Death by Pitbull
7 year old Tanner Monk was killed by 2 pit bulls in Texas last week. Another sad tale in the long history of pit bulls. I just had to write a completely factual hub about pit bulls and their history. Tanners death is no joke, what is a joke is not having laws banning these menaces to society.
http://hubpages.com/hub/pit-bullsMenaces to society, give me a break. Not all Pit Bulls are mean, it happens to be in the way they are raised. You can take any animal and treat it bad and it will become mean, treat it nice and with respect and you will get the same. People are always putting all the blame on these wonderful dogs, what about who raised them. I have a pit bull and she is great, I also have a Two year old son and it is his dog. I never once have had to worry about her with my son, they are pals. The biggest thing with children is many think it is fun to grab, hit or pull on a dog, they don't know any better, they have to be taught as well. Does that give the right for a dog, any breed, to attack, no of course not, but until all sides are covered, don't just blame the dog. Don't just blame them because they are a Pit Bull.
Not all of them are bad.. But I won't deny that some will attack, but ususally there's a reason behind it besides pure dog attack (that goes with any dog attack with any breed).
Remember the story I posted on your last hub... I believe you deleted it as it was a story about how 2 adult male APBTs did not attack 2 young children.
Background history:
Zeus- older male, brindle, laid back
Kane- younger, white, fiesty and a major instigator in fights
Sub-Story:
Zeus, being laid back takes a lot of crap and pushing from Kane, the more dominant of the 2. They are both neutered, but still have their fights and argument, usually when Zeus has had enough of Kane in his face. Well, the last fight called for my cousin to pulling one dog and his wife pulling the other apart. They had to be carefuly pulling the dogs apart as Zeus's tooth was through Kane's lip.
Sub-Story 2:
Kane has attack a 4 month old APBT that weighs 50 pounds.The pup is taken care of by my cousin's best friend, and makes frequent play dates at his house. One day they got into it, leaving the pup with a huge neck wound, that is now a huge scar behind his head.
These dogs are covered in battle wounds from their own fights, and are loved family pets, living indoors, and sleeping on the bed.
Main Story:
While he was at work, my cousin's wife invited her friend over. The friend has 2 yound children- one is aged around 2 and the other much younger.
Now, Zeus and Kane have never been around young kids before. The neighbors have young kids, but the dogs are never really in contact with them because they're inside dogs. So anyway.... Having NO socialization with younger kids, this sounds like a bad situation waiting to happen.
Zeus, being laid back, could have cared less about the kids. Kane, being more fiesty and dominant, was terrified and didn't want anything to do with them.
End of story- both young children went home with their mother. All three with 10 toes and 10 fingers.
Meaning of the story- not all APBTs are inherently vicious and baby-killers. Remember these 2 adult, male Pit Bulls have never had real contact with young children before....
(Stop spamming the forums with your hub links, as the only reason for this thread was to promote your hub and to piss people off.)Whitney, I don't think Hoodala's intention was spamming the forums. I know you guys strongly disagree on the pitbulls, and I think he just want to go public with the discussion once again
What exactly does that story prove? Than in one instance of psychotic dogs meet children there wasn't a terrible ending?
You really need to face the fact that people all over this country are being killed by these wonderful "pets" of yours.
You want to call me a spammer so I will go hide in the shadows and not give a contradicting opinion.
Truth is Tanner Monk, a 7 year old kid was killed by 2 pit bulls last week. Another death that could have been avoided. I know you will defend these malicious terrorists to the ends of the earth, or until they turn on you and that is why the real truth about pit bulls needs to be told.I've got another story to prove that it's not just a one case scenario...
My dog has never had real contact with young children, and my 7 year old cousin came over. The dog didn't try to attack her. She was more scared of her than aggressive or psychotic. Granted my dog isn't aggressive by any means.
You really need to face facts that not all of your stories are accurate.
I'll defend them even if I get bit, because if I get bit by any dog, of any breed, it was probably my fault.
