Some pit bull owners just don't get itQuestion:This is a great educational piece! Some pit bull owners just don't get it By Jennifer Gardner Want to hear a scary story, just in time for Halloween? Last week, a pit bull and her two puppies got loose in Newberg and killed a wallaroo. The wallaroo, an exotic pet that looks like a miniature kangaroo, was in its backyard when the pit bulls broke through a fence and attacked it. Now, every time I write about pit bulls, I get it with both barrels. Doesn’t matter what I say, whether I promote the breed or say something negative. The truth is that most pit bulls are wonderful, non-aggressive dogs that are excellent for families and great with children. What went wrong here that plays into the not-usually-true stereotype of pit bulls as dangerous dogs? • The dogs had been riding in a car with the mother of their owner. Now, this mother may have normally taken great care of the dogs — we don’t know from the news accounts. But there’s always a risk when you allow other people to take your dogs. The other person is unlikely to know how your dogs behave in a given situation. Maybe these dogs loved to jump out of the car and run, something that the owner knew and could control, but the mother didn’t. You are always responsible for your dogs’ behavior, whether they are with you or not. If there is any possibility that they cannot be handled by another person, they should not be. Ideally, your dogs will be so social and so well-trained that they can go on an outing with another family member, but in this case something went wrong. Don’t let it go wrong with your pets. Also remember that other people may have different levels of physical strength that mean they can’t handle larger or stronger dogs. Children, teen-agers and the elderly may be no match for a pair of Rottweilers. I’ve seen even one larger dog be too much for a single person to manage — and I’ve actually been in the situation of having too much dog to handle safely myself. Obedience training can help a great deal, but if your dogs are not polite leash-walkers, only let them go out with someone who can handle them. • Three dogs together constitute a pack. Two dogs may be fine together, but the presence of a third dog changes the group dynamics. Sometimes three dogs can be more aggressive together than any of them singly would lead you to believe. Some people are able to handle three larger or stronger dogs like pit bulls, but they are not the norm. You may disagree with me; I’m just speaking from my observations. People, please, if you aren’t willing to provide training, care and around-the-clock supervision of your dogs don’t have three (I’d actually prefer you consider a cat instead, which doesn’t need the training or constant watching). • Owners must take responsibility for your dogs at all times. I was struck by the comments of the pit bulls’ owner in this story. The woman, Sarah Henry, is concerned that her dogs will be euthanized for their attack. “They did a horrible thing,” Henry said, “but is it fair to kill three for one?“ It’s not fair to kill these dogs. It will be a crying shame if these dogs are euthanized for their violent behavior. The dogs are not to blame — the fault lies with the breeders, who did not breed for good temperment, and the owner, who did not have her dogs under her control at all times. The sad thing is, the owner has not proven to be able to handle her dogs and a terrible thing happened. Should those dogs be returned to her? I don’t believe they should. Should they be rehomed with someone who can better handle them? That would be nice, but the truth is that most responsible dog owners are unwilling to take on the burden of three dogs who have killed another animal. The only hope, in my opinion, is that a professional animal behaviorist finds the dogs could be safely rehomed, probably separately, and a top-notch breed rescue takes on the task of finding them new, appropriate homes. (However, those same breed rescues are usually full of great dogs who have never shown any violent tendencies whatsoever.) Pit bulls should not be banned — no breed should. That’s a stupid reaction to the problem, because you simply can’t eliminate dangerous dogs that way. Plus, it’s pretty darn tough to tell what’s a pit bull and what’s not — many terriers resemble pits. I’ve seen people think boxers were pit bulls! And many “mutts” could have pit bull blood in them — who determines what is enough pit mix to consistute a threat? Instead, local governments need to devote resources to ensuring every dog in their municipality is licensed and that there is a no-tolerance policy for aggressive behavior. If you see dogs outside, off leash, call the police immediately. If a dog in your neighborhood has attacked or threatened other pets, report the behavior. And if you have a dog that could be dangerous to other animals, be darn sure it’s under your control, preferably by leash, at all times. It’s by being responsible pet owners and citizens that we can stop the number of scary dog attack stories and get rid of the threat of breed-specific legislation. Subscribe now Print this story Email this story April wrote on October 29, 2006 4:26 PM:"People who think pit bulls are all cold-blooded killers should