Pitbull and Newborn

i own two pitbulls and I have 2 kids in the home. i am a local girl scout leader of 25 girls and they have all been around my dogs. They are great family dogs. pitbulls were not bred to be human agressive. And the bone and food aggresion can be tamed with training. Is he bieng aggressive toward humans? or toward other animals when it concerns his food and bones? Do you own a kennel? will he release the bone or stop eating on command? this release command needs to be taught, mainly by hand feeding him. and positve reinforcment. Bones are considred a high value reward treat and should not be allowed to have all the time.
Before deciding to give hime up please do some research or ask more questions and seek help with training. I know much about the breed. feel free to ask.

C., To many people say get rid of your dog or my case my cat. They are animals, they have instincts, they get jealous. The key is to never leave the child alone with the dog. And sometimes dog atacks on kids is because they were playing and the dog got excited or the dog was teased or hurt. The family dog is family and we teach our child from day one not to pull, or poke or hit animals. They are animals we try to domesticate, its our job to watch out for the kids, but not opening the door for any situation. Kinda like we dont leave the kids alone by the pool. Or in the kithchen while water is boiling. You always be around your child if their are dangerous things. Dont get rid of puppy..

I'm a veterinary technician so I'm well aware of the myths about Pitbulls, but I can honestly say that the majority of Pits that I have dealt with are great family dogs and do well with children if properly trained. However, if your dog is aggressive about anything at all, you must put a stop to it immediately. The longer you allow that kind of behavior, the more set in his ways he will become. From a dog's perspective, if you react to his aggression by shying away or leaving him alone when he does it, then he feels he has won and has essentially dominated you. I would recommend that you contact a trainer and try to modify the situation before your baby is born to head off any unsavory behavior before it occurs.

As a mom, I feel that you should trust your instincts. If you have concerns, they are more than likely valid. I went through a similar situation with my Rottweiler (she is not aggressive per say, but she tramples the boys and I can't be certain that she wouldn't snap if they tugged on her) and I had to realize that no matter how much I love and care for her, she is an animal and above all else THE SAFETY OF MY CHILDREN HAS TO COME FIRST. I didn't give her up, but I have had to change the way she is involved in our family. I only allow her to be around my children when she can be monitored. You have to assess your situation individually and if it turns out that your dog just isn't fitting well with the new baby, it may be better to have him move on to a new family. Best of luck! I hope things work out for you.

I don't know if you ever watch The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan, but he says it isn't the breed, and that here are no bad breeds, it's the person/people who own(s) them. You have to be the pack leader. Dogs aren't aggressive unless they think they are the leader, not you. You should check out Cesar's website:
www.cesarmillaninc.com. Cesar himself owns lots of dogs, many of which were fighting pitbulls before he got them. Pits get a bad rap unnecessarily. Too bad, they're beautiful animals!

The fact that he is a pit has nothing to do with it. If people are telling you that he's a bad dog just because of his breed, disregard it. (If you do the research, Pit Bulls do not have a tendency towards agression and there are plenty of other breeds that do. It is how they were raised that affects their tendency towards agression) BUT if they are telling you he's a bad dog because of behaviors he already displays, then there is some cause for concern.
I would definitely take him to a certified trainer (not PetSmart or any type of retail canned training but someone very schooled in doggy discipline) and see how he reacts when the baby comes home. You should excercise care with babies and animals ALWAYS. We too have a dog (Bichon actually) that we were certain would have difficulties with our daughter when she came along because he could get snippy with our older son but with the baby, (now 16 months) he is different and he puts up with a lot more that we ever thought he was capable of. Don't leave them alone together and watch how he interacts with the new baby. (watch his ears, how he acts etc)
That is IF you know that he has never been trained towards agression though. If he was at any time, don't risk it.

I am sure you think he is a good dog. At four years old he cannot be trained to not be agressive in these areas. That is something that happened in puppyhood. Being food agressive and bone agressive you need to find him a new home. Not to mention the huge change in your dogs life being second to the baby, I would NEVER even have a yorkie/collie or golden retriever that was food or bone agressive near my children. It is asking for something horrible to happen in a second. When your child is active, crawling and so on, they will make a bee line for that dog, their toys out of curiosity. Your dog will not understand that. I am sorry but find him a child free home where he can be the number one.....don't even risk your babies life.

