New York woman arrested after Pit Bull attack.

[Guest Thallasa]

Due to the absolute immoral stupidity of people like this woman, thousands of pitbulls are destroyed every day.

Pitbulls used to be called nanny dogs, since they took care of children. They were the favorite family dog and appeared on many TV show,s like The Little Rascals. 

My kids used to play with one and it was very gentle with them.I understand it is the way they are raised.

Something like over 60% of dog bite fatalities in the U.S. are due to pitbulls. Unless 60 % of dogs are pitbulls, or unless pitbull owners are statistically horrible, irresponsibile owners, it would be very hard to attribute ths problem to "how they are raised" Clearly, there is something about the breed, that inclines them to be very agressive, dangerously so. I have known quite a few of these dogs, and they can be very sweet. However, statistics seem to indicate also, that these sweet, never hurt a fly dogs, somtimes just snap and go crazy.

To me, owning a pitbull that is allowed in public and/or not kept safely away from people, is similar to living in a city, and firing a gun into the air. You may not be intending to hurt anyone, but odds are that now and then, one of those bullets is going to hit someone. Pitbulls are living accidents just waiting to happen. I like the breed, but let's be honest, it is what it is.

A tiger is more dangerous than a lamb, not because of how it is raised, but because of differences in the nature of the animals.

  I agree with you .  Some people who have poor judgement like to justify their attraction to what is inherently an unpleasant animal .

 It seems the man attacked , owns one too .  Perhaps he has some lessons to learn too   , that the dog you own reflects much of your character ,your inner person . 

Edited September 15, 2015 by Thallasa
tidy up

[The_Patriot21]

Due to the absolute immoral stupidity of people like this woman, thousands of pitbulls are destroyed every day.

Pitbulls used to be called nanny dogs, since they took care of children. They were the favorite family dog and appeared on many TV show,s like The Little Rascals. 

My kids used to play with one and it was very gentle with them.I understand it is the way they are raised.

Something like over 60% of dog bite fatalities in the U.S. are due to pitbulls. Unless 60 % of dogs are pitbulls, or unless pitbull owners are statistically horrible, irresponsibile owners, it would be very hard to attribute ths problem to "how they are raised" Clearly, there is something about the breed, that inclines them to be very agressive, dangerously so. I have known quite a few of these dogs, and they can be very sweet. However, statistics seem to indicate also, that these sweet, never hurt a fly dogs, somtimes just snap and go crazy.

To me, owning a pitbull that is allowed in public and/or not kept safely away from people, is similar to living in a city, and firing a gun into the air. You may not be intending to hurt anyone, but odds are that now and then, one of those bullets is going to hit someone. Pitbulls are living accidents just waiting to happen. I like the breed, but let's be honest, it is what it is.

A tiger is more dangerous than a lamb, not because of how it is raised, but because of differences in the nature of the animals.

Actually, there are more dog bites from Golden Retrievers then Pit Bulls.

Pitbulls, when the bite will hang on and shake. Most dogs do that. It is natural for a dog to do.

Publicity has given the pitbull a very bad name, and very undeserved.  Because of that, pitbulls often are teased, or mistreated. Pitbulls are protective (similar to a German Shepherd). Pitbulls are especially protective of  the families children

thats first off not true, and even so, golden retrievers have a much softer bite, don't have locking jaws, and pit bulls lead to far more deaths then any other breed.

 

anti-pit bull, but I am anti retoric. I'm tired of people going around and saying oh they're not dangerous, they don't have a tendency to snap, yada yada. People they're not bad dogs, but they were bred to fight, that is what they were specifically bred for. No they arnt mean, but they are bred to fight, and they're prone to a genetic disorder that causes the brain to grow larger then the head-which is often the cause for older dogs to snap.

 

That's not say other dogs don't have their risks. I have a German Shepherd and a doberman/shiba ini mix. Both dogs are aggressive in nature-no they don't bite or fight, but they do play rough and like hunting smaller animals. Neither have ever shown any hostility towards any human, child or adult, and are both excellent dogs, but I still never allow them near my children unless I'm there to supervise. It's just common sense. I used to have a yellow lab, who was a very passive dog, and while him I would trust him unsupervised around my kids I still was around when he was with them. It's just called common sense. 

 

It's the same with pits. They can be great dogs and very protective, but they still have a higher chance of snapping due to breeding and genetic issues, and when they do snap they do a lot more damage then other breeds. Any responsible dog owner should take this into consideration.

[missmuffet]

German Shepherds are very intelligent dogs.

