"Oh, she's fine with getting her nails trimmed"...

[pudddykat]

I have handled my kitties since they were small enough to hold one in each hand so they are very used to me. Lola is the ham and loves everyone. Rosa is shy to strangers and will hiss but she doesn't bite. Neither of them scratch and in fact touch my face with their paws "Bop Bop, hey feed me!" and never extend a claw. They have no trouble letting me trim claws though I do have to remind Rosa now and again that if she keeps trying to pull her paw away she might lose a toe or get too near the quick. Of course they get gushy food after so being good works in their favor. My aunt got her lab (RIP) as a pup and made sure to handle his paws regularly so he got used to them being touched. As a grown dog when he got a sticker in his paw on a walk he'd go up to her and hold up his paw, "Take this out please". My friend has two dogs and four cats and I know each of their purrsonalities and what each will tolerate.

[HiddenMica]

My cat is a complete scardey cat but doesn't hurt. Even when I do something she doesn't like she sort of... mouths me... Like a puppy when chewing lightly? That's how I know better. I trim her claws myself which usually gets a grumpy look and a bit of wiggle. Front paws one day, back paws the next then some kitty treats. She fights much less after I found her love for greenies. Claws are showers only so I always trim before a shower, and even then I usually just wear a t-shirt and actually shower with her because she just hugs me and meows. Makes it really easy. Learned this with flea baths after all the topical treatments (advantix, frontline, flea collar, different oils, ect.) failed to work. Finally got a prescription that worked but took a few different tries. Vet trips... well... she just sits there wide eyed and scared in my lap. When they touch her her ears go back but she doesn't move. I will say the look on her face when they take temp is hilarious. XD

My mom's dog had a weird thing with vets and vet techs. First, he would ALWAYS fear pee and poop in the car when we arrived. We would get him out and I would run inside for a muzzle, get it on him (I was the ONLY person he wouldn't bite to get it on) and then take him inside while Mom cleaned the car. He would try and get it off and invariably get it off once, which meant getting him into a corner to get it back on before he bit the vet. It was weird. I really was the only one he wouldn't bite. He would even bite my mom or step-dad. Just not me.

[Sapphire Silk]

But all that still goes back to looking at the other end of a leash. A bad owner will have a poorly behaved dog regardless if breed. A good owner will be standing there telling you what you need to know or actively avoiding situations in which the dog might present a danger.

You still need to treat some breeds with caution. My issue with pit bulls is not their general temperament. As a breed they are actually generally good tempered dogs.

My issue is with their jaws. Pits have a strong bite that is a crushing bite, and they grab and hold when they do. It's why bites from pits are so dangerous. Any dog can bite, even the sweetest.

I'm not saying that should be a reason not to own a pit. I'm saying the owner should go in with their eyes open to what could happen with a bite. Forewarned is forearmed. Because many people like pits for their bad reputation, I believe a special license should be required to own one.

[Kyree]

Holy moley, I don't check on my thread for a day and it explodes

My issue is with their jaws. Pits have a strong bite that is a crushing bite, and they grab and hold when they do. It's why bites from pits are so dangerous. Any dog can bite, even the sweetest.

You'd be surprised! I've had more damaging bites from other breeds. Dogs who bite and release can actually do more damage than a bulldog breed that grabs and holds on. Bulldogs and terriers typically bite once and hold on, where as huskies and shepherd type dogs bite and release multiple times.

Out of the 45 pit bull type dogs I've fostered, the one time I was bitten it didn't even break skin. The dog bit down and held, and I got away with two bruises.

Now... the huskies I fostered. I fostered two total. Both of them ended up being biters, and nailed me worse than any other dog I've ever had. I got this for pulling back on the leash when the dog tried to pull while we were walking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fVGGhAnhH4 Same dog bit me through a shirt, hoodie, and winter coat and left multiple punctures. The second husky left about 10 punctures in my hand when she saw my dogs through a gate. She got scared, then redirected that fear onto me and bit me 4 or 5 times before I was able to get away from her.

