Am I The Only One Who Thinks This Is Wrong??

[KittyGurl]

My neighbor just got the sweetest dog ever and it's a pitbull. She is so sweet and nice and probably the nicest dog ever. Her name is Sandy. Well, someone wanted them to get rid of their dog because of the breed!!

Ok, I could understand if Sandy attacked someone, but she never did. I am so tired of this. Does anyone else think think this is wrong! Everybody judges dogs by their breeds! People think pitbulls, rottweilers, ect. are horrible dogs because in the past they acttacked someone. Well, they really aren't. It all depends on the training and the owner! A pitbull could be the nicest dog in the world and a golden retriever could attack someone! I just wanted to know if anyone agrees with me.

[cassiesmom]

There is a saying, "Punish the deed, not the breed." I know there are others on Pet Talk who understand this issue a lot better than I do. If I were to have a dog I would have to take training classes in order to be the best dog parent possible.

[crow_noir]

And the "Anti-BSL" movement. (BSL = Breed Specific Legislation)

There is a saying, "Punish the deed, not the breed.".

[luvofallhorses]

people need to realize ANY dog can attack at any time not just pit bulls and rottweilers. I have a 125 lb. rottweiler, golden, lab mix and she is the best dog I have ever had. she would only lick you to death. that's the only thing she would do. Everyone seems to be scared of her until they get to know her. She is very loyal and protective of us but not in a bad way.

I love, love pit bulls and it sucks they have a bad rap. I hope to have one someday, rescued of course.

I bet you if anyone met Ebony, Jadapit's pit bull she would change anyone's mind about pit bulls. I haven't met her yet, but I hope to someday since her and Jadapit and her other beautiful dogs aren't too far away from us. Just a couple states away is all.

by volunteering at the shelter, I have met so many pit bulls and all of them have been total sweeties. I think any dog can attack at any given time.

even a huge mixed breed could attack. I have never had a dog attack me. Just nibble on me a bit because they are puppies.

there are pros and cons of each breed out there IMO.. but people need to remember people make them mean and bad breeding can, too. sometimes it isn't the people who make dogs mean, it is bad breeding.

people need to do right by owning breeds like pit bulls, rottweilers, dobes, etc. everyone needs to do right by their dogs regardless of breed especially pit bulls because they have such a bad rap and keep them out of trouble because each mistake you make this wonderful breed pays their life for it. I hope I made sense here.

[catloverforever]

I agree that people shouldn't judge dogs by their breed! I think Pitbulls and rottweilers can be very nice dogs, and well-behaved as well. I think prejudice is VERY WRONG, whether in people or animals. I am glad people agree with me on this matter!

[Genny]

I think it's sad that people judge these beautiful dogs too. There are some pitbulls/rottweilers etc that are more aggressive than others, but then there are some of the same breed that are the sweetest dogs you could ever meet.

I saw a show on Animal Planet once where a pitbull had just had puppies and she was nursing some baby kittens. I also saw a pitbull letting a baby cow nurse from her. They can be very sweet dogs, and they're pretty!!! My brother use to have a pitbull mix; she was very sweet and ever tried to bite/attack anyone! She was even friendly with strangers....but sadly someone stole her and we never saw her again. She was a brindle color...very pretty...

[Sabra]

There is a saying, "Punish the deed, not the breed." I know there are others on Pet Talk who understand this issue a lot better than I do. If I were to have a dog I would have to take training classes in order to be the best dog parent possible.

I prefer 'punish the owner' not the dog. Misbehaved children and misbehaved pets are the result of owners not taking the time to teach their 'children' what acceptable behavior is in various situations.

[Sabra]

Most of the pit bulls I've known seemed to be no more dangerous than any other animal. We like to think of our pets as 'family members' but the reality is they are animals and unpredictable. We can do a lot with training (the pet's behavior, as well as our own), socialization, pre-empting potentially risky situations, etc. but there is still that unpredictable element.

I've known friends and neighbors with pit bulls and in every one of these cases, their dogs were put in their crates in potentially dangerous situations (i.e. large gatherings with unknown people, lots of little kids running around, etc.). They were very aware that they owned powerful dogs capable of maiming or killing if provoked.

That said, as a mother of 3, I would err on the extreme side of caution when getting an animal from the pound or humane society. Yes they may know the history of the animal, but depending on their ethics, may not divulge honestly. My parents got a small dog from the human society and only learned later, after it had attacked the grandchildren, that it was not some little old lady's dog but rather had been taken from a home where it had been tormented by children.

[xVelvet_FuzzButtx]

I have yet to see a big attack from a well bred, well socialized, well treated, well trained dog. all those factors play into these attacks. where they from a poor breeder who fights? were they socialized young? were they abused? were they ever trained? i've yet to see any who were all of them and attack. then again no one wants to look at that.

