Ban of the pitbull......

[jamie]

I happen to be a pitbull owner. My dog, Junior, is the sweetest, stupidest dog you'll ever have a chance to meet. He will never harm any one or thing unless he feels threatend, which is never because he is an understanding dog. He's afraid of cats and cars, and our older, much smaller dog, maisey. If he ever hurts you it's because he's excited to see you and you are getting whipped by his tail, or head budded cause he wants a hug. He is a sweet loving dog and so is the breed.

Band the deed not the breed.

[gela]

My dog is half dingo.
Shes a wuss, she won't bite anyone, and if she accidently bites you a little bit, she rolls over on her back or crawls all over you to say sorry.
She loves kids.. a little bit too much. Shes just a puppy, so she gets over excited and jumps all over them.

[sissybaby]

Thats great your dog is so wonderful, I don't agree with a total ban of the breed. Though I do think they need to be restricted to breeders that know what they are doing and kennels should be monitored closely. They are beautiful dogs


Jessica

[jamie]

I don't like the whole chaning the dogs up though. It triggers agresion.

[sissybaby]

No dog should ever be tied up or chainned up and left. They need a free running kennel or well fenced in backyard.

Jessica

[ShadowFox]

Maybe people should train aggressive pets a bit more, so lessen the risk of this happening.

[jamie]

But the thought that the Pit bull is an aggressive pet is what’s getting the breed band. Pits are only as aggressive as you make them. Just as any person who has parents who killed or has anger problem, they get those traits but doesn't necessarily mean that they will embrace those traits. Only the person who owns the dog can make them be the way that people portray them to be.

[mlynn]

BSL doesn't work. It has been proven not to work so I don't understand why some people still lobby for it. I has been found in an Ohio court that BSL is not constitutional...as it deny's a person their right to due process...their dogs are labeled "vicious" with out anyone proving them to be so...or giving the owner a chance to prove otherwise. So the breed bans in Toledo are illegal now. It even went to the supreme court. You can't determine the genetics of a dog by looks alone...plenty of mixed breed dogs who don't have an ounce of pitbull in them are labled as pitbulls. I had a 12 pound boston terrier mix who has a slightly longer snout then a boston (but not APBT features...had the round head, body type, personality of a terrier) and she was called a "pitbull" by a VET TECH. Zero pitbull in her but it goes to show how any breed with a similar "look" can be inaccurately labeled.

It is silly to think that the people who ALREADY BREAK THE CURRENT LAWS by harboring aggressive animals with out the proper requirements will fallow new laws. You will still have aggressive dogs out there...but you'll also have non-aggressive dogs being put into shelters and killed by the responsible people who DO fallow laws or whose animals are NOT aggressive.

That being said 90 percent of ALL dog bites...regardless of breed...are the result of a MALE, UNNEUTERED, CHAINED dog. Is it the pitbulls fault that they...as a breed...are kept in conditions more often then other breeds that encourage aggression.

I have an APBT and I have to say it takes a higher level of responsibility to own these dogs. They SHOULD NEVER be put into the hands of average joe pet owner...thats when things go wrong. She has a high prey drive and is only dog tolerant with certain dogs, only when properly introduced, and only in certian situations. I have to carry a spray bottle with me when walking her in case some a-hole who lets their dog run around off leash at the park isin't smart enough to keep their dog from running up on her. She will jump in on a fight if she sees other dogs fighting. I have to check my back yard before I let her out every time (to make sure the gate is secure and there are no stray or owned cats hanging around), I have to rotate her and my cats (the cats get the run of the house during the day when she is crated and a large roomy bedroom at night), and take her to my parents house on the weekends when I spend the night at the cage free boarding facility where I work. Basically she is a pain in the ass and it has taken some MAJOR revamping in my life to keep her as a companion safely. People who are not willing to take all the necessary precautions shouldn't own a APBT. People who think "never my dog" are the exact people who shouldn't own THIS breed. She can't be left alone unsupervised with other dogs...even my own dogs who she is great with. She has never faught with them but that is because I ENSURE that she is never put into a situation where a fight could occur. Anything can set off a dog fight in a multi-dog household...and even if she doesn't start it..her genetics will ensure that she is going to "finish" it if there isin't someone around to watch and supervise and discipline when there is even a hint that the dogs just even "could" get to rough.

