Problem
 

I am so stressed...My cousin has been advertising my puppies for sale...to help me out...so, in turn my hubby and I are grateful to her and we were were willing to sell her one for a cheaper price...her daughter works for a vet, they have a few different type of animals....well...this is my problem: one of the animals they have is a pittbull dog. I used to work at a vet also and have seen some really mean pitbulls...and a friend of mine had one until the day he turned on her. I feel so bad...and I am scared to let my puppy go live there.

What would you do???

I'd definately express your concerns to her. It's possible that the dog could be a total love but for me personally I'd worry constantly. Good luck with your decision, I know you are in a tough spot

Don't have a solution to offer, but that is a real problem. There is a forum that I go to periodically where there are members who adore pitbulls. Quite often someone would write that even though they love their pitbull they would never trust it alone with other dogs. They always kenneled their pitbull when they leave.:eek:

I say meet the pitbull over a few visit and see his/her temperment and then decide. Personally I don't fear them but I fear stupid and uneducated pit owners.

In my opinion, the problem is that ANY animal is not 100% trustworthy in any untested situation (which can include simply another dog wanting to play when he/she doesn't feel well). The trouble is that a snap from a big dog is different (and more lethal) than a snap from a little dog. I'm sure they're all sweet, but I agree that you should spend a little time with all the animals they have in order to make your decision. Perhaps you can just keep the puppy a little longer to let it get a little bigger?

Good luck and best wishes with your decision!!!

I wouldn't feel comfortable just me around a pitbull at any time let alone leave a small yorkie in their vicinity. It only takes a second for them to grab and kill a small animal. No dog is going to be in good humor 100% of the time so who knows when a pitbull could turn on you and especially a small, active yorkie?

I don't know one pitbull owner who doesn't think their pitbull is "safe" and would never attack anyone or anything. Right. You can watch the news almost daily with owners of pitbulls getting attack and they're family members.

Could you sleep at night? I know I never would if one of my yorkies was anywhere near a pitbull.

My roomy has a beagle/// mix- first we thought it was a bird dog?? The owner said it is not a bird dog - it is a dalmation!! He is just 1 year old- and can be the sweetest dog! But everyonce in a while he gets mad at his Mom- and it is on! he always starts it and my roomy is beginning to think he is going to have to do something!
I do not let Banjo near him- I have a gate up!
It just takes on snap to break a neck or a back! Even if the owner is right there- the size difference is to much!
Me- if there is a chance- I try and avoid it!

pit bull
 

I would never let a Yorkie go live with a pit bull! Offer your cousin the amount of money you would have charged her for the puppy and tell her honestly that you won't allow one of your puppies to go live with a pit bull. I couldn't sleep at night or live from day to day knowing a Yorkie was exposed to a pit bull every day in its own home.

I would talk to you cousin and definitely visit the pitbull to see the temperment.

Sounds like you have a close relationship...why not talk to her?

Personally I would never be comfortable sending a yorkie to live with a pit bull. I'd sooner pay her money for her efforts. That's just me. I am not afraid of big dogs nor pit bulls.

Ramsey and Reese are socialized with alot of different dogs...the only one they hate is Marley the pit bull. He has never been aggressive to them...they know other big dogs, but they don't like him just the same. Marley lives across the street...we wanted them to know each other...hoping Marley wouldn't ever eat them later on. Really.

I'd be afraid to let her have a puppy. Now, don't get me wrong, not all pitbulls are bad dogs. My son had a wonderful one named Dixie and she was an absolute love...but, even as sweet as she was, there is no way I'd let Scooter around her. I was always afraid Dixie might accidently step on him, or hurt him while playing. You just never know!

Ok.... Coming From A Rottie Owner, I Trust My Big Dog To An Extent. My Problem Is She Doesnt Know How Big She Is And That She Can Easily Hurt My Little Babys. So There Is Never Any Unsupervised Play With Her. Now She Is A Little Older And Very Calm So The Puppys Normally Play With Her And She Lays There, But Sometimes She Trys To Use Her Paws Or Her Mouth To Play. So I Have To Be Right There. She Doesnt Realize How Fragile These Guys Are. When I Am Home They Each Get There Time To Run. The Big Dog Is Outside Alot When Its Nice, But In The Winter I Have To Put The Babys Away So Jazz Can Come Out And Play Too. When The Little Ones Are Out Playing She Is In The Kitchen And Dining Room. So She Has Plenty Of Space. The Little Ones Love Her, They Always Want To Play With Her. Now When Im Not Home Jazz Is In The Kitchen, Sammy Is In The X-pen(cause She Can Climb The Gate) And Tucker Is In The Hallway, Cause I Dont Trust The Babys Together For Long Periods Cause Sometimes They Fight. Most Of The Time They Love Each Other, But Eventually One Is Done Playing And The Other Isnt, So A Argument Insues!!! So They Are Separated Also Till I Am Comfortable Leaving Them Together. They Are Sad When I Seperate Them But I Dont Feel Like I Can Leave Them Together Yet. Sorry Its So Long, But Just Wanted To Give My Opinion.
Renae

