OMG 2 pit bull just terrorized my development. Updated 7/24

[doxdogy]

I was not referring to the public's perception of the breeds. I was stating that at one time, the dobie and the rottie shared the same reputation as the pit.

It wasn't breeding that changed the public's perception of the doberman, rottweiler, german shep, and others. It was the fickle nature of the public.

 

[luvsJack]

There are a lot of people on this board who defend pit bulls because of their own experiences with them. There are an equal or greater number who fear them for the same reason. I am a dog person and have always had a dog but there are a few breeds that scare me. I am lucky that I don't have neighbors who own them and don't honestly know what I would do if they did.

We all need to understand that dogs are animals and will follow their instincts sometimes and it might not be an instinct we are comfortable with. I know my dog is a pussycat but would never leave him alone with a young child because he is a dog. When my boys were little we always supervised them and the dogs were right there with them. We never had anything more serious than a licked face that caused the youngest to plop down on his behind in the dog water dish. Poor kid was startled but certainly not harmed but the dog thought he did something wrong.

I think mostly we need to respect one another and if you feel in your heart that it is okay to own a dog whose breed is known to be agressive or dangerous you need to take all the precautions possible because, unfortunately, it might not be you or your kid who pays the consequences. I can't imagine how horrible I would feel if my animal harmed anyone, especially a child.

I agree with everything you have said!!

Ds' pits are kept in their apartment now, but when they lived here were kept in a very secure pen or in the house. They were NEVER allowed to run loose, and every precaution was taken to make sure they did not get out. Although he doesn't have room for the pen anymore, they are kept inside now and only taken out on strong leashes. All of this is not because he is afraid they will hurt someone, but because he understands everyone's fear of the breed and doesn't want someone to kill or injure his dog out of fear or to do something to the dogs that would make them act in defense of themselves or ds and his wife. Pits are also stolen quite a bit (he has had 3 stolen from him) and he takes every precaution from that too.

I also, totally agree with you on the leaving a child alone with ANY dog. I sometimes worry that people get so complacent with "its not a pit (doberman, rottie, etc.)" that they lose sight of the fact that ANY dog can bite or attack. We have a collie mix in the back yard that we have had since dd was 2 or 3. This dog would lay down her life to protect dd, we know this without a doubt; but when dd was young, she didn't go out in the yard with the dog without us with her. Even if the dog hurt her while trying to play, she would still be hurt. And with a child, you never know when they may do something that the dog understands as an aggressive move.

 

[leilaandjamilsmom]

I feel the same way about pitbulls, sorry to any pitbull owners. I was bitten multiple times by a friends pitbull when I was a teenager. Also I work in an emergency room here in michigan and you would not beleive how many dog bites we get I would say 95 or 96% of them are from pitbulls. I fill out the reports on the details of the attack and the majority of the time they are privately owned and it is a kid that was just petting him and they attacked. We also see a lot that aren't properly restrained in backyards that just hop the fence and attack somone walking down the street. It's sad cause I am a huge animal lover but it is something about these dogs that makes them attack people/animals/children so often.

 

[julezdisney]

ANY dog can be vicious. Provoked or not. Trained or not.

A pit bull can just do more damage then most of them. Personally, I detest rottweilers and german shepherds for the very same reason. Where we live, they are the majority of attacks reported, but since only pit bulls make the news, nobody knows.

And for the PP that said they are bred for their "MEANNESS"- you're wrong. They are bred for their strength and the way they are built. Do your research.

While you're at it- look at how pit bulls are treated. They are often kept short-leashed, outside, 4 seasons out of the year. They are given very little human contact, and the human contact they ARE given,, is usually with baiting or to be beaten. It's tragic and sad and terrible, and for people to "hate" them is terrible.

Other animals kill, maim, harm other people or animals, but the ones that sell newspapers and make it on the news are what catches your eye. Pit bulls are the money makers in that one. Even those who do not "participate" in dog fighting still support it through these stereotypes.

I work in a physician's office and we see dog bites all the time. I've worked in healthcare for 3 years in a metro city of 175,000 and I've actually never encountered a pit bull bite in any of our practices.

How proliferant dog fighting is in your neck of the woods could be a major contributer to what you are all seeing in your papers and emergency rooms.

