Pit Bulls and their bad rap

Many consider pit bulls to be violent and dangerous dogs because of media and politics. What many fail to realize most media talk about a dog attack and make it seem more sever than it really is and also, focus mostly on the Pit bull. Even if its an attack by a "Pit bull type" dog and not really a pit bull. The truth is the pit Bull is one of the best dogs you can own. Easy to train, loving, and loyal. Even when in a home where it is abused it will still show affection to its owner. many feel so much hate to these dogs and its ridiculous, going so far as to banning them in some areas and forcing families to put a loving, innocent pet down. I live in jersey and the animosity some feel towards this breed is awful I own a Pit/Pointer mix and one day whilst walking him a mother and daughter walked up and asked if they could pet him, i allowed it and my dog loved it didn't show any aggression or anything. The woman proceeded to ask me what breed he was and after telling her a pit, she snatched her daughter and said i need to put the monster to sleep. Yet a moment ago he was the sweetest dog she ever met. Honestly i would be more afraid of me after saying i should put my dog to sleep cause he is a pit than the actual dog.

Whats your take on the "Pit Bull problem"?
How should us owners with great dogs deal with people like the woman above?

I completely agree that APBTs are seen in a bad light, and unfairly. I practically abide by "it's the owner, not the dog" with extreme zeal.

However, anecdotal personal experience along with statistics always gives me a nagging little voice in the back of my head.

I've met plenty of happy-go-lucky people-friendly "please pet me and play tug of war with my rope toy!" APBTs of all ages to have no bias against them. Heck, I don't think I've ever met a defensive or aggressive APBT ever.

Of all the deaths-by-dog in the US, some ridiculous percentage (over 90%? It's too late for me to look it up right now) are by APBTs. While plenty of blame can be given to the popularity of the breed among people who shouldn't have dogs or don't know how to train them, there is something to be said for their power and potential for causing injury beyond your typical lab.

As for how to deal with people who have problems with APBTs, the only solutions are to
1) educate, particularly through interaction
2) avoid confrontation

Of course rule #0 is to make sure your dog is well-behaved and friendly.

I love pits.. My neighbor has two and they are the sweetest dogs. Always very playful. Trust me I understand dealing with a bad rap. I have a Doberman and she's the biggest baby ever. Probably the best dog ive ever seen with kids. It's all in how a dog is raised In our family we have my dobe, my brothers American bulldog/pit mix and my parents two dachshunds... Guess which two are the meanest? Haha the little weiners can be really temperamental. It sucks that certain species get blamed for irresponsible owners.

I agree with the whole "its the owner not the dog" thing as well.
I believe to be a good pit bull owner you need experience in training dogs. If this dog does not respond to or respect its owner as such, it leaves room for it misbeahaving and being a threat to people.
Pits are very loyal dogs and will do anything to provide protection for its owner. If a threat is presented a pit can do more damage than would probably be needed for the situation.
I dont believe a pit is a pet that should be taken on lightly. And unfortunetly for most that is not the case.

Also i do believe though that a lot has to do with media coverage of course. Its the same problem us reptile owners face. People are misinformed and terrified of snakes, the media and these stupid tv shows about "moster man eating snakes" isnt helping our cause.

Education is very important here, as well as resposible pet owners. The sad thing about the whole deal is its always the animals that are paying with their lives for peoples stupidity.

I think pits are great if they are raised right. I have friends who own pits and I have never been afraid to let my kids go out in the yard and play with them. I would say it definitely comes down to the owner and what they intend to do with the dog. We actually have a lot of dog fighting type people in my area even though it is illegal (I'm not a part of this). Hear about them getting busted fairly often. They are also illegal to own in the city limits in several towns here. Just like the large constrictors a few bad people are gonna ruin it for everybody.

idk if many people know it but back in the old days down here in the south pits were raised to be baby sitters for children. not hunting, not fighting, baby sitting. if thats not a good dog idk what is

Some of the nicest dogs I've ever met have been pits. Also a couple of the nastiest.

I think that pits tend to suffer not only from owners who encourage them to be aggressive but from owners who are too afraid of their own dogs to correct them and keep them in line. You get the same result as you see with small dogs whose owners think that they're too cute to correct when they snap and growl...only with a pit you've got a dog that is physically capable of being more than a heel biting annoyance.

It takes a committed thoughtful owner to raise a pit correctly. Raising a pit is kinda like having a retic--many people have proven that it can be done responsibly, and when it's not done responsibly the animals and the decent responsible owners bear the brunt of jackass irresponsible owner's screw ups.

Good grief,.. this again :weirdface don't get it twisted,.. :rolleyes: there's more to pit bulls or any breed for that matter,..than how they're raised. It's a combination of the owner as well as the dogs genetics and what they were bred for. You can't simply over ride their DNA and Instincts because they were brought up in Never Never Land. You can manage unwanted behavior but the drive is still there.

Why do herding breeds herd, scent hounds track, pointers point, retrievers retrieve with out being trained how? Because it was bred into them to do so. Back in the day they picked the best dogs with what ever traits they were trying to enhance, sight, sound, scent, instincts, aggression what ever and bred them together. Pit bulls or any bully breed for that matter are no different. People do the same thing today with Bps (animals) regardless of the defects some of them carry and pass on.

