Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

My Staffy puppy looks like a Pit Bull. What should I do with her?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

I think I may own a pit bull what should I do? I bought a staffy puppy the man said he’s landlord wouldn’t let him keep her but as she’s getting older she looks more and more like a pitbull I don’t want to keep her as I’m not prepared to take the risk as I have a young baby but I’m worried if i give her up she’ll get put down I don’t want her to get put down as she’s such a sweet dog she’s currently 5 months old I have a freind who wants her is it legal to give her away?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Image profile

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on January 20th, 2018

What a tough situation for you to be in! Yes, it's legal to give her away if you want to do that, but you may not have to give her away. Pit bulls get a raw deal in my opinion, and while there are some that are dangerous, there are many who are sweet, lovely, and wouldn't hurt anyone. It's how you raise them and train them, and I know many many people who have the loveliest pit bulls. Keep in mind as well just because she looks like a pit bull doesn't mean she is one. She could simply be a pit bull cross. Certainly if you feel safer without her in the home, give her to your friend. Your feelings about the safety of your baby comes first. It's a tough decision, but I hope this helps!

Vote icon

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Questions

Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I adopted a pitty a week ago, everything has been wonderful, she's smart, sweet, well behaved & loving. I have 2 other dogs, a pug and mix, until this evening everything has been great! No agression, they have played, ate, and slept well together. T
The first thing you need to ask yourself here is whether or not you believe the bite to you occurred intentionally, or accidentally while you were trying to separate the two dogs. If it is the former, keeping a dog within your home that you only just adopted that is already ready inflict harm to you is going to be difficult if you don't have a ton of experience with dog behavior and training. While I love pit bulls (I have three), I readily understand that they are large, powerful dogs that can do some serious damage. If you live alone, or if you have children, my recommendation would be to relinquish the dog unfortunately, If the latter is what happened, there may be opportunities for addressing the issue. I would keep the dogs separated for at least the next 24 hours and let things cool off. I would reexamine the entire situation and try to identify what could have happened that brought about the fight the first time. Examine it from every single angle possible, in terms of pe
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I need to find a new home for my puppy she is five months. I want her to find a great home though. How can I go about finding her a new home?
Gracie is precious! I would talk to your vet about if they know anyone that is looking for a puppy. Also, most vets will allow you do put up a picture in their bulletin board if they have one. Also, you can ask your friends and family in Facebook or social media to help you find her a good home. These are routes you can take that will help find her a home to someone you might know or a family/friend might know. It may help give you comfort in knowing she is going to a good home. Finally, you may look up pit bull rescues in your area to see if any of them are accepting new puppies. They usually have strict guidelines for finding new owners. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
my pit bull just mauled my cat this morning for the second time and we had to put the cat down because of how bad this time was, i have a small dog and need to know if he is safe with her she has never harmed him purposefully but she has killed possu
As a dog trainer, I have a different view from previous answer given. Pit Bull types are terriers which means they have a high prey drive. The cat was possibly viewed as prey and I am very sorry to hear of your loss. For your other dog, due to the size it is possible your Pit may react the same at some point. I don't think leaving them unsupervised together is a good idea as I'm not sure what the actual trigger was in the attack of your cat. In terms of rehoming, you would need to find a very suitable home and with no small children. Because your dog mauled a cat does not automatically mean he will be aggressive toward people, but sometimes dogs are reactive toward small children, especially babies and toddlers who don't know the boundaries of a dog. I never leave my own child and dog unsupervised and my dog loves my son. I would recommend hiring a canine behaviorist and getting a behavioral assessment from them. Best of luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Training & Behavior
Would an American bulldog x staffy be classed as a pit bull in England? I want to buy one but last time I had a mixed breed bulldog it was removed and euthanised they said she was a pit bull so would this breed be classed as a pit bull??
