I work for animal control. I love it when people call to say they were “ attacked by a pitbull” upon follow up it turns out “ attack” to them meant they were barked at. And the pitbull was actually a mastiff, boxer, even a pure lab once……. So if you’re going to take, stab, or shoot someone else’s dog you’d better legitimately feel like you aloe dog are in legit danger. Being barked at is not it.,

Anonymous wrote:Where do you live that so many pitbulls are around?

OP here, we live near Tysons Corner. I get the impression that there have been a lot of pit mixes at the shelters in recent years and some people think they make good pets. I don't have any other exposure to pits, so I don't know if they can be. But I find it strange that all three being walked in our neighborhood cannot come near other dogs. One of the three reacts the same even if we are without the puppy - which is scary.

I don't want to see animals put down - but I've come to believe that dogs that are so physically aggressive that they regularly want to attack people and other dogs that are 25+ feet away are too dangerous to walk around urban/suburban neighborhoods where young children play and so many people/pets live.

Anonymous wrote:Walk wiht a large long walking stick. If you or your dog gets a pitbull jaw around a limb, prising it open wiht the stick is the only way to get it off, pepper spray and knives will just make the dog bite harder

If a pit bull latches onto my dog, the knife may make it madder, but when the jaw will release once I gut it

I have this https://www.amazon.com/Halt-Dog-Repellant-Spray-Pack/dp/B00EK217UG/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?crid=2F35ZZI14C78B&keywords=halt&qid=1680745227&sprefix=halt%2Caps%2C103&sr=8-2

Walk wiht a large long walking stick. If you or your dog gets a pitbull jaw around a limb, prising it open wiht the stick is the only way to get it off, pepper spray and knives will just make the dog bite harder

Where do you live that so many pitbulls are around?

what are the open carry laws in your state?

Carry bear spray

A knife and a willingness to kill a pittbull

Agree with bear spray. You can buy at REI in Virginia

I carry a knife and pepper spray. My dog was attacked by an unleashed pit bull I learned my lesson the hard way.

Bring something with you to neutralize the dog, for sure.

My big, strong adult son couldn't stop a pit bull that was on a leash but the older woman owner couldn't hold onto it when the dog lunged at my son's little 40 lb mutt and tried to kill it. He and another man tried to break it up but couldn't before my son's dog was badly injured and he told me he thought he was about to watch his dog die.

Bear spray
taser

Pepper spray

We got a puppy recently and have been walking him around our street each day. There are dozens of dog owners that pass our house and live in our neighborhood or the adjacent street multiple times a day.

There are 3 Pitbull owners in our neighborhood. The OWNERS of ALL three dogs do not let them near any other dogs or people because they " do not get along well with other dogs" or "are grumpy" as the owners put it. Which we can clearly see because the dogs fly into a fit of rage when they pass on the other side of the street. The owners are all very friendly and recognize its not safe to let their dogs near others - and therefore cross the street and keep roughly 25 feet or more away at all times.

All that being said. There is something unnerving about the thought that every day we are counting on these strong dogs being controlled. And after watching one of the owners struggling to hold her large pit back yesterday it made me wonder WHAT can I even do if the dog breaks free (collar/leash breaks, owner loses grip...)? How do I protect myself AND my puppy/dog?

I realize the odds of that happening are very small. But that doesn't give me much peace of mind.