We have thieves, serial killers, rapists and pedophiles who were raised right, never neglected or molested and look how they turned out. Don't get me wrong, some dogs as well as people do need to be put down in the quickest way possible. But their actions are not always because of how they were raised.

Regardless of whether or not they have a sob story to make you believe it.

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Originally Posted by zach_24_90

idk if many people know it but back in the old days down here in the south pits were raised to be baby sitters for children. not hunting, not fighting, baby sitting. if thats not a good dog idk what is

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When I was a kid, there was a pit bull in our extended family. Wonderful dog. He only fault is that sometimes she got so happy and excited to see someone she knew that she would pee a little bit. She wagged her entire body when she saw us and ran around in crazy little circles.

Kids that could barely walk yet wooled over that dog. We dressed it up in clothes. She pulled our wagon with us in it. She accompanied us to the bus stop and to the swimming hole. She never harmed other dogs, cats, horses, cows, baby chicks, or humans. Prissy was a perfect lady, peeing aside.

I remember when I got my Doberman, and how my father was so wary of Rex at first. At that time the Doberman was the current favored dog of those suffering from being assertiveness-impaired. Is that a good enough euphemism for cowards? Those of us who had Dobes because we appreciated them for their intelligence and gentleness were for outnumbered by the people who got themselves a big oleDoberman because they though it made them look tough. Many Dobes were ruined by people who thought that they could "attack train" a Dobe by tormenting it and encouraging it to be mean.

It took about ten minutes of Rex snooting his head under my father's hand and sitting on his foot and looking back at him with that "c'mon, pay attention to me!" look for my father to decide that Dobermans had gotten a bad rap that they didn't deserve. He never had the same misgivings about pits because he had grown up with them around. Everyone just knew that the pits were friendly dogs.

Nothing more unfortunate can befall any breed of animal than for it to be adopted as a symbol of the "toughness" of it's owner. Yeah, pits are tough. But if they haven't been turned into a caracture of a pit by some idiot trying to shore up his own bravado through ruining a brave animal they are among the kindest and most loyal and gentle of dogs. They do have an innate aggressiveness toward other dogs which was understood way back when and people took the time to teach their pits that they were expected to behave a certain way. The pit bull breed was not selectively bred to be aggressive toward humans. When you see one that is, the problem is on the other end of the leash.

At an 84.2 pass ratio the American Staffordshire Terrier ranks above many more popular breeds such as the Beagle at 80.9%, Collie at 79.9% and the Dalmatian at 82.4%Intelligence, human attenuation, energy, and affection are characteristic of the breed.

The Am Staff is a people-oriented dog that thrives when he is made part of the family and given a job to do. Although friendly, this breed is loyal to his family and will protect them from any threat.

enough said

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When it comes to Pit Bulls, the monster is quite often the two legged animal on the other end of the leash.

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I believe firmly that any breed of dog that is constantly poked, prodded and aggravated will be come increasingly agitated over time. And I DO believe it is all in the owner. Yes, Bully breeds in general do have the instincts they were born with, and there are a select few who do in fact snap simply because their instincts override any sane reasoning. But for the most part an owner with a firm but loving, caring hand can and will keep those instincts under wraps.

It's really simple, start requiring people to have a license to own a dog just like they have to have one to drive a car. LOL.

I have a Red Nose Pit and an American Bulldog/Lab mix. They are by far my most well mannered, sweetest dogs. I also have an English Staffordshire Bull Terrier (who bless his heart is 17 years old) and the only thing he's ever bitten is a lawnmower tire. I worked for a vet for years and every time I got bit by something it came from a little yappy dog (no offense to any ankle biter owners :)) and only once by a chow. Never got bitten by any of the APBTs, Staffies, Am. Bulldogs, etc. They were all big lovers but their owners also kept them under control.

It all boils down to punishing the deed and not the breed. Sorry for the short novel. :D

i'm another one with the "its the owner, not the breed".
although its sad that a breed is getting all the bad rap i am deathly afraid of the breed only cuz of the power they weild with little to no effort. i do know any dog, small or large, can do damage, but the power in a pit's jaws scares the hell outta me.
i have met a couple very sweet pits who wouldnt think to hurt a fly.
i'm a little less threatened by the pit mixes but if its a straight out pit i tremble somethin' feirce.
my younger sister was bitten by our then neighbor's english bull dog. it was not the dog's fault though, the neighbor was swinging my sister around in a circle by her arms & the dog got excited & jumped up & latched on to one of my sisters ankles. took the 3 guys (the neighbor, his teen son & my dad) to get the dog's jaws open. although there was no serious injury to my sisters ankle, it was an eye opener for all of us especially the neighbor, who'd never imagined the dog would ever do that. buddy (the dog) was everyones buddy, even after all that, we all just learned that he had an excitement threshhold & we unfortunately found it.

