Dog Questions

Van Living Forum

Help Support Van Living Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
This is an interesting topic for me, something I have been considering more than ever lately (getting a dog). Yes, I'd like one for safety AND companionship, I go through a "wanting a dog phase" every few years and have yet to own one. I like to get out in to the wilderness whenever I can, in bear country, cougar country, sometimes meth or drug country, and I know I'd at least feel safer with a buddy. I'm pretty sure my friend's dog alerted me to a cougar once in Oregon when I was hiking alone, that animal instinct is pretty keen. And whenever you hear about an animal attack it's always on a small solo female, it seems.

Though I've been essentially nomadic for the past few years (seasonal work, travel, camping, couch surfing) I am just starting this van life. I'm hoping to get my conversion to a place where it's totally liveable and then think about whether it's realistic to get a dog. I've lived in a cat household my whole life, and have taken care of my friend's dogs. They are a commitment!

I also worry about being a guest with a dog. It's one thing to host just me, entirely another to host a big hairy barking creature. I already wonder if I ask my friends too much (crashing with them from time to time).

I'm also very drawn to pit breeds, or pit mixes. They are just the absolute sweetest in my experience, but with quite a bad reputation (and apparently not great watch dogs!) Anybody here have a pit, or experience with one?

I have this romantic idea that my dog will find me, like when the time is right and we're both ready, voila! Until then... patience I suppose, and bear spray.
 
marigold said:
"...I also worry about being a guest with a dog. It's one thing to host just me, entirely another to host a big hairy barking creature. I already wonder if I ask my friends too much (crashing with them from time to time)...."

My dog is very welcome almost every where I go. I am frequently told, not to come without her. This is because she is  well socialized, well behaved and well trained. That said, if I happen to be some place where she is not welcome she can stay with my vehicle. You won't even know she is there. Of course, I would never leave her in my vehicle if she was not safe.

"...I'm also very drawn to pit breeds, or pit mixes. They are just the absolute sweetest in my experience, but with quite a bad reputation (and apparently not great watch dogs!) Anybody here have a pit, or experience with one?..."

Pitbulls are awesome dogs. Unfortunately, because of BSL (Breed specific legislature) and some insurance policies they can limit your travels.

"...I have this romantic idea that my dog will find me, like when the time is right and we're both ready, voila! Until then... patience I suppose, and bear spray."

It happens every day
 
There are lots of people here who love dogs and cats and keep them in their vans and RV's.  I've had pets, but not living in my van.  There are people who have their lives centered around their cats and dogs, some on this forum.  That's their choice, it's their life. But you asked of opinion, so I'll give you mine.

Why not make a list of the pros and cons to owning a dog while living in your van?

Pros, whatever benefit you get by having your dog with you all the time.  Perhaps it could alert you to an intruder, but it could also wake you up every few minutes as someone walks by, or it could scare or injure a small child who wanders into your camp.  There's a story on foxnews.com right now about a police dog, living with his handler, bit his kids leg and it will get amputated.  A quick internet search found a woman who was killed by a bear while walking her dog.  

Cons, expense for food, vet bills, etc.  Many places you can't go because they don't allow dogs.  Is it always legal to leave your dog in a van?  Is it fair to the dog?  With a house and yard you can let the dog run around in the yard.  With a dog in the van you can't just leave it while you go to the grocery store. 

Some of the festivals I go to don't allow dogs.  Some do.  I don't think dogs fit in with music festivals.  It seems they always wind up fighting, creating comotion and drama.  Even if your dog that's as big as a bear is perfect, when I walk by I don't know your dog.  I'm tense because I don't know what this dog is going to do.  Then the dog will see another dog and snarl and bark.  That causes my body to release adrenaline, and stresses me out.  I've been bitten by a dog at a music festival.  The owner admitted the dog had problems, he had just gotten it from an owner that said he was a biter.
 
My last two dogs absolutely found me--and I am extremely grateful they did!

I think the best reason to get a dog is all the cons on the list. Humans need someone or something to sacrifice for, it literally is written into our DNA. The only certain path to happiness is to work for the happiness of another.
Bob
 
HarmonicaBruce said:
There are lots of people here who love dogs and cats and keep them in their vans and RV's.  I've had pets, but not living in my van.  There are people who have their lives centered around their cats and dogs, some on this forum.  That's their choice, it's their life. But you asked of opinion, so I'll give you mine.

Why not make a list of the pros and cons to owning a dog while living in your van?