I know there are many cases where a pit bull/bull dog bit and did a lot of damage, and I'm not trying to say they haven't. But from my personal experience, I would so rather be bit by a bulldog/pit bull than another breed, lol.


Back on the topic of dogs and nail trimming... I had another doozy yesterday. The dog was so bad we couldn't even get to the point of putting a muzzle on it. It was a little tiny shih-tzu, and I ended up being able to shove its head through my coat sleeve and restrain it that way The people on the other side of the store could hear it with the hell it was raising. This one I felt sorry for the owner, she at least warned me the dog was bad.

[WishfulSpirit]

Pits are actually a LOT less likely to bite than other breeds. If they do decide to, though, they may do more damage. We got to play with our neighbor's Pittie the other day. Sweetest dog ever, I've never seen a nicer male dog who still had his cajones.

[wheeitsmee]

Pits are actually a LOT less likely to bite than other breeds. If they do decide to, though, they may do more damage. We got to play with our neighbor's Pittie the other day. Sweetest dog ever, I've never seen a nicer male dog who still had his cajones.

This. Humans designed them this way. I think we just got lucky with the dog-like patience and intense loyalty that went along with it. Think about it. My understanding is that you actually have to work hard to train this breed to fight. There are some breeds that are more likely to attack for just half a stick of pupperoni.

Humans designed them so that they would do damage. Then humans punish them because they do.

[jedimaster91]

I have beagles and they both hate having their feet touched. We always have done our own nail trimmings. Mr Jedi holds the dog and I do the clipping. Lots of treats are involved so they don't hate us forever (and by forever I mean the next 5 minutes), but I don't think it even occurs to them that biting us in an option. I trust them enough to fish things out of their mouths if I have to because they've been handled in such a way they aren't afraid of us touching them wherever needed. Neither of them mind the vet for that reason, though when they get shots they do whine a bit. My vet's really awesome because she understands the power of treats and as long as the dog can eat, she gives them goodies.

I do volunteer dog training through our humane society and I've seen and learned a lot working with all kinds of dogs. The ones that make me the most nervous are chihuahuas and dachshunds. Most of the ones I've run across have the SDS bad. The pitties I have never been afraid of at all. They're just wiggly lovebugs. Very energetic, though, and strong. We even had a ginormous rottie in one class. Not a mean bone in his body, he was just unaware how really, really big he was.

Absolutely people should research the breed of dog they're interested in. Had we done that ourselves, I don't know if we would have gotten the first beagle. There were times I honestly didn't think she was going to survive puppyhood because I was going to kill her. She's 6 now and has mellowed out considerably; though she does still have her moments of spazziness. There was a guy in the last class who had a beagle puppy and was getting frustrated by how much of a spazz the dog was. Well, she's a baby and a high energy breed. I tried to reassure him that it would get better, she would calm down eventually, and the training we were doing would help but I don't think he believed me. A friend of mine is having some issues with her dog, who is again a puppy. The stuff he does that annoys her are puppy things that he will eventually grow out of as long as the behavior is redirected in a positive way.

The longer I help train dogs, the more I'm convinced some people just shouldn't have them.

[notalwaysright]

Oh, I've only been bitten by a dog once, and it was a Pomeranian. Didn't break the skin, but it was NOT a nip, it was a serious attempt to hurt me.

When I was little I was nervous about letting the neighbor's horse eat from my hand. My neighbor demonstrated how well trained the horse was by giving her a carrot and sticking her hand in the horses mouth at the same time. The horse stopped chewing and glared (as much as a horse can) until she took her hand out. I wouldn't do that with a strange horse, of course. When she died it was like losing a member of the family, and she wasn't even ours.

[BlaqueKatt]

The longer I help train dogs, the more I'm convinced some people just shouldn't have them.

some people shouldn't have "baby" animals, an adult that's pre-trained would likely be fine, but too many people just see the adults and think "I want a baby one because, cute", and have zero clue how much it takes to raise an animal properly.

[Latekin]

I did a couple of animal studies (domestic pet training) courses at my college, and the amount of people that had animals they were totally unsuited to/incapable of raising properly was heart breaking.

