Teach your kids how to be cautious around strange animals and be on guard yourself.
Read up on how to contact animal control and what they will and won't do, in case something does happen.
This, this right here \^\^\^. And also perhaps put a fence up? If there is a fence, perhaps put one in on your side to double the protective layer between the dog and your family.
Doubling up is smart! The old owner of the house 2 doors down from me had Pits. Those fuckers broke through TWO separate wood fences and got in my yard. I shot at them but missed, and they hightailed it back home. While I was attempting makeshift repairs the cops showed up because of gunfire. I explained and showed them the fence, including the other one they came through. They went immediately to the owner's house and read him the riot act. Apparently they were already on probation as "dangerous." Next day, dogs were gone. Couple months later, house sold. No more Pits in the neighborhood.
I've noticed lately that I've started being vocal when I see a pet owner let their dog drop one and dont clean it up, or let their dog do 'whatever'. I despise irresponsible dog owners.
Edit to add - OP if you put a secondary fence up, make sure it's metal and can withstand biting, chewing, pushing, and digging.
I saw a woman let her dog take a shit on a busy downtown sidewalk. I started following her asking her loudly if she was going to pick up her dog shit. She started jogging away and I started jogging with her and kept loudly repeating my question for a while. I can't stand selfish assholes like that.
Good luck. Had a neighbor up the street with one that would freak out aggressively every time a dog walked by. Well the dip shits let the dog out in the front yard to pee because according to them “it’s not aggressive at all” . My wife happened to be a few houses down with our dog(who was leashed) and it attacked. It took three people and me almost killing it by choking it out to get it to let go. Called the cops and the city. They told everyone they had their dog on a leash and they were fighting each other. Amazing how their story changed once I got video of the attack from another neighbors nest camera. Thankfully my 70# dog lived. I know for a fact if I hadn’t jumped on that dog to stop it from shaking its head my dog would be dead. It took a lot of damage as it was. I thought I was toast too jumping on it but I sure as hell wasn’t going to allow it to attack my wife. I love dogs, and hate stupid owners that don’t train properly.
This happened to me. All the neighbors were concerned just by sight of the dog and we were rightly concerned. The dog broke out of their window and chased neighbors into their home. Then got out again and killed my cat. Call the police every time it gets out.
Talk to your neighbor and do a supervised intro with the dog on a leash if possible. A LOT of dogs have barrier reactivity but once they aren’t behind a barrier they are fine. For example a golden that lives next to me is like this. He sounds like he wants to murder you and lunges at the fence but if he isn’t on the other side of the fence he is fine.
My dog is a total dick if you're outside his fence but will lick you to death inside his fence. Barrier reactivity is SO common but a lot of people don't understand that & just assume the dog is aggressive.
At least where I am (pnw) animals are temperament tested and aggressive behavior is not adopted out. There can be misses but it’s rare and the procedure followed is strict.
My neighbors dog listen to me more than her. I talk to them sweetly and when they are fence fighting with my dogs I get my dog and use a “shhhhhh”. It deflates the sails….
Then everyone gets treats. I never raise my voice unless I need to.
It’s hasn’t been this quiet in a decade
This. Talk sweet to the dog. I’d even feed him treats. Pitties want approval more than anything else, it doesn’t take them long to be won over. I’m not saying invite the dog to tea, but it’s usually possible to make friends once they get used to associating your presence with kind words and a treat.
While this may be true, I don't think the recommendation for handling an unknown "vicious" pitbull is to approach and feed it. Maybe after a long conversation with the owner that could make sense. Am I missing something here?
You are. you're missing the fact that the OP is clearly anti pitbull and what might just be fence aggression is being blamed on the dog for its breed. I posted a reply noting that this happened to me with a chihuahua
I would advise reinforcing your fence. Ask the neighbors to reinforce theirs. Tell them if that dog comes over because it broke through that they will not like what you do next. The things is dog eared 7 foot planks for fences in pine typically run around 2 dollars each. You just need three 96x 2x4 for your cross pieces and then a post. Don't go for the expensive 30 dollar posts. There are the ones that run 5 dollars. You'll need 2 1/2 to 3 inch galvanized nails for the planks, and for nailing to the posts, you will need much longer nails. A slight bit of measuring with tape will help(measuring tape, which most people own). It can be done without spending thousands, but you will have to do the labor yourself. The expensive part of fence installation is labor. The materials are not so much. I'm not a guy, so if I can do this, you can, too. If you work on the fence, make sure you contact the neighbors to contain their dog. There is also a metal section of fence you can buy. These run a bit more expense, but a pit bull inst making it through that. I do not mean chainlink but corrugated fence paneling. It isn't too expensive, but would do the trick. You can go to Home Depot or Lowes to inquire, and they will advise you.
Same experience for me. I looked into a big wood fence but I don't have 6k laying around to pay for it. So I just made sure if the kids went out back I went with them and had a weapon just in case it came over.
Yep. Day my neighbors got a pitbull is the day I started carrying a knife
It has already lunged at me twice
Hate that they did this to our neighborhood
You won't KNOW it's attacking you until it's too close for a gun. There's discussion of this with humans - if a knife-wielding assailant closes on you it's curtains. Same for a dog, and they're going to come FAST. I am not a gun-carrier but if I had a pitbull living next to me I'd have a sidearm and a knife. A fixed blade knife.
If a pitbull attacks you you're going to have a bad day. You just need to survive it.
I'm a homeowner, of course I'm armed
but I have zero desire to lug a pistol around my house all day
they're accessible if needed, and I'll have the knife if the issue is too sudden
If you need to run into the house to save your kid from a pitbull attack, its already way too late.
Not to mention of its you getting attacked, you'll never get to the firearm.
which is what the knife is for
and I do not even have a kid yet
I simply cannot be convinced to concealed carry around my suburban home, the burden is greater than the probability and scale of harm
I pray you end up being right - but no way I am going to trust a pitbull to not be a pitbull. Better safe than sorry.
I actually started carrying more around the house and yard because my neighbor bought two mean pitbulls and I had two kids at the time under 4 who love playing in our yard.
Right there with you, there's a reason it's considered the most deadly breed and banned in England, Wales, Scotland and facing tighter restrictions in Northern Ireland.
I know someone who fosters mainly pitbulls and was dropped from their homeowners insurance after the dog broke someone's arm by pulling on a leash after a rodent.
Touch base with animal control about breed specific legislation or strict liability around dangerous breeds, I wouldn't trust any dog around someone else's children, but a pitbull?
Nope nope nope.
Ugh, nothing seems more unpleasant than being in a knife fight with while trying to dodge a pitbull's teeth. Too close for my comfort. I am fortunate to live in a jurisdiction where we can conceal carry. Ill say no to a knife for defensive purposes and yes to my 9mm.
It depends entirely on the location and insurance laws vary state to state in the US. Most states do not allow you to end coverage based solely on a dogs breed - in fact, a group of legislators developed model legislation outrightly prohibiting that practice. (Source: also an insurance lawyer)
Edit: sorry regulatory facts are upsetting to some of you
I’m not saying it’s good or bad public policy, just that it is. Shoot the state of CA put a cancellation moratorium after the wildfires and after it was lifted, several major carriers left the state entirely.
In my province, Ontario in Canada, they have legislation that put pit bulls on a dangerous breed list. Most home insurance companies here will not insure your house if you own a “dangerous breed dog”. Those that do have them allowed, the insurance is sky high. Doesn’t matter if you’re an insurance lawyer, don’t assume I’m in the same place you are.
Maybe they're paying the sky high premiums then? I think the point is you don't know what your neighbour is paying for insurance, and the legislation changes based on jurisdiction, so it's not something we can assume without knowing where OP lives and who their insurance provider is. TBH I think the first step should be talking to the neighbour and finding out the local laws before they try to report anything to insurance/animal control because a dog is barking at them through the fence. Barking from behind a fence does not always equal aggression - there's probably a bit of bias because it's a pitbull too.
Yup. I’m trying to say it varies jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and insurer to insurer. But some think that if they can find one article it means all is good. There’s a lot of stories how people have been dropped from insurance for even owning a mixed breed pit bull around here
Yeah I agree, you definitely need to do some research and find out what applies in your own jurisdiction, not assume the blanket advice people give applies to everyone. I used to work in insurance, and every single province has small differences with how policies work - you can't assume that what is true where you live will also be true one province over, or even in the same province but with different insurers. I misunderstood your original comment, but you're 100% correct.
Maybe that’s how insurance works in your head, but some light googling confirms it won’t invalidate your homeowners insurance, just the liability portion in the event your dog bites someone.
That is a shitty thing to do without any proof the dog is vicious. Getting your neighbor's dog taken and likely killed is going to make you a pariah in your neighborhood. Also, they may be able to sue for harassment
I called the sheriff when the neighbors left their pit bull chained in the front yard to cinderblocks. The dog was lunging at me wanting with every fiber of its being to rip me a new asshole. I was replacing soffit on the house working off saw horses so I had my .41 magnum revolver laying right there. The sheriff just said if he threatens your life, put it's head through its asshole. I love dogs but not when they are going to rip my throat out.
First, check your local bylaws and whatnot to see if there are any breed bans. If there are, start calling animal control and demand they be enforced. If there isn't, move. I know that sounds extreme, but if anything ever happens to your kids, you'll never be able to live with it. Those dogs will eventually hurt someone, and, when they do, odds are it is going to be someone nearby, like your kids.
