"PITBULL" ATTACK IN ATLANTA..What will it take for "PITBULLS" to lose the bad rep? (Hinesville: apartments, condos)

[residinghere2007]

Originally Posted by ElleKaye

I openly stated that was not the article I was looking for, but what you're saying is not true. It also says Rottweilers are the next down on the list responsible for 3% of fatal attacks so it does not just target pit bulls.

Also, I don't have stake in the site I posted or an analysis of their stats but 2nd most popular breed in the US sounds like one helluva stretching of the truth. I can agree that in some neighborhoods pits seem to be very popular but not in most neighborhoods in my experience. As far as dogs considered vicious go, I've seen more Rotts, Dobermans, and Chows than Pitts. (Well, the Chow Chow is a bit debatable because I can't actually say I've seen more.)

Everywhere I have lived pit bulls are VERY popular. Labs are the most popular dog and I rarely see them anymore but I know they have a reputation of being a good family dog and they remain popular.

And on the "About Us" portion of the site you linked it stated the following:

DogsBite.org is a public education website about dangerous dogs -- primarily
pit bull type dogs

WE ADVOCATE

1. Pit bull ban
A breed ban is the most proactive
policy that can be undertaken regarding the pit bull problem.

To me, this reeks of having a biased agenda against pit bulls. Also their statistics differ from organizations that keep track of similar info that are more objective about all types of breeds like the American Humane Society and the ASPCA. Both the Humane Society and ASPCA primarily advocate education, supervision, and spaying/neutering of dogs to prevent bites and attacks on children not breed bans.

I know more pits in Atlanta than any other dog. Them and the hated chihauha. I know a few shi-tzus as well but mostly pits. There are pit lovers in ever economic demographic and they are a very popular dog right now, which is why many feel that their rankings on the bite and mauling statistics have gone up. Prior to pits, rottweilers were the most likely to attack, also german shepherds, the breed varies depending upon the popularity.


An article with statistics going back to the 1970s:

Data on pit bulls may be skewed by popularity/rottweilers were deadliest dog for much of the 1990s

In the 1970s German Shepherd's were the most "deadliest" dogs.

[erick295]

I think you guys might be taking my question a bit defensively, but it was genuine curiosity. "Because I want to and mine hasn't killed anyone yet" doesn't really tell me much

I guess I shouldn't have said anything about aggression. Forget that part. I know some people get pit bulls to fight, guard property, or toughen their image, but I was just wondering what the reasons are for choosing them as companion pets. Is it the way they look? Health reasons? Personality traits?

[roadtrip75]

Originally Posted by residinghere2007

To me, this reeks of having a biased agenda against pit bulls.

A biased agenda against pit bulls is what we need.

[Thaddeus_Hewitt]

Originally Posted by erick295

I think you guys might be taking my question a bit defensively, but it was genuine curiosity. "Because I want to and mine hasn't killed anyone yet" doesn't really tell me much

I guess I shouldn't have said anything about aggression. Forget that part. I know some people get pit bulls to fight, guard property, or toughen their image, but I was just wondering what the reasons are for choosing them as companion pets. Is it the way they look? Health reasons? Personality traits?

Well Erick lol it's like the saying goes you have to ask the right question to get the right answer..LOL. But my personal reason for choosing my pitbull as a companion pet are less health issues,Super athletic(like me),people pleaser, not much grooming needed,super super loyal,loves to cuddle,very easy to train,impervious to pain(reason they are great with kids although it doesn't mean they shouldn't be supervised),the pitbull smile, or when he was a puppy how he cried like a baby literally, every night until I let him sleep with me..Man it was just cute man the way he acted. As a puppy he wasn't so welcoming to people he just always wanted to be around me. Wherever I went he went. I had to socialize him eventually so that he could be more welcoming towards other animals and people once I moved and took the time up with him.Man everything I could go on and on..Plus I didn't get my pit for fighting or guarding or to have a tougher image I can do all of that on my own..I just always liked pitbulls. But my pit does make a good guard dog. That was the most intense training I ever done with him. We got thru it tho together..

[brown bananie]

Are you SERIOUSLY comparing a dogbite from a little dog with the bite or mauling of a pit bull? SURELY YOU JEST!

[erick295]

Originally Posted by brown bananie

Are you SERIOUSLY comparing a dogbite from a little dog with the bite or mauling of a pit bull? SURELY YOU JEST!

Yeah I mean Chihuahuas are actually pretty aggressive but I don't think too many people have been killed by one

I just wish supporters would at least admit the statistical fact that pit bulls attack and kill more people than most (if not all) other dogs. Of course I also wish people on the other side would admit how insignificant the problem really is... I mean, surely even cars are more dangerous in terms of deaths per hour, but that doesn't stop opponents from driving. I guess everyone on both sides of the issue are only afraid of things they don't see every day. It actually has a lot of parallels to the gun debate, where a single incident involving children gets opponents crying "BAN THEM!" and owners pretending like there's absolutely nothing wrong with them. The real answer is somewhere in between.