I own a shih-tzu and a pitbull. The shih-tzu is mean, protective of me, my family, and our home. He is mean to and snaps at the pitbull. The pitbull is the sweetest, most well-behaved, friendliest dog you would ever meet in your life.

But I guarantee you that if my shih-tzu bit you in the ankle- it wouldn't make the nightly news. If my pit did? Oh yea- the news, the papers, the radio.

Responsible pet ownership. Fences, leashes, socialization, and TLC.

I won't be revisiting this thread but I'm just throwing in my two-cents.

 

[julezdisney]

Oh-and one small thing you can do to help in the aiding of dog fighting and dog fighter training in your community is to never sell your dog for less than $100. Especially small breeds- such as yorkies for example. Dog fight people buy these inexpensive dogs as bait dogs for the fighters. If you see an ad in your local paper for such an animal-do them a favor and call them up and suggest they raise the price or give it to an animal placement shelter in their community.

And if you know someone who is thinking of adopting a pit, pincher, shephard, etc. be sure to throw in your opinion that a dog is a life-long member of the family who will require training and proper care. Otherwise, a perfectly sweet dog can be given to a shelter, and then adopted out to those monsters that will abuse it until it becomes a fighter.

 

[LisaR]

ANY dog can be vicious. Provoked or not. Trained or not.

A pit bull can just do more damage then most of them. Personally, I detest rottweilers and german shepherds for the very same reason. Where we live, they are the majority of attacks reported, but since only pit bulls make the news, nobody knows.

And for the PP that said they are bred for their "MEANNESS"- you're wrong. They are bred for their strength and the way they are built. Do your research.

While you're at it- look at how pit bulls are treated. They are often kept short-leashed, outside, 4 seasons out of the year. They are given very little human contact, and the human contact they ARE given,, is usually with baiting or to be beaten. It's tragic and sad and terrible, and for people to "hate" them is terrible.

Other animals kill, maim, harm other people or animals, but the ones that sell newspapers and make it on the news are what catches your eye. Pit bulls are the money makers in that one. Even those who do not "participate" in dog fighting still support it through these stereotypes.

I work in a physician's office and we see dog bites all the time. I've worked in healthcare for 3 years in a metro city of 175,000 and I've actually never encountered a pit bull bite in any of our practices.

How proliferant dog fighting is in your neck of the woods could be a major contributer to what you are all seeing in your papers and emergency rooms.

I own a ****-zu and a pitbull. The ****-zu is mean, protective of me, my family, and our home. He is mean to and snaps at the pitbull. The pitbull is the sweetest, most well-behaved, friendliest dog you would ever meet in your life.

But I guarantee you that if my ****-zu bit you in the ankle- it wouldn't make the nightly news. If my pit did? Oh yea- the news, the papers, the radio.

Responsible pet ownership. Fences, leashes, socialization, and TLC.

I won't be revisiting this thread but I'm just throwing in my two-cents.

That doesn't make any sense. Do you really think that the bite from your Shih Tzu would honestly do any serious damage to an individual? Do you really think your Shih Tzu is capable of KILLING children or other animals? Do you think that it would take multiple adults to pull your Shih Tzu off of a child's ankle? Of course the Pit Bull ATTACK would make news over the Shih Tzu BITE. The news doesn't report every single car accident that takes place and they certainly aren't going to report on an ankle biting dog. When a dog maims or kills a child or another animal, it makes the news. If that dog is a Pit Bull, Chow, Dobe, etc. it will make the news. When ankle biting dogs start killing children, it will make the news.

 

[LUCiD]

Oh man, is the Yorkie okay? Please don't blame the pit bulls. Some idiot who didn't know how to take care of the two pit bulls probably made them into what they are now. Maybe, instead of putting them down, you could get a proffesional dog handler to try and take care of them. (Like Ceaser from dog whisperer.) Anyways, sorry you had to see that.