I have a pitbull, I rescued him right before being put down. He was never vicious, he had been abused, and had behavioural problems (chewing & urinating) which is why noone wanted him. My dog has been NOTHING short of amazing with my baby. He has calmed down since Colby came along, and I am just so glad I didn't give him up. Has your dog EVER shown any signs of aggression, other than with food & toys? If not, I would give it a shot. By the time your baby is old enough to play with that sort of stuff, the dog will be well adjusted, and understand that the child IS ahead of him in your pack. Just make sure the dog continues getting walks, and lots of attention, to ensure the new-baby-jealousy doesn't shine through. I still haven't seen that with mine. Let me know if it helps!!!

no contest! baby wins ALL THE TIME.
i wouldn't risk it for all the money in the world.
be sure you know that sooner or later the baby WILL crawl to the dog and do something to upset him. the dog will react. the dog thinks he has tenure over the child. he got there first! so in his mind...he has seniority over him. he will defend his position in the family. this is serious IMHO. what if you're not home? if someone else is taking care of your baby? i also noticed your sentence: "despite what everyone says"...it tells me you're the only one who thinks he is a good dog! why would you risk the life of your child? do it as soon as possible. don't take any chances, please, you read about stories of pitbulls attacking/fatally wounding children all the time.
when push comes to shove...no dog should be more important than the safety of your child and peace of mind that there is no danger when you're not home with him. i honestly pray that you will make the right decision. and there's only one right decision. ;)

Hi C.! I foster for 4 different rescues, and we see this SO much... it makes my heart sad. A large portion of our owner relinquishments are because people are having babies... but there is a lot you can do before you take that step. First of all, when you have the baby- keep a blanket or something on it and take it home to the dog and let him sniff it, sleep with it, etc. until you bring baby home. This will get him used to the smell and the idea of it. It GENERALLY (not always) turns out to be great for baby to have a dog to grow up with... children raised in a home with 2 or more animals are less likely to have animal allergies (you'd have to look up the percent, it is large though). If you encounter any problems, you can also bring in a trainer and it is generally dealt with early enough that it never becomes a big issue. I really hope they get along wonderfully... my doggies are just like my kids and they have "scuffles" ha ha, but in general they love each other- they cuddle with my son at night and he is learning a respect for animals, as well as how to treat them, which so many kids don't... Anyways, good luck and let me know if I can be of any more help!
T.

Hi C.
We had 2 dogs when our daughter was born. Both were adopted from the Humane Society. We did not know we were going to have kids when we got them. But 6 years later we had our daughter. Macy, was one of our dogs. She was great with us. But when it came to strangers (especially kids and other animals) she was not at all trustworthy. It was always so strange because our second dog could not be more warm with others. When our daughter was born we really worked with Macy to try and make her feel safe and loved with our baby. But Macy would sometimes growl, show hackles and teeth towards our daughter. When our daughter really started to get mobile, we made a tough decision. We used Craigslist (www.craigslist.com) to reach out to folks who might be the right fit for the dog. We had a lot of interest and found the perfect couple for her. Macy is in a great and loving home and I NEVER have worry about my daughter getting bit in our home. We still have our other dog who is totally mellow. My advice would be unless you are truly 100% sure that your child is safe, then the dog should go. Our kids have to come first. Good luck to you. I really feel for your situation.

