FOR THE COMMENT THAT PIT BULLS HAVE "OUTLIVED" THEIR USEFULNESS
ARTICLE FROM ~ WWW.LAWDOGSUSA.COM
LawDogsUSA is a 501(c)3 (pending) nonprofit organization whose sole purpose is to provide law enforcement agencies with high quality narcotics, explosives and arson detection dogs - free of charge.
In our first year of operation, LawDogsUSA has successfully donated narcotics and explosives detection dogs serving at U.S. ports of entry, on the Washington State ferry system, with the Washington State Patrol and other police K9 units.
Our detection dogs are extensively screened and only happy, extremely friendly, hard working, physically sound and highly talented dogs are placed.
All dogs are altered, vaccinated, microchipped; we x-ray hips and offer a veterinarian health certificate on each dog we place.
While we offer a variety of breeds, we have found the American pit bull to be superior as a narcotics and explosives detection dog. Please note: due to their inherent "people friendly" nature, we do NOT offer American pit bulls as "biting" (patrol) dogs. LawDogsUSA offers sweet natured, frriendly detection dogs only.
Many trainers who have only worked with European sheepdog breeds haven't a clue about the best kept secret in modern detection work...
Americas New Secret Weapon
They are smaller and much more nimble than a German shepherd; friendlier and safer to handle then the average Belgian malinois and shed less than a Labrador retriever. Records with the American Temperament Testing Society (ATTS) show them with a higher passing rate for excellent, friendly temperament than the golden retriever. And Washingtons premier law enforcement agency, The Washington State Patrol, one of the nations premiere law enforcement agencies, has more of them working the streets and in training as narcotics and explosives detection K-9s than members of any other pure breed. They are truly the best kept secret weapon in law enforcements fight against terror plots and illegal narcotics trafficking.
They are American Pit Bulls.
Thats right. You read that correctly.
After two decades taking their turn - like the Doberman before them - as the fad "bad boy" dog attracting irresponsible and even criminal owners, todays press coverage of the American pit bull is predictably all one sided. "Killer Pit Bull" is a sexy headline - it sells soap as the old saying goes - but it is hardly a fair and accurate representation of this old and storied breed. More importantly, while focusing on the misfortunes of only the pit bull, the media ignores those involving other breeds, thus giving an even more one-sided bias.
Numerically the American Pit Bull is far and away the most popular and populous breed in the United States today. Thousands upon thousands live as loving and loyal family pets, but because of their popularity, shelters are filled with thrown away pit bulls, and backyard breeders peddle purebred puppies at flea markets for $50. With this tragic overpopulation comes the unavoidable percentage of animals which are mentally damaged and mishandled by cruel, ignorant or even criminally minded dog owners. Due to their being a fad youve heard about the damaged dogs - but here youll hear about some of the vast majority of American Pit Bulls, those living as loving family pets or valued working dogs.
Like any performance bred working dog, the American Pit Bull can be a lot of dog. Strong, agile, intelligent, determined and very, very willing to please its owner; both good and bad dog owners have figured this out and use it to their own ends. So, while you might find a pit bull whose criminal owner sets it to guard illegal narcotics, you will also find pit bulls owned by law enforcement locating those drugs. There is no bad breed.
WHAT MAKES THEM SO GOOD AT DETECTION?
To understand why the American Pit Bull is poised to become Americas premiere detection dog breed, it is first necessary to understand that the "damaged" dog presented by the media doing something tragic is just that - a damaged dog. Damaged by poor breeding practices, poor upbringing, poor management. Damaged by twenty years of being used and abused by fad breeders, punks and criminals trying to create a dog as damaged and anti-social as they are. These damaged animals do not represent what a typical or true representative of the American pit bull breed is. Add to that, despite its popularity, it is a breed which remains a riddle wrapped in an enigma to the vast majority of police dog trainers. While tough on the outside, American Pit Bulls are gooey soft inside and crumble under corrections a German Shepherd or Rottweiler would shrug off. They want to please - desperately.
So what is a "real" American pit bull like?
