Can't even walk

I am very pro-pitbull, but I also am totally aware that they have been bred for generations to fight other dogs. I walk my three dogs and if I were to come across a PB, I would just about have a heart attack, too. Any offleash dog makes me very nervous, but pits are powerful dogs who can do a lot of damage if they do attack my dogs. Plus two of my dogs are marshmallows and the one who is protective is 11 years old, so they'd never stand a chance if they were attacked.

Having said all that, my next door neighbor's DIL has a pit who is a wonderful dog. I love her to death. She's very sweet. But I would not have my dogs out in the yard with her. It's just common sense and any long term pit owner will tell you that you have to be cautious about DA in pits. Normally if it's going to develop, it will happen between 18 and 24 months of age.

Thank You!
I am a dog lover. I have always had a dog, many different breeds.
I know what these dogs are capable of. Last summer right outback of my house a woman my age was walking her dog when a pitbull who lives in a house out back from me, pushed open the gate and grabbed the womans dog by the neck and would not let go.
Everyone was screaming and yelling but no one would go near the thing for fear it would attack them too. The poor woman was terrified. I tried to get her come into my yard but she would not let go of her beloved dog. It was a large dog, collie and lab mix. One of the neighbors ran to the owners house and one of her kids came out and called the dog like it was nothing. Finally the dog let go and walked away. The poor woman was traumatized. The dog got over 50 stiches. The pitbulls owner never came out to see if either of them were ok.
I seen with my own eyes what these dogs can do. Just because it doesn't hurt anyone in your family, doesn't mean they are a safe breed. You will never convince me and I will always be affraid of them.

Just because it's a Pitbull doesn't mean it's vicious. You can train your Husky to do the exact same thing.

I noticed that you weren't attacking pit bulls, you just simply stated that that particular time it was a pit and followed up with being afraid of someone getting mauled by a DOG and not just a pit bull. The best thing you can do is get a CPL (concealed pistol license), if that dog comes at you aggressively you put a bullet in it's head, I know, I've had to do it. Also, by having a CPL and using it for your own protection, you cannot get fined for shooting within city limits, again, I know from personal experience. I've had to shoot 3 dogs, and Akita, a German Shepherd, and a Pit Bull. I firmly believe that the actions of a dog are either the owners fault or sometimes your own. I'm not trigger happy by any means, but I believe that everyone has the right to defend themselves. Especially in your case. I wish you the best of luck.

Never been gladder to live in Ireland. Very rare to see any dog out on its own here, certainly not in the city. I live in the 'burbs and I occasionally see one of my neighbours dogs out yipping (Yorkie, not trained and as a result I don't like it) It seems insane that you have to resort to carrying a gun though! A GUN! You've personally shot three dogs? I can tell you now if I shot that stupid Yorkie, even if it had bitten a lump out of my face, EVEN with a licence, I'd be in the station for a loooong time before they let me out. And I'd probably have to move as all the neighbours would ostracise me. Sorry, diet website - totally off the point and all, but this is just too crazy.

Guns. Buy lots of guns and ammo.

If I had one that dog would have been missing it's F(^*&%N head along with it's owner. I promise you that.

Seriously? What a horrible thing to say. If that dog wanted to attack, trust me, it would have. Especially if you picked up your dog and walked away from it.

I'm not anti pit bull. I understand that it is how a dog is trained and / or treated that makes it vicious.
However, telling a woman she is wrong to be afraid of pit bulls the same week that a man in Chicago loses his leg to an attack by stray pit bulls is uncompassionate.
The story about the man who was attacked can be found at
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=8508858

I am the poster and I want to say, "It is not about any breed it was about FEAR"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am an older woman! I was scared to death! The DOG JUST HAPPENEDTO BE A PIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not my fault!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
End of story. I just had to tell someone and no one else is around. I will not make that mistake again.

I want to add to everyone who understood what I was trying to say, Thank you for your understanding and kind words.

Guns. Buy lots of guns and ammo.

If I had one that dog would have been missing it's F(^*&%N head along with it's owner. I promise you that.

Seriously? What a horrible thing to say. If that dog wanted to attack, trust me, it would have. Especially if you picked up your dog and walked away from it.

This. 100%.

Guns. Buy lots of guns and ammo.

If I had one that dog would have been missing it's F(^*&%N head along with it's owner. I promise you that.

Seriously? What a horrible thing to say. If that dog wanted to attack, trust me, it would have. Especially if you picked up your dog and walked away from it.

This. 100%.

Just curious. Does anyone KNOW how to read? The woman ran. The dog was in an attack stance. She is an experienced woman obviously, she KNEW it wasn't in happy tra-la-la stance. If the majority of these people are illiterate, why are you guys on threads...lol.... YEAH LET ME STAND HERE AND TRY TO PET IT!!!!!!!

I read the entire thing dear. We're just saying that a vicious dog who is in "attack" stance is going to attack regardless of whether or not you run away from it.

I noticed that you weren't attacking pit bulls, you just simply stated that that particular time it was a pit and followed up with being afraid of someone getting mauled by a DOG and not just a pit bull. The best thing you can do is get a CPL (concealed pistol license), if that dog comes at you aggressively you put a bullet in it's head, I know, I've had to do it. Also, by having a CPL and using it for your own protection, you cannot get fined for shooting within city limits, again, I know from personal experience. I've had to shoot 3 dogs, and Akita, a German Shepherd, and a Pit Bull. I firmly believe that the actions of a dog are either the owners fault or sometimes your own. I'm not trigger happy by any means, but I believe that everyone has the right to defend themselves. Especially in your case. I wish you the best of luck.

Oh, good on you! You've shot three dogs. You know, you could protect yourself exactly the same with a bottle of pepper spray, and oh wait! The dog could still live.

Actually no, they wouldn't. When I was bitten by all three dogs that gave them a permanent death sentence not only with my gun but with the State of Michigan.

If you had pepper spray, you could spray before they even have a chance of attacking.
But you keep feeling powerful while you're killing animals.