Tell me about my dog!

[Dixieland Dancer]

Yes, you do need to be on guard with any dog when small children are around. My Golden, Dixie, is the most loveable dog and doesn't have a mean bone in her body. She is very confident around other dogs and has been socialized to the max as well as trained for competitive obedience. My granddaughter (4 years old) was loving on Dixie and being very clingy with her and when Dixie had enough she snapped. Yes, it took me by surprise because she is very tolerant and this was out of character for her. The point is, any dog when it has reached it's limit will snap as a way of saying enough. She didn't try to bite. It was more of a warning. But she did and could again so I don't trust her around my granddaughter alone anymore.

You need to start socializing your pup and training it in obedience. I can't stress enough getting it around other dogs and learning proper canine behavior while it is still young. You need to be firm with the dog and make it work for everything good in it's life. Hand feed kibble while incorporating obedience when it starts. Hopefully you are enrolled in a positive training class. You need to the established pack leader.

All of this will be preparation for when you take her to your parents. If you properly socialize Max ahead of time, and introduce him to Daisy in a proper way, the two should be good friends. Large dogs and small dogs can and do coexist together. I would not leave the dogs alone together until I was certain they could and do get along.

[Thandi]

Very good points brought up in the last two posts. My rescued lab/boxer/and yes, pit, I think, is the sweetest gal in the world. BUT she nipped some big guy in the dog park the other day. Protecting her ball. He was cool about it, I wasn't. I am always aware that she has that side to her, whether she's a lab or a pit! She came to us with a fear of men, and was really doing well, but if I'm next to her and the ball is there too, she's unpredictable with men.

My beloved Thandi, the Rhodesian ridgeback, bit my son more than once. Exactly that--a large dog, had enough of being bugged, and was putting him in his place, like a pack animal will do. Unfortunately, when a big dog does that, it leaves damage. Thandi was unable to be around young children or other animals, especially as she got older. Just something I was always aware of.

I strongly suggest keeping a regular schedule at the dog park, I've found with my two rescues that socializing them in the park has made all the difference. They are still HELL when on a leash if another dog is nearby, but in the park everyone plays well.

Mika, my rescue, is wonderful with children, people, anyone, BUT I always watch her body language.

[ParNone]

I was gonna chime in on the supervision thing too. You can have the most socialized, well trained and well behaved dog and things can happen. Doesn't even necessarily have to be aggressive behavior. I have 2 large Collies, who are extremely friendly, but I don't leave them alone with Small Children or my lil' Cairn Terrier, unsupervised. I don't think they'd ever bite, although as Dixieland Dancer mentioned, you never really know, until they're pushed to their limit. I'm more concerned with just over zealous play mainly though.

I know with Oz, I had him out at a lake with my 5 year old nephew. Oz was standing near Kyle and Oz just made a turn next to Kyle and knocked Kyle right on into the lake. Luckily we were right there and fished Kyle out. Big dog, lil' kid, you just never know what can happen unintentionally.

With my Cairn, I just worry about him getting stepped on, if the Collies start playing and I'm not there to pick him up out of the way. They all 3 get along wonderfully, but again Big dogs, lil' dogs, they can easily hurt the lil' dog without even meaning to. When they're playing, they just aren't focused on where the lil' dog is in relation to their big ole paws.

Also, you may want to have Max and Daisy initially meet on neutral territory, that can help new meetings be more successful.

Par...

[BOBS DAD]

Excellent Posts - all last 3. Sounds like good advice from experienced owners. Good points about fault not really being an issue when something bad happens. Who's fault - Who cares, let's just avoid bad things altogether. Also interesting angle on intentional vs unintentional. If someone gets hurt, they are still hurt whether there was intent or not. Big Dogs are big fun, but also big responsibilities too!

[lovemymix]

Wow! This is a great site! I am so happy that people took time to write me back. Dianesdogs reply did make me want to give up my dog! But, I appreciate her view on the matter. So far I am not/have not left my girls alone with Max. When I shower, he goes to his "bed" (kennel). We go to the vet tommorow...I am very curious to see what the vet thinks Max is and his response to the whole Pit Bull/ small children issue. Max is getting bigger before our eyes and I am really on top of his behavior...he seems really great though.

[Alysser]

Pitbulls don't deserve the bad reputation they get. The owners are the ones who fight them. They were bred for that. But it certainally changed. Pits are dogs. All dogs are unpredictable. Even goldens. All dog need to be supervised around young children. They don't know that dogs aren't toys until you teach them. ALWAYS watch play nbetween dog and child.

I have very young cousins. One is 2 and the oher is 6. I have to watch them when they play with my Maltese. Sure, she's small. But all dogs are capable of biting and she snaps.

[beyond_me]

Also when it comes to kids and dogs you can tell when a dog is annoyed. I had my 3 year old cousin who loves animals over for christmas. My pitt hadn't been around kids to much but a little. So I knew that I needed to watch her. She loved the attention at first but then I could tell that my cousin what getting to be to much by the way she was looking. I told my sister that my Cali was kinda annoyed and we just kept an eye on her and tried to distract my cousin for a little while.
The point is, is that most dogs will tell you when something isn't okay. You just have to know your dog and know when they aren't happy.
Also at the vet when I was getting her anal gland done it sounded like she was very very mad. I ask the vet how it went and she said that Cali was mad but never tried to bite her. She was just telling the vet she didn't like it and would snap at the air in the other direction of the vet, she never tried to bite at her!!! Just to be safe and not to give her a bad name she will prob have a muzzle on next time for the 5 mins it takes.
The thing is most dogs don't want to hurt their family, just watch what they are telling you and things should be okay. So supervision is the key!!!
Pitts are awesome I love them. I trust them just as much as every other dog out there. They are animals and have ways to tell you what is up. Just listen.