue about the severity of his problems, but even his vet said that he was a dog who had deep-seated issues that love and training wouldn't cure. And he was an adult by the time I met him, meaning that even if the owner had agreed to neuter him, what was done to the "south end" would not have a positive effect on the "north end", and he would probably continue to be aggressive. He was a gorgeous animal, and he and I got along well, but he was a menace to society. Unfortunately, there are some breeds that have been pretty nearly ruined, genetically, because of bad breeding practices. German shepherds are at the top of the list in this country, as far as I'm concerned, but there are some other breeds that I worry about, too. Pit bulls are a bit different, in that they are not truly a single breed, but they have often bred randomly -- breeding in "survivor" skills -- or been bred for size and aggression, and the tendency to bite first and ask questions later is one of the consequences. Needless to say, socialization and training are critical. Even a totally loving family can be the wrong family for a dog, if the family members are unwilling to invest a lot of time in socializing and training their animal. Especially with big, protective dogs, they have to learn that they are NOT in charge around the house. They have to respect a "pack leader", and to follow certain rules. As an example, it is normal dog behavior to be somewhat food aggressive, but your house dog (whether tiny or giant) must learn that if a child takes his bone or moves his bowl, he CANNOT react in that "normal" way. Socialization and training are especially important in the case of "rescue" dogs. We may not always know their history, so we need to work with professionals who can temperament test the animals and recommend strategies for ensuring that they become safe family pets, if indeed that is possible. Most of us can't afford to hire the Dog Whisperer, so we may have to forego adopting dogs with a questionable history and signs of some negative life experiences, unless we can commit to putting in a lot of effort to keep our families safe, while training the animals to be good citizens. Pit bulls are "survivors", so the shelters are full of them. Unfortunately, many of them have come out of terrible situations, and were badly bred. One of the reasons that there are so many biting incidents is that people simply don't realize that many of them will never be good family dogs, and many will need an exceptional amount of work before they can be reliable pets. Love is NOT enough. Even Tia Maria Torres of Pit Bulls and Parolees, whose shelter often houses 200 or more pit bulls and knows that more will come in every day, won't randomly place a pit with a family without being confident that the animal and the prospective owners are likely to be safe with each other and understand their responsibilities. Another thing that we need to remember is that some breeds are simply more energetic than others. Much as I love pit bulls, I won't adopt one. I'm 68 years old, not very athletic, and very busy. I don't run, bicycle, or engage in other vigorous activities. Pit bulls, especially young pit bulls, need owners who can give them lots and lots of exercise, and I just don't qualify. As someone once said, "A tired dog is a good dog," and a pit bull sitting around and thinking about what he'd like to do next is a formula for disaster. He's going to get rid of that excess energy SOMEHOW, and you're not going to appreciate his efforts. Whether he tears up your carpets or terrorizes the neighbor's cat, it's not going to be pleasant. I love all dogs, and especially Airedale terriers. Airedales look like big stuffed animals, so everyone assumes that they are sweet and good companions. And, ordinarily, they are. Still, Airedales can be as dangerous as any pit bull, and some insurance companies have put them on their dangerous dog lists. They have been used as border patrol guards in Russia, and have served with the U.S. Army in wartime. They were bred to kill nuisance animals, and when they were digging down into an animal's burrow to catch it, they didn't turn back to ask their owners what to do next; they made their own decisions. Some have hunted or been used for bear baiting. So don't underestimate what they an Airedale can do. As it happens, my Airegirl is a sweet animal who loves all people, great and small. She is exuberant, so she might knock a young child down (I keep her on-leash and with me when there are young children in the house), but her main goal is to lick faces and get lots of attention. She will never argue with a child who picks up her biscuits or toys. On the other hand, she HATES cats with a passion; she just can't catch them. And she will get aggressive with some strange dogs, though she is a terrible fighter and is the one who gets bitten. (She'd also be delighted to bite the neighbor's Chihuahua. She got loose once and tried, but even then, was able only to make a single tooth scratch.) I know the breed and I know my dog. While she went to the dog park as a pup, I no longer allow her to play off-leash with any dogs, even her best canine friend, a Westie mix, as I don't like breaking up dogfights, and I don't like big vet bills. I do, however, make it our business to go up to strange dogs and make their acquaintance, after checking with their owners that it's OK. And I do not put her in any situations where she can harm another animal, whether it is a chipmunk, a gerbil, or a cat, although I let her indulge in a vocal tantrum outdoors when she spies a critter. I'm not a great dog trainer, and Airedales are quite willful, but Kelly has turned out to be quite a lovely house dog. She knows and observes the basic rules, and shows respect for me and for my daughter. But she's an Airedale, which means that she's opinionated and mischievous, even at 11 years of age now, and that I do have to keep my eyes and ears open to be sure that she isn't festooning the living room with underpants from the hamper, or some such Woollydog nonsense. Sharon

