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Posted by: Samantha
Story ID: 039
Posted on: April 14, 2007
E-Mail at: Sheadoreshimxo@aim.com
Message: My boyfriend wanted a pit bull puppy for awhile so I was looking in newspapers and online and everything. We finally found a breeder about an hour or so away. One night, we drove out there and picked our puppy. Her name is Tequila and she is the most lovely little thing I've ever seen. I'm not going to lie, I was a little afraid of pit bulls before we got one. But now, I don't think I'll ever own a different breed. It's ridiculous how people want to ban them, when it is really all in how you raise them. It's not their fault if they are raised to be vicious. People shouldn't have to lose their dogs if they are raised properly and not a harm to anyone.

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Posted by: Misty
Story ID: 038
Posted on: March 16, 2007
E-Mail at: Irishchild85@yahoo.com
Message: I have a baby pit bull, he is wonderful. He has been better than any lab, golden retriever, hound dog, or toy poodle (I have had a lot of dogs). Now knowing how great he is I want to save another pit because people just don't know what they are about. I don't know a lot but everyone, including my vet, said I could only have one pit, but I want to get a second dog and I would love to adopt a pit, but I don't want to endanger the dogs because they might fight. Is this something I can look into or would it be best for my second dog to be a lab? If you can help that would be great cause I would love to adopt another pit.

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 Kelly says: Misty, that is so not true about only having one pitty. I know this for a fact; because, I have two and am fostering one, soon to be adopting her, I have two females and a male. It depends on your dog. Now I would try a female with him, that is for sure the best mix. Bring your puppy to any local rescue and they will let you interact with another pit. I don't know where you are located but if its in PA I could give you the names of rescues overflowing with the breed. Thank you for wanting to adopt. All three of mine were... Saving the breed one by one. THEY ARE AWESOME DOGS!!!!!! GREAT WITH KIDS TOO. Please e-mail me if you have any other concerns or questions i would be happy to help.

 Brooke says: You can have another pit!!! I had one who hated other dogs, but got along with another female pit. So I say go for it!

 David says: I have always had two Pit Bulls. I have never had a problem, but I believe its best to get both dogs when there are young.

 Dave says: The whole idea of not being able to have two pit bulls in the the same house together because they're dog aggressive isn't necessarily true. There's plenty of people who have 2 or more pit bulls/dogs and it works fine. Some pit bulls are dog aggressive and some aren't. Some are also more socialized than others and that makes a big difference. I would encourage you to adopt another pit bull if you can handle the responsibility, but be sure to make sure they meet first and get along and make sure that your dog is not dog aggressive, because one less pit bull in a pound or shelter is that much better off.

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Posted by: Jennifer
Story ID: 037
Posted on: February 07, 2007
E-Mail at: Rockydapit@hotmail.com
Message: I have lived in Daytona Beach, Florida for over 8 years and I have 2 pit bull terriers both under the age of a year. They are gentle and kind to every person they have ever met, even if it is the first time. I live in a townhouse that I am over paying for only because I can't find anywhere else to live that will allow me to keep my dogs. I would really like to move into a more affordable and more comfortable area but everyone turns me down the second I say pit bull. Does anyone have any advice, please email me. I would really appreciate it, thank you.

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 Stephanie says: I have been able to get away with calling my dog a Lab mix. I say I do not know what he is mixed with. He is a Lab/pit mix, but since he's all black, most people don't question it. The only problem is when someone notices by the shape of his head that he's definitely a pit bull. Luckily those people never really cared when they were able to see he is a sweet loving dog. But for all legality terms I insist I do not know what he's mixed with. In fact he's listed as a Lab only on my insurance policy, the agent told me not to even disclose he was a mix at all, it's sad in this day & age you are discriminated by what breed of dog you own, when not one is any different from the other when it comes down to them being classified as bad dogs.

 David says: Yeah, don't tell them they are Pit bulls, say that they are Staff's. I lost my insurance on my house when they found out I had two Pit Bulls. So I told my next Insurance agents that I had two Staff's.

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Posted by: Christi
Story ID: 036
Posted on: February 07, 2007
E-Mail at: Jeffusj@gmail.com
Message: My husband and I are from Salem, MO. We have a pit bull of our own and she is just adorable. A lot of our family believe the terrible stories that people have said about pit bulls. So we just want to help you get out the word about how wonderful these animals really are. Recently we had a dog who was around the age of 13. Our cruel neighbors had there 10 year old son shoot our dog because it was right on their fence line, and it was in the country so it was their word over ours. It really upsets me for I feel like I can't do anything about it. I went to the police and it led me nowhere. I wish that if anyone could please help me to get the word out or to actually march up to the government or whom ever needs to hear us, and change the laws of shooting animals and cruelty towards them. People today don't respect animals of any size or color or breed. Those who I am speaking of sicken me and I wish you all would be punished for what you do to these animals. If I were the law I would shoot the bastards who have ever hurt any animal out of the enjoyment of there own sick twisted minds. I just want to say I am very glad to see there are still people who care, and that is why I love this website. Please help me understand what to do with all the jerks in the world.
Thanks for your time.

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Posted by: Kayla
Story ID: 035
Posted on: January 23, 2007
E-Mail at: Unavailable
Message: I have 4 pit bulls, 2 girls and 2 boys named Sasha, Saphy, Max, and Harley. I also have 2 Chihuahuas and a Jack Russell named Chiketo, Lena, and Shiloh and a kitten named Nemo. One of my pits just had puppies less then a week ago. She let the Chihuahuas and cat in the bed with the puppies JUST MINUTES after they were born its the most amazing thing. She's always loved the other dogs and cat but I didn't think that she would let them near her pups. It was the sweetest thing I've ever seen. I heard soo many stories about all dogs not just pits being protective about there pups but she's nursing my kitten and she's cleaning them and everything. I've always known my pits were sweet hearts and wouldn't hurt a fly, but this is amazing. Has anyone ever heard of pits doing this with other dogs also??? Its amazing!!!!! I love all my babies especially Sasha, her, and Harley make the sweetest babies ever!!!

