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Just kidding there harmless the big brown one is Stitch my 1.5 year old male and the pup is magic 2 month old female. they wouldn't hurt a fly unless it got in the way of there deadly wagging tales 
eek Pittbulls oh no
- Thread starter xalbinox
- Start date
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nothing cuter than a pit puppy!
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Awww they are so cute. I recently had to put mine down for excessive aggression. He was a mill dog I rescued and just too danged inbred. Its a shame as he was a beauty at 112 lbs of muscle. He liked me ONLY. Kinda hard to manage that when you have kids and other pets.
Anyway, your pups look great! POST MORE PICS!! LOL!
He was a mill dog I rescued and just too danged inbred. Its a shame as he was a beauty at 112 lbs of muscle. He liked me ONLY. Kinda hard to manage that when you have kids and other pets. Anyway, your pups look great! POST MORE PICS!! LOL!
gorgeous pitts you have!
I'll never have one though. Too many stories of attacks and inbreeding, you never know for sure how they'll turn out. My friends 3 year old daughter was mauled by 2 pitts about 2 weeks ago. They dug under the fence to get to her and the family golden retriever saved her by taking them both on. I wish they were never bred to fight, they are an awesome looking dog. But as many breeders say, it's easier to breed for a desireable characteristic than it s to breed out an undesireable characteristic.
I'll never have one though. Too many stories of attacks and inbreeding, you never know for sure how they'll turn out. My friends 3 year old daughter was mauled by 2 pitts about 2 weeks ago. They dug under the fence to get to her and the family golden retriever saved her by taking them both on. I wish they were never bred to fight, they are an awesome looking dog. But as many breeders say, it's easier to breed for a desireable characteristic than it s to breed out an undesireable characteristic.
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I really don't see much aggresion in the breeding most of the aggresion comes from the upbringing and as far as inbreeding goes yea you do get a bit more inbreeding in the stafordshires which does tend them to get a lil loose in the head thats why I say papers are a must with this breed most people are scared of them because of there reputation of being bred to fight but seriously any dog trained to fight will do so pitts aren't the only dogs bred to throw in a fighting pit allthough they are the most commonly seen I read more about rotweiler and doberman attacks than i do pittbulls but because of the fighting reputation the staffies name is dragged through the mud. Once a fighting dog allways a fighting dog no matter what the breed. Believe it or not I also have a chihuahua that makes the staffies quiver with fear she's more of an "attack dog" the the bulls she growls they run for cover.
Pitts were bred to fight for nearly 200 years that's why they're more commonly seen. Other breeds are for other purposes but some are also used for fighting other than what they were originally bred for. Even though a certain animal may seem like it doesn't have those tendancies, you can never tell just by looking at it.
I'm not saying there aren't some good Pitts out there but many people don't want to take the chance because they can't always tell which ones have a stronger tendancy to attack. It would be great if the dogs were born with a sign or symbol that shows- this dog is aggressive- this dog will be set off by loud noises- this dog likes to chase. Combine that with responsible owners who know how to handle those dogs and this would be a perfect world of Pitt Bulls.
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We got our lil boy from a puppy mill rescue and he was pretty inbred. The weren't charged with fighting them, but there were indications they were involved in dogfighting. Unfortunately not enugh evidence to get them for more than neglect and little stuff. Big whoop.... anyway, when I got him he was a teenie little thing and not fully weaned. The mother had to be put down. He was MY baby. Just a wonderful loving dog and smart. ANyway, when he reached doggie puberty he was in real competition with the kids and pretty much anything else living. We rtied everything including socialization, neutering, and consulted a trainer and behaviorist. In the end we had to put him down as he posed too great a risk for my own kids and neighbor kids. I KNEW there was a chance this would have to happen just because his parentage ( mother/son breeding) and etc.
Didja know Cocker Spaniels have more bites per year than ANY dog breed? Difference is their bite doesn't do as much damage. Bulls have a bad rap and I personally feel it is due to bad breeding practices. They're a strong willed dog and need training, also.
Didja know Cocker Spaniels have more bites per year than ANY dog breed? Difference is their bite doesn't do as much damage. Bulls have a bad rap and I personally feel it is due to bad breeding practices. They're a strong willed dog and need training, also.
You have to consider that more people own Cockers than Pitts so naturally more bites will happen. You're right about them not doing as much damage plus I'm sure many of the incidents are not reported because of that. The Pitts though, have very strong bite! About 1600lbs psi so their bite is much more fierce. Even a nip could do more damage than another dogs bite. Plus they have the tendancy to not let go once they get a good grip. I wouldn't call it "locking" the jaw but more like they're so strong if they don't want to let go, they won't.
