[babygirl9932007]

i think pitbulls and dobermans are pretty cool and are great watch dogs but the akitas are good watch dogs too but i saw a video on the internet that showed an akita attacking an elder man and ripped almost his whole face off but they are very pretty too i think the pitbulls are pretty dogs but ive also heard a lot of bad stuff about the pitbulls i dont really believe it cause i think it depends on how u raise them and that its not just in their blood to attack the dobermans and pitbulls have all been war heros so its kinda killing me on not knowing which breed is the best to get so maybe if i get enough info on those three breeds it might help me with my choice on one of them.

[Morgana]

I know a lot of pit bulls, and if raised properly, they are terrific dogs. I would get a pit before I'd get a German Shepherd. Same with dobermans. I know nothing about Akitas except what I've heard about them being tempermental and one man dogs. However, as with humans, each dog, of any breed, has his/her own temperment and personality and may not conform to the noted characteristics of a certain breed so you never know what you will end up with. Do some research at the library or on line by looking up the characteristics of each type of dog before you buy. It's a big decision and commitment to own a dog of any kind. You have to work with them and iron out any problems by taking them to obedience school, play groups, etc. You shouldn't just trade them in like a car if things don't work out. Good luck.

[crys]

I would do some research on each breed. I had an Akita in the past and they are very protective, so if you have a lot of different people coming and going it could be a problem. I have a friend who had a pitbull since it was a puppy and her son made a noise it didn't like and it snapped at him. I have known 2 or 3 people in the past that have had dobermans and they seem to be less agressive and aren't so protective that no one can be near their owners or property. I'm sure a lot also depends on how you raise it and I've heard that with pitbulls it also has a lot to do with the bloodlines and if their "family" has a violent history.

[mjkl1]

I presently have a pit mix who's the sweetest thing in the world. He doesn't understand why people are afraid of him - all he wants to do is be your best friend and let you pet him and rub his belly. But if he doesn't know you, he will bark, just to let you know he's around.I also had an Akita mix. He was very aloof - only liked a few people, but he wasn't ferocious. And once he got to know you, he'd just sit at your feet and let you pet him. But heaven help you if he thought you were going to hurt his family. Bottom line - each of them was/is a great family dog. It's all about how you raise them and treat them. Good luck.

[calvillo_robert]

I have a Pit Bull and it's the neatest dog I've ever had. Ever since he was a puppy we have taken him for walks, taken him to the park, camping, just about everywhere we go. People can come up to him and pet him and he loves the attention. He will sometimes take a stance when there are other dogs around, but he does not become unruly or growel and bark. At home he is very protective of the house and yard to adults, but when he sees children he just wants to play. He'll grab one of his toys and go up to the child to play. If we're at home and we invite a person in naturally he is curious and just wants to get to know the person by sniffing them. We still have beware of dog signs on the property because we know his bark will keep strange persons out and he will not back off if you try to intimidate him.

[elchistoso69]