By the way I've been bit by more small dogs than big dogs. I've worked with shelter dogs for over 5 years and helped trained many of them. I've been in contact with many bait dogs, abused APBTs, and stray "pit bulls," and I've never seen signs of aggression in any of them. Please explain to me why a dog with a bullet wound and is severely emaciated never once tried to even growl at me. Or why a dog with her ears cut off with shears, emaciated, dehyrated, and barely alive when she was found never tried to bite me. Or why a dog used as bait in the pit with over 50 puncture wounds, a fractured jaw, and a broken leg, never tried to attack when I'd pet her. I can go on if you'd like, but I'm sure you wouldn't...
By the way each of those dogs were your psychotic Pit Bull.
You've hit the nail on the head with your statement Charlotte. Except he deletes the facts so that only he is the one who gets to read them. He wants to further the fear of these dogs from people who are genuinely trying to find out the truths. If they're being provided one side of the story, they'll never get the truth and will always be leery of these type of dogs.
If you're going to write something controversial, it's better to write from an unbiased point of view and state all the facts.
I'll never deny my love for the breed in my hubs about them, but I also won't deny the possible dominance and agression that comes with them.I don't trust these dogs either; my neighbor had one, I and my children had been in their house many times with no problem. But one day, a visitor opened the door and the dog got out. It raced straight to my son and his friend who were outside riding bikes down the street and attacked my son's friend. No provocation, no teasing, no nothing had happened. Just an attack that no one understands. The boy was already afraid of dogs and always stayed far away, this has elevated it to hate.
Terrorists?? You mean the dogs make a conscious effort to coordinate their attacks against humans? Are you for real? I did therapy on all sorts of dogs, pit bulls included, and like Whitney said it was the little ones that were more likely to bite. What the problem is is that people don't know how to train their dogs. They see a backyard breeder with Pit Bull puppies for $50 you can bet they'll take it home...and not raise it right. The same thing could have happened if it was 2 poorly trained labs or 2 poorly trained chihuahuas or any other breed under the sun. If they're not trained they will show aggression and go crazy.
I think you are being a bit dramatic. Any animal or person can be deadly depending on the circumstance. It goes back to nature vs nurture.
I have a cat who chases balls and sits on my lap on trains. People don't think cats can do certain things but it's not true. Any animal or person can be taught to act a certain way, depending on their environment. If you teach an animal to fear, if they are around an object that they feel threaten by; they will attack. My cat is very calm, but if I'm tickling her stomach and she wants me to stop, she will bite me. Also to show me no hard feelings, she will lick the bite mark afterwards. In certain causes an animal or person does not know when to stop or hold back and that is what leads to death.
So whose fault is it? The animal for leashing out or people not being there to protect the situation. I understand that you can never be prepared for a situation but people need to be more aware. Not to just protect humans but to also protect animals. It's a give and take situation.
After saying all of that. I am sorry for the lose of a life. It could have been avoided, by people being more watchful. No matter how much you trust an animal, you always have to be watchful. The same goes for people.Any dog with teeth can bite. Any person (child OR adult), uneducated about dogs and their body language, can fall victim, or worse - be the reason for the attack.
I have seen 6 PEOPLE get bitten by dogs, right in front of me. NOT ONE was by a "pit bull" - i.e. American Pit Bull Terrier, AmStaff, Other Bully.
1. My friend Alicen and her father loved to hunt. They owned Bloodhounds and Labs. Their CHOCOLATE LABRADOR RETRIEVER (neutered male) ATTACKED the father UNPROVOKED as he bent down to tie his shoe. The dog sprinted across the room to where we were sitting and literally ripped his upper lip off his face as he bent down to tie his freaking shoes. The bite was never reported, because they didnt want their dog to be killed.
2. Alicen's house again. Their OTHER Lab, a Chocolate Lab/Chesapeake Bay Retriever Mix named Baby, attacked the Bloodhound puppy Nelly while she was eating. Alicen's father went to break up the fight and that was that. Later on, Baby was asleep when he called the dogs outside to go potty. Baby didnt budge so he took her by her collar and pushed her towards the door. She turned on him and tore his arms up pretty badly. She never gave warning (growling, being stiff, etc) before she attacked. They STILL have both vicious dogs and are some of the most Anti-Pit Bull people I've ever met.
3. My niece was 3 months old when the family's mini Poodle bit her face up while we were playing with her in the living room on the floor on her blanket. This attack wasnt reported either, but they gave the dog away to the humane society and didnt tell them she had bitten anyone.
