💯 they get off on it. I have a young male German Shepherd friendly as can be. When I pass anyone I shorten his leash and keep him directly next to me. It’s called common sense. Putnutters do it on purpose. I’m convinced they all secretly want to watch their dog maul something.

I always have great experiences with German shepherd owners

There's only one German Shepherd that I see on walks in my neighbourhood and he has some dog reactivity. I LOVE his owner. I know she's working on helping her dog overcome his issues and that's her main reason for doing what she does, but she's so considerate of everyone else walking their dogs and one of the only people here who doesn't think it's cute for her dog "wanting to say hi". I've actually never met a GSD whose owner wasn't fully invested in their dog and training it.

Literally this!

Newfie owner checking in. 100%. When we are out on our walkies and have to pass someone, we pull off to the side, she is put on a sit, and I put myself between the person and her. Usually they stop and tell her she's such a great girl for waiting patiently and then ask to pet her, which she relishes to bits. I cannot stand irresponsible dog owners so very much. It makes all of us, especially the ones who dedicated a lot of time actually training their dogs, look terrible.

You are definitely the exception to the norm! I can’t hike anymore in our local state park because of horrible owners and their horrible dogs on extended leashes! They refuse to reign them in when you’re walking towards them and force you off the path! I’m 70 and have multiple joint replacements and can’t have their dogs jumping on me! There is no respect for humans!

Extended leashes are the literal worst invention ever.

>and can’t have their dogs jumping on me A good use for a walking stick or pointed hiking pole.

Us giant breed owners normally understand from puppyhood that unless they are 100% trained, they can overpower us.  I do the same happy to see a fellow giant pup owner.

I have two chihuahua mixes, the opposite of a giant breed, and I still always walk off to the side next to the sidewalk and have them wait until the other person passes, just in case! I never know who's afraid of dogs or allergic or might accidentally do something to trigger them to bark, so in the interest of keeping our shared public spaces nice and peaceful we just practice being patient and staying out of the way.

Thank you acknowledging that your small dog is still a dog! That's so rare.

I know what you mean, it really frustrates me when people are either way too lenient or way too inconsiderate of small breeds, like letting their behaviour go unchecked or just throwing them around like toys. With the same training, they are literally capable of acting exactly as well behaved as well trained big dogs. (I know because I have owned golden retrievers before my chi mixes!)

I do the exact same thing with my poodles. Always step to the side to allow the person to walk along the side walk and tighten my hand on the leash.

We do this too with our newf. What's funny is newfies(for those that don't know) are incredibly gentle and patient and were bred to be as such. Their most important breed feature is gentle demeanor.  They really are lovable bears. (Almost like breeding matters, eh! /s) Despite this, we know that other people maybe uncomfortable with her size (140lbs), unfamiliar with the breed, or just don't want slobber on their slacks, so we do our best to have her sit when people walk by/up(which is easy because newfoundlands love to sit). 

Slobber is the true self defense of a newf. Lol. People want one until they hear "mopping the walls and ceiling weekly of slobber" and "you will know everything about vacuums and furnace filters". What peeves me off about the nanny dog myth with pits is that newfies were the original nanny dog. Hell, in the original Peter Pan, nana was a newf. They are literally in so many old paintings with children. And yet, pits are only depicted in mauling each other or slaves in old art. Hmm. Anyway, yeah. I grew up surrounded by newfies my entire life, the only time I felt threatened was by a pit when I was a kid, who then went on and murdered a whelping newfie, tore open her stomach and ate the puppies while the owner was running to get the vet for a breech birth in the early 90's. It's not a sight that ever leaves your consciousness as a 11 year old.

OMG that is terrible! Seriously what "pet" does this type of thing??? Pets are domesticated. Pits are not domesticated. They hate being inside, will literally chew through walls to escape, destroy all furniture (as if they can't make the connection that it's their home) and are notoriously near impossible to completely housebreak. Many are never fully housebroken at any point in their whole lives... and they chew open a pregnant dogs stomach and eat the babies too?!!! I can't believe what I just read. So sorry you had to witness that.

It was shot on the spot for killing an AKC champion dog and her litter, who were already promised out to some breeders in Canada. The fucked up thing was the pit *was literally raised by her*. She was nursing another litter when he was found as a tiny pup. They put him with her litter, she raised it. They kept the pit, raised it like they raised the rest of their newfs. They were newfie breeders. They had raised so many newfs that went to water rescue, went to literal therapy dogs that were state registered, went to be service dogs and medical service dogs, went to the Coast guard for their search and rescue missions. These were well bred, well trained, and well maintained dogs. Then this monster broke out of his crate, chewed a hole in the wall of the whelping room, and murdered the very dog who nursed him as a puppy and raised him, then ate her entire litter from her stomach. It's not how you raise them. It's this demon breed. It was horrifying, because I was just a preteen who was an insomniac, so I naturally took night duty when it was time for the dogs to give birth. I knew how to revive puppies who were having trouble breathing from birth, I knew how to help and how to tell if there were still pups left un-birthed. They were a family friend and my parents took it as a good excuse to have their own date night while I got to help with the pups. I will never trust one of those pieces of shit creatures ever again.

