Mom Concerned After Neighbor’s Pit Bull Puppy 'Nibbled' On Her Toddler’s Legs — 'Sorry, He’s A Biter'
The dog's actions led her to believe he will grow up to be dangerous.
UvGroup / ShutterstockHaving pit bulls as pets is the topic of much debate. Some believe that their vicious and dangerous reputation is a result of nature and that they are just born that way. Others believe that aggressive pit bulls happen due to the way they are nurtured.
One woman who took to the r/reactivedogs subreddit thinks that some people are just not good dog owners based on an incident that occurred involving her neighbor’s pit bull puppy.
The woman reveals why her neighbor's pit bull puppy makes her “scared about the future.”
The woman's post explains that her neighbor previously owned a “beautiful” husky that died when it was just two years old, tied to a chain in the neighbor's backyard. This led her to believe that “They are not the most knowledgeable or caring dog owners," explaining that the neighbors routinely sit outside and allow their dog to run around the front yard.
The woman wrote that it hadn’t been a problem until the puppy ran up to the woman’s toddler as she was preparing to pick the child up. Without warning, it bit her on the calf, breaking the skin.
Photo: Reddit
Though not a serious injury, the dog’s actions "startled" the worried mom.
The neighbor ran over to restrain the puppy, smacking it and apologizing to woman. “I’m so sorry. He’s a biter,” they said as they took the dog home.
The dog wasn’t able to do much damage due to its size, but the toddler’s mother is imagining what might happen when the dog is 50 pounds heavier. “What will happen then? It’s a tragedy waiting to happen,” she said. With what she has seen of the dog owners thus far, the woman says, “The pit bull puppy’s future looks grim with owners who have zero knowledge about raising dogs.”
Are pit bulls really as dangerous as we think they are?
Yes and no. Pamela Reid, PhD, Vice President of the ASPCA’s Animal Behavior Center in New York has said that pit bulls aren’t necessarily aggressive with people but are “less tolerant” when it comes to other dogs when compared to other breeds.
The ASPCA has described pit bulls as “A well-socialized and well-trained pit bull is one of the most delightful, intelligent, and gentle dogs imaginable.” They are also described as tenacious, strong, and athletic.
But with all of the negative stories we hear about them, it’s easy to believe they are especially dangerous.
Today’s pit bulls are descendants of the English bull-baiting dog, which was bred to bite and hold onto bears and other animals around the head, neck, and face. That deadly locking and holding mechanism is what makes them one of the most feared canines.
In the 1800s people began crossbreeding them with terriers to make them quicker and more agile for fighting purposes. But nowadays, pit bulls are randomly bred with other dogs, without regard for the behavioral traits and how they interact together, creating the behavioral predispositions we see most often.
Dog behavior is a result of nature and nurture.
Though genetics may predispose a dog to act in a certain way, behavior is a complicated result of both genetics and a dog’s environment. Early nutrition, the mother’s prenatal stress, womb temperature, housing conditions, social interaction history, and treatment are all factors that influence dog behavior.
Socializing a pit bull with people early on, rewarding positive interaction, while gently reprimanding negative ones is important in preventing aggression in dogs. Puppies of all breeds should be taught to play with and interact with people and other dogs early on to ensure they don’t grow into aggressive adults.
NyRee Ausler is a writer from Seattle, Washington. She covers lifestyle, relationship, and human-interest stories that readers can relate to and that bring social issues to the forefront for discussion.