visit sites like--- http://www.realpitbull.com/ http://www.pbrc.net/" nancy wrote on October 29, 2006 2:21 PM:" I have a friend in Washington, bought and raised family friendly pit bull, with her 4 children in loving caring home. 5 years ago this family pet attacked thier 3rd old toddler from across the room and killed her. On numberous accounts while I lived in Callifornia many neighborhood pit bulls, attacked other pets, neighborhood children, one attack killing the Shih Tzu that was on a leash and giving the owner of the Shiz Tsu 65 stitches. You can raise this breed in a loving , caring respondsible home and something in these dogs snap. Something is very wrong with them. The Shih Tzu was breed for companionship, the Beagle for hunting, the Pit Bull was bred for killing bull in ring, for fighting. In my opinion the should be banned." Sarah wrote on October 29, 2006 7:56 AM:"As a couple who has responsibly raised two pit bulls (not to mention two German Shepherds, one Huskey, one Akita-mix and a Chow-mix, all rescues), you do not KNOW how we long for these irresponsible fad owners of "power dogs", especially pit bulls, to go away. Too many people take far too lightly the responsibility of properly raising a canine citizen. To the irresponsible dog owners of the world, I want to stand on a soap box and yell: Folks, take up another hobby - one not involving another living being, and certainly not a hobby involving large, powerful, intelligent pet carnivores." Be careful wrote on October 29, 2006 7:52 AM:""The truth is that most pit bulls are wonderful, non-aggressive dogs that are excellent for families and great with children. What went wrong here that plays into the not-usually-true stereotype of pit bulls as dangerous dogs?" These wonderful family friendly dogs were responsible for the death of over 15 people last year and have killed 11 this year, yet again proving to be the deadliest of dogs. Each year these animals send hundreds of people to the hospital. Time and time again I read stories about pit bulls that break chains, dig under or hop over fences to attack people or animals in their own yard or on a public street. These animals are defective, and like some products the defect never shows itself, and never hurts anyone, but when it does people die and lives are ruined. The most responsible thing a pit bull owner can do is to have it spayed or neutered before it has a chance to breed. If the animal attacks someone or another animal it should be destroyed. Families with children should never get one of these dogs and should be extremely careful around those who have them. No matter how gentle they seem, no matter how much the owner tries to reassure you, NEVER, EVER trust these animals to be anything less than vicious killers. " Albany girl wrote on October 29, 2006 1:16 AM:" It's about time for some common sense on this issue! Great article." Brenda wrote on August 20, 2006 2:52 PM:"Shawna its not the pit bulls them self it is how the dog has been raised." Shawna Conley wrote on August 20, 2006 12:10 PM:"Is it true that pit bulls are first meanest dogs?" Albany Reader wrote on August 17, 2006 8:34 AM:"This isn't about putting anyone at the bottom of the food chain - you can enjoy other parts of nature without professing them to be better or worse than you. It's about creative ideas for making the most of your home and garden. Some people like creative uses of their property, others want to keep it simple. So long as this article brings someone happiness without infringing on the rights or freedom of others, then I'm glad it was printed." Linn County Taxpayer wrote on July 23, 2006 11:17 PM:"How low are we going to go. Let's put ourselves on the bottom of the food chain, and animals above us. Good grief, I guess people get so bored they will dream up just about anything to get it in print!" midge wrote on July 08, 2006 11:34 PM:"I often send articles on to my daughter via email---unable to get this one to go-----this has happened before---you might want to check it out to see if it is something you can fix ." mom wrote on July 08, 2006 11:30 PM:"good article " found here (http://www.dhonline.com/articles/2006/10/29/news/home_garden/home03.txt) Answer: this is why i said this breed is not for everyone,,, Answer: this is why i said this breed is not for everyone,,, After doing alot of reading on Game-dog I agree. I also have changed my stance on chaining, from anti to responsable chaining. I also have an understanding why so many of you keep info close to the chest about your breed. Answer: It's sad how 99.9 % of people blame the breed. The meanest mammal on this earth is man and that is that. Man is what cause dog breeds and any animals for that matter to turn on them. It's sad. Answer: It's sad how 99.9 % of people blame the breed. The meanest mammal on this earth is man and that is that. Man is what cause dog breeds and any animals for that matter to turn on them. It's sad. You said it! Answer: I also wish that people would remember the sheer role that statistics have to play in the "numbers game". A huge amount of people own pits right now, for whatever reason. In that large of a population, you are going to have quite a few dogs/owners 'ruining' it for the rest of us. The same happened