LAB/PITBULL MIX HELP PLEASE

What's there to worry about?  Pit bulls are excellent around humans, they were originally bred to be good around humans.  I mean, they had to right?  When the humans bull baited them, they needed to make sure the pit bull would obey their owner.  Be cautious when your dog is around other dogs though.   

That's right Pit Bulls had to be great with people, because the handler needed to be able to grab their dog while fighting and the Pit Bull could not bite or show aggresion toward the human or else it was disqualified...
 
At least that is what it says in my books about Pit Bulls.
 
I also have a Pit Bull /Boxer and he is wonderful, he has never once even growled at us. You can do anything to him, just like at the Vet's they have never had to muzzle him, they all love him. He is just a big baby. Good luck and it sounds like this dog would be great.

My boyfriend has a lab/pit mix and he is the sweetest dog around.  I would trust him with a baby. 

pits arent as bad as they are played out to be. The can be amazing family dogs. They are intelligent loyal animals. I wouldnt worry about a pit then i would any other dog. ANY dog has the potential to be a nice or an aggresive animal. It is based a little on the breed but also how they are raised and trained. Go with you instincts if the dog gets along with your family and in your heart it feels right then go for it. Each dog has its own personality and every dog has the potential to be a great family dog if dealt with properly

Pit Bulls are cool dogs, just use common sense.  Don't leave them unsupervised, no pulling on ears, tails, just obvious common sense things that you're probably already aware of.  They're dogs, just like Labs, and Pointers, and Goldens, they're not monsters, humans are prone to overreacting and trying to blame anyone/thing they can so that they don't feel responsible. 

We have a pit/lab mix and she wil be 13 this month. Her name is Maddie. She is the best dog. She has never bitten anyone or been agressive towards anybody. She is just a joy to have. She loves kids and will like their faces and play with them. I think pits make great loyal pets. She gets along with our other 2 dogs perfectly. Here are a few pictures of her.
 

 

 
Playing with the puppy

 

 

 
 

Pit Bulls are great around kids, though they can be aggressive around other dogs. (That's very, very different from being aggressive to people though. A dog-aggressive dog will not necessarily "transfer" his aggression to people.) Like what the others said, just make sure to supervise. It's wise not to get a false sense of security about any breed, not just Pit Bulls. Don't think a dog doesn't have the potential to bite because it's, say, a Golden Retriever or a Lab.

I agree with the rest - a Pit is a dog, just like a Lab or Golden Retriever.

In fact, one of the friendliest dogs I've ever met was a pit.  She was so well trained, but could hardly contain her excitement when someone came to the door. She never jumped up, and only wanted to be petted. Such a lover!

Coincidentally, the only dog that has ever bitten me was a Poodle. Go figure.

I volunteer for a pit/rottie rescue.  The woman who runs the rescue is very responsible and temperament tests adoptable dogs.  She tests them when she first gets them  and again in about 2 weeks after being in a foster home enviorment and then again before actually being placed in the new home.  We interview the adopters , 2  personal references of their choice and their vet and we  also do a home check.  .  You might want to find out if they have done any temperament testing with the dog you are considering.  Sometimes a rescue dog will go through a "honeymoon period" before their true personality shows up.  I would ask myself a few questions before adopting .......what behaviors in a dog would I not accept, do I have experience with a dominant dog, do I have a fenced in yard,  am I willing to go through obedience training if necessary, how will my family or neighbors react to a dog with pitbull  in it.......will they still come to visit, will my home insurance go up?. These are some of the questions we ask when trying to find the best family/best dog combination.   Chances are  the dog is just a great dog who will make a great family pet .  Good luck, I hope it works out!

Ruby what a great point! Check the insurance issues because that's something you don't want to find out the day you need that insurance most. Also take the temperature of your area...is there BSL? has there been attempts to pass it? What's the general vibe in your area where dogs are concerned? All these things can save you trouble or possible major decisions down the line...
 
This is of course assuming the dog looks pit...looking the part is all it takes in some highly BSL ruled areas [:@]

of all the responses, i think the last 2 are the most important.  yes, pits can be great dogs.  i have 2.  they are big, goofy babies.  but they have made it very hard for me to find a place to live, sometimes people will treat you poorly on the street, and BSL is creeping in everywhere. (agree, gina, this assumes that you can actually see the pit in the dog, which i presume you can, otherwise a shelter wouldn't mention it)
 
i would be less worried about the *dog* aspect and more worried about the *human* factors.  just be aware that owning a dog that looks like a pit comes with a lot of responsibility. 
 
i want you to adopt from a shelter and save a life.  but if you have reservations about it, they may project on to the dog and your relationship with it.
 
if you can handle what people might think, and you're not worried about being evicted, i say; FORGET THE "BREED", go with your heart.

I agree. Pits are wonderful dogs. But one of the main rules of dog ownership is that you should NEVER leave ANY dog alone with a child, whether it's a pit bull or a chihuahua.

Pit Bulls are great great dogs. I own one myself, and he is the love of our lives. They are wonderful with humans, but again, I would ask if the dog has been temperament tested as over breeding and breed mixing has resulted in some unstable dogs (then again, there are unstable dogs of any breed.)

My dog is such a goof, hes so funny, affectionate, by-your-side-like-velcro-loyal, fun, and the list goes on and on. Hes great with children, only he loves them a little too much and has a tendency to knock them over... did I mention that he was playful and FULL of energy? (he's 17 months old).

Owning a pit bull though is a huge responsibility. It is important that you do your best to raise a dog that is an ambassador of the breed. How your dog behaves is going to be a reflection on everyone's dog, and they really need to reverse the negative hype and press. This, of course, is not to say you won't do a good job... I always give this disclaimer to people.

The points people brought up were great,
BSL. I live in New York City and there is a lot of Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) buzz, and this really scares me. Click [linkhttp://forum.dog.com/asp/tm.asp?m=95573&mpage=2&key=BSL??]here[/link] to see a thread where we talked a lot about BSL, and I "defined" it in there if you're not sure.

The view of the general public towards pit bulls is not great, when I walk down the street with Tyson people sometimes pull their children near, or cross the street. It is almost funny to me, because I know all he would do is lick them, but not at all funny at the same time.

The other thing to consider is that if your dog turns out to be dog aggressive, you may be commiting to being a one dog home. I have gone through a battle with myself over getting a second dog, and deciding to wait until I can see how Tyson is in his older years. Even if your dog is not DA, a pit bull can do damage to another dog if provoked. That said, no dog should ever be left alone with anyone or any animal unsupervised.

Now, all those things said, I love pits, and would never want my home to be without one. They bring such joy to my life, I am an advocate for the breed, and I would love for one to be adopted from a shelter by a loving family.

Another great suggestion mentioned above would be to adopt from a rescue group. Saving from a shelter is great, but opeining up a spot in a rescue leaves room for the pros to pick a great dog from the shelter. Rescues temperament test, foster dog, and screen adopters very carefully. They can match you with a dog that is right for you.

I don't know where you are located, but check out [linkhttp://www.badrap.org]Bad Rap[/link] a rescue organization that has a ton of resources and information about owning/adopting a pit. Some other rescue resources:

[linkhttp://www.animalfarmfoundation.org/]Animal Farm Foundation[/link]
[linkhttp://www.pbrc.net]Pit Bull Rescue Central[/link]
[linkhttp://www.bulliesinneed.ca]Bullies in Need[/link]

Also, check out [linkhttp://www.dogwatch.net]Dog Watch[/link] to research potential BSL in your area.

great links, alieliza