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Originally Posted by zach_24_90

idk if many people know it but back in the old days down here in the south pits were raised to be baby sitters for children. not hunting, not fighting, baby sitting. if thats not a good dog idk what is

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i think pits may be the most patient baby sitters in the world. i know mine is awsome with kids.

http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file..._years_old.jpg

I have a Blue Brindle pit. Sweetest. Dog. EVER. She would never hurt anyone. She's even afriad of the vaccume cleaner!

The media makes everything they percieve as "dangerous" look bad. Not just pit bulls, but reptiles, and other exotic animals. They are really starting to piss me off.

im thinking this should have been a poll on what ppl believe about the situation.

im definitely in the its the owner not the dog category. i had a red nose pit a few years ago that i had gotten from a family who was abusive towards him. they had tried cutting his ears to make him look tough but failed miserably so he always had trouble with them, but thankfully they left the tail intact (well maybe not so thankfully since that thing hurt when he hit you while he was excited, and he was exited a lot). but despite being abused by the previous owners he turned out to be one of the best dogs ive ever owned, him and a female siberian husky/wolf mix i had are pretty much tied. he never growled, bit or barked in a mean spirited way towards anyone and there was always someone new for him to meet. he loved playing and being in a happy mood and was a great companion for us. i only got rid of him because we moved and werent allowed any pets there but i do miss the guy.

but i do have to say that i agree in a small part that pits do have it in their genes to be aggressive but thats because ppl only bred aggressive pits to aggressive pits to make aggressive pits and unfortunately theres an abundance of those offspring around but as time goes by more and more ppl are less worried about aggressiveness and more concerned about furthering the breed in a positive way.

I LOVE Pits. They're the most amazing dogs in the world and they DO have an undeserved bad reputation. However...it gets difficult to incessantly defend them when they kill their pregnant owner, as happened in San Francisco a couple weeks ago...That really sucks. :(

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Originally Posted by Redneck_Crow

Yeah, pits are tough.

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lol.. our neighbor's purebred is a HUUUGE baby. You walk up to him, and the first thing he does is roll right over on his back so you can rub his belly.

lol kinda hard to be intimidated by that huh?

These are a couple of articles I have seen in the local news and one in the Ontario news since I have started reading this thread. I believe that it comes down to the owners of these animals on how the dog will behave. It seems that it is only newsworthy most of the time if the animal doing the attacking is a Pitbull. I have several friends who owned or have owned pitbulls and they have never had any issues with these dogs, been around children, other dogs, cats horses, reptiles ,you name it and not once have they ever shown any aggression.


Bitten woman urges ban on pit bulls
Halifax animal services says charges are possible
CBC News Posted: Aug 30, 2011 7:24 AM AT Last Updated: Aug 30, 2011 8:13 PM AT Read IN

Kathy Martin points to one of the bites she suffered Monday evening at Martinique Beach after a pit bull that was off-leash randomly attacked her. CBCA Dartmouth woman is calling for a ban on pit bulls after she was randomly attacked at a popular beach.

Kathy Martin was bitten on the face, ear, and neck by an off-leash pit bull Monday evening at Martinique Beach, a provincially owned park on Nova Scotia's Eastern Shore.

She said she was in a grassy area near the parking lot when the dog lunged at her.

"I was on the ground and this dog was snarling and lunging at me and lunging at my neck and face," she told CBC News.

'It all comes down to responsible pet ownership'
— Andrea MacDonald, manager, HRM animal services

Martin was treated at a local hospital and released.

She said the attack came out of nowhere and she did nothing to provoke the dog. She feels the breed should be banned.

"If the dog is aggressive to begin with, then he never should have been off-leash. If it had shown no signs of aggression before then that's more of a statement for banning pit bulls, if they can just flip like that on you," she said.

Dogs at all provincial parks are required to be leashed. Owners who let their pets run free face a minimum fine of $167.71.

RCMP said the case has been handed over to Halifax Regional Municipality animal services.

Andrea MacDonald, manager of animal services, said the investigation is in the early stages.

"There will be potentially charges laid. We have been in contact with the dog owner, as well as the victim," she said Tuesday.

Investigators can give a warning, issue a ticket or seize an animal, which could lead to the animal being put down.

MacDonald said it's too early to know what will happen in this case.

Dog attacks
There have been 96 reported dog attacks in HRM this summer, and 17 of those involved an injury to a person or another animal, according to animal services.

Earlier this month, a child in Dartmouth was rushed to hospital after being bitten by a pit bull.

Last week, an off-leash dog attacked and killed a Jack Russell terrier. Police said the aggressive dog appeared to be a pit bull.

MacDonald said only six of the 17 dogs that caused injury were pit bulls or a pit bull mix.

"It all comes down to responsible pet ownership," she said. "As we've seen in the past, it's not just pit bulls that attack."

MacDonald said the number of dog attacks this summer are on par with last year.

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Owner sought after dog kills terrier:

Police are looking for the owner of a dog that attacked and killed a smaller dog in Dartmouth this week.

The dogfight happened Monday evening on Dorothea Drive, near Eric Graves Memorial Junior High School.

Police said a woman was walking a Jack Russell terrier when three people approached with their two dogs.

One of the two dogs was not on a leash, police said, and the one that was running free attacked the terrier.

