[MissCriss]

Originally Posted by lilrider

Pitbulls can be dangerous. Any dog can. Right now, yes pit bulls are more likely to be dangferous. Why? As I said... who is breeding pit bulls right now? Pit Bulls are the popular "scary" dog to have right now. It used to be dobermans. Everyone will fight about whether or not all pits are bad dogs. Its like arguing about abortion... it will just keep going on and on.

My main thing is when people say they should be banned. Thats a lot like banning guns. The responsible owners are the only ones who get hurt by the law. The irresponsible owners will continue to own/breed/be irresponsible with pit bulls.

OR

The irresponsible ones giving the dogs a bad name will move on to another breed.

Yes pitbulls can cause a lot of damage, yes they were bred to bait bulls and later bred to fight. But I believe if responsible bred, and responsibly owned, they can be and are great dogs.

I agree with that. I really think very strict breeding programs should be arranged so that the pittbull breed can be bred in such a way that we have less agressive and prey-driven dogs. I think if we breed them more appropriately, they can be better guard and police dogs, so that way we can use their strength to an advantage. People should breed for loyalty in these dogs, not the urge to fight. That way, more people will be able to enjoy the good aspects of this breed or certain individuals without having to worry about them being banned. I think pitt fighting should be handled stricter, and I think any of the aggressive pitts should be neutered and spaid, no questions asked. Then, maybe it can become an AKC registered breed and will be bred to have a better reputation. In my opinion, unless you KNOW your stuff, don't go breeding dogs, or you could dirty the gene pool.

[Diamante]

i have a pit bull mix with husky but she looks more pit and everyone thinks so also. we adopted her and treated her better than the family we got her from.She dosn't let anyone go close to us and we have to have her tied up all the time. She is very protective. But thanks to God she hasn't injured anyone.

[Huntseat123]

Oh my gosh thats so horrible. The last attack on horses was in howell, MI. Thats practically my back yard.

A time before that a pack of pitbulls killed two PEOPLE. A jogger and an older man. Again in howell.

[lilrider]

Originally Posted by MissCriss

I agree with that. I really think very strict breeding programs should be arranged so that the pittbull breed can be bred in such a way that we have less agressive and prey-driven dogs. I think if we breed them more appropriately, they can be better guard and police dogs, so that way we can use their strength to an advantage. People should breed for loyalty in these dogs, not the urge to fight. That way, more people will be able to enjoy the good aspects of this breed or certain individuals without having to worry about them being banned. I think pitt fighting should be handled stricter, and I think any of the aggressive pitts should be neutered and spaid, no questions asked. Then, maybe it can become an AKC registered breed and will be bred to have a better reputation. In my opinion, unless you KNOW your stuff, don't go breeding dogs, or you could dirty the gene pool.

Yep I agree. I think that Staffordshire Bull Terrier breeders have already started this. Of course Staffies are quite different being rather smaller than pitties and Amstaffs I don't think they were chosen as often for fighting so their genes are not as muddied.

Originally Posted by HuNTSeAT123

Oh my gosh thats so horrible. The last attack on horses was in howell, MI. Thats practically my back yard.

A time before that a pack of pitbulls killed two PEOPLE. A jogger and an older man. Again in howell.

I want to know how it is known that its a pack of all pitbulls. I just find it strange that somehow a large group of pitbulls escaped and banded together.

I think that a lot of dogs get mislabeled as pit bulls as well.

This is my friends dog, she looks like a pit mix. Has a very much pittie type head and such. But she is not. She is a Lab/Whippet/Pointer mix. Knew the parents and everything.

[Tymacs Girl]

I find it funny for those who say the media plays on the drama pitt bulls supply. Because if German Shepherds or Rotties were doing the same thing the media would be feeding off that as well. ANY animal attack be it any breed of dog is going to get media coverage. It just so happens that Pitt Bulls are leading the race in that department since they can't keep their jaws to themselves!

And the next time someone wants to say that this breed is normal and isn't inherently violent, I'm going to laugh. When I went home to bury my father, I had the joy of going through my father's house and what not. Had my grandparents meet me over there. My grandparents were just STANDING in front of my father's house WAITING for me to get there. Explain to me how two pitt bulls just out of the blue ATTACKED them and would NOT back down. Logs being thrown at them to get them away, NOTHING. The owner finally turned up and called them off.Thank god my grandmother's purse was the only thing that sustained any damage. The guy apologized profusely, I didn't care. I called animal control and the cops, the dogs are dead now.