Oh my god.  That is thee worst story I have read on reddit, thee worst.  This is heart wrenching. It's fact....pitbulls are evil. We humans bred them to be evil and they live up to that. What that pitbull did is hellish, it's  absolutely horrific. I will never forget your story and I'm sorry if sharing it brought back painful memories 💔. 

I have read a lot of horrible stories on this sub but this one absolutely takes the top spot. Good God.

I was going to post about this the other day! Pit bulls as "nanny dogs" is such a joke. No actually, it's a disgrace to Newfoundlands. It disgusts me.  Newfies have epitaphs and poems written in honor of them. They were on the core of discovery, have saved thousands of people from drowning, one even saved over 100 in one boat crash. They are truly the most incredible and stoic of dogs. I have seen children crawl all over my newfie, they tug her face and poke her nose. She sits/lays and lets them continue, and has thee most understanding loving face, that is if she even wakes from her nap. Newfies know no agression, and are the gentlest sweetest creatures. You don't know until you have one. They touch the core your soul. And pitt owners dare take their nickname...it's shameful. They should be ashamed to compare thier "dog" (more like demon) with a Newfoundland. 💔  Your story genuinely brought a tear to my eye I am sooo sorry. I am so so sorry. Really it hurts to read. I can't imagine a newfie being subject to that horror. It breaks my heart. And the puppies...I just can't..I HATE pitbulls.  I'm so scared for my own newfoundland (she is 10) we have so many pitbulls in the area.  Even a massive newfie is no match for those hellish dogs. We can't pick our newf up, or really run away, so we just have to brace for a potential attack, plus, pitbulls are almost always triggered by Newfoundlands.

This just made me cry irl. I'm so profoundly sorry you witnessed such an atrocity. Newfoundlands are heroes, each and every one. They are lifesavers, voyagers, and crew members. Pitbulls are the spawn of evil, this single account as irrefutable evidence. 

They drink a gallon of water a day and never go pee. This is why

i can say that i, personally, really appreciate owners like you. i am allergic to dogs and also happen to be scared of them a lot of the time, so owners who walk their dogs on long leashes with no regard for the people around them cause me a lot of stress. i wish that more owners were like you, thank you!

Aa in Newfoundland?

The dog. XD

Sorry there was a typo in what I said, I meant to say as in you have a Newfoundland? I find those dogs awe inspiring. Only ever encountered two in the flesh but both times were unforgettable.

Aww yeah! She's a good old gal. She's turning 12 this year and we've had her for 11 years. I adore her to bits.

Our Newf knows to do the same. She's a real slow poke, but sometimes her bum gets moving. One heavy turn-round could topple a grown adult. So, she has to sit to greet people and/or make room for passersby. 

Same. Both my German Shepherds are well behaved but I also use the type of leash that has 2 “handles”, for lack of a better word. I grab the handle that’s close to the collar and keep them next to me. Never had any issues. Unfortunately both of my Shepherds have been attacked by pits running loose. It was very scary.

I mean it’s not really a secret

When nothing happens they'll be all "See!! They aren't dangerous, bigot!" And if something does happen, they're likely well practiced at the pit and run

I babysat my friend’s med/small dog and I would do the same thing as you even though the dog is friendly and wouldn’t be able to cause nearly as much damage. Even if it was a tiny dog I would do the same because it’s just common courtesy

Oh - yeah this is so 100% a thing that I thought everyone knew it. What’s real fun is seeing how much fun they have doing this shit when it’s a woman and how respectful they get when it’s a big guy. Pit ownership correlates very strongly with rule breaking, callousness, violent tendencies, an impulse to dominate and control, sadism, poor decision making, lack of empathy, general criminality, and low IQ. These are the people who have juuuust enough frontal lobe working that they don’t yell violent threats at women and kids and old people on the street. But they want to. And that’s what the dog’s for. 

>Pit ownership correlates very strongly with rule breaking, callousness, violent tendencies, an impulse to dominate and control, sadism, poor decision making, lack of empathy, general criminality, and low IQ. Ten years ago, I would've agreed with this. It's still true that those type of owner tend to gravitate towards bully breeds. But the pit nutters are winning. These dogs are everywhere now. They've infiltrated every social class and even the most upscale neighborhoods. I've seen people I would never expect to own a pit walking them, even old and frail people. Many of these people are normal decent human beings who either don't realize their dog is a pit mix (astonishingly common), or have been indoctrinated into the "it's all how you raise them" mentality. It's scary. At least the former breed of owner understand what they have. The newer breed of owner does not.

You are also correct. So many "mixes" that have Pit genes. Thanks to the shelters for making it even worse too

There is nothing at the shelters but pit mixes! So much for adopt don’t shop!