4. An Airdale Terrier used to live down the street from me and when I would ride my bike with my friends we would have to go past the house to get to the park. So as to not provoke the dog, we would cross the street before the house and ride quickly on the opposite sidewalk. Regardless, he would often get out of his fenced-in yard and chase us. One day, he knocked my friend off the bike and bit his leg and ankle up pretty badly before the owner came running out of the house. The owner yelled at us and grabbed his dog. My friend's mom reported the owner to the dog warden but nothing came of it, so it never made the bite records that year.
5 & 6. I've always lived in low-income neighborhoods, and this is still true. My current next-door neighbor owns 3 German Shepherds. A lot of little kids live by me and they're always in front of my house playing and riding in the street. They play with my dogs through the fence (after asking me permission, of course!) and thought one day they could do the same with the Shepherds. Two scaled the fence and attacked three little girls. I grabbed a water hose and attempted to get him off of them. My dogs were barking loudly at the dogs. Finally the owner came out and got them. The little girls were rushed to the ER and files have been charged against the owner however, he still has the beasts!! If those dogs were Bullies they would have been whisked away in a heartbeat!!
In conclusion, this isnt for Hoodala because I know you'll never read and/or wont actually take into account what I have to say. This is for people who understand the joys of owning a WELL-BEHAVED, FRIENDLY dog of ANY breed and for those who ARE willing to listen to reason. BSL needs to stop. It helps NO ONE!
Hoodala only hears what he wants to hear.
The facts presented to him numerous times in his hubs, the proven studies, all the information shown plain as day to him, all these things will never EVER be actually read by him, he's only in it to be a sensationalist.
Trying to show him the truth about the breed is like talking to a brick wall.As it has been said before, a pitbull can be an awesome dog, it is all how you raise them.
As a person who does therapy on dogs, are you saying they can’t make a conscious effort? Why would you do therapy on a dog when a 3 cent bullet would suffice?
Whitney where are all of these facts that you keep claiming I have deleted? That latest hub is full of facts and photographic evidence that cannot be denied. God I amuse myself.By saying they are "terrorists" you are implying that they are talking to each other, coordinating and planning their attacks for the downfall of human kind, leading to the rise of the Pit Bull Empire. Sounds kind of silly doesn't it?
I actually just found that you didn't deny my story on your hub. So for that I appologize. But you can't deny you have never denied my comments in the past. Many people on here have seen and can attest to that. There have been many cases where you will answer one or two comments of mine, and then delete the third, and all the previous ones, leaving just your replies talking to yourself, and occassionaly referring to me. It's hard to prove as I don't printscreen every comment that I attempt to leave on your hubs.. Sorry I'm not that anal. Nor do I really care.
I've never actually done the therapy on them; I've just helped traing them once they've recouped the ordeal and any and all vet visits. Any dog of any breed that can lift his head no matter of the circumstance of his condition still has the will to live, and that's why he should be given the opportunity to a real life. The tan Pit Bull with the bullet wound was actually given a nice shot to the thigh, which leave a hole about 2 inches in diamete, give or take; she had been severely over-bred and hated most small dogs, and yet she never once attack one, just gave them all nasty warning growls. The last I heard, her foster parents had her living inside with about 3 or 4 terrier mixes and one larger dog, and Lola never once tried to attack the smaller dogs or the larger one.
Pashun, it's not just that people don't know how to train their dogs, but it's also that they don't care to do so. And, not just that but the majority of the population does not train and socialize their children how to behave around dogs, which is also a major problem.
Not necessarily. But they can show dominance, which is commonly misunderstood as most people cannot properly care or treat dominant dogs, which usually ends in problems as they tend to make the situation worse. This is a big problem in all breeds, but more importantly in dogs that have a propensity to being dominant. Because dogs are pack animals, if the owner cnnot prove his own dominance in the family, then the dog will try to take that pack leader position, which is where people come into problems.
Men kill people all the time. Should we pass a law against them too?
