To all that was in discussion with @#@$%!# Pit bull

[Alleyoops25]

All right I started this thread to simply try to calm some nerves. Yesterday EDBAMA22 ( I hope I got it right) Made a post about what couple pitt Bulls did to his pigs. Instead of us focasing on the fact he had "DOGS" almost killed his pig and give poor ED some support we all got into a heated debate as to wether pitt bulls were distructive and dangers or not. I to put in a post . However I tried telling you guys what I have wittenessed with this breed. I did not make up a fabricated story to try and have the forum up in arms. Seedcorn especailly made some hurtful comments. However I think he was trying to lean towards gang members, drug addicts , and irresponsible dog owners like the many that have been posted here on this forum. I was honestly going to get up in arms with him because I am a member of NRA. And I miss read his post the first time and thought that he was somebody telling me that gun owners are irresponsible. The truth of the matter is that a vast majority of these dogs have been breed to be aggressive. Over the last year I have heard of many different accounts of pitt bull attacKs. The breed is now outlawed around Colorado springs and parts of Denver because it was a steady increase of these attacks. No I am sitting here typing that only pitt bulls are agessive. I also have a thread here about a rott. that injured one of my chickens. This dog is dead this morning because the animal control found it to be to aggressive to be handed back to the owner, or adopted out. Lucky me I have to go sit in court with many other nieghbors who had something tore up by this dog. And then there was a black lab thatyattacked a little boy over near Denver. The boy was not to serisouly hurt thank god. But the owners fell into the same cattagory as the ones who have ruined the breed of pitt bulls. They got the dog and then chianed to the tree and ignored it. I own a Pure Black German sheperd. She is the sweetest thing in the world. Do I leave my kids alone with her HELL No! I dont do this because I think she will tear them apart I do it because she is a big girl. And if my kids pulled a ear one to many times she might snap at them because they hurt her. And I have a strong beliefs that if a dog snaps a person especailly a kid. Even if they are just trying to protect them selves. They will more or less decide that they can do it just becuase a kid is trying to pet them and they don't want to be bothered. Dogs all have a natural instinct that can't be trained out of them. Collies and cattle dogs have a herding instinct. labs and retievers have a instinct to fetch things. If a dog see a cat or rabbit running they have got to chase it. They all have a instinct, their is not one breed in this world that won;'t pretect the person they love most if they thought they where in danger. This is some thing that ALL DOG OWNERS NEED TO UNDERSTAND. The owners of the pitt that I meantioned in ED thread had enough strength and power to pull down A deer and was literally dragging acrossed the road in front of us. And then attacked a police officer that followed it home to fine them for killing the deer and running loose. He shot the dog in self denfense. And the owners of this dog stood there a swore that their dog wouldn't hurt a fly. No owner regular owner (except those that kept their for fighting) any breed really thinks of the poteintal damage their dog could do. There was a pair off unsocialized Rotts in a small town next to us that literally tore a part a little girl. They knew this girl. And the owner swore they never once shown any type of aggression before. I also have talked about on this forum about the little pitt my brother picked up at the pound thinking it was a lab. It was the sweetest thing, then at about eight months to a year old she turned on my niece who was little at the time. I didnt post it to offend you pitt bull owners. I was telling you guys my exprecience I have had with the breed. I am just saying that with what I have heard and seen of these dogs I wouldnt want one, especailly since I have a bunch of kids, (mine and then everyone elses) and wouldnt ever want to risk the kids getting ate because of an instinct that the breed has. Anyway I am sorry to all that have been offended, I am sure their are a bunch of very responsible people that really work with their pitts, and understand what their dogs are capable of doing. I am sure it hurts when people place you in with the others that have ruined the breed or the breeds reputation. Thank you guys for reading this, very long and probably very boring post. I hope no one twists my words, or finds offence to anything I have written.

 

[Jsto]

I stayed far far away from that thread because I figured it would escalate, but I just wanted to commend you on this post. It's way too easy to get offended/offend someone else over the internet because typed words don't have tones, emphasis, etc. like spoken words do.

At the end of the day, all dogs are capable of being aggressive and vicious. When I was 7, my arm was torn open by a Golden Retriever of all breeds! The poor dog was constantly tied up with lack of food/water, no attention, and the taunting of other kids. Pitts are a touchy subject because of all the breed-specific extermination laws that have been passed or are currently trying to be passed. Blame the owners, not the dogs. If you want to own a pitt bull or any other breed that has a tendency toward aggression, it's a huge responsibility and up to the owner to acknowledge and work with it.