[The_Patriot21]

they are indeed, my other one is also very intelligent, all the same, I still dont let them around my kids unless Im there to watch them, they do have a higher percentage of biting then other dogs, and even if they dont bite intentionally, they do rough house. Theyre aggressive by nature. Theyre not bad dogs, theyre just aggressive-which isnt a problem if the owner takes that into consideration. If someone gets an aggressive dog-such as a german shephard, Belgian Malanois, or even a pitbull, and dont take that into consideration, and think that its just "hype" that these dogs are that way, and ignore their aggressive potential-they are preparing themselves for a world of hurt.

[Qnts2]

Since this is my profession,,,,,,training animals,,,perhaps I can clarify I few mis -perceptions & put thifs to rest,,,,,,,,Honestly,I didn't even click on the article but I have heard this story so many times already..........All breeds have very specific characteristics & when people have the idea in their head that they want a certain breed it would be great if they would first educate themselves on those "characteristics" to see if the "shoe fits",,,,not all breeds are a good fit for all individuals,especially when we are talking about pure bred dogs,which are bred for various things & that is what is inherent ,,,,bred in or "bred out".......

   Pit bulls were bred for exactly what their name implys,,,,,,their origin began by pairing  bull mastiffs & bull terriers mostly(& other similar breeds)to encourage that fearless verocity & tenacious behavior that would be needed to survive the "pit',where they kept bulls at bay fogr the bull fighters...........one very prominant characteristic of the breed is that they are a "one master " dog,,,,,,,as much as people would like to defend the breed as a "family type dog"they are not best suited to families or even to "couples".....this of course does not apply to every single pit bull ever bred ,but a a whole they do best with "one" pack leader,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

      It is not the aggression that is really the problem,they are no more aggressive than any other dog that is conditioned to be aggressive but there is a very significant & unique trait  that sets this breed apart and why the attacks are often times fatal & the injuries sustained after being attacked by a pit is much worse than any other dog ,,,,,I have worked with K-9's up tp K13 & dogs typically bite & then release ,bite & release,,,,,,,when training attack on command dogs they have to be taught to bite & "hold",,,,,,,the pit bull,on the other hand,does not release until his teeth have met which may resullt in more llbs per square inch but that has not been proven(not to convince me)  Humans have a bite pressure of around 120 lbcs,,,,dogs between 2 & 300 lbs ,compared to a white shark (600 lbs)      I have heard many conflicting results for the "jaw pressure tests" & I cannot tell you if a pit bull has more bite force than any other dog but from experience I can tell you that because they do not "release" it sets them apart in a very dangerous way.........it is in fact like getting bit by a shark ,the shark bites his prey ,holds & shakes,,,,,,,,

    So,is this the dog  someone should choose for the family pet,no,,,,,,,,is this the pet that some irresponsible owner with anger issues should have,no......is this dog a good pet at all,absolutely ,,,,,for the right person you could not find a better,more loving ,faithful & loyal animal that would  risk it's life to protect his owner                   Oh I know I will hear about John & Janes wonderful pit who is great with their 6 toddlers,,,,, well,good for them but a dog is an animal & animals re-act to different situations instinctively and an accidental bite by a pit bull is no joke,even just "playing" ,someone can be hurt badly.......

      It saddens me that people can just go pick out whatever dog they want & there are no laws to govern what dog goes where,,,,,,,,,,,,,,most people even "love "their pets to death because of ignorance,,,,,they could live much longer ,healthier lives in many cases,,,,,,,,poor diet,mishandling,not the proper vet care etc.......the list goes on & on,,,,,,Oh dear,people adopt & bear children that should nbot be parents by any stretch of the imagination ,,,so what can I say?                               With love-in Christ,Kwik

I disagree with your characterization of Pitbulls. I am not a professional animal trainer but have worked with dogs my entire life, and trained my own dogs, and associated with those who are involved in various dog competitions, including conformation, obedience, and agility.

The public attitude towards pitbulls has radically changed in the last 30 years. Prior to that time, pitbulls were regarded as family pets, and good with children. The following is a history of the changing attitude towards pitbulls:

https://www.cesarsway.com/about-dogs/pit-bulls/how-did-pit-bulls-get-a-bad-rap

Far from being considered a killing machine on legs, pit bulls seem to be an American favorite in the early half of the century — indeed, during World War I, the country itself is personified as a pit bull on army recruitment posters, and several pit bulls go on to become famous in the American military. Referring to an athlete as a pit bull is a very common sports metaphor through the 1930s, and it is meant as the highest compliment. There is also a famous racehorse in the late 1930s named Pit Bull, as well as a number of pit bull stars of early motion pictures. Frequently, pit bulls are associated with children, as in the Our Gang comedies, as well as with Buster Brown, both in short films and as the corporate mascot for a shoe company. The famous RCA Victor image of a dog and a gramophone also featured a pit bull terrier.