Usually it is not a dog's fault when it becomes vicious because often the owners have not trained their pet to behave properly. Many dog bites could be prevented if people followed the leash laws and kept their dogs restrained within fenced in yards. I used to have dogs, but I had many problems as a child when my friends and I would be approached by snarling dogs that our neighbors let roam free. I never considered it the dog's fault because the owner was negligent at obeying the leash laws. Sometimes dogs get loose and do attack people and these attacks are unfortunate, but I would hate to see all animals punished because of a few.
My concern about pitbulls is nothing to do with their alleged nature.
Any dog is capable of attack if it's feeling threatened. And people, especially children, can unknowingly behave in ways that make a dog feel threatened. Knowing that possibility is always there, I would hesitate to own a pit bull or any kind of bull terrier.
A Rottweilers has 800psi (Pounds Per Squire Inch Jaw Pressure) - A Bull Terrier has 1200psi. A Pit Bull has 2000+ psi plus.
A Pit Bull does not lock its jaw as do other dogs, but its lower jaw scissors back and forth to rend flesh from the bone.
You'll note I say nothing about the dog's character. A pitbull is not necessarily any more vicious than any other dog - but it's what he can do with that jaw if he IS vicious that makes him so deadly.
I've seen a Staffordshire bull terrier bite almost clean through solid wood. And he was only playing. I don't ever want to see what a Pitbull could do.
Isn't there any way that responsible breeders could breed this fearsome weapon OUT of the Pitbull? It's human breeders' fault it's there in the first place, I'm sure.There has been a test of PSI of a Rottweiler, German Shepherd, and an APBT. The Rottweiler had aPSI of 328;the German Shepherds had a PSI of 238; and the Pit Bull had a PSI of 235. The average PSI is about 200 to 350; it's actually pretty rare for the PSI to get higher than 350.
It is absolultely impossible for a dog, any dog of any breed to have a jaw that allows them to hold on with the front jaws and scissor with the back. This includes the scissoring of the bottom jaw. The anatomy of a pit type dog is the absolute same as any other dog, so if a pit type dog can do this, then any other dog can do this as well..
Marisa, sounds like you need to read my hub about the myths of Pit Bulls. If the things that you mentioned were true, you have created a monster dog with super-dog genes. The only different in anatomy is that pit type dogs have more muscles in their jaws.
There are responsible breeders who breed for temperament, but it's pretty hard to breed out breed characteristics that define a breed's origin. You see herding dogs nipping the heels of children and other animals even if they were never breed to herd because herding dogs were bred to nip the heels of livestock to herd them. You still get terriers that inately chase rodents out of holes becuase that's what they were bred to do. And, of course, you still get dominant Pit Bulls, and at this point it's up to the breeder to train and socialize the pup before placing it in a home, and after that it's up to the new owner to continue this training and socialization. If you go to a responsible breeder of "pit bull" type dogs, the majority of the litter will be gentle and kind and will never use the skills of its ancestors.Replying to your statement of jaw power in terms of psi:
All DOMESTIC dogs have the same basic jaw structure - One upper aw (maxilla) and on lower jaw (mandible). Now let's look at the amount of force in a bite. These results are from a study done by Dr. Brady Barr of National Geographic. His test subjects were wild animals, dogs, and humans. (PSI= pounds per square inch)
Humans - 120 pounds of bite pressure
Wild Dogs - 310 lbs
Lions - 600 lbs
White Sharks - 600 lbs
Hyenas - 1000 lbs
Snapping Turtles - 1000 lbs
Crocodiles - 2500 lbs
DOMESTIC DOGS - 320 lbs on average
**Note: Due to the large variety of breeds we now have, it is safe to assume that the larger breeds are around 320 and the smaller breeds are below 320, HOWEVER, no domestic dog has EVER (and I repeat, EVER) been calculated above 345lbs of bite pressure. And that had to be one HUGE dog to produce that much!!
**People who often quote massive amounts of pressure that bully breeds are supposedly capable of are unknowingly reiterating the same spiel given by dog fighters when they attempt to brag about their "prize fighters." It is a common mistake, and I am simply here to educate!
Source: The Pit Bull Placebo by Karen Delise - Which I might add is a great read for dog lovers!
Hope this info was helpful!
I stand corrected, Whitney. These statistics were supposedly from the RSPCA, so I will now go and do my research.