[Thanatos]

Quote by: sissybaby Thats great your dog is so wonderful, I don't agree with a total ban of the breed. Though I do think they need to be restricted to breeders that know what they are doing and kennels should be monitored closely. They are beautiful dogs Jessica

I've managed to train a cat to behave with fully unleashed territorial aggression. It was accidental but now its kind of cool. If another guy gets near my territory my cat charges at them and hisses.

The point is that any animal can be made viscous and no animal is born viscous. Restricting pit bulls to breeders is silly.

[Okieslims]

Quote by: jamie I happen to be a pitbull owner. My dog, Junior, is the sweetest, stupidest dog you'll ever have a chance to meet. He will never harm any one or thing unless he feels threatend, which is never because he is an understanding dog. He's afraid of cats and cars, and our older, much smaller dog, maisey. If he ever hurts you it's because he's excited to see you and you are getting whipped by his tail, or head budded cause he wants a hug. He is a sweet loving dog and so is the breed. Band the deed not the breed.

I own a pink pipebomb that's been bedazzled. It's a wonderful conversation piece. I leave it on my coffee table. It brightens my day.

Most pitbulls are good natured. That doesnt make them any less capable of serious destruction. Their jaw muscles are built to destroy. That's why I support the ban. I worked at a hospital for a long time and have seen the difference between a mut bite and a pit bite. It's a huge difference.

[Sorreltail]

Quote by: jamie I happen to be a pitbull owner. My dog, Junior, is the sweetest, stupidest dog you'll ever have a chance to meet. He will never harm any one or thing unless he feels threatend, which is never because he is an understanding dog. He's afraid of cats and cars, and our older, much smaller dog, maisey. If he ever hurts you it's because he's excited to see you and you are getting whipped by his tail, or head budded cause he wants a hug. He is a sweet loving dog and so is the breed. Band the deed not the breed.

I agree , they should not be banned , there are a lot of sweet pitbulls out there.

[Eraldo Coil]

"October 23, 2007
The dog rarely barked. He never growled, and his teeth - until a vicious attack Saturday night - had been reserved for chewing food, his owners say.Chocolate - a caramel-colored pit bull a little more than a year old - was one of the most tranquil dogs Kenneth and Melissa Garrison had until, unprovoked, he snapped and nearly bit the nose off the couple’s 1-year-old son." (Pit Bull Attacks Owner and Baby « Pit Bull Attack) check this link out to see the damage this dog has caused.

I agree , they should not be banned , there are a lot of sweet pitbulls out there.

I agree with the fact that there are many sweet pitbulls out there. All of you pitbull owners felt exactly the way this family did. The point is there are alot of dangerous pitbulls out there. These dogs have killed more than 100 individuals in the past five years. If an automobile had a defect that killed 100 people, there would be a public outcry. Why can't it be the same for pitbulls. Out of all the dog attcks i've heard of, the majority of them have been by these dogs. Totally bannig i do not agree with, however, i believe that they should be wearing a muzzle at all times in public. If a loving owners pitbull could that, what's to stop it from doing it to someone else outside of it's family.

[Deadeye]

If it can be shown that pit bulls are dangerous to people and other dogs, I guess; then they should be outlawed.

If it can be shown that pit bulls are not more dangerous than any other dog then they should be allowed.

I suppose one could take the total number of pit bulls and divide them by the number of people or other dogs killed or injured by that breed and do the same math for other dogs we could come up with a workable solution.

I have read several newspaper articles about people and dogs killed by pit bulls, and not many killed by other breeds. Maybe the stories are skewed by the bad reputation of the pit bull. Anyway, this should be a no brainer.