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 Jen says: My 3rd Pit Spike, loved babies! He was used by the vet as a surrogate for mothers who did not want their puppies. Yes a male used to surrogate. He would clean the pups and let them "nurse" while the vet would bottle feed the others. It was so strange, yet they found out Spike was more than happy to do it one time when he was boarded.

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Posted by: Elizabeth
Story ID: 034
Posted on: January 14, 2007
E-Mail at: Unavailable
Message: On August 12, 2006 I was told by my best friend not to freak out. I went to my backdoor to see what she was talking about, and, did the exactly what she wanted me not to do, started freaking out. My baby (yes he is my baby) is a pit/boxer mix, 2 years old. My neighbors have always had something out for him. They've always complained about his barking (which has notified them on several occasions of thieves.) They've always said that he needed to be shot, because of what he was... yeah, right. But we would never have thought that they would have done what I'm about to tell you. After my friend called me to the backdoor and after all the screaming, after driving 20 miles to the nearest animal hospital, we finally came to the conclusion what had happened. My neighbors had ran over my dogs face with a lawn mower. The blades had cut into his nose and he was drowning in his own blood, his face (the right side) was literally in shreds, but in all the time it took for us to get him to the animal hospital, he was remarkably calm. They said that he never went into shock. He almost died because of all the blood loss and since all the blood was going down into his lungs he did end up dying, but they managed to bring him back. My neighbors should be prosecuted. They should have to pay this bill, but nothing is being done and I think it should stay that way. The vet bill for my baby is almost 2 grand and he's worth every single penny. I love my dog and I would never regret what I'm doing (I'm still paying for the bill.) There are a lot of bad people in the world, so I would like to warn everybody that because of the bad reputations of Pit bulls, Please... WATCH YOUR DOGS! They are amazing!

Sincerely,
Elizabeth

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 Jen says: When I was a kid our beloved Spike was run over right in front of me while he was tied to my parents car by the mail man. He said he did it because he was afraid that Spike was going to bite him. He ran right over his head! Crushed his leg and dragged him down the street, all right in front of me and he never stopped. I screamed and begged for him to stop, but some how Spike's chain broke free and he managed to hobble away. I ran to him and screamed for my mom and dad, poor thing never cried. He had a shell imbedded in his head, tire marks over his face and muzzle. The vet said the only thing that saved him was the fact he was a pit bull. He didn't think any other dog would have made it. The mail man never came back to our house and after many complaints, it basically came down to an adult versus a kid. I was supposedly making my story up. People are just stupid.

 Cindy says: My heart goes out to you, just remember that what goes around comes around, and some day they will have to meet their maker.

 Amy says: People like that are the very cause of all the drama and negative stigma that surrounds these poor dogs... and yet people like you, who care enough to throw financial considerations aside for the love of your animal... well, these are the people who are the hope of saving this breed! So, kudos for being a wonderful owner, and may you and your baby have many more great years to share!

