Anyone else have a pit mix?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My behaviorist vet says growling is very polite. She told me never scold growling, because you don't want to create a dog that skips the warning growl and goes straight into attack. Dogs only have so many ways to communicate. Growling is scary for humans but the dog doesn’t necessarily mean it to be.

The best kind of reactive dog is the one that barks or growls the moment he starts getting uncomfortable and then keeps his distance. He's making his boundaries crystal clear, he's starting at the lowest level of escalation, and he's heavily telegraphing a desire to avoid conflict. He might be loud and unhappy, but safely navigating his issues is easy.

This is exactly what OP is describing.

The worst kind of reactive dog is perfectly fine right until he isn't and stands his ground the entire time. You can't predict a dog like that. He's also leaving you no choice but to play chicken about which one of you is more dangerous. Unfortunately, training away a dog's signals of discomfort and then "dominating" him is a fabulous way of producing such a dog.

She also called him snappy and he has a bite warning at doggy daycare. (I can't imagine what doggy daycare would agree to take a snappy dog. I hope ours wouldn't.)

OP here. He does have a bite warning at daycare. For new staffers because we know he’s fearful of new people and when he’s anxious, he gets snappy.

However, there are a few mediating factors. 1.) He’s never actually bitten or even seriously nipped anyone. 2.) Going to daycare has really helped his human-reactive behavior. He’s been going for about six months. He’s taken a liking to all of the staff and they tell us that they genuinely love having him there because he’s actually an easy dog when he’s outside with other dogs and we pay extra for him to be outside as much as possible. He’s also very sweet and docile with caregivers he knows and feels comfortable with. Fortunately he absolutely loves going and since it’s become his favorite place, he has very positive associations with the people who work there. He warms up quickly to new staff, probably because they know to let him come to them rather than vice versa. They also seem proud when they “win” over the snappy dog with a bite warning in their file. They all say the same thing to us (we were warned about him but he likes *me*) lol.

I do honestly see improvement in him.

Oh, OP. Why can’t you see what is right in front of you?

Does it make a difference that the daycare says they see enormous progress in him too? He’s a rescue who was traumatized. I don’t think it is surprising if it took a while for him to warm up to us. But he is now.

So he’s just right on the edge of snapping and losing it. Got it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The two scariest breeds of dog I’ve encountered are chow chows. They usually only like their owners.

They are also aggressive.

Yes, another breed I keep my dogs and kids far away from.

[Anonymous]

I came to this thread from the one about play dates and put mixes. Everyone in there is saying it’s fine as long as they trust the owner to shut the dog away/crate him/put him outside, etc. Basically keep him away from their kids so they never interact and getting bit never even becomes a possibility. Ok fine, makes sense.

Then I come in here and everyone is giving this OP a hard time about doing this very thing and teaching her kids how to notice a dog’s warning signs and respect its boundaries! Instead of applauding her for being safe, like how they want owners to act in the first thread about play dates, they’re telling her they feel bad for her kids for having to “walk on eggshells” in their own home. When really that boils down to what? Not being allowed to let their friends pet a strange dog (which you say you don’t want your kids to do anyway)? Not being allowed to flop down on the dog like it’s a cushion? She’s teaching her kids how to be good dog owners. They’re companions, not toys. They don’t exist as our playthings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I came to this thread from the one about play dates and put mixes. Everyone in there is saying it’s fine as long as they trust the owner to shut the dog away/crate him/put him outside, etc. Basically keep him away from their kids so they never interact and getting bit never even becomes a possibility. Ok fine, makes sense.

Then I come in here and everyone is giving this OP a hard time about doing this very thing and teaching her kids how to notice a dog’s warning signs and respect its boundaries! Instead of applauding her for being safe, like how they want owners to act in the first thread about play dates, they’re telling her they feel bad for her kids for having to “walk on eggshells” in their own home. When really that boils down to what? Not being allowed to let their friends pet a strange dog (which you say you don’t want your kids to do anyway)? Not being allowed to flop down on the dog like it’s a cushion? She’s teaching her kids how to be good dog owners. They’re companions, not toys. They don’t exist as our playthings.

Could you miss the point more or be more tone deaf?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came to this thread from the one about play dates and put mixes. Everyone in there is saying it’s fine as long as they trust the owner to shut the dog away/crate him/put him outside, etc. Basically keep him away from their kids so they never interact and getting bit never even becomes a possibility. Ok fine, makes sense.

