I have a 2 1/2 year old pitbull who 7 weeks ago had her first litter of 11 puppies. About 4 weeks ago she started showing aggressiveness towards the puppies and to me and my boyfriend. She is snapping at the puppies and growling at us. I am worried about now having her around because I have 3 children who are 5 and under. I know that the right thing for me to do is to get her out of my house which I will be doing. I just wanted to know why she suddenly started doing this. If I could please get some reasons as to why.
Thank you,
Karissa

Most likely hormones and so forth from being pregnant. Also if her parents were aggressive by nature some could be inherited.
My pit had a baby at close to the same age and she is still the most lovable dog. I think some are just more prone to aggressive tendencies.
Yes you definitely need to find another place for her if she is aggressive. Make sure she doesn't go to somebody that wants to train her to be more aggressive.

Most animals will become very protective of their offspring. In a pit bull which is already an aggressive breed in general it can become a real problem. Get the dog out of the house before someone gets seriously hurt.

Yeah at first I was thinking aggressive for protection but OP said she is about 4 weeks ago she started showing aggressiveness towards the puppies

I don't think it has much to do with the breed, unless she comes from a line of aggressive dogs. Pitbulls can be very loving dogs, they just have a bad reputation. A lab raised to be aggressive would be aggressive. I agree with the statement about hormones, and the best thing to do would be to try and find her a home with someone who could handle training her. She showed no aggressiveness before the litter? At all?

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Originally Posted by KayGates

Pitbulls can be very loving dogs, they just have a bad reputation. A lab raised to be aggressive would be aggressive.

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Sorry, I have to disagree with you there. I have never seen an aggressive Lab. Pit bulls, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, although they can be trained one way or another are still considered aggressive breeds. I have raised Shepherds and they were for the most part very loving, but could become aggressive at the drop of a hat. And they needed to constantly be told who the Alpha is in the their home. On the other hand Labs are so laid back that you can place them in a room full of small children and they will not harm them. Just not their nature

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Originally Posted by KayGates

I don't think it has much to do with the breed, unless she comes from a line of aggressive dogs. Pitbulls can be very loving dogs, they just have a bad reputation. A lab raised to be aggressive would be aggressive. I agree with the statement about hormones, and the best thing to do would be to try and find her a home with someone who could handle training her. She showed no aggressiveness before the litter? At all?

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I have posted this before - I'm a liability investigator. People never believe the breed with the most bites I've investigated in about 20 years.

Labs. Is it because there are more of them, people don't spend the appropriate time training them because of their "sweet" reputation, people with aggressive dogs watch them more closely?

I don't know - I've had Labs, Shepherds, Rotts. My Rotts have been laid back; people are wary of Shepherds; people waltz right over to Labs without knowing anything about the dog.

Worst bite I've ever seen? Akita - absolutely tore a kid's scalp off. Second worst? St. Bernard.

I was bit by a lab when I was little.
I believe all breeds have the capability of aggressiveness.
I just believe that if the mother wasn't aggressive before, and she is 2 1/2 years old, it isn't really breed specific. It is probably a hormone imbalance caused by the pregnancy or something else.

I know there are breeds that are more aggressive than others, but one of the sweetest dogs I ever met was a Pitbull so when I hear people talking about how aggressive they are, I sometimes have a hard time imagining it.

I agree. My good friend and teacher has a Pit bull.The first time I met her she was all wagging tails and dogie smiles. I love pit bulls. They just have a bad reputation from the breeding of fighting dogs.