I love all dogs, I think they're all beautiful (except for the chinese crested~ I mean come on! Is it really necessary to have a naked dog with a bad hair do?)
the Pitts are an especially appealing breed with all that muscle and strong stance. I hate to see them so hated by many people, even those with no experience with the breed.
Maybe instead of banning a breed (like they might do in my city because of the attack on the little girl),
they should screen owners? Find out if they are suitable to own such a dog. I know that will be hard to do but they could make it manditory for anyone wanting a Pitt to be screened. And if they don't get screened they get fined, then if they don't get screened again, the dog gets a new owner.
That's the only way I can think of not banning the breed. The people need to accept some responsibilty.
they should screen owners? Find out if they are suitable to own such a dog. I know that will be hard to do but they could make it manditory for anyone wanting a Pitt to be screened. And if they don't get screened they get fined, then if they don't get screened again, the dog gets a new owner.
That's the only way I can think of not banning the breed. The people need to accept some responsibilty.
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I've bred and owned UKC "Purple Ribbon"/AKC dual-registered American Pit(ONE "T", NOT two)Bull Terriers/American Staffordshires for about 19 years now, producing my sixth generation of dogs now, mainly for "catch dogs" to catch and hold wild hogs. I've had contacts with some of the old "dog men", many of whom are now departed, so I feel I know the breed pretty good(see my email and internet "handle"). I have NEVER, and let me repeat NEVER, been bitten by a Pit Bull. I HAVE had to get stitches from a Cocker bite, so don't let anyone tell you they can't do damage! If the people bitten by Cockers didn't need to seek medical attention, the bite wouldn't get reported in the first place! While they might not do the sort of damage to an adult human that a larger breed can do, how about if the victim is a small child, which it usually is? The damage relative to the victim's size is much more severe than you'd think. A couple of years ago a four-pound Pomeranian killed a six-week-old infant girl by severing her jugular and carotid arteries, proving that ANY dog CAN kill a human, if the human is small or helpless enough. Cocker bites and Labrador bites(Labs are still responsible for more dog-related human fatalities in my state of South Carolina)don't sell newspapers or garner high television ratings, though, while Pit Bulls bites do.
Dogs, Pit Bulls or otherwise, DO NOT "turn" on people. People just often don't know enough about dog behavior and especially not about canine body language to "read" the signs that the dog is becoming aggressive. The dog gives plenty of prior notices that it is becoming more and more aggressive, but people fail to pick up on it. I've had people tell me how sweet their Akita is because the dog stands up on its hind legs and gives them "hugs" while staring "lovingly" into their faces with its ears up; they didn't even realize that the dog was actually directly challenging them and exhibiting classic dominant/aggressive threat behavior! Others, especially children, get bitten because they put themselves in positions/situations which can trigger prey drives or defensive behavior in ANY dog. I have found that by and large, children nowadays are simply NOT taught to respect dogs or any other animals, and do things that put them at risk.
Also, there is absolutely NO scientifically documented evidence that a Pit Bull can bite any harder than any similar-sized breed or mongrel. There is simply no way to accurately measure the bite force of a dog, since there is no way to know if the dog is actualy biting as hard as it can or not. The jaw and tooth structure of a Pit Bull is no different from that of any other breed. The main difference is that unlike most dogs, which bite with a quick "snap/release" warning/threat bite, Pit Bulls(and many other breeds)tend to grab and hold on, a trait inherited from their "Old Bulldog"(NOT the "sourmug" English Bulldog)ancestors, which were used to control unruly cattle by gripping their noses.
Finally, yes, Pit Bull Terriers/Staffordshire Terriers WERE bred to fight in the pit, hence the name. In traditional, "old school" dog-fighting, handlers had to actually be in the pit with their dogs, and dogs were periodically picked up and taken to their respective corners to be checked over. Dogs which showed even the slightest hint of human aggression(and there is HUGE difference between dog-human aggression and dog-dog aggression)were automatically destroyed. Many of the modern Pit Bull's ancestors came from Ireland, with the wave of immigrants at the end of the 1800's through the early 20th century, and were often bartered for goods and services in the New World. Those dogs had to be able to adapt quickly to and accept a new master, which meant again, human-aggressive dogs were not tolerated. The recent trend towards aggressive Pit Bulls is due largely to indiscrimint breeding by people little concerned with bloodlines, and even unscrupulous enough to cross in larger, more aggressive breeds. The trend towards huge "Pit Bulls" weighing 100 pounds or more is testimony to this, as the breed standard originally called for males to ideally be no more than 18.5 inches at the shoulder! Many of the so-called "Pit Bulls" involved in serious attacks are dogs from no traceable origin, often stolen, and horribly abused in the mistaken belief that a vicious/aggressive dog is a better fighter. GAMENESS, the quality of refusing to give up, no matter how tough the odds, and the ability to tolerate extreme pain without caving in, is what makes the REAL Pit Bull a choice fighting dog, NOT being vicious or mentally unstable, and most people simply cannot understand that. I'd call George Forman "game", and any of you who have been around long enough to see that man in the boxing ring will agree, but mean and vicious? NO way!