Then I come in here and everyone is giving this OP a hard time about doing this very thing and teaching her kids how to notice a dog’s warning signs and respect its boundaries! Instead of applauding her for being safe, like how they want owners to act in the first thread about play dates, they’re telling her they feel bad for her kids for having to “walk on eggshells” in their own home. When really that boils down to what? Not being allowed to let their friends pet a strange dog (which you say you don’t want your kids to do anyway)? Not being allowed to flop down on the dog like it’s a cushion? She’s teaching her kids how to be good dog owners. They’re companions, not toys. They don’t exist as our playthings.

Could you miss the point more or be more tone deaf?

How did I miss the point? I have a GSD and I do the same things with him. Kids and strange dogs are a bad mix. Best to just keep your dog away and minimize the risk.

When we first got the dog, I also supervised our kids’ interactions with him. GSD can be temperamental. Nothing ever happened but why risk it? Teach your kids how to respect a dog’s body language and everything will be fine. Dogs really don’t want to bite the people they live with. They know that biting will get them in big trouble. They only do it after you’ve ignored all their other efforts to communicate that they’re uncomfortable and you should back off.

People freak out about a dog’s corrections (like growling or barking) but they’re really just their ways of communicating since they can’t talk. Follow the signs and everything will be fine.

I guarantee those pits were showing signs of discomfort and were being ignored.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came to this thread from the one about play dates and put mixes. Everyone in there is saying it’s fine as long as they trust the owner to shut the dog away/crate him/put him outside, etc. Basically keep him away from their kids so they never interact and getting bit never even becomes a possibility. Ok fine, makes sense.

Then I come in here and everyone is giving this OP a hard time about doing this very thing and teaching her kids how to notice a dog’s warning signs and respect its boundaries! Instead of applauding her for being safe, like how they want owners to act in the first thread about play dates, they’re telling her they feel bad for her kids for having to “walk on eggshells” in their own home. When really that boils down to what? Not being allowed to let their friends pet a strange dog (which you say you don’t want your kids to do anyway)? Not being allowed to flop down on the dog like it’s a cushion? She’s teaching her kids how to be good dog owners. They’re companions, not toys. They don’t exist as our playthings.

Could you miss the point more or be more tone deaf?

How did I miss the point? I have a GSD and I do the same things with him. Kids and strange dogs are a bad mix. Best to just keep your dog away and minimize the risk.

When we first got the dog, I also supervised our kids’ interactions with him. GSD can be temperamental. Nothing ever happened but why risk it? Teach your kids how to respect a dog’s body language and everything will be fine. Dogs really don’t want to bite the people they live with. They know that biting will get them in big trouble. They only do it after you’ve ignored all their other efforts to communicate that they’re uncomfortable and you should back off.

People freak out about a dog’s corrections (like growling or barking) but they’re really just their ways of communicating since they can’t talk. Follow the signs and everything will be fine.

I guarantee those pits were showing signs of discomfort and were being ignored.

Are you willfully missing the point? The kids of this OP are having to act, in their own home and with their own dog, like they’re strangers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came to this thread from the one about play dates and put mixes. Everyone in there is saying it’s fine as long as they trust the owner to shut the dog away/crate him/put him outside, etc. Basically keep him away from their kids so they never interact and getting bit never even becomes a possibility. Ok fine, makes sense.

Then I come in here and everyone is giving this OP a hard time about doing this very thing and teaching her kids how to notice a dog’s warning signs and respect its boundaries! Instead of applauding her for being safe, like how they want owners to act in the first thread about play dates, they’re telling her they feel bad for her kids for having to “walk on eggshells” in their own home. When really that boils down to what? Not being allowed to let their friends pet a strange dog (which you say you don’t want your kids to do anyway)? Not being allowed to flop down on the dog like it’s a cushion? She’s teaching her kids how to be good dog owners. They’re companions, not toys. They don’t exist as our playthings.

Could you miss the point more or be more tone deaf?

How did I miss the point? I have a GSD and I do the same things with him. Kids and strange dogs are a bad mix. Best to just keep your dog away and minimize the risk.

When we first got the dog, I also supervised our kids’ interactions with him. GSD can be temperamental. Nothing ever happened but why risk it? Teach your kids how to respect a dog’s body language and everything will be fine. Dogs really don’t want to bite the people they live with. They know that biting will get them in big trouble. They only do it after you’ve ignored all their other efforts to communicate that they’re uncomfortable and you should back off.

