by Wes Pollock

Created on: December 27, 2008   Last Updated: September 01, 2009

Are Pit Bulls man's best friend or murderous beasts?

Two prime factors must be considered before that question can be properly addressed.

First, where did the dog come from? Were its parents and grandparents aggressive or nice? Was there socialization, interaction with people and other animals when the dog was a puppy? Has there been any exposure to children or small animals? What was the reaction to them?

Second, how was the dog trained? Was it kept on a chain outside, having little to no contact with anyone but its trainer? Was the dog physically disciplined during training? What type of physical discipline was utilized? A swat on the nose for piddling on the floor is far different than a whack in the head with a 2 X 4 for not pulling enough weight.

A pit bull that is loved and made part of a family is more likely to be accepting of people. A socialized dog is going to be friendlier than one who is not used to people. A dog that has constant physical contact of a non-threatening nature, that is regularly and consistently trained to know what is allowed and what isn't, is likely to be a happy well adjusted member of the family. The more personal interaction you have with your pit bull, the better your relationship with it will be.

A pit bull who has parents that are friendly with people and other animals, who like children, who listen and behave well, will have a much better chance of inheriting these traits than would one whose parents were aggressive and unfriendly.

Take your pit bull to the dog park. Let it run and play with other dogs. Dogs that socialize with other dogs on a regular basis are less inclined towards aggression when meeting new dogs. They are also better, friendlier, at meeting new people when regularly socialized.

Walking or running with your dog is also a great way to keep in shape. You can practice meeting other dogs and meeting new people. You may both lose a few pounds and make some new friends.

A pit bull raised with love and compassion can be man's best friend. Intelligent, loyal, friendly, caring and absolutely goofy barely scratch the surface for describing a good pit bull.

Pit bulls that are not loved, that are not cared for like family members, that are constantly chained, crated or kenneled, are far more likely to be unfriendly and aggressive. They are smart animals and need interaction with other animals, or humans, to stay happy and healthy.

Non-socialized pit bulls can be dangerous animals. Pitbulls are fearless

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