The terrier was so badly injured that it had to be put down.

Police said the aggressor was a red short-haired dog that looked like a pit bull.

Const. Brian Palmeter, spokesman for Halifax Regional Police, said the owner of that animal could face charges for having a pet off-leash.

Police were looking for a woman and two men on Tuesday.

The woman is described as being about 25, with shoulder-length blonde hair and wearing glasses.

The two men with her are believed to be in their mid to late 20s. One had short dark hair and was wearing a white T-shirt and black baseball cap. He had tattoos on his right arm.

The second man had dark curly hair.

Police said anyone with information should call animal services at 490-4000.

Last month, a Shih Tzu died after it was attacked on Spring Avenue in Dartmouth. Two dogs were seized and their owner was charged.

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Banning the breed: The debate over pit bulls:

They seem to come in bunches: attacks by dangerous dogs.

Saturday, Aug. 28, 2004. Toronto police fire more than a dozen bullets into two pit bulls that had turned on the man who was walking them as a favour for a friend.

A week earlier, Fredericton, N.B. A family is out walking their :cens0r::cens0r::cens0r::cens0r:zu. A Rottweiler, recently acquired by a neighbour, attacks and kills the dog.

A week before that, in London, Ont., a woman and her seven-year-old son watch in horror as a pit bull latches onto her husband's arm as he tries to keep the family puppy out of the dog's reach.

On Oct. 15, 2004, Ontario's attorney general, Michael Bryant, announced that his province would be the first to ban pit bulls, calling them "ticking time bombs." The ban took effect in the summer of 2005.

The new law faced its first legal challenge in May 2006. Catherine Cochrane, who owns a pit bull-type dog named Chess, said the law is vague and doesn't promote responsible dog ownership. Lawyer Clayton Ruby will argue in Ontario Superior Court that the vast majority of pit bulls are just like Chess – friendly, loving animals.

It's not a new debate. It tends to be renewed after particularly vicious attacks, like one that killed an eight-year-old Stouffville, Ont., girl in 1998.


Marketplace: Dangerous dogs

Winnipeg became the first Canadian city to ban pit bulls in 1990, a year after an attack left a young girl badly disfigured. Since then, incidents involving pit bulls have fallen from about 25 a year to one or two.

Dr. Norma Guy teaches animal behaviour at the Atlantic Veterinary College in Charlottetown. She says banning certain breeds of dogs is a stopgap measure that doesn't address the real issue: people behaving irresponsibly with their dogs.

"I'm in favour of really promoting responsible ownership and passing legislation to enforce that," she says.

Guy says one big problem with banning breeds like pit bulls is that once you get into a courtroom, identifying a dog as a specific breed can be very difficult.

"We have to get at the people [who keep vicious dogs]. If you take away the pit bulls, they will move onto another breed. You have to look at stopping individual people who have proven themselves to be irresponsible owners from keeping dogs."

But pit bulls do have their backers. Many have organized to fight against breed-specific legislation.

Sandra Always, the president of the Golden Horseshoe American Pit Bull Terrier Club, has owned and bred pit bulls for 16 years. She's also the vice-president of the Dog Legislation Council of Canada, an organization that lobbies against laws that ban specific breeds of dogs.

"A dog needs responsible ownership regardless of breed," she told CBC Radio. "You train it, you contain and you socialize it. If you ban these guys, what's next? Italy started with a banned list of 13 breeds. They're up to over 40 now. They just banned Welsh Corgis!"

Jennifer Segal is a dog trainer who chooses not to work with pit bulls. She says years of improper breeding have made them not only aggressive but deadly.

"There are a number of young people, particularly male, particularly under the age of 28, who find it to be some type of cultural element to have this type of arm jewelry, pulling them around. It's the macho appearance."

Pit bulls were originally bred in 19th-century England to fight other dogs in pits. That's now rare, but Merle Blaine of the Etobicoke Humane Society in Toronto says it still happens.

"People arrange fights in parks. But by the time you get there it's pretty well over. The dog that loses the fight is left behind, usually a mess. [This kind of thing] makes the breed a bad breed."

But she's not convinced breed-specific legislation is the answer.

"Probably what should happen is there should be a special licensing fee for pit bulls and their owners should be required to take special training. It should be more difficult to own one."

Dr. Guy agrees. "It is too easy owning a dog. [People don't realize] it's like having a toddler for 12 years. A toddler with teeth. We never say we've cured a dog with an aggression problem. All we say is we've lowered the risk of an aggressive action happening again."

She favours stronger legislation aimed at dog owners – and the teeth to back up those laws.

"It takes some investment," Guy said. "Dogs are always going to be here. If we want to continue having dogs with us, we are going to have to have some legislation in place and a way to enforce it so we can control what happens when people don't act responsibly."

In the end, the issue may come down to economics. In March 2004, a Calgary man found himself without home insurance when his insurance company decided it would no longer cover people who kept Rottweilers, German shepherds, pit bulls or Doberman pinschers. Allstate said even a mongrel with any of those bloodlines is considered unacceptable.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada says it's a growing trend in the industry.

