driver8 wrote:I think some of you are under estimating the killing abilities of Pit Bulls. If it got to the point that the Pit was clamped on my leg and didn't let go pretty quick, the lead is fixin to fly.
I'm not underestimating it at all. I
own a part pitbull dog that doesn't know how to make nice with strangers and other dogs. And consequently, I have to take steps as part of my responsibilities as a dog owner to make sure that nothing bad happens to strangers and other dogs.... ....unless they come into my house
uninvited.
If your house is on the market, then realtors are going to be showing it; and for all practical purposes, they are "invited" guests. Thus, you have to make arrangements for your dog, regardless of what breed it is. It's called being a grown up. Dogs have extremely sensitive senses, and they react keenly to whatever emotional state you are broadcasting, including the hormonal changes to your body induced by fear. You may think you have your fear under control, but the dog can smell that, biologically speaking, you don't. And thus, they will react accordingly, going into a state of heightened alert themselves in which they will become less trusting, and more uncertain of your intentions. If your fear ramps up accordingly, so will their anxiety, until the point at which, as perceived in their doggy brains, they need take action to protect themselves. So even your big, friendly, happy-go-lucky, tail-wagger family pet can become an aggressive threat to your safety. If the dog is a member of one of those dynamic high-drive breeds, which includes pitbulls (and Rotweilers, and German Shepherds, and Dobermans, and even the diminutive Jack Russel Terriers), then the threat to your safety is higher yet.
Thus, a
responsible owner of said big, friendly, happy-go-lucky, tail-wagger family pet, will make arrangements to sequester the dog, preferably off property, when their home is being shown while they are not home. It's the grown up thing to do. Unfortunately, a significant number of physically mature individuals have not yet attained, and likely never will attain, mental maturity.
And I agree with the above comments that the listing agent bears some responsibility for not having instructed the homeowner to isolate the dog in a safe place, and then following up to make sure that the home owner actually
did it.