The American Pit Bull Terrier is not for everyone.  They are very intelligent, high drive and high maintenance dogs which need plenty of attention, ongoing socialization and obedience training. Before obtaining an American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT), please take into consideration the following facts.

They may be wonderful with other dogs / animals their entire life or they may not.  When we first started doing rescue we typically had young dogs and we thought that the fighting issues were overrated and a product of improper socialization.  Wrong.  When the dogs approached the ages of one and one half to two and one half years of age they as often as not picked fights especially with same sex dogs.  Some were fine around other dogs and some were not.  As a result, no matter how well two dogs may get along normally they are never left together unattended. The problem with APBTs is that once a fight is started it does not stop. 

This becomes a problem especially if someone gets an APBT puppy or young dog in a multi-dog household.  It is not unusual for everything to go along fine and then when the APBT approaches the problem age fighting within the household can occur.  Once started, this problem almost always gets worse and the aggression escalates.  Fights become more frequent and occur with less warning or provocation.  As the average pet owner does not want to "rotate" dogs around to keep the dogs apart, they decide "to get rid" of the problem dog.  Guess which dog that is?  Right.  The APBT.  What they fail to realize is that good homes for these dogs are difficult to obtain.  They are no longer cute little puppies and they need to go to homes where there are no other pets, no small children and with someone who is responsible and not let the dog roam the neighborhood.  These same dogs are often not trained in even the most basic obedience skills.   (Obedience training for the APBT is crucial and socialization must be ongoing for the life of the dog.) These owners probably do in reality love their dog but they should never have had this breed in the first place.  

(Obedience training for the APBT is crucial and socialization must be ongoing for the life of the dog.) These owners probably do in reality love their dog but they should never have had this breed in the first place.  Unless you are very committed and educated about the characteristics of this breed PLEASE DO NOT OBTAIN ONE!    The above scenario is one of the most the most typical I hear in doing rescue.  The other most common scenario is that the person is moving and cannot take the dog.  Remember, a dog is a twelve to fourteen year responsibility.  If you are anticipating moving frequently or you rent please do not obtain a pit bull terrier.  Many landlords will not allow the breed or you may have difficulty obtaining insurance if a pit bull is in residence.  Some municipalities, counties or whole states have restrictions on owning pit bulls.  Please think ahead.  People are not lined up waiting to adopt your adult APBT because you have to move.  The options for these dogs are limited.  As foster homes are scarce (since foster homes are usually multiple dog households), rescue is usually full up and the owner either does not want or cannot house the dog  any more, euthanasia or a trip to the local animal shelter are the typical solutions to the problem.  Wonderful, intelligent and caring dogs are killed by the thousands around the country because they should never have been placed in the homes they ended up with in the first place. If you want a status symbol or want to make a statement about who you are--DO NOT CHOOSE A PIT BULL OR ANY OTHER LIVING, BREATHING, LOVING, ANIMAL FOR THAT PURPOSE.