Bad dogs don't ONLY come from bad owners. Some dogs have bad genetics. Unfortunately, there are breeders who do not breed for good temperament. They breed for size, ferocity, and so on, especially with some of the naturally protective breeds. What you wind up with is a dog who is a menace. And of course, street dogs who breed indiscriminately may also pass on some characteristics that don't work well. I once house-sat for a German shepherd for a whole year; I got to know him well. Aside from the fact that he wasn't neutered -- and an unneutered large male dog in a family neighborhood is a problem in and of itself, especially since Zev was quite an "escape artist" who could open doors and climb fences -- he was a neurotic mess and had bitten other dogs and strange men. Poor Zev was fearful of many things -- loud noises, for example -- and he tended to lunge and bite when spooked. He was raised in a nice family, though one that had no clue about the severity of his problems, but even his vet said that he was a dog who had deep-seated issues that love and training wouldn't cure. And he was an adult by the time I met him, meaning that even if the owner had agreed to neuter him, what was done to the "south end" would not have a positive effect on the "north end", and he would probably continue to be aggressive. He was a gorgeous animal, and he and I got along well, but he was a menace to society. Unfortunately, there are some breeds that have been pretty nearly ruined, genetically, because of bad breeding practices. German shepherds are at the top of the list in this country, as far as I'm concerned, but there are some other breeds that I worry about, too. Pit bulls are a bit different, in that they are not truly a single breed, but they have often bred randomly -- breeding in "survivor" skills -- or been bred for size and aggression, and the tendency to bite first and ask questions later is one of the consequences. Needless to say, socialization and training are critical. Even a totally loving family can be the wrong family for a dog, if the family members are unwilling to invest a lot of time in socializing and training their animal. Especially with big, protective dogs, they have to learn that they are NOT in charge around the house. They have to respect a "pack leader", and to follow certain rules. As an example, it is normal dog behavior to be somewhat food aggressive, but your house dog (whether tiny or giant) must learn that if a child takes his bone or moves his bowl, he CANNOT react in that "normal" way. Socialization and training are especially important in the case of "rescue" dogs. We may not always know their history, so we need to work with professionals who can temperament test the animals and recommend strategies for ensuring that they become safe family pets, if indeed that is possible. Most of us can't afford to hire the Dog Whisperer, so we may have to forego adopting dogs with a questionable history and signs of some negative life experiences, unless we can commit to putting in a lot of effort to keep our families safe, while training the animals to be good citizens. Pit bulls are "survivors", so the shelters are full of them. Unfortunately, many of them have come out of terrible situations, and were badly bred. One of the reasons that there are so many biting incidents is that people simply don't realize that many of them will never be good family dogs, and many will need an exceptional amount of work before they can be reliable pets. Love is NOT enough. Even Tia Maria Torres of Pit Bulls and Parolees, whose shelter often houses 200 or more pit bulls and knows that more will come in every day, won't randomly place a pit with a family without being confident that the animal and the prospective owners are likely to be safe with each other and understand their responsibilities. Another thing that we need to remember is that some breeds are simply more energetic than others. Much as I love pit bulls, I won't adopt one. I'm 68 years old, not very athletic, and very busy. I don't run, bicycle, or engage in other vigorous activities. Pit bulls, especially young pit bulls, need owners who can give them lots and lots of exercise, and I just don't qualify. As someone once said, "A tired dog is a good dog," and a pit bull sitting around and thinking about what he'd like to do next is a formula for disaster. He's going to get rid of that excess energy SOMEHOW, and you're not going to appreciate his efforts. Whether he tears up your carpets or terrorizes the neighbor's cat, it's not going to be pleasant. I love all dogs, and especially Airedale terriers. Airedales look like big stuffed animals, so everyone assumes that they are sweet and good companions. And, ordinarily, they are. Still, Airedales can be as dangerous as any pit bull, and some insurance companies have put them on their dangerous dog lists. They have been used as border patrol guards in Russia, and have served with the U.S. Army in wartime. They were bred to kill nuisance animals, and when they were digging down into an animal's burrow to catch it, they didn't turn back to ask their owners what to do next; they made their own decisions. Some have hunted or been used for bear baiting. So don't underestimate what they an Airedale can do. As it happens, my Airegirl is a sweet animal who loves all people, great and small. She is exuberant, so she might knock a young child down (I keep her on-leash and with me when there are young children in the house), but her main goal is to lick faces and get lots of attention. She will never argue with a child who picks up her biscuits or toys. On the other hand, she HATES cats with a passion; she just can't catch them. And she will get aggressive with some strange dogs, though she is a terrible fighter and is the one who gets bitten. (She'd also be delighted to bite the neighbor's Chihuahua. She got loose once and tried, but even then, was able only to make a single tooth scratch.) I know the breed and I know my dog. While she went to the dog park as a pup, I no longer allow her to play off-leash with any dogs, even her best canine friend, a Westie mix, as I don't like breaking up dogfights, and I don't like big vet bills. I do, however, make it our business to go up to strange dogs and make their acquaintance, after checking with their owners that it's OK. And I do not put her in any situations where she can harm another animal, whether it is a chipmunk, a gerbil, or a cat, although I let her indulge in a vocal tantrum outdoors when she spies a critter. I'm not a great dog trainer, and Airedales are quite willful, but Kelly has turned out to be quite a lovely house dog. She knows and observes the basic rules, and shows respect for me and for my daughter. But she's an Airedale, which means that she's opinionated and mischievous, even at 11 years of age now, and that I do have to keep my eyes and ears open to be sure that she isn't festooning the living room with underpants from the hamper, or some such Woollydog nonsense. Sharon