People freak out about a dog’s corrections (like growling or barking) but they’re really just their ways of communicating since they can’t talk. Follow the signs and everything will be fine.

I guarantee those pits were showing signs of discomfort and were being ignored.

Are you willfully missing the point? The kids of this OP are having to act, in their own home and with their own dog, like they’re strangers.

I disagree. It’s good dog ownership to pause when petting and do consent tests and such when you’re cuddling. I still do it myself after having our dog for years. Sometimes he gets up and leaves and that’s fine. I don’t always want to cuddle with my husband, why should the dog with me? Maybe he is too warm, wants a drink, heard a noise and wants to investigate, who knows. But I’m not going to make him receive affection he doesn’t want. Dogs tolerate us a lot more than most people assume. Do it too much and you might even push your “friendly” dog to its limits. The worst bite that I personally know it happened in a friend’s family with their golden retriever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came to this thread from the one about play dates and put mixes. Everyone in there is saying it’s fine as long as they trust the owner to shut the dog away/crate him/put him outside, etc. Basically keep him away from their kids so they never interact and getting bit never even becomes a possibility. Ok fine, makes sense.

Then I come in here and everyone is giving this OP a hard time about doing this very thing and teaching her kids how to notice a dog’s warning signs and respect its boundaries! Instead of applauding her for being safe, like how they want owners to act in the first thread about play dates, they’re telling her they feel bad for her kids for having to “walk on eggshells” in their own home. When really that boils down to what? Not being allowed to let their friends pet a strange dog (which you say you don’t want your kids to do anyway)? Not being allowed to flop down on the dog like it’s a cushion? She’s teaching her kids how to be good dog owners. They’re companions, not toys. They don’t exist as our playthings.

Could you miss the point more or be more tone deaf?

How did I miss the point? I have a GSD and I do the same things with him. Kids and strange dogs are a bad mix. Best to just keep your dog away and minimize the risk.

When we first got the dog, I also supervised our kids’ interactions with him. GSD can be temperamental. Nothing ever happened but why risk it? Teach your kids how to respect a dog’s body language and everything will be fine. Dogs really don’t want to bite the people they live with. They know that biting will get them in big trouble. They only do it after you’ve ignored all their other efforts to communicate that they’re uncomfortable and you should back off.

People freak out about a dog’s corrections (like growling or barking) but they’re really just their ways of communicating since they can’t talk. Follow the signs and everything will be fine.

I guarantee those pits were showing signs of discomfort and were being ignored.

Are you willfully missing the point? The kids of this OP are having to act, in their own home and with their own dog, like they’re strangers.

I disagree. It’s good dog ownership to pause when petting and do consent tests and such when you’re cuddling. I still do it myself after having our dog for years. Sometimes he gets up and leaves and that’s fine. I don’t always want to cuddle with my husband, why should the dog with me? Maybe he is too warm, wants a drink, heard a noise and wants to investigate, who knows. But I’m not going to make him receive affection he doesn’t want. Dogs tolerate us a lot more than most people assume. Do it too much and you might even push your “friendly” dog to its limits. The worst bite that I personally know it happened in a friend’s family with their golden retriever.

Utterly tone deaf and denial.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came to this thread from the one about play dates and put mixes. Everyone in there is saying it’s fine as long as they trust the owner to shut the dog away/crate him/put him outside, etc. Basically keep him away from their kids so they never interact and getting bit never even becomes a possibility. Ok fine, makes sense.

Then I come in here and everyone is giving this OP a hard time about doing this very thing and teaching her kids how to notice a dog’s warning signs and respect its boundaries! Instead of applauding her for being safe, like how they want owners to act in the first thread about play dates, they’re telling her they feel bad for her kids for having to “walk on eggshells” in their own home. When really that boils down to what? Not being allowed to let their friends pet a strange dog (which you say you don’t want your kids to do anyway)? Not being allowed to flop down on the dog like it’s a cushion? She’s teaching her kids how to be good dog owners. They’re companions, not toys. They don’t exist as our playthings.

Could you miss the point more or be more tone deaf?

How did I miss the point? I have a GSD and I do the same things with him. Kids and strange dogs are a bad mix. Best to just keep your dog away and minimize the risk.

When we first got the dog, I also supervised our kids’ interactions with him. GSD can be temperamental. Nothing ever happened but why risk it? Teach your kids how to respect a dog’s body language and everything will be fine. Dogs really don’t want to bite the people they live with. They know that biting will get them in big trouble. They only do it after you’ve ignored all their other efforts to communicate that they’re uncomfortable and you should back off.