They are a medium sized dog, weighing between 35 and 65 pounds. They come in many colors and ears can be cropped or left natural. A correct pit bull is not overly short or stocky, and has good length of leg and neck. Bred for centuries to grip run-a-way cattle by the nose (in effect becoming a living nose ring to bring the animal under control) they have a muzzle of medium length and a durable build. The short bulldog nose of the show breeds are useless to a real bull working animal. They have a friendly, outgoing nature and a "bombproof" temperament with humans. Their rough and tumble history provides that solid temperament. Dogs being set on bulls, boars, bears or other dogs could never lash out at owners or at referees in the "pit" with them, nor would a dog who bit while being tended for severe injuries be used for breeding. No matter how badly injured, a true pit bull will never lash out at a human. Amicability to humans is bred into the genetics of the purebred American pit bull.
Performance bred lines of these dogs are registered as American Pit Bulls, while show bred lines have become known as the American Staffordshire and Staffordshire Bull. While the three breeds have minor differences, most people cannot tell them apart. Today there is a growing trend among fad breeders to increase the size of their "pit bulls" by adding in mastiffs and other breeds but these larger animals do not have the stable temperament nor the sound physical build of a true purebred American Pit Bull. Any pit bull over 70 pounds should have its purebred status questioned.
Ironically what sets the American Pit Bull apart from many other breeds utilized by police is their love of humans. Pit bulls would make a poor choice as a "patrol" dog trained to bite suspects. Pit bulls with correct temperament would much rather lick than bite, and most lack the "defensive drive" to guard. Walking down the Seattle Coleman ferry dock past the Washington State Patrol cars with bomb detection dogs inside, pedestrians evoke sharp barking from the Labradors, German Shepherds, Malinois and other dogs, while K-9 Neville, K-9 Sampson and K-9 X-Dog, the American Pit Bulls, leans up against window barrier begging for attention.
What the pit bull has - in spades - is grit. A determination of mind not found in breeds created upon a lesser forge. Give him a job and hell get er done. It is a common feature of the breed to have an extremely strong "prey" or "toy" drive, meaning the dog will do anything for the chance to grip and play with a toy. And that is where detection dog training comes in.
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ARTICLE FROM ~ WWW.LAWDOGSUSA.COM
LawDogsUSA is a 501(c)3 (pending) nonprofit organization whose sole purpose is to provide law enforcement agencies with high quality narcotics, explosives and arson detection dogs - free of charge.
In our first year of operation, LawDogsUSA has successfully donated narcotics and explosives detection dogs serving at U.S. ports of entry, on the Washington State ferry system, with the Washington State Patrol and other police K9 units.
Our detection dogs are extensively screened and only happy, extremely friendly, hard working, physically sound and highly talented dogs are placed.
All dogs are altered, vaccinated, microchipped; we x-ray hips and offer a veterinarian health certificate on each dog we place.
While we offer a variety of breeds, we have found the American pit bull to be superior as a narcotics and explosives detection dog. Please note: due to their inherent "people friendly" nature, we do NOT offer American pit bulls as "biting" (patrol) dogs. LawDogsUSA offers sweet natured, frriendly detection dogs only.
Many trainers who have only worked with European sheepdog breeds haven't a clue about the best kept secret in modern detection work...
Americas New Secret Weapon
They are smaller and much more nimble than a German shepherd; friendlier and safer to handle then the average Belgian malinois and shed less than a Labrador retriever. Records with the American Temperament Testing Society (ATTS) show them with a higher passing rate for excellent, friendly temperament than the golden retriever. And Washingtons premier law enforcement agency, The Washington State Patrol, one of the nations premiere law enforcement agencies, has more of them working the streets and in training as narcotics and explosives detection K-9s than members of any other pure breed. They are truly the best kept secret weapon in law enforcements fight against terror plots and illegal narcotics trafficking.
They are American Pit Bulls.
Thats right. You read that correctly.
After two decades taking their turn - like the Doberman before them - as the fad "bad boy" dog attracting irresponsible and even criminal owners, todays press coverage of the American pit bull is predictably all one sided. "Killer Pit Bull" is a sexy headline - it sells soap as the old saying goes - but it is hardly a fair and accurate representation of this old and storied breed. More importantly, while focusing on the misfortunes of only the pit bull, the media ignores those involving other breeds, thus giving an even more one-sided bias.
