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Dog attack

Michael, I absolutely do not advocate doing away with the breed or outlawing them in any way.

aggression can be deadly for an innocent person caught in the moment, but, Correct me if I'm wrong, it sounds like you're saying that all Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and similar breeds, are capable of eventually attacking someone, regardless of how they were raised, trained, and their personal history of behavior. That is where I disagree. I trust that my dog will never have a bad day and bite me, just as I trust that my grandmother will never have a bad day and stab me with knife.

Your grandma is not trained to stab people ( I’m making and assumption here ) so I think you are pretty safe in that regard. Your grandma my have a bad day and loose her patience with you and smack you up side the head. That is very possible.

Yes, I believe that any pit bull has the potential to do wrong. No matter who trains it, loves it, all those things. I believe most won’t. But any one could. I think it is like owning a gun that might go off at any time without warning or provocation. When it does we all hope you are not in the line of fire.
 
Chihuahua's fit into that little nippy dog category.

10 "attack" Chihuahuas could probably take you down. :p Eh, maybe 15. 20 at the most.

Just think, a pack of vicious Chihuahuas... :sidestep:

But remember, bites from small dogs can draw blood as well as a bite from a large dog. One bite in the right place, and you'll bleed out, without medical attention.
 
I'm not sure why we're having this conversation. The article refers to dogs that resembled a pit bull. Emily said it best, but a) most people have no fricking clue what a "pit bull" looks like, least of all reporters and animal control officers and b) pit bulls were bred to be aggressive to other dogs, not humans.

The issue is not the breed, it's the owner. Unless you plan to outlaw all large breeds, the idiots will just find some other breed to screw up. Unfortunately, I can't have a bully, because Ontario has outlawed them. Instead, I have small, fluffy ones. ;)
 
I have a Min Pin and 2 Chihuahua/Jack Russel terrier mixes and they chased two huuuge pit bulls all over the dog park the other day. Was hilarious!!! These pits were enormous and yet they were the most jovial, patient, easy going dogs in the whole park of around 30 dogs. If there was ever a time to snap, that would have been it with my little guys being such jerks! After a while they were all playing and hanging out together and the pits were trying to leave the park with me, my gal, and my little yappers who thankfully dont yap!. One day when I can house a pit, I will definitely be rescuing one.
 
Michael, if you and Sweetseraph had been tagging along with me from 1971 to 1982....I could easily have taught you the visual and behavioral hallmarks of the large group of dogs, registered and unregistered, grouped together in the loose group known as pit bulls.
We didn't have "Google Image" back then, so one had to work a little harder for knowledge.
Maybe even revert to something as archaic as what we called then a "book". We even had vast multi-story complexes full of them, called libraries.

They are, I would say, of average intelligence...as dogs go. But when they taste blood, I have never had one look at me over his shoulder and ask what species of blood was he tasting. ;)
 
I know what "pit bulls" look like, but I think that a lot of people see a dog attacking and it magically looks like a pit bull. I just meant that the dogs may not have even been any sort of "pit bull".

I have every respect for the immense amount of knowledge you have of the breed, but could not any number of other breeds be bred and trained to serve the same purpose for people who want to do so? So, if we make pit bulls extinct, people will just use another breed.
 
Honestly I believe that mixed breed dogs too often get labeled as pits and many of the attacks are by dogs who LOOK like a bully! There is a story online about a dog being taken away, because it looked like a pitt..this was a PUREBRED Labrador who wasn't show standards. ((here is the link:http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/articles/breedbanslabradormistake.htm)) I volunteer at the human society and ACS and have been bitten by chihuahua more often then I've been bitten by 'aggressive' breeds. IMO a properly bred pit would NEVER harm a human " Any dog that attacked or bit a handler (even if it was the other dog's handler) or anyone else at any time was culled, often on the spot, and would never have been bred." < this is a bit of their history. And I also believe that just because they cause damage doesn't make them the 1# attacker in dogs. A chihuahua has never killed anybody TRUE but they ARE more likely to be spoiled rotten and get away with snapping and aggressive/possessive behavior. I have fostered many bully breeds and ALL of them have been beyond sweet. They had a little quirk or two ((like chasing the cats but not ATTACKING them)) but most of them had never been in a house WITH cats before. I would GLADLY trade my brother's spoiled rotten, insolent, annoying and untrained((including house trained)) Chihuahua for another pit.
 