when Dobes, Chows, GSD's, Shar Peis, etc were in favor. I'm seeing a steady decline in Lab and Golden behavior and temperment as their numbers grow. Answer: As Benjamin Disraeli remarked, "there are lies, damned lies and statistics." ;) Answer: Darn skippy! Answer: After doing alot of reading on Game-dog I agree. I also have changed my stance on chaining, from anti to responsable chaining. I also have an understanding why so many of you keep info close to the chest about your breed. :hail: VERY happy you both said AND feel this way!:) Answer: I also wish that people would remember the sheer role that statistics have to play in the "numbers game". A huge amount of people own pits right now, for whatever reason. In that large of a population, you are going to have quite a few dogs/owners 'ruining' it for the rest of us. The same happened when Dobes, Chows, GSD's, Shar Peis, etc were in favor. I'm seeing a steady decline in Lab and Golden behavior and temperment as their numbers grow. also, in regards to numbers, something to keep in mind, the bites that you hear about are "reported" bites. The media, we ALL know LOVES to report stories on dog bites, and what better breed to fuel the fire than "pit bulls". How many bites, therefore go "UN" reported? That NEVER make the news or headlines? Say, for instance in boarding facilites, at the vets, the groomers, or even at a doggie day care, etc, to name but a few? I agree, it most definitly IS a numbers "game"...:rolleyes: Answer: I'm seeing a steady decline in Lab and Golden behavior and temperment as their numbers grow. Boy is this ever true. There was a time when I would've been absolutely shocked to meet a DA Lab. Now it's just not a surprise anymore. Bizarre, because it's the antithesis of everything the breed stands for, but this is why I live in fear of the day a Shiba is featured in a sitcom or a small movie role. Answer: The media, we ALL know LOVES to report stories on dog bites, and what better breed to fuel the fire than "pit bulls". I couldn't agree with you more on this one. And we also have to remember that bite victims are often asked to make a breed ID themselves (especially if no owner is present). It would be interesting to know how many people would SAY Pitbull because it was the first thing that came to their mind? I'm willing to be the number is pretty high. If you've just been attacked by a dog, you're hardly going to be in a calm and rational frame of mind. And the general public is HORRIBLE at identifying a TRUE PB. Answer: also, in regards to numbers, something to keep in mind, the bites that you hear about are "reported" bites. The media, we ALL know LOVES to report stories on dog bites, and what better breed to fuel the fire than "pit bulls". How many bites, therefore go "UN" reported? That NEVER make the news or headlines? Say, for instance in boarding facilites, at the vets, the groomers, or even at a doggie day care, etc, to name but a few? I agree, it most definitly IS a numbers "game"...:rolleyes: alot of bites go unreported on the smaller breeds,,, statistics get even get close,,, and i do agree right now it's a pitbull fad going on,,, for one reason or the other,,,which will make it harder on us,,,but maybe it's the apbt unwillingness to satisfy it's owner,,or loyality who knows Answer: i agree more than 2 dogs is a pack. we have four. and with them combines, i lost one of my rabbits. its just how they work. when together, our dogs start stalinking panda, this happens everytime we introducce a new puppy. its so difficult. i feel awful for panda. but he getting by. Answer: I couldn't agree with you more on this one. And we also have to remember that bite victims are often asked to make a breed ID themselves (especially if no owner is present). It would be interesting to know how many people would SAY Pitbull because it was the first thing that came to their mind? I'm willing to be the number is pretty high. If you've just been attacked by a dog, you're hardly going to be in a calm and rational frame of mind. And the general public is HORRIBLE at identifying a TRUE PB. and people are more likely to report a bite from a pit bull or another "dangerous breed" and seek medical attention for it even if it doesn't really *need* medical attention. the majority of dog bites treated in emergency rooms in the us are extremely minor. Answer: and people are more likely to report a bite from a pit bull or another "dangerous breed" and seek medical attention for it even if it doesn't really *need* medical attention. the majority of dog bites treated in emergency rooms in the us are extremely minor. just more sad statistics :( Answer: Even when a different breed attacks and it IS reported, people quickly recognize it as the exception to the rule or simply let it leak out of their minds. My mom had a hard time believing me when I told her the French woman who had reconstructive surgery was attacked by a labrador--her OWN labrador, in fact! In my city we had a boxer who attacked a police officer multiple times even after being tasered and a cairn terrier--yes, a cairn, the kind of dog Toto was--attack a 70 year old man so viciously that he almost lost an arm. The weird part on that one is that the man's bull mastiff tried to attack the cairn, ended