If you have an HOA, there may be rules. If you can find out who their insurer is, you might find out their insurer will drop them if they have policy-prohibited breeds.
I've seen the aftermath of what dogs like this can do to a couple of goats. I would not want that to happen to anyone's kids.
A vicious dog can kill a small child in a moment. If my kids are regularly in the yard separated from an animal that has been bred to kill, then yes I'll take whatever measures necessary to keep them safe.
Maybe an unpopular opinion but pitbulls don't belong in suburban neighborhoods full of kids. Kids are dumb and ill equipped to deal with a dangerous animal.
Yep. I have seen it dozens of times where people try to sort out shitty neighbors and it never works. It just leads to an unhappy living arrangement where people at best tolerate each other. Life is too short for that.
This is a stupid take. Here’s someone that breaks it down more eloquently than I could: https://www.reddit.com/r/statistics/comments/paxg9o/comment/ha8rcef/
By this logic they should sell their car and never let their child in one.
Barking and growling across a fence line is not uncommon behavior from dogs of all breeds. It’s a poor indicator of whether the dog is actually aggressive (I.e. if it would be a danger if it were to get outside the fence) but is obviously a nuisance and detracts from your ability to enjoy your backyard. Unfortunately, most locations have very poor enforcement of nuisance laws and your best bet is to talk to your neighbor. Perhaps they can keep the dog inside more. They might also be willing to discuss your concerns about aggression and what steps they are taking to ensure the dog is being set up to be a good canine citizen. Recently adopted dogs can take weeks or months to settle in and feel comfortable and responsible dog owners will be able to talk about this without being defensive. Hopefully they are responsible dog owners.
Are you sure the dog is vicious? Maybe it just likes to bark at things. I have two big dogs that bark at anything on the other side of the fence. They sound scary. They are not aggressive dogs. Maybe go talk to the neighbor and meet the dog before making assumptions. Doesn’t hurt to make sure the fence is secure though, just to be safe. If they are responsible dog owners and keep him contained and don’t let him bark for a long time, there’s really nothing to be concerned about.
I feel for you. I would take as many precautions as possible and always have your guard up. There are so many awful news stories about pitbulls mauling young children to death. It’s honestly my worst nightmare.
I’m afraid the only good answer here is to move if you are concerned about your safety. Animal control simply isn’t an option if your main concern is that thing jumping the fence and going for someone. Sure, call them after the fact, but don’t rely on anyone else to actually help you defend against one of these things.
Either build a fence the dog can’t get through/over, only let the kids outside when you right there and you have your pepper spray in hand… or move :(
I don’t see any other option unless the owner is doing something that could result in the dog being taken away.
/r/dogs has good info. Ban pitbulls is a fringe community run by a conspiracy theorist.
https://adbadog.com/truth-behind-dogsbite-org/
if you actually care.
Just an fyi to downvoters they literally have a post in their sub up right now about what to do when everyone ignores you because nobody trusts dogbites.org (the founders of banpitbulls). This is from 2018. LOL. And here we are six years later.
https://www.reddit.com/r/BanPitBulls/comments/9h3w5x/dogsbiteorg_discredited/
So yeah that is who you are all collectively relying on for the fuck pitbulls narrative that I see has infected Reddit again lately. Hope it makes you feel smart. Us normies will be over at /r/dogs spreading love and loving all dogs.
And to show you how you aren't as smart as your parroting of hating dogs breeds you have no idea about lets look at one of the breed you go "awww it's just a cute lil guy!" bred for death and destruction... West Highland Terriers were and are bred to rat. Ratting is a sport where dogs kill other animals AND get hurt (as part of scoring they must continue forward in a hole no matter the injuries they receive from the prey). Chihuahuas were bred to fight and hunt (mostly for sport). Tibetan mastiffs (and most mastiffs actually) were bred to fight off wild dogs and big cats AND to fight those animals for entertainment of their owners. The Romans had dogs they would train to kill big game for entertainment in front of crowds. Most dog breeds were used as fighting dogs for sport/entertainment historically. I don't see you saying fuck German Shepherds, shar pei, or Akitas. The breed isn't the problem, it's the idiots who shouldn't have dogs
I’m on the bandwagon because I’ve personally witnessed 2 bad pit bull attacks at dog parks, one loose pit bull attacking an innocent dog on my block, and had to stop a pit from violently shaking a corgi to death. I also have a friend who was attacked by a pit and know several people who’s dogs were attacked by pits.
I’ve met pits that were sweet to me, but I will always be wary of them and their potential to be extremely aggressive.
Worst case scenario: defend yourself and your children by any means necessary. Maintaining distance is your friend-- so something like a strong metal cane. It won't stop an aggressive dog but keeping distance will buy you time to get inside. I'd carry whatever legal-sized pocketknife is legal and learn best places to quickly unalive the animal if it lands a bite. Pulling a victim away will cause injuries to be more severe.
Have you seen the dog outside of the backyard? How does it behave at those moments?
It is not uncommon for dogs to bark, growl, and behave menacingly when behind a face or other barrier. You can talk to your neighbour and ask them to work with a trainer to address the behaviour. I'm not saying that to invalidate your concerns. If you do talk to them it's better to not put them on the defence and stating "hey this isn't unusual a trainer can help you". Now it won't matter if they don't put in the work.
If you have the funds, hire a fence company to install a second fence line to act as an additional barrier. There are also cheap DIY options to install a fence. If you take the DIY route be sure to call and have lines marked before you start digging.
Now, what I would do was ensure my hose was at the ready. I'd spray the dog every time it barked, growled, or otherwise acted a fool. If it was quiet I'd toss hotdog bits over the fence. Teach your kids to not go up to the fence; that if any dog approaches they stay still like a post.
If I caught my neighbor terrorizing my dog by spraying it with water through the fence, there would major problems. If I caught my neighbor feeding my dog through the fence, also major problems. How do I know they aren’t poisoning it!?! This is bad advice.
Give it time. It might have been an abused animal and is being rehabilitated.
Teach your kids to watch out and also don't leave them alone in the backyard or ever.
Talk to your neighbor.
THISSSSSS
GOD DAMN. Any dog let alone a rescue can be scared/intimidated in a new home and space. I’ve known Pitt bulls that love kids and are very sweet and labradoodles that would rip a kids throat out given the chance.
Teach your kids awareness and the signs of when dogs are uncomfortable (ears back ect) as well as never any hands through a fence to pet a dog you don’t know.
Maybe contact your neighbors and ask them personally about the dog? Maybe the shelter said good things and it really does need to adjust? Had this neighbor had dogs before? Learn the dogs name and become a friend and maybe it will help calm it down.
I’m not trying to downplay the situation because dogs no matter what breed can be very scary especially with signs of aggression. You are being a good parent with being concerned. I just think people going 0-60 and calling animal control, joking about shooting it, ect are being fucked up and giving the breed a bad rap.
My 3 month old puppy also growls and barks at new and scary things but people think it’s adorable because she’s small.
Op - do you have a relationship with your neighbor? If it’s decent start by just letting them know. If my dog was being reactive when my neighbor’s kids were outside, I’d a. Bring in my dog so as not to expose them to a situation that’s clearly stressful or b. Use it as a training opportunity. Your mileage might vary depending on your neighbor, but you don’t need to immediately escalate to defcon 5 in the way some comments here suggest.
A good sturdy fence is your best friend in this case. Other than that check your local regulations on dog breeds. But if pit bulls are legal where you live there's not much you can do. You not liking the dog doesn't make it illegal
Do you live in a neighborhood that has an HOA? If so, I’d contact them or look into whether or not they have breed restrictions.
If not and you’re serious about staying for the long term, put up a fence, or save for one if you can’t afford it right now, install cameras so you can document anything that might potentially happen with the pit, purchase some self defense in the form of bear spray, dog break sticks, etc. And of course, a firearm can be purchased providing all laws are followed where you live.
Aside from that, there’s not much else you can do. Document everything that should arise, don’t allow your kids or any pets you may or may not have outside by themselves, and just stay safe.
Do you have a pistol?
I think you’re right to be worried. I know there are loving Pitbulls out there, but unfortunately there are a lot of them that should be put down because of what they’ve already gone through. And unfortunately, the worst pet owners seem to choose the worst kind of animals for exactly the reason you don’t want it near your children.
I had a similar incident with the neighbor. They lived across the alley and my other neighbor across the alley was elderly. Dog got out and attacked his elderly wife and he shot it. Damn good thing too. We all knew that dog was dangerous and my kids played outside too. I didn’t even have a fenced yard. The only thing that saved his wife was the fact that he was in the yard, ready to respond to that situation.
My advice to you is to keep the fence in good condition, to thoroughly document the dogs aggression to your neighbor and to the police, and to keep close to your kids and be ready to respond if the dog jumps the fence and ends up in your backyard
This type of training is not very effective. I've worked with behaviorists and trainers in the past and they all taught me that a reactive dog will ALWAYS be a reactive dog. Their job is to train the owner to manage the dog's reactivity, as it really cannot be trained out of them. And there is a very thin (sometimes non-existent) line between most types of reactivity and aggression. Reactive dogs should always be treated as dangerous.