Pros, whatever benefit you get by having your dog with you all the time.  Perhaps it could alert you to an intruder, but it could also wake you up every few minutes as someone walks by, or it could scare or injure a small child who wanders into your camp.  There's a story on foxnews.com right now about a police dog, living with his handler, bit his kids leg and it will get amputated.  A quick internet search found a woman who was killed by a bear while walking her dog.  

Cons, expense for food, vet bills, etc.  Many places you can't go because they don't allow dogs.  Is it always legal to leave your dog in a van?  Is it fair to the dog?  With a house and yard you can let the dog run around in the yard.  With a dog in the van you can't just leave it while you go to the grocery store. 

Some of the festivals I go to don't allow dogs.  Some do.  I don't think dogs fit in with music festivals.  It seems they always wind up fighting, creating comotion and drama.  Even if your dog that's as big as a bear is perfect, when I walk by I don't know your dog.  I'm tense because I don't know what this dog is going to do.  Then the dog will see another dog and snarl and bark.  That causes my body to release adrenaline, and stresses me out.  I've been bitten by a dog at a music festival.  The owner admitted the dog had problems, he had just gotten it from an owner that said he was a biter.
 
Sorry this should be attached  to the above post..... I observe you have added cons to each pro and the cons are separate.From the way I understand you don't see any pros to having a pet.Sad ,but not everyone should have a pet and apparently you are one that shouldn't nor even want a pet. There are many who have pets that wouldn't be without them myself included.I have and will continue to travel with my 4 cats and if I could I would have a dog also but right now my kittys keep me busy.My opinion... a pet gives so much more than anyone can imagine until you have a pet.Your negative observations really can be answered with pawsitive ones.Like I said my opinion. Safe travels Mr. Bruce :shy:
 
marigold, you are getting some misinformation here. Keep in mind as you read this, hundreds of people have spoken with me how to train dogs. I have tons of experience and have had some outstanding success. HOWEVER, also know that out of all of those people, the vast majority have largely not taken my advice with a handful taking most of my advice, and no one taking all of my advice. I've lost a few friends over this, too. Basically, I have annoyed the vast majority of them and made myself look stupid. Doesn't mean I'm wrong in what I say, but it probably does. Make sense? No? Ok, then we are on the same page. Lol. Now seriously, let me give you some information.

If you have a large social life with friends and family, a dog can be cumbersome. Some people don't want dogs at their place and you need to respect that, and you seem like you are that kind of person. I enjoy dogs a bunch, but if someone brings their dog over without asking me, that is uncool. Most people do like to have well-behaved dogs over, so it probably isn't as bad as you might think. I can take my dog anywhere I can and she can handle it, but sometimes I still leave her at home. When I took the tour of one of the hydro dams in town here, I left her at home. They said she could come, but they have bunches of stairs that have expanded metal that hurt dogs' feet, so I would have had to carry her while traversing the stairs, which isn't safe.

The military base here has banned Pitbulls, so I don't go in there anymore. When you go on their property, you are in another country, a country that has fewer rights and is backed by the full weight of the federal government. That is a conflict I have no desire to get into no matter how right I may be.

Pits are not for a first time dog owner. No powerful dog is. When you have a dog like that, you need to bring your A-game and a first time dog owner's game is a bit weak. I'm not saying it is absolutely impossible to acquire a Pit that doesn't have a mean bone in it's body, but that is unlikely. Most big dogs, especially dogs that are bred to be powerful, know it and you need to be able to guide that. I own a Border Collie/Pit. She is powerful and has lots of energy. You can see her in my avatar. (Not the orange one, the black and white one. Haha.) She is a big, fat sweety pie, but when she gets aggressive, she's downright scary. I got her from the pound. They were going to euthanize her because she was so awful and they really should have put her down, but I took her in. Now she is my service dog. A service dog that is able to be as protective as she is and still not be a problem takes some serious training. I hear people say, "It's the deed not the breed!" That is true, but when I ask what kind of training is needed, I get blank stares. Can't get a specific answer. No breed should be banned, but that doesn't mean they aren't powerful dogs- they must be treated as such.

You said, "I have this romantic idea that my dog will find me, like when the time is right and we're both ready, voila!" That isn't how it works. A lot of people will vehemently disagree, but that is an irresponsible way to pick out a dog especially a Pit or other powerful breed. The breeder or owner of the dog should gather information about your personality, lifestyle, experience, knowledge, etc., and use that to evaluate which if any dog they have available would be a likely match for you. Some lines are more for work, and some lines are more for pet quality. A Pit that goes up to you and "chooses" you may be the one with the most dominance and most drive which would be a horrible choice for a first time dog owner.