You can never change a dog's instincts and some larger dogs think Yorkies are prey or a varmit that needs to be gotton rid of. Sad but true.

Don't let the Yorkie live with the dog. I could relate personal experiences and what a wise old vet told me once. Don't do it.

I have a friend that has a pitbull he is very sweet and friendly and he has been around lily a few times and seems to do well with her. I have a shepherd/chow mix who is good with lily but this in mind I would never leave them unattended for any amount of time. Lily and PD have the run of the house when I am home but even then I do not let them play out of my sight. Lily is young and both my friend’s pitbull and my PD are older dogs 9+ and they will only tolerate so much little dog before they want to walk away and lay down. If I were not there to supervise and she did not leave him alone when he was ready to be done playing who knows what would happen, not that they would mean to hurt Lily but she is small and they are both 50+ which is a disaster waiting to happen. I don’t care how sweet and gentle the dog they all have their limits.

I wouldnt sell her the puppy. I would give her money for your gratitude rather than a puppy

my bf has a pit (100+lbs) and a rat terrier (about 8 lbs) and before the terrier a little chi... and they all live fine , they have run of the house all day long... and they have not have any problems at all... if the pit is trained and well behaved with good temperament and such then i wouldn't see the prob. like someone said above, it's about when they play and such like her rottie, that'd be the reason i'd keep them separate when not at home... but please don't condemn a breed for bad/irresponsible owners... remember we get upset with the "teacup" term in the media... turn the tables around, it is very upsetting to see all these "bad" dogs in the media, when it is truly an issue of irresponsibility... no dog is inherently bad or good, they want to please, and they do what they are taught...

just my .02... sorry it's so long

pit bulls
 

Hmmmmmm . . . . sorry . . . . don't agree . . . . some pit bulls that have always been great dogs suddenly turn into killers. And that's a proven fact, no matter how many you know that are sweet and gentle. It isn't worth the risk to put them around small dogs and wait and see if or when they will be a problem. I agree it isn't fair to condemn all pit bulls because of what some of them do, but I would never take a chance with one of them under any circumstances. You can't blame the media for reporting the facts and getting upset about a pit bull that kills isn't quite like getting upset because someone calls a tiny Yorkie a teacup.

killers
 

Ok, I have been extremely fearful of pits due to an attack on a friend when I was younger. I admit alot of it is the owners but so many of the lines have been bred to fight you never know. I have a best friend whose brother had one that was supposedly the sweetest thing EVER! I also had a uncle w/ a pit and a sharpai that were supposedly so sweet. All the dogs had to be put down due to attacks on the owners or their family .... some later in life but all had to do it! The turn... it is their nature. I so wanted to rub it in their faces since they made fun of me for staying locked in a room so the dog couldln't get near me!

my brother has a pit bull and I have never been around it when he wasnt there but i guess the dog growled at my dad but my dad showed no fear to the dog and he completely backed down from my dad. Now the dog was in the backyard which was fenced in and i had Jasmine on her harness and leash so I walked by the fence with her to see what she would do and she showed her teeth to him and he cowarded down and went in a corner, it was weird but my personal opinion I wouldn't trust a pit bull and it might be becuase I'm uneducated with them but I've just heard to many horror stories, I'm sorry but if Jasmine was to do something I highly doubt she could send you the the hospital but that's just my 2 cents. I hope you find the right decision to make.

most of the time you can tell by the dog's change in behavior, etc, these are known be loyal dogs... like someone above said, it's not the same if a yorkie, poodle or chi snap as opposed to a rottie, pit, german shepherd, etc... but a lot of it has to do wiith how they are trained, these dogs need a lot of exercise, etc...i am not denying that things like that happen, but the media tends to exaggerate things with anything...