Pit bulls are safe around children!

[WinterBorn]

In the 9-year period from 2005 to 2013, pit bulls killed 176 Americans and accounted for 62% of the total recorded deaths (283). Combined, pit bulls and rottweilers accounted for 74% of these deaths.

The FACTS you folks want to ignore

In the 9-year period from 2005 to 2013, two dog breeds accounted for 74% of the attacks that resulted in death: pit bulls and rottweilers.

71% of the pit bull fatalities have occurred in the past 10 years; 42% in the past four years; 24% in the past two years.

Over 700 U.S. cities have adopted breed-specific laws since the mid 1980s, just after pit bulls (fighting dogs) began leaking into the general population.

By 2017, pit bulls are projected to maul 305 Americans to death since 1998, the year the CDC stopped tracking fatal dog attacks by breed.

In the 9-year period from 2005 to 2013, pit bulls killed 176 Americans, about one citizen every 18.6 days.

In 2013, over one-third, 38%, of all dog bite fatality victims were either visiting or living temporarily with the dog's owner when the fatal attack occurred.

In 2012, more than 27,000 people underwent reconstructive surgery as a result of being bitten by dogs.

In the 3-year period of 2006 to 2008, 18% of all fatal dog attacks occurred off owner property. Pit bulls were responsible for 81% of these attacks.

In the first eight months of 2011, nearly half of the persons killed by a pit bull was the dog's owner and primary caretaker.

Over 35 countries across the world regulate dangerous dog breeds with breed-specific laws including: France, Norway, Spain, Portugal and Great Britain.

In 2011, adult victims of fatal pit bull attacks more than doubled the number of child victims.

A study published in 2010 showed there were 4 times as many dog bite-related ED visits and 3 times as many hospital stays in rural areas than in urban areas.

Pit bull terriers were selectively bred for a violent activity that is now a felony in all 50 U.S. states: dogfighting.

Over 290 U.S. military bases governed by the U.S. Air Force, Air Force Space Command, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps and Navy regulate dangerous dog breeds.

Dog attack victims suffer over $1 billion in monetary losses annually. JAMA reports this estimate to be as high as $2 billion.

A 2010 study showed that the average cost of a dog bite-related hospital stay was $18,200, about 50% higher than the average injury-related hospital stay.

Dog bites occur every 75 seconds in the United States. Each day, over 1,000 citizens need emergency medical care to treat these injuries.

Dog bites are the fifth highest reason why children seek emergency room treatment due to activities they voluntarily engage in, such as playing sports.

Averaging just under 20 deaths per year. In a population of over 310 million, that is quite rare.

Should owners be held liable and responsible for their dogs? Yes.
Should the breed be destroyed and removed? No.

You continue to dismiss. You need to LOOK man. There is a very clear FACT. Pit bulls are a very small percentage of the dog population and a HUGE percentage of fatal and maiming attacks.

I am looking. I have yet to see any reliable quotes on the number of pits in the US. I have yet to see any method of identifying dogs who maimed or killed, except untrained witnesses who, as has been shown, are notoriously unreliable.

Are there hazards associated with pitbulls? Of course there are. That is true with any number of large breeds.

I see a major issue for the breed as being the large number of dogs bred specifically for fighting. If you look back before 1975, the number of pitbull attacks were almost nonexistent. Why is that? There were pits around then.

 

[Asclepias]

this one is my first pit ever, I am really supprised by how gentle he was, and when I rescued him was looking for any sign that he was a danger to people, i was ready to take him to the pound in the begining if he appeared to be agressive. I found that they need love but also require a lot of discipline so they know that they are answerable to humans.
I think that maybe the mistake owners make is they either neglect and outright abuse them, or they let the dog become the Alpha and think that they are in charge. I'm absoluteley NOT afraid of this dog because I interact with it on a daily basis. Still though
Im extremely cautious with him around any children. As much as he has an amazing personality, I always have to remember he is just a dog

How old was he when you got him? Is he more excited around kids or is he standoffish? I make it a practice not to get any dog unless its a puppy less than 4 months. I like to check their temperament when they are young. They definitely need to know you are the alpha. Due to the amount of damage they can do that is an absolute must that they know who is in charge.