 

[Poison Ivy]

Quote:
Isn't that the truth! I had a 3 lb soaking wet teacup poodle that would growl & snap at you. All you had to do was be holding her or if she was laying on back of couch above your head and someone bend over to give you a kiss. She would do her best to bite that person. I tried to correct her but once in awhile she would still try to growl at my daughter. I bought her when she was 4 years old and kept her a year and sold her to a older couple with no kids. Told them she wasn't good around kids they fell in love with her and she is in a great home now.

 

[haleyluna]

i didn't see the post yet. i just saw this one, and i had to comment.

pit bull urban legends (including "it's in their blood!" and "hardest bite of all dogs")
http://www.understand-a-bull.com/PitbullInformation/Urbanlegends.htm

mistaken id (reported cases of "pit bull" attacks that were actually other breeds)
http://www.understand-a-bull.com/BSL/MistakenIdentity/WrongId.htm

the majority of the population are breed ignorant and will see any "scary" dog (in their mind) and call it a pit bull. i'm not sure what images people conjure up when they think of a bit bull, but i've had friends point out boxers and bulldogs and other LARGE dogs as bullies, which further shows that there is a misidentification issue. here's an educational game with that in mind (this is a good one if you'd like to see a picture of a bully and pictures of other dogs commonly mistaken for one).
"find the pit bull".
http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html

i don't have pit bulls, but i know people that do. it's absurd to say that they are any more likely to attack a child than any other breed. if someone doesn't care for them, that's their business. but the constant relaying of false information (not directed at anyone here, just in general), based on opinions stemming from what you've "heard", is only perpetuating the drama and unfounded fear surrounding the breed.

http://www.understand-a-bull.com is a great site if you'd like to know more about bullies, as most anti-pit propaganda is full of old wives' tales and myths.

i grew up with a german shepard, and he functioned as a babysitter if i'd try to leave the yard, even when i was ten and trying to go across the street to a friends' with permission. that dog would have died trying to protect me, and i would feel completely safe having the "right" dog with my kids unattended. but, there it is. no matter what the breed, dogs are like anything else. every one will always be different. you have to get to know the dog itself before you make decisions like that. for example, i was bitten in the face when i was 8 by an unprovoked shepard at a bbq. just sitting by my mom, eating, and the dog walked up and bit me.

THIS POST IS NOT DIRECTED AT ANYONE, but i feel the need to make sure these points are heard when the subject comes up. furthermore, i didn't see the original post, but i would never like to see people turning a debate into a personal attack in any form. everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and everyone is going to have a different one.

 

[edbama2]

I have to commend you on this but not for a debate! I have been bitten by wild dogs and guard dogs and have learned not to be afraid and face them. It usually works. I have not encountered a situation in adult life because what happened when I was a kid. I would still like to add a line from my last post. There are people that love their (____) fill in the blank as much as we love our chickens. Let's keep this positive. You can not change someone through words on a computer. We are all very strong about our chickens and take offense when people react negative to it. When posting negative about pitbull or any other pet, think of it as a chicken and how everyone here would oppose your statement. Hell, I think everyone on the board should find one unnamed chicken and name it pitbull. I am going out to pick one that is unnamed so far. Will post pictures when I decide.

 

[werblessd1s]

I HAVE TO ADMIT I WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WAS SCARED TO DEATH OF PIT BULLS BECAUSE OF WHAT I HAD HEARD ABOUT THEM IN THE MEDIA, UNTIL MY HUSBAND BEGGED ME INTO LETTING HIM GET ONE. THESE DOGS ARE SO BEAUTIFULY SCULPTED. A PURE PIT HAS SUPER SHORT HAIR AND NATURAL MUSCLE. THEY LOOK LIKE WEIGHT LIFTERS AND THATS JUST AMAZINGLY HOW THEY ARE BUILT. IT REALLY ANGERS ME TO SEE A PIT OR ANY OTHER DOG FOR THAT MATTER CHAINED UP OR PINNED UP AND NOT SOCIALIZED. WHEN THEY GET LOOSE THERE WILL MOST LIKELY BE SOME SORT OF TROUBLE BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO ACT.
ALSO A LOT OF THESE STORIES YOU SEE ON TV ARE NOT PIT BULLS PEOPLE JUST ASSUME IF THEY LOOK BULLDOGISH THEY'RE A PIT. IT'S NOT FAIR THAT SO MANY FAMILIES ARE HAVING TO GIVE UP THEIR FAMILY PET BECAUSE SOME HOT HEADED GROUP OF PEOPLE GOT TOGETHER AND DECIDED TO BAN THE BREED. THESE SUITS PROBABLY HAVEN'T EVEN TOUCHED A PIT BULL AND KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THEM.

