Speaking of Pitbulls....

Parent Cafe
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<p>I know a vet with small children who owns a rescued pitbull, she is a very sweet dog. Still, their reputation isn’t for being a lapdog .</p>

<p>[Pit</a> bulls turn woman’s morning routine into horror](<a href=“http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/378246_pitbull09.html]Pit”>http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/378246_pitbull09.html)</p>

<p>[Seattle</a> woman screams as pit bull attacks](<a href=“http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/seattle911/archives/149199.asp]Seattle”>http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/seattle911/archives/149199.asp)</p>

<p>Haven’t had trouble with a pitbull, but a rottweiler attacked my dog when we were out for a walk.
I had to grab a tree branch to scare it off.</p>

<p>I was wondering what other areas do. While people who take care of their animals aren’t generally a problem, a " certain element" are drawn to fighting dogs and may treat them in a way that exaggerates that behavior.
[Local</a> News | Pit bulls on the loose? You may be on your own | Seattle Times Newspaper](<a href=“http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008172211_pitbulls11m.html]Local”>http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008172211_pitbulls11m.html)</p>

<p>In some instances, they don’t appear to be seen as pets, but as weapons.
[Dog</a> Fight - News - City - The Stranger, Seattle’s Only Newspaper](<a href=“http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=18564]Dog”>http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=18564)</p>

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<p>Its media nonsense. Pitbulls are very friendly. Its not the species of the dog. Almost in all cases you will find that its the owner. [RossTraining</a> - Bridging The Gap Between Ordinary and Extraordinary](<a href=“http://www.rosstraining.com%5DRossTraining”>http://www.rosstraining.com). He is a coach whose stuff I follow. Talk to this guy, he has a toddler and a newborn and his pitbulls play with both of them…</p>

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<p>^ Yes, it is the owner/trainer (and not just with pit bulls.) Unfortunately, dogs don’t carry banners that identify whether they represent a threat or not. And I doubt very much the Seattle woman referenced above was thinking “If I just start screaming I’m sure the media will blow this minor event way out of proportion.”</p>

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<p>There are some breeds that are more aggressive/protective than others. Some include Chows, Doberman Pinschers, German Shepards and Pitt Bulls. Training is only part of the picture. I dont recall seeing too many attack poodles around.</p>

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<p>It’s always the owner. People should not have strong, stubborn, large breeds if they are not willing to be the boss. Pit bulls can be great. Hasn’t anyone seen Daddy on the Dog Whisperer? Or the pit bulls rescued from Michael Vick on Dog Town? (Sorry, I’m an dog show junkie!)</p>

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<p>You simply cannot ignore genetics, tango. It isnt <em>always</em> the owner.</p>

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<p>I would say it is the combination - genetics plus training (or most likely, lack thereof). And in the Seattle area, there has been an epidemic of pitbull attacks. The stuff that the media covers is just the worst of the worst cases. I had to swing a shovel at a pitbull mix once so it would not attack my neighbors’ child. Scary stuff… The dog ran away and ended up biting another child who had to have stitches. There was no mentioning of that case in the papers.</p>

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<p>The owners of pit bulls always seem to say the same thing…they are not aggressive, they lick my baby and are as sweet as can be…can’t believe this happened, etc.
Until they attack, they are the nicest dogs you could ever want.</p>

<p>It baffles me why people choose a pit bull or other know aggressive breeds as a family pet where there are so many other breeds as well as mixed breeds that they could choose. It is not like pitbulls are pretty dogs. What gives ?</p>

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<p>I agree with you, Ije, but there are plenty of funny-looking dogs out there that have a strong following! Chinese Cresteds are to me the funniest looking dogs…<a href=“http://www.akc.org/breeds/blocks/photo_popup.cfm?breed=516&img=/images/breeds/chinese_crested/photos/lg_chinese_crested2.jpg&caption=Chinese%20Crested[/url]”>http://www.akc.org/breeds/blocks/photo_popup.cfm?breed=516&img=/images/breeds/chinese_crested/photos/lg_chinese_crested2.jpg&caption=Chinese%20Crested&lt;/a&gt; (no offense to owners of Chines Cresteds)</p>

<p>I treated a girl once who had been mauled by a pit bull that was “supposedly” tame and lived kids. Well, it attacked her, unprovoked, and she needed several surgeries and lts of therapy for her dog phobia. She was afraid to leave her house.</p>

<p>When my s was looking for an apt a few months ago, most of the complexes allowed dogs up to a certain size/weight, but had a list of what they considered “aggressive” dogs that were forbidden. Sorry to say, but there are aggressive dogs, and pit bulls are on the list.</p>

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<p>THis is a huge issue right now here. About 5 weeks ago, two pit bulls whose owner was at work, got out of the house and ate an elderly neighbor alive.</p>

<p>By the time help arrived, they had eaten both arms and one leg. He managed to live for a couple of weeks in that condition in the hospital.</p>

