Blue Pit Bulls

[PUZZLDY5]

I am a firm believer that a dog is as mean as you make it. If you treat an animal badly your going to get those results. We are dog people. We love our dogs as if they were family so there is no way we would ever treat any of our pets badly. That being said, I posted on here a few months ago about us loosing our beloved dog Buster. Our house seems off balance now and think we are ready to open our hearts to another dog.
I have an opportunity to get a blue pit puppy (approx 8 wks)from a friend of a friend sort of thing but I want to know as much about them as possible. The good, the bad and the ugly. If anyone in Dis world knows anything about them (not speculation please) I would greatly appreciate as much real info as possible.

 

[JessicaR]

I know they tend to be more susceptible to skin conditions. They are interbred for color. I can't help with temperament. I would make sure you are getting this or any dog from a reputable breeder. A few years ago they were in great demand for a Pit bull, maybe still are?

Sorry about Buster.

 

[jrmasm]

I know they tend to be more susceptible to skin conditions. They are interbred for color. I can't help with temperament. I would make sure you are getting this or any dog from a reputable breeder. A few years ago they were in great demand for a Pit bull, maybe still are?

Sorry about Buster.

The bolded would make me worry about about temperament.

I wouldn't touch this puppy and I have no problem with Pitts.

 

[taylor3297]

Call your vet and see what they say about the possible skin conditions.

As to the breed itself, they are wonderful dogs when raised right. I have quite a few friends who own pit bull (all are a reddish color) and I all are extremely friendly. Heck, they make my little Shih Tzu look mean in comparision.

 

[JessicaR]

I remembered reading this a few years ago and went looking for it for you. Its a great article from a breeder on Blue Pits. It contains lots of info on health issues.

http://www.riospitbull.com/blue_pitbulls.htm

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I am a firm believer that a dog is as mean as you make it. If you treat an animal badly your going to get those results. We are dog people. We love our dogs as if they were family so there is no way we would ever treat any of our pets badly. That being said, I posted on here a few months ago about us loosing our beloved dog Buster. Our house seems off balance now and think we are ready to open our hearts to another dog.
I have an opportunity to get a blue pit puppy (approx 8 wks)from a friend of a friend sort of thing but I want to know as much about them as possible. The good, the bad and the ugly. If anyone in Dis world knows anything about them (not speculation please) I would greatly appreciate as much real info as possible.

Is the puppy with the mother? Have you viewed the care of the litter and mother?

Before you do your homework on the breed, make sure you go and see the care, conditions, of the puppies etc.

In addition you can assess the mother's temperament. I would consider that a vital when making a purebreed adoption. No matter the breed. A good start to a puppy can make all the difference.

 

[PUZZLDY5]

Is the puppy with the mother? Have you viewed the care of the litter and mother?

Before you do your homework on the breed, make sure you go and see the care, conditions, of the puppies etc.

In addition you can assess the mother's temperament. I would consider that a vital when making a purebreed adoption. No matter the breed. A good start to a puppy can make all the difference.

Very good point. Thank you.

 

[marie1203]

I have 5 dogs and a pitbull up for adoption. Pit bulls are not dogs for inexperienced dog owners. And while I do believe there is no bad dog only bad dog owners you can't ignore genetics. Pit Bulls are very smart, energetic dogs that love to please their owner. Unfortunately we have damage the breed with bad breeding. Pit bulls were bred to fight other dogs, it has been proven in a 15 year study on foxes that the aggression is pass on as a gene. Therefore it is very, very important to get a very well known breeder that does genetic testing in their dogs. Here is from Villalobos Rescue center and it is usually in every rescue page on pitbulls and dog aggression,
"We can’t blame specialized breeds for behaving like they were bred to do what they do. Certain specific traits were selectively bred into the dogs and are now a part of the breed’s character. It’s like the digging instinct of many Terriers, the herding behavior in Shelties, the compulsion to run in a Greyhound, etc. Your Pointer may have never spent a day on a real “hunt”, but he may still point and flush out a bird as his ancestors were bred to do so. We don’t have to condone or glorify it, but dog aggression is not uncommon with Pit Bull type dogs. Owners must recognize and accept this fact or they won’t be able to provide competent ownership and have fun with their dogs. It’s a mistake to think the fighting gene can be easily trained or loved out of a dog. Or that early socialization will guarantee your Pit Bull will always get along with other animals."

Socialization is very important in the breed. Now with all that in our rescue we will not place a Pitbull in a family that has other animals, just to prevent future problems that might happen we want the dog to have a forever home. The pitbull we have now has never started a fight but when another dog starts he does not back down. As a pitbull owner is important that you are extra careful do not let your kids without your supervision take them on walks, etc because if anything was to happen the pitbull always gets blame even if it wasn't them who started it, is sad but that is how society label them.
They tend to always want to be the alpha so consistency in their training is very important. Good luck with your new furry friend.

