Does anybody here know pit bulls as a breed?

[Stand_watie]

Again, this particular post apropos of nothing in particular, except that I'm kind of a dog *liker (*I like to think of myself as as being too pragmatic to admit that I'm a dog "lover").

Do we have any members on here who have raised or ar very familiar with pit bull puppies?

Here's what brings this up, Erica and I went grocery shopping at wal-mart on the way home from church this afternoon. We saw a "puppies" sign in the parking lot, and because *Erica likes to hold and pet little puppies, I parked next to them and we held and petted them for a while.

Anyway, these pups were "purebred" pit bulls (without papers) being sold for fifty bucks each. The sellers said they were six weeks old. In my recollection, they were about half the size of my puppy litter when they were six weeks old (this was just in August, so my memory is somewhat fresh). The sellers had photos of mom and dad, they said about 70 and 85 lbs, and they looked about that size from the picture.

So to the nub of the question for the forum, are pit-bulls runty as puppies compared to their full growth? I'd say these pups looked about like beagle pups at six weeks (in size, I mean, they were obviously pit bulls). Or were these sellers selling the pups at 3 or 4 weeks and telling buyers they were six?

I'm less concerned about the human buyers getting ripped, than about the thought that the pups were getting done wrong by being taken away from momma way too soon.

If that is the case, I think that is pretty wretched.

I recently gave away 9 puppies. Given how I conducted it, let me suggest to anyone getting a parking lot puppy one tactic for judging the puppy and the giver - I talked a lot of people out of taking my puppies. I had people who wanted a HUGE dog that I told they didn't want one of my pups, because there was no guarantee they'd be huge. I had people who wanted a middle sized dog who I talked out of taking one because I thought the dogs would likely be large or possibly huge. The whiny-crybaby of the litter got special attention from me. His taker was told repeatedly, "this little boy is a whiner extrordanaire! He wants to be picked up and held all the time. You DO NOT WANT THIS DOG unless you have nerves of steel or an arm ready to be permanently crook'd to carry him around like a baby!" If you're picking out a puppy, listen carefully to the giver/seller. Is he telling you what you want to hear to sell you/get rid of something? Or is he interested in getting his puppies to a loving, responsible owner?




*That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[meinbruder]

Anyway, these pups were "purebred" pit bulls (without papers) being sold for fifty bucks each. The sellers said they were six weeks old. In my recollection, they were about half the size of my puppy litter when they were six weeks old (this was just in August, so my memory is somewhat fresh). The sellers had photos of mom and dad, they said about 70 and 85 lbs, and they looked about that size from the picture.

So to the nub of the question for the forum, are pit-bulls runty as puppies compared to their full growth? I'd say these pups looked about like beagle pups at six weeks (in size, I mean, they were obviously pit bulls). Or were these sellers selling the pups at 3 or 4 weeks and telling buyers they were six?

First off, six weeks is way to young to take a puppy from its momma.  Growth is critical in the first twelve weeks as far as Im concerned and pups get a lot of nurture from momma.  Its critical to gives puppies a good infancy.  Pit Bull is a catch all label applied to several different breeds.  The Staffordshire terrier is about half the size of the American Staffordshire terrier.  There is a bit of wiggle room when it comes to the size of the bully breeds. 

Puppies should all be somewhere between the size of a mouse and a rat at birth, breed being a factor, three times that at six weeks and doubled again at twelve.  They should all be cute and loveable at the age of twelve weeks and not getting leggy and awkward yet.  Im inclined to agree with your fear the pups were being disposed of too early.  The only reason to dump a litter of purebred pups is an unplanned or unwanted breeding between siblings or an undesirable mating.  A reputable breeder wouldnt part with puppies any sooner than was necessary.

My biggest fear would be the quality of people taking them.  How many will wind up in the hands of morons thinking they are killing machines to be used as weapons.  Parking lot pups dont get a lot of consideration for the future owners.

btw... what breed of pups did you have?   
}:)>

[Antibubba]

"Pit Bull" is a catch-all.  Usually American Staffordshire and "something else".  And six weeks is too early, period.  All dogs have to learn to socialize with other dogs, and littermates and Mom are the best ways for that.

[roo_ster]

I'd pass on possibly too-young pups.  Like has been stated, they need mom & the other pups to know how to be a proper dog.

[Ron]

My best friend has had several over the years.

He is inclined to believe the breed has been ruined.

If you want that type of dog you can find several type of "bully breed" dogs that are bred by respectable breeders.

The true American Pit Bull Terriers are becoming harder and harder to find as people mix them with other dogs to get size and aggression bred into them.

Early on in America a pit bull that showed aggression toward a human was put down. You had three people in the ring with the dog, can't have a mean dog in the ring with two owners and a ref.

[Stand_watie]

...
btw... what breed of pups did you have?   
}:)>

Heinz 57. Mom was the one I sent you a photo of Shepherd/Collie/Labrador mix we're guessing. Dads? The two we kept, one looks sort of St. Bernard'y and the other sort of like a very large Jack Russell.