Should there be an age limit on owning pit bulls?

What the heck? Do you have multiple personality disorder? Or is it that you just want to agree with the masses?

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I hold out for an age restriction, however it really does depend on the kid. I have a 19 year old I wouldn't leave a gold fish with and a 16 year old who is proficient in caring for my dogs, utilizing a break stick, walking the dogs on a short lead and comanding obedience from them.......hmmmmmmmm

 

The biggest factor is that if anyone under 18 has an incident with their dog, their parents are responsible regardless of who "owns" or "cares" for the dog. I agree that some kids are responsible enough to own one but for every responsible kid there are 1000 more that are the exact opposite. A kid that can own these dogs needs parents that are just as responsible and willing to make sure the animal is properly contained, treated, and cared for. We don't need any more newspaper articles condemning the breed because of irresponsible people.

Regards,

B

 

And that's the truth.

 

I am 18..and that is the age I voted for. However, I don't walk my dog around with a big chain. He is just a happy-go-lucky dog who gets all the love and exercise he wants. I made many sacrafices to get my dog and to keep him happy. I go home after college classes instead of going to the mall or hanging out with my friends. I am getting so much more exercise and I am a lot happier. I make sure m dog is a good example of the breed and not some crazy untrained dog. With 3 months old he already knows about 8 commands. He is very well trained and loved. But a pit bull is a breed that not everyone should own. You must be responsible and work for what you want not some drug dealer who keeps the dogs around to guard his stash. Props to those of you younger than me that are being responsible

 

I recieved my first pit when I was only 14 yrs old. I am now 18 and a vet tech student at a local college. I love my two pits like they are my own kids. Age is not the culprit, but uneducated ppl, young and old, who purchase these beautiful animals just because of the "macho" look they give them or because they're hot right now and could make them alot of money. I firmly believe there should be an age limit, but I also believe that an age limit would change very little. They will find some way to get their hands on these dogs. The solution isn't achieved by putting on an age limit or banning the dogs for that matter, but educating the thousands/millions of people.

 

I got my first pit when i was 10. My dad bought her for me for my birthday. of course at 10 i didnt have a job so my parents paid for food ,vet, toys, ect. but I trained her myself, housebroke her, walked her, played with her, when i was old enough and had a job I started paying for food, vet, ect. She is one of the smartest dogs. it never took long to teach her anything. at 8 months old she took 2nd place at a 4-h obedience fun match. She knew basic obedience, plus tricks. she could roll over, shake both hands, hold a treat on her nose and then catch it, dance. and I am thankful to my parents for giveing me that responsibility. I dont think I would be as good of an owner as i am today if it weren't for them.

 

i think 18 year is good age, because they are adult but is much important the quality of the guys .

 

But see.. it is still the age issue.. ..your parents are the ones responsible for the dog at that young of age. If you stopped feeding the dog, yes, you could get "introuble" for it, but it would still come down upon your parents..even if its "your" dog. If that dog got out and bit someone, it wouldnt be you they sue, it would be your parents..

It isnt that you (or anyone else) cant take care of the dog or arent good owners, its the LEGALITY of the matter. You parents actually 'own" the dog. Not a minor ..

 

i think he was just trying to take a jab at the person who posted "hell yeah it matters,,,if ya aint old nuff to buy a beer you shouldnt own a pit..period" and those that agreed with the statement...

 

OK Mia, if the majority of people under 18 bring in pitiful looking pits then isnt that in a way the parents fault too?? I mean the kids dont even need to finacilly support themselves untill they're 18 right? So who feeds the kids?? The parents. And if the parents can't give the dog the proper things he needs to live, and the kid can't either then they shouldn't allow they're kid to own a dog!! And if they do allow the kid to own and mistreat the dog then they are peices of CRAP and don't know how to raise they're kids! They don't deserve either the kid or the dog! A properly raised kid should know the difference between right and wrong and mistreating an animal of ANY sort is just plain WRONG!

Not all kids mistreat they're dogs either! How many times do you see on T.V. or in real life of a little 10 year old getting a little puppy for his birthday and they grow up together to be unseperable? Like OLD YELLER for instince, or Lassie. I know thats just on T.V. but who says it doesn't happen in real life? My first dog I got was a little totto dog(cairn terrier) when i was 8 years old. Her name was Gizmo and her and I were absolutly UNSEPERATABLE!!! And I took care of her like she was a human. She was a human in my mind!! And i couldn't support the dog of course i was 8! But my parents did, they knew what it took to own a dog. And if they couldn't support the dog then they would of giving it to a family that could of. That's what the parents of these kids that mistreat they're dogs should do. Get rid of it!!