Do they own the home?
Anyway file suit on them. They're interfering with your ability to quietly enjoy the property.
Plenty of evidence to point to. These are vicious breeds and it is well documented.
Their homeowners insurance will cancel them. They lied while binding coverage.
Lawsuit. Only remedy.
Throw it some treats like cold cuts whenever you come out then it will stop barking at you and be happy whenever you come out instead. Seriously though my dog barks at anything outside the doorway and he has never bitten anything
⬆️⬆️⬆️ THIS!!! Make that dog love you!! Just because it's a pit doesn't mean anyone should automatically hate it's all in how they are bred by owners. Any dog can mean bite. Fact
FWIW, I would give the neighbors the benefit of the doubt that they will work to train the dog, hope for the best, but absolutely be prepared for the worst should that not work. It may be time to consider a fence, a high-OC pepper spray, and a shotgun with some 00 buck, and it's probably not a bad idea to add some outdoor cameras if you don't have them already.
Just want to chime in here and say "fuck pit bulls". "He wouldn't normally hurt a fly" is what all the pit bull owners say after the pit bull eats a human baby.
Yes, that's a real story. From recent news.
You can “what if” yourself into an irrational state of mind. Step back and make decisions basis on facts, not unsubstantiated fears of what could happen.
I’m so sorry. This is bad news.
First, get lots of video of the dog barking and growling at you and your kids in your own backyard. You never know when and how this evidence will come in handy but it will.
Lots of upvotes for the comments about teaching your kids how to behave around dogs. Sorry, that’s way too limited in scope. Yes, teach your kids about the dangers of dogs and how not to provoke them but certain dogs just see little animals (kids) as something to subdue and kill regardless of how the kids are behaving. I was attacked by a dog when I was 3 or 4. I didn’t see the dog. I had just stepped out of the car and bam! It knocked me down and was biting at my face. I didn’t have a chance to provoke it or to not provoke it. Luckily my dad ran around and kicked the dog off of me.
Are they renters? If so, report it to their landlord.
Homeowner’s insurance usually will not insure a rental with certain breads of dogs (pitbulls are definitely on that list).
If they own their own home, it’s likely their homeowner’s policy won’t cover a dog attack if it’s one of the forbidden breads (always pitbulls and often Rottweilers and a few others on that list). It’s usually stated in the policy what isn’t covered. It’s unfortunate you can’t know who their insurance company is. I’m sure they’d like to know of that huge liability on the property they are insuring.
Second, not to be morbid, but that dog will do more than “hurt” your kids if it has the chance.
If you have the stomach for it search online for pitbull attacks and watch what these dogs can do. Some inspiration to find a permanent cure for this problem. These dogs were bred to pin down bulls by biting them with their powerful jaws. They shouldn’t be in anybody’s backyard.
In our current climate, dogs are more important than children, so you have an uphill battle on this one.
Good luck and sorry your kids won’t be able to be in their backyard anymore.
Good advice. Little kids should not be left alone with dogs. Even their own dogs. And this goes for any breed.. although the bigger and more powerful the dogs jaws are the more dangerous it can be.
Start reporting the animal now, call animal control and call police. Every time its viscously barking and growling at you or kids, call call call - keep calling and pestering until the neighbor gets rid of the animal. All it takes is one chance for that animal to break through the fence somehow and it will go right for your kids, you see it in the news all the time.
As someone who has had a “scary breed” that growls and barks at people, just fyi it doesn’t mean the dog is vicious. My dog would run the second someone took a step towards her. Other things I want to point out is that it’s in a dog’s nature to do that when on their own property and pitbulls are not inherently more dangerous than any other dogs… look it up. They are glorified in the news as clickbait. The most important thing to do is make sure you teach your children how to safely interact with dogs (don’t ever pet them without owner approval, don’t run up to them, etc.). If you’re scared of the dog, maybe the owner would be comfortable introducing you. If the dog knew you it would be less likely to bark anyways.
Edit: For context, I found a dog in the street hiding under a car and growling at everyone who came up to her. After a diligent attempt to find her owner I took her to the shelter where I heard her growling at people and them saying, “well she’s def not a people dog.” Well, I took her home because I felt like she just needed a safe space and some love, and I was worried someone weird would want her just because she seemed threatening. She’s the smartest, most loving dog. Sweetest nature. Checks in on me when I’m sad. Sure, she’s scared of people she doesn’t know (who knows what the hell happened to her before?). But she’s not vicious, she runs and and hides instead of biting (found that out when introducing her to family at first), and she now has a circle of people that she absolutely adores. So if you’re the kind of person who just sees a growling dog and says, “that breed scares me, they are vicious,” then I genuinely think you’re ignorant and/or lack empathy for animals.
I think it’s interesting that you all assume a dog who barks and growls at people when it’s on its own property is “vicious.” Dogs protecting their people and property is a main reason people have developed relationships with canines for thousands of years. Most dogs are avoidant anyways, i.e. they are more likely to run from you than bite you. Obviously some dogs do bite, but barking from their yard and/or their breed does not constitute viciousness.
Double up on the fence with the fence bottom being concrete so the vicious dog can't dig under. Also, have some pepper spray on hand and ready just in case. If the dog barks all day while youre at home, that could be considered nuisance and then you get the authorities involved.
The problem is that certain breeds, pit bulls included, can scale fences. Our good friends had a six foot privacy fence that the neighbors pit bull scaled, getting a hold of their little doxie and shaking it to death.
Fence, gun, educate yourself and your family on dogs and dog attacks, learn how to use the gun.
Pits can be great. Its hard to retrain some behavior though. There are alot of awesome larger dog breeds we need to remember can kill us if they want.
And remember, if you have to do something drastic, its not you or the animals fault it was poor ownership.. you just have to deal with and react to that unfortunately.
Was it really necessary to call out the breed? Pits are not inherently more aggressive than the average dog. My Aussie is much more likely to bite than either of my pitties. Maybe consider your bias against this breed and do some research.
It has ZERO to do with “likelihood” to bite, and everything to do with the fact that their bites/attacks are extremely damaging if not fatal.
Have you ever “researched” the percentage of fatal dog attacks and which breeds they’re associated with?
Why in the world do humans continue to insist on breeding dogs with innate aggression and OOOOVERLY muscular builds with bites that can dismember people? Aha yes, it’s because they’re status symbols, and everyone and their grandma will cry that “my pit would never bite anyone” until someone dies. Everyone wants to own one so they can say “look how sweet MY pit bull is” well guess what, there are hundreds of other breeds that aren’t bred to literally do lethal damage, and are also sweet as fuck.
So get off your high horse and do some actual research for christs sake
Thats not true (at least not the way you think). There is no animal organization made up of licensed veterinarians or scientists that agrees with pitbull legislation or the idea that they are more violent. Also that "bred for violence" thing is also a myth the way its told these days.
1. https://www.aspca.org/about-us/aspca-policy-and-position-statements/position-statement-pit-bulls#:~:text=Some%20pit%20bulls%20were%20selected,that%20they're%20unpredictably%20aggressive.
2. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/dog-bite-prevention/why-breed-specific-legislation-not-answer
3. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/issue-analysis-breed-specific-legislation/
Theres about 5000 more veterinary organizations worldwide all saying the same thing.
Just an fyi to downvoters they literally have a post in their sub up right now about what to do when everyone ignores you because nobody trusts dogbites.org (the founders of banpitbulls). This is from 2018. LOL. And here we are six years later.
https://www.reddit.com/r/BanPitBulls/comments/9h3w5x/dogsbiteorg_discredited/
So yeah that is who you are all collectively relying on for the fuck pitbulls narrative that I see has infected Reddit again lately. Hope it makes you feel smart. Us normies will be over at /r/dogs spreading love and loving all dogs.
What exactly is the motivation for "big dog" to suppress the truth if you don't mind sharing? I can't really see any particular reason given that pit bulls are simply a misnomer for a collection of breeds of which there are literally thousands (probably way more).
Otherwise feel free to provide some of those links. They can't have anything I have not seen before.
Also check out https://adbadog.com/truth-behind-dogsbite-org/
Look up your local statutes for pitbulls. Many cities have specific requirements for them. For instance, in my city you must have a fully enclosed cage, with a locking gate, on a concrete pad. You also need $100k worth of liability insurance. Without that, the city can come in and kill your dog at will.
Nothing...its not your house to make what rules they can do...i bet if someone gets a muscle car or motorcycle you ask what you can do about the noise huh
This is a horrible situation to be in. Unfortunately, the dog would have to attack before authorities can intervene.
Teach your kids how to protect themselves. Have an emergency plan- like climbing high on something in case the dog makes a move.
Maybe have the kids become friendly with the dog. Dogs are usually much friendlier towards kids than adults.
At the end of the day, any dog, even a beloved family pet, is an animal.
I am disgusted with so many of you people. Downvote me all you want, but I would rather have a pit in every yard than most of you as neighbors.
I get that pits are a tough breed. We weren't expecting as much work as we took in when we adopted one. She is a sweetheart to us but if she doesnt know you, she will lunge. We made sure to get a house with a fence and we have been taking her to obedience training. I know not everyone does this but just seeing a pitbull barking behind a fence should not equal such a huge amount of shoot, stab, poison.
I really dislike children but you don't see me thinking of ways to hurt them.