This one was a stray dog, approximately 8 months or so, hard to tell. No. hes not standoffish around kids, he wags his tail and bobs his head up and down like he wants to play, but he doesnt jump up on people with his paws. This one has an obsession with catching a ball. responds well to voice commands. still cautious around kids just because though

Sounds like one with a good temperament and good manners. I don't blame you about being cautious around kids since you cant possibly know what he went through prior to you owning him. Can you put your hand in his bowl while he is eating and make him stop without him showing aggression?

 

[Asclepias]

How many times are we going to see these stories of people being mauled by pit bulls? You always hear the same thing from pit bull enthusiasts, "it depends on how they are raised. My pit bull is as gentle as can be!". Its funny how the owners of the pit bulls that attack people always say "I cant believe it, my pit bulls played with my children." Well guess what, this kid was around these pit bulls before without incident, then suddenly one day these "peaceful" dogs killed a child and mauled his pregnant mother.

These dogs are ticking time bombs, therefore they aren't fit for domestication. They should be outlawed!


Police identify boy, 4, killed in dog attack

I think the breed originated as war dogs, bred to attack and kill humans. Certainly the Germans developed a couple of those breeds as did many other cultures. My friend had a doberman who are unpredictable in the same way. The family praised the creature, a female who basically was easy going if weird. Then one day for no apparent reason the dog up and viciously attacked my friend. They had to give it away or put it down. If forget. It was a long time ago.

Nope, and calling BS.

War dogs?

 

[Asclepias]

How many times are we going to see these stories of people being mauled by pit bulls? You always hear the same thing from pit bull enthusiasts, "it depends on how they are raised. My pit bull is as gentle as can be!". Its funny how the owners of the pit bulls that attack people always say "I cant believe it, my pit bulls played with my children." Well guess what, this kid was around these pit bulls before without incident, then suddenly one day these "peaceful" dogs killed a child and mauled his pregnant mother.

These dogs are ticking time bombs, therefore they aren't fit for domestication. They should be outlawed!


Police identify boy, 4, killed in dog attack

well pit bulls are safe around children.

The question is are children safe around pit bulls?

I raised 3 kids around them. 1 saved me oldest from a Rottie attack. I'd say they were safe.

 

[Asclepias]

Pitbulls can be sweet, cuddly dogs

Big babies. Nothing funnier than seeing a 70lb pit trying to get in your lap.

 

[Yarddog]

How old was he when you got him? Is he more excited around kids or is he standoffish? I make it a practice not to get any dog unless its a puppy less than 4 months. I like to check their temperament when they are young. They definitely need to know you are the alpha. Due to the amount of damage they can do that is an absolute must that they know who is in charge.

This one was a stray dog, approximately 8 months or so, hard to tell. No. hes not standoffish around kids, he wags his tail and bobs his head up and down like he wants to play, but he doesnt jump up on people with his paws. This one has an obsession with catching a ball. responds well to voice commands. still cautious around kids just because though

Sounds like one with a good temperament and good manners. I don't blame you about being cautious around kids since you cant possibly know what he went through prior to you owning him. Can you put your hand in his bowl while he is eating and make him stop without him showing aggression?

.


Absolutely, I've even taken food out of his mouth and he just looks at me. I have a hard time seeing this dog as a killer. The other thing I like about this guy is he's not excessive in licking people, he just gives a little kiss with his tounge, . He was fixed when I found him, by the way. I'm sure that has a lot to do with temperament.

 

[Bfgrn]

Averaging just under 20 deaths per year. In a population of over 310 million, that is quite rare.

Should owners be held liable and responsible for their dogs? Yes.
Should the breed be destroyed and removed? No.

You continue to dismiss. You need to LOOK man. There is a very clear FACT. Pit bulls are a very small percentage of the dog population and a HUGE percentage of fatal and maiming attacks.