Here is a link that is fun to help select a dog that suits ones personality and wants:

http://www.animalplanet.com/breed-selector/dog-breeds.html

I am totally fine with leaving a dog in my truck. It is not an inherently bad thing. Mine keeps people out of my truck. She also really enjoys having people in the truck when I invite them in. Some places have made it illegal to leave an animal in a vehicle. No matter what you do with your dog, you are going to be wrong and sometimes illegal. There is no getting around that. I've had legal problems with my animals and accept that as part of owning a dog that travels with me. If I kept mine locked up in my home all the time, I wouldn't have the problems that I occasionally get, but I also wouldn't have the good behaviors that my dog has now.

Some breeders or Humane Societies won't adopt a dog out to someone that doesn't have a fenced yard. That is total rubbish. In fact a large yard is an easy way to be lazy and not train your dog properly. It's an easy way to let your dog run around without any guidance like a hoodlum. I'm not saying that you should never let your dog run free; you need to let your dog run free for a bit- after it has earned the outing. People living on a Reservation have a different idea. They really enjoy and are proud of their dogs being able to run free. That is another place I won't take my dog. She caught mange one time and doggy pink eye another time, and it could've been a lot worse.

I hate dog parks. Won't go in there anymore because I'm tired of my dog getting torn up and I'm tired of watching other dogs fight. Horrible places. The music festival Bruce mentioned is another place I won't go. Too many ill-mannered dogs. Being in a place where every other dog is a physical threat or wants to steal your food is not my idea of fun.

Dogs that are poorly trained hurt people. Or children and dogs that are improperly supervised result in injuries. A child can yell, kick, and bite my dog and she will whine or yelp at the most, but if I wasn't there and she was cornered and couldn't run away and justifiably had to defend herself, I have no doubt she would bite to defend herself. She would use a minimum amount of force and wouldn't maul the child, but there's a good chance she would break the skin or even draw blood. That is a natural consequence and a great way to learn how to treat an animal, but our society largely disagrees with that. It would probably result in a lawsuit and one that could financially ruin me. My philosophy is if a dog has teeth, it can bite. If a person says their dog doesn't bite, they are lying unless that dog has no teeth. They may not intentionally be lying, but unwittingly lying.

Well, I'm sure I've ruffles some feathers, but I hope this information helps you out. I encourage you to get a dog if that is what you want and your are able to provide for it. It's ok to make mistakes, lots of mistakes, along the way. That is how you learn. Don't beat yourself up when you do make mistakes as long as your are being safe about the training. With my dog I don't use a leash at all, but at first, that leash was my best friend. I used it ALL the time because I knew that my dog and me would be making mistakes and a leash cures 99.9% of problems as long as I'm doing my part to the best of my ability. Having a dog for me isn't an absolute necessity, but it sure makes life easier and more fun even though it does limit other parts of my life. Every thing you do or want in life is a two-sided coin and that includes owning an animal.

My dogs have helped shape who I am. I am a very different person that what I would've been and that is a very, very good thing! I've accentuated how big of a responsibility of owning a dog is, but don't let that get you down. Not only do I accept the responsibility of properly owning a dog, I embrace it! If you don't want that responsibility, that is OK. Nothing wrong with that. Whatever you choose, commit to it and enjoy it! :)
 
What Canine said 1000%. I've been professionally involved with dogs for 45 some years. Dogs have been my livelihood as well as my passion all my life. Groomer, trainer, AKC exhibitor, breeder, rescue..... I encounter people every day that have no clue the disservice they are doing their dogs, from lack of proper training to lack of grooming, etc.
Thank you Canine for speaking the truth in such a well written way.
 
I've had 3 pits and sad to say the first one I would never trust to be alone with a child.WE got her when she was a pup so I know she was never mis-treated.It was just in her DNA to not like small people.We dealt with this by never letting her get in a situation where she might bite someone.The last one I had was an absolute dream.The more kids wrestled and rolled with him,the more he liked it.We now come to Miss Molly,the pit we got from the pound in Yuma.We've only had her 3 months but it seems like people could be in danger around her.There is a great possibility someone may be licked to death.She is 3 years old and a pure pleasure to be around.By the way,did anyone else check out the picture on the net of the 175 lb pit?
 