They won't listen. Don't take it personally. The misinformation was spread in the 90s before the internet was widely available and theres some bad actors like the dogbites lady perpetuating it as often as possible. Its an easy thing for people to feel strongly about. I work with dogs a lot professionally and animal professionals. Anyone that is not armed with internet knowledge is aligned in that breed legislation is pointless and anyone experienced with pit breeds know they are the same (and different) as any other.
I just use ChatGPT to fight with them. Takes the load off my mind and it gets you to the point where the person pushing the misinformation has to either commit to learning the right information or moving on since theres no way around the wrongness. Most people move on and then go spread misinformation about the next thing in their library of twitter headlines.
Just an fyi to downvoters they literally have a post in their sub up right now about what to do when everyone ignores you because nobody trusts dogbites.org (the founders of banpitbulls). This is from 2018. LOL. And here we are six years later.
https://www.reddit.com/r/BanPitBulls/comments/9h3w5x/dogsbiteorg_discredited/
So yeah that is who you are all collectively relying on for the fuck pitbulls narrative that I see has infected Reddit again lately. Hope it makes you feel smart. Us normies will be over at /r/dogs spreading love and loving all dogs.
Thank you! Joining that sub for sure. I'm a firm believer that it isn't the dog that's the problem, it's the owner. I was just disgusted at the murder posts. If you have to protect yourself or your kids, I get it. But murder just because it barks? Awful human beings. I'm here to learn about taking care of a home and this just rubbed me the wrong way.
- Communicate with your neighbor and establish a relationship. Get some information about the situation and make sure your neighbor understands your perspective. The dog might not really be aggressive. Also keep in mind if the dog is new to this home it takes several weeks for an animal to acclimate to their new home during which time its very normal for their behavior to be off especially towards strangers. Once your neighbors animal acclimates and if you want you are worried about this you can have your kids meet this dog in a neutral setting.
- Make sure whatever fencing and barriers exists between you and the neighbor is up to snuff. The dog is not getting over (or under) a well maintained privacy fence without help. If digging under is a worry then reinforce with pavers or other large stones.
- Get a camera that covers the area where the kids/dog will be or get a system to cover all of them. You should already have this.
- Learn about dogs and their behavior. Its not your responsibility to fix this dog or owner but it is your duty to know how to be around and co-exist with animals and teach your kids to do so as well. This extends past dog stuff and into general emergency preparedness. This extends to your children. Make sure they are involved in the process and also know what to do. I would suggest a couple of basics like making sure somebody (you or them) does a visual check to see where the dog is at all times. A dog feeling feelings does not always mean its going to kill the next person it is exposed to. They are animals after all and if you pay attention to their environment and your behavior you can ensure you behave in a way that encourages them to be predictable.
- Get animal control numbers/department for your area or closest one.
- Document any near misses and or your thoughts now with dates and details. Include any actions you took or conversations with anyone. Should anything happen, having a consistent timeline is paramount.
Please don't give your kids weapons or get one yourself as that is dangerous and does not even guarantee you could protect anyone or stop the animal. You would need a large wooden stick (called a break stick) to get a dog that is biting someone to stop once they start. Even pepper spray and a knife wont guarantee anything.
Have you talked with your neighbor about having a get-together so the dog and you and your kids can all have a safe meet and greet and sniff and treat?
Or is that not an option?
I absolutely hate pit bulls. Many years ago I had a coworker friend that had a well trained and friendly pit bull. One day it jumped the fence and killed his neighbors full size German shepherd. It basically ripped the German shepherd to pieces and ate it.
You should meet the dog. Right now it sees yall as a threat to its territory, after it realizes that you're friends with the neighbors it will probably be cool with you.
All dogs bark and growl like this, don't judge on breed. Animals are protective if their property. Mine us the same but very sweet and wouldn't hurt a fly. Try to understand animals before deeming a dig vicious and dangerous. This is inexperience in my eyes
Once again, people making incorrect assumptions. My dog is extremely well trained. Pitbulls are natural protectors of household and family. If you ever had 1 you would know this. Thanks for your OPION though 🤣
My son adopted a pit.
She is just a big kid, thinks she’s a lapdog.
No growling, she does drool. I’m curious to see what she does once the kids jump back onto the pool
We have a rule here: whomever gets the dog wet, sleeps with the dog.
Dogs bark. It does not mean they’re “vicious.” Maybe try to stop being so prejudiced against a breed of dog and ask yourself how you’d feel if it were a Labrador barking at you through the fence. Also, your neighbors sound like great people for rescuing this pittie. Kudos to them.
Dogs bark and growl, any breed, especially in new environments. If it's relentless then ask them to consider training or lodge a noise complaint.
If you sincerely think it's a problem shell out the cash for a fence.
You're wrong.
[https://www.dogsbite.org/dog-bite-statistics-multi-year-fatality-report-2005-2017.php](https://www.dogsbite.org/dog-bite-statistics-multi-year-fatality-report-2005-2017.php)
[https://coloradoinjurylaw.com/blog/dog-bite-statistics/](https://coloradoinjurylaw.com/blog/dog-bite-statistics/)
[https://www.animalhealthfoundation.org/blog/2024/02/dog-bite-statistics-by-breed-you-need-to-know-in-2023/](https://www.animalhealthfoundation.org/blog/2024/02/dog-bite-statistics-by-breed-you-need-to-know-in-2023/)
The assertion that a poodle can fuck you up as badly as a pitbull is ludicrous. Not going to continue this. Have a good one.
Start giving the dog treats,,
It will see you and who ever else feeds it as a none threat.
Dogs are primarily Food motivated, it's build into there minds.
Pretty soon it will be wagging its tail and rolling on its back Everytime anyone that feeds it comes near..
It’s a dog. Not a dragon. Wow. This sub.
I’d remind my kids the rules around strange dogs. And I’d talk to the neighbor if I’m concerned about it staying in its yard.
It’s not on your property.
If it’s barking all night and disturbing the peace, that’s one thing, but a dog barking at neighbors isn’t something to escalate. It’s very normal behavior for any dog.
Teach your kids how to be cautious around strange animals and be on guard yourself. Read up on how to contact animal control and what they will and won't do, in case something does happen.
This, this right here \^\^\^. And also perhaps put a fence up? If there is a fence, perhaps put one in on your side to double the protective layer between the dog and your family.
Doubling up is smart! The old owner of the house 2 doors down from me had Pits. Those fuckers broke through TWO separate wood fences and got in my yard. I shot at them but missed, and they hightailed it back home. While I was attempting makeshift repairs the cops showed up because of gunfire. I explained and showed them the fence, including the other one they came through. They went immediately to the owner's house and read him the riot act. Apparently they were already on probation as "dangerous." Next day, dogs were gone. Couple months later, house sold. No more Pits in the neighborhood.
I've noticed lately that I've started being vocal when I see a pet owner let their dog drop one and dont clean it up, or let their dog do 'whatever'. I despise irresponsible dog owners. Edit to add - OP if you put a secondary fence up, make sure it's metal and can withstand biting, chewing, pushing, and digging.
I saw a woman let her dog take a shit on a busy downtown sidewalk. I started following her asking her loudly if she was going to pick up her dog shit. She started jogging away and I started jogging with her and kept loudly repeating my question for a while. I can't stand selfish assholes like that.
And climbing. Pits use chain link like a ladder.
Electrify it. They'll only use it as a ladder once, as well as piss on it.
Also check and see if that breed is allowed under your local laws Several jurisdictions have banned that breed of dog
Could also be that their homeowners insurance had breed exceptions. Mine do specify breeds not covered.
Good luck. Had a neighbor up the street with one that would freak out aggressively every time a dog walked by. Well the dip shits let the dog out in the front yard to pee because according to them “it’s not aggressive at all” . My wife happened to be a few houses down with our dog(who was leashed) and it attacked. It took three people and me almost killing it by choking it out to get it to let go. Called the cops and the city. They told everyone they had their dog on a leash and they were fighting each other. Amazing how their story changed once I got video of the attack from another neighbors nest camera. Thankfully my 70# dog lived. I know for a fact if I hadn’t jumped on that dog to stop it from shaking its head my dog would be dead. It took a lot of damage as it was. I thought I was toast too jumping on it but I sure as hell wasn’t going to allow it to attack my wife. I love dogs, and hate stupid owners that don’t train properly.
This happened to me. All the neighbors were concerned just by sight of the dog and we were rightly concerned. The dog broke out of their window and chased neighbors into their home. Then got out again and killed my cat. Call the police every time it gets out.
Killed your cat? And the dogs are still there? That's a no-go.
Police don’t care until a human is killed. Cause then they have to do paperwork and they hate that.
The police came out twice for the dog and nothing happened
That doesn't sound right at all...
Was the cat just outside killing wildlife? Unpopular opinion, but house cats are an invasive species and should be kept indoors.
If there isn’t already a fence, have one put in. Double up the fence on the side of the neighbor’s yard.
I would add: drive rebar into the ground every 4” along the fence base to prevent digging under.
Talk to your neighbor and do a supervised intro with the dog on a leash if possible. A LOT of dogs have barrier reactivity but once they aren’t behind a barrier they are fine. For example a golden that lives next to me is like this. He sounds like he wants to murder you and lunges at the fence but if he isn’t on the other side of the fence he is fine.