This is always a long debate that turns into a heated one;)
My passion runs deep for my breed of choice BUT I will never deny my dogs history either.
"Pit Bulls" were NEVER bred by anyone EVER to be a baby sitter.:rolleyes:
They were bred for several reasons that make them the champion gladiator of the animal world;)
"Game" in the dog is genetic and there is nothing you can do to curb that other than know your dog and how to keep him/her out of a bad situation.
This breed was bred to hold and kill (Game). People dont realize that human aggression was KILLED out of them. Original fighters had huge standards to meet with their dogs. There were always 3 humans and 2 dogs in the ring. Any of these humans could handle either dog at any time during the fight. If either dog growled, snapped, or bit one of the humans IT WAS KILLED ON THE SPOT.
A good bred bully is not and should not be considered a guard dog, they should love any and all human contact.:gj: Depending how deep the game runs in them depends on how they will react with other animals. I dont EVER trust one of my bullys alone with any other animal!!!!! This is because I dont ever want to give my dogs a chance to fail:cool:
The biggest problem is you have too many people that want a penis extension and others that want easy money. They dont care what happens after they get the cash. They dont explain how much WORK this breed really is.
A bored bully is a dog fixing to get in trouble. Their energy level is the highest of all dog all the time. A tired bully is a great dog but you can almost kill yourself trying to tire one out.:rofl:
I could go on all day about my dogs and I am a wealth of information that no one wants to hear about them but I will cut this short because mine are telling me its time to poo:O
People need to do two things:
1-Know and accept what their dogs are for, quit denying and set them up for success NOT FAILURE.
2-Realize everything on TV/Media is not REAL!!!!!!! (San Antonio's "pit bull" definition is a muscular short haired dog!!!) (Last year SAPD shot and killed 2 pit bulls that photos later revealed were BOXERS!!!!)

My neighbor has two of the sweetest pit bulls. However, he's new to my neighborhood, and I don't know them well enough to trust them with MY dog.

One day he came home and they were off leash and came running up to my dog to sniff her.

Well, she's a grumpy old (12 years old) golden retriever mix and she does NOT like feeling like another dog might try to dominate her, so she gives a warning snarl and snap.

In fact, usually when she meets new dogs, I usually drop her leash, because she feels like she can't get herself out of an uncomfortable (for her) situation when she's leashed, and I've learned that makes her more likely to snap at another dog. When she does not on leash or has a dropped leash, she feels like she can get away and less likely to snap.

Anyway - because I didn't know if his dogs were dog aggressive or not (well, they obviously weren't when they ran up to her to meet her). I didn't know how they'd respond if she snapped at them.

That's MY primary concern around pits. I know my dog's limitations, so it's difficult when I don't have any control of the situation, like my neighbor's two dogs running up to mine, while she's on leash and they are off.

When my dog isn't with me, I love up the pits. When my dog is with me, I do give them a respectable distance, simply because I don't know how THAT particular dog was raised. And it's not their fault if the respond to my dog, but they pack a much bigger punch.

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Originally Posted by bubblz

Good grief,.. this again :weirdface don't get it twisted,.. :rolleyes: there's more to pit bulls or any breed for that matter,..than how they're raised. It's a combination of the owner as well as the dogs genetics and what they were bred for. You can't simply over ride their DNA and Instincts because they were brought up in Never Never Land. You can manage unwanted behavior but the drive is still there.

Why do herding breeds herd, scent hounds track, pointers point, retrievers retrieve with out being trained how? Because it was bred into them to do so. Back in the day they picked the best dogs with what ever traits they were trying to enhance, sight, sound, scent, instincts, aggression what ever and bred them together. Pit bulls or any bully breed for that matter are no different. People do the same thing today with Bps (animals) regardless of the defects some of them carry and pass on.

We have thieves, serial killers, rapists and pedophiles who were raised right, never neglected or molested and look how they turned out. Don't get me wrong, some dogs as well as people do need to be put down in the quickest way possible. But their actions are not always because of how they were raised.

Regardless of whether or not they have a sob story to make you believe it.

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Pits weren't bred to hunt people or fight each other. So I FIRMLY believe that when they become aggressive towards strangers and other dogs it is the OWNER's fault. Pits were bred as game dogs, so granted I would expect them to naturally want to hunt small animals. But the aggressiveness most of us see on TV or on the news is the owner only. The power they produce is a main reason why people use them, so the power they have is what has put them in the negative spot they are in now. People don't fight Labs or Golden Retreivers cus they weren't bred to hunt, but not only that they don't pack the power that pits do. It's unfortunate that scumbag people have abused the real reason the American Pitbull Terrier was created for and used them for negative things which have put a natural fear of them in people's eyes.


As for your comment on the theives, serial killers, and rapist. I can almost guarantee you that for the most part, serial killers and rapist had something happen to them growing up that effected them so much that it caused mental harm. Just about every serial killer fits a certain profile. They just don't become serial killers over night. And if for some reason they do, I can almost guarantee you that there is some sort if chemical inbalance that lead them to be like that.

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Originally Posted by that_dc5

Pits weren't bred to hunt people or fight each other.