Sorry for the lengthy post, but it's something that I felt needed to be said, by someone who's lived with Pit Bulls for many years, not just had one Pit or relied on the newspaper reports to make up my mind for me. Pretty much ANY shortcoated, muscular dog that does something wrong nowadays is going to end up being called a "Pit Bull", unless it's black and tan; THEN it's a "Rottweiler". If it has a thich coat and a bushy tail, and erect ears, it's a "wolf-hybrid". Doesn't really matter what it REALLY is, since like I said, Husky attacks, Lab attacks and bites by plain ole' mutts don't sell papers or make names for politicians.
pitbulllady
Dogs, Pit Bulls or otherwise, DO NOT "turn" on people. People just often don't know enough about dog behavior and especially not about canine body language to "read" the signs that the dog is becoming aggressive. The dog gives plenty of prior notices that it is becoming more and more aggressive, but people fail to pick up on it. I've had people tell me how sweet their Akita is because the dog stands up on its hind legs and gives them "hugs" while staring "lovingly" into their faces with its ears up; they didn't even realize that the dog was actually directly challenging them and exhibiting classic dominant/aggressive threat behavior! Others, especially children, get bitten because they put themselves in positions/situations which can trigger prey drives or defensive behavior in ANY dog. I have found that by and large, children nowadays are simply NOT taught to respect dogs or any other animals, and do things that put them at risk.
Also, there is absolutely NO scientifically documented evidence that a Pit Bull can bite any harder than any similar-sized breed or mongrel. There is simply no way to accurately measure the bite force of a dog, since there is no way to know if the dog is actualy biting as hard as it can or not. The jaw and tooth structure of a Pit Bull is no different from that of any other breed. The main difference is that unlike most dogs, which bite with a quick "snap/release" warning/threat bite, Pit Bulls(and many other breeds)tend to grab and hold on, a trait inherited from their "Old Bulldog"(NOT the "sourmug" English Bulldog)ancestors, which were used to control unruly cattle by gripping their noses.
Finally, yes, Pit Bull Terriers/Staffordshire Terriers WERE bred to fight in the pit, hence the name. In traditional, "old school" dog-fighting, handlers had to actually be in the pit with their dogs, and dogs were periodically picked up and taken to their respective corners to be checked over. Dogs which showed even the slightest hint of human aggression(and there is HUGE difference between dog-human aggression and dog-dog aggression)were automatically destroyed. Many of the modern Pit Bull's ancestors came from Ireland, with the wave of immigrants at the end of the 1800's through the early 20th century, and were often bartered for goods and services in the New World. Those dogs had to be able to adapt quickly to and accept a new master, which meant again, human-aggressive dogs were not tolerated. The recent trend towards aggressive Pit Bulls is due largely to indiscrimint breeding by people little concerned with bloodlines, and even unscrupulous enough to cross in larger, more aggressive breeds. The trend towards huge "Pit Bulls" weighing 100 pounds or more is testimony to this, as the breed standard originally called for males to ideally be no more than 18.5 inches at the shoulder! Many of the so-called "Pit Bulls" involved in serious attacks are dogs from no traceable origin, often stolen, and horribly abused in the mistaken belief that a vicious/aggressive dog is a better fighter. GAMENESS, the quality of refusing to give up, no matter how tough the odds, and the ability to tolerate extreme pain without caving in, is what makes the REAL Pit Bull a choice fighting dog, NOT being vicious or mentally unstable, and most people simply cannot understand that. I'd call George Forman "game", and any of you who have been around long enough to see that man in the boxing ring will agree, but mean and vicious? NO way!