From the turn of the century until the early 1980s, there is exactly one dog attack story to make the national papers and mention pit bulls, but that’s probably because it involved a man intentionally siccing a pack of 26 dogs on a young woman. According to a 1947 article in The Independent (St. Petersburg, Florida), “Attorneys said they believed it was the first time the state had invoked a statute which would find the owner guilty of manslaughter if it were proven that he permitted vicious animals to run free and they attacked and killed a human being.” There’s no mention of pit bulls as vicious and no call for a ban of the breed, just a human who is held responsible for inducing the dogs to attack. Ironically, though, it is in Florida forty years after this incident that the first breed-specific ban is enacted. In the intervening decades, “pit bull” continues to be a popular description for athletes and when the breed does turn up in newspapers, it’s more often than not in a classified ad for puppies.

The only mention during the 1960s that isn’t an ad is a rather amusing bit from gossip columnist Earl Wilson, who reported in his August 22, 1969 column, “Sonny and Cher, who used to scare people, have now been scared by people. ‘Totally horrified’ by the Sharon Tate murder case, they bought a big dog — ‘a pit bull terrier’ — to protect them and their little daughter Chaste [sic] at their Hollywood Home...” It is at about this time that using large dogs for personal protection becomes popular, but pit bulls are still not singled out as particularly dangerous. In 1971, a new law allows the U.S. Postal Service to bill people for injuries caused to letter carriers by their dogs, but it applies to all dogs, and the general attitude is still one of human responsibility.

I have owned pure breeds, and I have owned mutts. I have owned rescue dogs and dealt with the problems found among rescue dogs and rehabilitating abused dogs.

A pitbull is not a uniquely vicious or problematic dog. Actually, pitbulls are considered very sweet, very intelligent, and NOT a one person dog. German Shepherds are one person dogs as are Dobermans. Not Pits. 

From petfinder:

9. Pit Bulls don’t require much grooming. Their short coat is very low maintenance and they can be bathed in very little time — not that they need to be bathed often. They do not need to be brushed (though most enjoy it) or get doggie haircuts, and their fur is not naturally odiferous.
8. Pit Bulls are very eager to please people. A Pit Bull will do almost anything his favorite people ask of him, just to hear their praise. These dogs crave our attention and approval, and are very social with humans. This devotion to people has contributed heavily to the bad reputation of Pit Bulls, because a bad person can use a Pit Bull’s eagerness to please to train the dog for nefarious or criminal purposes.
7. Pit Bulls are often very athletic. A Pit Bull will definitely motivate you to get daily exercise, whether you only want to walk around the block or train for a marathon. Pit Bulls also tend to excel at dog sports like agility. However, Pit Bulls are not obsessive about exercise, like some breeds.
6. Pit Bulls are super loyal. When you adopt a Pit Bull, you have a friend for life, through thick and thin. While Pit Bulls are not good guard dogs because they just love people so much, they may intercede if someone threatens “their” humans.
5. Pit Bulls are great with children. Pit Bulls are a loyal, people-oriented breed that thrive as part of the family. They are affectionate with both adults and children. Note: All children should be taught how to interact with animals and should be supervised when playing with any animal.
4. Pit Bulls are hilarious. Just like people, all dogs are distinct individuals, but Pit Bulls are usually bursting with personality and they love to make us laugh by clowning around. They are fun and playful, even as they get older.
3. Pit Bulls love, love, love people. And Pit Bulls do not discriminate against humans for any reason. Even if a Pit Bull does not like other dogs, they typically love humans and are happiest when they are with us. They remind us of this by wiggling happily and kissing us often!
2. Pit Bulls love to cuddle. Even the most athletic Pit Bull will also have a sedentary side and crave being hugged and petted. Adopt a Pit Bull and you will have a constant companion keeping you warm in bed, on the couch, on your lap in your favorite chair. Did I mention that many Pit Bulls don’t realize they are too big to be lap dogs? For this reason and because they are so trainable, Pit Bulls can be excellent therapy dogs!
1. And the #1 reason why Pit Bulls rule? The Pit Bull smile. Pit Bulls are great for your mental health. If you are having a bad day, one look at your Pit Bull’s huge smile and lolling tongue will surely make you smile and their zest for life is infectious. Truly, happiness is a Pit Bull smile!

 

As far as the bite hold shake, that is done by all dogs. Dogs, in the wild, needed to kill prey to eat. Dogs kill by biting holding and shaking. If there is any doubt, any little puppy, when playing will bite their toy, hold it and shake it. Rope toys show how an animal will go for a good grip, and then hang on and pull. There is absolutely nothing unique about the way a pit bites something. If there is anything in this area that is a bit different is that pits do have powerful jaws.