People freak out about a dog’s corrections (like growling or barking) but they’re really just their ways of communicating since they can’t talk. Follow the signs and everything will be fine.

I guarantee those pits were showing signs of discomfort and were being ignored.

Are you willfully missing the point? The kids of this OP are having to act, in their own home and with their own dog, like they’re strangers.

I disagree. It’s good dog ownership to pause when petting and do consent tests and such when you’re cuddling. I still do it myself after having our dog for years. Sometimes he gets up and leaves and that’s fine. I don’t always want to cuddle with my husband, why should the dog with me? Maybe he is too warm, wants a drink, heard a noise and wants to investigate, who knows. But I’m not going to make him receive affection he doesn’t want. Dogs tolerate us a lot more than most people assume. Do it too much and you might even push your “friendly” dog to its limits. The worst bite that I personally know it happened in a friend’s family with their golden retriever.

Utterly tone deaf and denial.

You only have to go on Instagram or TikTok for a few minutes to see that most people do not understand canine behavior AT ALL. All those supposed cute and funny videos people upload? The poor dogs are visibly stressed and reacting.

Check out this account on TikTok: @fivebyfivek9. This is what good dog owners should be doing. OP describes a lot of it, actually. The one thing is that she shouldn’t let her kids play tug of war with the dog. A lot of dog bites are the result of resource guarding. They’ll do it even to their closest handlers if they want the resource badly enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came to this thread from the one about play dates and put mixes. Everyone in there is saying it’s fine as long as they trust the owner to shut the dog away/crate him/put him outside, etc. Basically keep him away from their kids so they never interact and getting bit never even becomes a possibility. Ok fine, makes sense.

Then I come in here and everyone is giving this OP a hard time about doing this very thing and teaching her kids how to notice a dog’s warning signs and respect its boundaries! Instead of applauding her for being safe, like how they want owners to act in the first thread about play dates, they’re telling her they feel bad for her kids for having to “walk on eggshells” in their own home. When really that boils down to what? Not being allowed to let their friends pet a strange dog (which you say you don’t want your kids to do anyway)? Not being allowed to flop down on the dog like it’s a cushion? She’s teaching her kids how to be good dog owners. They’re companions, not toys. They don’t exist as our playthings.

Could you miss the point more or be more tone deaf?

How did I miss the point? I have a GSD and I do the same things with him. Kids and strange dogs are a bad mix. Best to just keep your dog away and minimize the risk.

When we first got the dog, I also supervised our kids’ interactions with him. GSD can be temperamental. Nothing ever happened but why risk it? Teach your kids how to respect a dog’s body language and everything will be fine. Dogs really don’t want to bite the people they live with. They know that biting will get them in big trouble. They only do it after you’ve ignored all their other efforts to communicate that they’re uncomfortable and you should back off.

People freak out about a dog’s corrections (like growling or barking) but they’re really just their ways of communicating since they can’t talk. Follow the signs and everything will be fine.

I guarantee those pits were showing signs of discomfort and were being ignored.

Are you willfully missing the point? The kids of this OP are having to act, in their own home and with their own dog, like they’re strangers.

I disagree. It’s good dog ownership to pause when petting and do consent tests and such when you’re cuddling. I still do it myself after having our dog for years. Sometimes he gets up and leaves and that’s fine. I don’t always want to cuddle with my husband, why should the dog with me? Maybe he is too warm, wants a drink, heard a noise and wants to investigate, who knows. But I’m not going to make him receive affection he doesn’t want. Dogs tolerate us a lot more than most people assume. Do it too much and you might even push your “friendly” dog to its limits. The worst bite that I personally know it happened in a friend’s family with their golden retriever.

Utterly tone deaf and denial.

DP. Agree. Honestly, that PP is ridiculous.

And the point has already been made, but just because people behave badly on TikTok does not mean OPs kids are safe. It’s bizarre that the PP seems to think that because other people behave badly, OPs kids are safe, but whatever. Maybe at heart the PP knows her own kids aren’t safe in their own home with her GSD.

[Anonymous]

OP I would think that after a year the dog should be over any discomfort it has around your teen age boys. Like someone else said have them start feeding the dog. Also know that like someone else said the are just a pet and your kids and friends safety is more important

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came to this thread from the one about play dates and put mixes. Everyone in there is saying it’s fine as long as they trust the owner to shut the dog away/crate him/put him outside, etc. Basically keep him away from their kids so they never interact and getting bit never even becomes a possibility. Ok fine, makes sense.