No, it is not classed as a pit bull but if there is some pit bull blood in the dog, and it gets recognised, you are at risk of having the same problem again. In general, American Bulldogs cross Staffies are ok.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I've decided to get rid of my staff X bull mastiff because I'm pregnant and don't want him harming my baby it breaks my heart to get rid of Henry this is the hardest decision I've her had to make I'm in tears but he's bitten before and put my brothe
First off, I'm so sorry you have to make this decision! It's a very hard one to make, but it likely is best for the safety of your baby especially if he put your brother in the hospital before with a bite. I can say honestly that dogs who are aggressive are not recommended to be rehomed due to the safety risks. I'm not sure that lead Henry to bite your brother, but you need to be honest with the animal charity about that situation. They may want to do evaluations with an animal behavioral expert before deciding if it's safe to rehome him. Sometimes it does happen that a dog needs to be put down for the safety of everyone, and you don't want to keep a dog who can potentially hurt your baby. Ultimately you have to put the safety of your baby first as hard as it is, and removing him from the home is likely best. Again, I'm sorry you are in this position!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Training & Behavior
Why do vets euthanise stray pitbulls and not rehome them? I’m crying right now because I just watched a documentary about pitbulls and I realise that there a banned breed but what there freindly and nice why can’t they be rehomed? I just saw on tv a
It's very sad indeed, they are for the most wonderful dogs with a very bad reputation due to the type of owners that tend to get those dogs. i'm not sure what is the exact law in the UK regarding the possibility to re-home banned breeds but many dogs who cannot be re-homed for various reasons end up being euthanized, this is the very sad truth.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hi just wondering what the cause if I was to take in my labrador half pitty in to get register if he will get taken off me because of his half bread being a pitt bull he's a very friendly dog around my children and family and even people walking past
There is breed specific legislation (BSL) in some cities in the United States and some apartments, landlords or insurance companies also have breeds they will not cover/allow. Veterinarians can treat any breed of dog. If you live in an area with breed specific legislation, you may be liable to legal action or even the loss of your pet if he is one of the breeds not allowed. By registration, I assume you mean licensing? To know the exact laws pertaining to your area, I recommend to reach out to the local humane society as they tend to have the best knowledge of any specific legislation related to dog breeds. A local veterinarian would also be a good resource. The county humane society is also the one who typically is in charge of licensing pets. I hope this gives you a good idea of who to contact in regards to Coco. Please feel free to post any more additional questions!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
New Pet
Can i disown my 2 months old puppy who has been with me for 15days ??? Will the puppy get depressed???
Putting human emotions on dogs (like depression) is called anthropomorphism. There is no way to quantify this in dogs. Is it possible the puppy with be confused and unsure of what is going on if you give her away - but to label it depression......no one knows. But it will better that she move on to another person if you cannot take care of her for whatever reason. Do what is best for her. If you cannot manage her then get her with someone who can. She will be fine.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Is it a pure pitbull puppy
Yes it could be and could look like it, but it is difficult to know it for certain. Do you know anything about the mother and father? Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
New Pet
hi i have recently got a puppy and the previous owneds lied to me about her breed. And i was curious if my puppy was part pitbull because they had multiple male pitbulls when my pups mom got pregnant.
Hi and thanks for posting! It is hard to say if Spot is part Pitbull from the pictures alone. He certainly may be, but it would be good to know for sure by running a genetic test such as the Wisdom Panel. This can be purchased online and requires a saliva sample from your pet. I hope this helps and thanks for using Boop by Petco!
Updated on September 24th, 2025

Related Searches

Dog Supplies Dog Food Dog Toys Dog Health & Wellness Dog Clothes & Accessories Dog Crates, Gates, & Housing Accessories Puppy Food Dog Bowls & Feeding Supplies Pet Jerseys & Sports Gear Dog Medicine and Prescriptions Puppie Love Puppy Puppie Love My Human Pet Parents Puppie Love Clothing & Accessories DOG by Dr Lisa Pup Pop SWEET PAWS Pet Pal Puppie Love Home Goods & Décor
image
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Sponsored