I think that its important for kids to own pets because it teaches them responsibility! There are many things that kids learn from dogs that will benefit them in the long run. Such as thinking of somebody besides themselves, how to be gentle, plus if the kid runs around with the dog all the time then it wears them out (the kid and the Dog) which benefits everyone, espically the parents!

Besides its not like only people who are undre 18 mistreat and fight their dogs. I'm sure the majority of people who do are over 18. They're the ones who are responsible for themselves and they're dogs if they choose to own one. Many people don't deserve to own animals but they do and there's nothing anybody can do about it unless the is physical proof that the dog is mistreated, faught, or neglected.

Bottom line is:
It doesn't matter if your 14 or 45. IF YOUR IRRESPONSIBLE THEN YOUR IRRESPONSIBLE. The only thing with the 14 year old is that he can be taught how to treat animals, taught what's right from whats wrong. Its just depending on irresponsible parents that ruins it for everybody if there does become an age limit to owning a pit. Including the 8 year old who's Pitbull is her life and the only thing that she wants to do is be with her best friend! Like me and my Gizmo when I was 8.

So NO I don't think that there should be an age limit for owning a pit. What there should be is an IDIOT PROOF ban for all animals. Unforunally that will never happen. Just like the age limit for owning a pit will HOPEFULLY never happen.

 

That story has me cracking up rockstar!! very well put!! yes there should be an age limit also checks on anyone that owns any kind of dog not just a pit!!

 

The LEGAL fact is... . As a minor, your parents have the legal ownership of EVERYTHING you have.. so again, techincally a minor cannot legally OWN A DOG

therfor there is already a AGE RESTRICTION on ownership of dogs unless the said minor is emancipated or whatever...

There is a BIG difference between careing for a dog and owning a dog. A dogs onwer doesnt have to be the one caring for the dog (as with show dog owners where the dog lives with the handler) The handler doesnt own the dog..but the dogs OWNERS are responsible for the bills..

 

as a family dog it wouldnt be a problem but mom or dad should be listed as the owner and should be held responsible for the dogs well being and care. as a young adult i can say that many people have enough trouble taking good care of themselves at that age let alone being fully responsible for an animal no matter what its breed may be. however having people of any age propagating hate for a breed is a bad thing. i believe stricter animal cruelty laws and holding people criminally responsible for their actions and the actions of the people and pets in their care is important. i believe parents who have children that commit crimes should be borne with part of the penalty for their actions. so owning a pet in general should be considered the same as having a child. sorry went off on a bit of a ramble but you get the idea i hope. RESPONSIBILITY is the key to success in all matters.

 

I don't know what it's like in other states but I know in Maine there is a pretty extensive application/interview when trying to adopt any kind of pet. the dogs deemed as aggressive (rottis, pits and dobie)have guidelines, you must be atleast 18, must have your own house and must not have other dogs in the house. When I tried to adopt a pit I was told no because there is another dog (dobbie) in the house. But this does not stop you from getting one from a backyard breed or breeder which is what i had to do.

 

I'd love to say 21, but realistically, I know that's probably too restrictive~so, I guess I'd have to go with 18.

I'm sure there are people under 18 who could very responsibly care for a pitbull, probably even better than some older adults, but again, with the current climate, some restrictions regarding ownership may not be such a bad idea to bring the current pitbull situation back under control.

I'll tell you though, there are probably some younger folk on here that know more about these dogs than I do~and I'm slightly over 18.

 

Absolutely not. If anything, it should be used (as already is by responsible breeders) as a guideline by who they will sell dogs too. Theres ignorant 50 year old idiots wanting these dogs and theres mature 16, 17 year old kids with these dogs. There should be no laws pertaining to our personal property which when all is boiled down, is what these dogs are. Laws are no good if not enforced and I cant believe any of you would be in support of allowing the gov't even more control over our personal property. You bit** and moan when they think they can overstep their boundaries and pass bsl, but you dont find it abit hypocritical you are willing to allow them to overstep gov'ts role and still pass laws on our dogs! Basically, I dont think its any lawmakers place to tell us who can and cant own dogs or what breed, etc. I feel it is the breeders responsibility to only sell dogs to people they feel will do right by the dogs. The problem doesnt lie within the White House (it wasnt created with the intention of saying who can own a pitbull!)....it lies were most other problems with our breed do, with breeders who care only about the money and not the welfare of their dogs or the breed in general.

 

I completely Dis agree with some of you.
I am 17 and own 2 and co-own 2.

 

And I've had my Dog Since I was 14

 

LMAO the reason for me thinking that you'll see as you get older and wiser,NOT saying nothing bad toward you but age comes before wisdom, if you been to any size of a pound you'll know what i'm saying,,,if one of your dogs bit someone and they sue you, can you afford to pay it,,,you got to understand why i,m saying it,,,, i got my first at 12,,,, but it was still my dads dog,,,