I still know what I saw with my own eyes - the power of that Staffy's jaw was way above anything I've ever seen any other dog achieve, and I remember doing some research on it at the time. I dont think anything as sophisticated as PSI's were quoted but there seemed no doubt all the bull terriers have more powerful jaws than the average dog. It certainly scared me and I've never approached such a dog since (whereas I'm the kind of person who pats dogs in the street normally).
I've known spaniels with a nice temperament and a spaniel that took a bite out of a child's face. I've known lots of labradors with lovely temperaments and a black lab who gave a child a nasty bite. Rottweilers in Australia (who are almost all descended from a single litter) are all big softies and are more likely to harm you by knocking you over while trying to lick you, but there have been a few cases of Rottweiler attack here. I'm sure you're not saying that the pitbull is gentler and more predictable than any of those breeds and would never protect itself under any circumstances.
When a child does the wrong thing, a dog is going to defend itself. A normal dog will give the child a bite. A big dog will give the child a serious mauling. The pit bull will kill - not deliberately, and not because it's vicious, but because it has been bred (by humans!) to be so much more efficient at maiming. That's what concerns me.I'm not saying they don't have a nasty, powerful bite, as they do. It's just nearly impossible for a dog to have a PSI of even 800. I mean it's rare to get above 350.
In general most dogs have great temperaments, as it's all in how you raise them, train, and socialize them. And, no I'm not saying that pit type dogs are more gentle or predictable than the other dog breeds. I'm just saying that they can be. My APBT and the majority of the APBTs are sweeter than any small dog I've ever met... Well, on exception for one rat terrier...
As for gentle... Well, that's their fault really. I mean they're a big breed, and they don't realize their size. They'll accidently knock you over or trip you or whatever... But most of the time, it's really is an accident and not because they're trying to be aggressive or dominant.
As for predictable... No dog is predictable really... I wouldn't trust any dog I didn't know with a child or another animal. But, as for my own dogs, I know to tell people to be iffy of the yorkie, and the Pit willl be fine once she settles down. Give any guest a spray bottle and the APBT won't go near them.
You statement about a child pissing of a Pit Bull and it automatically attacking and killing is by far innaccurate. They are still like any other dog breed. They do have their limits, but usually they will give a warning for the child to stop, just like any other dog. Most of them that are in fmaily settings are not aggressive by nature. They just are very determined, which is what was inbred for years. These dogs are strong, determined, and willing to do whatever their owner asks of them. These dogs actually have a higher tolerance than most other dogs.
It's up to the parent to teach a child how to behave around dogs and how to treat them. I'm not saying it's every parent's fault for every dog attack, but it's their responsibility to teach their children how to behave, as well as teach the dog how to behave. Most dog attacks do not occur as reported. You hear what the media wants you to hear and usually that's the nitty-gritty of "dog attacked kid" and not what happened every instance leading up to the attack.
You also have to remember that Pit Bulls, Bull terriers, and all other dog breeds that have the ancestry of dog fighting, which is actually a number of modern breeds, were all bred for dog aggression and not human aggression. These dogs had to be reliable around the handlers; you don't want your own dog attacking you, and neither did they. Those dogs that made it to retirement, were kept as pets in family situations. I mean the Colby line of Pit Bulls were fighters as were most, and Colby used to have his children help raise, train, and care for his fighters and puppies... A man who trained, raised, and fought dogs, trusted those same "vicious" fighting dogs with his own children... Wouldn't that say something?It is illegal to own a Pitbull in Ontario, Canada. If you already owned one before the law went into effect (last year, I think), then you have to keep it muzzled in public.
I (briefly) considered getting a Pitbull myself, but lets look at the facts. Pitbull proponents say that Pitbulls are great and wonderful and good with kids and only attacked when provoked 'like any other dog'... they also say that half the time people don't know whether a dog is a Pitbull or not or just call it one.
I'd like to go with that, because I like animals, and I met a very nice pitbull puppy once, and I even lived with a couple for a while who managed to refrain from ripping my face off, which was nice of them, but looking at the facts, it is pretty obvious that Pitbulls ARE dangerous dogs. Lets compare them to a similarly sized popular dog, the golden lab. You don't hear of too many Golden Labs savaging kids to death do you? You don't often hear that a labrodor broke off its chain and went after a little old lady and killed her, do you? (Of course there was that labrodor that ate its owner's face off when she was asleep in France, but I always wondered how a woman slept through having her face eaten off.)