[Qnts2]

Kwikphilly knows what she is talking about. It's not only their bite but Pit bulls also are horrendously difficult to pull off any animal or human that they have decided to attack.  

 Qnts2 -your comments show you don't know Pit bulls at all in my experience and knowledge of the breed.  Big deal Caesar has raised his pits to be pussy cats --that doesn't make their breed less dangerous to humans at large when they do attack.  These dogs are not easy to control when they decide to bite, as we've seen over and over in the media. Other dog breeds are often sited as being more often aggressive or causing more bites/ yr  but you can smack an attacking shepherd or a Rotweiler with a shovel or baseball bat , and it will back off or you could hurt it or knock it out --it wouldn't phase a Pitbull.   Police called to these situations have sometimes shot a pit bull several times and it didn't stop the dog immediately. Pit Bulls and Bull Mastiffs are among the attack dogs favored by drug gangs to provide protection & attack Police Officers in a drug raid. 

It's because it is like a Sherman tank with teeth! People should require a special license to have one and face a $10,000 fine if it attacks anyone--non-negotiable. 

The point is, I know many many many pitbulls, and have trained with pitbulls. I have friends who raise pitbulls etc. Pitbulls are in agility. I have interacted with a lot of pitbulls, and helped people who are agility training pitbulls. My dogs have played with pitbulls, and I have help doggie daycares who care for pitbulls.  I have seen pitbulls play with children and babies.

I find both your comments and kwikphilly's comments strongly influenced by the negative press which has been rampant over the past 30 years. Pitbulls, when properly raised, are very very wonderful family pets.

The fact that drug gangs prefer pit bulls has nothing to do with the character of pitbulls. Drug gangs also like dobermans, and drug gangs like cropped ears because it makes the dogs look more vicious. Drug gangs will train any dog to attack. They just like dogs they think look more vicious. By the way, they crop the pitbull ears to make it look more agressive. and they abuse the dogs to make them more aggressive.

As far as you 10,000 fine. It should not be based on breed. It should be fined against people who abuse animals, and make them mean. Pits are not mean dogs. They are people lovers and will attack you with a wet tongue and slobber. People make them mean.

Kwikphilly, as a professional dog trainer, if you are like most, you have been bit before. How many times have you been bit, and what were the breeds?  

Edited September 16, 2015 by Qnts2

[Qnts2]

Kwikphilly knows what she is talking about. It's not only their bite but Pit bulls also are horrendously difficult to pull off any animal or human that they have decided to attack.  

 Qnts2 -your comments show you don't know Pit bulls at all in my experience and knowledge of the breed.  Big deal Caesar has raised his pits to be pussy cats --that doesn't make their breed less dangerous to humans at large when they do attack.  These dogs are not easy to control when they decide to bite, as we've seen over and over in the media. Other dog breeds are often sited as being more often aggressive or causing more bites/ yr  but you can smack an attacking shepherd or a Rotweiler with a shovel or baseball bat , and it will back off or you could hurt it or knock it out --it wouldn't phase a Pitbull.   Police called to these situations have sometimes shot a pit bull several times and it didn't stop the dog immediately. Pit Bulls and Bull Mastiffs are among the attack dogs favored by drug gangs to provide protection & attack Police Officers in a drug raid. 

It's because it is like a Sherman tank with teeth! People should require a special license to have one and face a $10,000 fine if it attacks anyone--non-negotiable. 

The point is, I know many many many pitbulls, and have trained with pitbulls. I have friends who raise pitbulls etc. Pitbulls are in agility. I have interacted with a lot of pitbulls, and helped people who are agility training pitbulls. My dogs have played with pitbulls, and I have help doggie daycares who care for pitbulls.  I have seen pitbulls play with children and babies.

I find both your comments and kwikphilly's comments strongly influenced by the negative press which has been rampant over the past 30 years. Pitbulls, when properly raised, are very very wonderful family pets.

The fact that drug gangs prefer pit bulls has nothing to do with the character of pitbulls. Drug gangs also like dobermans, and drug gangs like cropped ears because it makes the dogs look more vicious. Drug gangs will train any dog to attack. They just like dogs they think look more vicious. By the way, they crop the pitbull ears to make it look more agressive. and they abuse the dogs to make them more aggressive.

As far as you 10,000 fine. It should not be based on breed. It should be fined against people who abuse animals, and make them mean. Pits are not mean dogs. They are people lovers and will attack you with a wet tongue and slobber. People make them mean.