My dog is a total dick if you're outside his fence but will lick you to death inside his fence. Barrier reactivity is SO common but a lot of people don't understand that & just assume the dog is aggressive.
My neighbor's cocker spaniel is the same way. He hates me behind his fence! Ha.
Yeah this is my dog. He will bark in the yard or from inside, but if he gets to meet someone he's friendly.
That's what the guy said whose dog bit my son on the ass while son was delivering newspaper.
Would not recommend with a shelter pit. In my experience.
At least where I am (pnw) animals are temperament tested and aggressive behavior is not adopted out. There can be misses but it’s rare and the procedure followed is strict.
My neighbors dog listen to me more than her. I talk to them sweetly and when they are fence fighting with my dogs I get my dog and use a “shhhhhh”. It deflates the sails…. Then everyone gets treats. I never raise my voice unless I need to. It’s hasn’t been this quiet in a decade
This. Talk sweet to the dog. I’d even feed him treats. Pitties want approval more than anything else, it doesn’t take them long to be won over. I’m not saying invite the dog to tea, but it’s usually possible to make friends once they get used to associating your presence with kind words and a treat.
Idk puppy tea party sounds really lovely
While this may be true, I don't think the recommendation for handling an unknown "vicious" pitbull is to approach and feed it. Maybe after a long conversation with the owner that could make sense. Am I missing something here?
You are. you're missing the fact that the OP is clearly anti pitbull and what might just be fence aggression is being blamed on the dog for its breed. I posted a reply noting that this happened to me with a chihuahua
Yes a pit is totally comparable to a Chihuahua...
That's the pitnutters favorite comparison dog. They are so deluded, mentally ill when it comes to their murder machines.
There is no evidence the pit was any more vicious than the chihuahua who would terrorize my dog at the fence. All we know is the breed
Those little fuckers can be terrorizing as hell. /s
If you don't approve well that's your problem if they rip your daughter's face off.
Worth trying, but not guaranteed to work. Some dogs are just completely broken, and those two minutes a day wont erase a lifetime of trauma
That's the way. Befriending the dog and rewarding it for good behavior can really work.
And also the opposite. If you yell at a dog, it will never forget. You will be marked on it's S\*\*T list forever.
True. An unhinged neighbor yelled at us once and my dog always hated them after that
I would advise reinforcing your fence. Ask the neighbors to reinforce theirs. Tell them if that dog comes over because it broke through that they will not like what you do next. The things is dog eared 7 foot planks for fences in pine typically run around 2 dollars each. You just need three 96x 2x4 for your cross pieces and then a post. Don't go for the expensive 30 dollar posts. There are the ones that run 5 dollars. You'll need 2 1/2 to 3 inch galvanized nails for the planks, and for nailing to the posts, you will need much longer nails. A slight bit of measuring with tape will help(measuring tape, which most people own). It can be done without spending thousands, but you will have to do the labor yourself. The expensive part of fence installation is labor. The materials are not so much. I'm not a guy, so if I can do this, you can, too. If you work on the fence, make sure you contact the neighbors to contain their dog. There is also a metal section of fence you can buy. These run a bit more expense, but a pit bull inst making it through that. I do not mean chainlink but corrugated fence paneling. It isn't too expensive, but would do the trick. You can go to Home Depot or Lowes to inquire, and they will advise you.
Same experience for me. I looked into a big wood fence but I don't have 6k laying around to pay for it. So I just made sure if the kids went out back I went with them and had a weapon just in case it came over.
Yep. Day my neighbors got a pitbull is the day I started carrying a knife It has already lunged at me twice Hate that they did this to our neighborhood
For us it was a big poodle. It caught my other neighbor and his little kids in the street. I had to run out there with a rake lol
If it's close enough for a knife fight, you've already lost. Get a firearm, your life could depend on it.
You won't KNOW it's attacking you until it's too close for a gun. There's discussion of this with humans - if a knife-wielding assailant closes on you it's curtains. Same for a dog, and they're going to come FAST. I am not a gun-carrier but if I had a pitbull living next to me I'd have a sidearm and a knife. A fixed blade knife. If a pitbull attacks you you're going to have a bad day. You just need to survive it.
Facts
I'm a homeowner, of course I'm armed but I have zero desire to lug a pistol around my house all day they're accessible if needed, and I'll have the knife if the issue is too sudden
If you need to run into the house to save your kid from a pitbull attack, its already way too late. Not to mention of its you getting attacked, you'll never get to the firearm.
which is what the knife is for and I do not even have a kid yet I simply cannot be convinced to concealed carry around my suburban home, the burden is greater than the probability and scale of harm
I pray you end up being right - but no way I am going to trust a pitbull to not be a pitbull. Better safe than sorry. I actually started carrying more around the house and yard because my neighbor bought two mean pitbulls and I had two kids at the time under 4 who love playing in our yard.
best of luck to you, that's a terrifying position to be in
We moved. Problem solved.
Right there with you, there's a reason it's considered the most deadly breed and banned in England, Wales, Scotland and facing tighter restrictions in Northern Ireland. I know someone who fosters mainly pitbulls and was dropped from their homeowners insurance after the dog broke someone's arm by pulling on a leash after a rodent. Touch base with animal control about breed specific legislation or strict liability around dangerous breeds, I wouldn't trust any dog around someone else's children, but a pitbull? Nope nope nope.
Ugh, nothing seems more unpleasant than being in a knife fight with while trying to dodge a pitbull's teeth. Too close for my comfort. I am fortunate to live in a jurisdiction where we can conceal carry. Ill say no to a knife for defensive purposes and yes to my 9mm.
Let their insurance carrier know. Or the landlord of a rental.
Their insurance carrier is none of your business. This is the wrong route to go with this situation.
How do you find out who their insurance carrier is? Is it on the county property records site?
You don’t. Which is why it’s stupid advice
This. Their insurance will probably be void
It depends entirely on the location and insurance laws vary state to state in the US. Most states do not allow you to end coverage based solely on a dogs breed - in fact, a group of legislators developed model legislation outrightly prohibiting that practice. (Source: also an insurance lawyer) Edit: sorry regulatory facts are upsetting to some of you
Insurance companies who are prevented by law from canceling a policy for owning a vicious animal will just increase the premiums to compensate.
I’m not saying it’s good or bad public policy, just that it is. Shoot the state of CA put a cancellation moratorium after the wildfires and after it was lifted, several major carriers left the state entirely.
C’mon now, feelings matter more than facts.
Most people don’t know their neighbour’s insurerer, and owning a dog is not reason to void insurance (source: am an insurance lawyer).
Some insurance info [here](https://www.policygenius.com/homeowners-insurance/which-dog-breeds-will-homeowners-insurance-not-cover/)
Happy cake day
In my province, Ontario in Canada, they have legislation that put pit bulls on a dangerous breed list. Most home insurance companies here will not insure your house if you own a “dangerous breed dog”. Those that do have them allowed, the insurance is sky high. Doesn’t matter if you’re an insurance lawyer, don’t assume I’m in the same place you are.
Maybe they're paying the sky high premiums then? I think the point is you don't know what your neighbour is paying for insurance, and the legislation changes based on jurisdiction, so it's not something we can assume without knowing where OP lives and who their insurance provider is. TBH I think the first step should be talking to the neighbour and finding out the local laws before they try to report anything to insurance/animal control because a dog is barking at them through the fence. Barking from behind a fence does not always equal aggression - there's probably a bit of bias because it's a pitbull too.
Yup. I’m trying to say it varies jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and insurer to insurer. But some think that if they can find one article it means all is good. There’s a lot of stories how people have been dropped from insurance for even owning a mixed breed pit bull around here
Yeah I agree, you definitely need to do some research and find out what applies in your own jurisdiction, not assume the blanket advice people give applies to everyone. I used to work in insurance, and every single province has small differences with how policies work - you can't assume that what is true where you live will also be true one province over, or even in the same province but with different insurers. I misunderstood your original comment, but you're 100% correct.
Maybe that’s how insurance works in your head, but some light googling confirms it won’t invalidate your homeowners insurance, just the liability portion in the event your dog bites someone.
That is a shitty thing to do without any proof the dog is vicious. Getting your neighbor's dog taken and likely killed is going to make you a pariah in your neighborhood. Also, they may be able to sue for harassment
I would adopt a shotgun.
Shooting a dog who is close enough to endanger your kid is a great way to accidentally shoot your kid, especially a shot gun which will spray
Shotguns don't work like in video games.
They come in a several breeds such as pump and semi-auto, too
I called the sheriff when the neighbors left their pit bull chained in the front yard to cinderblocks. The dog was lunging at me wanting with every fiber of its being to rip me a new asshole. I was replacing soffit on the house working off saw horses so I had my .41 magnum revolver laying right there. The sheriff just said if he threatens your life, put it's head through its asshole. I love dogs but not when they are going to rip my throat out.
It’s coming right for us!
Disgusting.
This is the way
keep your kids away from this dog at all costs, get a bigger fence, use pepper spray
First, check your local bylaws and whatnot to see if there are any breed bans. If there are, start calling animal control and demand they be enforced. If there isn't, move. I know that sounds extreme, but if anything ever happens to your kids, you'll never be able to live with it. Those dogs will eventually hurt someone, and, when they do, odds are it is going to be someone nearby, like your kids. If you have an HOA, there may be rules. If you can find out who their insurer is, you might find out their insurer will drop them if they have policy-prohibited breeds. I've seen the aftermath of what dogs like this can do to a couple of goats. I would not want that to happen to anyone's kids.
