Dogs are domesticated animals, we see different breeds for specific reasons, they were bred for a purpose. Look at what your dog was bred to do and consider it before you get a dog. Dogs bite, dogs play, dogs kill….sometimes the lines for a dog blur….family golden retriever was playing in the backyard with the little girl grabbed the girls scarf and proceeded to run in a circle playing…the girl died. Dad was giving the family weimaraner treats, 2 year old walked by -dad throws treat-dog snaps for treat-tooth strikes major artery in neck-child dies-the investigation reveals it a horrible accident. Parents decide they are going to stop responding every time 3 month old cries “let her cry it out”-baby cries-family huskey gets worried-picks up baby and brings it to mom-baby still has soft skull and is killed.
There are also numerous tales of toddlers being backed over by the family car.
I had a weimaraner pit mix for 10 years, greatest dog ever. Lived in Hawaii where pits are like the state dog, everyone loved him. Moved to SoCal and little children would be swinging from his ears and tugging his tail for 20 minutes, he loved it kisses all around AND THEN “what kind of dog is that?” once they heard pit bull the eyes would glaze over in fear and they grabbed these same children that had been innocently playing now from the brink of death with a pitbull and run off screaming at me about the evil pit bull.
I now own 2 pure weimaraners (both from rescue) and people think it is ok to come running up to pet them because they are beautiful, these dogs do not like strangers or people running up to them, but people think because they are beautiful unique dogs that is ok vs my pit that actually loved all people.
Any dog can bite. Litle dogs bite more often. Bigs dogs bite harder.
I chose to never have another pit. Sad, but they are a walking liability in Socal. To the poster, continue to enroll your dog in classes (forever), keep it well socialized, and ignore the glares from scared and ignorant people. We used to dress my 90+ pound mix in hats and t-shirts just to make him look less intimidating. I watch my dogs like a hawk. They are still in school. They get out on the trails off-leash regulary. They are dogs, I can say whatever about how reliably trained they are….squirrel crosses the path all bets are off.
