This Is The Attitude I Face......

[luckypenny]

Sorry, but I have to share my Pit Bull experience. I read all of the forum posts and have tried to stay focused and open minded about the Pit Bull Breed.

I realaize that most of the bad behavior is caused by the "owner", but that does not ease the pain of a recent dog mauling on my very own front porch.

Yes, it happened this past Saturday. The responsible dog was a Pit Bull running loose, and it charged us from behind, attacking my senior dog.

My dog has a gentle, sweet soul and loves to go the to the dog park. She does not have a mean bone in her body and was viciously attacked from behind while trying to get inside the house.

I will not go into any of the cruel details, but what about my rights? What about my animals rights? This is the third unsavory experience I have had with this breed.

I tried to keep an open mind, watching the tail wagging happy variety of Pit Bull romp at the local dog park. I even changed my opinion of them, until this latest event.

I am sorry to say that "owners" are responsible for a very bad reputation that is ruining this dog breed. I love all animals and feel sorry for the dog, as it is not the dog's fault, but that does not change the outcome.

And...what if it had been my neighbors toddler.

Sorry...I believe this event has pushed me back over the fence on this issue

[Karen]

This thread is originally from 2003, just so you know. I am sorry about your recent experience. It isn't the breed that's all fault, but the humans who own them. Some breeds are more likely to be owned by certain types of people than others - someone who wants to appear as a "tough guy" wouldn't be drawn to getting a Maltese, but a pitbull, well, that's seen as making a "statement."

It isn't the dog's fault, that you know well, but the fault of people who either don;t train them, train them badly, or train them to fight ... which is tragic, because this is a breed that CAN be a great family pet.

[lizbud]

This thread is originally from 2003, just so you know. I am sorry about your recent experience. It isn't the breed that's all fault, but the humans who own them. Some breeds are more likely to be owned by certain types of people than others - someone who wants to appear as a "tough guy" wouldn't be drawn to getting a Maltese, but a pitbull, well, that's seen as making a "statement."

It isn't the dog's fault, that you know well, but the fault of people who either don;t train them, train them badly, or train them to fight ... which is tragic, because this is a breed that CAN be a great family pet.

Wow, this is an old thread. I agree Karen. Most people who aquire Pit Bulls know nothing about the breed at all. Truth be told, they probably don't know
anything about proper training of any breed of dog. They get the Bully breeds
for all the wrong reasons.It's a darn shame.

[Marigold2]

Different dogs have different tempermants. People purchase pure breeds because of certain traits they have. Why we have herding dogs, hunting dogs, dogs for protective, dogs to sniff out drugs. Everyone knows that labs make good family pets and are wonderful with kids. I believe that Pit Bulls are not a family dog, their tempermant is not suited for this role. Are there kind, gentle Pit bulls, yes but not as many as labs. We except the fact that a German Shepard is a good watch dog. A bloodhound is excellent for tracking a Newfoundland for swimming how about excepting a Pit bull for having a bad temper and the ability to kick some butt. That is what they are bred for and they are for the most part true to their nature as are Bloodhounds. Breeding shows ,breeding often overcomes training.

[Sevaede]

Luckypenny,

I do have to say that a pit bull is no more inclined to do such things as any other breeds.

Pit bull is a catchall term to define a GROUP of dogs, just as an fyi.

Also, make sure you're correctly identifying a dog, another fyi.

My bad experiences with dogs have been with Labs and Dachshunds, unfortunately.

[Jadapit]

I'm sorry but I've been around some nasty tempered labs in my life. Did you read the story where the lady had her face eaten off by her dog while she slept? They did a face transplant on her. Guess what kind of dog she owned? A lab. Of course all labs aren't bad but neither are all pit bulls. I have yet to see that "bad" temper you are talking about with my pitties.

I bet all the familes that own pit bulls wouldn't agree with you, they do make a great family dog.