Even the research I did on Pitbulls suggested that to a certain extent their temperament is bred, and there are obviously a fair few unstable ones out there.
Should we ban them? I don't think so, but I think ownership should be severely restricted to those who understand them, and I think club attendance should be mandatory, and probably temperament assessment too. The breed has obviously been ruined by bad handling and worse breeding which has resulted in sufficient numbers of dogs that will kill people.
If Pitbull proponents don't want the breed banned, then they should support legislation controlling it, because even if your own particular pitbull is a smoochy baby, there are many who aren't - and those are the ones who might one day lead to the breed being banned for good everywhere.- Peter_Sobczakposted 16 years ago
0I found this page this morning, and I think this shows a good example of how it is easy for pit bulls to be blamed for attacks. Identify the pit bull
Most pit bulls don't do it on there own, they are provoked to attack if trained right from birth. Most are nice companions like other dogs.
Just a comment after reading all of these posts...Certain breeds of dogs have the possibility of aggression such as Pit Bulls and Rottwielers(sp) and some other breeds. There are a number of things that can bring this aggression out! I will say that even though you may raise them properly, there is no guarantee that they will not attack someone at some point. I guess that is why I like cats much more! If I were to own a dog, I would prefer those that typically do not have this inherent aggression tendencies like a cocker spaniel or a lab...Tom
I just wanted to comment that I just received a comment on one of my hubs that said the US Humane Society marks Labrador Retrievers as being more dangerous than Pit Bulls. He also stated that in the last 10 years, Labs have bitten more humans than APBTs.
I emailed the guy to get more stats to back that up. Just thought I'd add that to the discussion.They really need to ban the stupid humans, who are breeding/training them to be aggressive.
It used to be Rotties was the "breed of choice."
If there are no more PBs, the sub-human-life-forms will just move on to wreak havoc on another breed.
PBs aren't the first, and they won't be the last.
Perhaps some humans should have been spayed and neutered instead?
How about Chihuahuas? Little but mighty scary! (still love 'em though:>)I agree with you. On my severe dog attacks hub regarding PB's there is info about the German Shepherd once being the most feared dog and how the public's opinion changed via RinTinTin and other media standpoints.
Pet education and spay/neuter programs are the key to truly solving the problem.
And, like you said, for towns who have banned PBs and other breeds, those people using the breed for bad, just change to a different breed or just move their residence.
I'm sorry, but if it came to it, I would rather leave the country than give up my dog... I will move and move and move, until the last place is another country.
Thank you Hoodola for spreading this ever never to end stereotyping of a dog breed. I would highly advise all those that think Pitbuls are mean to educate theirselves better on these dogs-that ultimately are just as any normal dog.
Try to ask the experts what Pitbulls are like rather than any common biased person who has read the headlines of the latest Pitbull attack.
Ask any reputable breeder and they will tell you they can be the kindliest animal on earth.
Ask shelter rescuers and they will tell you that many were adopted out to loving families with no regret and that most aggressive Pitbulls were the sad result of being abused or trained to be mean and fight.
Ask therapy associations and they will tell you that many Pitbulls are enrolled and have made wonderful service dogs.
Ask the National Canine Temperament Testing Association which tested 122 dogs breeds for temperament, and the Pit Bulls ranked 4th!
Ask about the Pitbull named Stubby. He was a hero. He has earned several medals during World War I and was even honored at the White House.
Ask about a Pit Bull named Weela. She saved 30 people, 29 dogs, 13 horses and a cat during a severe flood in Southern California.
You may want to finally, ask yourself if you are now knowledgeable enough to reconsider this breed and give it a second chance, granted a properly trained Pitbull will prove that it can make a great loyal companion for life.