Sorry for the lengthy post, but it's something that I felt needed to be said, by someone who's lived with Pit Bulls for many years, not just had one Pit or relied on the newspaper reports to make up my mind for me. Pretty much ANY shortcoated, muscular dog that does something wrong nowadays is going to end up being called a "Pit Bull", unless it's black and tan; THEN it's a "Rottweiler". If it has a thich coat and a bushy tail, and erect ears, it's a "wolf-hybrid". Doesn't really matter what it REALLY is, since like I said, Husky attacks, Lab attacks and bites by plain ole' mutts don't sell papers or make names for politicians.
pitbulllady
posted by pitbulllady
There is no solid proof that a Pit bulls jaw strength is anymore than another dog but I'm willing to bet it's more than a Cocker Spaniel. I wasn't comparing the relative size of the victim to the attacking dog either but if you want to compare consider this. The 3 year old girl that was attacked had her head grabbed by the Pit Bull and it shook her causing puncture wounds behind each ear. I've never seen a Cocker spaniel wrap its mouth around anything larger than a softball and that's pushing it. I also never stated that any other breed was any safer.
posted by pitbulllady
http://www.realpitbull.com/
originally posted by Diane S
I am also not in favor of banning any specific breed because of irresponsible owners so I posted on a local webpage about regulating ownership instead of banning the dogs from the city. If owners are going to have to keep thier dogs outside of city limits, many of the dogs are not going to receive the proper care and attention they need. I can see many of them being forgotten or just unwanted because it's too much of a hassle.
http://www.realpitbull.com/
There is no solid proof that a Pit bulls jaw strength is anymore than another dog but I'm willing to bet it's more than a Cocker Spaniel. I wasn't comparing the relative size of the victim to the attacking dog either but if you want to compare consider this. The 3 year old girl that was attacked had her head grabbed by the Pit Bull and it shook her causing puncture wounds behind each ear. I've never seen a Cocker spaniel wrap its mouth around anything larger than a softball and that's pushing it. I also never stated that any other breed was any safer.
posted by pitbulllady
http://www.realpitbull.com/
originally posted by Diane S
I know that not all Pits are dangerous or aggressive towards people, I never stated they "turn" on people. I also know that they need responsible owners who know and understand the breed so if or when undesireable tendancies begin to show they will know how to deal with it. The reality is too many people are getting Pits to fight. Too many people are inbreeding Pits for money with no reguard for the animal or the person that may own it. And lots of people don't want to spend the extra money on a quality dog from a reputable breeder or just don't have the money to spend so they settle for "what they can get" which can be bad situation. Combined with many people's laziness for proper socialization/training and care spells disaster for both the breed and the people(children) that come into contact with those dogs.
I am also not in favor of banning any specific breed because of irresponsible owners so I posted on a local webpage about regulating ownership instead of banning the dogs from the city. If owners are going to have to keep thier dogs outside of city limits, many of the dogs are not going to receive the proper care and attention they need. I can see many of them being forgotten or just unwanted because it's too much of a hassle.
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Diane said: Too many people are inbreeding Pits for money with no reguard for the animal or the person that may own it.
AMEN! That's the biggest problem I see with the pit and similar breeds. I seriously loved my dog, but there is a point where you have to choose if you are going to be responsible for the animal harming others, or keeping it and hoping for the best. I've known pits that were pussy cats. Some aren't and I truly believe it's due to breeding practices. My job put me in contact with people that had pits guarding their meth labs and with people bitten/mauled by pits. It all comes down to breeding and responsible ownership.
Right now my grandparents are having an aggression issue with one of their Rotties.They're in their late 70's early 80's. They'll do what I did, explore all avenues with geting the animal help, and IF that fails... do the responsible, if difficult, thing.
Besides screening owners, Diane, I think there should be a financial responsibility profiling with some breeds. If you haven't the money to care for some of the breed medical issues, if the breed requires grooming, and if there are established behavioral issues... ya can't own it. Unpopular view, but it would majorly cut down on neglect and irresponsible breeding practices.
AMEN! That's the biggest problem I see with the pit and similar breeds. I seriously loved my dog, but there is a point where you have to choose if you are going to be responsible for the animal harming others, or keeping it and hoping for the best. I've known pits that were pussy cats.
Some aren't and I truly believe it's due to breeding practices. My job put me in contact with people that had pits guarding their meth labs and with people bitten/mauled by pits. It all comes down to breeding and responsible ownership.Right now my grandparents are having an aggression issue with one of their Rotties.They're in their late 70's early 80's. They'll do what I did, explore all avenues with geting the animal help, and IF that fails... do the responsible, if difficult, thing.
Besides screening owners, Diane, I think there should be a financial responsibility profiling with some breeds. If you haven't the money to care for some of the breed medical issues, if the breed requires grooming, and if there are established behavioral issues... ya can't own it. Unpopular view, but it would majorly cut down on neglect and irresponsible breeding practices.
