Stray Pit Bull Protects Toddler Wandering the Streets Alone

Pit bulls are considered a vicious and aggressive dog breed. They are estimated to cause 68% of dog attacks in America. However, pit bulls are not inherently violent. Lack of proper training is what causes them to be violent and aggressive. Adequate training and early socialization make them loyal and protective towards their owners. The following is an exciting story that will make you see a different side of Pit bulls.

This story will make you believe in the power of miracles. In October 2020, a woman took a morning walk with her dogs in the neighborhood of north St. Louis. She saw a toddler dressed in pajamas walking across the street. The kid was being followed by a large and calm pit bull on the side. The woman was surprised because the kid was okay.

He was clean, neat, and well taken care of. The only issue was he was not wearing shoes. The woman was concerned and decided to reunite the lost boy with his family. To her astonishment, the Pit bull followed them along as they knocked on people’s homes, searching for the boy’s family. The boy’s father saw a social media post circulating about a lost toddler, and they were reunited after a couple of hours.

Pit Bulls are a misunderstood breed

Pit Bulls are a loyal and friendly breed that can do well in a family setup. Properly trained pit bulls are affectionate to both adults and children. However, children should receive appropriate training on how to interact with animals, and they should receive adult supervision when playing with dogs. Despite being a stray dog, the pit bull in the above story spends the entire time protecting a human child. After meeting with his dad, the toddler is also happy to have a new friend he keeps referring to as ‘puppy.’

Raising Friendly and Gentle Pit bulls

Oklahoma state representative Paul Wesselhoft has been a pit bull owner for close to 36 years. He has raised all his kids with pit bulls and never had a dog attack or bite incident. His dogs are part of his family. Paul explains that pit bulls are friendly, affectionate, loyal, and gentle when raised in a loving environment. Socialization is also crucial in raising well-mannered dogs.

In dogs, socialization is acclimatizing your dog to his surroundings. It involves gently introducing new sounds, people, smells, experiences, and animals in the friendliest, neutral and positive way. Pit bulls are not dangerous animals but can be vicious and aggressive when given cruel treatment. According to Vcahospitals, socialization also helps to ensure you bring up well-mannered and flexible dogs that can adapt to any situation. Dogs which have not been adequately socialized are always fearful and timid when they encounter anything. Fearful dogs tend to be vicious and aggressive to protect themselves.

Psychological Explanation of the pit bull-toddler friendship

The bond between humans and canines is unmistakable. Over the years, dogs have bonded with humans and their babies. Alexandra Bassett, a dog trainer, and lead behaviorist explains that dogs are social creatures driven by instincts. They desire to be part of a family and become naturally protective when a newborn baby arrives home.

Dogs are smitten with babies and form a strong bond when they spend time together. According to Aspca, dogs and children are connected with a strong desire for attention and the need to find a playmate. The relationship between kids and their pets is unique and steers physical and psychological development. It is interesting to note that dogs have feelings like humans. Dogs can surprisingly sense different cues and subtleties. When a dog meets a baby, it can feel if the baby is vulnerable or in danger.

You will find a dog sniffing or licking a kid’s face. It is a natural way for dogs to detect a baby’s health and check if there is anything wrong with the child. It is the same thing a mother dog does when licking her puppies. Additionally, dogs are endowed with powerful senses located in the olfactory glands. Dogs have one of the best senses of smell, making it easy to use them to sniff drugs and other illegal items like firearms.

Russel Hartstein, a certified behaviorist, explains that dogs can smell a new body baby, and they can detect the sound made by babies and toddlers. He goes on to say that you should train dogs to be friendly and gentle around babies. According to Familyeducation, a dog will always respond to verbal cues and body language made by humans. If the dog owner is calm and maintains a protective demeanor towards the baby, a dog will also learn to be cautious and sensitive towards babies.

In the above case, there are high chances that the stray pit bull belonged to such a family. The dog was trained to be friendly and gentle towards babies. It happens that now the pit bull is on the street, and it sees a stranded kid; the dog uses its smell to detect that the child is vulnerable and in need of protection. The pit bull takes it upon itself to walk the toddler around until he is reunited with his family. Starting early is the key to maintaining a protective and trustworthy behavior in dogs.

This is where socialization comes in. It is training that involves helping your dog to be in tune with the surrounding environment. Through this, dogs will act calm whenever they are faced with a challenging situation that needs them to make a sound judgment.

Conclusion

The above story has restored people’s faith in pit bulls. From the comments section, many people recommend the authorities find a good home for the pit bull and shower it with unlimited treats for the rest of its life. They also praise the caring woman who took it upon herself to find the little boy’s family. This story shows that pit bulls are friendly dogs, depending on how we raise them.