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I know a few people with Pit Bulls, and those dogs are very sweet. The owners have them well trained & properly care for them. While that is important with ANY dog, with a breed like a pit, it is even more so.
Obviously you cannot count on responsible people as the only ones allowed to acquire pitbulls.
California-jewel, I like almost everything you said, except pit bulls are not aggressive. Many may be dog-aggressive, although the majority I've known are not, and obviously mine (2 females yet) are not. But dog aggression is in no way related to human aggression, and human aggression is actually very unusual in a pit bull. Those rare cases of human aggression are usually in unneutered male dogs who are kept chained outside or in unfit conditions, or trained by their owners to distrust other people.
I own a pit bull and a pit mix. They don't have exeptionally strong jaws, (I'm assuming that's what you mean). I'm a smallish woman with arthritis in her hands and I can beat them at tug of war if I set my mind to it. I can pry my APBT's mouth open to give her medicine, just as I've done with other dogs. They're just dogs. If a Lab attacks someone, it's the exact same thing.
There is a direct relationship between the size of the head of an animal and its bite force. American Pit Bull Terriers have a bite force of about 235 pounds of force, or about double that of humans. A Rottweiler has a bite force of about 328 pounds of force. The largest domestic dog, an English Mastiff, has the largest bite force of 556 pounds of force. By comparison, a male lion has a bite force in excess of 900 pounds.
The media has a tendency not to report attacks by other breeds, particularly the popular family dogs like Golden Retrievers and Labradors. The media fixates on short-haired well-muscled dogs and lump them all into the same breed. More than a few people have misidentified my "Buddy" as a large APBT, even though he is a Boerboel (African Mastiff).
There is absolutely nothing that can be said that will convince me that a pitbull's aggressive demeanor is a result of nurture vs. nature. These dogs are genetically-designed fighters/ killers.
Yes, you might be one of the lucky owners of a sweet dog that has never bitten anyone (yet)...I'm not willing to take the chance to find out.
There is absolutely nothing that can be said that will convince me that a pitbull's aggressive demeanor is a result of nurture vs. nature. These dogs are genetically-designed fighters/ killers.
Yes, you might be one of the lucky owners of a sweet dog that has never bitten anyone (yet)...I'm not willing to take the chance to find out.
The only dog that has seriously bitten and injured me was a golden retriever. I currently have one pit mix (A REAL pit, not those steroid induced giants that people try and pass off as pits) and she's the sweetest dog I've ever owned.
Breed bans accomplish nothing, especially considering most people couldn't point out a pit bull in a lineup.
Agreed.
Pit bulls are no more or less inclined to violence than any other breed if properly socialized and not abused.
I am very sorry that this woman was so badly injured, but, it is 100% the fault of the owner of these dogs who should be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.
that poor woman.... but really, it could have been ANY breed of dog to do this..... it is the owner's responsibility and fault for not controlling and properly training his dogs.... again something necessary for ANY breed.....
so, here we go with the breed-bashing hysteria by people who know nothing of the breed, or likely even dogs in general.....
no, their jaws do not lock....
no, they don't just "snap" one day.... unless there is something wrong neurologically, like the BOXER my ex had.....
in the HUNDREDS of dogs i have worked with and transported for rescue, the only time i have been bitten was by a poodle mix.... came close with some schnauzers, too...
the pit bulls have ALWAYS been excellent passengers, not something i can say about some of the labs, goldens and other popular "friendly" breeds....
for all of you who think you know so much about this breed, i challenge you to this little test:
now be honest... how many tries did it take for you to find the actual pit bull??
Great post and an excellent link! Thanks!
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