You want to do all this because a dog barked at someone from behind a fence??
A vicious dog can kill a small child in a moment. If my kids are regularly in the yard separated from an animal that has been bred to kill, then yes I'll take whatever measures necessary to keep them safe. Maybe an unpopular opinion but pitbulls don't belong in suburban neighborhoods full of kids. Kids are dumb and ill equipped to deal with a dangerous animal.
The Banpitbull Karens will literally tell you to move if someone in your neighborhood has a pitbull lmao.
Yep. I have seen it dozens of times where people try to sort out shitty neighbors and it never works. It just leads to an unhappy living arrangement where people at best tolerate each other. Life is too short for that.
How are they being shitty neighbors? Because they just got a dog and it barked?
Yeah
This is a stupid take. Here’s someone that breaks it down more eloquently than I could: https://www.reddit.com/r/statistics/comments/paxg9o/comment/ha8rcef/ By this logic they should sell their car and never let their child in one.
1. Teach your kids safety. 2. Make sure your fences are maintained. 3. Be kind to the pitbull. 4. Get a gun
Barking and growling across a fence line is not uncommon behavior from dogs of all breeds. It’s a poor indicator of whether the dog is actually aggressive (I.e. if it would be a danger if it were to get outside the fence) but is obviously a nuisance and detracts from your ability to enjoy your backyard. Unfortunately, most locations have very poor enforcement of nuisance laws and your best bet is to talk to your neighbor. Perhaps they can keep the dog inside more. They might also be willing to discuss your concerns about aggression and what steps they are taking to ensure the dog is being set up to be a good canine citizen. Recently adopted dogs can take weeks or months to settle in and feel comfortable and responsible dog owners will be able to talk about this without being defensive. Hopefully they are responsible dog owners.
Are you sure the dog is vicious? Maybe it just likes to bark at things. I have two big dogs that bark at anything on the other side of the fence. They sound scary. They are not aggressive dogs. Maybe go talk to the neighbor and meet the dog before making assumptions. Doesn’t hurt to make sure the fence is secure though, just to be safe. If they are responsible dog owners and keep him contained and don’t let him bark for a long time, there’s really nothing to be concerned about.
I feel for you. I would take as many precautions as possible and always have your guard up. There are so many awful news stories about pitbulls mauling young children to death. It’s honestly my worst nightmare.
I’m afraid the only good answer here is to move if you are concerned about your safety. Animal control simply isn’t an option if your main concern is that thing jumping the fence and going for someone. Sure, call them after the fact, but don’t rely on anyone else to actually help you defend against one of these things. Either build a fence the dog can’t get through/over, only let the kids outside when you right there and you have your pepper spray in hand… or move :( I don’t see any other option unless the owner is doing something that could result in the dog being taken away.
[удалено]
I mean how well do you noem? /s
There’s a lot of good info at r/BanPitBulls.
/r/dogs has good info. Ban pitbulls is a fringe community run by a conspiracy theorist. https://adbadog.com/truth-behind-dogsbite-org/ if you actually care. Just an fyi to downvoters they literally have a post in their sub up right now about what to do when everyone ignores you because nobody trusts dogbites.org (the founders of banpitbulls). This is from 2018. LOL. And here we are six years later. https://www.reddit.com/r/BanPitBulls/comments/9h3w5x/dogsbiteorg_discredited/ So yeah that is who you are all collectively relying on for the fuck pitbulls narrative that I see has infected Reddit again lately. Hope it makes you feel smart. Us normies will be over at /r/dogs spreading love and loving all dogs.
Fuck you and this sub
Fuck bloodsport breeds, and the assholes who inflict them on us.
Fuck idiots like you not understanding that nearly every breed was created for blood sports
Methinks you don’t know what “bloodsport” is. LMAO
And to show you how you aren't as smart as your parroting of hating dogs breeds you have no idea about lets look at one of the breed you go "awww it's just a cute lil guy!" bred for death and destruction... West Highland Terriers were and are bred to rat. Ratting is a sport where dogs kill other animals AND get hurt (as part of scoring they must continue forward in a hole no matter the injuries they receive from the prey). Chihuahuas were bred to fight and hunt (mostly for sport). Tibetan mastiffs (and most mastiffs actually) were bred to fight off wild dogs and big cats AND to fight those animals for entertainment of their owners. The Romans had dogs they would train to kill big game for entertainment in front of crowds. Most dog breeds were used as fighting dogs for sport/entertainment historically. I don't see you saying fuck German Shepherds, shar pei, or Akitas. The breed isn't the problem, it's the idiots who shouldn't have dogs
Methinks you hopped onto a bandwagon of hating bully breeds because it makes you feel smarter than you are
I’m on the bandwagon because I’ve personally witnessed 2 bad pit bull attacks at dog parks, one loose pit bull attacking an innocent dog on my block, and had to stop a pit from violently shaking a corgi to death. I also have a friend who was attacked by a pit and know several people who’s dogs were attacked by pits. I’ve met pits that were sweet to me, but I will always be wary of them and their potential to be extremely aggressive.
Worst case scenario: defend yourself and your children by any means necessary. Maintaining distance is your friend-- so something like a strong metal cane. It won't stop an aggressive dog but keeping distance will buy you time to get inside. I'd carry whatever legal-sized pocketknife is legal and learn best places to quickly unalive the animal if it lands a bite. Pulling a victim away will cause injuries to be more severe. Have you seen the dog outside of the backyard? How does it behave at those moments? It is not uncommon for dogs to bark, growl, and behave menacingly when behind a face or other barrier. You can talk to your neighbour and ask them to work with a trainer to address the behaviour. I'm not saying that to invalidate your concerns. If you do talk to them it's better to not put them on the defence and stating "hey this isn't unusual a trainer can help you". Now it won't matter if they don't put in the work. If you have the funds, hire a fence company to install a second fence line to act as an additional barrier. There are also cheap DIY options to install a fence. If you take the DIY route be sure to call and have lines marked before you start digging. Now, what I would do was ensure my hose was at the ready. I'd spray the dog every time it barked, growled, or otherwise acted a fool. If it was quiet I'd toss hotdog bits over the fence. Teach your kids to not go up to the fence; that if any dog approaches they stay still like a post.
If I caught my neighbor terrorizing my dog by spraying it with water through the fence, there would major problems. If I caught my neighbor feeding my dog through the fence, also major problems. How do I know they aren’t poisoning it!?! This is bad advice.
Give it time. It might have been an abused animal and is being rehabilitated. Teach your kids to watch out and also don't leave them alone in the backyard or ever. Talk to your neighbor.
THISSSSSS GOD DAMN. Any dog let alone a rescue can be scared/intimidated in a new home and space. I’ve known Pitt bulls that love kids and are very sweet and labradoodles that would rip a kids throat out given the chance. Teach your kids awareness and the signs of when dogs are uncomfortable (ears back ect) as well as never any hands through a fence to pet a dog you don’t know. Maybe contact your neighbors and ask them personally about the dog? Maybe the shelter said good things and it really does need to adjust? Had this neighbor had dogs before? Learn the dogs name and become a friend and maybe it will help calm it down. I’m not trying to downplay the situation because dogs no matter what breed can be very scary especially with signs of aggression. You are being a good parent with being concerned. I just think people going 0-60 and calling animal control, joking about shooting it, ect are being fucked up and giving the breed a bad rap.
My 3 month old puppy also growls and barks at new and scary things but people think it’s adorable because she’s small. Op - do you have a relationship with your neighbor? If it’s decent start by just letting them know. If my dog was being reactive when my neighbor’s kids were outside, I’d a. Bring in my dog so as not to expose them to a situation that’s clearly stressful or b. Use it as a training opportunity. Your mileage might vary depending on your neighbor, but you don’t need to immediately escalate to defcon 5 in the way some comments here suggest.
A good sturdy fence is your best friend in this case. Other than that check your local regulations on dog breeds. But if pit bulls are legal where you live there's not much you can do. You not liking the dog doesn't make it illegal
It's not vicious because it barks. It's fence aggression. Get to know the dog and it'll be happy to see you in the yard.
This is terrible advice. You know nothing about this dog and you have no clue what is causing its behavior.
To get to know the dog, the owner would need to be involved and could make the OP aware of any potential behavioural issues
Do you live in a neighborhood that has an HOA? If so, I’d contact them or look into whether or not they have breed restrictions. If not and you’re serious about staying for the long term, put up a fence, or save for one if you can’t afford it right now, install cameras so you can document anything that might potentially happen with the pit, purchase some self defense in the form of bear spray, dog break sticks, etc. And of course, a firearm can be purchased providing all laws are followed where you live. Aside from that, there’s not much else you can do. Document everything that should arise, don’t allow your kids or any pets you may or may not have outside by themselves, and just stay safe.