up biting his owner a few times (by accident, I presume, or out of over-excitement) and ended up being put to sleep! Whereas nothing happened to the cairn, which was owned by a sheriff's deputy. Completely unfair. Answer: It is sad...when I told someone that T-Bone got bitten by a black lab...the first reaction was: what did she do to provoke that poor dog? :confused: :mad: Answer: After doing alot of reading on Game-dog I agree. I also have changed my stance on chaining, from anti to responsable chaining. I also have an understanding why so many of you keep info close to the chest about your breed. Great post in response to perhaps the most objective article (written as of late) I have ever read concerning the APBT. The writer did not attempt to sway readers to be either anti-pit bull or pro-pit bull with tale after tale about the breed which had either happy or sad endings, and did not force feed mind numbing statistics or research studies. The writer delivered no-nonsense information and made their best effort to keep their personal agendas out of it, which is long overdue. As important as it is for people who hate the breed to receive education on the APBT, the ones who should be ushered to the front of the line and get an immediate crash course about responsible APBT ownership are those who keep APBTs as pets-- boot camp style without fear of hurting anyone's feelings. Perhaps if petbull owners (and breeders) had always been responsible we wouldn't feel the need to defend our breed to anyone, either here at Chaz or on Capitol Hill. I shudder to think of the horrific accident waiting to happen I used to be as a "petbull" owner. Thank you to God for watching out for me, my dogs and everyone else who could have been harmed as a result of my irresponsible ownership of these animals in the past. Thank you to Chaz for posting that article, and thank you to game-dog for showing me upfront how to be a responsible owner. It is a shame if the dogs are euthanized, but if the proper home cannot be found in a timely manner then it should be the only consideration for these dogs, in my opinion. Answer: It is sad...when I told someone that T-Bone got bitten by a black lab...the first reaction was: what did she do to provoke that poor dog? :confused: :mad: It works both ways. When I told a woman that an American Bulldog had attacked my collie mix, her response was a big, disapproving frown, and a slow, doubtful "They're not like that," as if I was lying to her. Apparently, I was part of the vast BSL/media conspiracy:rolleyes: Answer: It works both ways. When I told a woman that an American Bulldog had attacked my collie mix, her response was a big, disapproving frown, and a slow, doubtful "They're not like that," as if I was lying to her. Apparently, I was part of the vast BSL/media conspiracy:rolleyes: Wow. That's a dangerous attitude for her to have. What was the owner's excuse, I wonder? I hope your dog wasn't too badly injured. Another shining example of what irresponsible ownership can cause. Sorry to hear about that. Answer: I have an APBT and a tiny toy poodle. The APBT does not bite, but the poodle does, and she has sharp little teeth. She bites the vet everytime, but he just laughs and thinks she is funny. Answer: I have an APBT and a tiny toy poodle. The APBT does not bite, but the poodle does, and she has sharp little teeth. She bites the vet everytime, but he just laughs and thinks she is funny. Thats what happened about 2 years back when I was working at a veterinarians office. A lady brought her "Toy Poodle" in, and well the little thing bit the h3ll out of me. Bad, I needed 3 stitches thats it, but after she did it the owner said "Yea, she does that all the time, too bad for you, next time you should know" !!!!WHAT!!!! Owners like that, i just dont understand! Answer: [QUOTE=Boemy;500295]Even when a different breed attacks and it IS reported, people quickly recognize it as the exception to the rule or simply let it leak out of their minds. QUOTE] I agree, the reasoning is quick to be dismissed. Remember, medical professionals are REQUIRED to report bites. ...which leaves MANY that might "choose" not to report... (just food for thought)... Answer: [QUOTE=Boemy;500295]Even when a different breed attacks and it IS reported, people quickly recognize it as the exception to the rule or simply let it leak out of their minds. QUOTE] I agree, the reasoning is quick to be dismissed. Remember, medical professionals are REQUIRED to report bites. ...which leaves MANY that might "choose" not to report... (just food for thought)... Yea, well since i was, i believe 16 if I am right... the veterinarian stated when i stepped out of the room "well you signed that form that said we and the owners are not libel for you getting bit". So much for that then. They didnt even tell her to consider temperment tests or training with the lil brat. What happened was the vet told me to go ahead and grab ahold of the dog, i let the dog sniff my hand, approached confidently (as you are supposed to with any dog) and then after it was comfortable i gently put my hands around his back and chest. That is the proper way to hold a dog when it is going to get a vaccine. Next thing i know he's ripping my finger. Amazing what little