Like a few others here, I've made my living working with dogs for over 35 years. I think a dog is worth every bit of extra effort they may bring and I travel with 3 myself. My dogs are very well behaved and every friend and family member knows that we come as a package deal. The dogs and I slept in 9 different places (van, rv, family, motel, KOA cabins) in 10 different states this winter and as long as they're with me, they're happy. We had to hole up in a hotel (Red Roof is the greatest, no pet fee) because of weather for two days and they learned to ride an elevator. I plan events and travel taking weather into consideration and it's never been an issue. If I have to wait till after sundown to shop, I wait rather than leave them in a hot vehicle. If you're willing to sacrifice, you can make it work.
You don't need a Pit Bull to feel safe, I have Poodles for Gods sake. The tiny ones warn me and the big guy would make anyone think twice about entering my van. I really like Pitty's and think they're great dogs but would not own one. They are not welcome at many campgrounds and although I trust most of them with people, I do not trust them with other dogs. I need to be able to walk my dogs anywhere and not worry that one of them will attack another dog. Surprisingly, females are more dog aggressive than neutered males in my experience
There are many great dogs out there that would be a great companion for your lifestyle. I'd stay away from short nosed breeds if you'll be in a lot of hot weather, they don't fare as well. A dog that needs tons of exercise might not be a good choice if you're not a very active person. Consider grooming costs versus heavy shedders. Really large dogs take up more space, eat more, and poop bigger so you might want to stick to medium or small sized pups. You can teach an old dog new tricks but younger ones adapt better. You may be lucky and find a great dog but I think a bit of research on what type of dog would be suitable and then a knowledable search would be smarter. Good luck
 
I don't want to start a dog-breed war here, but it is the breed more than the deed.  Certain breeds have characteristics based on what they were originally bred for.  And, unfortunately, pit bulls were bred to fight to the death.  While they may be sweet and lovable to their own family, they can [and often are] a potential danger to neighborhood kids and to other animals.  I agree with Canine that they shouldn't be a first choice for an inexperienced dog owner.  Nor, IMHO, should a Rottweiler or Doberman. They all demand an alpha human right from the get go.  Go to the AKC website and look up the characteristics of the various dog breeds and look at mixed breeds, which are often healthier dogs.  

BTW, I take my dog everywhere with me except, say, inside a supermarket.  When I must go shopping, I go early in the day so I can leave him in the RV before it gets hot and I leave my Fantastic vent open with the fan on. 
 
This is almost 3 weeks living on the road, mainly boondockng with my two small dogs and a now 11 week old pup.  It forces me to exercise, a lot to try to wear the pup out.  I have no regrets so far. I am able to leave them in the camper for a few hours when I need to go into town. Camper is 10 foot by 7 foot.

If you don't know whats involved in having a dog, it may be a lot to handle.  I have a constant awareness about dangers, especially since I have little dogs. If someone needs to go out at night, on goes the robe and I get the flashlight and make sure there are no coyotes of bigger things. I always carry pepper spray while hiking. There are 3 bodies and myself that has to be kept safe. 
 
I appreciate all the advice and input, I actually went to the shelter last week just to check out the dogs there. I know every breed has their advantages and disadvantages, and every dog itself comes with it's own set of challenges! I'm still a long way off from actually getting a pup, I'm just not quite ready to give up certain freedoms yet, but maybe in the next year I'll be ready.

As far as choosing a dog purely based on logic, I favor a slightly more intuitive approach. Has anyone ever dated a person who appeared perfect on paper, all the right qualities and interests, but was just a poor match in reality? I sure have, and I think the same can be true for choosing a pet (or letting a pet choose me..) To be honest, so far I'm more drawn to the shyer submissive dogs than the dominant ones, but who knows. I've done my research, I prefer to leave the rest up to fate (or whatever..) I just keep imagining finding a stray in the woods or something, or being approached by some sweet dog when I'm roaming around somewhere.

I'm still on the fence about a pit or pit mix. It's not about safety, for some reason it's just the breed that I connect with the most. It sounds like there's a big range of experiences with this breed, from sweet to unpredictable - which helps to hear about. I'll probably get an adult dog so I know what kind of temperament I'm getting. I wouldn't necessarily call myself "inexperienced" with dogs, while I haven't technically owned one, I took care of my friend's hound mix for about a year and did quite a bit of training with him. He's an incredible dog, but very alpha, and could be aggressive with other alpha dogs, the mailman and certain other men, so I know a bit. I've definitely stepped into my fair share of dog issues and lived with lots of dogs over the years.
 
marigold said:
I appreciate all the advice and input, I actually went to the shelter last week just to check out the dogs there. I know every breed has their advantages and disadvantages, and every dog itself comes with it's own set of challenges! I'm still a long way off from actually getting a pup, I'm just not quite ready to give up certain freedoms yet, but maybe in the next year I'll be ready.