I am looking. I have yet to see any reliable quotes on the number of pits in the US. I have yet to see any method of identifying dogs who maimed or killed, except untrained witnesses who, as has been shown, are notoriously unreliable.

Are there hazards associated with pitbulls? Of course there are. That is true with any number of large breeds.

I see a major issue for the breed as being the large number of dogs bred specifically for fighting. If you look back before 1975, the number of pitbull attacks were almost nonexistent. Why is that? There were pits around then.

First of all, your reply "Should owners be held liable and responsible for their dogs? Yes." is unacceptable. It is empty rhetoric to the families of these victims, does nothing to prevent these PREVENTABLE tragedies, and ignores a mountain of evidence.

THINK man. If 93% of all tire failures that caused rollover accidents came for one manufacture, would you:

a) dismiss it like you have decided to do?
b) ban all tires?
c) recall/ban tires from that one manufacturer?

Fatal pit bull attacks sharply rise in 2013

In the first 5 months of 2013, pit bulls inflicted 93 percent of all dog bite fatalities. This is well above the average of 60 percent from 2005 to 2012.

As the pit bull population rises, more human fatalities ensue. During the last eight-year period (1991-98) that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studied fatal attacks by breed, pit bulls were estimated at 1 percent of the U.S. dog population. Pit bulls killed an average of three people per year.

The pit bull population has since grown to 4 percent. During the most recent eight-year period (2005-12), pit bulls killed an average of 19 people per year.

If the current rate of fatalities inflicted by pit bulls continues, 33 Americans will lose their lives to pit bulls by the end of 2013.

2013 statistics

32 U.S. dog bite-related fatalities occurred in 2013. Despite being regulated in Military Housing areas and over 700 U.S. cities, pit bulls contributed to 78% (25) of these deaths. Pit bulls make up about 6% of the total U.S. dog population.2

Together, pit bulls (25) and rottweilers (1), the second most lethal dog breed, accounted for 81% of the total recorded deaths in 2013. This same combination accounted for 74% of all fatal attacks during the 9-year period of 2005 to 2013.

The breakdown between these two breeds is substantial over this 9-year period. From 2005 to 2013, pit bulls killed 176 Americans, about one citizen every 18.6 days, versus rottweilers, which killed 33, about one citizen every 99.5 days.

In the year of 2013, the combination of pit bulls (25), rottweilers (1) and bullmastiffs (2) accounted for 88% of all dog bite-related fatalities. Notably, the two bullmastiff-mixes3 were littermates that inflicted death within a 6-month period.

Myth #1: It's the owner not the breed

The outdated debate, "It's the owner, not the breed," has caused the pit bull problem to grow into a 30-year old problem.1 Designed to protect pit bull breeders and owners, the slogan ignores the genetic history of the breed and blames these horrific maulings -- inflicted by the pit bull's genetic "hold and shake" bite style -- on environmental factors. While environment plays a role in a pit bull's behavior, it is genetics that leaves pit bull victims with permanent and disfiguring injuries.

The pit bull's genetic traits are not in dispute. Many appellate courts agree that pit bulls pose a significant danger to society and can be regulated accordingly. Some of the genetic traits courts have identified include: unpredictability of aggression, tenacity ("gameness" the refusal to give up a fight), high pain tolerance and the pit bull's "hold and shake" bite style.2 According to forensic medical studies, similar injuries have only been found elsewhere on victims of shark attacks.3

Perpetuators of this myth also cannot account for the many instances in which pit bull owners and family members are victimized by their pet dogs. From 2005 to 2013, pit bulls killed 176 Americans, about one citizen every 18.6 days. Of these deaths, 52% involved a family member and a household pit bull.4 Notably, in the first 8 months of 2011, nearly half of those killed by a pit bull was its owner. One victim was an "avid supporter" of Bad Rap, a recipient of Michael Vick's dogs.5

 

[Asclepias]

THINK man. If 93% of all tire failures that caused rollover accidents came for one manufacture, would you:

Where is your proof 93% of attacks are from Pit Bulls? So far no one has proven that. Just because you think a dog is a pit doesnt make him one.

