Is A Pit Bull Right For You?
Is A Pit Bull Right For You?
Pit Bull guardianship is one of the most rewarding experiences dog lovers can have. Their affectionate natures, goofball personalities, and eager-to-please attitudes will likely steal your heart forever. Ultimately though, success depends on finding the right match between your lifestyle and the individual dog.
A Pit Bull may be right for you if:
- You want a dog that lives to please you. Pit Bulls are considered to be an extremely biddable breed. They’re happy when you’re happy with them. This eager-to-please attitude can be especially useful during training.
- You want a constant companion. Pit Bulls are expected to be affectionate, happy dogs that want to be with you, near you, or in your lap! They’re professional cuddlers. Be sure you have the time for a dog that craves your companionship.
- You’re prepared to handle a smart pooch. Pit Bulls are often intelligent creatures! However, any dog that becomes bored or an untrained dog can quickly get into mischief. Don’t expect to leave your dog in the backyard all day to entertain himself.
- You’re physically capable of handling a strong dog. Pit Bulls are strong dogs. Like all dogs, you will need to teach your dog proper house and leash manners, and make sure his collar and leash are secure when going for walks.
- You’ve got thick skin. This breed is very misunderstood. Be prepared for ignorant comments and discrimination. Many times, the best response to a thoughtless remark is your pit bull, well-mannered and friendly!
- You have time to train and exercise your dog. Some Pit Bulls are couch potatoes and some would rather go for a vigorous hike. Make sure you’re prepared to meet the exercise needs of the pit bull you choose. Keep in mind younger dogs usually need more activity than adult dogs.
- You want a dog that can do it all. Many Pit Bulls excel at therapy work, obedience, agility, dock jumping, hiking, search & rescue, and just about any other dog activity you can imagine!
A pit bull may NOT be right for you if:
- You want a dog to guard your home and property. Pit Bulls are not expected to be guard dogs, and should not be forced to guard. A well-socialized pit bull tends to be friendly and welcoming toward everyone.
- You don’t want a dog in the house. Your dog should NOT be left outside all day or night. Most dogs, including pit bulls, love to be with their people; if neglected they could develop severe behavioral problems.
- You’re not willing to invest the time and money to train and socialize your dog. All dogs need regular training and socialization throughout their lifetime. This can include puppy socials, training classes, regular exposure to new environments and different people, practicing obedience skills in various situations, and possibly hiring a private trainer to help you. And don’t forget the time and money spent for food, supplies, and basic veterinary care!
- You don’t have time to supervise your dog around other dogs or kids. Children should always be supervised around any breed of dog for both the child’s safety and the dog’s safety. If you currently have or plan to have other pets in the home, someone should be supervising when they’re all together. We recommend crating or otherwise separating your pets when you leave the house. Read more about Pit Bulls & Other Pets.
- You aren’t prepared for the future. If you rent, it may be significantly harder to find living accommodations with a pit bull since many landlords have strict limits on size and breeds. Also, who will watch your dog in case of an emergency? If your life will be changing dramatically in the near future (relocation, new baby, schedule change), how will you integrate your dog into this new lifestyle? Many dogs end up in shelters or euthanized because their previous guardians did not think through the implications of this lifetime commitment.
I work full-time away from home. Can I still own a pit bull?
Yes, you can hold a full time job and enjoy the rewards of Pit Bull guardianship. If you’re away during the day, realistically assess if you have the energy and financial resources to make sure your dog’s needs are met. You may want to consider adopting a housetrained adult dog instead of a puppy.
Written by Stephanie Lam, ABCDT, MBA Marketing & Education Director of Our Pack Inc. Shared with permission.
I like it awesome write up love your bullies mine waits for me every day some days I work later than others nad she will be waiting at window patiently!
My pit is the first dog I ever owned and she is just so easy. She loves laying on the bed or couch with me when i get home from work, she never gets into anything and we got her when she was a puppy so she wasn’t trained at all. I got to admit that I did not put a lot of work into training her but she was very quick at picking up what we taught her and she is just loveable and sweet and doesn’t get in trouble at all. And yes the guard dog thing is definitely true. She barks at people who walk up to the house and her bark sounds very dark so some might not even come up all the way but who does will be rewarded with kisses
I got my first pitbull when I was 21. Best $40 I’ve ever spent! Bella’s my best friend (I call her my “ride-or-die”) and I almost never leave home without her. She even comes into work with me and stays in my office!