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Posted by: Stephanie
Story ID: 033
Posted on: January 14, 2007
E-Mail at: Srg_101@yahoo.com
Message: January 1, 2006, My husband and I came home and my husband went outside to let our dog in. He came back in and said that she was off her lead, so we both went out front to yell for her and the little boy that lives next door was outside so I asked him if he had see her he said no then he went inside and then his mom came out and said that the Fairland cops had shot our dog, because they said she was loose. So my husband and I went inside and called 911 and said that the cops shot our dog and we wanted to know if we could get our dogs body. So the Fairland police came to our house and two police officers came up and said how you doing? My husband said I've been better. Then my husband said well what happen to my dog. The cop said "I shot her". My husband said well what happen why did you have to shot her. The cop said well we got a call in, saying that your dog was loose and some of the people in our neighborhood were scared to come out of their houses. So we called the dog catcher and she tried to catch the dog but she got scared and ran behind me so I pulled my gun then the dog ran under the neighbors house. We yelled for her about 20 minutes and she never came out so we left and then came back. I walked in between the houses and she started to come after me she was about 10 feet away from me so I shot her. My husband said what did you shot her with he said a shot gun "buck shot". Then the cop said that he was going to give us a $200 ticket for "animal at large". Then my husband said can we get her body he said no she is already gone. Then my husband said well can you tell us where you took her so we can try to get down there in the morning so that maybe they haven't done anything and we can get her. He said well she probably is gone but she is at Boyer's. So then they said hold on and him and the other police officer went to the car and then yelled for my husband to come over there and they wrote him a ticket. So then they left. We went back inside my husband called the police station to see if they could call a police officer by the name of Wes to come over or to call him. So about 5 minutes later Wes called. My husband answered and talked to Wes about what had happened. Wes said he would call the cop who shot our dog and he would come by. So they hung up. My husband called his dad and told him what had happened, so about 15 minutes later my mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, and his wife and kids came by. So we all went out back in between the houses where they said they shot our dog to try and find blood for where she was shot at. Well we couldn't find any in between the houses, so then we went and talked for a bit and then they left. Then my mom and my cousin came by. So we went outback to look again. My mom went and got a spot light from my step dads. She came back and after looking about 10 to 15 minutes we found her blood by her pen where she is chained up. So then I took pictures of where her blood was. Then about 10 minutes later Wes and another police officer came up and we all went around back. My husband asked what the other cop said and he said that the other cop said that he walked in between the houses and she was about 10 to 15 feet away from her pen. So he starts to look for blood on the ground and for about 5 minutes he couldn't find any then my husband said well we found the blood but it wasn't where he said he shot her. So my husband walked over in front of the pen and said here it next to her pen and chain. Then my husband said I wanted to see what he told you before I showed you, so obviously the stories don't add up. Then Wes said well your dog was off her lead and he had the right to shoot her. So my husband said well that is besides the point she was our baby and we just want her body. Then Wes said well she is already gone and disposed of. Then my husband said well I know they open today so maybe they haven't yet. Do you think we could get her and Wes said probably not, but you would just have to try and get a hold of the vet. So then my husband said why did they shot her couldn't they just have used mace or a tranquilizer gun then take her to go get put down. He said well if the dog catcher can't catch the dog with her hands then she calls us to take care of it and so then we shot the dog. Then my husband said well she hasn't ever bit anyone or no one has ever filed a complaint against her. He said well there have been lots of calls about her being loose and the old lady that lives a cross the street from you said that she didn't know if the dog was mean but she was afraid that it might jump on her. Then he said that there was an old man that was walking down the street and your dog was barking at him so the kids next door got some meat and fed her so she would leave him alone. So then my husband asked well can we get a report about what happened and he said that they don't have to make reports on every little thing and my husband said even if a gun shot has been made and he said no. So then I asked if my dog died as soon as he shot her and he said yep he shot her and she went "badoomp" and fell over. Then my husband asked if the cop who shot our dog could come over and show us what had happened and Wes said that he was leaving on a trip but he would be back in a few days then he would have him come over and show us. So then we all went up front and I started to walk in and Wes hit me on the shoulder and said sorry about your dog. I just looked at him and turned around and walked off. So then they left. My husband and I went inside with my mom and my cousin and we talked for a bit and then they left. I stayed up all night crying. I miss my baby she was just like a child to me. I loved her so much. I just couldn't believe that they shot my baby. So I finally fell asleep and about 7:00 on Jan. 2, 2006, We got up and went up to the vet and they weren't open yet so we drove around back and I seen a black trash bag at the back door. I knew it was her but I got so upset I told my husband just go I can't take it. I just knew it was her. But I couldn't get enough strength to go up there and look. So we left and I have cried and cried. That was my baby that they shot and they didn't have the right. So when we got back home we looked around the house outside trying to see if there was any blood anywhere else. But we didn't find any. So we got Lexus "our dogs" lead that was left out back and put another lead that we had and another choke collar like the one Lex had on, we put them all together like it would be if she was still chained up and her collar laid right where her blood was. So to me I don't think the stories add up but I know down in my heart Lex would not hurt anyone unless they hurt her or my family. I know she is a pit bull and people think that they are mean and can turn on you. But I have done some research on pit bulls and we have found out that Chihuahuas and Rottweilers are the most likely dogs to bit and turn on you. Pit bulls are far from it. But I feel whatever kind of animal that you have it isn't the animal it is the people who raise the animals. Lex was such a great family dog if I really thought she would hurt my family or hurt anyone I wouldn't have kept her, but I knew my baby and I know for a fact that she wouldn't hurt anyone. Like I said before she would if someone was going to hurt her, her pups, or her family. I have a one year old son she loved him so much and she slept with him every night. If my son would cry and I was doing dishes or something she would bark at me to let me know that my son was crying. Now if she was such a mean dog why would I let my son be around her or even for that matter why would I let anyone around her. I wouldn't. She was a good dog and she didn't have the right to die. Jan. 3, 2006 Still no sign of the cop who was supposed to come over so my husband and I went to the Fairland police station. My husband and I walked in and Wes was sitting at the table. Wes said how you doing and Ronny "my husband" said well I'm probably not the person you want to see. So we walked on in and Ronny asked if we could get a copy of the city ordinance. Wes said no. Ronny said why he said it would take to long Ronny said well can we see them Wes said he didn't have time to try and find them. So then Wes said if you want to get shitty about it I well keep fining you. Then he said and I know you took your dog and I said what do you mean we took our dog you said she was already gone. He said well someone took her and I figured you all did. Ronny said so someone broke in at the vet and stole our dog. I said why would someone want to steal a dead dog. He said well they keep their door unlocked down there all the time and its 2006 and their are a lot of freaks out there. I said I can't believe someone stole my dog. Ronny said do you