To want to tell others to do their research before judging!

[Mumzzy88]

I get stopped every day by other dog walkers.i get rude comments about my parenting because of my choice. I get shocked faces and utter disbelief when asked do I have a pet!
I have a pit bull!
He was not my choice of breed and I didn't even want a bloody dog!
But.... a family member was treating him very badly he was under weight riddled in fleas being hit and attacked by other dogs in the house being given just left over food from whatever takeaway they had that night I observed this for a few months until I was invited to a barbecue five years ago in 30degree heatwave I could hear this dog crying in a room upstairs. I went up to see the dog who was in a boiling room with NO water!
I lost it! And took the dog home that moment to mine !
Iv now had him 6 years he's now a confident gorgeous family pet and we all adore him and he's amazing with my children he sleeps with my 10 year old every night as he hates being alone (naughty I know) and even lives peacefully with two cats!
He's not got a aggressive bone in his stocky body
But nearly every day people stop me and demand I put THAT dog on a lead ( in a huge field) or how could you own such a monster!. Or omg how could you allow such a dog around your children!
I'm so sick of this it makes me so upset Because he's so lovely he's and been given a second chance to be a happy pouch.
I feel like I have to explain his story constantly AIBU to think that people should just mind their own bloody business or do some research on the breed!

YEs, it's terrible. She is endangering her children. I cannot stop her doing that (though I wish the law would), but I can try and stop her endangering mine as well.

It's snobbery Steeley, staffs are demonised in a way that other larger, more powerful breeds aren't because they're not seen as socially acceptable. Great Danes, labradors, collies, Dalmatians, various shepherd variety dogs.
And don't even get me started on Jack Russells, bad tempered little bastards!

Yes, you're right, Steely. Because we can't ban all larger breeds, we shouldn't ban the most deadly one of all. Why bother even trying to take out the most severe end of things.

The OP is talking about a PITBULL and yet somehow it's ended up being about staffs. They are not the same breed, they are completely different.

Yes, but more socially acceptable, and just as demonised. I think that is why they have come up in this convo.

It was only a few years ago German shepherds where the breed everyone wanted to ban 🙄 it's stupid. I've had a German shepherd too lol and Yorkshire terriers and a cavalier spaniel 🙈 my teacup yorkie was the nastiest of them all!

The OP had a pit/staff. Which by the photos was pretty much staffy looking.

Steely, I don't think anyone is saying pitbulls are more likely to attack. They are saying that if they do, the attack is much, much, much more likely to be fatal. Especially for a young child.

Steely- as i said upthread a Stacie will do a lot more damage if it dies but due to its anatomy. Plus it is a breed popularised by some types who keep them for protection, fear and fighting. Great Danes etc and other large breeds are not kept for those reasons. a bite from a jakbrusstk might be nasty but it's unlikely to seriously or mortally injure someone as it doesn't have the power in its jaws or the arrangement of teeth. Look up the pressure exerted from different dogs jaws and then cross-reference the purposes for which they were bred. Certain combinations are threatening, whether or not that threat is carried out by an individual dog, it has the means to do it. That's why people are nervous of certain breeds and why they are kept by certain owners as a deterrent and a threat.

I knew a female staffie, she was absolutely lovely and personally I'm not afraid if the breed but I do judge on the look of the owner and how the owner is treating it interacting with that dog. There are some dogs (not breeds) I would cross the road to avoid, based on the owner.

A ratting dog like a Jack Russell will grab and shake, causing tons of damage. Any dog will cause damage. Ban bad owners, not breeds.

*a staffie if it bites

TakesTheCake
So you'd have a go at the op for simply walking her dog?
Just because of it's breed?
Wow.

Steeley113
Years ago it was rotties that were devil dogs, now its pits and staffies!

Steely - the power in a jack Russell's jaws and body is nothing compared to a staffie or a pit bull (for example). Yes it might be a nasty bite but the bite style, teeth and power are not comparable.

