GG: consider this.....those dogs are a menace to not only you and your family but the small children in your neighborhood are really in harm's way.....a pitbull attacked me in 2002...i managed to get on top of the garbage can holders and up on my wooden fence. he still was able to grab my foot and pull my hiking boot off ...i went to the city the next day and filled out a complaint..that was one strike against the dog. he attacked me again in two months and i went again and filled out the complaint form. that made him a "dangerous" dog in our town. the owners would have to then pen him and put a top on the pen .....they would have to buy a $50k insurance policy and also post a sign saying that he was a "dangerous" dog. they opted to have him put down. please consider the children's safety in your neighbor hood before you give up on this. a pitbull is so strong and once they latch on, it's impossible to pull them off. look at how that dog pulled my twice tied hiking boot off. if i had had regular shoes on, he would have broken my ankle and it has already been broken.....
i understand your hesitancy but please document what's going on. good luck, pat