Just a little info on Pitbulls

[frankykeno]

I wonder how many of those pit owners in Toledo have taken their dog to obedience training. I think it would be safe to say that none of them have. You may have a pit problem in your neighborhood, but it is not an issue of too many pits in the neighborhood, it is too many owners not training their dogs properly.

Please understand that comment is just not applicable to where I live, it's actually laughable. Obedience training! Half these dogs aren't licenced! A lot never see a vet's office. This is a city wide problem not just my neighbourhood though it's worse here from what the stats say. I wish education of owners was the answer here but it's been tried and tried from what the Dog Warden's Office tells me.

We currently have on law here that you can legally own one vicious dog per household. Gee wonderful! May I say that doesn't make me feel all that safe.

Look this will go around and around, I don't dislike the pitbull as a breed, I support responsible ownership of any canine but until you live where I live don't tell me that I shouldn't want BSL. At this point in this city it is likely the only answer or the only remotely workable one to help ensure safety for both our citizens and for the dog warden staff that have to deal with these large dangerous dogs on a nearly daily basis.

[brainman1000]

At this point in this city it is likely the only answer or the only remotely workable one to help ensure safety for both our citizens and for the dog warden staff that have to deal with these large dangerous dogs on a nearly daily basis.

All I have to say is good luck trying to enforce it. I don't think any animal control in any city has enough staff to round up and destroy every pitbull. Making it illegal to own one won't make them all magically disappear. I don't mean this maliciously, but I'm curious to know how BSL's would be effectively enforced because I don't think that it is possible.

[Jeanne]

Here, we have a law specifically against pit bull type dogs, this includes crosses of those types. However, our dog wardens office is so under staffed, they cannot deal with all pit type dogs unless something happens and they get a call.

Going through town, I have seen plenty of pit type dogs, however, in the time I have been in this area, I have not heard of one pit incident. If there was, it would be big news around here. I do know that if the dog warden sees a pit type dog in your yard, they can and will take it , then euthanize it, and you get a $1500.00 fine for possession of such illegal dog/s... plus any other costs associated. Lately, the warden has been a bit more on top of things, they are now trying to enforce the laws... in conversation with the warden, I was told that it is hard for them to enforce it with so little staff and so many pit type owners... now ppl are literally turning thier pits out to get them off thier property so they dont get that huge fine... leaving pits to run the streets, in fact, we had a few pits running here just 2 weeks ago. One of which was friendly and did not seem to be aggressive, but its counter part, he was another story... mean and vicious.

I do am not a hater of this breed, in fact, I love this breed very much... it really does boil down to responsible dog ownership... years ago, I bought a pup, from someone I had not known well, did not know the parents actually were used for fighting.... know what? This dog never ever ever bit anyone, was softmouthed like our beagle and was good with other dogs, know what? I was a responsible pit owner, she was socialized alot w/ other dogs and ppl, had obedience training.. she was a great dog. Fighting is not genetic.... period. It is a learned behavior, just as well as aggression is for this breed, this breed was not originally a bad breed, in fact, it was known for being one of the better household breeds because of thier sweet nature, it is only the low lifes who started taking these lovely dogs and making them mean to suit thier entertainment needs, and those of others who would pay/bet/participate in the fighting of this breed that have given it a bad name. In my years of exposure to this breed, I honestly have had to put down only 3 pits due to aggression (this is when I ran an animal rescue).. thier owners were not good owners and the dogs ill socialized... thier euthanization could have been prevented with responsible ownership.

I do feel for Jo and her family, I do know the potential for this breed to be bad, but really, it is not the whole breed, it is the owners. Perhaps Toledo needs a law like Mansfield to enable them to do something about this, and it may be the only way..just as it was for Mansfield at the time they made that law.. however, using the excuse that the wardens office is way too understaffed is a cop out on thier part, our wardens office is definately understaffed, but they still do thier job regardless, even covering 3 counties, even if it means they are out late at night, when they would normally be off the clock. Sadly, as much as I would love to own this breed, I cannot due to laws here because of irresponsible owners in the past, its the way it is... but it is what got the problems with this breeds owners under some sort of control. Allowing the rest of the public to feel safe most of the time..

[frankykeno]

Sadly Jeanne that's why you don't have the issues with pit attacks we have here in Toledo, they are enforcing BSL's in your community. You hardly hear of pit attacks, we see them weekly. Those poor dogs don't have a chance (don't think I don't care about the pitbulls involved), they are euthanized immediately. Brainman they do enforce them...look at Jeanne's post...she lives barely 90 some odd miles from me and her community had to take this hard stance in order to stop the problems. I hate that pits will be taken and put down, but I'm sorry I value public safety over all else and for now in this city there is not a level of safety that is anywhere near reasonable. If there is another workable soluation where responsible owners can keep their pits and pit crosses then I'm all for it but it seems for now we just sit hear waiting for the next news report of yet another mauling.

[frankykeno]

As far as temperment...this is a quote direct from the American PitBull Terrier Network. These are the folks that breed and judge breed standards and this is what they have to say about genetics and temperment.

Our breed is in mortal danger because too many dogs with fear and human aggression are being bred. People do not realize that temperament is 80% (some say more) genetic in dogs.

Sorry Jeanne but I disagree that pups coming out of two fighting pits breeding don't have a problem with innate aggressiveness that most standard owners are not going to be able to manage.

[Sputnik]

You can talk about educating owners all you want, you can't educate a moron who wants a pit for his ego to show off to his buddies!

These are usually the people who have a pit loose on the street!

[brainman1000]

Sorry Jeanne but I disagree that pups coming out of two fighting pits breeding don't have a problem with innate aggressiveness that most standard owners are not going to be able to manage.

Just because a pit pup comes from fighting stock doesn't mean that the aggression can't be managed with proper care and training. Again, the key is in the owner properly raising and training the animal. It is unfortunate that in your neighborhood this doesn't happen. Maybe a better solution would be to go after the people involved in dog fighting and impose stiffer penalties including jail time. Removing that element from the equation may improve the situation. Also, animal control could work to remove the free-roaming dogs from the street and be more aggressive about collecting the animals showing aggression.

This problem is like a weed: you have to kill the root in order to get rid of the weed. The root of this problem is the human element. It is the humans involved that causes these problems. Taking the dogs out of the equation will not solve the problem. Those people involved in dog fighting will find another way or place to do it.

[daaangconcepts]

I pretty sure temperment is genetic!

This is what I found on Temperment

Temperament is behavioral traits and mental attitudes shared by canines and combined with the special characteristics proper to a certain dog breed. When a person talks about the temperament of their chosen breed, they are describing those traits which most good examples of the breed will have, rather than describing a specific dog. A dog who posses all or most of the characteristics expected for their breed is said to have a proper temperament.


A well-raised pit bull of proper temperament is the most loyal and loving dog in the world, bar none.

This is a dog that truly LOVES people, especially children. Pits are notorious clowns, and will Always make you laugh, even in spite of yourself. They are intelligent, and will often "invent" games to keep themselves amused. They seem to subsist on love and attention, and will do almost anything for a little special "loves n hugs" time. They tolerate the rough play of children, loving every minute of it, and, although poor "guard dogs" for property, they will willingly give their lives to save the people they love.

[Sputnik]

A well-raised pit bull of proper temperament is the most loyal and loving dog in the world, bar none.

That describes a lot of dogs!

[daaangconcepts]

That describes a lot of dogs!

Ok, it could be used for many breeds of dogs. So now why are pitbulls so bad?


Oh yeah..I forgot, its because OF PEOPLE!