What if those two pit bulls got ahold of either of my grandparents? Or the toddler walking down the street with his mom shortly after the attack. Sorry I hate that breed and will always hate that breed. They are inherently bred with violence.

[PeggySue]

OK this is MY own experience with a PITBULL PUPPY I had

a friend got me a beautiful little runt female at five weeks the other puppies were not letting her eat any longer ...

I took this pup and i was determined she was not gonna be aggressive she was not rough house or mistreated in anyway no chain no kennel nothing she went EVERYWHERE with me except to work and when I was at work she had a puppysitter that loved and treated her special

at 12 weeks old she ATTACKED ME!! I had nursed her though parvo there was NO REASON for it.. she had never even growled at me or anybody else even in play

I gave her back to the person who got her for me

I am in an area that did raise and breed them for fighting this puppy was from a family pet home though NOT a fighting home!!

as a two year old female she went though a chainlink fence and attacked somebody her OWNER!!!

they never did put her down they made slide pans to feed her and ran hot wire around the inside of her pen I wish I WOULD have put her down

I have been around alot of dogs and I will say I have seen good pits BUT they are not a dog to be trusted even if they are your family pet I have seen too many turn on their owners for no reason

that being said I have seen bad dobies also I owned one but that is how I got her she had been teased but IME once they get the taste of blood you might as well put them down

[lilrider]

Originally Posted by PeggySue

OK this is MY own experience with a PITBULL PUPPY I had

a friend got me a beautiful little runt female at five weeks the other puppies were not letting her eat any longer ...

I took this pup and i was determined she was not gonna be aggressive she was not rough house or mistreated in anyway no chain no kennel nothing she went EVERYWHERE with me except to work and when I was at work she had a puppysitter that loved and treated her special

at 12 weeks old she ATTACKED ME!! I had nursed her though parvo there was NO REASON for it.. she had never even growled at me or anybody else even in play

I gave her back to the person who got her for me

I am in an area that did raise and breed them for fighting this puppy was from a family pet home though NOT a fighting home!!

as a two year old female she went though a chainlink fence and attacked somebody her OWNER!!!

they never did put her down they made slide pans to feed her and ran hot wire around the inside of her pen I wish I WOULD have put her down

I have been around alot of dogs and I will say I have seen good pits BUT they are not a dog to be trusted even if they are your family pet I have seen too many turn on their owners for no reason

that being said I have seen bad dobies also I owned one but that is how I got her she had been teased but IME once they get the taste of blood you might as well put them down

And who bred the puppy? What were her parents like? Were they show dogs?

Its my opinion that unless you are showing or working your dogs you have no reason to breed. Show dogs have to be friendly to deal with all these different people handling them, judges grabbing them, etc. Plus breeders are very very careful about breeding temperament in their show dogs. Working dogs also have to be friendly and compliant. They have to be able to work with their handlers and the breeders also pay very good attention to behavior and temperament.

Anyone else breeding is just breeding to breed IMO. A lot of times they DON'T pay attention to parents or grandparents lines and behavoirs etc.

I also want to point out that a majority of dog attacks are done by male dogs and a majority of those males are intact males. Again unless you are going to breed there is no reason to have a male intact. It DOES make them more aggressive not to mention all the other problems that comes with it. Now someone who is working or showing their dogs I have no problem with them keeping them intact for breeding purposes. But again they strive very hard for the best temperaments in their dogs making them less likely to be aggressive. They are also very responsible usually for their dogs and about their dogs.

Originally Posted by TymacsGirl

I find it funny for those who say the media plays on the drama pitt bulls supply. Because if German Shepherds or Rotties were doing the same thing the media would be feeding off that as well. ANY animal attack be it any breed of dog is going to get media coverage. It just so happens that Pitt Bulls are leading the race in that department since they can't keep their jaws to themselves!