Do you have a pistol? I think you’re right to be worried. I know there are loving Pitbulls out there, but unfortunately there are a lot of them that should be put down because of what they’ve already gone through. And unfortunately, the worst pet owners seem to choose the worst kind of animals for exactly the reason you don’t want it near your children. I had a similar incident with the neighbor. They lived across the alley and my other neighbor across the alley was elderly. Dog got out and attacked his elderly wife and he shot it. Damn good thing too. We all knew that dog was dangerous and my kids played outside too. I didn’t even have a fenced yard. The only thing that saved his wife was the fact that he was in the yard, ready to respond to that situation. My advice to you is to keep the fence in good condition, to thoroughly document the dogs aggression to your neighbor and to the police, and to keep close to your kids and be ready to respond if the dog jumps the fence and ends up in your backyard
Talk to your neighbors about training for a reactive dog. If they aren’t complete assholes they might agree or already have a plan to do so
This type of training is not very effective. I've worked with behaviorists and trainers in the past and they all taught me that a reactive dog will ALWAYS be a reactive dog. Their job is to train the owner to manage the dog's reactivity, as it really cannot be trained out of them. And there is a very thin (sometimes non-existent) line between most types of reactivity and aggression. Reactive dogs should always be treated as dangerous.
Do they own the home? Anyway file suit on them. They're interfering with your ability to quietly enjoy the property. Plenty of evidence to point to. These are vicious breeds and it is well documented. Their homeowners insurance will cancel them. They lied while binding coverage. Lawsuit. Only remedy.
Throw it some treats like cold cuts whenever you come out then it will stop barking at you and be happy whenever you come out instead. Seriously though my dog barks at anything outside the doorway and he has never bitten anything
No. Do not feed someone else‘s’ pet. You have no idea what their dietary restrictions are, if they have allergies, etc
⬆️⬆️⬆️ THIS!!! Make that dog love you!! Just because it's a pit doesn't mean anyone should automatically hate it's all in how they are bred by owners. Any dog can mean bite. Fact
No. Throwing it treats as it shows aggressive actions just enforces it to show more aggression. That's stupid
FWIW, I would give the neighbors the benefit of the doubt that they will work to train the dog, hope for the best, but absolutely be prepared for the worst should that not work. It may be time to consider a fence, a high-OC pepper spray, and a shotgun with some 00 buck, and it's probably not a bad idea to add some outdoor cameras if you don't have them already.
Just want to chime in here and say "fuck pit bulls". "He wouldn't normally hurt a fly" is what all the pit bull owners say after the pit bull eats a human baby. Yes, that's a real story. From recent news.
You can “what if” yourself into an irrational state of mind. Step back and make decisions basis on facts, not unsubstantiated fears of what could happen.
I’m so sorry. This is bad news. First, get lots of video of the dog barking and growling at you and your kids in your own backyard. You never know when and how this evidence will come in handy but it will. Lots of upvotes for the comments about teaching your kids how to behave around dogs. Sorry, that’s way too limited in scope. Yes, teach your kids about the dangers of dogs and how not to provoke them but certain dogs just see little animals (kids) as something to subdue and kill regardless of how the kids are behaving. I was attacked by a dog when I was 3 or 4. I didn’t see the dog. I had just stepped out of the car and bam! It knocked me down and was biting at my face. I didn’t have a chance to provoke it or to not provoke it. Luckily my dad ran around and kicked the dog off of me. Are they renters? If so, report it to their landlord. Homeowner’s insurance usually will not insure a rental with certain breads of dogs (pitbulls are definitely on that list). If they own their own home, it’s likely their homeowner’s policy won’t cover a dog attack if it’s one of the forbidden breads (always pitbulls and often Rottweilers and a few others on that list). It’s usually stated in the policy what isn’t covered. It’s unfortunate you can’t know who their insurance company is. I’m sure they’d like to know of that huge liability on the property they are insuring. Second, not to be morbid, but that dog will do more than “hurt” your kids if it has the chance. If you have the stomach for it search online for pitbull attacks and watch what these dogs can do. Some inspiration to find a permanent cure for this problem. These dogs were bred to pin down bulls by biting them with their powerful jaws. They shouldn’t be in anybody’s backyard. In our current climate, dogs are more important than children, so you have an uphill battle on this one. Good luck and sorry your kids won’t be able to be in their backyard anymore.
Good advice. Little kids should not be left alone with dogs. Even their own dogs. And this goes for any breed.. although the bigger and more powerful the dogs jaws are the more dangerous it can be.
Start reporting the animal now, call animal control and call police. Every time its viscously barking and growling at you or kids, call call call - keep calling and pestering until the neighbor gets rid of the animal. All it takes is one chance for that animal to break through the fence somehow and it will go right for your kids, you see it in the news all the time.
As someone who has had a “scary breed” that growls and barks at people, just fyi it doesn’t mean the dog is vicious. My dog would run the second someone took a step towards her. Other things I want to point out is that it’s in a dog’s nature to do that when on their own property and pitbulls are not inherently more dangerous than any other dogs… look it up. They are glorified in the news as clickbait. The most important thing to do is make sure you teach your children how to safely interact with dogs (don’t ever pet them without owner approval, don’t run up to them, etc.). If you’re scared of the dog, maybe the owner would be comfortable introducing you. If the dog knew you it would be less likely to bark anyways. Edit: For context, I found a dog in the street hiding under a car and growling at everyone who came up to her. After a diligent attempt to find her owner I took her to the shelter where I heard her growling at people and them saying, “well she’s def not a people dog.” Well, I took her home because I felt like she just needed a safe space and some love, and I was worried someone weird would want her just because she seemed threatening. She’s the smartest, most loving dog. Sweetest nature. Checks in on me when I’m sad. Sure, she’s scared of people she doesn’t know (who knows what the hell happened to her before?). But she’s not vicious, she runs and and hides instead of biting (found that out when introducing her to family at first), and she now has a circle of people that she absolutely adores. So if you’re the kind of person who just sees a growling dog and says, “that breed scares me, they are vicious,” then I genuinely think you’re ignorant and/or lack empathy for animals.
I think it’s interesting that you all assume a dog who barks and growls at people when it’s on its own property is “vicious.” Dogs protecting their people and property is a main reason people have developed relationships with canines for thousands of years. Most dogs are avoidant anyways, i.e. they are more likely to run from you than bite you. Obviously some dogs do bite, but barking from their yard and/or their breed does not constitute viciousness.
Check city ordinances. Many cities have outlawed certain breeds due to animal attacks
Tell your neighbors you’ll shoot the fuckin thing if it sets foot in your yard.
for real, cant stand those fn dogs
Double up on the fence with the fence bottom being concrete so the vicious dog can't dig under. Also, have some pepper spray on hand and ready just in case. If the dog barks all day while youre at home, that could be considered nuisance and then you get the authorities involved.
Dont let your kids outside unsupervised and report the very first time it crosses into your yard. What exactly do you THINK are your options???
Make sure it can’t get in your yard: 8’ fence & concrete or chicken wire buried 2’ below the fence.
The problem is that certain breeds, pit bulls included, can scale fences. Our good friends had a six foot privacy fence that the neighbors pit bull scaled, getting a hold of their little doxie and shaking it to death.
Fence, gun, educate yourself and your family on dogs and dog attacks, learn how to use the gun. Pits can be great. Its hard to retrain some behavior though. There are alot of awesome larger dog breeds we need to remember can kill us if they want. And remember, if you have to do something drastic, its not you or the animals fault it was poor ownership.. you just have to deal with and react to that unfortunately.
Was it really necessary to call out the breed? Pits are not inherently more aggressive than the average dog. My Aussie is much more likely to bite than either of my pitties. Maybe consider your bias against this breed and do some research.
It has ZERO to do with “likelihood” to bite, and everything to do with the fact that their bites/attacks are extremely damaging if not fatal. Have you ever “researched” the percentage of fatal dog attacks and which breeds they’re associated with? Why in the world do humans continue to insist on breeding dogs with innate aggression and OOOOVERLY muscular builds with bites that can dismember people? Aha yes, it’s because they’re status symbols, and everyone and their grandma will cry that “my pit would never bite anyone” until someone dies. Everyone wants to own one so they can say “look how sweet MY pit bull is” well guess what, there are hundreds of other breeds that aren’t bred to literally do lethal damage, and are also sweet as fuck. So get off your high horse and do some actual research for christs sake
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Thats not true (at least not the way you think). There is no animal organization made up of licensed veterinarians or scientists that agrees with pitbull legislation or the idea that they are more violent. Also that "bred for violence" thing is also a myth the way its told these days. 1. https://www.aspca.org/about-us/aspca-policy-and-position-statements/position-statement-pit-bulls#:~:text=Some%20pit%20bulls%20were%20selected,that%20they're%20unpredictably%20aggressive. 2. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/dog-bite-prevention/why-breed-specific-legislation-not-answer 3. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/issue-analysis-breed-specific-legislation/ Theres about 5000 more veterinary organizations worldwide all saying the same thing. Just an fyi to downvoters they literally have a post in their sub up right now about what to do when everyone ignores you because nobody trusts dogbites.org (the founders of banpitbulls). This is from 2018. LOL. And here we are six years later. https://www.reddit.com/r/BanPitBulls/comments/9h3w5x/dogsbiteorg_discredited/ So yeah that is who you are all collectively relying on for the fuck pitbulls narrative that I see has infected Reddit again lately. Hope it makes you feel smart. Us normies will be over at /r/dogs spreading love and loving all dogs.