[mlynn]

Dogs and baby's shouldn't be left together. Simple as that. Many breeds of dog can snap at a baby. And dogs don't just "attack" for no reason. A child was standing in front of the dog...with food....children that size are at eye level...eye contact and body posture is what DOGS use to send threatening (or playful exc) messages to other dogs. I can control a dog simply by the way I walk and the way I look at him. If he is doing something wrong all it takes from me (and others trained in pack management) is a stern look and a dominant body posture to make him submit. No yelling needed. Dogs who respect you as alpha as all dogs should (but many dogs don't due to improper training) will not "attack"...but many dogs have trouble accepting an infant as superior to them in a pack...and will snap if challenged. It takes proper training of both dog and child and complete supervision to have dogs and baby's together safely. They got this dog as an adult...and I assume because he was from a breeding situation he was NOT neutered (there has never been a single case of an spayed or neutered pitbull biting someone...never) and probibally not socialized with children from puppy hood. They also never mentioned in the article how long the family has had the dog. Was she afraid and still adjusting to a new situation? There is A LOT to consider...from a dog trainers point of view...when bites are involved...and there are HUGE pieces of the puzzle that are being left out of this story. Dogs don't just "go crazy"...there is always SOMETHING that provokes a bite...they don't just bite for no reason. Dogs communicate in a diffrent language then people....pet owners need to understand that. Social Services also admitted that most dog bites are due to or investigated as NEGLECT....ie neglect of the parents to properly supervise their child with a dog. That is why the couple is being investigated. I doubt they will admit to not supervising their child...because no one wants to seem like an ass in the media...or have their child taken away by CPS.


I work at a doggy daycare...I manage a PACK of dogs on a daily basis. Snapping in the faces of other dogs is NORMAL behavior for ALL breeds....it is the ONLY way that a dog can communicate to another dog "hey leave me alone". If the dog wanted to inflict serious harm...he could have...but the child had minor scrapes...and wasn't seriously injured and didn't need surgery.

Children and pets should be supervised....directly....at all times. My family's german shepherd bit my brother in the face when he was a toddler because my parents weren't watching and let him jump on her while she was sleeping. Did they put the dog down...nope. She lived with us...with out incident...for 15 years...until she died of old age...never a single bite again.

The problem is that irresponsible people are going to be irresponsible in many situations. If they are bad dog owners...who fail to supervise and spay and neuter their dogs...the chances are they aren't going to be the most responsible parents either....all the info in the article was second hand...who knows how the story was changed for the news media. We may never know the actual occurance that caused the bite...but professional dog trainers and behavioral experts understand that ALL bites are provoked in some way. Dogs that bite feel thretened in some way or are asserting dominance. Dog behaviorists get inside of a dogs head. A dog could be prone to biting for many reasons...including lack of socialization or abusive past experiences. The way a dog REACTS to certain situations is shaped by early experience. MALE dogs, who are NOT NEUTERED, are at the GREATEST risk of a bite. Male dogs are full of testosterone...which can make them cranky, territorial, and defensive. I am guessing (as a dog trainer and behavioral expert) that THIS dog was a breeding dog (from the way the owner describes the previous owner as a "breeder"), who was probibally NOT neutered, and recently adopted and transitioned from what was most likely a life on a chain (the way MOST pitbull breeds keep their dogs) to life in a chaotic household with 5 children...two of them being infants. That would probibally be overwhelming for any dog regardless of breed.

Those people who understand dog behavior and are experts in the field...understand that not EVERY home situation is suitable for EVERY dog. Some dogs are not a right match for kids...period. In my opinion unaltered dogs...especially male dogs....should NEVER be exposed to kids...unless they have proven to be stable in temperament....through CGC, temperament testing, or another means.

[Aussie]

I'm with you Jaime, most of people perceptions of these and other 'dangerous dogs' is through ignorance and media distortion eg.