think I would really break in a vet to steal my dog the cops would have been at my door step the next day. Wes said well I just thought you all got the dog. Ronny said if anything I would have just waited all night on the door step, but we do want to know who took our dog. That's not right. Then Ronny said don't you all have to make reports on gun shots made in city limits because of stuff like this that happens. He said no because if I really have to then I would go down to the Miami police department and get the call logs and show you all the calls made against your dog in the past couple of months. Then Ronny said well what really makes me mad is that the cop who shot her lied to me. Wes said well I assure you that he didn't shoot your dog she was on her lead and people just have different ways of talking and the way they say things and I know if I was scared then I would pin point the distance, its just the way people look at things. You know I'm scared of snakes then Wes asked Ronny if he was then Ronny said yeah I am. Then Wes said well I know if there is a snake in front of me and it was say about 20 feet away but to me in could seem like it was only 10 feet away. I said well it just doesn't add up because her lead goes right to where her blood was. Then he said if you don't have your dog how do you have her lead I said because we have another one just like it because we have other dogs and we also have a choke collar. He said well if we were going to shoot her on her lead then we wouldn't have cut it we would have on snapped it. Then I said well tell me this my dog had a choke collar on if she would have broke it it would have choked her down then he said not necessarily I have a big dog and I put one on him and he broke from it. I said whatever. Then Ronny said so we can't see the city ordinance today, Wes said no, Ronny said well don't you have a city clerk, Wes said yeah but she is busy but I tell you what I will go through and try and find the part about dogs. Ronny said I would appreciate that. Then Ronny said well we are going to get out of here. So we walked out and got into our car. So then we got home with still no hope of finding out about my baby. So then we went to Miami to talk to a attorney and we told them the story and we told her the part about Wes saying he could get the call logs and she said we could go up to the Miami police station to get the call logs. So then we left from there and went to the Miami police department. We asked if we could get the call logs from 108 E Church Fairland, Ok for the past two weeks. She said yes so then she gave them to us and said that there was one made on Dec. 28, 2006 and on Jan 1, 2006 where you have called to find out who had shot your dog. So we paid her $2.00 and got the call log and there was only one call made against my dog and it was on Dec. 28, 2005. I stayed up all night crying, trying to figure out why they shot her but I knew in my heart that they didn't have the right to. I know no matter what happens it isn't going to bring her back to me but she was my baby and I will try everyday to try to find out what happened. I feel like it is my fault because the day she got shot we were going to the park to take my son and I wanted to take her but then I said no because we were going to the store afterwards and I didn't want to leave her in the car. I wish to God that I could go back to that day and take my baby to the park one last time. She loved to go to the park. She loved to run around. She loved to be outside. And most of all she loved people and kids. She would never ever hurt anyone unless they hurt her or her family. I would put my hand on the bible and swear to God that my baby would never hurt anyone for no reason. Jan. 4, 2006 My husband my son and I got up and got dressed for the day. Ronny's dad called and wanted us to go with them to get hay for the horses and go eat with them so they got here at 11:30 am. We all left and we were gone for about 3 hours. Ronny and his dad was in his dads truck that we have had in our parking lot right in front of the door at the end of our house. It has been there for 2 weeks and not moved once until that day. Ronny's mom and me and Payton was in her Jeep. So anyways Ronny and his dad pulled up where the truck was before and we pulled in behind my white car. We all got out of the vehicles. Rhonda 'Ronny's mom' and I walked up and Andy 'Ronny's dad' and Ronny were looking at a hole in the side of our house so then we opened the door walked in and there was glass everywhere. We knew it was a bullet hole. I started crying. We started to freak out because we didn't know who had shot at our house. So Ronny called 911 and told them someone shot our house will you please send county because I think Fairland police shot at our house, she said I will have to ask my boss and I will call you back so they hung up and then she called back and said ok county will be there in a min so they hung up then she called back and said that her boss said that since it was in Fairland city limits that the Fairland police have to come so Ronny said fine send them. So about 5 minutes later a cop car stopped a block away then a truck was behind him and a guy walked up to the car and they talked and then the guy went back to his truck and they both turned right and came to our house. We started to walk up there and the cop got out of his car and said is there still shooting going on and Ronny said no someone shot our house. So then the cop and the other cop walked on up in our yard and ask what had happened then Rhonda 'Ronny's mom' said hey that's Tony talking about the cop. Then Tony said hey I didn't know it was you all sorry about that. So then he asked what had happened and Ronny said well someone shot at our house, so we all walked over in front of the truck and showed him the bullet hole then we all went in side and showed him where it came through. Then Tony said is anyone mad at you all and Ronny said I think the Fairland police are. Then Tony said well this is what I heard what had happened that the dog was loose and someone called the cops and the dog catcher tried to catch her and she couldn't so the cop shot her in the front yard. Then Ronny said well that's the third story we had heard. The first is that they got a call that people in the neighborhood were scared to come out of their houses so they came over and the dog catcher tried to catch her and Lex came after her so the cop pulled his gun then Lex ran under the neighbor's house so they yelled for her for about 20 minutes and never came out so then they left and came back the cop got his shotgun and went in between the houses and said she was about 10 feet away from him and shot her. Then Wes told us that the cop told him that they got the call they came and the dog catcher she couldn't catch Lex so they told them to take care of it so she ran under the house and yelled for her to come out, she didn't so they left then came back he got his shotgun and went around back and she was about 10 to 15 feet away from her pen. So then Tony said is there anyway that this shot got here the day that the dog got shot Ronny said yeah but I don't think it did because I have looked at this house over and over and today is the first day I have seen this. So then we all start to look for the bullet. The other cop found the shell casing across the street in front of our neighbors on the left hand side of us. So then the cop left to go get a camera. He came back and they took pictures of it. Then they got to looking at it and it was a casing from a 45 caliber hand gun. So then we started looking for the bullet. We got to looking where the bullet came through at and we noticed that it had hit the screen door that was against the wall in our gym. It hit it right on the right hand side of the door. So we started looking everywhere. Finally we started to take stuff out and I found the bullet on the concrete ground of our gym about 15 feet away from where the bullet entered .The bullet hole was about 5 to 6 feet above ground. Tony said that this wasn't going to go away and he would find out what had happened and that he would get a hold of us. So then Tony had Ronny go to his car to take down information. Ronny came back in and the cops had left. So then we had left because we were to scared to stay there for the night. The next day we didn't hear anything from them. Ronny called the Fairland police and they said they haven't found anything out yet. So for the next week my son stayed with my mom and some nights we would too. I was so scared because if it wasn't the cops that shot at our house the day they shot Lex then whose to say that whoever shot our house wouldn't shoot again. I miss my baby very much and I will never forget her sweet face. If you would like to know more you can visit my web site at: http://www.hiltonpitbulls.zoomshare.com or e-mail me. Thank you for the support and taking the time to read about my baby.