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You better check your history from back in the 1800s;)
Both Irish and Scottish

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

You better check your history from back in the 1800s;)
Both Irish and Scottish

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I’m going to have to go with Pit on this one. the modern APBT are without a doubt descended from "pit dogs". first used for bull baiting during the renaissance, then later for fighting against other dogs. in fact there gentle nature with people was breed into them specifically to allow handlers to separate to riled up animals during one of these pit events more safely. there is some evidence that the breed was used to hunt vermin and even act as a baby sitter for children while the parents were in the field. but without a doubt the primary reason this breed was bread was for the ring.

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Originally Posted by that_dc5

Pits weren't bred to hunt people or fight each other. So I FIRMLY believe that when they become aggressive towards strangers and other dogs it is the OWNER's fault. Pits were bred as game dogs, so granted I would expect them to naturally want to hunt small animals. But the aggressiveness most of us see on TV or on the news is the owner only. The power they produce is a main reason why people use them, so the power they have is what has put them in the negative spot they are in now. People don't fight Labs or Golden Retreivers cus they weren't bred to hunt, but not only that they don't pack the power that pits do. It's unfortunate that scumbag people have abused the real reason the American Pitbull Terrier was created for and used them for negative things which have put a natural fear of them in people's eyes.

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It's not just small animals, size has nothing to do with it. The aggression you see on tv is not just the owner but the media (for only covering pit bull stories) and their genetics as well. Bred to be aggressive yes DA not HA but People Pleasers. So that aggression can be redirected towards anything the owner wants.

They weren't bred to hunt people (I don't know of any animal that was) but they were bred to be DA and to fight. There's only one breed that even has Pit bull in its name and very few people would be able to pick that dog out of a line up. According to BSL a lot of dogs fit the profile of a Pit Bull or Bully breed but does that mean they should be banned too,.. No.

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Originally Posted by that_dc5

As for your comment on the theives, serial killers, and rapist. I can almost guarantee you that for the most part, serial killers and rapist had something happen to them growing up that effected them so much that it caused mental harm. Just about every serial killer fits a certain profile. They just don't become serial killers over night. And if for some reason they do, I can almost guarantee you that there is some sort if chemical inbalance that lead them to be like that.

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I could kill how ever many people I want then claim PTSD. Does that make it so, No but just because I tell you a few things about what I saw, may or may not have done while deployed most people would believe it.

People are too quick to take full responsibility for something that's positive and point the finger when something negative happens. Even though they may be at fault on both ends.

"It's a combination of the owner as well as the dogs genetics and what they were bred for. You can't simply over ride their DNA and Instincts because they were brought up in Never Never Land. You can manage unwanted behavior but the drive is still there."

All they need is the opportunity to prove it and it's the owners job to make sure that doesn't happen.

I've never met an aggressive pit bull. My uncle had two while I was growing up, first Bruiser (who was HUGE for a pit, big enough that 6 year old me could ride him like a horse), then Josie. Your biggest threat from Bruiser would be if he left bruises on your legs from wagging his tail so hard, and the biggest threat Josie ever posed was licking you to death.

They were both powerful dogs and sometimes didn't know their own strength, but they didn't have a mean bone in their bodies. Sadly Bruiser was stolen out of my uncle's backyard, and Josie passed away last year at the ripe old age of 15.

On the other hand, the only dog ever to maliciously bite me, including leaving bruised and broken skin: A labrador.

I fully believe that it's the owner, not the dog.

My baby who is turning 9 next month. Love her to death and after owning several other types of dogs I will never not own a Bully. Mix or pure bred Im a bully guy at heart. Ive grown up with them a huge portion of my life and have even been bit in the face by one and that is still not enough to change my mind. I have never met a more loving animal then my pits. Anyone thats from around my way knows both my dogs and falls in love with them. Anything with the wrong owner can end up bad the bullys you just need to stay on top of and keep them outta situations that could lead to something bad. My dogs will get along with different sexes from themselves but put my female with a female or male with a male and it will be bad news. While most go out and spend a ton of money for a pit I will always go to the local shelter and adopt. Here in nyc there are more bullys in shelters than anything else. A lot of people get them for the tough guy look, i get them bc there the best dogs around.
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._1121558_n.jpg

My baby Zeus:
http://tapatalk.com/mu/a6898937-cd89-1449.jpg
http://tapatalk.com/mu/a6898937-cd9a-2112.jpg
I have had Zeus since he was 8 wks old. And he is 7 now. He is my one and only love. In the whole world. I've never had an issue with this dog from day one. Hell he was the one attacked by a Scottie and he didn't even fight back. http://tapatalk.com/mu/a6898937-ce3d-6db7.jpg
http://tapatalk.com/mu/a6898937-ce4d-2625.jpg
Now that was a mean crummy little dog. Zeus has been around children of all ages, puppies, all other types of animals. He's terrified of our ferrets. Lol. Poor baby.
I truely beleive just that just like any dog. They behave badly if they don't have a pack leader. Cesar Milan is my man! Any dog needs to be given exercise, boundaries, and limitations and then love. Any dog should be walked daily, taught daily and loved daily. If they are given too much of one thing they lack in another. Zeus has been and will continue to be the best dog I have ever had. If you have a chiuahua that behaves like crap and bites someone...well it's a tiny bite. But obviously a larger dog is going to do more damage. Pet owners just like with any animal need to do research before they bring any pet into their home. Do they match energy level? Do they match space requirements? How about training ability? The thing I've seen about my boy is he needs that training, he needs his exercise and he needs his love. Just like with a child too much freedom he'll do whatever he wants. Too little and he's frustrated. I know for a fact I will never own another type of dog. Zeus has changed many minds about pitts and I look for more minds to change daily.
http://tapatalk.com/mu/a6898937-d0b8-19ed.jpg
I do like to show my baby off.
Cheers to all those pit owners out there! All your pups are gorgeous!