 

[Bfgrn]

THINK man. If 93% of all tire failures that caused rollover accidents came for one manufacture, would you:

Where is your proof 93% of attacks are from Pit Bulls? So far no one has proven that. Just because you think a dog is a pit doesnt make him one.

Myth #2: It's impossible to identify a pit bull

Pit bull advocates frequently claim that the average person cannot correctly identify a pit bull. As discussed in the Pit Bull FAQ, the pit bull is a class of dogs made up of several close dog breeds (See: What is a pit bull?). This false claim is designed to confuse the public just like the breed's history of changing names is intended to do (See: Disguise breed name). As recently told to us by a top U.S. animal control enforcement officer, "If it looks like a pit bull, it usually is."

Pit bull advocates have even created deceptive online tests (Find the Pit Bull) to further confuse the media, policymakers and the public. These tests are inaccurate and intentionally crafted to show that the average person cannot correctly identify a pit bull. DogsBite.org has created a more realistic test that shows a variety of popular dog breeds. Once one begins to understand the frame, posture and distinct head and jaw size of a pit bull, identification is immediate.

 

[WinterBorn]

You continue to dismiss. You need to LOOK man. There is a very clear FACT. Pit bulls are a very small percentage of the dog population and a HUGE percentage of fatal and maiming attacks.

I am looking. I have yet to see any reliable quotes on the number of pits in the US. I have yet to see any method of identifying dogs who maimed or killed, except untrained witnesses who, as has been shown, are notoriously unreliable.

Are there hazards associated with pitbulls? Of course there are. That is true with any number of large breeds.

I see a major issue for the breed as being the large number of dogs bred specifically for fighting. If you look back before 1975, the number of pitbull attacks were almost nonexistent. Why is that? There were pits around then.

First of all, your reply "Should owners be held liable and responsible for their dogs? Yes." is unacceptable. It is empty rhetoric to the families of these victims, does nothing to prevent these PREVENTABLE tragedies, and ignores a mountain of evidence.

THINK man. If 93% of all tire failures that caused rollover accidents came for one manufacture, would you:

a) dismiss it like you have decided to do?
b) ban all tires?
c) recall/ban tires from that one manufacturer?

Fatal pit bull attacks sharply rise in 2013

In the first 5 months of 2013, pit bulls inflicted 93 percent of all dog bite fatalities. This is well above the average of 60 percent from 2005 to 2012.

As the pit bull population rises, more human fatalities ensue. During the last eight-year period (1991-98) that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studied fatal attacks by breed, pit bulls were estimated at 1 percent of the U.S. dog population. Pit bulls killed an average of three people per year.

The pit bull population has since grown to 4 percent. During the most recent eight-year period (2005-12), pit bulls killed an average of 19 people per year.

If the current rate of fatalities inflicted by pit bulls continues, 33 Americans will lose their lives to pit bulls by the end of 2013.

2013 statistics

32 U.S. dog bite-related fatalities occurred in 2013. Despite being regulated in Military Housing areas and over 700 U.S. cities, pit bulls contributed to 78% (25) of these deaths. Pit bulls make up about 6% of the total U.S. dog population.2

Together, pit bulls (25) and rottweilers (1), the second most lethal dog breed, accounted for 81% of the total recorded deaths in 2013. This same combination accounted for 74% of all fatal attacks during the 9-year period of 2005 to 2013.

The breakdown between these two breeds is substantial over this 9-year period. From 2005 to 2013, pit bulls killed 176 Americans, about one citizen every 18.6 days, versus rottweilers, which killed 33, about one citizen every 99.5 days.

In the year of 2013, the combination of pit bulls (25), rottweilers (1) and bullmastiffs (2) accounted for 88% of all dog bite-related fatalities. Notably, the two bullmastiff-mixes3 were littermates that inflicted death within a 6-month period.