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- Jan 2, 2003
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- 343
That is little consolation to me. I was running about two weeks ago and suddenly felt something take out my legs from behind and I went crashing to the asphalt. I look up to see a huge white pit bull staring down at me. I never saw him coming. How was I supposed to "read" the signs? Lucky the owner was in the driveway and saved my bacon. I didn't get bit thankfully, but I did get a major case of road rash on my left arm and hand from hitting the pavement. Even though I was bleeding (looked worse than it was) all over the place, I didn't even get an apology from the owner. He just chuckled that "He's harmless." Yeah right! I wonder what would have happened if the owner wouldn't have been there? You are right that any dog can be dangerous as I was attacked and bitten by two Scottish terriers about two years ago (again while running), but I was never fearing for my life. I came away with some bites to my right calf (multiple puncture wounds), but if they were pit bulls, it would most certainly have been much worse so your argument about them being no more dangerous than Cockers or Pomeranians doesn't hold water with me. You can say what you want about dog owners not picking up on the signals, but in the end it is little consolation to the victim. What are we supposed to do? Not looking for any sympathy here, I'm just p@#$%^d off at unresponsible dog owners. For the record, nothing happened to the Scottish Terriers that bit me or to their owner, and she never even apologized. I called the Police/Animal Control and filed a report, but nothing. They made sure the dog didn't have rabies, but no fine or warning or anything like that.
BTW, nice looking dog Xalbinox!
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When I state that "breed x" is no more dangerous than "breed Y", I mean to humans in general! Many people only take into consideration those dogs that can pose a risk to ADULT humans, and totally forget the dangers that can be posed to very small children and infants, even though THEY are statistically more likely to be victims of a serious dog attack than adults are. An infant with his/her throat ripped out by a Pomeranian is just as dead, and just as tragic a loss, as an adult with his/her throat ripped out by a large-breed dog; dead is dead! YOU may not have suffered serious damage by two Scotties, but what if you'd been a two-year-old?
Yes, I will absolutely agree that there are many irresponsible dog owners, of ALL sorts of dogs, and there are many people who are breeding dogs for no other reason than to make a fast buck or two. Legistlating specific breeds or types of dogs WILL NOT make this problem go away, since it is a people problem, not a dog problem! The only fair solution, and it is by no means a perfect one(I doubt such a thing exists, unless you are in a perfect world), is to require and ENFORCE laws requiring ALL dogs to be properly restrained or contained on property, and making ALL dog owners finanically responsible for injuries or damages caused by their dog, no matter what breed it is, with the exception being injuries incurred by a person, caused by a dog, while that person is in the act of committing a crime. My state of SC has a non-breed-specific Vicious Animal Act which holds owners liable for dog-bite injuries, except if you are bitten while trespassing, breaking and entering property, stealing or committing battery against the dog's owner. In that case, you're on your own! Ditto if you get shot by a property owner-YOUR problem, NOT theirs! No, it hasn't eliminated the issue of people who feel they must have a vicious dog, and it won't, either, since people like that have always existed, and always will. If they can't get a Pit Bull or a Rottweiler or whatever "flavor of the month Bad Dog", they will get something else. I can hardly WAIT to see the "Ban The Pit Bull" crowd's reaction when the thugs, drug dealers and gang bangers discover the Caucasian Ovtcharka!
One thing I believe many animal owners(I'm talking ALL sorts of animals here, invertebrates included)fail to grasp, is that once you open the flood gates by banning or otherwise making it very difficult to own specific types of animals, you set a presedence for the Big Brother politicians to go ahead and add other animals to that list, just because they, or the general public, perceives them as dangerous. How do you think the average county council member feels about people keeping tarantulas and scorpions as pets, hmmm? It won't matter a hill of beans that nobody has ever died from a tarantula bite if THEY think big hairy spiders are scary. Laws get sneaked in, and before you know it, they are being enforced. It starts out with one breed, then another gets added, or is automatically included simply because it LOOKS like the "bad" one, then other species get added. That is EXACTLY what the Animal Rights fanatics want, since it plays right into their dream of a society in which absolutely NO non-human animals exist, and animals are something seen only in books or from afar-no pets, no zoos or circuses, no medical breakthroughs, no hamburger cook-outs, nothing. They can't achieve this goal by simply telling the people who make laws that this is what they want; they must play upon one of our strongest emotions, FEAR, by convincing the lawmakers than certain types of animals are either too dangerous to live among us, or that there is no humane way to keep such animals in captivity, so they must be prohibited. Everywhere we turn now laws are being enacted against the keeping of "exotic" animals, from corn snakes to Emperor scorps, and dogs from Pit Bulls to Great Danes to anything that remotely looks like a wolf, and mandatory spay/neuter laws are being put into place to achieve 0 population growth in domesticated species, and animal keepers are turning blind eyes because they don't have the animals targeted by the law, so they are so sure it won't ever affect THEM! I've seen owners of Burmese pythons urge their lawmakers to impose heavy liability insurance on Pit Bull owners just for the ability to keep a Pit Bull, who were later stunned to discover that their politician buddies had decided to include large constrictors on that list of "inherently dangerous" animals, along with the Pit Bulls! If ALL animal keepers don't wise up and quit harping on each other, with "I-got-chased-by-a-Pit-Bull, so-let's-do-something-about-THEM, but-don't-mess-with-my-(fill in other animal of your choice)" attitude, NONE Of us will be able to keep ANYTHING other than stuffed plushie replicas before many of you here live out your lives. Benjamin Franklin, I think it was, had a very good point when he said, "We must all hang together, or we shall surely hang separately"!