<p>This happened in my mother’s perfectly nice neighborhood.</p>

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<p>^^ OMG ZOOS!!! Thats HORRIBLE!!! I do not understand how people can say this breed isn’t aggressive. I can’t picture a shi tzu or a golden retriever or a dandy dinmont eating people alive. A Komondor might come in and mop the floor (they look like mops <a href=“http://www.akc.org/breeds/blocks/photo_popup.cfm?breed=616&img=/images/breeds/komondor/photos/lg_komondor6.jpg&caption=Komondor[/url]”>http://www.akc.org/breeds/blocks/photo_popup.cfm?breed=616&img=/images/breeds/komondor/photos/lg_komondor6.jpg&caption=Komondor&lt;/a&gt;) but these gentle breeds wont eat your arm for lunch!</p>

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<p>Woah!!<br>
If certain people want a fighting/guard dog, then they get a pit bull and train it to be such.
So many unwanted dogs, pit bulls and pit bull blends, bred for fighting and in back yards. It is not true they are bad dogs genetically.</p>

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<p>Jym, the reason I chose to word it that way was the the witneses all said the exact same thing. That the two dogs, who were pets – not wild animals – were actually eating the man alive.</p>

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<p>How absolutely awful, zoos!!! I cannot imagine witnessing such horror !!
Here’s a description of the breed from breeders themselves [THE</a> REAL PIT BULL–Your online source for American Pit Bull Terrier info!](<a href=“The REAL Pit Bull, Inc. – Pit Bull Education & Advocacy”>Is the Pit Bull the right breed for me? – The REAL Pit Bull, Inc.)
read teh following paragraph carefully

They are “Dog aggressive” with a “prey drive” . They are genetically wired with an aggressive streak.</p>

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<p>sorry I dont watch TV and we don’t have cable so I haven’t seen the doggie shows- </p>

<p>I did say I know a vet who has a rescued pitbull, but being that those dogs are not necessarily " child friendly", I did wonder why he has one with his two young daughters.</p>

<p>My own dog, who is a labrador retriever, has been bred over time to withstand the pain of icy water, and is much less likely to react, when a child pulls on her, than a dog who may have been bred for it’s predisposition to attack. ( read an earlier link about the training of pit bulls to jump up and grab a branch by their teeth.)</p>

<p>I do not think (in most cases) any animal is inherently " bad", including Pitbulls, Rottweilers, Dobermans, dog/wolf mixes or even little yappy dogs with needle teeth.</p>

<p>However, I see that people like gangsta rappers who like to expound on how they treat others violently if they don’t get their way or are " disrespected", choose Pitbulls as part of their * posse*, not a Bichon Friese.</p>

<p>Perhaps there is some reason besides “media bias”, that we read about babies, children & even adult men and women, being attacked and even killed by pitbulls or packs of pitbulls. When was the last time you heard of a pack of golden retrievers attacking a child? If they are among the most popular dogs there certainly must be enough of them for incidents to have occurred.</p>

<p>Regardless of how affectionate and friendly a pitbull could be, I would be reluctant to own one, just because I would worry about it being harrassed.
I think there is something that communities need to do, to make sure these dogs are not being mistreated or are used to become threats.
But being we can’t even protect women from being killed by violent ex husbands, even with a protection order- I don’t see how those who use their dogs to menace people, can be stopped without infringing on the rights of other dog owners.</p>

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<p>Theres and idea EK-- Make all men with restraining orders against them live with pit bulls. They can have each other for lunch.</p>

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<p>We have volunteered as foster family with a Golden Retriever rescue group since 2002. People ask me dog questions frequently. Here’s what I always say.</p>

<p>Each breed of dog was bred to do a certain thing. The male and female dogs that did it the best were chosen to reproduce. You can take a puppy and treat it perfectly. BUT in a moment of stress, genetics and breeding will dictate how that dog reacts. </p>

<p>Hundreds of years and thousands of ancestors will urge that dog to do what it was bred to do.</p>

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<p>We have a golden retriever because we wanted a great family dog without the worry of what it might do if a child were to pull or step on it’s tail. She is a sweety, just as her breed reputation would suggest. Worthless as a watchdog, unless a raccoon or possum wanders onto our patio…she likes to alert us if we have company late at night.</p>

<p>I just don’t understand why anyone would chance it with a dog that is so often times attacking in home and if they wander away from their yard ?</p>

<p>Not to mention homeowner’s insurance if you choose and aggressive breed:(</p>

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<p>Part of the problem is anatomy. A vicious Pit Bull, Rott, German Shepherd is going to do much more damage than a small dog or retriever. Pit Bulls have vice like jaws. They actually can be good with children, as can Bull Terriers because of their high pain tolerance. </p>

<p>A lot of problems too can be caused by poor breeding. My parents bred Bull Terriers when I was young, and if the dog had a hint of behavioral problems, they would not breed it. I have a feeling that with some Pits people do the opposite.</p>

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<p>^^ But there are also breeds like the Boxer that have a very strong anatomy and strong jaws but are known for their gentleness towards children and overall playfulness yet are protective at the same time (boxer owner here). Great Danes are very powerful dogs yet also known for gentleness.</p>

<p>But you’re right - a tiny lap dog will be limited in the damage it can do. However, almost any medium to large dog, including Goldens and Labs could inflict a large amount of damage if they wanted to.</p>