Reply #218: It's numbers and training...

[Mythsaje]

Get a clue, bloo.

If they're predominantly purchased by people who want a bully breed, something to increase their status as "manly men," :eyes: then the vast majority of them will NOT be well socialized or trained, and either abused or neglected, leading to serious problems down the line.

I used to work with one guy who had a pit and I told him (didn't please him OR one of the girls at work that I opened my big mouth on the subject) that he was wrong not to socialize the dog (let his friends pet the dog and what not) just because he was worried that they'd come in and steal stuff when he wasn't there. Just because the dog knows people doesn't mean it accepts that they have the right to be in its (your) territory when you're not there. A LOT of people don't understand that. You teach the dog that YOU vouch for each person when you're there and it'll learn to like people. But its own instincts will take over when you're not around. Dogs are very territorial. Okay, some dogs. My Shiba isn't, but he's a weirdo.

Anyway...the dog got aggressive later on and he told me, "man, I should've listened to you."

Yep.