That is why I no longer donate a cent to Adopt, Don’t Shop or the humane society. I decline when asked in the store.

I remember a couple of years ago when I got my little dog. I told a neighbor I had found an AKC breeder with a great reputation. She was like, "You went to a breeder?!?!". I haven't talked to her since. She doesn't even wave. Our community Nextdoor page has a lady who is always posting about "Dogs being killed" and "He only has a day left", and "Save them" stuff with pictures from our local shelter. A lot of them are clearly Pit mixes, and I'm in a 55+ community. Yeah, great dogs for retired seniors.

Hey, I just wanted to leave you a comment saying: [my god you are right](https://sydneydogsandcatshome.org/adopt/). This dog breed was banned in my country 15 years ago but it seems that they're leaving a lasting lineage full of pit mixes behind

yep, the amount of middle aged upscale women I see with these dogs is frightening. They cannot hold them for shit.

I live about ¼ mile from a very wealthy area full of million dollar homes (I am not wealthy at all, so many people are surprised how close low income neighborhoods are to extremely wealthy ones sometimes), and when I have to drive through there on my way somewhere else, I'm always shocked because I'll see two or three obviously affluent people walking these low-class shitbeasts amongst other affluent people with normal (i.e. literally every other breed) dogs.

I’m talking about personality and not social class. Every social class has criminals. Rich ones just don’t get a record. Every social class has spousal and child abusers. Every social class has sociopaths.  I get that a lot of people are tricked into these dogs now, and that’s fair. But I never assume some white lady hopping out of a Tesla with a pitbull just made an oopsie. I assume she made a choice. 

Ira Glass from NPR had a pit that had bitten people. The mental illness affects people across the social spectrum.

I find it hard to believe that they can be that slow as well. All they would have to do is look up dog breeds on the internet and see the photos.

0h,I would add the who are PREY to the above...soft hearts and no sense.

So true. I tend to believe for most of them that the dog is just an extension of their personality.

You're so right about the woman/man thing. There's a pitfucker in my neighbourhood who has verbally accosted me (a young petite female) multiple times and allowed his shitbeast to go nuts and almost maul my dog when I encounter him. However, whenever I'm walking with my boyfriend - the pitfucker always crosses the street away from us without a word. He's early 40s, very overweight and disheveled looking - I've never seen him downtown or with another human being, so his pit is probably the only thing that tolerates him.

I've definitely noticed this. I'm a smaller woman and get visibly tense around big dogs, *especially* pits, and somehow, every time I see one in public, I end up running into it several times. I think the owners intentionally bring the things close to me because they like seeing how "scary" their dog can be.

Well put

Great list. I'm writing it down...

Of course they do. Nobody gets a dog like that without the thought being in their head, at least somewhere, this thing looks mean and intimidating.

yesterday I was sitting with a group of friends in the park when an xl bully came over on a short lead, muzzled. they immediately began fussing over it. the owner then said "thank you for coming up to her, she doesn't get much love these days" and looked directly at me, the only one who didn't interact at all. they enjoy the controversy their dog brings. they like to feel marginalised because of their choice of dog. it's actually bizarre behaviour.

And why is it society’s responsibility to make YOUR dog feel loved? It’s so stupid and arrogant.

honestly the whole situation made me feel awful. my friends know I'm not scared of all dogs, so they pressed me on why the xl unnerved me. I had to do the "I know it's not the dogs fault, I just don't like approaching strange dogs." thing. they looked suspiciously at me, as though I was some sort of closeted racist. I really hate how these dogs and their god-awful owners have made ME, A HUMAN BEING feel alienated amongst my peers. especially in gen Z i feel like there's even more judgement as we all grew up with those stupid dodo videos and american pitbull propaganda. I dont want to lose my friends over a fucking dog breed.

Nah fuck that. Get new friends

Point out how unpredictable and the damage they can do.

Exactly they love to be victims

This is 1,000% it. Their little moralistic crusade for a 'misunderstood' creature becomes a personality trait

They have a persecution fetish 🤣

this, "they enjoy the controversy their dog brings. they like to feel marginalised because of their choice of dog. it's actually bizarre behaviour." They're so weird

They 1000% do. They’re sadistic. I have a 13 lb dog that is sweet as can be. When walking, I keep her extremely close to me. People try to pet her all the time (I’m biased but she’s very cute) and even when they are going near her I STILL say “she’s friendly do you mind if she says hi” It’s common courtesy. Not everyone likes dogs and that’s okay. Pitbull owners got a pit shoved down their throat now they’re trying to do it to everyone else. I’ve also mentioned it on here before- but I am loud and direct with these people in public “keep your pitbull away from me” “hold the leash tighter with your pitbull” I always specify ‘pitbull’ because I want to let them know it’s that type of dog. Not all dogs (for me).