Bottom line: They're probably less safe than any other type of dog, but that's not saying much considering how safe dogs are in general.

I do still wonder why people choose them over other types of breeds. I hear a lot of reasons that apply to dogs in general... but why get a pit bull specifically?

[Thaddeus_Hewitt]

Originally Posted by erick295

Yeah I mean Chihuahuas are actually pretty aggressive but I don't think too many people have been killed by one

I just wish supporters would at least admit the statistical fact that pit bulls attack and kill more people than most (if not all) other dogs. Of course I also wish people on the other side would admit how insignificant the problem really is... I mean, surely even cars are more dangerous in terms of deaths per hour, but that doesn't stop opponents from driving. I guess everyone on both sides of the issue are only afraid of things they don't see every day. It actually has a lot of parallels to the gun debate, where a single incident involving children gets opponents crying "BAN THEM!" and owners pretending like there's absolutely nothing wrong with them. The real answer is somewhere in between.

Bottom line: They're probably less safe than any other type of dog, but that's not saying much considering how safe dogs are in general.

I do still wonder why people choose them over other types of breeds. I hear a lot of reasons that apply to dogs in general... but why get a pit bull specifically?

Well Erick you asked why we chose to have that specific breed over others and upon answering your question to why I have a pitbull I realized most of the things that I listed were as well within some other breeds as well but it's all to people's preference. Like I prefer apples over oranges. Could offer the same health benefits but I prefer one over the other. Also if the reasons I listed apply to other dogs as well then to me generally from what I can gather then that all dogs are the same. Big or small. It is solely how the owner trains or socializes them..As far as a chihuahua killing a human..I'm not saying it's not possible anything is possible but they have been known to attack and bite more often than the deemed aggressive breeds. They're barely reported. I'm not blind to the obvious that pitbulls attack as well as ALL dogs will attack. I am just simply saying that just because this horrific incident happened in the privacy of ones home doesn't mean that they should be banned because of one persons mistake. There was a similar case to this where the adults are now serving time for not supervising the child around an untrained dog. The dogs are probably euthanized by now. I know very well my dog wouldn't harm anyone unless he was commanded to in the case of me being robbed or anything like that. That doesn't mean I would leave him unsupervised around kids or even my own son who is 3 years old. Right now my dog is laying across my feet and my son is laying inbetween my legs watching tv. My question is should I only have a specific breed or do you have anything against "aggressive breeds" and if that is the case how long before we get another dog in the aggressive breed category that you or someone else may think as non aggressive I.E. Chihuahuas,dachshunds,labs,Great Danes(nvm they're already considered aggressive)

[ElleKaye]

Originally Posted by residinghere2007

Everywhere I have lived pit bulls are VERY popular. Labs are the most popular dog and I rarely see them anymore but I know they have a reputation of being a good family dog and they remain popular.

And on the "About Us" portion of the site you linked it stated the following:



To me, this reeks of having a biased agenda against pit bulls. Also their statistics differ from organizations that keep track of similar info that are more objective about all types of breeds like the American Humane Society and the ASPCA...

It could very well be site owners with an agenda. I'm not denying that. However, it should be easy enough to post a link to the stats you say dispute it, and I don't see that. It looks somewhat like you have have an agenda as well.

Be all that neither here nor there, I'm still maintaining that I don't see pit bulls as the second most popular breed in the US. That simply isn't true. I don't even need a survey (whatever the source) to state the obvious.

[MiamiRob]

Pitbulls are banned in Miami Dade county, Florida since 1989. There was a incident were a neighbor owned a pitbull and jumped a fence and attacked a 3 year old boy playing in his front yard.
The police had to shoot the dog to death since he would not let go of his scalp as if he had a vice grip around his skull.I don't buy into the BS that all dogs are aggressive either.

[AtlJan]

Unfortunately, it's a bad combination of a breed's needing an intensive amount of training and supervision and yet appealing to people unable to provide them the needed training and supervision.

There was a house in Smyrna that I so wanted to buy as a rental. . .however, I couldn't do it because the home next door had 3 pitbulls being kept in poor conditions, growling through the fence at me. I couldn't put future tenants at risk like that.

Once I was walking along the sidewalk in Brooklyn and a man walked by w/ a pitbull on a leash. The dog bit my ankle and ripped my pants leg, all w/ the owner yanking on the dog's chain. Nice.

I'm not sure what the solution is, but if I were writing an HOA agreement, I would stipulate none of these dogs. Sorry to penalize those who do train and supervise them properly, but the ones who don't have ruined it for everyone.