From the ASPCA,

https://www.aspca.org/adopt/truth-about-pit-bulls

 

Tips for Adopting a Pit Bull

Thinking about adopting a pit bull? Congratulations! Pit bulls can make very sweet and loyal family dogs. Adopting a pit bull should be fun and joyful, so we’ve created a list of handy tips to help you make good choices.

Socialization is the key to a happy and confident dog. All puppies should be enrolled in a puppy class where part of the time is devoted to off-leash play with other dogs.

Pit bulls are enthusiastic learners. They enjoy trick training and many graduate at the head of their obedience classes. There are many pit bull rescue groups that can recommend training classes.

It’s play time! Pits are moderately active indoors and extremely active outdoors—be prepared to spend a minimum of 20 to 30 minutes twice a day engaged in aerobic-level activities with your dog.

You may experience breed discrimination. Legislation may prohibit you from living in certain communities, and homeowners insurance may be harder to find. Before you adopt, call your local city hall or animal shelter to find out about your local laws.

Do your research. Are your neighbors the kind who might get concerned about a pit bull in the community? Bringing home a pit bull may be tough because many people wrongly associate them as being aggressive. Be prepared with breed facts and history to let people know that it’s bad ownership—not bad dogs—that causes pit bulls to be aggressive.

Adoption is the best option. By rescuing a pit bull, you are saving a dog that needs a home and family. Adopting a pit from a shelter means that the dog will have had an initial health evaluation and should also have already been vaccinated and spayed or neutered for you. More and more shelters use a standardized evaluation to assess the behavior of their dogs. If the dog you’re interested in has been evaluated, ask to see the results so you can get a more complete picture of the dog’s typical reactions to things.

Consider adopting an older pit bull. With an adult dog, what you see is what you get. Their personality is already developed, and you'll be able to spot the characteristics you're looking for much more easily than with a puppy.

Establish house rules for your new dog that everyone will stick to. Consistency is the key to training. Decide on the behaviors you find acceptable and those that you wish to discourage, such as:

• Is she allowed on the furniture?
• Is it okay for her to bark in the backyard?
• Can she play with toys in the house?
• How do you want her to behave when guests come into the home?

Set a good example for others. Become a proud parent—be sure to show your pit bull the love and care she deserves. And always let others know what great companions they make!

[Omegaman 3.0]

t

he public attitude towards pitbulls has radically changed in the last 30 years. Prior to that time, pitbulls were regarded as family pets, and good with children. 

[/quote]

Um, I am sorry but when I was in my early 20's Pitbulls had a reputation of savagely attacking anything on four legs, and occasionally people, without being provoked by anything other than the object of thier aggression being in their field of veiw. I suspect that this reputation goes back further, but I was unaware of Pitbulls before then.

I do not know this for a fact, but I suspect that there reputation may be getting worse because the breed has become more common, and the more common they are, the more problems there will be, and the more problems, the worse their rep will be. In this modern error of communication, this will continue to be a problem.

I have had three friends with Pitbulls, that is how I became aware of the breed. These were all in the 1970's. Two of these friends were young men in their 20's, who got the dogs BECAUSE of their bad rep. The other owner was a family. The one in the family, as far as I know, never caused any problems. He was always on a leash and did not know what freedom from a leash was like, except in the house of backyard. 

When that one would see another dog, he would stand up and put tension on the leash (not pulling very hard) and whine. The man holding the leash would usually say something like: "No Pete, you cannot eat him", and then chuckle.

The other two Pittbulls, were a different story. My friend Mark, had a Pitbull named Bingo. Mark and I took Bingo out to an open field outside of town, where he could be allowed to run around. Bingo spotted a German Shepherd and took off toward it, and the German Shepherd was running toward Bingo. I do not know which dog started running first, I was not aware of the Shepherd until Bingo took off toward it. The dogs headed for each other, and just before the met, Bingo dropped onto his back and then lunged upward to grab the Shepherd by the throat. The man who owned the Shepherd, and Mark, were both running toward the dogs, and the Shepherd owner, reached them first. Bingo did that grab, hold, and shake behavior, we have already discussed.

The shepherd owner picked up a rock, about the size of a large cantaloupe, and began hammering on Bingo's shoulders. Bingo, at this time was already on his feet, and the Shepherd was on it's back. I would estimate the Shepherd at about 50% larger than Bingo. Mark was yelling: "stop hitting my dog" my dog, but the man (somewhat understandably) continued to beat on Bingo. When Mark reached the man, he punched him hard, in the face, knocking him to the ground. That whole time that Bingo was being pummeled with that rock, he never seemed to notice the man beating him, or that fact that he was being beaten. He just kept skaking that other dog like nothing else existed in the world, as if he felt no pain from the blows at all. In fact, Bingo suffered several bone breaks, but you would not know it.