I have owned pit bulls since 1992. My interest in them started out when I was doing research on them for a paper in an English class. To make a long story short, I was interested in getting one, but I was scared of their reputation, so I decided to investigate it for myself. The significance of that is that I wasn't already out to prove that they were vicious or harmful, and I was totally objective. The theme of my paper wasn't decided until the facts were in.Having said that, I can unequivicably state that no breed of dog is any more or less likely to attack than any other. Agressiveness of dogs must be evaluated on an individual basis.Anyway, after I completed the paper (I got an A+ for it), I bought my first pit bull puppy.Pit bulls are wonderful dogs. They are amazingly affectionate, eager to please, atheletic, intelligent, trainable, and full of personality. They don't shed much, if at all, and are a great choice if you have allergies. They don't drool all over, and don't get too large. I have owned pits that weighed between 27 and 80 pounds. Pit bulls tend to be quarrelsome with other dogs, but with proper socialization at a young age, they are usually managable around other dogs.Pit bulls are not for everybody. If you want a large group of dogs that run and play together, I wouldn't suggest a pit bull, unless you are an experienced dog trainer, and have a lot of spare time to do the training necessary. Pit bulls don't come out of the womb wanting to fight other dogs. The ages in which they become dog aggressive vary with the individual. I've had some that "turned on when they were just one year old. I had others that never did turn on, and at 7 years old would still not fight, even if they were attacked first. Mind you, I didn't ever allow my dogs to fight, but some jerks do allow their dogs to run loose.I've had some pit bulls that were never trustworthy around other dogs, despite socialization and training, and others that remained sociable with strange dogs with no effort at all. Most pit bulls are in the middle, unless they have not been socialized at all.In all that time of owning, breeding, and raising pit bulls, I only had one that was dangerous to people. She was a sweetheart with me, but a threat to anyone else. I had her put down, and I recommend doing that with ANY dog that shows an indiscriminate hostility towards people; whatever breed it is. Dogs can and do get loose. I will not take chances that my dog might get loose and hurt or kill someone.Pit bulls are intelligent, strong, and agile. This makes them escape artists. You don't want a mean one, even though it may be totally trustworthy with you and your kids.Another factor to consider is the discrimination that you WILL encounter if you own a pit bull. No matter how well trained and friendly your dog is, you will find people who hate them. Many communities have already unwisely passed laws against owning them. Some insurance companies will not insure your property if you own one. You will have to deal with ignorant friends and relatives who have never even seen a pit bull other than in a newspaper article, yet think they are experts on them. You will find yourself wanting to choke the sh!t out of Harvey Levin (The People's Court) when he spouts his false accusation that pit bulls have an "enzyme" that makes them vicious. I have personally fought off Breed Specific Legislation in communities I have lived in. It can be time consuming, frustrating, and stressful, dealing with such ignorant turds. I won. many people don't. Unfortunately, many people don't even try, and just get rid of their dogs.Pit bulls, believe it or not, usually don't make very good guard dogs. They are excellent watch dogs. Pits don't usually bark, and when they do, there is something there that you should look at. Most of my pit bulls would have never hurt a human, even if he was attacking me. A dog, maybe. A human, no. They make a great deterrent, though. Not many would be scared of a german shepherd or a rottweiler that weighed 40 pounds, but even my 27 pounder intimidated people when she puffed up on her own image in the mirror (Take the mirror away from her, and she just wanted her belly rubbed again). Nobody ever tried my dogs, and called their bluff. It may also be true that pits have a great sense of what is real and what is not. Meaning that they might not respond when the pit's owner wrestles with a friend, but if that friend gets serious... One of my dogs was actually very shy with people. I saw him become a holy terror when he thought my ex-wife was being threatened. So I could be wrong. In any case, they were never intended to be aggressive with people, and those who are breeding them to be that way now should be avoided.I have never owned Akitas or Dobermanns, but I've known many of them, and they are also good dogs. Just too big and hairy for me.Feel free to message me if you want more info or have more questions.

[pheezy]

Your best bet is the pit bull. It is quite possibly the most versatile dog breed known besides the german shephard, and they are reasonably priced. Dobe's are good but are almost too smart and that can be a bit troublesome. Their popularity has also led to severe overbreeding (like german shepards) and it may be tough and costly to find quality animals. Akitas are very clean, but they can be aloof and are a b!tch (no pun intended) to train. They are almost cat-like in their behavior from what I've seen. Also, akitas are a bit unpredictable and should never be left alone with children, unlike a lab or golden.

[drb]

Before getting ANY dog, you should: 1. Educate yourself about dogs in general - their pack structure, body language, and behavior. 2. Especially concentrate on learning about the breeds you're interested in. There are books about every breed, and lots of other sources of information. Not every breed suits every person's situation or lifestyle. 3. Commit to providing the care, socialization and training every dog requires.For large, powerful, dominant, independent and intelligent breeds like the three you mention (although "pit bulls" are usually not really a breed, but a mix) the above are mandatory. Otherwise you have the potential for a major disaster. When these three breeds get into trouble, it's usually because the owner has abused them, has deliberately made them aggressive, or just let them take over because they don't know what they are doing, and fail to be the leader these dogs require. With all of these dogs, you HAVE to be the alpha, and if you don't know how, or aren't willing to learn, please do NOT get one of these breeds, for the safety of others, the dog, and yourself.