Why I deleted my thread on Pit Bulls

[zoomer]

I deleted my thread because I thought it was causing a problem. But, I'd like to say that I am sorry. I am not sure if Buddy has any pit bull in him or not, he was a stray, I was just guessing. And I said I was wrong about pit bulls, I said once they were scary and that was my opinion and I did not like it when you guys were lecturing me about it. I want you all to know now I understand pit bulls and they are no different than other breeds. Thanks for clearing it up for me. I know all of you wanted an explanation. There it is and I sure do hope you guys understand. Everyone makes mistakes, and that was one of the ones I made.

[zoomer]

I sure do hope you all understand and don't hate me.

[dab_20]

No one hates you! We were all just kind of confused. It's ok, don't feel bad.

[zoomer]

I never said I hate them. I said they were scary, a while ago. When you hear all this vicious pit bull stuff it kind of sinks in. I'm glad you understand though.

[CagneyDog]

We just thought it was confusing because your dogs are pit mixes. (Are all three of them Pittie x or just one? )
Anyways, it's okay :)

[zoomer]

Thank you. Georgia and Alaska are pure Boxers. Buddy is a pit mix... we think :p

[zoomer]

Bump so everyone can see...

[king2005]

I hope I didn't sound mean (I really don't think I did, nor was I trying to) when I posted about the pitty I live with & the so called family breeds. I wasn't able to keep updated with the thread as I only have the net at work.

my ex HATED pit bulls, just because of the rap they had. He went on & on on how they should all be killed as they are worse then a wild animal, blah blah blah! I always fought his argument with, well Max was part Pit bull & you seemed to REALLY like him, esp when he became ill (he layed on the floor with Max & gave him a kiss). He always argued well Max was part Lab thats why he was so nice (BS answer hehe)..

Now I live with a Pit Bull & I senced that Rob didn't like that idea at all. Well he got to see Cyrus & realized that he didn't charge the door, didn't snarl or snap. He barked a few times, I patted him through the door & he went upstairs & never heard another peep from him. Thats went Rob said, wow, he looks friendly! I said duh, pit bulls are nothing but love bugs :)

It just takes time for people to realize that the media blows things WAY out of porportion & the pit bulls that attack, had issues (not trained, or trained for fighting) & that ANY breed can attack & kill a human. a small dog could kill a baby as there isn't much blood in a babies body.

To make you feel a bit better, I personally do not like small breeds. I'll pet them or care for one, but I really don't like them. I like any dog over 50-60 pounds (80 prefered), as they are harder to break, easier to cuddle with, they can keep up with me & they don't yap, GAAAH I hate yappers.. But that my personal opinion on smaller breeds, even tho I think smaller breeds are cute too (like my grandma's Tea Cut Poodle, Buttons, hes a cute, sweet dog, but there is no way I could live with him or spend too much time with him)

[dab_20]

To make you feel a bit better, I personally do not like small breeds. I'll pet them or care for one, but I really don't like them. I like any dog over 50-60 pounds (80 prefered), as they are harder to break, easier to cuddle with, they can keep up with me & they don't yap, GAAAH I hate yappers.. But that my personal opinion on smaller breeds, even tho I think smaller breeds are cute too (like my grandma's Tea Cut Poodle, Buttons, hes a cute, sweet dog, but there is no way I could live with him or spend too much time with him)

Lots of small dogs ARE NOT yappers. Lots of people say they are... only because they haven't spent time with them. But I understand that's your opinion.

[Lori Jordan]

I used to run a foster for dogs and i was bit many times by smaller dogs than big,BUT!!! the thing with that is they were away from home in a place that they were not sure of..and nervous.ANd even after i never had anything against small dogs but some can be nippy

[dab_20]

I used to run a foster for dogs and i was bit many times by smaller dogs than big,BUT!!! the thing with that is they were away from home in a place that they were not sure of..and nervous.ANd even after i never had anything against small dogs but some can be nippy

Yeah, I've been bit by Molli quite a few times, acctually. Doesn't hurt alot though. I think it's because they are so much smaller then us and so they are more nervous when they get picked up and stuff. Just a guess, though. Molli loves being picked up... but not all small dogs.

