"mean dogs"

I've had Taz for only a week now. I knew two things the second I seen him streak into Wal-mart. 1.) I was in love and 2) He was a pit. (actually he is a mix, prolly with lab).
 
I called my mom as soon as I decided to keep him. And both her and her boss were hemmin and hawin about how mean pits are and blah blah blah. I just told them to wait and see. In a few years when he is the best behaved dog they've ever met, they all have to get one too.
And then I took him to the office so they could see him, and of course they fell in love too.
 
I know I will deal with many more people who are un educated and believe the media hype about pits. And I am ready. I have done ten times the research they have, and know ten times more than they do.
 

ORIGINAL: addicted2rescue

I've had Taz for only a week now. I knew two things the second I seen him streak into Wal-mart. 1.) I was in love and 2) He was a pit. (actually he is a mix, prolly with lab).
 
I called my mom as soon as I decided to keep him. And both her and her boss were hemmin and hawin about how mean pits are and blah blah blah. I just told them to wait and see. In a few years when he is the best behaved dog they've ever met, they all have to get one too.
And then I took him to the office so they could see him, and of course they fell in love too.
 
I know I will deal with many more people who are un educated and believe the media hype about pits. And I am ready. I have done ten times the research they have, and know ten times more than they do.
 

 
Heck yeah! I love to hear stories like that! My mom was apprehensive about me getting a pit bull, we have a lot of littel kids in our family and she was very adamant that my "pit bull" wouldnt be allowed at family functions and what not. After picking Rory up from the breeder I went straight to my mom's house. The second she saw this lil red bundle all ears and big puppy feet she fell in love. My mother know has a "my grandaughter is a pit bull" sweatshirt and is my daily dog sitter! Rory is now 18 months and VERY much a part of the family and all our functions. The kids love her and its great for her to be around them too! last week I walked in on her and my nephew, he was tossing a blanket over her head and jumping on her! She would relinqish, lie down and wait for him to uncover her and giver her belly rubs, it really warms the heart!

... The meanest dog ive ever met was a male Pekignese. He was my aunts and a nasty little thing, he would try to kill everyone that went near the house. He bitt me once when I was a girl. And the meaner they are the longer they live, that dog lived to be about 17 or 18.
 
When my father had his female Pit Bull we got lots of discrimination with her. After a few bad vet visits, with everyone making coments and making faces we ended up using the back door when she had to go to the vet just to avoid the comments ans stares

The meanest dog i've ever met was a chow.  The reason he was so bad was his owners, they treated him bad(kicked and shoved him) and pretty much teased him all the time.  He would growl whenever anyone went near him, and he was a biter.  I think he ended up at the pound after biting both of his owners and a friend when they tried to (litterally) toss him outside for messing in the house.
 
Luckily those people never got another dog, i felt so bad for the little chow because his owners tormented him.
 
Now, i believe all dogs are good dogs, they only get mean when they aren't handled correctly.  Most mean dogs aren't socialized, they aren't treated well, and they do whatever they like in their house with no rules or structure.  I think its just stupid to call an entire breed "mean" or "dangerous".  Pit bulls, Rottweilers, Dobermans, and German Shepherds all have a bad rap, but they are all good dogs.  I've owned each of those breeds, and every one has been a great dog (especially my GSD's and Rotties).  So i will never be convinced that a breed is dangerous, even with all of the people that think those breeds are dangerous.

The reason he was so bad was his owners, they treated him bad(kicked and shoved him) and pretty much teased him all the time.

One of the very first things I learned is that they don't take well to being man handled.  That's why I've never even so much as used a choke collar on my chow.
 
The "meanest" dog I've encountered pet sitting was a chi/mix, very fearful.  To me, it was incredible scary because I never knew what would set him off.  One day he'd be fine, next day same routine caused him to show teeth, etc. 
 
I did have a pit bull act so, so friendly, showing me her belly, etc. when I went to meet her and her owner.  But, on my first visit to take care of her, she wouldn't let me in the house.  Luckily, the owner missed her flight and we made other arrangements.  But, she was shockingly aggressive when she was alone.

Ah, the behavior from others when they saw my rottie --who's still a puppy -- wasn't a surprise.  It was annoying at first, but now I don't even care.  If they want to be that way and not see how great she is, let them.  I adore her, so that's all that matters.  []

The meanest dog I know is my neighbor's Pomeranian.  That little guy is a beast!  His owner is a total moron, though.