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 Faye P. says: Sorry to hear about your baby. My baby was shot and killed also, by my neighbor at 2:30 in the morning. She is a house dog and had been let out to use the bathroom, when she heard this guy on our property and went out to investigate. As he was leaving off of our property which he had no business being on in the first place, my dog went to check out what was going on, I called for her to come back because I know this guy has some personal issues that need to be attended to. I stepped in front of my vehicle in time to see this guy turn and shoot her and then walks back up his driveway. I took out charges on him, and he was charged with cruelty to animals and discharging a firearm in a residential area. But I am having my doubts as to whether the charges will stick. I took pictures and all but this person has gotten away with killing the neighbors dogs in cruel ways, in the past. My dog was a five time champion gaff pit bull dog and would not have hurt anyone or anything. I too am looking for some support and help on this issue. I am so sorry for your loss.

 Kell says: Wow!! It sounds like the cops are crooked in your neck of the woods. I can't imagine how your baby must have felt, so scared *tear*. Sorry, very very sorry, to hear of your baby Lex.

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Posted by: Toncia
Story ID: 032
Posted on: January 10, 2007
E-Mail at: Scoobysboo23@yahoo.com
Message: I have a 6 month old pit bull terrier. He is very well known around my home town. I must admit he is very aggressive, but it's only for my protection. Everyone tells me I'll have to shoot him because he'll bite me. They warn me about law suits that will be made against me. Everyone wants me to sell him or kill him. What they don't understand is your dog will act how you teach him. I don't have a problem with his behavior. I just know he's one person I can call on being that I'm a 17 year old female. What are some suggestions I could do for my puppy? Should I stop him from being so protective or just keep a muzzle on him and take it off when needed?

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 David says: I had an 8 month old female and two cats when I got my 6 month old male. He was great with the female and the cats, but outside the house he was very aggressive with other dogs. I have had Pit Bulls my entire life and knew what I was getting into. I'm worried that this is your first Pit. It took months for me to get my dog not to be aggressive with other dogs. You just need to spend the time to train your Pup.

 Cindy says: First don't listen to what people say about your dog. I have pit-lab mix and he is not real social. I have had people, including a vet I was using try to socialize him. In my eyes he is social enough. Maybe try working one on one with him to try and teach him. Puppies are like human babies, they need to be taught.
Good Luck!

 Serena says: I have a one year old pit bull right now, I got him from a shelter when he was 3 months old. At first he would guard his food (warning growl and tried to bite) when I went near his food dish while he was eating. And since he didn't grow up with a mom and littermates, he had no concept of play manner and communication skills with other dogs. So he was getting into small fights (although easy to break off) at 3 months old, very un-desirable.

Then I started taking him to puppy kindergarten and after 6 weeks of classes, all the bad behaviors were trained out. It was a clicker-training, positive-reward class with the instructor who didn't believe in breed-personality. The food-guarding behavior went away in less than one week, and through constant socializing, he now plays with all kinds of dogs in the park, alternating dominance and submitting behavior like a healthy dog. All these time, I didn't have to lay my hands on him once, all it took was patience, treats and lots of practice.

So please, do not put a muzzle on him unless all methods have failed. If you can, please check out some puppy classes, they are really helpful. If not, there are plenty of good books out there to help you and your puppy. And socialize your puppy as much as you can. One can still have a good protection dog without it wanting to eat everyone and every dog it sees.

Lastly, please check out Diane Jessup's website. She is the leading pit bull expert in this country, totally awesome! Her first pit Bandog Dread won the most titles by any dog of any breed, ever! And please always consult a professional trainer, there are a lot of people out there claiming to be pit bull experts with the most absurd ideas!

http://www.workingpitbull.com

Here is a very good book if your dog is aggressive or has bad behaviors:
Fight! - By Jean Donaldson

 Michelle says: Well first of all, when you have a pit bull, you have to know what you are getting yourself into, in my opinion you are a little young to have a pit bull, I am not judging you or trying to be rude. Here are some suggestions for you and your puppy. Most pit bulls are dog aggressive, but that can be solved with some training, you really don't want your dog to be aggressive, is your puppy aggressive to humans as well as other animals? Just try and get your puppy some training, in order to live in peace in the neighborhood; You know what I mean. Do not let anyone tell you what to do with your dog? Do not have him put to sleep, just be a responsible owner, always keep him on a leash, as he grows bigger he will be harder to control these are powerful dogs, Yes, stop him from being so aggressive now. Pit bulls are awesome family dogs and any dog can be protective of it's family, you and your puppy will be much happier with training, if not you will have nothing but problems. I have owned pit bulls my whole life and have never had a problem. Let me know if that works, Good Luck and take good care of that puppy!!!