Hi, C.:
I highly suggest you take your dog to a training class such as at PetSmart or other dog training classes. They are SO good! They can help with just about any problems you're having.
Good luck!
M

I am an animal LOVER!!! And, my boyfriend and i were discussing getting a pitbull(for protection)but how much sense would that make--we have an 11 mo.old. My suggestion is maybe no big do at all or really research the type of dog that will be most conducive--but you really have to stop and think as a parent--I told him it would not be a good idea. I love pit bulls however, I also know there are inherent natures of certain dogs. My 7 yr old chihuahua, loves people and has been groomed to be around people, however her inherent mean snappy side comes out all the time--she has been good for the most part with the baby but she has snapped at her a few times, this is even after needing to be around the baby and protect her. It is simply her inherent nature to be the snappy chihuahua as well--thank goodness she is tiny--and still I have debated giving her away. Can you imagine if just once, your pit bull decides to lock its jaws or snap at the baby, just out of the "new baby" jealousy, or for some reason the baby is around the dogs food (which the baby does all the time)--it is not worth it to the baby--what if you had to stare at her scarred face for the rest of her life. There are plenty of people who would love to have a pit--do the right thing--it isn't even worth the risk. And this is coming from someone who never thought she could love anything more then her dogs--haha...There was a saying from a doctor on Oprah the other day--when you have childeren, you give up your right to be irresponsible, self-distructive, or selfish. Not to mention, your dog would also have to be put asleep if he bit your child--they both deserve better. I feel for your situation-but you don't put sugar in a gas tank, I wouldn't put a child with a pit bull either. Kor

Is your heart big enough to accept the consequences of the aggressive dog?

C. C,
You have to first see how the dog reacts to your new baby, if the dog reacts badly to the baby being in the house, you will have no other choice, but to do what is right to keep your baby safe from harm. How does the dog react around other children? that is the real question right now.

I would definitely wait for the baby to arrive before you make any decisions. You will want to really monitor the two together. I have a pit and a 2 1/2 yr old and he is wonderful with her. Don't give up on your dog yet!

Despite your love for your dog, find him a new home. Any sort of aggression displayed by the dog is a danger sign. I had two shepard/pit mixes when my son was born and I chose to find them good homes....I wasn't going to take a chance. They too displayed aggresive natures moreso towards each other after the baby came. They were jealous. I have worked with dogs for 15 years and feel I can call shots on behavier not only from the work aspect but from my own personal experience.

I am a huge animal lover and mother to 3 young kids. But, my gut says you need to find a new home for your dog. I know pit bulls have a bad rap but they do have a tendency towards aggression and you MUST keep that baby safe. For me that kind of risk is just too high especially with his aggression towards food. Babies love to get into dog food and this could be a real problem once your baby starts crawling. We have a boxer who is not aggressive at all, but if she had been I would have had to get rid of her. A dog is an animal with instincts, babies are helpless. Good luck. sorry to be a downer...

I grew up with a pitbull/doberman mix and he was wonderful. That being said, I know you must be very carefull with any dog that shows aggression. Check with some dog training professionals and maybe even with "The Dog Whisperer" (www.cesarmillaninc.com)and see what they have to say. Maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks.

I agree with the people who say it is just not worth the risk to keep this dog, so I won't reiterate what they have said. But I do want to address those who suggest that you work with the dog, get specialized training, and carefully monitor the child/dog interaction. From my experience (we adopted a rhodesian ridgeback - which are supposed to be very family oriented - when my first son was three), none of this is very practical. Motherhood will take pretty much everything you have (especially if you are a new mom) and you will be tired, distracted, confused, and at some points, overwhelmed. All of this is manageable, unless you have something major thrown in with it. This is what happened to me. I thought by waiting until my son was three to get a dog, I would be able to devote the time and attention necessary to the dog. But it was sooooo stressful, and this dog had never even shown any signs of aggression. But he was big, and his paws or bites could have caused serious injury to my son, regardless of the trigger. And it is hard enough to keep up with a crawling/walking toddler who is getting into everything - do you really want to add dog-related issues that you will have to monitor?

The other consideration (I don't know if this is applicable to your dog) is that my dog was so big/strong that everytime he spazzed out because the doorbell rang or the garbage man came, he would knock over lamps or other furniture. I barely caught a lamp before it hit my son! Yes, I know, the answer to this is training, but THAT'S MY POINT!! I didn't have time, energy or patience to work with the dog. In the end, we returned the dog, and I have felt terrible about it, because it wasn't the dog's fault, it was mine for not understanding what a challenge it is to mix kids with dogs. Just something for you to chew on. (no pun intended!) Good luck!