Then I come in here and everyone is giving this OP a hard time about doing this very thing and teaching her kids how to notice a dog’s warning signs and respect its boundaries! Instead of applauding her for being safe, like how they want owners to act in the first thread about play dates, they’re telling her they feel bad for her kids for having to “walk on eggshells” in their own home. When really that boils down to what? Not being allowed to let their friends pet a strange dog (which you say you don’t want your kids to do anyway)? Not being allowed to flop down on the dog like it’s a cushion? She’s teaching her kids how to be good dog owners. They’re companions, not toys. They don’t exist as our playthings.

Could you miss the point more or be more tone deaf?

How did I miss the point? I have a GSD and I do the same things with him. Kids and strange dogs are a bad mix. Best to just keep your dog away and minimize the risk.

When we first got the dog, I also supervised our kids’ interactions with him. GSD can be temperamental. Nothing ever happened but why risk it? Teach your kids how to respect a dog’s body language and everything will be fine. Dogs really don’t want to bite the people they live with. They know that biting will get them in big trouble. They only do it after you’ve ignored all their other efforts to communicate that they’re uncomfortable and you should back off.

People freak out about a dog’s corrections (like growling or barking) but they’re really just their ways of communicating since they can’t talk. Follow the signs and everything will be fine.

I guarantee those pits were showing signs of discomfort and were being ignored.

If your children are going to someone else's house, you'd like the dangerous things such as "strange dogs", pit mixes, chow mixes, semi-automatic guns, needles, etc. to be put away. In your own house, do you want those things at all?

There's a difference between what you can or should expect from someone else's house and what you can or should expect in your own home. Having a dangerous skittish snappy dog in your house? This isn't a working dog, it's supposed to be the family pet. OP is a first time dog owner and she doesn't realize that she's not doing it right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came to this thread from the one about play dates and put mixes. Everyone in there is saying it’s fine as long as they trust the owner to shut the dog away/crate him/put him outside, etc. Basically keep him away from their kids so they never interact and getting bit never even becomes a possibility. Ok fine, makes sense.

Then I come in here and everyone is giving this OP a hard time about doing this very thing and teaching her kids how to notice a dog’s warning signs and respect its boundaries! Instead of applauding her for being safe, like how they want owners to act in the first thread about play dates, they’re telling her they feel bad for her kids for having to “walk on eggshells” in their own home. When really that boils down to what? Not being allowed to let their friends pet a strange dog (which you say you don’t want your kids to do anyway)? Not being allowed to flop down on the dog like it’s a cushion? She’s teaching her kids how to be good dog owners. They’re companions, not toys. They don’t exist as our playthings.

Could you miss the point more or be more tone deaf?

How did I miss the point? I have a GSD and I do the same things with him. Kids and strange dogs are a bad mix. Best to just keep your dog away and minimize the risk.

When we first got the dog, I also supervised our kids’ interactions with him. GSD can be temperamental. Nothing ever happened but why risk it? Teach your kids how to respect a dog’s body language and everything will be fine. Dogs really don’t want to bite the people they live with. They know that biting will get them in big trouble. They only do it after you’ve ignored all their other efforts to communicate that they’re uncomfortable and you should back off.

People freak out about a dog’s corrections (like growling or barking) but they’re really just their ways of communicating since they can’t talk. Follow the signs and everything will be fine.

I guarantee those pits were showing signs of discomfort and were being ignored.

If your children are going to someone else's house, you'd like the dangerous things such as "strange dogs", pit mixes, chow mixes, semi-automatic guns, needles, etc. to be put away. In your own house, do you want those things at all?

There's a difference between what you can or should expect from someone else's house and what you can or should expect in your own home. Having a dangerous skittish snappy dog in your house? This isn't a working dog, it's supposed to be the family pet. OP is a first time dog owner and she doesn't realize that she's not doing it right.

What do you mean by not doing it right? The only thing people are telling her to do is take it back to the shelter where it will probably be put down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came to this thread from the one about play dates and put mixes. Everyone in there is saying it’s fine as long as they trust the owner to shut the dog away/crate him/put him outside, etc. Basically keep him away from their kids so they never interact and getting bit never even becomes a possibility. Ok fine, makes sense.