As far as choosing a dog purely based on logic, I favor a slightly more intuitive approach. Has anyone ever dated a person who appeared perfect on paper, all the right qualities and interests, but was just a poor match in reality? I sure have, and I think the same can be true for choosing a pet (or letting a pet choose me..) To be honest, so far I'm more drawn to the shyer submissive dogs than the dominant ones, but who knows. I've done my research, I prefer to leave the rest up to fate (or whatever..) I just keep imagining finding a stray in the woods or something, or being approached by some sweet dog when I'm roaming around somewhere.

I'm still on the fence about a pit or pit mix. It's not about safety, for some reason it's just the breed that I connect with the most. It sounds like there's a big range of experiences with this breed, from sweet to unpredictable - which helps to hear about. I'll probably get an adult dog so I know what kind of temperament I'm getting. I wouldn't necessarily call myself "inexperienced" with dogs, while I haven't technically owned one, I took care of my friend's hound mix for about a year and did quite a bit of training with him. He's an incredible dog, but very alpha, and could be aggressive with other alpha dogs, the mailman and certain other men, so I know a bit. I've definitely stepped into my fair share of dog issues and lived with lots of dogs over the years.

I understand being drawn to a particular breed/pet.I grew up on a farm so we always had a dog or 2 and many barn cats.I favor long hair cats /dogs and in the future will add a dog to my fur family :). I only have one concern for you and that is there are so many places that pits and pit crosses are banned.I have even heard of them being confiscated and then destroyed :(  They have really gotten a bad rap and I am one that believes how a pup is raised has the most impact on their personality.Sadly as of late there has been an increase in dog fighting here in the Albuquerque area with a lot of missing small dogs. Best of luck! :rolleyes:
 
We have a basset hound that my parents want me to take along. He's a coward, but he's got a deep bark. I'm still deliberating on it as I don't think he should have to live in such a small space (truck camper). Also, dogs have to be let out, sometimes in the middle of the night, which leaves you vulnerable. I think I might just go for a motion-sensing spotlight and  maybe even figure out a way for that to trigger an alarm to wake me up.

Now having a parrot trained to wake me up with a loud "DANGER" would be pretty awesome.
 
You could try it for a day/night and see what he thinks of it, I know a 100lb pitbull who spends all day in her owners truck cab by choice.

My parents 80lb mutt, err, Gerberian shepsky is what I think they are calling them now, may be pregnant, so chances are I'm getting a nice little mutt puppy to raise from the get go my van. I have no hopes for any dog that's part Sibe being a guard dog unless the bad guy is scared of getting licked. But the companionship of a dog is always nice.
 
K1ngN0thing said:
We have a basset hound that my parents want me to take along. He's a coward, but he's got a deep bark. I'm still deliberating on it as I don't think he should have to live in such a small space (truck camper). Also, dogs have to be let out, sometimes in the middle of the night, which leaves you vulnerable. I think I might just go for a motion-sensing spotlight and  maybe even figure out a way for that to trigger an alarm to wake me up.

Now having a parrot trained to wake me up with a loud "DANGER" would be pretty awesome.

It wouldn't be hard to have the motion sensor trip a relay as well as activating the light.  Problem is, it will go off whenever any wildlife wanders past, probably waking you several times a night.

Come to think of it, a dog is liable to do exactly the same thing . . .

Regards
John
 
a lady I know whose property in Oregon I prospect on, put those wireless motion detectors up on her property. she just put them on trees in locations she thought were good. they ring a doorbell like chime in her cabin. well they didn't last long the deer kept setting them off all night long. higdesertranger
 
marigold said:
This is an interesting topic for me, something I have been considering more than ever lately (getting a dog). Yes, I'd like one for safety AND companionship, I go through a "wanting a dog phase" every few years and have yet to own one. I like to get out in to the wilderness whenever I can, in bear country, cougar country, sometimes meth or drug country, and I know I'd at least feel safer with a buddy. I'm pretty sure my friend's dog alerted me to a cougar once in Oregon when I was hiking alone, that animal instinct is pretty keen. And whenever you hear about an animal attack it's always on a small solo female, it seems.

Though I've been essentially nomadic for the past few years (seasonal work, travel, camping, couch surfing) I am just starting this van life. I'm hoping to get my conversion to a place where it's totally liveable and then think about whether it's realistic to get a dog. I've lived in a cat household my whole life, and have taken care of my friend's dogs. They are a commitment!