pitbulllady
Yes, I will absolutely agree that there are many irresponsible dog owners, of ALL sorts of dogs, and there are many people who are breeding dogs for no other reason than to make a fast buck or two. Legistlating specific breeds or types of dogs WILL NOT make this problem go away, since it is a people problem, not a dog problem! The only fair solution, and it is by no means a perfect one(I doubt such a thing exists, unless you are in a perfect world), is to require and ENFORCE laws requiring ALL dogs to be properly restrained or contained on property, and making ALL dog owners finanically responsible for injuries or damages caused by their dog, no matter what breed it is, with the exception being injuries incurred by a person, caused by a dog, while that person is in the act of committing a crime. My state of SC has a non-breed-specific Vicious Animal Act which holds owners liable for dog-bite injuries, except if you are bitten while trespassing, breaking and entering property, stealing or committing battery against the dog's owner. In that case, you're on your own! Ditto if you get shot by a property owner-YOUR problem, NOT theirs! No, it hasn't eliminated the issue of people who feel they must have a vicious dog, and it won't, either, since people like that have always existed, and always will. If they can't get a Pit Bull or a Rottweiler or whatever "flavor of the month Bad Dog", they will get something else. I can hardly WAIT to see the "Ban The Pit Bull" crowd's reaction when the thugs, drug dealers and gang bangers discover the Caucasian Ovtcharka!
One thing I believe many animal owners(I'm talking ALL sorts of animals here, invertebrates included)fail to grasp, is that once you open the flood gates by banning or otherwise making it very difficult to own specific types of animals, you set a presedence for the Big Brother politicians to go ahead and add other animals to that list, just because they, or the general public, perceives them as dangerous. How do you think the average county council member feels about people keeping tarantulas and scorpions as pets, hmmm? It won't matter a hill of beans that nobody has ever died from a tarantula bite if THEY think big hairy spiders are scary. Laws get sneaked in, and before you know it, they are being enforced. It starts out with one breed, then another gets added, or is automatically included simply because it LOOKS like the "bad" one, then other species get added. That is EXACTLY what the Animal Rights fanatics want, since it plays right into their dream of a society in which absolutely NO non-human animals exist, and animals are something seen only in books or from afar-no pets, no zoos or circuses, no medical breakthroughs, no hamburger cook-outs, nothing. They can't achieve this goal by simply telling the people who make laws that this is what they want; they must play upon one of our strongest emotions, FEAR, by convincing the lawmakers than certain types of animals are either too dangerous to live among us, or that there is no humane way to keep such animals in captivity, so they must be prohibited. Everywhere we turn now laws are being enacted against the keeping of "exotic" animals, from corn snakes to Emperor scorps, and dogs from Pit Bulls to Great Danes to anything that remotely looks like a wolf, and mandatory spay/neuter laws are being put into place to achieve 0 population growth in domesticated species, and animal keepers are turning blind eyes because they don't have the animals targeted by the law, so they are so sure it won't ever affect THEM! I've seen owners of Burmese pythons urge their lawmakers to impose heavy liability insurance on Pit Bull owners just for the ability to keep a Pit Bull, who were later stunned to discover that their politician buddies had decided to include large constrictors on that list of "inherently dangerous" animals, along with the Pit Bulls! If ALL animal keepers don't wise up and quit harping on each other, with "I-got-chased-by-a-Pit-Bull, so-let's-do-something-about-THEM, but-don't-mess-with-my-(fill in other animal of your choice)" attitude, NONE Of us will be able to keep ANYTHING other than stuffed plushie replicas before many of you here live out your lives. Benjamin Franklin, I think it was, had a very good point when he said, "We must all hang together, or we shall surely hang separately"!
pitbulllady
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2003
- Messages
- 215
Here's a couple pics of my parents' new puppy - Muttley is half Rottweiler, half pit bull. A couple teenagers went around town with a backpack of those puppies, and dad got Muttley for $20. He'll be raised in a very stable, kid-friendly environment, so we'll see how he turns out.
He loves having his tummy rubbed.
