I have to agree with CassiesMom, not just on pit bulls (and, yes, I've known some good pitties) BUT one must be careful in adopting ANY dog from a shelter unless they know the truth about the dog's background. Voice of experience here.

We adopted a lovely Australian Shepherd/German Shepherd/Sheltie mix from a shelter. Everyone said, and it appeared, that he was a beautiful, intelligent animal with no bad habits. About a week after bring him home, he tried to bite our neighbor's child when they came to visit (the kid did nothing...not even reach out to the dog), he took to snarling at everyone who came near the front porch. What did it tho' was the day he turned on me when I came out of the garage. My throat was the target when he launched himself at me.

When we took the dog back to the shelter and reported on it, they at first couldn't find the records, then they found them and said that dog should never have been adopted out to a family because it was trained to protect property as in a used car lot night patrol dog. He was behaving exactly as he was trained to...protecting any enclosed area (like the porch) against any and all intrusions. The child wasn't injured...a bruise on his hand was all, thankfully, but I could've been...and I was 'known' to the dog at that point. The shelter apologized and put the dog down since they couldn't, legally, release it after a negative attack report. Felt awful about it but at least no one else will be in a similar situation, or worse.

I have adopted other animals from shelters and they've been wonderful but you do definitely take a risk unless you have some idea of the background.

Callie