You are in violation of the forum rules about decorum. That is why I have the right to ask you to leave. Read the rules & you will see that you have broken several. Which is why your posts have been reported to the moderators. Good luck in your adoption journey. I hope that your limited world view doesn't negatively impact your ability to raise a child. :love:

Thanks Sharon, for your input about dogs. I was simplifying, but you're right, there are some animals (and people) who are just negative & angry. Which is why my dog has been heavily trained (she also lets the cat eat out of her bowl & drink her water, lets anyone take any toy from her without any issue, etc) She has been trained to be completely submissive, and she knows that she is not the pack leader in our house. When we go to dog parks, she gets along with every other animal (she even will run from a tiny aggressive dog). The only time I have ever heard her bark was once when someone was trying to break into our home, and the only time I ever heard her growl was once, when someone tried to mug me. Some dogs (and people) have personality disorders. It is just a fact of life. But, I digress. As I said in every post I have made, I am asking about the HOME INSPECTION PROCESS. I am not interested in a debate about what type of dog is best, or what type of dog you might want in your home. But thanks for your info, and input. Do you have any info that is related at all to my question?

If I am in violation then you are as well and you started the personal attacks, I didn't. I was not even replying to you to start with, as I have stated 3 times now. You were never cordial, you were condescending and rude and continue to be. Once again living in your dreamworld. :)

Actually ...YOU are in violation of the forum rules. 1. You do not moderate. 2. You do not dictate who gets to post what on a thread. You can say you don't want to discuss a certain aspect and that's fine. But to dictate...no. You simply don't respond and leave the unwanted advice alone. 3. The rude slam on members? Telling them to go away? NOT ALLOWED