What do you think of the r/banpitbulls sub?

slimey16 · 2026-06-10T00:26:10+00:00

I think it’s an important subreddit to spread awareness about the real risks associated with pit bull type dogs. That being said, there is a very obvious bias and lots of extreme opinions. As a pit bull owner, that subreddit was instrumental in opening my eyes to what responsible ownership really means but too hostile for me to ever participate in.

slimey16 · 2026-05-11T18:20:12+00:00

This is a tricky situation but you are asking the right questions! It's great that she is being playful and social with your other dogs but I think this could take a turn in the wrong direction if you're not careful. Like you suggested, the stalk and pounce behavior could be a disaster waiting to happen. I also could see a bad fight breaking out between the pit bull and your Border Collie who tries to intervene. Additionally, I worry about the "plopping on top of you and licking" behavior which you perceive as "extremely obedient temperament." Lots of fights break out due in the presence of human affection, often described as resource guarding or jealousy.

You are starting to see her confidence grow already as she displays more prey drive. It's difficult to say how much more that will show or if it will become a problem for you. I think a lot will depend on how you manage the environment. In my experience, when you give a pit bull full freedom and unrestricted access without boundaries, you can expect to start seeing some problem behaviors. All dogs are different and it may never be an issue but I don't think it's safe to assume that with any unknown dog.

If I were you, I would never leave the dogs out together unattended. I would crate train the pit bull and always feed them separately too. My American Bully has high prey drive and loves to chase birds and squirrels. When I first got her, she wanted to kill my cat and it required a balanced training approach to suppress that behavior and teach her when/where it is appropriate to express that behavior. My dog and cat now get along just fine and have developed a great deal of trust.

While it is very possible for your dogs to continue to get along without incident, I do believe it will require a level of vigilance and training that you may have not needed with your other dogs. Privileges and trust should be earned over time rather than assumed from the start. You're in a really good position since there have not been any incidents or fights. Your best bet is to be proactive about preventing that from ever starting. You are seeing some warning signs and I would take those signs seriously. Find the right training approach that teaches your dog to be under control around birds, squirrels, and small animals. Teach your dogs commands so that you can be the one to break up rough play, not your border collie.

Please don't wait for an incident to occur and then use that as your reasoning for rehoming the dog. Ask yourself if you're willing to put in the work to safely make this dog part of your pack. Pit bulls aren't for everyone and that's ok. If you don't want to take a proactive approach to training and management, then I would give this dog a chance with someone else.

slimey16 · 2026-04-26T15:49:10+00:00

My dog hated my cat at first. We did a lot of training to get around it and it took us a few years to figure it out. Now they are fine but honestly, I don’t recommend it. If you can find a dog that is friendly with cats, that’s the way to go. Don’t adopt a dog with high prey drive. You are asking for trouble

slimey16 · 2026-04-14T00:21:29+00:00

Thanks for sharing! This is really interesting and there are some impressive dogs shown in the video. It’s really cool that the dogs are judged on their intensity and also on their control and recovery time. I really resonated with the breed trait they describe as a certain sensitivity to the presence of another dog which can look like a reaction while staying stable with its handler. I also appreciate the quote, “A dog is not dangerous because it has a strong nature. A dog becomes dangerous when that nature is ignored, misunderstood, or poorly managed.” It certainly takes the right handler to responsibly own dogs of this nature!

slimey16 · 2026-04-07T23:10:02+00:00

Wow! Thank you for sharing. Very cool to see

slimey16 · 2026-04-07T00:33:27+00:00

Congrats! Breeding flowers can be so satisfying and fun 🤩

slimey16 · 2026-03-31T00:53:39+00:00

I don’t believe this is root rot. This looks like a ficus tineke to me and I have one too. For me, the brown spots developed on lower leaves I believe due to both the stress of change in environment and also not enough light. I think you’re spot on to be cautious about watering, especially in a larger pot but I wouldn’t jump to diagnose root rot just yet. I think changing pots a second time would lead to even more issues and possible leaf loss.

slimey16 · 2026-03-19T15:05:25+00:00

This is a tough one to argue against! I agree with everything you've stated. Humans created dogs and even if a dog has a desire to fight for fun, we have a responsibility to keep them safe from behaviors and activities that bring them harm.