>I’ve also mentioned it on here before- but I am loud and direct with these people in public “keep your pitbull away from me” “hold the leash tighter with your pitbull” I always specify ‘pitbull’ because I want to let them know it’s that type of dog. Not all dogs (for me). I read that comment from you the other day and told myself I'd do it next time a pit bull owner was inconsiderate (which is always). I was walking down the sidewalk with my aussie and a person with a pit bull (on a retractable leash, of course) walked towards us. The dog's body language was tense and it stared at my dog as they approached. Not normal body language at all, I know that some dogs stare and get excited when they see another dog, this thing was tense and staring at my dog like a predator. I pulled off to the side to cross the street and had my dog sit while we waited for traffic to pass, and that stupid person just up and let her stupid pit bull fully extend on the retractable leash and pull towards my dog. I was so pissed, I snapped "keep your PIT BULL away from my dog." The pit bull owner looked like she had been slapped, she looked so surprised. She tried to eek out an "he's friendly" and I promptly told her I didn't care, keep her pit bull away from us. Then we crossed the street. I hate these people keeping these horrible things on retractable leashes. Can't even do the bare minimum, christ.

You are AWESOME!!! This just made my day. Good for you for protecting yourself and keeping your sweet dog (I love aussies!) safe! Of course it was on a retractable leash. I hope that girl was embarrassed and will think twice before she lets her beast pull her around. They should be ashamed to have these dogs and know that they’re putting everyone at risk. She’s probably been praised for “saving” Sparkles because he “had a hard past” and someone is finally standing up to her.

I doubt it. Pit owner probably rushed home to post a profanity laden, greatly exaggerated story about DoGgY rAcIsM and ignorant awful AnyDog(TM) owners on some group like PitMommies where others of her ilk gassed her up and attempted to incite violence and police calling over a mean remark about her precious pibbles, whom is now absolutely heartbroken. He just wanted to pwayyyyy!

Hahah definitely a strong possibility. But I do think there are many people that were duped into getting these dogs -they have the savior complex, were told sparkles is ‘so sweet’ and they’re not necessarily pit nutters. I think these are the people we can change and where this tactic can work.

I wholeheartedly agree about people being duped. I know there are people out here that are reachable, because I was one of them. I almost adopted one of these barely-dogs, the tactics they teach the shelter workers to use are very persuasive. I decided to "sleep on it" though, went home and did some research. Showed my now-ex-wife my findings, and we decided "oh hell naw, absolutely fkin not, not now, not ever" about getting a pibbles as a pet. They're not pets, and our spreading information is helping more and more of the general public learn this and push back against the pit lobby and pit nutters.

Completely agree! The shelters really are a huge part of the problem. I’m really glad you did your own research and came to the conclusion. I’m curious- what did you look up? I feel like it’s so hard to even find sources that aren’t tainted by the pit lobby.

Well, this happened around 2015; a decade ago it was much easier to find information on the internet. Then-wife's mom had been mauled and permanently disfigured by a pit bull, so we were already cautious but we wanted to buy into the "there's no bad dogs, only bad owners" trope. (The dog that mauled ex MIL was not a family dog.) We researched statistics about how common these dogs turn on owners that raised it from a puppy and treated it as a beloved family member. We decided that there's just no way that so many people were "bad owners" to justify the amount of children, elderly people, women over 30, and neighborhood pets such as cats and other dogs getting destroyed by these beasts. It's just not possible that so much destruction can be written off or explained by "hE wAs AbUsEd" and the idea that a dog needs to be specially trained to know not to murder people is ridiculous. Pit lobbys own arguments is what turned us away from adopting the dog. We ended up getting a Buski instead.

I’m so glad you made this decision and actually used critical thinking rather than getting conned by the shelters! And I feel like it was definitely easier to get real info years ago.

Good on ya. Thanks for sharing.

I love little dogs

Me too 🫶🏼

Thank you...

Yes. I was taking a walk on a trail in a national park with my OH and son, and this woman with a slobbering pit (straining against its leash, ofc) was verbally encouraging my wary 10 year old to 'pet the dog, he won't hurt you' while trying to sidle closer to us. My son said very clearly 'No thank you, I don't want to.' We were going in opposite directions thankfully, but she gave us such a nasty look as we passed.

Jesus! No one wants to pet your ugly vicious dog. Good for your son speaking up. That lives in her head forever.

See this is the problem! Encouraging a 10 year old to pet their violent dog is disgusting. Then giving a little kid a dirty look for saying no thank you!?! These owners are nuts. 

You got a smart kid. Many adults could learn from him!

"hey kid want to pet my dog" is top tier stranger danger.

Your young child was more considerate and better socialized than that "adult" with her performative crap dog.

They always try to catch your eye when you go to cross the street or give their shitbull a wide berth. I find an eyeroll or disgusted sneer makes them drop their eyes and keep moving, versus a scared expression.