Edited part: I should have added that dog aggression in pitbulls most of the time comes out of no where when it happens, it usually very unpredictable.

 

[mickeyboat]

Make sure your homeowner's insurance will allow you to have one.

 

[EMom]

I probably shouldn't waste my time typing, because every time I (and others with a similar story) make the effort to share their experiences, one particular poster makes it their mission to jump onboard and tell us how every single pit bull attack was OUR fault, and never the fault of the dogs. At some point, being attacked that way by someone who wasn't even there after having been involved in a pit bill attack seems redundant.

Do what you want to do. Believe what you want to believe. But I can tell you from first hand experience that years ago, our pit bull puppy, raised as a loved family pet, went nuts and turned into every nightmare pit bull you read about in the paper. Would we have believed it the day before? Nope. But back then, they didn't get the press they do now. I firmly believe they are unpredictable and you may wind up with a sweetheart or.....a sweetheart who snaps for no reason someday and makes a chew toy out of a kid or one of your other pets. I will never, ever let my child be around one. I learned the hard way. It's not worth the risk. Every single time one mauls/kills someone, the owners swear up and down it was an angel up until the attack. Heck, maybe it was. I'd never take the chance. Too many others on this board would come here and tell you the same thing from their experience, but they are tired of being jumped on.

No way. Too many other, safer dogs to have.

 

[airhead]

I have 5 dogs and a pitbull up for adoption. Pit bulls are not dogs for inexperienced dog owners. And while I do believe there is no bad dog only bad dog owners you can't ignore genetics. Pit Bulls are very smart, energetic dogs that love to please their owner. Unfortunately we have damage the breed with bad breeding. Pit bulls were bred to fight other dogs, it has been proven in a 15 year study on foxes that the aggression is pass on as a gene. Therefore it is very, very important to get a very well known breeder that does genetic testing in their dogs. Here is from Villalobos Rescue center and it is usually in every rescue page on pitbulls and dog aggression.
"We can’t blame specialized breeds for behaving like they were bred to do what they do. Certain specific traits were selectively bred into the dogs and are now a part of the breed’s character. It’s like the digging instinct of many Terriers, the herding behavior in Shelties, the compulsion to run in a Greyhound, etc. Your Pointer may have never spent a day on a real “hunt”, but he may still point and flush out a bird as his ancestors were bred to do so. We don’t have to condone or glorify it, but dog aggression is not uncommon with Pit Bull type dogs. Owners must recognize and accept this fact or they won’t be able to provide competent ownership and have fun with their dogs. It’s a mistake to think the fighting gene can be easily trained or loved out of a dog. Or that early socialization will guarantee your Pit Bull will always get along with other animals."

Socialization is very important in the breed. Now with all that in our rescue we will not place a Pitbull in a family that has other animals, just to prevent future problems that might happen we want the dog to have a forever home. The pitbull we have now has never started a fight but when another dog starts he does not back down. As a pitbull owner is important that you are extra careful do not let your kids without your supervision take them on walks, etc because if anything was to happen the pitbull always gets blame even if it wasn't them who started it, is sad but that is how society level them.
They tend to always want to be the alpha so consistency in their training is very important. Good luck with your new furry friend.

Edited part: I should have added that dog aggression in pitbulls most of the time comes out of no where when it happens, it usually very unpredictable.

to the OP; PLEASE listen to this poster! She has given you EXCELLENT advice. I have trained dogs for over 20 yrs and have worked with packs for 12 yrs. I'm SO TIRED of hearing,"its not the breed ,its the deed". It IS the breed AND the owner who refuses to understand what the breed was bred for!!!

 

[stashbin]

I probably shouldn't waste my time typing, because every time I (and others with a similar story) make the effort to share their experiences, one particular poster makes it their mission to jump onboard and tell us how every single pit bull attack was OUR fault, and never the fault of the dogs. At some point, being attacked that way by someone who wasn't even there after having been involved in a pit bill attack seems redundant.

Do what you want to do. Believe what you want to believe. But I can tell you from first hand experience that years ago, our pit bull puppy, raised as a loved family pet, went nuts and turned into every nightmare pit bull you read about in the paper. Would we have believed it the day before? Nope. But back then, they didn't get the press they do now. I firmly believe they are unpredictable and you may wind up with a sweetheart or.....a sweetheart who snaps for no reason someday and makes a chew toy out of a kid or one of your other pets. I will never, ever let my child be around one. I learned the hard way. It's not worth the risk. Every single time one mauls/kills someone, the owners swear up and down it was an angel up until the attack. Heck, maybe it was. I'd never take the chance. Too many others on this board would come here and tell you the same thing from their experience, but they are tired of being jumped on.

