Socialization/Temperament

Question
First, I'm a reporter with the Muskegon (Michigan) Chronicle. I'm working on a story about a man who keeps 40+ pit bulls chained in fields around his rural home.

I've read that with training and socialization from a young age, a pit bull isn't aggresive and makes a good pet.

I'm wondering what kind of temperment these dogs are likely to have. There's no evidence they're being trained to fight and their owner says they're pets. Each has a dog house and Animal Control has found them to be healthy.

This case is in the courts with the local government trying to limit the number of pit bulls.

Your opinion would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Sarah Meisch

Answer
Hi Sarah, Greetings from South Africa !

Let me try and sum this up .... this man has 40+ apbt (american pit bull terriers) chained up in a field and i presume it is to gaurd / protect his property ? ... how sad that is .... you are right in saying that with the proper training and socialization the apbt make a excellent pet, but let me point out a few caracteristics of the apbt.

1) the apbt is NOT human aggresive but are animal aggresive as they were bred for bull baiting originally and then used for pit fighting once bull baiting was banned.
2) a apbt is NOT a guard dog although it will protect its family and loved ones from danger, the apbt has the uncanny ability to sense when someone poses a threat to the family.
3)Anyone can enter a property where there is apbt provided they have been trained and are properly socialized, all u have to do is speak to them in a "sweet" voice and they will love u to bits even strangers !

to get back to as to what temperment these dogs will have is not easy to judge for a few reasons, not two apbt are the same, each has his own character and it will also depend from which blood line they were bred. looking at the facts u have supplied i can only make the following conclusions - these dogs have not been trained (its highly unlikely that the owner can train 40+ apbt, this will be a huge task to accomplish and in saying that you must understand that there is no point where a apbt is "fully" trained, the training is a ungoing process. these dogs have not been socialized at all which means interacting with people (kids, teens & adults) nor with other animals (dogs, cats etc.) and this also is a ongoing process that has to be re-instated every once in a while. so to sum this up my opinion is that these poor dogs are unsocialized, confused as to where in the pack they fit in (in a ordinary household there is also a pack order) and totally unsure of themselves which sadly will make them unpredictable and unstable. the apbt is naturally aggresive towards other animals and a fighter with no equal to still make this dog a guard dog and perhaps aggresive is the worst thing u can do with this breed as it will surely lead to tragedy.

Sarah i hope this has helped u a bit but if u like u can visit a site of mine at www.pitbull.g2gm.com which i hope will give u a lot of information about the apbt and a greater understanding of a superior breed. the site is still "young" so dont expect to much but there is enough to explain the history and temprament of the apbt.
please keep me updated on what happened to these poor dogs !

have a fab 2005 and enjoy your day now !

JJ

P.S. thanx for caring and trying to help these poor dogs !