I'd like to chime in a little on this subject. I have a female Pitbull, she just turned 5. I have trained and spoiled this dog since she was 8 weeks old, and she is extremely obedient. But, honestly, right around the 6 month mark she became extremely protective almost overnight. I have a fenced in front yard (no back yard, corner lot). When people walk by, she never lets them leave her sight, but doesn't bark or harass them or anything. If a dog is being walked by, she will have her nose up against the fence walking against them with her hair standing up. Also, if somebody reaches over the fence to pet her, she will try to snip at them. Now, this all obviously sounds and IS bad. Due to all of this, she is 95% indoor and I keep my eyes on her all the times when outdoors. If I have company over that she is not comfortable with, I lock her up. She is a very special part of my family and I know she is one bite away from being taken away .
My point here is that I feel this is purely natural aggression, and as the owner, I haven't neglected or done anything negatively to introduce or support this behavior. It is essentially a fact that Pitbulls and a lot of other breeds do become naturally more territorial around the 6 month mark.
I'd also like to clarify that she is the sweetest little girl with all of my family and friends, very loving. I took a nap the other day on my couch and she actually hopped up and layed on my back and slept with me.
So please, don't by default completely blame every owner of every story you hear. I do completely agree however, that bad owners who don't responsible leash/contain their dog, or abuse their dog simply fuels the natural fire.
Lastly, I will say that while I love my girl to death, I will never get a Pitbull again, as it does get tiring having to watch them or lock them up for preventative measures.
-------------------------