[Cheshirekatt]

You are certinaly not the only person to be influenced by the media. I was lucky enough to grow up with pitties hence my love and admiration for them. The media plays a huge roll in our lives, even though sometimes I feel like it really shouldn't. Most people don't bother to educate themselves and learn the facts, and I'm impressed and glad that you did.

I'll say one thing.....pit bulls are NOT just like every other dog. At least not in my opinion. The breed has certain characteristics and limitations. Personally, I'm not fond of pit bulls at dog parks. These dogs have been bred for hundreds of years to fight other animals and dogs. Does that make them mean? Absolutley not. It just means that dog aggression and animal aggression is a common and a frequently seen trait.

Given this information, they do have their limitations. And frankly if a dog gets in a pit bull's face chances are the pit bull is not going to back down. Even if he didn't start the fight, he'll sure enough finish it and then the pit bull gets blamed. We've all seen the headlines. Taking a pit bull into a highly charged dog filled atmosphere and being surprised when he gets into it with another dog is like throwing a ball for a lab and being surprised when he brings it back.

Pit bulls require more common sense to manage and lots of breed understanding. I myself manage a household of four male bullies. Is it always easy? No! lol But it's totally doable and I don't mind doing it. Are pit bulls for everyone? Absolutely not.

One of the most damaging things I've been hearing lately is that by raising pit bulls with other dogs from a puppy you can 'train out' dog aggression. This is very untrue. Typically if a pit bull doesn't show any dog aggression by the age of two, he won't. Not always, but most of the time. You can do some great obedience and training to properly manage dog aggression but there is no way to train it out.

Ok, I think I've rambled enough. If you have any questions regarding proper pit bull temperment, or management or any question at all please feel free to ask. I'm always willing to gab about my favorite subject......bullies!

:D

[Jadapit]

Kat,

Very well said!! I own a pit bull and a pit mix, both females. So far everything is going great with them. But I will never, ever leave the three of my dogs alone because "never trust a pit not to fight" It is my responsibility to keep the three of them safe. I agree with you about the dog parks its better to be safe than sorry.

I'm lucky, where we live there is tons of wide open space so we can take the fur kids to run off leash. I have to say thank you so much for bing there for the pit bulls they need more people like you. :D

[dab_20]

Geat posts, both of you. It's great to have experienced pittie owners on here because they give such great info about the breed! I personally really like pit bulls, but would never own one because I am not good with really dominent breeds in the first place. I would really like to spend time with one, one day. Such a great and beautiful breed.

[king2005]

Lots of small dogs ARE NOT yappers. Lots of people say they are... only because they haven't spent time with them. But I understand that's your opinion.

I didn't call them yappers, I said yap.


I haven't met a small dog that doesn't Yap. Larger dogs WOOF, not yap.

yap = itty bitty bark, annoying to me
WOOF = deep bark, not annoying to me
yappers = non-stop yapping, annoying to me
Barkers = non-stop barking, annoying to me

[dab_20]

I didn't call them yappers, I said yap.


I haven't met a small dog that doesn't Yap. Larger dogs WOOF, not yap.

yap = itty bitty bark, annoying to me
WOOF = deep bark, not annoying to me
yappers = non-stop yapping, annoying to me
Barkers = non-stop barking, annoying to me

Ok. Sam has a woof... it is soo funny because he is still a puppy and he just started this deep sounding bark. lol

[king2005]

Ok. Sam has a woof... it is soo funny because he is still a puppy and he just started this deep sounding bark. lol


I love it when puppies learn how to bark & then learn how to do the deep bark, hehehe

My old guy didn't bark until about 5 months old, he didn't know how hehehe BUT he knew how to snarl! I'll never forget the day he turned into a dog. Thats when a big guy tried to break into the house & we let Max out, he was 6months old but he sounded like a pro guard dog, DANG was he ever scary!!