dogs can do. He got me pretty bad because i didnt react the way anyone would (smack the dog upside the head and throw it off the table) I calmly let him have my finger until he stopped chewing and thrashing, then I held him by the neck and removed my finger from his mouth. Answer: I shudder to think of the horrific accident waiting to happen I used to be as a "petbull" owner. "petbull"? Answer: I have an APBT and a tiny toy poodle. The APBT does not bite, but the poodle does, and she has sharp little teeth. She bites the vet everytime, but he just laughs and thinks she is funny. i used to have a 10 pound miniature poodle. she was very sweet and nice and never bit anybody, vet or otherwise, but boy did i get funny looks from people when i walked her and my pit bull down the street together :) Answer: Thats what happened about 2 years back when I was working at a veterinarians office. A lady brought her "Toy Poodle" in, and well the little thing bit the h3ll out of me. Bad, I needed 3 stitches thats it, but after she did it the owner said "Yea, she does that all the time, too bad for you, next time you should know" !!!!WHAT!!!! Owners like that, i just dont understand! I would have punted it across the room, but I guess if you were working it'd look bad to do that. :) Answer: I would have punted it across the room, but I guess if you were working it'd look bad to do that. :) hehe yup... primal instincts are hard to fight off, i think i handled myself well. But you have no idea how much i wanted to do that. More so to the lady. Answer: Reminds me of this one Westie that boarded a couple of weeks ago. The owner told us he was "a little cage and food aggressive but it's ok." No. It was not, and is not, ok. The right toe of my steel toed boots has large tears /teeth marks in them from this dog and that was just trying to edge open the door to his room to slide in his food bowls. You should have seen him attack the leashes trying to get him to go outside... Why, oh why, do people think any sort of aggression in little dogs is cute? I don't trust any little dog I have to handle anymore, because so many of them have ended up being evil little buggers who snap/bite/lunge without warning. Answer: "petbull"? A term of endearment.;) For we who own APBTs as pets. Answer: In my opinion, if it has teeth, it can bite. I find Pitbulls, have become a very inexpensive breed to own, here in the U.S. They are therefore falling into the wrong hands, (owners and breeders) and because they are so popular it is logical that, per capita, there are more bite reports. If you could go to your local newspaper and find Rotties, Boxers and Dobermans for $200.00 per pup, we'd hear as much about the problems kids/young inexperienced owners and BYBs' are creating for those breeds as we are now hearing about Pitbulls. Ten years ago, Rotts were in the media. Fifteen years ago, there was much concern about the Dalmation temperament. Twenty years ago it was the GSD and Cocker Spaniel that got a bad rap. While I do not find any of these breeds to have a less stable temperament, in comparison to the next, Pits do a great deal of damage when they do bite. This does need to be considered and precautions need to be taken when owning certain breeds within city limits. Breeders breeding for sound temperament, owners educating themselves about these dogs, taking responsible measures to properly house and train them is what would have kept this breed under the radar. Unfortunately, it's a little late for that now. I believe, because of the nature of the dog, many terriers and working breeds will always be scrutinized. And I'm guessing there will be yet another/different breed to make the "public enemy" top ten list, in another 10 years or so. Until then, kudos to all of the loving, responsible Bullie breed owners out there. Answer: If you have ever visited the poorer neighborhoods in a large city, you will notice that a certain type of person seems to want to get one or two pit Bulls and be the "baddest" guy in the neighborhood. Sorry, but I see it every day in different cities that I lived and visited. These people don't really love animals, and they buy and raise the dog to have a chip on it's shoulder the way the owner does. These dogs are a disaster waiting to happen, in my opinion. Poorly trained, not socialized and belonging to an owner with an attitude is usually the situation that is created. Would I like to live in a neighborhood where there are one or two of these dogs on my block, no way!!!. I think this is where alot of the fear of these dogs stems from and why people want to ban the breed from their neighborhoods. For example, a friend of mine lived in the city of Miami some years ago, and when he walked his dog, he had to go out the back door of his house and through a neighbors yard to avoid walking out his front door because there were 2 Pit Bulls living next door, and they had already broken out of their fenced area more than once and attacked other dogs walking by and one time one of them chased a pizza delivery guy looking for another home. This friend of mine had two toddlers and he finally sold his house and moved. He took a big loss on the house, because when people drove up to his house and saw the two dogs in the next