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Posted by: Aubrey
Story ID: 031
Posted on: January 10, 2007
E-Mail at: Gingerpeps@yahoo.com
Message: I just want to share my story. I volunteered at an animal sanctuary where I live in Deland, Florida and while I was there we had a call from a young man who worked at a pet store and said someone came in with this pit bull mix, and he announced that if someone didn't take this dog he was gonna take it out in the woods and "DO SOMETHING WITH IT!" So the young man stepped up and said he would take the dog knowing he already had too many animals and feared he couldn't give the dog the time and attention she deserved, he called the sanctuary. I was looking for another pit for my very playful one year old red-nose, so I jumped at the chance to rescue this dog. I went to meet her,  upon seeing her she was skinny and her toe nails where infected. She had urine burns around her behind and she had some hair loss I assume from poor nutrition. I fell in love with her instantly, brought her home, she was very scared and unsure of a lot of common things around the house. My vet told me her spine was curved as if she had stayed in a small, confined crate or cage and probably stood in her own muck, hence the infections in her toe nails. We have had her for about a year now and named her "Punkin". She's sooo cute and has all these wrinkles, but we call her "Punk" for short cause she's just a crazy little doggie. She is such a character, always making us laugh and doing the silliest things. I couldn't see my family without her. I have 2 pits and they are by far the best breed of dog I have ever owned. My pits will never live up to the horrible stories that society has made them out to be. My pits are loving and loyal, they sleep in my bed, they go bye bye with me, they are very social dogs and my pits love to give kisses. I cannot even begin to explain my anger on this matter. I am so angry that instead of blaming the people for torturing and abusing these dogs and causing some of these dogs to be vicious society says, "well lets just ban pits all together" and make them the enemy, not the people causing this breeds demise. This breed is doomed and I would die for my dogs because they would die for me. I support the pit bull breed til the day I die.

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Posted by: Cheryl
Story ID: 030
Posted on: December 03, 2006
E-Mail at: Unavailable
Message: Boycott PetSmart

Given the advice from some of my questions on Yahoo Answers, I went to the PetSmart webpage to investigate certain issues for my dogs. Offhandedly I noticed a "doggy daycare", thought its a cute idea, and checked it out. Imagine my shock to find that a major pet store practices breedism... they will not accept *any* "bully breed" or any dog that looks like a bully breed. They have bought into and are *promoting* the bad rap against our beloved pets! Here's the question: Do you not agree that this deserves a boycott?

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 Dave says: I've read a lot about all these PetSmart stores discriminating against certain breeds of dog. They have petitions circulating all over the internet trying to get them to allow all breeds of dogs in their programs. So maybe Nikki is lucky and lives in a good place, because the ones out here by me are ignorant towards certain breeds. We actually have that PetSmart petition on this site if you wanna check it out. Just go here: petitions.

 Nikki says: I'm very surprised about this comment. I have a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and he is a graduate of the PetSmart training program. The trainers at the store are American Staff owners, they have 3 pit bulls with pictures of them hanging in the training area! I'm in California maybe the local PetSmart in your area is the issue not the whole chain... but thanks for caring and sharing the comment!

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Posted by: Jeremy
Story ID: 029
Posted on: November 20, 2006
E-Mail at: Jeremy_n_okc@yahoo.com
Message: I have a pit bull and he is as gentle as a lamb, but he is protective. This law is stupid. If people aren't taking care of their pits, they should just have them taken away, not penalize the rest of us.

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 Dave says: I don't know about taking away peoples dogs because they are bad owners. That would just result in more dogs being euthanized. They need to just ban them from owning pets if they cant handle the responsibility.

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Posted by: John
Story ID: 028
Posted on: November 20, 2006
E-Mail at: Sse3001@comcast.net
Message: My pit broke his choke chain and attacked another pit. The police have given us a violent dog ticket. They want him out of the city, destroyed, or put on as a violent dog list. He is a great dog and my choices are none of the above for us. We love our dog and he loves people. Is there anybody that can help us turn this case around. I live in St. Clair Shores, MI, 48081. 586-498-8640. Please call or e-mail. It happened on the 1st of Oct.

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 Toncia says: Hey I really feel your pain. I have a 6 month old pit. Everyone in my home town knows about him. I do agree he can be very aggressive but it's really just protecting me. I think the law about giving violent dog tickets should be stopped.

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Posted by: Trixxi
Story ID: 027
Posted on: November 20, 2006
E-Mail at: Jessikalea@hotmail.com
Message: I have read some of the stories and I feel so terrible for a lot of you. But rest assured, I have a story with a brilliant ending so far...
Last weekend my neighbor told me about a dog that wasn't able to find a good home. I was thinking of finding a friend for my new 4 month old Jack Russell. I asked if I could just look at this dog of hers. I was told that I could take a female since that Jack was male. They should get along. Well, on Sunday afternoon a knock came to my door. And what I saw was the most beautiful albino pit bull. She was very timid/shy and DEAF but, oh such a lovely face. I was taken in. I told my friend that I would keep her for a day or two. See what happens. Well, it is Friday. Diamond has bonded with my 7 year old daughter. She has also found a place in Lenny's (my Jack Russell) heart. And of course, who wouldn't fall deeply for this Diamond in the Ruff (ergo the name). Many people in the past few days have slammed me for getting her. Even friends. But, I did my research and now I have alot more bullets then they do when talking about this awesome breed. Diamond is mine!!! She is not going anywhere!!! My home is now her home, forever! This little lady who had a hard start in life has now found the family that God has required her to have and I will be dammed if someone slams her or her breed in front of me again. So to all of you out there that have had a recent heartache, to those that suffer a loss, I am so terribly sorry. It is my desire that I give someone hope from this story. Peace to you all.

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 Erika says: Good for you girl. God bless you. I own a pit bull myself and love her to death. She is the sweetest thing, and it breaks my heart to hear all these horrible stories of pit bulls being used and mistreated! To tell you the truth I have been cryin' my eyes out reading the horrendous things some people do to these poor things!!! All they need is our love, so it's so nice to hear that there are lots of people like you who don't judge... it made me smile :) Thanks.

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Posted by: Kathy
Story ID: 026
Posted on: November 20, 2006
E-Mail at: Unavailable
Message: I just want to write to you about the pit bull banned that Miami Dade currently has. I think that it's very unfair to ban an animal because of bad people who shouldn't even be allowed to own a gold fish.