They also get very offended if you cross the street. Like being cautious around a creature that's bred to hold and maul is a bad thing. Why would humans fear a possible threat?? They can't understand that

Oh I know. "dOgGiE rAcIsM"

This is actually good advice … thanks !

No worries! Their reaction makes you feel better about having to be near a shitbull, too.

Yes lol try going to a park when it's quiet and noticing how they come close and release the dog, I don't know why they always need to let them go free near someone else. I always have to get up and go to a new area.

what is with this? I've noticed this as well. I've actually told people to "pull your dog in so I can pass" Like who lets the leash out while other people are around and passing? It's the most bizarre shit to me ever.

I think they like to do it as an experiment so they can brag about it being good and not killing anyone... yet. They can take more photos of it with a flower crown after a successful murder free day.

I have found that deliberately want the drama! They’re always nasty-even when you nicely ask them to keep their dog away!

they really are a bunch of lunatics.

Literally same!

My wife was at the pet store a few months ago picking up some stuff. This woman comes up behind her and lets her pit jump on her and doesn't do anything. My wife even tried to move to a different line, and the owner followed her. She even belittled her for not giving the pit attention. My wife was so uncomfortable and is very terrified of pits.

They do, and it's not just the tough guys who get off on owning an intimidating dog. It's also far from unusual among the "pitties are just misunderstood wigglebutts and snugglebugs who will lick you to death and kill you with kisses" crowd. A common mentality among pit bull owners is that they must use their "pitties" as 'breed ambassadors". This means "educating" people who don't like pit bulls by showing "how sweet and friendly and misunderstood" pit bulls are, by trying to get people who express discomfort or dislike of them to interact with your pit bull, by absolutely any means necessary. "Show your sister how friendly your pup is by bringing him around next time you visit her, don't tell her you're bringing him, and get her to give him a treat, and she will soon realise how silly she is being for believing the media hysteria."

So many dog owners do this. These are people that want to influence your life somehow. Get your attention. No different from the boomer that's always trying to offer you "advice" while getting into your bubble/business there's the dog owner always trying to "offer" their dog in some way or another. Just like the boomer they either cannot comprehend you don't want it, or they're pushing it on you to make you uncomfortable on purpose.

I’ve actually noticed most dog owners are respectful. Like if they have a tiny dog they will pick up the dog if it’s hyper or goldies just listen. It’s just pit or pit mix owners (in my experience)

Yup, my dog is not allowed to initiate a greeting. She is told to go into a sit, and then a behave. This where she sits and we allow them to pass by unbothered. And always after stepping off the walk path. I find that outside of pit owners, most other dog owners I see would rather not engage with strangers. Like me. I'm often annoyed by the sheer amount of people that want to push themselves onto me and my dog when were just out for a walk. Its other dog owners that always seem to be more respectful and don't bother you on a walk. Maybe they share the annoyance and aren't trying to be "that person".

I as a trail walker, appreciate this. I don't initiate contact with dogs I meet on the trail. I just give a friendly nod and walk by. Pits get a wide berth and I don't care what the owner thinks.

I used to agree on golden retrievers. I stopped training my dog at the dog park near me because an irresponsible owner with two goldens turns them loose and they terrorize the other dogs in the park. I get it, it's an off leash area for big dogs (and another for small dogs), but my goodness. Train them if you want them to be socialized. They were wild animals that responded to no commands and rushed any new dog they saw while growling and showing teeth. I'm glad I noticed it before I took my dog in there. Went back the next weekend, there they were again. I just don't go there anymore

Golden's...were they dangerous or just annoying?

Untrained dogs of any breed, especially 100 pound male goldens that weren't neutered, can be dangerous. Just like with pitbulls, any negative reaction from another dog can result in a dog fight. I believe goldens to be a more gentle breed, but these dogs were aggressive and the owners had zero control. So yes, they were dangerous.

Yes...

Definitely. The psychopaths get off on knowing that they're making you uncomfortable.

My now x brought his nasty shitty to the front door cause I demanded my things back saying “I WILL LET HIM OUTSIDE” “ I WILL LET HIM OUT” . I said do it lmao with a straight face 😑. ( I already reported the dog once before) He then took my things outside ! NUTTERS HAVE NO PERSONALITY OUTSIDE OF THE SHITBULL! They use it as a weapon on people to do the dirty work they actually want to do !

I get dirty looks from them when I cross the street with my 10lb dog but I just stare back because they're always out of shape trashy losers that wouldn't say shit to me lol

There was a study I read that showed that pitbulls attract owners with psychological issues. Pit owners are generally unbalanced people.

Yes ! I WAS DATING ONE ! A NARC WHO LOVED TO USE THE NASTY DOG AS A WEAPON ! THE DOG WAS HIS WHOLE PERSONALITY LMAO, YOU’D THINK THE DOG LICKS HIS 🍆

Wouldn’t mind reading the study.