Check out what's new on my website... www.Homegrownscales.com

It is such a sad thing that people are so judgemental of this breed. I am a dog trainer and groomer and I have been bit my more labs and cocker spanials than any other breed. I love the Pit Bull breed. I do believe that this breed along with the other strong breeds, German Shepherds, Rotts, Mals, ect.... should only be owned by people with experience in handling the stronger dogs. And if a first time dog owner wants one of these breeds they need to work closely with a good breeder who can pick out a soft tempered and easy going personality puppy for them. But the truth is that what made me fall in love with this breed is simple. In 2003 a large intact male Pit Bull was hit by a car in front of my business. He was in really bad shape, and it took me and 2 other people to move him onto a blanket and put him in my car so I could take him to the vet. Than the vet tech lost her grip on the blanket that we were carrying him on and dropped him broken rear end on the ground. Never once did this dog growl or snap at anyone. He was muzzled for safety and the only thing that he ever did was I tripped on his broken leg trying to get the blanket under him and he jerked his head at me yelped. I felt horrible about that. Sadly He was to broken to save and the vet put him down. Than in 2009 I found this little Pit mix on the side of the interstate after being hit by a car. 1 back leg was clearly broken, and she had fire ant ridden road rash. Got her to the vet, the x-ray showed that both back legs were broken and her hip was fractured. I had to resplint her legs every other day and tend to her for a couple of months, and even tho I know that everything I had to do to take care of her had to hurt more than any pain I have every felt, she too never once growled or snapped. She is a wonderful member of my family now. And than today a 6 month old Pit Bull was hit infront of my house this morning. She too was busted up, road rash, and clearly her back end was broken. When I found this sweet baby under a bush the first thing she did was wag her very broken tail at me. And everytime I came near her she wagged it, even tho it had to hurt. We got her to the vet and they informed us that her hip, tail and back were broken and she was beyond repair. And guess what, she too never growled or snapped. I feel so horrible that I couldn't save this sweet little girl.:tears:
But after 3 seperate Pit Bulls/Pit mix dogs reacting the same way when in such an extreme amount of pain, no one will ever convince me that this breed is vicious. I loved Pits even before these events, but these proved to me what this breed is really like. All 3 of these dogs were strays and had never met me before, and they were all the most sweetest even in the face of horrible pain. Sorry for the length of this message, but it is a subject that I care about deeply.

Here is my little Pit mix right after getting her to the vet. We named her Dusty.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...s84/Dusty4.jpg

And here is what she looks like today, 2 years later.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...4/IMG_1595.jpg

Omg she is way too cute in the cast. poor baby. I'm glad shes alright though.


Check out what's new on my website... www.Homegrownscales.com

My little pit is a rescue.. I got him at 3 months old.. at 3 months, he had already been purchased by drug dealers, and chained up to a trampoline.. and starved.. the dealers assumed because he was a "pit bull" if they starved him.. he would be so hungry he would kill anything/anyone that came on the property.. .. he was a baby.. and was just starving..

the neighbor saw him, kidnapped him and brought him to the rescue I got him from..


He is the sweetest dog ever! big lap dog. He loves all animals that he has met thus far.. His only issues are issues from being taken from mommy too young (mommy dog teaches pups "doggy manners" .. he def lacks those)

He is smart as can be! which can be trouble.. lol..

Yes they have a bad rap.. I do understand it.. but people are ignorant about it.. look at your ranks.. I have personally been bit by a golden retriever, Labrador, German Sheppard, and bichon frise..

I don't hold grudges against those breeds.. just those specific animals..

Can't (shouldn't) hate/judge all men just because your ex is a jerk.. ya know??

.. just my thoughts.. :D

I am glad she is ok too. She has turned out to be one of the best dogs I have ever owned:D I don't understand why someone most likely dumped her off. But their loss, I wouldn't trade her for anything:)

Aww. I am glad you got your guy, and that he was taken out from a bad situation and placed into a loving home:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jason_ladouceur

i think pits may be the most patient baby sitters in the world. i know mine is awsome with kids.

http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file..._years_old.jpg

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I have agree with you. Our pit "Harry" who is a rescue is the best babysitter dog I have ever seen as well as the most intelligent dog I have ever had. He understands alot of words and can be told many commands.

Pits have a strong competitive nature and and were originally bred for wild boar hunting. If they are conditioned to use that energy in a negative way you could have problems but if they are conditioned/trained to use it for playing ball and other activities you will have a fun loving well adjusted dog like our boy Harry.