I have come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as a bad dog, a bad breed or a problem dog. Just bad owners and problem owners. Any breed can be "bad" and any dog can be "bad". I hate breed bans because they're completely unfair. First, they are blaming the problem on the dogs and not the owners. The dogs are innocent creatures and they become what we make them. Second, most people don't know one breed of dog from another. There are so many breeds that look like pit bulls including American Bulldogs, boxers, presa canarios, and cane corsos and many more. There are 28 breeds I believe that people commonly mistake as pit bulls. If they ban pit bulls, they ban all those breeds because people can't tell the difference.

People should be aware that pit bulls can be, with the right owner, wonderful family companions, and that the humans are to blame for the problems that this breed now has. Humans are the ones who teach animals how to fight, how to attack so its not in any means the dogs fault and when a dog attacks no matter if it's a pit bull or a Chihuahua the owners should be held responsible, not the dogs.

So to me banning a breed is just stupid!

Kathy

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Posted by: Cat
Story ID: 025
Posted on: June 27, 2006
E-Mail at: OhKittie425@aol.com
Message: Mugsy came to me in Aug. of 2002 - beaten, burned, slashed open and very sick. He was either stolen or got loose and someone attempted to fight him, instead he wound up as a bait dog. Rather than kill him he was left to die tied to a picnic bench in a suburban Chicago forest preserve. My husband being a police officer and animal lover thought it was best to bring the pup home because his fate was unknown at the shelter. At first he was afraid of everything.... he had no idea what it was to be loved by humans. I am happy to report that with the help of my other 2 dogs he learned how to be a puppy.... tug of war, nylabones and cookies. Now almost 5 he is the sweetest most loving creature - he loves everyone and thing, including my 8 cats and 2 year old niece. Even my skeptical neighbors have been won over by MUGSY MALONE aka Knucklehead.... I am glad to see there are others fighting for the breed. They are wonderful companions who want nothing more than to be loved.

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Posted by: Nicole
Story ID: 024
Posted on: June 15, 2006
E-Mail at: Vernons_gurl_11@yahoo.com
Message: I was scared to get a pit bull at first because of the stories, but I refused to take their word and my families. So I did research and found they were one of the best dogs to own. Well I ended up getting one. Then the laws came and they are trying so hard to ban this breed and rotties. I try so hard to get people to play with him and get to know him and they were so surprised to find out that he is a pit. He loved every animal and insect he came across. He got stung 5 times by bees just for trying to play with them. I have 5 cats and one has attacked him 3 times and she is still alive (and they call these dogs vicious) he never even growls at her, and loves my other cats even sleeps with them. My mom has a parrot that kisses him and rides on his back. I also have a 7 month old baby and we have had him since she was born. They play and sleep together. Well my cat opened the door one day and he ran outside without his leash and he came right back when I called his name and took him home. The next day the people down the street called the cops and they came and took him away and gave me a ticket for four hundred and six dollars and I have to go to court. They were going to put him down. But I keep trying to get him back if I promised to sell him and not bring him back to my home. They let me turn him over to someone to care for outside this city. They are trying so hard to ban these dogs as well as rotties, that they made the vets go through their computers so they could go to these peoples home and take there dogs. I am so sad and cry every time I look at his pictures. I still get to see him. But I have to sell him and I will get another when I move out of this town. I hope to god one day these people will come to realize what great animals these dogs are and will allow responsible people only to have these wonderful creatures.

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 Candace says: I hope you appealed your case, do not sell your dog if you are planning on moving anyway, keep your dog.

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Posted by: Brian Cortez
Story ID: 023
Posted on: April 30, 2006
E-Mail at: Brwnboy112@yahoo.com
Message: I've worked as a delivery guy for two companies in TX. I have been bitten by 4 dogs in the past 3 years, nothing major where I've been ripped apart, but I have been bitten by 3 freaking taco bell dogs and one jack russell. I have been to many homes where there were pit bulls and have never had a problem with pit bulls. I love them and own 3 of my own, all they want (pit bulls) is to be loved. The three I have love me dearly, I know that for a fact every time I come home from work they cant wait for me to pet them and love them, that's really all they want.

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Posted by: Lila
Story ID: 022
Posted on: April 27, 2006
E-Mail at: Unavailable
Message: My husband got me a pit bull for my b-day 4 years ago from a friend (now deceased) so my dog means a lot to me, memories is all we have left from our friend. So now we are forced to send our baby to a relatives house. We named our dog baby boy because he acts like a big baby, he's scared of cats, hates the cold so he is an indoor baby. Well our friend was murdered in Aug. 25, 2005 and they're telling us the max sentence they can give him is 3 years now my dog has never done anything wrong but they want to kill him come on now that's just not right. He is like my kid I can't just drop what I feel for my baby. It was hard telling my 3 kids that our friend, a person they looked up to as a uncle, has passed and now I have to tell them our dog (brother) has to go. This is devastating for an adult can you imagine how it is for a child? Why can't some people step aside them self and stop being so racial against a certain breed to see how loving these animals really are and see that 3 years for taking someone's life is not enough? These false accusations are making a lot of responsible pit bull owners lose something very special all because some can't or won't take care of there dog well that is something they can't hold us responsible for is all we can do is take action for our responsibilities.

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Posted by: Nikki
Story ID: 021
Posted on: March 23, 2006
E-Mail at: Chadnik12@aol.com
Message: To Whom It May Concern:

We use to be the proud owners of 2 very sweet, fun loving dogs. They both stayed on a chain in behind our house. They had never hurt anybody. One of our dogs was a male American Pit Terrier. He was a fairly big dog, and loved to jump for attention. He was very good with strangers, kids, and other dogs. The other dog was a female and she was kind of a smaller dog. She was a boxer mix from whom we had purchased from Burke Friends for Animals. She too was also good with strangers, kids, and other dogs. She even got along well with a pet rabbit we had once owned. She loved to just sit on your lap. She thought she was a lap dog but you could not tell her otherwise.