I also worry about being a guest with a dog. It's one thing to host just me, entirely another to host a big hairy barking creature. I already wonder if I ask my friends too much (crashing with them from time to time).

I'm also very drawn to pit breeds, or pit mixes. They are just the absolute sweetest in my experience, but with quite a bad reputation (and apparently not great watch dogs!) Anybody here have a pit, or experience with one?

I have this romantic idea that my dog will find me, like when the time is right and we're both ready, voila! Until then... patience I suppose, and bear spray.

My first ever dog was a red nosed pit. I was around 4 or 5. My aunt found him and brought him to our house. Well actually let me provide a small amount of background info on the small town where I reside. We are known for 4 things. Our flowers, our murals, our meth, and our dog fighting. just recently someone stole a 6 month old pit puppy from someones backyard. he has yet to be found. We have really bad fighting rings here. They go hand in hand with the meth. People fight their dogs for the money to get their next fix. Well this pit my aunt found was pretty torn up. I never realized until i volunteered at a local pit rescue where his scars came from. I found similar scars on honey, a sweet female who had almost no fur on her muzzle, her head covered in little dotted scars. and thin lines around her feet. She was used as a bait dog. **it gets kinda sad right here just fyi** They tied her paws with fishing line, taped her muzzle, and threw her out for the dogs to chew on. Also found similar dogs on one of the other dogs who was a pretty high ranking fighter. It was then i realized my beloved stoney had escaped from a fighting ring. When i was 8 we had a substitute mailman who freaked about us having a pit in the front yard. I walked over to grab my dog and got a face full of mace. Did my dog, whom society tells me is tainted and a vicious killing machine because he was a fighter, attack this mailman? No. He licked my face and when he realized i couldnt see, he guided me back to the house. More than once he accidentally thought i was hurt or drowning (while i was floating on my back at various rivers and lakes) and dragged me out of the water by my hair. He was a perfect example of our dog finding us when the time was right. Well my dog was getting on in years and my stepdad bought what he thought was a black pit puppy at a local swap meet because he didnt want someone to buy her for the fighting pits. When she was around a year old her and our older dog ran away. (we used to live on a ranch and this was common. They would go explore the hills and be back by the end of the day or when they heard us calling.) they were gone for a day or two when my mom flew back from texas early and left me and my sister to fly back a week later. The younger dog came back but he never did. Our younger dog came back covered in bites and looked like she had been fighting. to this day we believe he gave his life to make sure she came back to us. That was 8 years ago. That younger dog turned out to be a black lab pit mix and she is a giant baby. The reason i wrote all this is to show pits are fiercely loyal and protective. Their first concern will be you, and they are probably the only breed i will ever own(im a firm believer in the right dog will find me when the time is right so that may be subject to change haha) and if anyone says anything just tell them its an american stafordshire terrier lol. (ive included a pic of my lab pit mix in case y'all are curious)
 

Attachments

  • iree babyy.jpg
    iree babyy.jpg
    193.2 KB
mockturtle said:
And, unfortunately, pit bulls were bred to fight to the death.  While they may be sweet and lovable to their own family, they can [and often are] a potential danger to neighborhood kids and to other animals. 

nope they werent bred to fight to the death :)

our first dog was a pit who escaped from the fighting rings. my mom also ran a daycare and he did fine with the kids. as a child our mailman maced me and my dog and my dog showed no aggression and actually led me back to the house because i could not see. One time he ran off to the supemarket and was sitting outside watching everyone (we used to rid our bikes down there and get ice cream cones and he always got a slim jim)

Pits were actually known as nursemaid dogs. During ww1 and ww2 they were known as AMerica's Dogs and fought on the front lines with our troops and saved many lives. No suc thing as a bad dog only a bad owner. I can tell you right now the only reason those dogs fight is to survive. One technique they use to punish the dogs is they attach wires to a battery then to the dogs legs and then dump water on them as well as drown them when they are puppies as a punishment. I worked at a pit rescue and i saw what these people did to these dogs. Please see as well as "As far as they knew bad things happened when people came. Bad things happened when they were led out of their cages.
One dog was so scared that even the confines of her kennel offered her no comfort. Shelter workers used a blanket to construct a little tent inside her cage that she could duck under."

That is from an article detailing what happened to Michael Vick's dogs http://www.si.com/more-sports/2008/12/23/vick-dogs its a really interesting read and its truly heartbreaking.
 
Top