Mark managed to get Bingo to release, or, maybe Bingo just released on his own while Mark pulled him back. The throat of the German Shepherd was ripped open, and the owner, picked up his dog, carrying it back across the field, I presume to where he had parked his car. The man was sobbing uncontrollably. Recalling the scene even makes me tear up a little, it was tragic to see unfold.

That other friend I knew, who also had a Pitbull, was named Bill. His dog was named Shiela. Bill used to live in Lousiana, and had moved to California On his way west, he stopped in Texas, and picked Shiela up. Bill was a horse guy, and had heard about Shiela from a cattleman he knew in Texas. The cattleman had been training Sheila, to help wrangle cattle. Sheila was supposedly getting the hang of it. One day though, Sheila decided it would be a great idea, for her to grab a horse by the nose, while a cowboy was riding it, the horse and cowboy fell. I do not know anything more about that story, other than the fact that the cattleman had no more use for Sheila, and so Bill adopted her. Sheila, would also go on, to get away from Bill's control in California, and attacked another dog and killed it, Bill had Sheila put down.

So, that is just anecdotal stories. But there, two out of three dogs, were pretty hard to control, and had some apparent instinct to attach other animals, at least it was not against people. Still, even that is a real problem. That issue, does not show up in the statistics of human deaths, but it is another problem that comes with Pittbulls. Sure, we can say, that it is not the Pitbull's fault that they are wired the way they are. We can point to the owners as irresponsible, and they were, in as much as they failed to take into account, how relatively crazy and unpredictable Pittbulls can be. Would people own a firearm, if it was always loaded, but prone to just fire a shot, even if rarely, without the trigger being pulled?

Here is the thing, from my perspective. The animal is dangerous, maybe  not all of them and then not all of the time, but it is dangerous. Adding to that problem, is the fact that there are people, who downplay that fact, and tell us that they are sweet, family dogs. So, this will lead others, to see them as desirable, and they acquire them. Of course, this increases the demand. That prompts people to breed them, and this increases the population of them, The increase in population, insures that Pitbull incidents will continue. That will lead to them getting a worse reputation, and stories of unprovoked attacks continue to happen and spread. That reputation, deserved or not, is what it is. Then, there are those who will get the dogs, precisely because of the reputation they have. Some, will want them just because of the junk yard dog mystique. Others, will get them for the sicko practice of underground dog fights, and that will lead to more tragedies of cruelty to animals and more 'newsworthy' articles, which will feed this whole cycle.

The problem is, there are two extremes of people in this picture. There are those irresponsible ones, who are a large part of the problem, and there are those who take up the cause to the Pitbull, who have wonderful intentions, but are helping to insure that more problems happen, because of their 'ACLU of Pitbulls' function which tries to paint the Pitbull in a better light.

I like Pitbulls. Of course, I also liked keeping rattlesnakes. Neither is the best idea! I do not advocate the destruction of Pitbulls. I do not advocate hunting them down and confiscating them where they have done no wrong. I do advocate, that people do not defend them as some desirable breed. I do recommend, that people stop breeding them, and that people not buy them from others, whether they are breeders or not. I recommend that really, they should all be neutered, I do not think it is a bad idea for them to be on an endangered breed list, if there is such a thing. It seems to me, that they are unnecessary, serve no real purpose that cannot be filled by more suitable animals. Since it is a man created breed, I see not moral issue with ceasing to perpetuate it.

This has been an Omegaman Editorial. All other opinions from qualified spokespersons, are wrong.

[Qnts2]

 

t

he public attitude towards pitbulls has radically changed in the last 30 years. Prior to that time, pitbulls were regarded as family pets, and good with children. 

Um, I am sorry but when I was in my early 20's Pitbulls had a reputation of savagely attacking anything on four legs, and occasionally people, without being provoked by anything other than the object of thier aggression being in their field of veiw. I suspect that this reputation goes back further, but I was unaware of Pitbulls before then.

I do not know this for a fact, but I suspect that there reputation may be getting worse because the breed has become more common, and the more common they are, the more problems there will be, and the more problems, the worse their rep will be. In this modern error of communication, this will continue to be a problem.

I have had three friends with Pitbulls, that is how I became aware of the breed. These were all in the 1970's. Two of these friends were young men in their 20's, who got the dogs BECAUSE of their bad rep. The other owner was a family. The one in the family, as far as I know, never caused any problems. He was always on a leash and did not know what freedom from a leash was like, except in the house of backyard. 

When that one would see another dog, he would stand up and put tension on the leash (not pulling very hard) and whine. The man holding the leash would usually say something like: "No Pete, you cannot eat him", and then chuckle.

