I'm sure you're aware of the bad reputation Pitbulls have. That reputation is mostly based on ignorance and irresponsible owners that don't take the time to learn about the breeds special needs.
You see, alot of people buy a Pitbull and expect it to naturally turn into a perfect pet without any work on their part. That's exactly why you hear so much about Pitbull attacks in the news... Irresponsible and Uninformed Owners(as well as neglect and abuse in many human attack cases).
As a well known Pitbull expert, I receive up to 40 emails a day from normal people all over the world. Most of the emails are from people that are desperate for help with their Pitbull.
Unfortunately I don't have time to answer every email I get, but I often spend as much as 5 hours in a day answering as many as possible. It's because of this fact that I wrote The Pitbull Guide. The goal of my book is to help people before they get into a bad situation that requires them to give their Pitbull away, or put it to sleep.
You wouldn't believe some of the emails I get(It's depressing sometimes)... These are some of the common types of email messages I get:
Emails from People that believe you have to physically beat the heck out of Pitbulls to get them to behave. This is incredibly stupid because it leads to them being more aggressive toward strangers and terrified of their owner.
Emails from People that are upset that their Pitbull might be put to sleep or taken away because of an animal or human attack. It should never get to this, there are several simple things you can do to seriously reduce the risk of your Pitbull ever attacking.
I've even received quite a few emails from upset owners that had their Pitbull SHOT by a neighbor or Police Officer, simply because it was roaming, or because it attacked another dog. Pitbulls were bred as fighting dogs and if you don't take the necessary steps to prevent it, there's a very good chance your Pitbull WILL attack another animal, and it will almost certainly maim or kill that animal.
Don't get me wrong, Pitbulls are not human aggressive by nature. However, there is a huge demand for Big, Mean, Aggressive Pitbulls by people that shouldn't be allowed to own any animal. Because of this demand, people have started breeding Pitbulls with bigger and more aggressive breeds. They still call it a Pitbull but it's behavior is far from it.
I know alot about Pitbulls, and due to the amount of email I've received, I'm possibly the leading expert in the world on the problems people have with them. Most of the problems can be solved or prevented very easily if you just learn and use some simple techniques.
I want you to ask your self the following questions and really consider them:
What if your Pitbull gets out and kills a neighbors dog? What if that neighbor sues you?
What if your Pitbull gets out and approaches a police officer that has the common misconception that Pitbulls are viscous dogs?
What if a child chases a ball into your backyard? Are you confident that child will be safe?
You might be thinking "that'll never happen" or "my sweet Pitbull would never attack another animal." I more than anyone, am qualified to tell you that it can and does happen all the time. I get the emails from people that are desperate and depressed, seeking my help because these things did happen to them.
It is true that Pitbulls are naturally loving toward people, but don't dare think, for even one second, that Pitbulls aren't naturally aggressive with other animals. Sure your Pitbull may get along great with your two Yellow Labs and maybe even your cat, but when your Pitbull stands face to face with another animal that it's never met, there's no one on earth that can guarantee the safety of that animal! But you can greatly reduce the chances of your Pitbull ever attacking another animal if you know how.
You need to face the fact that Pitbulls are high energy, animal aggressive dogs. You need to know that Pitbulls are incorrectly viewed as viscous, child killing dogs and that people have shot and killed Pitbulls just for coming on their property(even when the Pitbull was wagging it's tail, looking to be pet).
I know some of this is a little scary, heck I'll probably even get some hate mail from Pitbull lovers because of it. You see, Pitbull lovers hate to read anything negative about Pitbulls. But due to the increasing trend of outlawing Pitbulls(It's happening all over the world), their future isn't looking very bright. The purpose of this article is to slap Pitbull owners in the face with what has happened to other Pitbull owners, so they don't have to experience it.
You need to learn how to properly care for, and train your Pitbull so that it doesn't attack other animals or people. You need to learn how to keep your Pitbull from roaming. You need to understand why your Pitbull has certain behaviors. How to manage it's energy level so that it doesn't dig and chew everything in sight.
I want everyone to understand that Pitbulls have special needs and that a little bit of work on your part could end up saving you thousands of dollars as well as a lifetime of heartache.
We Pitbull owners tend to blame the Media for the bad reputation Pitbulls have, but it's really the fault of irresponsible owners and breeders. People need to know how great this breed is, but they also need to know that this breed has special needs and requires a responsible owner who is willing to put in the effort needed to ensure their Pitbull doesn't ever need a second chance.
I really don't want to receive any more depressing emails, so please do yourself, your dog, and your community a favor and learn how to properly raise, and train your Pitbull. With a little effort on your part, your relationship and time with your Pitbull can be better than you ever imagined.
Chad Zetrouer is a leading expert on Pitbulls and is the author of the best selling book, The Pitbull Guide. His goal is to teach people about Pitbulls so that they can avoid common problems and enjoy them to their fullest. His book can be found at http://www.PitbullGuide.com