get me a pit bull or rottweiler

A friend found Rudy our Rottweiler hiding in the riverbottom by his house. He had a Pitbull and didn’t think the 2 would get along so he called us to see if we could give Rudy a home. He was hungry and cold. It was Valentines Day. We couldn’t say no.

This is our 6th Valentines Day with him – he is a love.

But he’s classed as a pittie under U.S law. I wouldn’t be without him – he’s definately my best mate.

About this goal – Rotties and Pitties are both great breeds of dog. Just make sure you do your research before you decide which one to adopt, since these two breeds are actually quite different.

Rotties instinctively guard property – a well bred pittie doesn’t. You’ll have to think whether property guarding is a trait you want in a dog.

Rotties tend to be better watchdogs than pitties.

Rotties tend to be bigger than pitties. Is that an issue for you?

Pitties are banned or restricted in some states. If you live in these places, you’ll have to decide whether you can deal with having to neuter your dog and having to muzzle him every time he leaves the house.

Also (and I don’t mean to preach) please be aware that both of these breeds are powerful, large animals that can be assertive and can be very aggressive towards other dogs. Be prepared to socialise and train your dog. Be prepared to take responsibility for your dog’s behaviour. Be prepared to keep your dog away from other dogs, if it turns out he is dog-aggressive. Be prepared for people to hate your dog (and you by association) because of his breed, even if his manners are impeccable. If you can’t handle that, get a labrador.

And make sure you get a well bred dog – produced by two healthy, well behaved parents and bred by an ethical breeder. These dogs are too powerful to get one that’s badly bred and is a mentally unstable nutjob.