The other two Pittbulls, were a different story. My friend Mark, had a Pitbull named Bingo. Mark and I took Bingo out to an open field outside of town, where he could be allowed to run around. Bingo spotted a German Shepherd and took off toward it, and the German Shepherd was running toward Bingo. I do not know which dog started running first, I was not aware of the Shepherd until Bingo took off toward it. The dogs headed for each other, and just before the met, Bingo dropped onto his back and then lunged upward to grab the Shepherd by the throat. The man who owned the Shepherd, and Mark, were both running toward the dogs, and the Shepherd owner, reached them first. Bingo did that grab, hold, and shake behavior, we have already discussed.

The shepherd owner picked up a rock, about the size of a large cantaloupe, and began hammering on Bingo's shoulders. Bingo, at this time was already on his feet, and the Shepherd was on it's back. I would estimate the Shepherd at about 50% larger than Bingo. Mark was yelling: "stop hitting my dog" my dog, but the man (somewhat understandably) continued to beat on Bingo. When Mark reached the man, he punched him hard, in the face, knocking him to the ground. That whole time that Bingo was being pummeled with that rock, he never seemed to notice the man beating him, or that fact that he was being beaten. He just kept skaking that other dog like nothing else existed in the world, as if he felt no pain from the blows at all. In fact, Bingo suffered several bone breaks, but you would not know it.

Mark managed to get Bingo to release, or, maybe Bingo just released on his own while Mark pulled him back. The throat of the German Shepherd was ripped open, and the owner, picked up his dog, carrying it back across the field, I presume to where he had parked his car. The man was sobbing uncontrollably. Recalling the scene even makes me tear up a little, it was tragic to see unfold.

That other friend I knew, who also had a Pitbull, was named Bill. His dog was named Shiela. Bill used to live in Lousiana, and had moved to California On his way west, he stopped in Texas, and picked Shiela up. Bill was a horse guy, and had heard about Shiela from a cattleman he knew in Texas. The cattleman had been training Sheila, to help wrangle cattle. Sheila was supposedly getting the hang of it. One day though, Sheila decided it would be a great idea, for her to grab a horse by the nose, while a cowboy was riding it, the horse and cowboy fell. I do not know anything more about that story, other than the fact that the cattleman had no more use for Sheila, and so Bill adopted her. Sheila, would also go on, to get away from Bill's control in California, and attacked another dog and killed it, Bill had Sheila put down.

So, that is just anecdotal stories. But there, two out of three dogs, were pretty hard to control, and had some apparent instinct to attach other animals, at least it was not against people. Still, even that is a real problem. That issue, does not show up in the statistics of human deaths, but it is another problem that comes with Pittbulls. Sure, we can say, that it is not the Pitbull's fault that they are wired the way they are. We can point to the owners as irresponsible, and they were, in as much as they failed to take into account, how relatively crazy and unpredictable Pittbulls can be. Would people own a firearm, if it was always loaded, but prone to just fire a shot, even if rarely, without the trigger being pulled?

Here is the thing, from my perspective. The animal is dangerous, maybe  not all of them and then not all of the time, but it is dangerous. Adding to that problem, is the fact that there are people, who downplay that fact, and tell us that they are sweet, family dogs. So, this will lead others, to see them as desirable, and they acquire them. Of course, this increases the demand. That prompts people to breed them, and this increases the population of them, The increase in population, insures that Pitbull incidents will continue. That will lead to them getting a worse reputation, and stories of unprovoked attacks continue to happen and spread. That reputation, deserved or not, is what it is. Then, there are those who will get the dogs, precisely because of the reputation they have. Some, will want them just because of the junk yard dog mystique. Others, will get them for the sicko practice of underground dog fights, and that will lead to more tragedies of cruelty to animals and more 'newsworthy' articles, which will feed this whole cycle.

The problem is, there are two extremes of people in this picture. There are those irresponsible ones, who are a large part of the problem, and there are those who take up the cause to the Pitbull, who have wonderful intentions, but are helping to insure that more problems happen, because of their 'ACLU of Pitbulls' function which tries to paint the Pitbull in a better light.

I like Pitbulls. Of course, I also liked keeping rattlesnakes. Neither is the best idea! I do not advocate the destruction of Pitbulls. I do not advocate hunting them down and confiscating them where they have done no wrong. I do advocate, that people do not defend them as some desirable breed. I do recommend, that people stop breeding them, and that people not buy them from others, whether they are breeders or not. I recommend that really, they should all be neutered, I do not think it is a bad idea for them to be on an endangered breed list, if there is such a thing. It seems to me, that they are unnecessary, serve no real purpose that cannot be filled by more suitable animals. Since it is a man created breed, I see not moral issue with ceasing to perpetuate it.

