While walking my dog yesterday in the park (mine was on lead), a pit bull came charging over, he was muzzled.  I thought these were meant to be on lead and muzzled at all times?  I was a bit put out, I didn't say anything but I did notice as I carried on walking the lady put him on the lead as there was another dog approaching who was off lead. 

To be honest if it was a Pitbull a legal one that is it would have to be 17 years old as they were all required to be neutered in 1991.

Of course we know that Pitbulls are not illegal in Ireland but I would rather doubt people would be taking them for walks if they had an illegal one.

Chances are what you have seen is a Pitbull look a like.

After the ban the kind of people who liked to be sen with a hard looking dog took to crossing all sorts of bull breeds and other larger breeds to get something that looked like a pit bull.  Also there are of course the various unrecognised breeds/types of bulldog.

more likely to be a cross

You know how many pits I see on a daily basis?  We have a complete breed ban meaning NO PITBULLS (or staffs, or bull terriers) ARE ALLOWED IN ONTARIO.  If you had the dog before 2005, then you can keep it.  But I forever see pups out and about.

Just because there is a law, doesnt mean that it is followed.

Before the comment comes about "well thats Ontario, not the UK"  I am just merely making a point.  That responsible people follow laws, irresponsible people do not. 

>Before the comment comes about "well thats Ontario, not the UK"  I am just merely making a point.  That responsible people follow laws, irresponsible people do not. 

Don't worry, it's exactly the same here. We have our fair share of twunts who think that laws only apply to other people.

What a delightful expression JG 'twunts' - not heard that one before :-)

I see from the OP's details that they are in Bexleyheath in Kent, so as this is the UK we're talking about, then I would still say that it's most likely a Stafford cross.

Thing is the Pitbull was pretty numerous and available in the US/Canada before they mad made recent laws.

In the UK the Pitbulls were not common before the ban, so there may still b e some illegal ones in fighting mens hands, as far as the general public goes where the dogs would be visible the breed should have died out by now (banned 17 years ago), but plenty of posers thought they would cross staffs and various breeds to get a lookalike.

The fighting fraternity do not flaunt their dogs out in public, just the wannabees with their bull breed crosses.

The fighting fraternity do not flaunt their dogs out in public, just the wannabees with their bull breed crosses.


Exactly right Brainless.

Mindless crossbreeding going on to create a 'hard' looking dog - pah!

I know a girl who's recently got what she claims is a Pit/Staffy cross, she was really proud about it and very surprised when I pointed out it was illegal. He's about 4 months old and biting a lot already, I gave her some advice on stopping puppy biting but she didn't seem to take it seriously. Oh yes, and she's 17 years old and has just had a premature baby. Talk about an accident waiting to happen..... If I hear anything to make me thing he is getting dangerous I will have to report him. :-(

So sad cause they are a lovely breed of dog- my brother has a pit he rescued from the humane society and a lovely girl she is and great with his soon to be 2 year old son... So sad that they are banned in places because of people's ignorance :(

Oh yes, and she's 17 years old and has just had a premature baby. Talk about an accident waiting to happen.

Lucydogs, do you mean accident waiting to happen as in the Pitbull is going to maul her baby or something? Hope its not as thats not true at all.

Theres so many crosses around that people often say without thinking its a Pitbull and a lot of people dont even realise they dont have a 100% Stafford, some do obviously as you said before to have a ''hard'' looking dog - very sad :( - but some are given dogs in good faith they are staffords and turn out to be pit bull types.
Just wish these ignorant people would leave this gorgeous breed alone and stop destroying a dog who has one of the best reputations in dog history for being a reliable and trustworthy dog even when battered from fighting etc would never harm their master and also who was brilliant to have with families with children as well.

Look at bostons which were original bred for dog fighting and they are a lovely breed I have 4 of them... A dog is only what you or the breeder make it, they can be sweet as pie or a time bomb waiting to go off it all depends on the people on how that dog will be and thats for any breed. A horrible breeder with no care besides making money then ya would think twice about getting a puppy from them, or a owner who teaches that dog how to be mean yup a time bomb.  Pits are lovely dogs, a dog is only as smart as their owner. My bro is expecting another baby soon in July and really I don't see Harley having a mean bone in her body and who knows what kind of home she came from- she was already 6 months when he got her and to this day just as lovely. Funny most people are bitten by little dogs then big ones you just hear more about the big dogs :(

In all its not the dog its the creature on the other end of the leash!

I had a Wolf/Rott cross for 13 years he slept in my daughters room till the stairs became to much for him- I was told on forums as well as reading they are not ment to be kept on a leash ([Taz was on a leash)- in a dog run must have a huge area (we had him in a dog run with a Shepherd cross), not to be kept in doors cause they are not a dog- We kept him and treated him just like our other dogs and he was the best pet we ever had- When his mate passed on when he was 8 years old we brought him in doors to live, had him house trained got on with our boston's and was the joy of our life- His father was a Timber wolf and his mother a Rotti, Taz weighed 158- 162 pounds 27 inches at the shoulder, and if I could do it all over again I would. My children crawled all over him and he would never let them out of his site, he was great with kids all kids- funny I worry more with my boston's around children and never did with him. Not an animal I would recomend to anyone because I do believe wolves should be left wild where they are intended to be and not crossed with our domesticated dogs. --- Just goes to show you any animal can be loving just depnds who is raising it and how they are raising it, must know body language ect- certain dogs are not for the novice owners and people need to take that into concideration when getting a dog.

I'm afraid that yes I do mean that the dog may maul the child - I know both pitbulls & staffys make great pets if they are correctly reared and socialised, but I am rather worried about a dog that is already biting quite hard although it's only puppy biting, but more importantly his owner is not interested in advice on how to control and teach bite inhibition. Think of an unsocialised pit / staffy cross, or indeed any unsocialised powerful breed of dog, and yes that is what she has been told it is, with NO bite inhibition, and a tiny baby - I don't like the combination at all!

When you say it's 16 weeks and biting a lot already - I'm not suggesting that bite inhibition isn't a good thing - but I'm sure most people with staffys (and I suppose staffy crosses) let their puppies bite in play.   I'm a bit surprised she isn't teaching it any bite inhibition though - she must have a higher pain threshold than I do.  

Absolutely yes!  Both of my Staffords had little play nibbles as puppies, and mouthed and so on.. as ANY other puppy would have...they are pups after all..
I also taught them both when enough was enough - bite inhibition....
I can quite comfortably sit and scrape and clean their teeth (if necessary) and put my hand in their mouths without any problems...
Lucydogs I think you're absolutely right to offer that advice to your 17 year old friend.  The pup needs to know right from wrong pretty soon, particularly with a young baby in the house.