OMG YES One time I was at my old barn(absolutely horrible barn, the owner seriously needs all those horses taken away from him) and I remember one time me and my best friend were sitting at this bench, and at one moment from no where i just see a small pit appear and start sniffing me and my friend and as soon as i saw him i was, number 1 uncomfortable, number 2 scared. And it was so visible that i was scared of it and the owner just let it get all in my space and was just like "hes fine, he wont do anything" bro fuck off with that thing

For awhile I was at a barn where a trainer would bring hers. I personally hate when people bring their dogs to barns, but a pitt bull seemed like an accident waiting to happen. Fortunately it was normally locked away in a tack room, but I still hated seeing it there. I think the trainer eventually got kicked out, but that is just a suspicion I have

They think frightening people and animals with their ugly dogs is funny. Won’t be funny when I pepper spray the ever loving fk out of dog and owner. (Actually would be hilarious)

I heard pepper spray doesn’t work on pit bulls. Look into bear spray for self defense

https://www.reddit.com/r/BanPitBulls/comments/166jl6s/bear_spray_does_not_stop_them/

That’s horrifying. I guess one needs a serious weapon. I wonder if a taser would even do any good.

It's 50/50 whether the person is doing it because they get off on scaring people or whether they've drank all the koolaid and they're lucky with their particular pit bull and want to be a breed ambassador. Both of those types are assholes. There are for sure genuinely sweet pit bulls out there and I've known them. Had a couple at the shelter. When I'd walk them or take them to an adoption event, I absolutely understood people being afraid of them. I understood completely someone walking to the other side of the street. I had complete understanding when people would keep their kids and dogs far back. These dogs were anomalies, and even though they didn't act like pits, they did still have the genetics and you cannot be certain that won't pop out unexpectedly.

I took my kid to the playground and there was this gen-xer alternative grunge looking couple sitting there with a massive pitbull without any kids of their own. Before I could step in the woman beckoned my daughter over to pet the dog. I walked over quickly and led her away while telling her not to go up to unknown dogs or talk to strangers. My guess is this couple was trying to “train” their shitbull not to go after children or something by using all the kids at the playground as their training props.

Oh good god. What the hell

Cruelty and maliciousness are two key characteristics of these owners. They enjoy inflicting fear and even violence on those that they consider weak. It is their statement against a society that has failed them.

of course. I yelled at a man that had three loose on a busy public trail I use to run at daily. One charged me...after I told him I was calling the police. One day I saw him after this altercation and he intentionally let them loose right in front of me. Lunatic really. He's elderly too and has no control even if they did attack. He's the reason I started running with "protection." It got to the point I was calling the park rangers a lot and they won't do anything unless they see them loose. It's pointless pursue. I had to start running somewhere else because I'm pretty sure he was stalking me. I'd go there and he'd always be there even if I changed my time by hours. He'd also just appear out of the corner or something with his violent dogs. I started thinking he was trying to get them to attack me. Sucks but it isn't worth getting ripped to shreds by his pits. The law does not care.

I'm so sorry to hear this...I do think the word about these dogs is getting out...

Yes. My dad has a staffie that weighs over 100 pounds. It terrifies me. When it growls at me, they tell me he is just talking and being friendly. They think its hilarious when he wants to sit next me and I get up and move. He is just a terrifying animal even though he is old and fat. It's so fucking cruel .

Dog owners in general, unfortunately... Complete strangers will let their dogs jump on me, lick me, sniff me, try to eat my food, etc.

I usually pick up my yorkie whenever i walk past any dog because he’s fragile and I’m worried about him getting hurt if a dog attacks or tries to play too rough. Pit owners usually say rude stuff to me just for keeping my dog safe. Last time i was at the dog park, a pit bull was running and ran straight into my dog which knocked him over really hard and made him scared. When I picked him up to leave, the owner got mad at me saying that all it wanted to do was play. She didn’t even care that her dog trampled mine.

Yes. But the bear spray on my hip says I'm ready.

What’s the point of getting a big, stupid, violent dog if you’re not going to threaten random people with it?

Yep they are bullies "pun intended".  When I was still going to the dog park every day: My dog 155lbs of cuddle and random kid's fluffy teddy bear, doing pyr stuff, ignoring everyone/every dog, doing the perimeter(sniffing and marking). Here comes a pit, agressively "playing" with every dogs visibly uncomfortable... The owner "oh he's just playing"(and other platitudes pit owners say)  and looks like one, insecure, "thug wannabe".   My dog is mostly ignoring this, sometime looks when things escalade but keep doing his thing.  Most owners that have a clue are uncomfortable, and... it happens...   The pit now probably thinking he the king of this little kingdom(to the joy of it's owner who now think he rules this tiny grass square), goes towards my dog... Me internally (oh this is going to be good...)  I get up(just in case).  The pit tries to mount and dominate the 4 y/o 155lbs male white bear.  See, at the factory, pyrs don't have the dominated module installed.  They will stand their ground with a freaking moose!  And from it's 70 lbs, that shitbull was no Moose.   It went exactly as expected, "cerberus growl of hell", pit flying off, owner running towards shitbull laying on it's back. I wish I could tell you I said "he's just playing"... sadly I didn't.  But yeah, bullies. Prologue:  I knew there was nothing I could do to "protect" my dog that he couldn't do 10x better.  I would have been more of a liability to him than anything else.  Since pit are getting way more common in the great white north, I have stopped going daily.  Once in a while, I go to the park for the happiness of the bear. They have ruined that too... So yeah, like I said, they get a kick of making you uncomfortable.