To learn more about Pitbull Myths please visit my reference link below:
http://www.austinlostpets.com/kidskorne … itbull.htm
I hope this helps people better understand this loyal dog breed. Thank you for reading.....I agree here it basic common sense. It's all in who and how they are raised it's that simple!!! How hard is it to understand that. There are many dogs that are rescued and have been abused and neglected and cant be saved because of the way they were treated and they aren't all pits either. Sometimes the damage is too extensive, but by no means is it the dogs fault. Again it is all in how they were raised!!
It sickens me to read or hear about anyone who generalizes any group, be it human or animal. Lumping all members of a group (in this case Pit Bulls) as a whole is rediculous. Try to look at it this way... if an alien race looked down on and observed humans we would be lumped into one group and called a race of awful, horrible, murderous savages. How can I say this? There is ALWAYS a war going on somewhere, dangerous and vicious crimes are on the rise everywhere, our media and entertainment is full of violence and negative imagery.. I could go on. But we all know that not every human is savage and horrible. In the same way neither are Pit Bulls. We of course only see the negative reporting that perpetuates the myth that they are all bad dogs. I personally own a pit who is the sweetest dog ever. All Im saying is try not to see only the negative and make a baseless generalization on it based solely on that.
Hello, after reading this i had decided to join because i have had a hand in raising/training Bulldogs (from Bullmastiff to Pitbull) for 20 years. The ignorance is overwhelming though with Pitbulls and their attack rate, however given the chance ANY dog will attack if so trained OR neglected!
Media hypes APBT and other like dogs because that preconcieved notion has already been imbeded that "they are bad dogs", and it's just ignorant people that take misinformation and run with it. Now, what if i were to say your neighbors, friends, or cousins Daschund is 90% more likely to bite or attack children over an APBT....would that be true? Look it up!
Granted, most people do not socialize enough, nor should be even allowed to have such an animal, so any dog will be aggressive if not properly cared for.
Normally all Bulldogs get bad raps....But so do Sheps, Rotts, Dobes (other large breeds too), and that's solely based upon the handlers ignorance! People so called train their dogs to attack, but they don't train in the hold or off command, or "When" is the right and wrong time for such things.
My personal APBT, ABD, Bullmastiff, and Cane Corso are quiet (even on alert), well behaved animals! And believe it or not, my APBT was the EASIEST to train out of all my dogs over the years! Plus, i do not even give him verbal commands, but when i do he knows what they are and listens.
Unfortunately all my dogs have defended my home and family at different times, but only when told number one, and number two, only when intruders had entered my house or garage. Though, off alert they are all on their back with paws up just waiting for a scratch or someone to lay with them.
So when you, Hoodala, talk as if you "know" you don't! And if you want the media to run your life, more power to ya because ignorance is obviously the preponderance of evidence.Its the pet owners fault when the dog is agressive. What do some people know about the breeds? Mostly nothing. I'm scared to death of little tiny breeds.
Thank you for the listing to identify the PB. Yes i found this breed but there were some other breeds which I never heard or seen before. They do look similar to the PB.
What about the little breds? Don't they bite ?Biting or killing are not crimes in dog world - survival of the fittest is still part of their character, so don't expect them to behave and think like humans. They act as they are trained to act.
Dog ownership is a major commitment - regular socializing, training, play and exercise are absolutely essential. Pitbulls, however, are often obtained as a macho status symbol, chained up with a too-large, too heavy chain, and ignored.
Worse yet, they may purposely made aggressive and encouraged to fight.
The pitbull problem lies with the owners, true, but if a real danger exists there will be laws passed and bans. This is probably the only practical way to control ignorant owners who shouldn't be allowed to go on spoiling dogs.
Too bad the responsible owners become collateral damage.Well two responsible owners are facing charges in Houston right now. Their two pit bulls dug out of their new kennel and attacked a little boy just riding his bike around his neighborhood. He is alive, but severly injured. The dogs were euthanized yesterday. The owners, who are not dog fighters or drug dealers, are being charged, although I think they took all precautions they reasonably could. The dogs just wanted out, and unfortunately they tried to kill a little boy - only the neighbors were able to intervene and beat the dogs off of him in time.
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?secti … id=8230236The dogs were pit bull mixes so I don't know that the breeding can be used to make a point. I don't know what kind of owners they were, but I stand by all that I noted above.