Myth #1: It's the owner not the breed

The outdated debate, "It's the owner, not the breed," has caused the pit bull problem to grow into a 30-year old problem.1 Designed to protect pit bull breeders and owners, the slogan ignores the genetic history of the breed and blames these horrific maulings -- inflicted by the pit bull's genetic "hold and shake" bite style -- on environmental factors. While environment plays a role in a pit bull's behavior, it is genetics that leaves pit bull victims with permanent and disfiguring injuries.

The pit bull's genetic traits are not in dispute. Many appellate courts agree that pit bulls pose a significant danger to society and can be regulated accordingly. Some of the genetic traits courts have identified include: unpredictability of aggression, tenacity ("gameness" the refusal to give up a fight), high pain tolerance and the pit bull's "hold and shake" bite style.2 According to forensic medical studies, similar injuries have only been found elsewhere on victims of shark attacks.3

Perpetuators of this myth also cannot account for the many instances in which pit bull owners and family members are victimized by their pet dogs. From 2005 to 2013, pit bulls killed 176 Americans, about one citizen every 18.6 days. Of these deaths, 52% involved a family member and a household pit bull.4 Notably, in the first 8 months of 2011, nearly half of those killed by a pit bull was its owner. One victim was an "avid supporter" of Bad Rap, a recipient of Michael Vick's dogs.5

If one tire manufacturer produced tens of thousands of tires, and there were 30 failures, I would not require the removal and destruction of all of their tires.

And if it is not the owners and breeders, why were there virtually no fatal attcks by pits prior to 1975?

 

[Asclepias]

THINK man. If 93% of all tire failures that caused rollover accidents came for one manufacture, would you:

Where is your proof 93% of attacks are from Pit Bulls? So far no one has proven that. Just because you think a dog is a pit doesnt make him one.

Myth #2: It's impossible to identify a pit bull

Pit bull advocates frequently claim that the average person cannot correctly identify a pit bull. As discussed in the Pit Bull FAQ, the pit bull is a class of dogs made up of several close dog breeds (See: What is a pit bull?). This false claim is designed to confuse the public just like the breed's history of changing names is intended to do (See: Disguise breed name). As recently told to us by a top U.S. animal control enforcement officer, "If it looks like a pit bull, it usually is."

Pit bull advocates have even created deceptive online tests (Find the Pit Bull) to further confuse the media, policymakers and the public. These tests are inaccurate and intentionally crafted to show that the average person cannot correctly identify a pit bull. DogsBite.org has created a more realistic test that shows a variety of popular dog breeds. Once one begins to understand the frame, posture and distinct head and jaw size of a pit bull, identification is immediate.

You didnt answer my question. You cut and pasted someones opinion. I can tell by how clueless the person is that wrote a pitbull is made up of several breeds. That doesnt even make sense. How can you prove 93% of the attacks are by APBT's?

 

[Wake]

Good morning everyone.

From my personal experiences, it depends on the pit bull. My mother's fiance owned two pit bulls. One was raised with love as a puppy, and has been nothing short of a silly, loving little kid. The other, who has now passed, was rescued by that man. She had been abused, taught to be extremely aggressive and territorial, and left tied to a tree to die. When he found her, she was nothing but a bag of bones, emaciated. Though she was taught to fear and attack, she took to him as he cared for her, and became incredibly loyal, loving, and protective of him. If someone entered the home without inspection, she would kill the person. Only when a new individual was slowly introduced in her presence, and the master was "OK" with the stranger, did she allow that person to exist peacefully around her. She took to my mother almost instantly, and took to me within a few months.

It's not true that pit bulls are violent, terrible dogs that just snap for no reason. There is always a reason. The dogs that were mistreated and abused, and trained to kill... they are dangerous. What you put in to raising a dog is manifested by how the dog behaves. If you raise it with tender loving care and attention, you will have a loving child. I have lived around more than 3 pit bulls that were raised properly, and they are a joy in my life.