This has been an Omegaman Editorial. All other opinions from qualified spokespersons, are wrong.

I would never ever keep rattlesnakes. I would never keep boa constrictors. I have read too many stories about them killing children. 

Among all dogs, there are always some who do not get along with other dogs. Some dogs are best living as the only dog. That is not unique to pitbulls. Also, the gender of the dog makes a difference in all breeds. If dogs are going to fight, it is usually two females or two males. Also, some dogs are ok with cats, and some aren't. Many dogs will go after small animals. 

Again, the holding on and shaking is standard for all dogs. Puppies do that with their toys. Often toy play is play hunting. 

When I was young, there were two dobermans who were kept in a small yard. One day, they got loose and ran down the block, and tore a collie to smithereens. I remember those dobies very well because I had to walk by their yard on my way to school. They would run to the fence as I passed, barking and growling. Years later, I rented an apartment from a landlord who owned a dobie. I would go jogging, and if the dobie was out, he would run up to me, press his nose against my leg, and growl. The landlord told me not to worry, because his dobie would never hurt me, but that was impossible to believe when the dogs nose is firmly on my skin, bearing his teeth, and growling. So, that is 3  vicious dobermans. I have since met one dobie who seemed ok. I am still nervous around dobermans.

I had a cousin who bought a German shepherd. He viewed the German shepherd as a macho dog and would boast that no dog could challenge his dog. My family had a dachshund. One time, my dachshund got out the door when the cousin was walking with his dog. The German shepherd growled and challenged the little dachshund, but for those who know about dachshunds, they are dirty fighters. My dog, Frankie, got under neath the German Shepherd so the shepherd could not reach him, and was nipping up at the shepherd tender spots. The shepherd ran away. Dachshunds were used to fight badgers so are really good fighters. That shepherd never challenged or charged Frankie again.

I have had a rescue dog who was part Greyhound. Greyhounds are generally not good with small animals. They are also couch potatoes. I now have a mix who some guess to be part lab and part border collie. She was likely abused. She is getting over being timid around almost all people but will run from men with beards.

I have never met a bad pitbull. They have all been very sweet and good with children. They were called 'Nanny dogs' and for years, were a favorite among families. But, there have been some who breed them for dog fights. So they slowly lost their good reputation, and gained a bad reputation, even though the majority are really sweet dogs.  

I have been nipped by two dogs. A Pekinese and a miniature dachshund. The Pekinese was just a nippy dog, and the miniature dachshund had run away, and ended up in a older ladies open garage. The little thing was scared. I ended up having to throw a towel over it to catch it and read the dog tag.  

Finally, believe it or not, there was a time when bloodhounds had a bad reputation for being aggressive. It is hard to believe, but at one time, they were stuck with the same reputation that pit bulls now have. It took years for them to get past the bad reputation. 

 

 

[Qnts2]

I will speak for myself and not Kwik philly.   I am influenced by their BITE and their Sherman tank physique that's why they were used in fighting,  which makes them dangerous plus a strong predatory instinct. They are large and athletic and a lone person doesn't have a chance against them if they attack. If they were tiny in size it would be less of a problem.  I am gifted with animals. I don't have a bias because of my ability to train an animal and bring out the best in them. Just because I could train a grizzly to be sweet doesn't mean I want everyone to own one. People are more important to me than dogs.

I still say slap people with a $10,000 fine if their Pit bull bites and the irresponsible people would stop buying them and they would lose their popularity. Thanks Qnt2 but most important part from the spca is:

"Today’s pit bull is a descendant of the original English bull-baiting dog—a dog that was bred to bite and hold bulls, bears and other large animals around the face and head. When baiting large animals was outlawed in the 1800s, people turned instead to fighting their dogs against each other. These larger, slower bull-baiting dogs were crossed with smaller, quicker terriers to produce a more agile and athletic dog for fighting other dogs."

 

I still say slap all dog owners with a $10,000 fine if their dog bites someone without provocation. 

There is nothing irresponsible about buying a pitbull. They are sweet dogs and real people pleasers. They are not normally aggressive but because they desire to please their people, they can be trained to be a fighting dog. 

As l stated, dachshunds were raised to dig underground and kill badgers. Badgers are vicious animals. Dachshunds are known to be excellent fighters.

The Karelian Bear Dog and the Caucasian shepherd were orginally used to hunt bears. The Caucasian shepherd is becoming popular in the U.S. The popular Shar Pei was also used as a fighting dog. Kerry Blue Terrier were also hunting and fighting dogs. There is a long list of dogs bred to fight bulls, bears, badgers, etc.  Poodles were originally hunting dogs.