[Sevaede]

I believe that Pit Bulls are not a family dog, their tempermant is not suited for this role. Are there kind, gentle Pit bulls, yes but not as many as labs. We except the fact that a German Shepard is a good watch dog. A bloodhound is excellent for tracking a Newfoundland for swimming how about excepting a Pit bull for having a bad temper and the ability to kick some butt. That is what they are bred for and they are for the most part true to their nature as are Bloodhounds. Breeding shows ,breeding often overcomes training.

Hardly. I have a friend who grew up with two rather aggressive Labs as guard dogs. Just because a dog originated or is bred for one reason doesn't mean that is the SOLE reason for their existence at this point in time. Another friend of mine has eight children all of which her pit bull is VERY good with. Shoot, her pittie is excellent with strangers, cats, birds, sugar gliders, etc etc.

My biomother had a pit bull growing up. I've had Rotties, German Shepherds, etc. My husband had a pit bull that was the sweetest dog he'd ever had in his life.

Pit bulls have a variety of originations, "uses", etc. Shoot, a lot of little breeds were used to hunt rats, etc. Do they do it any more? Not in most places (however, they are going back to using longhaired Doxies for water retrieving).

[dukedogsmom]

Why was this dug out and bumped up? I suspect just to make trouble.

[Roxyluvsme13]

As a Pit Bull mix owner, I can say that it is certainly not the dog, it's the owner. With the right care and training a Pit Bull can be a lovable pet. Labs aren't always good natured dogs. It's like a story I read. Any dog can be just as dangerous as another.

Pit Bulls get the bad rep for it, but they're not all the ones attacking.

A Pomeranian, a little bitty tiny Pomeranian, killed a 10 month old baby. And that was probably the owner's fault for their dog not having proper training. You don't see people going around the streets calling Pomeranians vicious dogs, do you?

[Cheshirekatt]

Why was this dug out and bumped up? I suspect just to make trouble.

I suspect you're right. This thread is quite a blast from the past.

[Karen]

Why was this dug out and bumped up? I suspect just to make trouble.

No, I don't think it was. I think she was searching on the Internet and found the thread, and registered to reply to it because of her most recent experience. Often people find old threads without realizing they are old.

[Marigold2]

My best friend has a pit bull DOTD 12/5 I believe, her name is Bailey and she is a sweetheart, a truly precious girl. I am not saying that all Pits are bad, all I am saying is that they were raised and trained to fight by many, and one never knows if those aggressive traits are still in the pup one might adopt. I want to keep this on a friendly pace, so if anyone has a pit I mean no ill will. However people do not bred labs to fight, they bred pits, bloodhounds are bred to smell and so forth. Breeding is done for a reason. The reason some people bred Pits is wrong. Not the dogs fault.

[Cheshirekatt]

Just as much damage can be done by an owner of say a lab who completely ignores the dog aggression and human aggression that many have shown.

Many dogs who haven't been bred for fighting can be just as dog aggressive as those that are bred for fighting. And many who have been bred to fight can be total pussy cats. Take Hank, the dog fighters dog who was doomed to death as a bait dog, to train the others to fight. Apparently he just rolled over onto his back and waited for it all to be over. Luckily, we got him in time. He now lives with cats, kids and other dogs. It's not all in the breeding, and it's not all in how you raise them. There are many variable factors that must be considered.

Dog aggression and human aggression are two totally different things and should not be confused or used interchangably.

[Freedom]

As for the subject, i find how people feel about Pit Bulls racism... Breedism.

HEY, I was going to say that! I agree.

[buttercup132]

Just as much damage can be done by an owner of say a lab who completely ignores the dog aggression and human aggression that many have shown

Ya, no kidding. Funny how people use Labs and Goldens as examples to use against Pits but they are higher on the list of agressive dogs and of course the wonderful Pitty is at the bottom Dogs can be dog agressive, obviously this PitBull was. So? Any dog can be dog agressive it's stupid that it gets turned around and blamed on a innocent breed when it can happen to ANY dog.