But one thing I didn’t consider when I got her is medical expenses past the normal heart-worm meds and flea/tick prevention. And then the unthinkable happened..
A little over a week ago, Bella had an accident outside with our other pitbull, Zeus (he’s my boyfriend’s dog, and just as loyal to him as Bella is to me.) Bella and Zeus get along wonderfully. I’d never seen pitbulls play before, and even though I see a lot of teeth (and some crazy eyes), in the end, they’re always snuggling together.
While Bella and Zeus were outside, my boyfriend heard yelping and opened up the door. Zeus came bounding up the steps of the porch, and while Bella attempted to, she was hindered by a horrible limp. She was holding her right front leg up off the ground; not just her paw, but her whole leg.
Since we weren’t outside at the time, we can only guess that Bella had fallen into the shallow hole that the previous renters had made. It seems that maybe Zeus had fallen onto her as well, because of the impact it made on her leg.
When we got to the vet 48 hours later, Bella still had not began putting weight on that leg. She was extremely graceful on three legs, but her right paw seemed dead — no life, just limp and hanging there.
After an exam, three x-rays, and some sedation, it came into light that Bella had shattered her growth plate in the elbow. A bit of the bone had literally come unattached from the rest of the joint.
When the vet told me this, I instinctively pulled my zonked-out Bella close to me. The vet, a very nice lady with a wonderful, warming smile, said that Bella had three options: a highly invasive surgery to be performed my an orthopedic surgeon (for dogs, yes), amputation at the joint, or euthanasia. She left the room while my boyfriend and I talked it over.
I immediately went on the offensive: “She’s not getting put down.”
He defended the fact that we couldn’t pay for a $2500 surgery up front — and the specialist wouldn’t arrange a plan.
I told him, “Fine. Looks like we’re gonna have a 3-legged pitbull.”
I cried for hours, less because I was concerned for her well-being and more because I hadn’t realized how bad it was. She hadn’t whined about, and her tail had been wagging full-force as if she was the happiest dog on the planet.
And I’d never felt sadness like this over an animal.
In the 72 hours before the amputation appointment, I called specialists all over Dallas. Finally, a family friend recommended a vet that she’d used for all of her dogs since the early ’90′s. As it turns out, it was the same vet that my boyfriend’s dad used for his dogs and cats.
When I called Steve Meyerdirk, he arranged to have the x-rays sent over to him. As he peeked at them, he said, “This will have to be an invasive surgery, involving pins, if not plating and screws, but—” I held my breath, “—I can do it. Have her here tomorrow by 9.”
My boyfriend and I drove over a hundred miles to meet with Steve, and as soon as we walked in, he took Bella and set her on the table. He began to discuss options with us, in case something happened, or it couldn’t be fixed. He also explained that since the break occurred on a growth plate, she would probably never walk normally and that leg might grow crooked, or stop growing once it came to a certain point.
While we discussed this, money was brought into it. Though he managed to lower the total quite a bit, I still had to take $1107 out of my savings, leaving less of a dent, and more of a gigantic, gaping hole.
I said goodbye to Bella, who licked my face in thank you. As I thanked Steve and walked out my boyfriend says, “That dog isn’t going anywhere.”
A few days ago, I picked up my Bella from the vet’s office. She was pinned, casted, and doped up beyond belief. I forked over the $1107 check, and felt relieved that I had been able to pay for my adorable puppy to keep her leg.
Make no mistake: I’m not getting a new car, and I’m still in credit card debt. But when I adopted Bella, I accepted the fact that she was mine, and she was my responsibility. Lesser people would have euthanized her, or worse — not had anything done, and allowed it grow abnormally, where should would always be uncomfortable, unable to use the leg, and an infection would have occurred deep between the bones. And what would have happened then? Someone would have put her in a shelter, where she would have been killed.
When you take on a pitbull, or any dog for that matter, it’s like taking a vow. I never understood that until Bella. I’ve always sympathized with the breed, having been the black-sheep in my family and never feeling understood; and I feel a closeness with sheltered and abused dogs, having been through abuse, neglect, and some jail time myself. But when you commit to a beast as loyal as a pitbull, you’d better keep your end of the bargain. I’m glad I did.