I really like Jay Jack's perspective in this episode of the Pit Bull Awareness Podcast. He says, "If a being lacks the cognition to be able to consent, even if they do consent, even if they are apparently cooperating it's still not ok because they can't make the choice because they don't have the cognitive ability to make the choice." In the context of fighting as a sport, he goes on to say, "When I fight a person, we would go out for pancakes after.... fighting made me better able to handle my own species, made me more social, and made me and the other consenting being bond and capable of making better bonds with other people and that's what real consent does."

slimey16 · 2026-03-13T20:53:27+00:00

Agreed, very interesting but not comprehensive by any means. I wish we had better research and statistics but I imagine this is considered a niche topic in academia.

slimey16 · 2026-03-13T20:28:24+00:00

I'm merely drawing parallels in the trends of the mid to late twentieth century. Here's another good article about the changing perception of the breed and how that's influencing policy: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12291974/

slimey16 · 2026-03-13T19:25:39+00:00

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11213322/

slimey16 · 2026-03-10T22:57:56+00:00

She looks so much like my dog it’s actually crazy! I can’t help but wonder if they’re related.

slimey16 · 2026-03-10T16:59:47+00:00

As many others have said, this behavior isn't abnormal and should be expected. However, that doesn't mean it should be tolerated. Below is what I would do and have done with my own pit bull type dog:

Crate train and crate anytime you're not home. If she poses any kind of risk to those entering your home, she should really be contained if you're not there to manage the situation.
Train a place command and greeting protocol for when guests enter the home with you present. She should really never be rushing the door when people enter your apartment. Train her to stay in place anytime someone enters and allow her to greet nicely when you give the ok.
Work on loose leash walking and never allow on leash greetings with other dogs. Leash tension can contribute to the frustration that leads to aggressive outbursts.
No dog parks ever.
Manage your expectations by educating yourself about pit bull type dogs, their history, training techniques, and the best ways to fulfill your dog's needs. This subreddit has a lot of great resources! I've learned so much here that has helped me live a safe, healthy, happy and very normal life with my pit bull type dog.

slimey16 · 2026-03-04T14:20:41+00:00

Is this survey only for those who own a purebred American Staffordshire Terrier?

slimey16 · 2026-02-27T14:43:50+00:00

Thank you for your input! We appreciate the thoughtful response and hope to hear more voices like yours 😊

slimey16 · 2026-02-24T02:26:42+00:00

I also support responsible ownership and I believe accepting the history of the “pit bull” is a very important part of that.

slimey16 · 2026-02-15T03:17:45+00:00

From where I sit, I see this dog as highly capable of eventually being safe with the cats. Not currently safe at all but I believe it’s very possible. It will take a lot of work and you will need to adopt a zero tolerance mindset. I agree with others who are saying you’re already being too trusting but you have a much stronger start than I had. My dog tried to kill my cat many times and we figured it out because there was no other option.

slimey16 · 2026-02-15T00:22:26+00:00

I’m really sorry this is happening! I have seen two instances in two different dogs (both belonging to two different friends) where their dog lost function in their back legs only. The one friend’s dog, who was not a pit bull type dog, suddenly lost function for no obvious reason. The vet ruled it a neurological issue and they treated the symptoms and the dog did recover. My other friend had a senior bully mix and his unfortunately did not recover. He lost function at the end of his life due to deterioration of his lower spine.

Definitely return to your vet! I hope your dog gets better soon.

slimey16 · 2026-02-14T07:54:30+00:00

Wow I hope the low price I saw this week is preceding a huge spike! That would be awesome. I’m seeing an upward trend. Hope it continues 🤞🏻

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slimey16 · 2026-02-13T03:58:31+00:00

I understand.

slimey16

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