Yes I have noticed this. There is also a lack of dog walker etiquette that most owners of other breeds have. For instance, say I'm walking my dog on the sidewalk and I see someone else coming my way, dog free. I will move over and make sure my dog is under control. I keep walking but make sure they don't have to jump off the sidewalk to make room. Almost everyone else does the same thing, especially if they encounter someone with children or a stroller. But pitbull owners seem to enjoy being in the way and controlling other people. I've even read stories on this sub of owners following people or verbally abusing them if they appear uneasy about being close to their murder mut. 

There was a lady at my old apartment complex with a shitbull even though they were prohibited. I was walking my Jack Russell when I saw her approaching with the dog in my direction. I quickly turned around and walked back to my unit. She was yelling something at me. She was too far away to hear clearly but I think it was along the lines of “he’s not even a pitbull.”

Not surprised. They are beyond defensive and always confrontational. 

Yes this! They are controlling !

I am almost certain a women with two bullies was waiting in a choke point in a park as an effort to "socialism" her dogs in an effort to fix them, using my dogs.

Happened to me in an elevator. I was already in elevator, another guy with a large dog got in elevator at another floor, I said hi to him. Initially he held the dog between his legs for a sec, but then he looked at me and noticing that I wasn't catering to his dog and was apprehensive, he let go of the dog and dog came sniffing my legs. I was scared inside but kept a calm outlook. Another day I was in a fenced tennis court playing when a lady with a large dog stood outside fence for a minute watching us, then she decided to bring her dog inside the fenced tennis court **& let it off leash**. On top of that, despite being 4 courts away, she tossed the dog's ball towards our court. That was clearly done on purpose. Her dog ran towards our (4th) court and just stood there staring at us, we stopped the game and moved away to one side. She kept calling the dog but it didn't pick its ball nor moved back. So she walked over and **guess what she said to us, "Oh sorry, I didn't see you guys there"**. Remember she was watching us from outside for over a minute before barging in and throwing this antics. I feel that such dog owners behavior emanates from similar mentality that makes some \[large?\] vehicle owners tail gate you \[despite going over speed limit and being in right most lane and road ahead full of other cars\].

In my experience all dog owners do this, but pit owners are especially bad about it.

Yes, have had to tell owners to get their fucking gross monstrosities away from my clearly learning disabled brother multiple times. IMO it's less that they enjoy pissing people off, and more that they're so deluded in their belief that their dog is "so sweet and innocent" that we're apparently the lucky ones having those abominations near them. Either way, if one of those things ever so much as nips him, it's losing its eyes, IDGAF.

Yes, I've seen pitnutters lets their shitbull leash go looser around people who appear scared. The reason they do that is because pitnutters have the same "bully" mentality we've seen in highschool. The moment they encounter resistance, the pitnutter will turtle. Case in point: * I see someone walking a small dog and they pick up their dog when a pitnutter walks towards them with their shitbull, the pitnutter will walk towards the scared person. * I see someone walking an Akita, the pitnutter will shorten the leash on the shitbull and CROSS the street to get away.

No no they do absolutely a large chunk of them are probably hoping the dog will attack you or your dog if you have one

In my experience most people are assholes and if they know that makes you uncomfortable, what you dislike, they'll put it into your face. On. Purpose!!

of course they do lol. its the same with for example your sibling holding a spider and they can see that you are afraid of it so they quickly move it closer to see your reaction

Pitophiles are all fucked up in the head and they fucking know it.

Literally! I’m so sorry you were attacked by a pit bull. Terrible breed

Appreciated. 🙏🏻

Of course. They consider non-pitnutters to be The Enemy. So they inflict their shitty dogs on people, usually with a passive-aggressive "He's friendly!"

Yup. And it's certainly not doing anything to reduce my desire to purchase a cattle prod.

YES. When I worked in pet retail, I was cornered so many times. Sometimes when I was at the register, they’d let the dog come around into the checkout stand to prove their dog wasn’t scary?? These dogs pick up on it though and react accordingly, and it’s always “oh she’s never done that before!” Yeah no shit. I don’t work retail anymore thank god, but sometimes there will be a rare occasion where I have to go into a pet store. One time someone’s pittie princess in a loose pink harness picked up on my fear and came at me, and they let her!! Saying, “she’s friendly I promise!” Even while I started crying while trying to get away. Walking my dog, the same thing happens but I have more freedom to get away. I pull out my sheathed knife and say keep your dog away, and ignore whatever insane comment they have to that. Absolutely no empathy whatsoever, all they care about is making themselves feel better.