We had a golden retriever there that was the loveliest boy, but his owner was terrible. She barely walked him because he was "too strong for her" and when he did pull at the leash, she just let go. Anywhere she was. He nearly got run over multiple times on the main road she lives near because of her little stunts. Our course leader haaaaaated her. He used to train and work with bomb detecting dogs (nearly always boxers) in his army days, so he was strict with animals, but anyone treating one badly in his vicinity was putting their damn soul in danger.

Some people should never be allowed near any animal. Not because they're evil people, but because they are utterly incapable of giving that animal the basic bloody life it deserves.

[bankworking]

My dog was NOT okay with strangers trimming his nails. I could have it done by the vet, if I stayed by his head myself to keep him calm. I can't imagine not being aware enough of my dog to know that he was not going to be okay left by himself. People are stupid.

[sirwired]

some people shouldn't have "baby" animals, an adult that's pre-trained would likely be fine, but too many people just see the adults and think "I want a baby one because, cute", and have zero clue how much it takes to raise an animal properly.

My wife and I are both "cat people" but we are more than content to let a foster parent get the cat through the kitten stage. That gives us a better idea of the cat's personality (all tiny kittens are pretty alike) and the foster parent is more likely to be able to give a kitten the frequent attention and discipline it needs while it calms down some.

We adopted both our cats from an organization that puts all their kittens into a foster home ASAP after intake, and won't even consider adopting them out until they are 6 mos. Once they have "graduated" from the foster home, only then do they go to their shelter facility for easy adoption.

At 6 mos, cats still have plenty of adorable energy, but if they've received proper supervision, they won't have litter box issues, they'll understand how to use the scratcher, and will know how to properly play with humans and other cats. And the foster parent can provide a description of the cat's personality, which you'd never get with a cat that went right from shelter intake to adoption.

[SilverOrb]

My Pit is a snuggling little baby boy. Unless you threaten his momm. Then... Well... Good luck?

[CorneliaMarieRocks]

and then may The Force be with you, was nice knowing ya eh?

yeah, we got 2 of those here too (not pits for the record, 1 full blood 9 yr old Min-Pin & another 7 yr old half Min-Pin 1/4 Yorkie) who while both love their momma to death (I'm not momma, I'm big sis) it's the 7 yr old who is momma's shadow

With both being Min-Pins who were specifically breed to catch small animals, all 3 times I have had small animals we have always done introduction with said animal on my lap & the dogs being held. We also would constantly talk about so & so was a baby & we don't hurt the baby (that & plus if said small animal is out of their cage the dogs are VERY closely watched with the first sign of aggression, the animal is put back up.

I have owned 2 rabbits & is currently owned by a guinea piggy, my first rabbit, Peanut disappeared out of the back yard one day while he was lose in a fenced in back yard (I still say someone hopped the fence & stole him) then next came my little girl bunny Gizmo. She was the one that hurt the most, we had built an enclosure out in the back yard & the neighbor's dog got into the enclosure somehow & killed her

My current baby is my piggy (official name is Furby but we all call her Piggy ) I picked her out for her coloring, she has the same color pattern & placing as Gizmo did in the movie Gremlins

Point of all this is that when I have small animals I just don't automatically assume the boys will know to be nice to the new addition. That we have to teach it to them constantly & SUPERVISION around Piggy when I'm holding her or whatever. I don't just plop Piggy in the floor & walk out of the room leaving her alone with the dogs, b/c all it takes is a second for things to go to hell & if that happens because MY attention lapsed then that's on me.

[XCashier]

They make great doorbells though! It got to the point where we could tell who it was simply by the amount of noise the dogs made (they would go NUTS if one of his friends came over)

I had a dog like that. I could almost always tell who was at the door by Princess's reaction:

Growling, snarling = stranger with bad intent (only happened once, thankfully)
"Woof!" = stranger with no bad intent
Tail waving = friend
Entire backside wagging, eager whimpering = family member, usually my Mom

Dogs are wonderful.