We have an electric fence and a well trained and friendly pit bull mix. She's a rescue, so we don't know for sure, but she's tall enough that some Great Dane (or similar) might be in the mix. She weighs around 100#. She runs in the yard, but the electric fence keeps her at least 50' from the road where the occasional dog walker might come by.
We have one ditzy dog walker who brings her large ambiguous breed dog by our property. Lately she's taken to coming on our property, inside the electric fence boundary. I saw her do that, and explained that while our dog is friendly, dogs are dogs, and she should pay attention to both dogs' body language. I'm not sure she "gets it." I'm reluctant to tell her to just stay off our property if I'm not outside with the dog, but maybe I should.
Hypothetical: say she or some other dog owner came on our property and their dog was injured. Our dog is unleashed, but "controlled" by the invisible fence. Are we liable? Do I need to tell our insurance company that we have a dog with some unknown amount of pit in her? Afaik, NJ does not allow discrimination against specific breeds.
Full disclosure: six years ago I posted this on BH:
I was talked into fostering our dog, and soon fell in love with her. I also spent hundreds on professional training for her. She's the biggest lap dog I've ever owned. I have changed my mind on pit bulls, but I still think they should throw the book at irresponsible owners.I would not get a Pit Bull, and I would consider it a hostile act if a neighbor of mine got one.
99% of the time when you read about a kid mauled and killed by a dog, it was a pit bull. Beagles don't do that. I can't think of another breed, even aggressive ones, that turns against its owner and family.
All the talk about how it's the training, socialization, that it's not the breed's fault but the owners', etc., NONSENSE.
The breed should be outlawed.