I feel that with more education, the pit bull will become better understood. It would be better to subscribe to the experiences of those who actually own and live around pit bulls, in my opinion. If you have never owned a pit bull, and only know of them based on the incidents you hear or the biased accounts you've been told, then you are not being told everything.

 

[Bfgrn]

Where is your proof 93% of attacks are from Pit Bulls? So far no one has proven that. Just because you think a dog is a pit doesnt make him one.

Myth #2: It's impossible to identify a pit bull

Pit bull advocates frequently claim that the average person cannot correctly identify a pit bull. As discussed in the Pit Bull FAQ, the pit bull is a class of dogs made up of several close dog breeds (See: What is a pit bull?). This false claim is designed to confuse the public just like the breed's history of changing names is intended to do (See: Disguise breed name). As recently told to us by a top U.S. animal control enforcement officer, "If it looks like a pit bull, it usually is."

Pit bull advocates have even created deceptive online tests (Find the Pit Bull) to further confuse the media, policymakers and the public. These tests are inaccurate and intentionally crafted to show that the average person cannot correctly identify a pit bull. DogsBite.org has created a more realistic test that shows a variety of popular dog breeds. Once one begins to understand the frame, posture and distinct head and jaw size of a pit bull, identification is immediate.

You didnt answer my question. You cut and pasted someones opinion. I can tell by how clueless the person is that wrote a pitbull is made up of several breeds. That doesnt even make sense. How can you prove 93% of the attacks are by APBT's?

The whole world is stupid, except for you...

Once one begins to understand the frame, posture and distinct head and jaw size of a pit bull, identification is immediate.

 

[Bfgrn]

Good morning everyone.

From my personal experiences, it depends on the pit bull. My mother's fiance owned two pit bulls. One was raised with love as a puppy, and has been nothing short of a silly, loving little kid. The other, who has now passed, was rescued by that man. She had been abused, taught to be extremely aggressive and territorial, and left tied to a tree to die. When he found her, she was nothing but a bag of bones, emaciated. Though she was taught to fear and attack, she took to him as he cared for her, and became incredibly loyal, loving, and protective of him. If someone entered the home without inspection, she would kill the person. Only when a new individual was slowly introduced in her presence, and the master was "OK" with the stranger, did she allow that person to exist peacefully around her. She took to my mother almost instantly, and took to me within a few months.

It's not true that pit bulls are violent, terrible dogs that just snap for no reason. There is always a reason. The dogs that were mistreated and abused, and trained to kill... they are dangerous. What you put in to raising a dog is manifested by how the dog behaves. If you raise it with tender loving care and attention, you will have a loving child. I have lived around more than 3 pit bulls that were raised properly, and they are a joy in my life.

I feel that with more education, the pit bull will become better understood. It would be better to subscribe to the experiences of those who actually own and live around pit bulls, in my opinion. If you have never owned a pit bull, and only know of them based on the incidents you hear or the biased accounts you've been told, then you are not being told everything.

Myth #6: Pit bulls are not unpredictable

Despite pro-pit bull claims that pit bulls are not unpredictable, the breed frequently attacks without provocation or warning. It is well documented by humane groups that to excel in dogfighting, pit bulls were selectively bred to conceal warning signals prior to an attack. For instance, a pit bull may not growl, bare its teeth or offer a direct stare before it strikes. Unlike all other dog breeds, pit bulls are also disrespectful of traditional signs of submission and appeasement.16

According to expert Randall Lockwood, pit bulls are also liars. In a 2004 law enforcement training video, taped when Lockwood was vice president for research and educational outreach for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), he shares the following story:

"Fighting dogs lie all the time. I experienced it first hand when I was investigating three pit bulls that killed a little boy in Georgia. When I went up to do an initial evaluation of the dog's behavior, the dog came up to the front of the fence, gave me a nice little tail wag and a "play bow" -- a little solicitation, a little greeting. As I got closer, he lunged for my face."17