[BOBS DAD]

Hey Zoomer,

Don't sweat it. It is OK to have an opinion and unlike contemporary political opinion (flip flopping - I hate that term) it is certainly "OK" to change that opinion when introduced to new facts or better information on a subject. In fact, it shows great wisdom and courage to be able to remain "open" on a subject and willing to listen to differing points of view.

As mentioned, there have been some very good posts on this subject of Pit Bulls. But to be honest, even the most admiring of Pitties admit that there can be some aggression issues...


I'll say one thing.....pit bulls are NOT just like every other dog. At least not in my opinion. The breed has certain characteristics and limitations. Personally, I'm not fond of pit bulls at dog parks. These dogs have been bred for hundreds of years to fight other animals and dogs. Does that make them mean? Absolutley not. It just means that dog aggression and animal aggression is a common and a frequently seen trait.

While a Pit Bull can be and is a very devoted and loving pet, their size and demeanor and obvious strength can make them a bit intimidating for those who are not accustomed to them. I personally would be very wary of them around small children. But then again Petey (Little Rascals loving one ringed eye dog) was a Pitty!!!

Anywho... you are cool with me!!!



:D

[king2005]

Cyrus goes to a dog park & because of the laws he has to wear a muzzle. Rose said before this law he would run & play with all the dogs, hes not a barker nor a nipper & never had a single issue. If he didn't like a dog, he'd run back to Rose. Cyrus is a pure AST & weighs about 85 pounds & is pure muscle (as you guys saw in his photos). If a pitty is good with other animals & dogs, then why get so upset with him being at the dog park. If the dog isn't good with animals & dogs then what on earth is it doing at the dog park? & why hasn't the law been called on it (goes for any breed really)

[zoomer]

I'm feeling sorry for them.

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Everyone makes mistakes, and that was one of the ones I made.

How else would we learn eh?

[zoomer]

Exactly :)

[Cheshirekatt]

Cyrus goes to a dog park & because of the laws he has to wear a muzzle. Rose said before this law he would run & play with all the dogs, hes not a barker nor a nipper & never had a single issue. If he didn't like a dog, he'd run back to Rose. Cyrus is a pure AST & weighs about 85 pounds & is pure muscle (as you guys saw in his photos). If a pitty is good with other animals & dogs, then why get so upset with him being at the dog park. If the dog isn't good with animals & dogs then what on earth is it doing at the dog park? & why hasn't the law been called on it (goes for any breed really)

There are always exceptions. Dog behavior is not black and white, I just cringe every time I see one at the dog park...I just can't help it. However, it only really takes one instance (whether the pit bull started it or not) for the image of a pit bull tearing into another dog to be burned into peoples' heads. One or two instances and pit bulls will be banned from dog parks. Muzzles really only work if the dog is not serious about another dog.

I'd rather pit bull owners take the initiative and choose to not take their dogs to the park rather than have yet another place that pit bulls will be banned. I know I'm rather opinionated and am by no means critisizing you. We areally are on the brink of losing our breed completely it's just a few more headlines away.

JMHO

[king2005]

There are always exceptions. Dog behavior is not black and white, I just cringe every time I see one at the dog park...I just can't help it. However, it only really takes one instance (whether the pit bull started it or not) for the image of a pit bull tearing into another dog to be burned into peoples' heads. One or two instances and pit bulls will be banned from dog parks. Muzzles really only work if the dog is not serious about another dog.

I'd rather pit bull owners take the initiative and choose to not take their dogs to the park rather than have yet another place that pit bulls will be banned. I know I'm rather opinionated and am by no means critisizing you. We areally are on the brink of losing our breed completely it's just a few more headlines away.

JMHO

Then how are owners to excercize their pitties? The dog park is the only way to let him run, cause with the pit bull laws, the pitties have to be on a leash no longer then 6 feet (good for a walk but not a run).

How is a pitty going to bite a dog when its muzzled? They muzzle police dogs & let them attack a person & they aren't able to bite the person.

[bckrazy]

Katt, you have a really understandable view on Pitties, and you definitely have the experience to back it up. :) I totally used to think of Pitties as any other dog, but over time I have realized that they are still sweet dogs but every breed has it's certain characteristics... especially since animal aggression has been bred into them for so long. Still, I think of English Bulldogs, who used to be notorious fighting dogs and are now the most mushy lovable dog-friendly pups.