And the next time someone wants to say that this breed is normal and isn't inherently violent, I'm going to laugh. When I went home to bury my father, I had the joy of going through my father's house and what not. Had my grandparents meet me over there. My grandparents were just STANDING in front of my father's house WAITING for me to get there. Explain to me how two pitt bulls just out of the blue ATTACKED them and would NOT back down. Logs being thrown at them to get them away, NOTHING. The owner finally turned up and called them off.Thank god my grandmother's purse was the only thing that sustained any damage. The guy apologized profusely, I didn't care. I called animal control and the cops, the dogs are dead now.

What if those two pit bulls got ahold of either of my grandparents? Or the toddler walking down the street with his mom shortly after the attack. Sorry I hate that breed and will always hate that breed. They are inherently bred with violence.

Why were those dogs there to begin with? If he called them off that means most likely he trained them to be that way. So again, not the dogs fault. Also most likely they were doing their job, what their owner had them do. They are very willing dogs who like to please their owners which unfortunately means they are very willing to do bad things their owners ask of them.

[2horsestoride]

My next door neighbor has two pit bulls. Beautiful dogs, very friendly - at least on the surface. There are several acres between my farm and any of my neighbors, however, about a year ago the male pit bull showed up in my paddock when the farrier was tending to my horses' feet. The pit bull came into the paddock and when I noticed him, I started toward him to shoo him out the other way. My gelding bent his nose down toward the dog as I approached, just looking - nothing aggressive, and the dog attacked. 35 stitches in the gelding's nose and several hundred dollars in vet bills later, I will NEVER trust a pit bull around me, my horses or my family again.

There was absolutely no reason for this attack. The dog wasn't cornered, trapped, harassed, etc.

I agree with Tymacsgirl - inherently violent. Too many unprovoked attacks back this up.

ETA: I should mention that the gelding that was attacked was being held by my husband and had his foot in my farrier's lap as a shoe was nailed on. I wanted to clarify the picture to show that the gelding in no way went after this dog. I guess I should be grateful that the gelding did bend his nose toward the dog. Imagine if the dog went after his throat versus his nose.

[PeggySue]

lilrider did you even read my whole post

the puppy I got was from two PET dogs in other words FAMILY PETS I did not breed her but I can say both her mother and father were two of the friendliest pits I had ever met

I dont' agree that unless an animal is show worthy it shouldn't be bred I think temperment has alot more to do with it when it comes to ANY ANIMAL I have seen more show animals both horses and dogs that have a bad temperment then pets

there is alot more to breeding then shows and what they win !!!

Pits are agressive I have owned more then a couple and I had to put MOST of them down because of aggression!! I have also had to get rid of a doby because of it but she went on to be a TOP police dog they gave her aggession a direction adn it worked!!!

the most aggessive dogs I have seen have been ankle biters I hate them I have one also

[prairienights]

I don't like pit bulls. When there is proof that german shepherds and rotties and doberman pinchers are attacking/mauling/killing as many people and animals I won't like them either. Yes, those breeds have also had an amount of aggression bred into them, but it's just fact that they aren't causing as much damage. They also have the image of spike collars and viscious guard dogs, but they're just not harming as many people.

You can't convince me that pitts don't (on average) have more aggression than other breeds. I've always had border collies, and they straight up have herding instincts. When they're puppies, they'll try to herd their litter mates. They try to herd little kids and toys and anything else. My friend's brittney spaniel just had puppies (both parents have been shown and have done well). Those puppies point. She has a photo, and I wish I had it on my computer, where they were all playing outside and they heard a noise and all four of them were lined up and pointing in perfect form. Dogs DO have instincts. They do what they were bred for. There's no argument that pitt bulls were bred to attack and fight to the death. Yes, any dog can be aggressive, just like any dog can herd and point or retrieve or whatever. Just like any horse can do dressage or jump or chase after a cow. However, some breeds are just born with abilities and drives to do certain things. Dachshunds dig, labs retrieve, warmbloods do dressage in the pasture, a cowy QH will "cut" his herdmates on his own. Pitbulls fight.

I think there should be some way to regulate breeding and ownership of pitts. The owner should have some sort of licence that proves their knowledge of the breed and their ability to handle them. Maybe even a site check on their property to make sure they have the facilities to contain them. Since it's very unlikely that a system like this will be set in place, I am fully in favor of banning the breed.

When german shepherds start killing as many people and animals, I'll feel the same way. Same with dobermans, huskies, shi tzus, poodles, etc. I'm not a "breedist," but I'm quite aware of cause and effect.