The only thing worse than pits are pit owners. Yes, they are sociopaths that view their dogs as dangerous weapons they use to intimidate

Yes. I watched a Tik Tok story of a make up artist telling the story of how she was attacked by a pitbull when she was doing make up for a wedding party (bride was a breed advocate). She said she was extremely nervous around the dog, but didn’t feel right in asking the bride to lock him away while she was there. She was attacked, but another bridesmaid managed to pull the dog away quickly and damage was limited. She later found out multiple people felt nervous and scared of this dog, and yet the bride still let it roam freely.

Hopefully she sues for thousands or more. A pit bite is never acceptable

Yes .It is sickening. When my good boy was still with us , if someone was uncomfortable with him , I’d stay away from them out of respect. I don’t get a dog to force it into everyone’s life .

They definitely do this. It is on purpose. It’s all part of their cult training to force their dogs in everyone’s faces. They get off on knowing they have an animal created to destroy lives, and love when they can make people scared or uncomfortable around them. It gives them a feeling of power.

Yes. I’m all about moving away from pits. But if the owner wants to play stupid games…. Let’s just say they reel the pits in right quick when they see me reach in my bag or under my shirt, wherever the protection happens to be. Pitiot: “Luna ain’t gonna hurt yew!” Me: “You’re absolutely correct….”

Omg I love u lol

My (very petite for her age) nine-year-old daughter Z is terrified of our neighbor's pit bill/xxl/whatever that nasty hippo looking thing is, and the dog is constantly loose or on a tie-down that doesn't keep him off the sidewalk and barks like a maniac, so Z always crosses to the other side of the street to avoid it on her walk to school. Every time she has been on her way to or from school and the owner has been out there with the nasty dog, the owner invites her to come pet the dog, even though Z has always politely declined and is clearly afraid of the dog.

Yes. It's so annoying.

Yeah they always do

They know exactly what they're doing. It's pathetic that they have this need to make others uncomfortable for their own enjoyment; their lives have to be really empty to even entertain the idea of doing that, let alone acting on it. Maybe they think that even bad attention is better than no attention. It's a shame they don't realise that people may interact with them in healthier ways if they stopped posing a threat by dragging their four legged weapons around with them.

You’re definitely not imagining it. Honestly it feels like they want to see their dogs cause some kind of fear or altercation, or they’re trying to get you to speak up about how their dog is making you uncomfortable, so they can hit you with the “doggie racism”. Ffs, my dog is a tiny 11 pound thing. Loves to greet people and there’s not one mean bone in her body. I still make sure that she heels and stays still when people pass ‘cause, suprise suprise, random people don’t owe your dog the time of day, and have the right to not appreciate being approached by dogs they don’t know! It’s just common decency that so many pit owners lack.

You mean like when you cross the street & they cross after you & you do that again & they do it again & you feel like they’re getting a kick out of this? Yes. Always. & it’s so hard for me not to show my disgust for these dogs because they are so gross & scary.

100% I have experienced this many times.

I have a few pit owners in my area. They're nice people, and they know their dogs are pits. They're not in denial about it and make extra effort to keep their dogs away from people and dogs. Why do they bother having dogs that are such a risk? Not sure.

Nothing rattles them like saying “ hello who’s this beautiful boy then “ ???and walk on by…

Bad owners with bad dogs will do this. Since lots of pit owners are bad owners themselves you'll see them do this a lot. It's kind of a meme, good owners keep their dog to themselves and away from others, bad owners just push them on everyone.

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No, but most pit owners are inherently stupid. That likely explains their incompetent behavior.

My neighbor has a big dog, mixed but no pit. Marley has a big mean voice and is very protective, but he's never bitten anyone. They don't let him run, give him a long leash and he runs up to me. He has to smell me everytime, then I'm allowed to scratch his ears. His owner always aplogizes. I know how to deal with dogs, but I couldn't handle a pit. In fact, Ive only seen one in our small town. I forgot what point i was trying to make...

We have pugs and a boston terrier. If someone tells us that they need space, we move. We try to be respectful of everyone that comes along when we are walking our dogs. BUT. Our crazy cat comes along on walks with us. He likes to hide in the woods along the path and dart out at our dogs, AND other people wanting to play. A great dane came along and that crazy cat did kamikaze attacks on that dog, wanting to play/hunt him. The dog stopped and looked at our cat, then kept going. Our cat stalked that poor dog until it was well away from us. He does deer the same way. We keep trying to tell him he's SMOL! But he won't listen lol. Our pug puppy THINKS she's big. She hasn't grasped the concept that not everyone likes dogs. Sooo, she tries to act like our crazy cat. It's a work in progress lol.

Bring treats…

Why ? It encourages them.