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oh I didnt take your post in any way as getting rid of him :-) sorry a lil slow on that one

hey girls - WV_red-I have big dogs and have always had dogs in general - when my daughter was small they respected her as they do me because I suppose because they recognize me as the dominant one in the house. Now I do not recommend having the dog on a leash and seeing what he does around the baby because some pets become more aggressive on a leash as they do behind a fence they believe they are protecting whats on the other end - and for some reason alot of dogs become more aggressive when on a leash so be careful with that one.If you decide to put a leash on the dog don't hold it but just let it there so you can grab it quick if need be. Also I wouldnt want to take any chances even if they can be 'surgically fixed' lol... I think you should follow your instinct if you feel the dog could potentially cause harm to the baby then you do what you feel is right and if that means finding him a more suitable home perhaps without children or older children then you do that ... who knows why some dogs even with the best training still have something against kids or other animals or certain genders but if you feel you have done everything you could sometimes that is all you can do. Gabby I read your posts and I agree with you I knw we spoke about our dogs a long time ago ..I also read your original post and think what you said was taken out of context I would never read what you wrote and taken it as you were implying the dogs are more important then the baby soley because you have your dogs for 3 yrs.I think you were just relating your personal experience and letting her know where you were coming from. I do believe it is relevant how long you have had the dog as well because it allows you to be able to say how YOU feel that dog would react because you know the dog and their behaviors. WV_red I wish you luck with this one it is a tough problem especially if hubby is on the dogs side - that can be very difficult...and frustrating. I would say if your husband refuses to let the dog go ..keep the dog and the the infant seperated for a little while then maybe when you do allow them in the same room maybe have your husband hold the baby and just see what the dog does ...with at least someone else in the room to grab him if he acts out. Best of luck to you !

gabby: i never said that, but i will say, that yes, if my pets attack my child, they are gone. and that really should be the mindset because a newborn can't do anything to upset the dog like a toddler can by pulling tails, ears, etc. if an animal attacks a child for no reason, they have no place in that home. at least never again around that child. don't a__sume, however, that i'm one of those people that sees my pets as disposable bits of fun. like i said i've had my older cat for 8 years. he went through my divorce with me and when i cried, he was there licking my hand and meowing at me. when i found out i was pregnant, he began sniffing and staring at my stomach (once the heartbeat could be heard) and would begin sitting beside me at all times almost as if to watch over me. my 8 month old cat is just as much family (although his weeing ways are finally changing). when i was at my lowest moment feeling i would never get pregnant, here was this 6 week old kitten running to jump into my arms. it didn't replace the thoughts of having a child, but instead gave me something else to concentrate on as he was severely underfed and needed a lot of care. unfotunately, i feel as though you are trying to argue. no matter what you do or how you train or raise a pit or any other aggressive breed for that matter, some of them just turn. pits were bred to be fighters and sometimes you just can't love it out of them. my whole point in referring to your post was that the time spent owning a pet should not matter when it comes to kids. your kids will always be first in your mind and a pet should always be second.

wv_red: you might talk to the trainers and ask if there's anything that can be done at home to continue his training and to make sure he doesn't lapse. they usually have tips for you to work with the dog at home. **sprinkles** very true, but you have to have some way to stop the dog if it decides to lunge at the child. and even though a cattle prod would be very effective, there's not many other ways to restrain them. my sister's dog growls and snaps at me behind fences yet when i go back there she is rolled over on her back in submission because i'm the alpha female to her. ooh, i suppose the dog could be muzzled! hmm didn't think of that one before.