Case Studies - National Canine Research Council

Family's two Pit bulls kill Hamtramck Girl"
"Family Pit bulls maul girl, 6, to death"
The newspapers reported that two *family* Pit bulls, with "no history of aggressive behavior" attacked the owner's daughter, killing her. It was also reported that the child had "known the dog since they were puppies"

Investigation of the incident and necropsy (animal autopsy) of these two dogs reveal:

The dogs, a male and a female, had originally belonged to the mother’s boyfriend, who was recently deceased.
Both dogs were 12-18 months old, intact, and the female had signs of a previous pregnancy.
The dogs were abandoned in the basement of a vacant house, while the mother and girl had moved into another house.
Upon examination both dogs were found to be underweight.
No dog food was found throughout the entire gastrointestinal tract of either dog.
The stomach contents of both dogs were found to contain multiple foreign bodies of varied forms:
Male: pieces of paper and cardboard (from a box of rodenticide), plant material, small nails, and a rubber gasket
Female: pieces of cardboard (from a box of rodenticide), multiple small rubber bands and black plastic fragments.
Both dogs tested positive for brodifacoum poisoning (meaning they ingested rat poison)

Never let the facts get in the way of a good story though!

edit: have a look at the States stats, more people are killed by lightnight strikes in most states!!!
State Statistics on Fatal Dog Attacks - National Canine Research Council

[grandpa]

Dogs aren't typically very dangerous. Usually they're just being a little territorial.
I'm not surprised either, as many of them are raised up that way by their "masters". I also wasn't surprised when, a few weeks back, I was able to play fetch with a dog that was following me and yipping just the week before.

Grandpa h.

[GHook93]

Quote by: jamie I happen to be a pitbull owner. My dog, Junior, is the sweetest, stupidest dog you'll ever have a chance to meet. He will never harm any one or thing unless he feels threatend, which is never because he is an understanding dog.

I always hear this from every pitbull owner. And many of these same people are always shocked when there dog bites someone. My wife's friend had a pitbull which she characterized in the same way. My wife would never bring my son over there even though they had a daughter the same age as my son (my son is 2 yrs old). 6 months ago that dog, described as the sweetest thing, bite my wife's friend's daughter on the face. She had to have emergency surgery and now has to live the rest of her life with a nasty scar.

Band the deed not the breed.

Don't band the bread, but respect families that don't want them at public parks, don't want them walked without a leash, that don't want them to get out of the backyard with restraints and don't want them walked by people (young children) who can't restrain the animals.

[GHook93]

Quote by: Thanatos The point is that any animal can be made viscous and no animal is born viscous. Restricting pit bulls to breeders is silly.

Yea but a vicious shitzu is different than a vicious pitbull. The Shitzu might hurt your pinky, but the pitbull can kill you or in the case of my wife's friend's daughter scar you literally for life.

[GHook93]

Quote by: mlynn Dogs and baby's shouldn't be left together. Simple as that.

No always that easily, main times the person is put in that position by an absentee owner. Such as a pitbull escapes when the gate was left open and attacks a person passing by!

Many breeds of dog can snap at a baby. And dogs don't just "attack" for no reason. A child was standing in front of the dog...with food....children that size are at eye level...eye contact and body posture is what DOGS use to send threatening (or playful exc) messages to other dogs.

Great teach a 1 year old not to do that!

[Marilyn Monroe]

All dogs can be aggressive. I've got a Min-Pin & a Beagle. The Min-Pin will growl and bite if he feels the need, the Beagle is very sneaky and will bite if you try to move him, or press too hard when petting on his backside and it squishes his nuts. Actually the Beagle isn't mine, that's why he's not fixed, but the Min-Pin is.

I'm not for banning unless there's a known problem which there must be or they wouldn't ban the Pit-Bull. In Detroit if the Humane Society picks up a Pit-Bull it's immediately euthanized because they don't allow the breed in Detroit. I watch Animal Planet.

I'd say from knowing terriers that Pit Bulls are probably very lovable. They do have some big jaws though, so if they decided to bite they could do some definite damage.