We're a family, a professional couple who live in a nice country area. People still cross the road! Then again, they were probably the same people who crossed the road when I walked my decrepit, old, ex police German shepherd 🙈 never when I walked the yorkie on its own though even though she'd rip your ankles to shreds if she took a dislike 😳

A ratting dog like a Jack Russell will grab and shake, causing tons of damage. Any dog will cause damage. Ban bad owners, not breeds.
This. Ofcourse there are always going to be some dogs that bite without there being a bad owner, but its more often bad owner, or owner that doesnt know what they're doing.
Any dog has the potential to harm.
I've been bitten several times as a child, i've never held it against the dogs ( which incidentally were all small breeds) more the owners!

yorkie on its own though even though she'd rip your ankles to shreds if she took a dislike 😳
Yes! I still have a scar

Can't do links but look up "which dog breeds have the strongest jaw".

The nicest, sweetest dog could attack/bite if it was injured or scared. The problem is how much damage that dog could do, if something happened. How powerful the dog is, how the structure of its jaw works. YABU and not a realistic or responsible pet owner if you believe you dog incapable of causing harm.

All dogs are capable of violence. Unfortunately 'Pitt bull type dogs' have been bred specifically for fighting so they're more predisposed to dog aggression than some breeds. Child attacks are usually due to jealousy (dog has been babied and thinks it has human status) or pack behaviour. Small children shouldn't be left unsupervised with dogs as they are often an intimidating height eye level wise, do not look away and don't know how to behave around a dog so are most likely to elicit a negative response. My 8yo toy poodle went to snap at DD when she was around 6mos as he got fed up of being poked, pinched, chased etc. I warned him before he moved (im always watching) and he was suitably cowed. He and DD then went on to have somewhat of a Romeo & Juliet relationship where DD would instigate kisses - actually sticking her tongue out much to the horror of everyone. Thankfully she's got over him and is now more interested in toys than the dogs (she's 17mos now). Although the cat still has a particular allure as he has always been more stand offish so I'm sure it's seen as 'chase me chase me'. DD also had, around the same age, hilarious relationship with the other dog (a tiny cavalier) who used to play chase with her; hiding under the dining table and DD would shriek with delight crawling after her. Dogs can be wonderful companions for children. But they must know their place in the pecking order: humans first. Otherwise you may see bad behaviour.

I'm interested to see the response to the sleeping with a child thing

I'd completely overlooked that! That means entirely unsupervised!

That is truly shocking. Utterly and completely irresponsible.
I'm in no doubt that somebody will try to justify it though.

People who don't keep their dogs on a lead in public spaces absolutely drive me crazy. A large dog you have never seen before running towards you at speed is intimidating for an adult ...let alone if you are a three year old child. How can I trust a dog to be well trained if the owner doesn't recognise the truth of that? And no, shouting reassuring words over doesn't help! I admit I would freak out if I saw a pitbull off a lead in a park and I make no apology for that...we all judge on first impressions and a pitbull does not have a great reputation. Responsible owners could help by having such dogs leashed and muzzled so it is blatantly obvious they are under control. I quite like dogs but I think the comfort and peace of mind of humans is a higher priority than the right if a dog to run around off lead!

www.google.co.uk/amp/www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/dog-breed-most-likely-to-attack-bite-you-revealed-a7166296.html%3famp

I'm just going to leave this here. And yes, staffs are on the list, but there is a breed that literally nobody has commented on as a potential risk which is top of the list for causing injuries.

Just popped in an seen more comments thank you all for replies
I now take huge consideration into how many people fear my dog do at least I will now take even more extra care in keeping him away I don't like the thought of people being frightened when casually minding their own business and I do take action with the leash and muzzle when I see people approaching us as for sleeping in dd bed yes I allow it he nestles in at the bottom but when she's away at her dads he sleeps on the floor downstairs I tried blocking her door but he can open it with a small push lol
He will cry if not able to sleep with her and she's so use to it now that she can't sleep without him bless her they really are inseparable it's a lovely bond they have
As for the woman who would shout at me if you seen me walking my dog on a field I hope we never meet as you would get as good from me as you can give my dear you would never need to have an issue with your child around my dog he is never let loose around anyone in public so you can pull up your high waisted judgy panties and jog on (quickly If you would please) and as for his size he's not a big dog he's classed as medium not a large dog and very unlikely to really pay any attention to you unless you were to present him with any kind of food :) he's a pig lol
Thanks again for replies didn't think I would receive so many x

Op, please dont ever walk your dog off lead, even if you cant see anyone.
Look at this thread.
One report and you lose your dog.

I wouldn't don't worry about that