I've never owned a Pittie nor do I intend to. I do have 30 plus years of experience owning and training G. Shepherds and none of them has ever bit anyone. They were all trained and socialized from puppyhood and never allowed around children without supervision.
I have no problem with Homeowners Assns who don't allow dogs over a certain wt. or certain breeds. Human safety must always be the priority and the opinion of the majority rules.
My current shepherd will be my last (getting older now). I think I'm ready for my first cat.
I'd be happy if the owners were made to have a permit, as with any other dangerous weapon. Older than 18, mentally sane, neutering the dog unless they are breeders, etc...
That would protect the poor dogs as well. In the UK you see many young people of a certain aesthetic who love to use pitbull looking dogs as symbols of status. Seeing them prodding a dog just so it growls is not really helping the dogs reputation.
Wouldn't mind if other breeds that are considered dangerous/difficult to handle would need a permit too. If you cannot control your dog (and in the case of tiny women with high heels and crappy leashes, it's physically impossible they can control a big determined dog if he gets cross) you shouldn't have a dog.I've been around (and raised) Pits, Dobermans, Rottweilers, Mastiffs and other "vicious" dogs over the course of my 50 years.
The only dog out of all of them that ever bit me....
A poodle.
And SHE started it!
Little ill tempered creature!I've seen a small, tiny terrier chasing a big, fluffy and stronger dog. The big dog didn't know what was going on, only that there was hell biting on his legs.
Poodles are vicious
I'm a cat's person anyway
Poodles (toys and miniatures) and CockerSpaniels are the most frequent face biters in my experience. What people fail to realize with ANY dog is that they are born predators, and this means there will always be a predator deep inside. The Pitt gets a bad rap because of its amazing jaw power and speed, while the whole pit-fighting thing doesn't help their reputation either. Those handlers who persist in re-adjusting the k9 mindset for killing in these powerful dogs are the ones who are at fault; the dog is simply the "unpredictable" weapon. Most dogs, of any breed, would never think to do such things to a human or each other. It is man who has taught them the task of murder. It's like handing a loaded, hair-trigger-38c hand gun to a 2 year old child, nothing good is going to come of it...
I have noticed that whenever the media starts to publicize a story people swallow the sound bit hook line an sinker. Then a person like yourself jumps on the band wagon and go off on a tangient without all of the facts. I have on many occasions seen pitbulls in the house with children. On the other hand I have seen people train them to attack, the media always get the story wrong and never returns to correct the misinformation they dole out instead of news. Say for instance guns should be band, it's not the gun it's the mentality of the gun owner. and if they band the so-call vicious dogs and guns what protection will you have when the gestapo move on you.
First off I will say I love my Pitt Bulls but they are a hot breed when brought up and trained wrong.
That said here are some stats on dog attacks, fatalities and bites...
Report: U.S. Dog Bite Fatalities January 2006
to December 2008
A 2009 report issued by DogsBite.org shows that 19 dog breeds contributed to 88 deaths in a recent 3-year period. Pit bulls accounted for 59% followed by rottweilers with 14%.
Of the 88 fatal dog attacks recorded by DogsBite.org, pit bull type dogs were responsible for 59% (52). This is equivalent to a pit bull killing a U.S. citizen every 21 days during this 3-year period.
The data also shows that pit bulls commit the vast majority of off-property attacks that result in death. Only 18% (16) of the attacks occurred off owner property, yet pit bulls were responsible for 81% (13).
http://www.dogsbite.org/newsroom-releas … 042209.htm
http://www.dogsbite.org/bite-statistics.htm
All in all I still say it is the owner not the dog in most cases, who needs to be in jail. Half the people who own animals should not have them, and alot of the other half cannot control them.I tend to agree with you on this topic TM. Great legit information.
The only time I was bitten was by a mutt whose owner told it to 'sick' when I was riding my mountain bike. Granted, this was in Kentucky before I knew to stay on streets where I knew someone. But it didn't break the skin and I just ended up with a nasty bruise.
I think the reason people concentrate on pit bulls so much is because they actually kill sometimes. Not too many poodles will latch on and not let go until the person is dead.
It's not so much about biting as it is about killing.There are plenty of other dog choices that can be made. No reason to have these potential killers around especially with children.
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