We have neighbors that live in back behind us that have 2 Rottweilers and 1 shabby looking dog. Our male dog, Viper had broken off his chain and gotten loose. Instead of our neighbors coming to our house and letting us know, they went straight to the Police Department. There was an officer and an animal control officer who came to our house. When they got here, there was in fact one of our dogs loose, but yet the other was still on her chain sitting in her dog house. Neither one of the officers came to our door and knocked. We have a puppy that stays inside our home right now and if someone would have knocked he would have barked and let us know.

Instead, of the officers confronting my husband or myself about the matter, they went and tried confronting our loose dog themselves. Like I said before, Viper GETS EXCITED and likes to JUMP FOR ATTENTION. Keep that bit of information in mind as you continue reading.

In the report that the officers gave it says, �One of the dogs was eventually caught by it�s chain but the other dog charged at us and I sprayed the dog in the face with OC spray and it paused for about two seconds and began to charge again knocking the animal control officer to the ground and jumping on top of him trying to maul him�.

Those are words straight from the report that the officer filed. I don�t care what kind of dog you have, whether it being a Pit Bull, a Boxer, a Pomeranian, a Shar Pei, or any other dog. If a dog is going to bite, or maul so to speak, he would do it. He would not TRY to do it. Am I right???

Well, the officer shot our baby in the abdomen. He ran 3 houses up and lay while the officers watched him die. Being shot in the abdomen I know and hopefully you see that our baby laid there and suffered. Our dog was shot and killed by an officer that saw it was a Pit and went straight to excessive force because of their stereotypes, but that is a matter in itself. Our baby is now dead because he probably wanted to play and get attention.

To top this matter off and make the situation even harder on us to handle: the animal control officer told my husband that if he did not sign over our boxer (Jade), he would press charges and take us to court. Well, my husband was obviously emotional and in shock having to witness our baby fighting for his life, he was not in the state of mind to be signing any papers and at the time did not fully understand what he was doing. My husband was conned into signing our other baby over.

Jade had not done anything the entire time the officers were at our house. She was on her chain and in her dog house afraid to come out. The animal control officer and police officer made my husband load her into the truck himself.

Luckily, I was at work while all this had taken place. My husband and I are emotionally torn up about this. We lost 2 family members in one day because of false accusations and the reputation that everyone gives Pit Bulls. It is unfair to us and to our dogs that they are gone. We will never get to see them again.

To tell you exactly how our dogs attitude was they would play with my husband�s 6 and 3 year old children. There is a 72 year old woman that would check our dogs everyday to make sure that they had plenty of food and water. She has put them back on their chain when they have gotten loose while we were not at home. If a 72 year old feeble woman can do that on her own, why can�t 2 grown, highly trained professionals do the same?

We are dumbfounded as to why this had to happen. All the people that knew Jade and Viper are dumbfounded as well. We did not see them as just dogs. They were our family. They were our kids. We loved them with all our hearts and we feel that what has happened is wrong. We feel and we know that this situation could have been handled much better.

We lost a part of our family. Like I said, they were our babies. They killed them both. We are seeking to find help about this. We want what has happened to be justified.

If you have any information that can help us, please contact us by email: Chadnik12@aol.com.

Thank you for your time in reading this.

Thanks,

A Broken Hearted Couple

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 Dave says: Thats definitely a terrible situation to be in. However, I don't necessarily agree with Linda. Police and Animal Control Officers are human and they do lie, not all of them but some of them, especially in a case like this. If they would have reported that they just shot a dog because he looked mean they would be in a world of trouble. Not everyone is honest and in situation that could cost them there jobs they are under pressure to fabricate a story. I'm not saying all cops lie, or that they did in this situation, but they are human and very capable of it.

 Linda says: First off I am very sorry for your loss, but why on earth would your beloved family pets be on a chain outside? I know that you think that your dogs would never bite, but the fact is that most pit bulls that attack are left outside on a chain and aren't fixed. Don't get me wrong, I am a proud owner of a pit bull and am not in favor of the pit bull ban laws, however think of it like this... What would you do if you saw a huge dog charging toward you? Cops aren't going to lie and make up a story, jumping from excitement and attacking are 2 completely different things!

 Nicole says: I have never lost an animal but I know that it is hard. I hope you find justice.

 Darriyell says: I am so sorry for your loss. I hope that you 2 find justice. Your story has weighed heavy on my heart.

 Amanda says: Terribly sorry for your loss, but why were the dogs left out back on a chain? I hope in the future you either keep your dogs in a secured, fenced yard or in the house. Keeping an eye on your dog at all times while he/she is outdoors is not only in your best interest, but theirs as well.

 Olivia says: Your story brings tears to my eyes. As for a Pit Bull owner of 2, what happened to you is my greatest fear and I pray that someday we'll be able to show the world just how wonderful these animals are. Cherish the memories you have of Viper and Jade, and just remember they are gone but not forgotten.

 Shawn says: My Heart goes out to your family. I have a pit named oreo. I would probably have a stroke if something like that happened. I have cried all the way through your story. I also had a boxer. These dogs only want love. You give them love and they will love you in return. It is unfortunate that the "good" owners have to pay the price for the "bad". Yes it is like losing a family member. Because my oreo is my baby girl. I have a 10 year old son who would be lost if anything ever happened to her. I don't think I could ever bear that pain. I wish you and your family the best. Hopefully one day people will realize just how sweet these dogs really are.

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