It's the little dogs of any breed that make me really nervous.  My niece had a lovely little chi who was just cranky as the day is long.  We had some little tzues next to us in WV who were also confirmed ankle bitters.  However, they were outside WAY too much and I suspect the neighbors were byb's.
 
I have the luxury of ignorance of many breeds.  I grew up with a chow who terrized anyone who saw him.  He was a sweet boy who never so much as snarled, but they judged him on appearance and went running.  Or maybe chows had a bad rep even way back then.  I'm not sure WHY we even had him...my Dad always had hunting dogs so I've no clue why he had a chow.  I don't think he used him to hunt......and am not sure if that's even possible.  But I can absolutely promise that if he were a dangerous dog my sisters and I wouldn't have been let NEAR him, let alone allowed to walk him on leash.
 
My first encounter with a pit bull I had no clue what he was....i didn't KNOW that I was supposed to be afraid of him.  He was a lovely animal who was friendly and whose body language was "safe".  I've met many other breeds who are supposedly agressive and mean and never had a problem.  Sometimes not knowing your breeds all that well has its advantages! []

ORIGINAL: glenmar
It's the little dogs of any breed that make me really nervous

Thank you to Glenda and the others that have just backed up a couple of postings of mine.

Awww the little guys are getting picked on.  Hmmm...that's not fair[&:].  My Shih Tzu is very friendly to dogs of all sizes and kids and people.  I expose him to alot of people and he is in dog obedience and he is well mannered and hasn't shown any agression towards anyone.  I think alot of smaller dogs are spoiled and not taught properly due to their size and oh isn't that cute he is being a tough lil dog.  Genetics is part of it but being raised well and socialized and obedience training you can have a wonderful dog regardless of breed.  []

I think that you've hit that nail squarely on the head.  Often the little dogs are NOT trained and socialized because they ARE little.  And people don't seem to think that little ones can inflict any "real" damage.  Beg to differ there!

I agree with you Glenda.  I have seen what a Lhaso Apso can do to someone's knee and it wasn't pretty.  Little dogs have teeth too!  Being a responsible owner means training your own dog and socializing it regardless of size and breed.[]

I actually get discriminatory & mean comments suprisingly often about my cocker spaniel. Since puppy mill cockers were so popular in the 60s-80s, it seems everyone in the world has an aunt who had a nasty cocker spaniel (even *I* have an aunt who had a nasty cocker spaniel!). So I know there's a basis to the stereotype, but I hate it when people come up to me - or if my dog comes up in conversation - and say "Oh, cocker spaniels are mean, they bite don't they!" What am I supposed to say to that? And no offense to the bully breed owners here, but I find that bully owners especially love to tell me cockers are mean dogs, as if to compensate or get revenge for the stereotypes they fight (2 wrongs don't make a right). I had one cane corso owner arguing with me that "Cocker spaniels are #1 for dog bites! No, they really are!" (They aren't.)

I have a 13 month old pitt who is an absolute sweet heart.  Not always the best behaved, he's a bit hard headed, but he adores my five year son, and is always playful, mischievious, and loving.  I have often stated that the people who are afraid of him are intimadated by his intelligence lol.  I can understand the bad rep these dogs have gotten but just can't see it.  This is the second pitt I've owned and they have both been absolutely amazing friends.

The meanest dog I've ever met was a daschund, man, that dog was vicious!!!!!!!!!

I live in an area where most people own either a GSD, Pitt, or a mix of those breeds, and I'm always amazed when one gets loose and everyone is hiding on their porch or something because they assume it's mean. Then I go out to catch it to return it to it's owner and it's the sweetest dog on earth!!! Most of them just want a good treat and a little loving.

You just have to have a thick skin and a BIG smile! I have had bull breeds since 1982 and I spend a LOT of time doing breed PR.  I figure that if I can change one person's mind about my favorite type (the bully breeds are my kind of dog) then it has been worth all of the glares, grumbling and stares from the ignoramuses out there.

I have had people cross the street, hide their kids behind them, avoid eye contact, etc.  I have also had questionable types come straight to us, asking politely to pet Gypsy! When we were on vacation last summer (dogless), I found a pair of Pitties to love on.  The owners were taken a bit aback by this loony woman who came tearing over, crooning , "Pitties" and petting their pair like she hadn't seen a dog in a month!

On Wednesday, we will be part of the kickoff for our Summer Reading Program at work. Since the theme is "Paws, Claws, Scales and TALES", it is obviously a pet theme. Gypsy will be there to charm the kids with her taicks and licks.  I hope to convert more sceptics.