Theres a word or titkle for people against certain breeds and it's "Breedist", much like racist. For anyone interested i belong to this anti- BSL group and its full of updates and great people.
http://community.livejournal.com/breedists_no/


I have a "Punish the Deed, Not the Breed" Bracelet and believe in it very much.I work with "Pit bulls" (not an actual breed but a pin name for multiple ones) in the rescue, I've grown to love them. This guy, Ziggy, is our mascot- he hasn't been adopted in the three or so years he's been with us.

[Kalei]

I have yet to see a big attack from a well bred, well socialized, well treated, well trained dog. all those factors play into these attacks. where they from a poor breeder who fights? were they socialized young? were they abused? were they ever trained? i've yet to see any who were all of them and attack. then again no one wants to look at that.

Theres a word or titkle for people against certain breeds and it's "Breedist", much like racist. For anyone interested i belong to this anti- BSL group and its full of updates and great people.
http://community.livejournal.com/breedists_no/


I have a "Punish the Deed, Not the Breed" Bracelet and believe in it very much.I work with "Pit bulls" (not an actual breed but a pin name for multiple ones) in the rescue, I've grown to love them. This guy, Ziggy, is our mascot- he hasn't been adopted in the three or so years he's been with us.

Aw poor Ziggy. He's a very beautiful dog too, I'd adopt him if I could

[loveallfurryfriends]

seeing that beautiful face, it makes me so sad that no one can help him. God Bless You Ziggy. You are in my prayers.

[cassiesmom]

Here is another one. Warning, the section about dog fighting has some very graphic photos. There is an interesting section about other activities more suitable for pit bulls, such as Schutzhund, agility, search and rescue, and tracking. Same activities available to dogs of other breeds. Nature versus nurture, I don't know for sure; but one thing I have learned from being on Pet Talk is that if I'm ever to be a dog parent, the way to learn proper behavior for both me and the dog is training. Both I and the dog will have to be taught the right way of doing things, otherwise I don't think it would be reasonable to expect only proper behavior. Training and patience.

http://www.workingpitbull.com/activities.htm

[tikeyas_mom]

I absolutly 100% agree that making somone move out or get rid of their dog based soley on its breed is extremely rediculas!. I own a pitbull, and we have been turned down at several homes because of her breed!. Our last house evicted us soley on her breed. It is so stupid, lemme tell ya, we have bitched out quite a few landlords because of their breedism.

[GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily]

and it could be coming to a town near you. They may legally walk into your home and take your family member and euth it.
And folks, it isn't only pits, GSDs, Rotties, Dobies...
We got very vocal with the Denver issue, but the Mayor put it in place anyway.
Folks have to move or lose their dogs. I told the Mayor, I am telling EVERYONE who loves animals to say OUT of Denver, whether to live or to recreate.
It is a frightening thing. Right here in Beaufort County, at our county shelter, you won't see a pit bull up for adoption. Ever. And yet they get them in all the time.
BSL could also translate to Australian Shepherds, all guard breeds, it really has to be stopped, the momentum is building.

[cassiesmom]

More on the pit bull discussion from today's (8/20) letters to the editor:

Don't trust pit bulls

I feel that I must draw attention to an issue that was brought out in two separate articles in the Aug. 14 Tribune.

First, in the news section's "Some animal shelters debate 'no kill' plans," the story quotes "Charlene Jones, founder and director of Animals at Heart, a non-profit in Jacksonville that works to help people keep their pets longer," as saying that some shelters "will adopt out potentially dangerous animals just to make space."

With that in mind, I read the Metro section article "Dogfight suspect stripped of animals; Judge rules against South Holland man; 20 of 37 seized canines called adoptable."

These dogs are now in area shelters, and according to Catherine Hedges, who is connected with the shelters, "They're a very highly rehabilitated breed because they're very loyal and eager to please. And that's their downfall. That's why people fight them."

I respectfully disagree with Hedges.

My son Nick was mauled by three pit bulls in November 2005 and still suffers loss of function and disfigurement from the attack.

These were family dogs that "snapped," and the violent rampage that resulted nearly cost my son his life.

My message is simple: In going to a shelter to adopt a dog, unless you know exactly where the dog came from, you don't know how it has been bred. If you are interested in a pit bull, the one you get from a shelter may have been bred to be extremely aggressive and violent. This violence can display itself at any time, with seemingly no provocation.

As someone who has seen the devastation from this sort of attack, it is not worth the risk.

All of those dogs that were seized have been selectively bred to be very aggressive and violent. All of them should be destroyed.

If you want a pit bull, you should go to an authorized breeder who can prove that the lineage of the dog does not contain aggressiveness. If you don't know a pit bull's ancestry, then you simply don't know if it will attack or not.

Polly Foley
Cary