He's already proven to be a fast learner; he's in his teething stage and was nibbling at my three-year old niece's legs. I said NO and smacked him on the top of his head. He hasn't nipped her since, and will only lick. He likes to chew on my hands, and it's okay as long as it's done gently; I say OW! and NO if he bites down too hard, and he backs off. He loves old shoelaces.
Muttley, like any growing dog, will be observed closely. My (now deceased) boxers were fine around adults, but I didn't let them around small children, because they liked to jump up and knock everything over in aggressive play, as boxers usually do. They were untrainable in that department.
If Muttley's environment isn't enough to make him a good people-dog, I'll have no trouble putting him down myself.
He loves having his tummy rubbed.
He's already proven to be a fast learner; he's in his teething stage and was nibbling at my three-year old niece's legs. I said NO and smacked him on the top of his head. He hasn't nipped her since, and will only lick. He likes to chew on my hands, and it's okay as long as it's done gently; I say OW! and NO if he bites down too hard, and he backs off. He loves old shoelaces.
Muttley, like any growing dog, will be observed closely. My (now deceased) boxers were fine around adults, but I didn't let them around small children, because they liked to jump up and knock everything over in aggressive play, as boxers usually do. They were untrainable in that department.
If Muttley's environment isn't enough to make him a good people-dog, I'll have no trouble putting him down myself.
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2004
- Messages
- 306
ok..I'm being a bit of an ass but I'll admit I only read the first few posts! ;P
just wanted to make a few comments....if I have more time I'll read through them all later....I've heard so much crap about pits being nasty and you know...I'm yet to meet a nasty one. There is always a risk in keeping an animal that has the power to hurt you. A good temperament helps but there is always a risk...my friends lab tweaked in old age and started biting people after a life of being completely docile. Mind you I rather be attacked by a lab than a pit, dob or rottie....eih...ouch...Regardless, I love them and think they're totally adorable. I think the biggest pus of a pit I ever met belonged to a friend who also owned a 'tough guy' cat. Everytime the cat came into the room the pit would pee on the spot and run through the screened door (which by the time I witnessed the behaviour was a door with no screen!lol) Anyhow, people hating pits is a sore spot with me because I saw the sweetest pit at the humaine society...I just had to have her...but didn't cause my hubby hates them...she was pure white with a black splotch on her eye(little rascals style) and her name was Lola...I'll never forget that day...
I stomped out of there with tears in my eyes!
just wanted to make a few comments....if I have more time I'll read through them all later....I've heard so much crap about pits being nasty and you know...I'm yet to meet a nasty one. There is always a risk in keeping an animal that has the power to hurt you. A good temperament helps but there is always a risk...my friends lab tweaked in old age and started biting people after a life of being completely docile. Mind you I rather be attacked by a lab than a pit, dob or rottie....eih...ouch...Regardless, I love them and think they're totally adorable. I think the biggest pus of a pit I ever met belonged to a friend who also owned a 'tough guy' cat. Everytime the cat came into the room the pit would pee on the spot and run through the screened door (which by the time I witnessed the behaviour was a door with no screen!lol) Anyhow, people hating pits is a sore spot with me because I saw the sweetest pit at the humaine society...I just had to have her...but didn't cause my hubby hates them...she was pure white with a black splotch on her eye(little rascals style) and her name was Lola...I'll never forget that day...
I stomped out of there with tears in my eyes!
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2003
- Messages
- 343
I'm not harping on anyone, but when a pitbull comes out of his yard all the way across the road and knocks me down unprovoked from behind (and who knows what else it would have done if the owner hadn't been there), I tend to get a little upset. I would like to know what you think should be the proper action in this case, better yet what about those killed or maimed by vicious dogs?
I don't condone banning pit bulls or other breeds, but do believe that irresponsible owners should be punished. In my case, I think the owner should have been cited and fined, but allowed to keep his dog. When someone's dog attacks and kills/maims someone, however, the dog should be humanely destroyed and the owner charged/sentenced to the maximum extent of the law to include never owning another dog, heavy fines and minimum mandatory jail time. Some might think this is harsh, but it's still very little consolation to the victims and their families.
As for not banning any animals, I have to disagree with you. I certainly don't want my next door neighbor keeping tigers or crocodiles. There has to be some point at which we as responsible parents and human beings in general, draw the line for the safety and welfare of others. If someone lives on a farm in some isolated area and has the right training and permits, then they should keep whatever they want, but I certainly wouldn't want my next door neighbor to be keeping large jungle cats in his back yard. There has to be limits and laws, you can't have it both ways. I'm more concerned with lack of adequate laws and regulations concerning wild/dangerous animals than with some Orwellian threat of "Big Brother" controlling everything.