I have not read all this thread.. but what I have read is.. Upseting. I have been doing things in the animal field for years. I have been bit in the head by a Black lab, Bit in the ... female spots when I was a child.. By a pekignese, bit in the breast while trying to feed a mastiff..*which left a massive hole in my breast* .. I had tendens in my hand tore up by a JRT.. A American Eskimo bite my arm while I was grooming him.. But, I don't blame the breed. Not at all. Are those all breeds you hear about in the news? Or the Chi's that bite kids? Nope.. U hear about what will get the most Hype. My Roomie has 3 Chi's..and she will tell you first hand.. her chi's are nastier then my 2 pits. One of her Chi's Bite me the first day it moved in here. :-/ The smaller dogs when they bite.. granted they don't do as much dmg.. But, those are the ones that people don't complain about because they are small. So, they aren't in the news as much as a Pit,Rott.. Or whatever.

ugh.. I wish people that owned the breeds.. would just freaking take care of em the way they should. Period. People should need a license..and go through Classes to own a dog. And checked on Often.. Period. UGH
 
YBH, I don't make any claims that all pit bull owners fit the same demographic profile. But I do think there is a much higher incident of serious injury linked to this breed more than any other, mainly because of the lack of ability the owner has in properly training such a dog. They do have special needs.
Here is a link to finding from Harris County, Texas (Houston area) regarding pit bulls. Please scroll down to the bottom of page six that addresses primarily pit bulls.

http://www.hcphes.org/vph/Regional%20Veterinary%20Public%20Health%20Challenges.pdf
Superb reference, ComoxCorn. I repped you for the chihuahua post, but I will be back to rep you for this reference.

I hate Wikipedia, but it was handy :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pit_Bull

Whereas Emily touched upon the "tip of the iceberg", and quite passionately, I might add,....I think you and I have done our best to provide either first hand, historical, or scientific proof......of the remaining 90% of said iceberg.
 
I know what "pit bulls" look like, but I think that a lot of people see a dog attacking and it magically looks like a pit bull. I just meant that the dogs may not have even been any sort of "pit bull".

I have every respect for the immense amount of knowledge you have of the breed, but could not any number of other breeds be bred and trained to serve the same purpose for people who want to do so? So, if we make pit bulls extinct, people will just use another breed.
I am loathe to discuss all things "magical" and abhor the notion of the word "extinct".....except in regards to the subject of behavior modification.

I am equally loathe to discuss "maybes".
The child "may" have been attacked by giraffes. That looked pitty or bullish, or even pitbullyish.
 
Also, If I can find the article, I will post it here.. Most Pits that are "Aggressive" have either been chained there whole lives.. are Intact males.. Or have not had any Socializing there whole lives and have been left in the yard. Pits are Not known for Human Aggression.. Dog and other animal aggression.. Yes. They aren't even Normally good with small animals.. Including Cats! Unless Raised with them. And there are a lot of Kids out there that Torment dogs. Any breed dog. I had neighbors at my old house, that would sit at my fence..and bark and growl through the fence.. Climb it..and torment my dogs. And when I confronted the mother.. She said it wasn't her kids.. they weren't allowed in the backyard.. Ooo BS..
 
I think if we as a reptile owning community don't stick up for responsible pit bull owners and their right to freedom in pursuing their chosen hobby (keeping a pit bull) then we have no right to cry when the big, bad government comes for us as reptile owners.

Should add... the situation in the article was clearly not of people being responsible. They were being irresponsible. They should be held accountable for their actions.
 
I think if we as a reptile owning community don't stick up for responsible pit bull owners and their right to freedom in pursuing their chosen hobby (keeping a pit bull) then we have no right to cry when the big, bad government comes for us as reptile owners.

Should add... the situation in the article was clearly not of people being responsible. They were being irresponsible. They should be held accountable for their actions.

That is brilliant! Also, as mentioned above....I know that all of my pits have known the difference between a toddler and small prey. ... lol, To me, that is like saying.... "will the human know the difference between poo and meat loaf?" :crazy02: <------ that was so cool I said that because I'm a human vegan and I made meat loaf sound cool :dunce:
 
That is brilliant! Also, as mentioned above....I know that all of my pits have known the difference between a toddler and small prey. ... lol, To me, that is like saying.... "will the human know the difference between poo and meat loaf?" :crazy02: <------ that was so cool I said that because I'm a human vegan and I made meat loaf sound cool :dunce:

So why do pits get involved in maulings of small children?
 
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