Pit bull and retriver question?

[Cut'Em]

My buddy just got a new golden retriever puppy and sent me this email asking this question. I personally have not had a lot of run ins with other breeds of dogs other than hunting dogs, so this is a new one to me any help would be great.

My roommate had told me he was bringing his dog in a couple of months....Saturday he told me it's coming this week. He has a 7 yr old pit bull....I'm not completely comfortable with having the two dogs live together, my girlfriend hates the idea and someone at work made the comment "you don't want your puppy anywhere near a pit bull....what are your thoughts on this?

Any comments would be appreciated!

[irvingdog]

This is 100% impossible to answer without knowing how or how well the dog in question was socialized. If it was raised without other dogs to socialize with, or worse, to be dog aggressive, than Hanna-bar-the-door!!!

But dogs are dogs, and are pack animals. If it has been reared to be a good dog, it should be just fine.

Know what I mean?

[Stratosman]

It all depends how your roomate raised the Pit Bull, they have the capability in them to be viscous but it takes someone to treat the dog in a way to bring it out. Just as German Shepards have the same capability. The reason Pit Bulls have a bad rap is that they are easy to train to fight and instinctivly dislike other dogs unless they are socialized to other dogs often at an early age. That is why when you see a dog fighting ring get busted it is mostly pit bulls that are used. They also won't stop fighting until either himself or the other dog is dead, a good trait in a fighting dog.

My friend has a pit bull and he is the nicest dog you could ever meet, nothing but friendly toward people and other dogs. The thing is actually afraid of mice!

I would be apprehensive about it on different levels as well, like picking up bad habits from his dog, also the puppy will want to play constantly with this other dog and that is not always a good thing either.

Just my 2 cents