Numerically the American Pit Bull is far and away the most popular and populous breed in the United States today. Thousands upon thousands live as loving and loyal family pets, but because of their popularity, shelters are filled with thrown away pit bulls, and backyard breeders peddle purebred puppies at flea markets for $50. With this tragic overpopulation comes the unavoidable percentage of animals which are mentally damaged and mishandled by cruel, ignorant or even criminally minded dog owners. Due to their being a fad youve heard about the damaged dogs - but here youll hear about some of the vast majority of American Pit Bulls, those living as loving family pets or valued working dogs.
Like any performance bred working dog, the American Pit Bull can be a lot of dog. Strong, agile, intelligent, determined and very, very willing to please its owner; both good and bad dog owners have figured this out and use it to their own ends. So, while you might find a pit bull whose criminal owner sets it to guard illegal narcotics, you will also find pit bulls owned by law enforcement locating those drugs. There is no bad breed.
WHAT MAKES THEM SO GOOD AT DETECTION?
To understand why the American Pit Bull is poised to become Americas premiere detection dog breed, it is first necessary to understand that the "damaged" dog presented by the media doing something tragic is just that - a damaged dog. Damaged by poor breeding practices, poor upbringing, poor management. Damaged by twenty years of being used and abused by fad breeders, punks and criminals trying to create a dog as damaged and anti-social as they are. These damaged animals do not represent what a typical or true representative of the American pit bull breed is. Add to that, despite its popularity, it is a breed which remains a riddle wrapped in an enigma to the vast majority of police dog trainers. While tough on the outside, American Pit Bulls are gooey soft inside and crumble under corrections a German Shepherd or Rottweiler would shrug off. They want to please - desperately.
So what is a "real" American pit bull like?
They are a medium sized dog, weighing between 35 and 65 pounds. They come in many colors and ears can be cropped or left natural. A correct pit bull is not overly short or stocky, and has good length of leg and neck. Bred for centuries to grip run-a-way cattle by the nose (in effect becoming a living nose ring to bring the animal under control) they have a muzzle of medium length and a durable build. The short bulldog nose of the show breeds are useless to a real bull working animal. They have a friendly, outgoing nature and a "bombproof" temperament with humans. Their rough and tumble history provides that solid temperament. Dogs being set on bulls, boars, bears or other dogs could never lash out at owners or at referees in the "pit" with them, nor would a dog who bit while being tended for severe injuries be used for breeding. No matter how badly injured, a true pit bull will never lash out at a human. Amicability to humans is bred into the genetics of the purebred American pit bull.
Performance bred lines of these dogs are registered as American Pit Bulls, while show bred lines have become known as the American Staffordshire and Staffordshire Bull. While the three breeds have minor differences, most people cannot tell them apart. Today there is a growing trend among fad breeders to increase the size of their "pit bulls" by adding in mastiffs and other breeds but these larger animals do not have the stable temperament nor the sound physical build of a true purebred American Pit Bull. Any pit bull over 70 pounds should have its purebred status questioned.
Ironically what sets the American Pit Bull apart from many other breeds utilized by police is their love of humans. Pit bulls would make a poor choice as a "patrol" dog trained to bite suspects. Pit bulls with correct temperament would much rather lick than bite, and most lack the "defensive drive" to guard. Walking down the Seattle Coleman ferry dock past the Washington State Patrol cars with bomb detection dogs inside, pedestrians evoke sharp barking from the Labradors, German Shepherds, Malinois and other dogs, while K-9 Neville, K-9 Sampson and K-9 X-Dog, the American Pit Bulls, leans up against window barrier begging for attention.
What the pit bull has - in spades - is grit. A determination of mind not found in breeds created upon a lesser forge. Give him a job and hell get er done. It is a common feature of the breed to have an extremely strong "prey" or "toy" drive, meaning the dog will do anything for the chance to grip and play with a toy. And that is where detection dog training comes in.
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