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quote from an above post" Besides a strictly enforced leash law, muzzles should be required when these dogs are taken out in public off their own property."
Leashes I agree with as all dogs should be leashed unless they are in areas that are leash free areas or out where there are not others around. I have no prolems with a dog off leash out in a field or even at a park IF others are not around and the dogs is well trained on its recall.Muzzles I do not agree with as why should a sweet non agressive dog have to wear a muzzle just because the breed has a bad rap?
My dogs have played with pits at the park that does allow leash free dogs and I feel allowing good tempered pits to run and play with other dogs gives them better socialization so you will be less likely to have problems.
I do not own a pit but have known quite a few and have seen them play flyball and agility which helps others see that yes they are just like your dog and can be trusted around people and dogs. This to me is an great way to allow people that do not know pits to see that they can be great dogs. Putting muzzles on everyone of them out in public will only enforce the idea that they are dangerous dogs in the public eye. In public I think Pit owners want to be putting a postive spin on the breed not a negative one.
Also since Flyball and agility are often done in public areas how could a pit then do them if it has to wear a muzzle? ( most agility events the dogs run naked meaning no collars ). In Flyball you need a mouth to catch the ball!
I agree there are far too many pits in the shelters now. One local dog rescue group use to spay/ neuter pitbills free and give the owners $25. They were hoping to get the number of pits in the local shelters down by doing it but I don't think it worked as well as they had hoped. Don't know if they still offer that or not.
As others have said if you ban one breed others will will follow.
...Then there are my little terrier and poodle mixes. But if they get mad enough to bite, their teeth don't do any real damage...
...Pit bulls have the teeth, strong jaw muscles, body muscles and stubborn temperament to make them a serious threat to any human or creature they take a dislike to.
So by this argument we should ban any dog over 35 lbs. or with teeth longer than 1/2 inch? Ban all dogs that look muscular?
I personally think the decline in society has a lot to do with the recent rise of pit bulls in shelters, how negative attention sells, and these so called "attacks."
I don't know about the rest of you, but from what I know, and people I been talking to in California, Florida, and Nevada. Areas that are lower income, heavily populated by immigrants(whether illegal or not), those shelters and areas are filled with back yard bred pit bulls and fights.
It is not strange for me to be walking Diamond and some kids or men come up asking me if they can breed my dog or fight her...it's the area I live in, kids think gangs are cool, love the "tough guy act," drug dealers around here keep a couple as pets, parents breed their dogs at will to make extra money and show their kids what sex is, people drop them off at shelters when they lose their job, get a new puppy a week later, etc... These people are not affected if "Pit Bulls" are banned, these kids grow up in this type of enviroment, of course they know no different in how to treat this breed. How are the responsible owners suppose to fight for these countless people who don't care?!
The BSL hype and all these so called "pit bull" attacks reports by the media are so high school, negative attention sells. You don't know how many times I've heard of labs, collies attacking someone and it's not reported, but whenever a "pit bull" attacks, it's reported. I was on site when a "pit bull" attacked a guy, the media reported as such, the newspaper a couple days later had a little section saying the "pit bull" was a lab, chow mix...
In order to solve the "Pit Bull" problem, we have to attack the root of the problem, the people who own them.
I do my best to introduce myself to Pit Bull owners and talk to them about their dogs, give them tips on training, let them know the negative light on this breed and their responsibility as owners.
I wouldn't mind for breeders to have to take a test(knowledge), be certified, organization registered, and for those who don't, to be fined. There needs to be a ban on back yard breeders to help stop irresponsible owners.
Every breed has its distinctive characteristics in terms of physical appearance AND personality. Sure, I could try to train my dogs to be attack animals, but it wouldn't work. And with my lab mixes, they don't seem to have the terrier stubborness to stay in an angry fighting mode. It's very easy to distract them and get them calm. Then there are my little terrier and poodle mixes. But if they get mad enough to bite, their teeth don't do any real damage.
So the problem is that a bad dog owner with most other breeds of dogs is no big deal, but if a bad dog owner (sloppy about discipline and being its alpha, or training it to fight), well that's a real and bigger problem in the making. Pit bulls have the teeth, strong jaw muscles, body muscles and stubborn temperament to make them a serious threat to any human or creature they take a dislike to. Pits seem to have a very high tolerance for pain compared to other dog breeds So there are many good and valid reasons for pit bulls being the current dog fighting breed of choice, not labs, not German shepherds. And they are both readily available and inexpensive dogs to purchase.