yard growling and barking , nobody wanted to buy the place. He had to practically give it away, but he siad for the safety of his family, there was no way that he would continue to live there . Answer: If you have ever visited the poorer neighborhoods in a large city, you will notice that a certain type of person seems to want to get one or two pit Bulls and be the "baddest" guy in the neighborhood. Sorry, but I see it every day in different cities that I lived and visited. These people don't really love animals, and they buy and raise the dog to have a chip on it's shoulder the way the owner does. These dogs are a disaster waiting to happen, in my opinion. I think this is why the Game-dog members are so guarded about their breed. They dont want to make it easier for a certain type of person seems to want to get one or two pit Bulls and be the "baddest" guy in the neighborhood. I understand why they do it, but I thing all the negative press might work against them because of "the certain type of person" you mention. Answer: I find Pitbulls, have become a very inexpensive breed to own, here in the U.S. I guess that depends on how you evaluate the cost involved in getting a dog. For example, the first thing I had to do before I could get my puppy was to put up a privacy fence, build a kennel, and secure liability insurance. Combined cost for the first two was around $700. Insurance thankfully was cheap since I wasn't a homeowner and could go with renter's. I do understand what you mean about the pups themselves being cheap (at least from BYBs). If you're not looking for anything in particular, you can get a Pit Bull for $100 on any given day in most of the country. And what's sad is, most of the people buying those pups would probably dump them if faced with what I had to go through. Obviously the quality of owner is going down as these dogs gain popularity. I understand why they do it, but I thing all the negative press might work against them because of "the certain type of person" you mention. If I understand what you're saying here, you're very right. Villifying the breed isn't going to make it less popular with those who want them for those reasons. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, like the thing about the bait dogs. Answer: Wow. That's a dangerous attitude for her to have. What was the owner's excuse, I wonder? I hope your dog wasn't too badly injured. Another shining example of what irresponsible ownership can cause. Sorry to hear about that. Thanks. She wasn't killed or severely injured, thanks to her very thick ruff, which somewhat blocked and slowed the jaws of the other dog until we could haul it off her. It did bite her deeply on the throat, and bruised up her neck in the short time before it could be dragged away. The owner blithely told me that oh, yeah, the dog had been dog-aggressive all its life, had gone after other dogs and tried to kill them before, but that's the way this breed is. Then she told me she'd get right back to me with the name of her vet (since I obviously wanted to make sure the dog had its rabies shots) and I never heard from her again. My problem with the whole 'bad owners' argument is that it's true, but there's an extra component with some breeds. I've had dogs for most of my life, and gone through countless minor skirmishes and aggressive dogs bracing us, and three serious attacks. The only attack when I really knew I or my dog could be killed by a dog right here, quickly and easily, was with this dog. It had the broad skull, deepset eyes, heavy chest, powerful and heavy body, and higher than normal insensitivy to pain typical of fighting dogs, coupled with an insanely heightened aggression toward other dogs. It was nearly impossible to get off my dog. In the course of three people trying to drag it off, it was kicked, hit, beaten, strangled and pulled. The only reason it let go, for a split second, was that my dog's thick fur was suffocating it, since its whole face was buried in her neck. Given that there will always be bad owners in the world, and unprepared owners, and careless owners, it's an open question whether it should be as easy to obtain one of these breeds as it is to obtain a less dangerous breed. Answer: All I can say is that because people have this 'pits are killers' attitude, any incident will be blown out of proportion. A year ago a black lab went around terrorizing and killing the neighborhood chickens, geese and small dogs. It was finally shot in the head by a police officer. Was this ever reported? What about the female TOY poodle who killed 7 cats in a one month time frame? Yet there was a big fuss when a 7 year old chow/pit mix grazed a little girl with his teeth because the girl went into his doghouse and took away his food. The girl didnt even have a scratch on her and was shown playing with her dolls yet you would have thought he'd killed her the way they carried on. BTW a guy opened up a pet shop last year and curiosity got the best of me and I went to check out what he had. Well I was only in there for 30 seconds when I saw a poster of a pit and a big X and something about banning them. Needless to say I gave him a piece of my mind and never visited his store again. The world is lead by ignorant people... Answer: All PetLands and PetSmarts that I have gone to say they can't sell out or adopt out Pit Bulls. It's against the law for them because they are the worst "dangerous dogs" out there, and too many people buy them to fight. The PetLand i used to work at (biggest mistake ever) would tell people who asked for Pit Bulls that it was illegal for them to be sold there, etc etc. Answer: All PetLands and PetSmarts that I have gone to say they can't sell out or adopt out Pit Bulls. It's against the law for them because they are the worst "dangerous dogs" out there, and too many people buy them to fight. I don't know about PetLand, but when I went into PetSmart last weekend, the first thing I saw was a pit bull at a rescue group's table in the lobby area, one of several dogs being offered for adoption. Answer: In my neighborhood, there is a both a boxer and a pitbull who are allowed to run loose. They are owned by seperate owners. Its the BOXER not the pitbull who has caused problems! She has now started TWO fights with my dogs! You can read about one I just posted in the General forum. Its getting to the point where I'm starting to get nervous taking my dogs outside because I'm afraid this boxer will do something to them. The pitbull is very nice though. Her name is Gabby and she likes to play with my dogs and they like her a lot too. Answer: If you have ever visited the poorer neighborhoods in a large city, you will notice that a certain type of person seems to want to get one or two pit Bulls and be the "baddest" guy in the neighborhood. Sorry, but I see it every day in different cities that I lived and visited. These people don't really love animals, and they buy and raise the dog to have a chip on it's shoulder the way the owner does. These dogs are a disaster waiting to happen, in my opinion. Poorly trained, not socialized and belonging to an owner with an attitude is usually the situation that is created. Would I like to live in a neighborhood where there are one or two of these dogs on my block, no way!!!. I think this is where alot of the fear of these dogs stems from and why people want to ban the breed from their neighborhoods. . I agree with you. When a particular breed of dog is owned meerly as a "status symbol" (unfortunately, as SOOOO many "pit bulls" are today), ultimately it's the breed who suffers, along with the responsible owners, who end up paying for the irresponsibilities of the negligent owners. It's a lose-lose situation, and sadly very prevelant.:( I REALLY wish people would "do their homework" BEFORE obtaining ANY breed, but moreso, with the "pit bulls". Answer: If you have ever visited the poorer neighborhoods in a large city, you will notice that a certain type of person seems to want to get one or two pit Bulls and be the "baddest" guy in the neighborhood. Sorry, but I see it every day in different cities that I lived and visited. These people don't really love animals, and they buy and raise the dog to have a chip on it's shoulder the way the owner does. These dogs are a disaster waiting to happen, in my opinion. Poorly trained, not socialized and belonging to an owner with an attitude is usually the situation that is created. Would I like to live in a neighborhood where there are one or two of these dogs on my block, no way!!!. I think this is where alot of the fear of these dogs stems from and why people want to ban the breed from their neighborhoods. For example, a friend of mine lived in the city of Miami some years ago, and when he walked his dog, he had to go out the back door of his house and through a neighbors yard to avoid walking out his front door because there were 2 Pit Bulls living next door, and they had already broken out of their fenced area more than once and attacked other dogs walking by and one time one of them chased a pizza delivery guy looking for another home. This friend of mine had two toddlers and he finally sold his house and moved. He took a big loss on the house, because when people drove up to his house and saw the two dogs in the next yard growling and barking , nobody wanted to buy the place. He had to practically give it away, but he siad for the safety of his family, there was no way that he would continue to live there . Yeah, I live in a neighborhood similiar to that. Speaking of which, I was just thinking, making Pitbulls illegal wouldn't stop irresponsible people from owning them either, it actually makes it cooler and more desirable for those people since it's the whole "I'm big and bad and mean, I own a dog that's so dangerous, it's not even legal!", not to mention those people might be prone to engage in other illegal activities or own illegal products. Fortunately in my neigbhorhood I haven't heard of any dogs attacking people. As for the one or two pitbulls I've seen, they're both pretty friendly, which is lucky for my puppy when my roommates took him for a walk once, because they decided to just let him walk up to a chained pitbull, letting go of his leash and everything. I'm not sure if my puppy has learned yet that all dogs aren't uber-friendly and tolerant of his playful behaviour. Fortunately, we have met very few mean dogs and those encounters have been brief or totally avoided. |
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