This is true for me as well. I have a friend that has an unusually large registered Pit bull. He is a gorgeous animal but the first time I met him he made me very nervous. As soon as he saw his owner (my girl friend) let me in he was the sweetest, kindest dog! I was covered with doggy kisses and he was so gentle, he didn't even try to jump on me, he lightly put his paws on me when he wanted petted. Her and her boyfriend do a great job of socializing him and caring for him (he's a big indoor dog- spoiled to the max!).
I seriously doubt they will ban the ownership of tarantulas or any other pets that don't pose a threat to the general public. Dogs can and do get away from their owners. Dogs can and do attack people, other animals. Some breeds are more prone to do that than others, its a fact we have to deal with. Tarantulas can hardly do the damage that dogs do if they escape. It DOES matter if no one died from a tarantula bite, public safety is the main concern. Now if Ts escaped and many people were bitten or a rouge colony of tarantula happened to take up residence in the city threatening to bite anyone, I'm sure they would make a law to ban them and then try to destroy them. But politicians working to ban tarantulas is gonna happen about as much as an escaped T blondi surviving in the Kansas grasslands.
Betty! I just want to grab that puppy right outta the monitor!! He's sooo cute! Great photos BTW, love that first pose ~ nose right to the camera!
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2003
- Messages
- 215
Owners are 100% responsible for their animals. Any dog that attacks a human (not in defense of owner, etc.) should be put down. Owners should pay fines and medical/pain & suffering bills.
My family's boxers attacked a neighbor's cow once, and luckily the cow suffered no severe injuries. Had the cow died, I would've shot both the dogs and my parents would've had to pay for the cow. Luckily for the dogs, they never attacked a cow again.
In one court show (Judge Judy or whatever) a woman sued a guy because her little yippy dog was not on a leash, ran across the road and attacked the man's... German Shepherd. You guessed it - the Shepherd turned the pompous pooch into a chew toy. The defendant rightfully won because his dog was properly restrained on a leash and the plaintiff's was not. The lady just refused to believe that she was in any way responsible because she had "only a small dog." Any size dog is capable of doing damage, especially to a child, so it's important that ANY and ALL dogs be properly raised, and restrained while in public. I've been nipped at by plenty of little yippy dogs, and I've punted more than one.
My family's boxers attacked a neighbor's cow once, and luckily the cow suffered no severe injuries. Had the cow died, I would've shot both the dogs and my parents would've had to pay for the cow. Luckily for the dogs, they never attacked a cow again.
In one court show (Judge Judy or whatever) a woman sued a guy because her little yippy dog was not on a leash, ran across the road and attacked the man's... German Shepherd. You guessed it - the Shepherd turned the pompous pooch into a chew toy. The defendant rightfully won because his dog was properly restrained on a leash and the plaintiff's was not. The lady just refused to believe that she was in any way responsible because she had "only a small dog." Any size dog is capable of doing damage, especially to a child, so it's important that ANY and ALL dogs be properly raised, and restrained while in public. I've been nipped at by plenty of little yippy dogs, and I've punted more than one.
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2003
- Messages
- 4,915
Pit bulls are something of a status symbol in my neck of the woods. The bigger and badder they are, the cooler the OWNER is. I regularly see people walking Pit puppies with HUGE linked chains around their necks, and attached to it: a 20# weight from a weight lifting set! They are regularly taught to be aggressive to other people and animals.
I have known MANY pits raised in family situations, and they can be the perfect pet! IMHO, a pet's personality reflects how it was raised. I could have raised my Germand Shepherd AND my Doberman Pinscher to be mean, viscious animals. They were raised with much disclipline and much love. They are wonderful pets, fit for any family with babies!
Side note: When purchasing homeowners insurance for my last house, they said they couldn't insure me because I owned a Dobie. They offered to refer me to a company that would insure homeowners with dogs that were likely to be aggressive! I laughed my butt off, my Shepherd would tear you apart if you broke in the house, the Dobie would just try to get you to play with him!! The agent told me that their studies showed that Cocker Spaniels were the breed MOST likely to bite!
They are regularly taught to be aggressive to other people and animals.I have known MANY pits raised in family situations, and they can be the perfect pet! IMHO, a pet's personality reflects how it was raised. I could have raised my Germand Shepherd AND my Doberman Pinscher to be mean, viscious animals. They were raised with much disclipline and much love. They are wonderful pets, fit for any family with babies!
Side note: When purchasing homeowners insurance for my last house, they said they couldn't insure me because I owned a Dobie. They offered to refer me to a company that would insure homeowners with dogs that were likely to be aggressive! I laughed my butt off, my Shepherd would tear you apart if you broke in the house, the Dobie would just try to get you to play with him!! The agent told me that their studies showed that Cocker Spaniels were the breed MOST likely to bite!