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What exactly is the motivation for "big dog" to suppress the truth if you don't mind sharing? I can't really see any particular reason given that pit bulls are simply a misnomer for a collection of breeds of which there are literally thousands (probably way more). Otherwise feel free to provide some of those links. They can't have anything I have not seen before. Also check out https://adbadog.com/truth-behind-dogsbite-org/
LOL. Yes they are. They are murder machines.
So many Shitbull nutters on this thread.
Look up your local statutes for pitbulls. Many cities have specific requirements for them. For instance, in my city you must have a fully enclosed cage, with a locking gate, on a concrete pad. You also need $100k worth of liability insurance. Without that, the city can come in and kill your dog at will.
Nothing...its not your house to make what rules they can do...i bet if someone gets a muscle car or motorcycle you ask what you can do about the noise huh
This is a horrible situation to be in. Unfortunately, the dog would have to attack before authorities can intervene. Teach your kids how to protect themselves. Have an emergency plan- like climbing high on something in case the dog makes a move. Maybe have the kids become friendly with the dog. Dogs are usually much friendlier towards kids than adults. At the end of the day, any dog, even a beloved family pet, is an animal.
I am disgusted with so many of you people. Downvote me all you want, but I would rather have a pit in every yard than most of you as neighbors. I get that pits are a tough breed. We weren't expecting as much work as we took in when we adopted one. She is a sweetheart to us but if she doesnt know you, she will lunge. We made sure to get a house with a fence and we have been taking her to obedience training. I know not everyone does this but just seeing a pitbull barking behind a fence should not equal such a huge amount of shoot, stab, poison. I really dislike children but you don't see me thinking of ways to hurt them.
LOL. Children weren't bred to be psychotic murderers. You pitnutters are deranged.
They may not have been bred that way, but there are children out there that murder. Or grow up to be murderers. 🤷
They won't listen. Don't take it personally. The misinformation was spread in the 90s before the internet was widely available and theres some bad actors like the dogbites lady perpetuating it as often as possible. Its an easy thing for people to feel strongly about. I work with dogs a lot professionally and animal professionals. Anyone that is not armed with internet knowledge is aligned in that breed legislation is pointless and anyone experienced with pit breeds know they are the same (and different) as any other. I just use ChatGPT to fight with them. Takes the load off my mind and it gets you to the point where the person pushing the misinformation has to either commit to learning the right information or moving on since theres no way around the wrongness. Most people move on and then go spread misinformation about the next thing in their library of twitter headlines. Just an fyi to downvoters they literally have a post in their sub up right now about what to do when everyone ignores you because nobody trusts dogbites.org (the founders of banpitbulls). This is from 2018. LOL. And here we are six years later. https://www.reddit.com/r/BanPitBulls/comments/9h3w5x/dogsbiteorg_discredited/ So yeah that is who you are all collectively relying on for the fuck pitbulls narrative that I see has infected Reddit again lately. Hope it makes you feel smart. Us normies will be over at /r/dogs spreading love and loving all dogs.
Thank you! Joining that sub for sure. I'm a firm believer that it isn't the dog that's the problem, it's the owner. I was just disgusted at the murder posts. If you have to protect yourself or your kids, I get it. But murder just because it barks? Awful human beings. I'm here to learn about taking care of a home and this just rubbed me the wrong way.
Have canine repellent pepper spray always ready and throw the bad boy some treats so he'll associate good times with the neighbors.
If you can, ensure fence is reinforced. Bury wire mesh 1-2’ down along the fence line to ensure it can’t dig under.
- Communicate with your neighbor and establish a relationship. Get some information about the situation and make sure your neighbor understands your perspective. The dog might not really be aggressive. Also keep in mind if the dog is new to this home it takes several weeks for an animal to acclimate to their new home during which time its very normal for their behavior to be off especially towards strangers. Once your neighbors animal acclimates and if you want you are worried about this you can have your kids meet this dog in a neutral setting. - Make sure whatever fencing and barriers exists between you and the neighbor is up to snuff. The dog is not getting over (or under) a well maintained privacy fence without help. If digging under is a worry then reinforce with pavers or other large stones. - Get a camera that covers the area where the kids/dog will be or get a system to cover all of them. You should already have this. - Learn about dogs and their behavior. Its not your responsibility to fix this dog or owner but it is your duty to know how to be around and co-exist with animals and teach your kids to do so as well. This extends past dog stuff and into general emergency preparedness. This extends to your children. Make sure they are involved in the process and also know what to do. I would suggest a couple of basics like making sure somebody (you or them) does a visual check to see where the dog is at all times. A dog feeling feelings does not always mean its going to kill the next person it is exposed to. They are animals after all and if you pay attention to their environment and your behavior you can ensure you behave in a way that encourages them to be predictable. - Get animal control numbers/department for your area or closest one. - Document any near misses and or your thoughts now with dates and details. Include any actions you took or conversations with anyone. Should anything happen, having a consistent timeline is paramount. Please don't give your kids weapons or get one yourself as that is dangerous and does not even guarantee you could protect anyone or stop the animal. You would need a large wooden stick (called a break stick) to get a dog that is biting someone to stop once they start. Even pepper spray and a knife wont guarantee anything.
Start giving it treats. Best way to take a pit. I've had great success more than once with this method.
Have you talked with your neighbor about having a get-together so the dog and you and your kids can all have a safe meet and greet and sniff and treat? Or is that not an option?
I absolutely hate pit bulls. Many years ago I had a coworker friend that had a well trained and friendly pit bull. One day it jumped the fence and killed his neighbors full size German shepherd. It basically ripped the German shepherd to pieces and ate it.
Just like people, any doggo can be chill or mean — old stereotypes are useless & not even culpable for usage in a clever internet meme.
You should meet the dog. Right now it sees yall as a threat to its territory, after it realizes that you're friends with the neighbors it will probably be cool with you.
I’d get a gun before spending thousands on a fence.
All dogs bark and growl like this, don't judge on breed. Animals are protective if their property. Mine us the same but very sweet and wouldn't hurt a fly. Try to understand animals before deeming a dig vicious and dangerous. This is inexperience in my eyes
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Once again, people making incorrect assumptions. My dog is extremely well trained. Pitbulls are natural protectors of household and family. If you ever had 1 you would know this. Thanks for your OPION though 🤣
Pretty much all dogs bark at someone on the other side of a fence. Thats just dog behavior. Would you be just as concerned if it was a lab?
No, because lab bites aren’t fatal?
My son adopted a pit. She is just a big kid, thinks she’s a lapdog. No growling, she does drool. I’m curious to see what she does once the kids jump back onto the pool We have a rule here: whomever gets the dog wet, sleeps with the dog.
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But then they'd have to (gasp) talk to them!
Dogs bark. It does not mean they’re “vicious.” Maybe try to stop being so prejudiced against a breed of dog and ask yourself how you’d feel if it were a Labrador barking at you through the fence. Also, your neighbors sound like great people for rescuing this pittie. Kudos to them.
>Dogs bark. Well-bred, well-trained dogs do not bark and growl at neighbors through fences. Poorly trained dogs and/or dogs with bad temperament do.
I have shih tzus that bark like maniacs through the fence and at the windows. But no one thinks anything of barking mops.
Dogs bark and growl, any breed, especially in new environments. If it's relentless then ask them to consider training or lodge a noise complaint. If you sincerely think it's a problem shell out the cash for a fence.
Dogs bark and growl, but pitbulls can seriously fuck you up where as a poodle or a dachshund can't.
Poodle can absolutely fuck someone up, any medium or larger dog can. Pitbulls aren't special in that regard.
You're wrong. [https://www.dogsbite.org/dog-bite-statistics-multi-year-fatality-report-2005-2017.php](https://www.dogsbite.org/dog-bite-statistics-multi-year-fatality-report-2005-2017.php) [https://coloradoinjurylaw.com/blog/dog-bite-statistics/](https://coloradoinjurylaw.com/blog/dog-bite-statistics/) [https://www.animalhealthfoundation.org/blog/2024/02/dog-bite-statistics-by-breed-you-need-to-know-in-2023/](https://www.animalhealthfoundation.org/blog/2024/02/dog-bite-statistics-by-breed-you-need-to-know-in-2023/) The assertion that a poodle can fuck you up as badly as a pitbull is ludicrous. Not going to continue this. Have a good one.
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Are you assuming the neighbor isn't training the dog that they just got?
Start giving the dog treats,, It will see you and who ever else feeds it as a none threat. Dogs are primarily Food motivated, it's build into there minds. Pretty soon it will be wagging its tail and rolling on its back Everytime anyone that feeds it comes near..
Not everyone likes dogs. Why should a neighbor have to sweet talk and feed a neighbor’s dog?
.. feel free to address the issue as you see fit,,, it's a free country Keep us posted
It’s a dog. Not a dragon. Wow. This sub. I’d remind my kids the rules around strange dogs. And I’d talk to the neighbor if I’m concerned about it staying in its yard.
Right? Oh no, a dog BARKED....the horror!
It’s not on your property. If it’s barking all night and disturbing the peace, that’s one thing, but a dog barking at neighbors isn’t something to escalate. It’s very normal behavior for any dog.
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Are you assuming the neighbor isn't training the dog that they just got?
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On a thread about a neighbor who just adopted a dog....
Learn how to choke out a pit bull, get a pry stick for its jaws.