Then I come in here and everyone is giving this OP a hard time about doing this very thing and teaching her kids how to notice a dog’s warning signs and respect its boundaries! Instead of applauding her for being safe, like how they want owners to act in the first thread about play dates, they’re telling her they feel bad for her kids for having to “walk on eggshells” in their own home. When really that boils down to what? Not being allowed to let their friends pet a strange dog (which you say you don’t want your kids to do anyway)? Not being allowed to flop down on the dog like it’s a cushion? She’s teaching her kids how to be good dog owners. They’re companions, not toys. They don’t exist as our playthings.

Could you miss the point more or be more tone deaf?

How did I miss the point? I have a GSD and I do the same things with him. Kids and strange dogs are a bad mix. Best to just keep your dog away and minimize the risk.

When we first got the dog, I also supervised our kids’ interactions with him. GSD can be temperamental. Nothing ever happened but why risk it? Teach your kids how to respect a dog’s body language and everything will be fine. Dogs really don’t want to bite the people they live with. They know that biting will get them in big trouble. They only do it after you’ve ignored all their other efforts to communicate that they’re uncomfortable and you should back off.

People freak out about a dog’s corrections (like growling or barking) but they’re really just their ways of communicating since they can’t talk. Follow the signs and everything will be fine.

I guarantee those pits were showing signs of discomfort and were being ignored.

If your children are going to someone else's house, you'd like the dangerous things such as "strange dogs", pit mixes, chow mixes, semi-automatic guns, needles, etc. to be put away. In your own house, do you want those things at all?

There's a difference between what you can or should expect from someone else's house and what you can or should expect in your own home. Having a dangerous skittish snappy dog in your house? This isn't a working dog, it's supposed to be the family pet. OP is a first time dog owner and she doesn't realize that she's not doing it right.

What do you mean by not doing it right? The only thing people are telling her to do is take it back to the shelter where it will probably be put down.

I see that you are not reading the thread in full, or objectively.

This thread has nothing to do with you or your GSD. You don't need to be defensive on OP's behalf, she's doing just fine at that on her own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came to this thread from the one about play dates and put mixes. Everyone in there is saying it’s fine as long as they trust the owner to shut the dog away/crate him/put him outside, etc. Basically keep him away from their kids so they never interact and getting bit never even becomes a possibility. Ok fine, makes sense.

Then I come in here and everyone is giving this OP a hard time about doing this very thing and teaching her kids how to notice a dog’s warning signs and respect its boundaries! Instead of applauding her for being safe, like how they want owners to act in the first thread about play dates, they’re telling her they feel bad for her kids for having to “walk on eggshells” in their own home. When really that boils down to what? Not being allowed to let their friends pet a strange dog (which you say you don’t want your kids to do anyway)? Not being allowed to flop down on the dog like it’s a cushion? She’s teaching her kids how to be good dog owners. They’re companions, not toys. They don’t exist as our playthings.

Could you miss the point more or be more tone deaf?

How did I miss the point? I have a GSD and I do the same things with him. Kids and strange dogs are a bad mix. Best to just keep your dog away and minimize the risk.

When we first got the dog, I also supervised our kids’ interactions with him. GSD can be temperamental. Nothing ever happened but why risk it? Teach your kids how to respect a dog’s body language and everything will be fine. Dogs really don’t want to bite the people they live with. They know that biting will get them in big trouble. They only do it after you’ve ignored all their other efforts to communicate that they’re uncomfortable and you should back off.

People freak out about a dog’s corrections (like growling or barking) but they’re really just their ways of communicating since they can’t talk. Follow the signs and everything will be fine.

I guarantee those pits were showing signs of discomfort and were being ignored.

If your children are going to someone else's house, you'd like the dangerous things such as "strange dogs", pit mixes, chow mixes, semi-automatic guns, needles, etc. to be put away. In your own house, do you want those things at all?

There's a difference between what you can or should expect from someone else's house and what you can or should expect in your own home. Having a dangerous skittish snappy dog in your house? This isn't a working dog, it's supposed to be the family pet. OP is a first time dog owner and she doesn't realize that she's not doing it right.

What do you mean by not doing it right? The only thing people are telling her to do is take it back to the shelter where it will probably be put down.

If she goes now to a rescue organization and says that the dog needs a home without kids, it will not be put down.

After the dog bites someone—which is likely to happen—she will have to put the dog down. Going to a rescue now and explaining the history means the dog has a better chance of surviving.