If a pit bull can fool an expert such as Lockwood, how can the average citizen anticipate a pit bull's future action? In a separate example, animal behavioral expert Peter Borchelt was sued after the pit bull he was training for a client "suddenly" attacked an ex-fireman. After encountering Gabriel Febbraio on the street and assuring him that the pit bull was friendly, the dog broke free from Borchelt and attacked Febbraio in the groin. The jury awarded Febbraio $1 million dollars.18

 

[Asclepias]

Myth #2: It's impossible to identify a pit bull

Pit bull advocates frequently claim that the average person cannot correctly identify a pit bull. As discussed in the Pit Bull FAQ, the pit bull is a class of dogs made up of several close dog breeds (See: What is a pit bull?). This false claim is designed to confuse the public just like the breed's history of changing names is intended to do (See: Disguise breed name). As recently told to us by a top U.S. animal control enforcement officer, "If it looks like a pit bull, it usually is."

Pit bull advocates have even created deceptive online tests (Find the Pit Bull) to further confuse the media, policymakers and the public. These tests are inaccurate and intentionally crafted to show that the average person cannot correctly identify a pit bull. DogsBite.org has created a more realistic test that shows a variety of popular dog breeds. Once one begins to understand the frame, posture and distinct head and jaw size of a pit bull, identification is immediate.

You didnt answer my question. You cut and pasted someones opinion. I can tell by how clueless the person is that wrote a pitbull is made up of several breeds. That doesnt even make sense. How can you prove 93% of the attacks are by APBT's?

The whole world is stupid, except for you...

Once one begins to understand the frame, posture and distinct head and jaw size of a pit bull, identification is immediate.

I guess that's why so many accounts of pit bull attacks end up being another breed? A famous one is the time this Diane Whipple in SF was killed by 2 Presa Canarios and everyone was calling them pit bulls. The dogs are about twice the size of a pit.

Diane Whipple - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[BobPlumb]

Good morning everyone.

From my personal experiences, it depends on the pit bull. My mother's fiance owned two pit bulls. One was raised with love as a puppy, and has been nothing short of a silly, loving little kid. The other, who has now passed, was rescued by that man. She had been abused, taught to be extremely aggressive and territorial, and left tied to a tree to die. When he found her, she was nothing but a bag of bones, emaciated. Though she was taught to fear and attack, she took to him as he cared for her, and became incredibly loyal, loving, and protective of him. If someone entered the home without inspection, she would kill the person. Only when a new individual was slowly introduced in her presence, and the master was "OK" with the stranger, did she allow that person to exist peacefully around her. She took to my mother almost instantly, and took to me within a few months.

It's not true that pit bulls are violent, terrible dogs that just snap for no reason. There is always a reason. The dogs that were mistreated and abused, and trained to kill... they are dangerous. What you put in to raising a dog is manifested by how the dog behaves. If you raise it with tender loving care and attention, you will have a loving child. I have lived around more than 3 pit bulls that were raised properly, and they are a joy in my life.

I feel that with more education, the pit bull will become better understood. It would be better to subscribe to the experiences of those who actually own and live around pit bulls, in my opinion. If you have never owned a pit bull, and only know of them based on the incidents you hear or the biased accounts you've been told, then you are not being told everything.

Myth #6: Pit bulls are not unpredictable

Despite pro-pit bull claims that pit bulls are not unpredictable, the breed frequently attacks without provocation or warning. It is well documented by humane groups that to excel in dogfighting, pit bulls were selectively bred to conceal warning signals prior to an attack. For instance, a pit bull may not growl, bare its teeth or offer a direct stare before it strikes. Unlike all other dog breeds, pit bulls are also disrespectful of traditional signs of submission and appeasement.16

According to expert Randall Lockwood, pit bulls are also liars. In a 2004 law enforcement training video, taped when Lockwood was vice president for research and educational outreach for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), he shares the following story:

"Fighting dogs lie all the time. I experienced it first hand when I was investigating three pit bulls that killed a little boy in Georgia. When I went up to do an initial evaluation of the dog's behavior, the dog came up to the front of the fence, gave me a nice little tail wag and a "play bow" -- a little solicitation, a little greeting. As I got closer, he lunged for my face."17