Of course Staffs have a fantastic physique and character. They do anything their owners train them to do ? I know Lab owners will talk about similar character too. You cannot tell me that you could not train a Lab to fight (and yes I know about the Staff - AmStaff having better build / stamina for it ) . I HAD a Lab / Golden Retriever dog that was the most vicious dog I have ever met with kids and with many dogs too. To say your lab mix when (if) it bites does not have the teeth to do any damage is beyond a foolish thing to believe.
They do have better stamina, are less likely to show pain, are strong and extremely agile animals which is why they were bred for fighting. I know the reasons why they were bred why they were bred, what I am disputing is the claim that as you say your lab mix hasnt got the teeth to do any damage ? As I said I had a vicious Lab X and have a Staff (my 2nd Staff) and he is better with kids than any of the dogs I have had and is submissive too.
No, I disagree, Dashdog. They need to be muzzled. Folks here all seem to know lovely, gentle, playful, wonderful-to-know pitbulls. Yes, I'm sure they exist and are much-loved pets. But many folks, like myself, have had less-than-desirable contact with these dogs. I'm sorry if the "sweeties" need to be muzzled along with the poorly bred and mean pits but I've never met an owner of a poorly behaved pit who would say anything but his/her dog is "great with kids."
How is the public and animal control to discern which pit bulls are a threat and which aren't? You certainly can't rely on the owners to 'fess up. If muzzling all of them can prevent attacks, then it needs to be done. In the past year in my area, we've had one child killed, a child's pony killed, and just a few weeks ago, a rancher's calves were killed and a pony badly injured by people's pitbulls, not by strays. It has GOT to stop.
My neighbor's "great with the family" pitbull attacked and ripped apart my friend's cat while the dog's owner was maybe 15 feet away looking on. It was horrific. This was the same "gentle" dog that got away from its owner and came after me when I was taking out the trash. Neighbors called animal control and it was hauled away. The neighbor apologized for the dog's behavior and said she was glad it was gone. Great -- but she was assuring everyone that it was such a nice dog earlier. It could have attacked a child while she was in denial.
It is silly to have these arguments on the board about pits bulls. What you need to do is look at the medical records of dog bites in emergency rooms. And that will tell you clearly what breeds of dogs are the most dangerous. And I believe the answer is pit bulls.
Personally, I do not want to live in a neighborhood where everyone owns a pit bull. They are strong muscular dogs with huge jaw muscles with a known reputation for trouble. And generally, the people who own them use them to promote some kind of 'tough guy' image.
Woof you cant go by ER records. Most bites are actually done by little dogs & go unreported.
Most people that do go to the Er have no clue to Breed of dogs & just say whatever comes to mind. And what Macho man going to admit he got bit by a small dog & he couldnt stop it.
BUT is it really right to blame all bites on 1 breed or type of dog? I say NO! And I am asking how can we stop this? Ideas would be nice....because once they [the law makers] pass these laws the ALL dogs will eventually get band.
A LOT of insurance companies (home owner insurance) will drop you if you have pit bulls. Some vets are "creative" when describing the breed (for tags) if your dog happens to be a pit bull.
Gee, wonder why that is? Probably because all those insurers, doctors, veterinarians, statisticians and legislators pushing for BSL are complete morons who don't realize that all dog breeds are exactly the same.
My neighbor's "great with the family" pitbull attacked and ripped apart my friend's cat while the dog's owner was maybe 15 feet away looking on. It was horrific. This was the same "gentle" dog that got away from its owner and came after me when I was taking out the trash. Neighbors called animal control and it was hauled away. The neighbor apologized for the dog's behavior and said she was glad it was gone. Great -- but she was assuring everyone that it was such a nice dog earlier. It could have attacked a child while she was in denial.
I am surprised that your neighbor even apologized. The only instance in which I've ever known a pitbull owner to express remorse was when her own child was brutally mauled to death by her beloved, gentle, lovable cuddly pibull. When it is others' children that their pitbulls maul these pitbull owners are far more irritated by the experience of dealing with upset parents. Most pitbull owners are quite literally sociopaths who lacks a conscience and don't care for any but themselves (maybe to a very small extent, they care about their pitbulls, and to an even lesser extent, their children).
A LOT of insurance companies (home owner insurance) will drop you if you have pit bulls. Some vets are "creative" when describing the breed (for tags) if your dog happens to be a pit bull.
That's morally disgusting and criminally negligent.
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