~STORIES YOU DON'T HEAR~

POSITIVE PITBULL PRESS

"We adopted a Pit Bull mix in Feb. 95. She is a wonderful dog! She earned her Canine Good Citizen award and became a registered therapy dog at only nine months old."



A voice for the dogs



Popsicle, Cool K9! One year ago, Popsicle helped the feds seize 3,075 pounds of cocaine from a pineapple-laden truck at the Mexican border-the biggest drug bust ever at the Hidalgo, Texas, port of entry.

When the deadly cottonmouth snake struck out at "her" children, Dixie never hesitated. The dog pushed the children aside, putting her 50-pound body between them and the snake. Dixie, Heroic pit bull






Petunia visits area classrooms with the Greenbelt-based Partnership for Animal Welfare's Responsible Pet Owner (RPO) program. "Petunia waited while 40 children petted her," said Towson parent Karen Sindall. "I've never seen a more warm, loving and patient dog." Yet Petunia is a pit bull, a name applied to several breeds originally bred for strength, agility, dog-fighting and -- worth noting -- absence of aggression toward humans, because handlers had to work closely with the dogs. Today, bull breeds score high on temperament tests, and the majority are family pets. Man makes dogs bite .

Heroic Pit Bull: Dog Finds Help For Injured Neighbor. Move over Lassie. A pit bull terrier has shown Auburn's resident that heroic dog deeds don't just happen in the movies or on TV.





As I unload my dog, one of the Sheriff's deputies says, "Hey, is that a Pit Bull?" "Yes Sir it is," I proudly say with a smile (this happens every time). "I didn't know they can be search dogs?" he said. I tell him that they are perfect for search work. They are strong and athletic which helps them get through the roughest terrain. They have very good drive which keeps them focused on what they are doing. They can work for hours, and they LOVE people. Search & Rescue .
The dog, who's lived with her more than two years, helped save both Tollison and her sister from a fire that erupted early last Wednesday in her Pine Ridge Road home. Pit bull a hero in Holly Hill home fire








I first met RCA when she was first in training and living with her trainer, John. I was captivated by her charm and obedience. Later, when I got my first Sheltie and I would bring him over to John's to visit, she was incredibly tolerant to this rambunctious puppy and would bring him toys to play with. Of course, her favorite toy was a tug toy and she always won. Alaska's First Certified Hearing Dog .




We are still living in a nursing facility and Spike has become a part of the facility. Over the past year he has gained about 8 pounds. Residents and staff keep dog cookies in their rooms and as we go down the hall he has to visit everybody. Service dog Spike









Shelby a Staffordshire-pit bull mix service dog, sits beside his owner, David Dalrymple, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2001, while attending an Animal Welfare Commission hearing in San Francisco. The commission is scheduled to discuss a commissioner's request that all dogs in public transportation or in public parks be leashed and muzzled. Referred to as the "Pitcasso" of the art world, Spanky's talent is equaled only by his generosity. All the proceeds from the sale of his paintings go to special causes, such as the Assistance Dog Training Fund, which helps train canines for the disabled. Portrait of the artist as a young dog Sunni loves to catch Frisbees and chase tennis balls. But the 4-year-old American pit bull terrier also participates in something far more important - donating blood. "She's what they call a universal blood donor," said Toni Klemstein, the dog's owner. "She's missing the antigens that cause other dogs to react to a donation. She's already donated blood three or four times." Pit bull saves other dogs with its blood




Waterloo, Ontario -- NORTON, a five-year-old American Staffordshire Terrier cross breed was the only one to hear Ann Mathews collapse after a severe reaction to a spider bite. Norton managed to rouse Ann's husband Barrie, still asleep in bed, and lead him to the main floor of the house where Ann was losing consciousness. Barrie called 911, and as ambulance attendants arrived she stopped breathing. Ann was revived at the hospital and spent several days recovering. Norton Hero dog






Periodically, over a month's time, sixty-five pound Weela crossed the flooded river to bring food to seventeen dogs and puppies and one cat, all stranded on an island. Each trip she pulled thirty to fifty pounds of dog food that had been loaded into a harnessed backpack.