If a pit bull can fool an expert such as Lockwood, how can the average citizen anticipate a pit bull's future action? In a separate example, animal behavioral expert Peter Borchelt was sued after the pit bull he was training for a client "suddenly" attacked an ex-fireman. After encountering Gabriel Febbraio on the street and assuring him that the pit bull was friendly, the dog broke free from Borchelt and attacked Febbraio in the groin. The jury awarded Febbraio $1 million dollars.18

Now in going to have an image of a pit bull attacking a groin all day. ouch!

 

[Wake]

Myth #6: Pit bulls are not unpredictable

I don't consider the website you've linked credible because in its front page it mentions that some dogs don't let go. There is a falsehood circulating around the internet about a pit bull's jaws locking, when that is not the case. Since that website is highly biased, I feel it has little weight in this discussion. That said, I do find it rather easy to identify a pit bull, since I live among them and know more about them than the general population. I suspect both sides on this issue are rather biased, and unwilling to compromise with certain truths.

The site may be correct on some things, but because it's heavily slanted, it becomes worthless in the realm of balanced debate and discussion. It would be no different than a Progressive/Liberal citing Mediaite, or Conservatives citing TheBlaze.com.

 

[Asclepias]

More proof of misidentification

Dog In Attack Misidentified As A Pit Bull

In a front page article on November 21, 2006 the Houston Chronicle reported "two pit bulls" had fatally mauled a 4 year old child, Pedro Rios. Authorities reported they shot one pit bull and wounded the other. A pit bull task force planned to study the reason for an increase in bites in the Harris County, Texas area which includes Houston.

By Laura Allen, Best Friends Staff

Now, it appears at least the wounded dog which was later put down, was not a pit bull. Dawn Blackmar, a veterinarian and director of the Harris County Veterinary Public Health Department, disputed that the dog had the characteristics of a pit bull breed. It is not clear the deceased dog was actually a pit bull breed either. It does appear these dogs may have been malnourished and otherwise treated poorly.

The mis-identification of these dogs as pit bulls illustrates one problem with breed specific legislation. It is often very difficult to determine whether a dog belongs to a particular breed or breed mix. This has almost certainly meant numbers of dogs that do not belong to the banned breed or breed mix have died as a result of mis-identification.

The smear effect on this type of rush to judgement is difficult to undo. When the story was on the friont pages, the dogs involved were Pit Bulls. That is the image that has gone into the public consciousness. The correction is really too little too late to counter the false accusation.

Harris County isn't unique in their doggie ID deficiencies. A well documented Denver case (Margolius v Denver) provides another example. In that case it was proven animal control officers could not identify a "pit bull terrier" beyond a reasonable doubt under the Denver ordinance which includes along with the banned purebred "any dog displaying the majority of physical characteristics of any of these breeds".

There is a catalog of such stories from all over the country where the rush to judgement and a press deadline has wrongly pointed the finger at a Pit Bull that was later cleared. You can be sure there was never a headline like this: "Pit Bull Cleared of All Charges."

 

[Bfgrn]

You didnt answer my question. You cut and pasted someones opinion. I can tell by how clueless the person is that wrote a pitbull is made up of several breeds. That doesnt even make sense. How can you prove 93% of the attacks are by APBT's?

The whole world is stupid, except for you...

Once one begins to understand the frame, posture and distinct head and jaw size of a pit bull, identification is immediate.

I guess that's why so many accounts of pit bull attacks end up being another breed? A famous one is the time this Diane Whipple in SF was killed by 2 Presa Canarios and everyone was calling them pit bulls. The dogs are about twice the size of a pit.

Diane Whipple - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That is not a pit. And not one said it was a pit...

next...

 

[September]

Pitbulls can be sweet, cuddly dogs

Big babies. Nothing funnier than seeing a 70lb pit trying to get in your lap.

I know right! Lmao