No way. Too many other, safer dogs to have.

I totally agree with this 100%. Unless you have no children, have a securely locked fenced in yard with no possibility of any other human coming in contact with the dog, the answer would be an unequivical NO!

 

[okeydokey]

I have 5 dogs and a pitbull up for adoption. Pit bulls are not dogs for inexperienced dog owners. And while I do believe there is no bad dog only bad dog owners you can't ignore genetics. Pit Bulls are very smart, energetic dogs that love to please their owner. Unfortunately we have damage the breed with bad breeding. Pit bulls were bred to fight other dogs, it has been proven in a 15 year study on foxes that the aggression is pass on as a gene. Therefore it is very, very important to get a very well known breeder that does genetic testing in their dogs. Here is from Villalobos Rescue center and it is usually in every rescue page on pitbulls and dog aggression.
"We can’t blame specialized breeds for behaving like they were bred to do what they do. Certain specific traits were selectively bred into the dogs and are now a part of the breed’s character. It’s like the digging instinct of many Terriers, the herding behavior in Shelties, the compulsion to run in a Greyhound, etc. Your Pointer may have never spent a day on a real “hunt”, but he may still point and flush out a bird as his ancestors were bred to do so. We don’t have to condone or glorify it, but dog aggression is not uncommon with Pit Bull type dogs. Owners must recognize and accept this fact or they won’t be able to provide competent ownership and have fun with their dogs. It’s a mistake to think the fighting gene can be easily trained or loved out of a dog. Or that early socialization will guarantee your Pit Bull will always get along with other animals."

Socialization is very important in the breed. Now with all that in our rescue we will not place a Pitbull in a family that has other animals, just to prevent future problems that might happen we want the dog to have a forever home. The pitbull we have now has never started a fight but when another dog starts he does not back down. As a pitbull owner is important that you are extra careful do not let your kids without your supervision take them on walks, etc because if anything was to happen the pitbull always gets blame even if it wasn't them who started it, is sad but that is how society level them.
They tend to always want to be the alpha so consistency in their training is very important. Good luck with your new furry friend.

Edited part: I should have added that dog aggression in pitbulls most of the time comes out of no where when it happens, it usually very unpredictable.

Great information. It is nice to read a balanced opinion.

 

[PUZZLDY5]

I have 5 dogs and a pitbull up for adoption. Pit bulls are not dogs for inexperienced dog owners. And while I do believe there is no bad dog only bad dog owners you can't ignore genetics. Pit Bulls are very smart, energetic dogs that love to please their owner. Unfortunately we have damage the breed with bad breeding. Pit bulls were bred to fight other dogs, it has been proven in a 15 year study on foxes that the aggression is pass on as a gene. Therefore it is very, very important to get a very well known breeder that does genetic testing in their dogs. Here is from Villalobos Rescue center and it is usually in every rescue page on pitbulls and dog aggression.
"We can’t blame specialized breeds for behaving like they were bred to do what they do. Certain specific traits were selectively bred into the dogs and are now a part of the breed’s character. It’s like the digging instinct of many Terriers, the herding behavior in Shelties, the compulsion to run in a Greyhound, etc. Your Pointer may have never spent a day on a real “hunt”, but he may still point and flush out a bird as his ancestors were bred to do so. We don’t have to condone or glorify it, but dog aggression is not uncommon with Pit Bull type dogs. Owners must recognize and accept this fact or they won’t be able to provide competent ownership and have fun with their dogs. It’s a mistake to think the fighting gene can be easily trained or loved out of a dog. Or that early socialization will guarantee your Pit Bull will always get along with other animals."

Socialization is very important in the breed. Now with all that in our rescue we will not place a Pitbull in a family that has other animals, just to prevent future problems that might happen we want the dog to have a forever home. The pitbull we have now has never started a fight but when another dog starts he does not back down. As a pitbull owner is important that you are extra careful do not let your kids without your supervision take them on walks, etc because if anything was to happen the pitbull always gets blame even if it wasn't them who started it, is sad but that is how society level them.
They tend to always want to be the alpha so consistency in their training is very important. Good luck with your new furry friend.

Edited part: I should have added that dog aggression in pitbulls most of the time comes out of no where when it happens, it usually very unpredictable.

Thank you so much for your advice. That was exactly what I was looking for.

 

[aaarcher86]

We have a pit. He's a great family dog. If you are willing to do your homework and take a few extra precautions and care they can be great.

I 100% agree with the previous pp (that most have quoted). It was summed up well. Our dog does the same thing in regards to fighting - doesn't start it, won't back down from one though. Although, this is only an issue with large dogs. Anything smaller, he's practically terrified of. Our Boston Terrier will chase him all over the yard!

Know before you go the route of a pitbull that regardless if they are a great dog or not, they will always carry a stigma.