The animals were finally evacuated on Valentine's Day. Weela, Ken-L Ration's Dog Hero of the Year (1993)
"Taylor, a 4-year old pit bull mix, shows a real knack for his job. In his first two years on the job, he has sniffed out more than $30 million worth of narcotics... .

Out of more than 100 dogs in the San Diego [CA, USA] district K-9 unit, Taylor ranks as a top performer." The Pit Bull who Fights Drugs




Put in a wheelchair by a 1996 horseback riding accident, Morrison is now assisted in her daily activities by Panda, a pit bull mix she found wandering the streets and trained to switch on lights, retrieve dropped objects and pull her wheelchair. "I needed a dog and she needed a person," said Morrison. Doggie devotion makes life easier Blueberry A Pitbull named Blueberry is credited with saving her owner from two armed attackers.

 

[Alleyoops25]

I understand the defense that owners have when it comes to pitts because of what you said Jsto. for the longest time people had the same fear of German shepherds. Mostly do to their use during the Holecost. My parents flipped when I fell in love with the breed. They finally decided that my dog Lady is pretty safe. Pitt bulls bring pictures of Gangs, Dog fighting, are attacks. Like the German shepherd and Rotties they can prefect the breed tobe more family freindly as a whole. Right now though it is very hard to trust the breed as whole due to all the bad breeding they went under. There are people who get lucky and get a awesome one that is sweet and trust worthy .And their are very responsible people who can control their dogs and keep away any chances that might bring out the aggressive nature. I wanted to let everyone here that was offended on the other thread that I didnt mean to directly insult them, and I was sorry if I did. I am kind of hoping that everyone can see eye to eye, and either drop it, or come to terms that not every one likes or dislikes the breed. And that the people who have them understand why this is a widley feared breed. And Maybe even the pitt lovers (that sounds wierd "pitt lover") that have these awesome dogs with gentle personalities figure out how to breed these guys to further bring out their good qualities, instead of the qualities that gives people a reason to fear. This has been worked on rotts. and German Shepherds with a good deal of success why not try it on this breed? I would love to believe that its nuture not nature that makes them this way......But all of the experiences I have seen it was nature. She was a 100% pitt ( I know one when I see one, pretty into study of different breeds) and no body treated her badly. On the contary she was spoiled by everyone. My brother thinks that if he takes the kids for ice crem then the dogs need to have one as well. Butshe still grew up mean. Agian their are probably good ones out there out of a good blood line. But she fit the bill for the monster stories everyone hears.

 

[haleyluna]

pits aren't genetically predisposed to be any more aggressive than any other dog. it's how they are raised, not how they are born.

 

[werblessd1s]

YEAH, MY MOM'S JACK RUSSELL RIPPED MY LEG OPEN, I NEEDED STITCHES, IT WAS PRETTY BAD.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Alleyoops,

Excellent post. It's honest and I didn't read a thing I don't agree with. Seedcorn's comments of "useless breed", "like giving a gun to a child", and "reading comprehension" hit a chord with me also. Him and I probably agree on the base facts but simply draw different conclusions.

I have a Pitt. I adopted him from the Humane Society where I was told he's an Australian Cattle Dog. As he grew he started looking more like a Pitt and I got nervous. Heck, I never wanted a Pitt. I had heard all the stories and even had a friend who's Pitt turned on him at a year and a half and had to be put down. I've had Rotties, Shepards, and many others. My wife had a Doberman as a kid who atacked her which played into the Doby stereotype. We started reading and talking to other Pitt owners. What we found was that many Pitts were poorly bred, poorly treated, and poorly represented. There always seems to be a dog that needs to be "The Evil One" for the media to target. The Pitt has become that dog. I'm not saying many Pitts are not dangerous. They obviously are. I'm also always gonna keep a closer eye on my pitt than if he was another breed, such as a Lab. We also found that there are thousands of well balanced Pitts out there with devoted and responsible owners who adore them.

The Pitts that attacked Edbama's pigs are acting like many dogs would. The owners are irresponsible. Those dogs will probably be destroyed and only reinforce the negative reputation Pitts have. It's sad. Everyone lost in that situation.

Jsto,
You were probably smarter than all of us by staying out. Picking your battles wisely is a smart thing.

Don aka PurpleChicken