My Flyball trainer has 3 Pittie girls, one is a Staffy, and they are wonderful dogs but the 2 Pit Bull girls will not take crap from any other dog. She controls them VERY well, and I always make sure Gonzo stays out of their way (just like every other dog when they're doing runs, basically), and if they are greeting each other it's always with her controlling her dogs and me controlling Gonzo. Honestly, I KNOW if Gonzo was snarky to another dog, he just wouldn't bite them, at all - but I really don't want to risk him getting hurt, because those powerful dogs could and would throw him down if he was being a jerk. I really didn't understand your point of view before getting to know those girls, they have rock-solid temperaments and they're very obedient, but definitely not dog park dogs. Personally, I feel that only Labs, Goldens, and maybe a few other breeds are suitable for dog parks, anyway :p

Edit to add: Also, about King's statement, I do think it's only responsible to exercise your dog on your private fenced property, or walking/running them yourself, if there is any doubt about aggression. It's sad, but Pit Bull owners have to take much more precautions than, say, a Lab owner, because of the poor reputation of their dogs and because they are a strong breed. Muzzling a dog at a dog park, to me, is really risky because if another dog were to attack yours, they could be badly injured with no way to protect themselves. Just being muzzled could also aggrivate dog-aggression.

[Alysser]

I'm sorry if I sounded rude in the last thread you made. I was just confused. But I certainly do not hate you and I'm sure no one else does. Pitties are very different, like said before. To tell you the truth, I know a pittie nicer then Sassy! She wouldn't hurt a fly. Maybe, a tree branch lol but she wouldn't hurt a human,dog, or anything else. Media has turned many people agianst pits and I think it's downright stupid.

If you have ever watched Animal Cops and have seen them go on scenes with fighting dogs, then you know they put THOSE pits to sleep. But I honestly, think they should. Those pits would never be able to have another dog near them and not have the urge to fight. They would need to be cooped up in a yard with no walks and no human interaction because stupid idiots trained taught them fighting other dogs is a good thing.

In addition, the stupid owners are to blame. Dogs are extremely EXTREMELY loyal animals. From puppyhood, the stupid idiots train them to fight so they can get money and any other crap they want. The puppies are trained to do this and think they are doing the right thing. They think fighting is good because they were taught that way. They want to be loyal and thats exactly whats happening. They are being loyal, but of course for the worst reasons. :(
I'm glad to hear you changed your mind about this! :D

[zoomer]

Thank you. I feel really bad about all of this...

[lute]

one person at a time. soon everyone will come to like pitties! :D only if i could convince my mom that pits aren't crazy killing dogs. :(

[zoomer]

one person at a time. soon everyone will come to like pitties! :D only if i could convince my mom that pits aren't crazy killing dogs. :(

Same here. My parents don't want me around them, at all.

[luvofallhorses]

Same here. My parents don't want me around them, at all.

but you have Buddy and he's a pit mix.

[dab_20]

one person at a time. soon everyone will come to like pitties! :D only if i could convince my mom that pits aren't crazy killing dogs. :(

my brother thinks they all snap for no reason. :rolleyes:

[Cheshirekatt]

Then how are owners to excercize their pitties? The dog park is the only way to let him run, cause with the pit bull laws, the pitties have to be on a leash no longer then 6 feet (good for a walk but not a run).

How is a pitty going to bite a dog when its muzzled? They muzzle police dogs & let them attack a person & they aren't able to bite the person.


Treadmills, catmills, spring poles, fenced yards and controlled leash walks. My dogs do just fine. Plus, play dates in a controlled atmosphere with dogs you know they like. Frankly, there are lots of dogs that I think don't belong at dog parks...not just pitties. It's just that pitties are dear to my heart.

I've seen no less than four different pit bulls get out of or otherwise get around their basket muzzles. I've seen police dogs do it too, they're not fail safe and I think people tend to rely on them too much. Think of them like seat belts. Seat belt don't guarantee that you won't get hurt in an accident, but they do better the odds.