As stated so many times, It's the owner not the breed!
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w...licksjacob.jpg

haha didnt think this post would get so much attention. i just felt like venting at the time haha.

It's very irritating that most people assume pit bull=vicious baby eating attack machine. We just adopted our third and every time you tell somebody and they ask the breed they get that "look". It's sad, I wouldn't trade my dogs for anything, they are great pups, but because they are "pit bulls" people assume they are going to eat me someday. They are sweet, funny and I love muscular athletic dogs, add a nice medium size and short hair and they are perfect for us. There's definitely tons of overbreeding, for all the wrong reasons and most of these dogs going to the worst situations possible, they are todays bad breed and attract people who want a tough dog. The piss poor owners don't help, I know of 4 other pit bull owners in town and none of them seem to own a leash and every one has asked to breed to my dogs, who are unpapered fixed rescues and possibly mutts.

My dogs
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...ept2011014.jpg

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...4/IMAG0242.jpg

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...4/IMAG0373.jpg

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...4/IMAG0353.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GoingPostal

It's very irritating that most people assume pit bull=vicious baby eating attack machine. We just adopted our third and every time you tell somebody and they ask the breed they get that "look". It's sad, I wouldn't trade my dogs for anything, they are great pups, but because they are "pit bulls" people assume they are going to eat me someday. They are sweet, funny and I love muscular athletic dogs, add a nice medium size and short hair and they are perfect for us. There's definitely tons of overbreeding, for all the wrong reasons and most of these dogs going to the worst situations possible, they are todays bad breed and attract people who want a tough dog. The piss poor owners don't help, I know of 4 other pit bull owners in town and none of them seem to own a leash and every one has asked to breed to my dogs, who are unpapered fixed rescues and possibly mutts.

My dogs
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...ept2011014.jpg

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Your dogs are GORGEOUS!

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...l/P1020115.jpg
My wife's "Meat-Loaf

http://s60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...tBullBlues.mp4
Old Club Dogs

http://s60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...=BlueJeans.mp4
My Marley and some of her pedigree history:tombstone:tombstone

OK, how do I get a video to post embeded?? :(

i agree i think pits, can be really good dogs if around the right people and handled the right way, I my self have a rottie which has a bad rap like the pits, shes 6 months old and the best dog, amazing temperament, i brought her to an AKC show and she won in the puppy division best in breed :D
I am in training to become a dog trainer so i think any dog can be good as long as trained !:banana:

josh00498,

You say you are in training to become a dog trainer. Are you learning from someone or are you attending a school? Just curious. If you are going to a school which one?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

OK, how do I get a video to post embeded?? :(

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You Copy link to video for example on YT ad when You type message with tools you have insert video icon next t insert picture...

And for all Pit Lovers.. I just found it on YT today so I decide to share...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czhpQe-56qg

couldnt agree more people are closed minded my last pit was a male blue nose (blue brindle) beautiful dog with amazing personality... my neighbors loved him and thought he was great and played perfectly with their small maltese then the wife asked " what kinda dog is he " i replied pit and she goes " oooooooooh " and grabbed her maltese they never played together again.. i was like he was playing fine no rough housing or n e thing.. WHATEVER.. now i have a brindle pit and she still wont allow the dog near her... he played with there maltese when he was a pup once that was it... fine by me, luckily i have a decent size yard to keep him occupied in

I look at pitbulls just like any other animal.


I keep ballpythons, not cobras.
I keep kenyan sand boas, not rattlesnakes.
I have a chihuahua, not a pitbull.


I don't care who you are, or who raised your dog. My rat dog can't inflict serious damage to me. A big, strong dog like a pit can.

thats true soterios ... ive also seen small dogs take chunks outta children though so it goes both way.... i am comfident with my pitbull to play around my 6month old son, he is the most gentle dog ive ever seen when around my son they are like best friends (thats not say i would leave them alone in the same room unsupervised) but i wouldnt with n e dog. wife had a lshasa apso that was miserable around my son when growl try to climb all over. so that dog is GONE! but my pit is amazing around kids, ill take him to petco and children will come play with him and i know i dont need to worry about him...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by szynk.reptiles

thats true soterios ... ive also seen small dogs take chunks outta children though so it goes both way....

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I hardly think that you seeing a small dog "take a chunk out of a child" levels the field here.

Like I said, my statement is all about lethal potential, nothing else.

oh ive seen articles where small dogs have done serious damage to kids... it does happen just doesnt get the media attention as a pitbull does.. im not saying a pom. is gonna KILL a kid... but there are attacks from small dogs ...

but i do see where u r coming from i wont argue with ur comments, cause i have some friends/family members with UNTRAINED pits that have attacked people or are very unruley and dominate towards otther animals and people... i feel that it has a lot to do with trainin u have to have a strong hand when training them and cant allow them to defy u or they will never listen...

and then u get the people like vick that train them to fight and a pitbull just wants to please its owner so if owner wants it to fight thats what its gonna wanna do... pits are not for everyone i know

but i personally love them