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

The part Pit Bull that my roommate owns is the second sweetest dog I have ever been close to - first was a Chocolate Lab that I grew up with. However, that is with people. He pushes his brother, a Chocolate Lab/Weimeraner that is bigger by thirty pounds, around to the extent that his brother comes crying to me because his brother is being mean to him. He doesn't bite him, but he definitely snarls and growls - and it can be over something like his brother eating his own food or his brother being in my room when the Pit thinks that my room is his room. He's seven years old (he's the dog in my avatar) so I don't think he's suddenly going to snap but I personally don't like the way he treats the other dog and wish I could either get him to be nicer or get the other one to stand up for himself a little bit.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I wonder if this thread would've been started had a mutt got out and attacked the yorkie. All dogs are territorial. And this happens quite a bit. The only time the issue gets raised is when alarmist hear "Pitbull"

I'm sure it would. I started a similar thread last year after our neighbor's dog (not a pitbull) attacked our family dachshund, Schnitzel. We are on a corner lot. The neighbors are across the street from our side yard. So their house faces the side of our house. Everyday my father would walk past their side yard with our dog after first jogging five miles around the neighbrhood.

This dog had already had 911 called on it after it cornered a woman and would not back off. It had run after my dad several times and he was literally told that it was his fault for jogging by their house. They kept it in a fence when not there, but if they were out in their front yard, so was that dog.

Literally all that happened was my dad and Schnitzel (who was on a leash) walked by. That dog rushed them and grabbed Schnitzel. He shook him several times, severing the muscles in Schnitzel's ribcage. It is a miracle Schnitzel survived. But he has never been the same. Every time I see him I am reminded of it because where once he had beautiful long red hair, he is now bald. The hair never grew back after they shaved him for surgery.

The family did get rid of the dog thank God. It's the only thing that kept us from seeking compensation. Sadly, we live in an area with no leash law, so this is not the first aggressive dog in our neighborhood. Even when you call the sheriff's office, they do nothing about it.

Incidentally, this dog was not a pitbull. It was a german shepherd. And yes, had it been some kind of unidentifiable mutt like my beloved Eragon, that thread still would have been posted.

 

[minkydog]

That doesn't make any sense. Do you really think that the bite from your Shih Tzu would honestly do any serious damage to an individual? Do you really think your Shih Tzu is capable of KILLING children or other animals? Do you think that it would take multiple adults to pull your Shih Tzu off of a child's ankle? Of course the Pit Bull ATTACK would make news over the Shih Tzu BITE. The news doesn't report every single car accident that takes place and they certainly aren't going to report on an ankle biting dog. When a dog maims or kills a child or another animal, it makes the news. If that dog is a Pit Bull, Chow, Dobe, etc. it will make the news. When ankle biting dogs start killing children, it will make the news.

Pardon me while I LMAO

 

[minkydog]

It is a miracle Schnitzel survived. But he has never been the same. Every time I see him I am reminded of it because where once he had beautiful long red hair, he is now bald. The hair never grew back after they shaved him for surgery.

The family did get rid of the dog thank God. It's the only thing that kept us from seeking compensation. Sadly, we live in an area with no leash law, so this is not the first aggressive dog in our neighborhood. Even when you call the sheriff's office, they do nothing about it.

Incidentally, this dog was not a pitbull. It was a german shepherd. And yes, had it been some kind of unidentifiable mutt like my beloved Eragon, that thread still would have been posted.

you have my sympathies. While I have NO love for pitbulls, they are not the only breed that can deliver a lethal smack-down.

I was visiting my sister last month and we were all out in the yard talking and playing. Her neighbor's dog shot out of their yard and before we could even stop it, the neighbor dog grabbed my sisters 13yo arthritic jack russell and shook her like a ragdoll. When we finally got Duchess away from her attacker, the neighbor dog turned on my sisters 10yo CHILD! Thankfully, we were able to secure my niece, but Duchess sustained serious abdomen and shoulder wounds. She spent several hours in surgery followed by days in the vet hospital.

The offending dog was a Golden Retriever! I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself. Needless to say, the police and animal control were called. The owner was all contrite(did I mention that this was the second time her dog had attacked Duchess??) She has picked up the extensive vet bills and moved the dog to a new home. But my niece is now afraid of big dogs and the peace of their home has been violated. It's going to take a long time for them to feel safe again.

 

[luvsJack]

That doesn't make any sense. Do you really think that the bite from your Shih Tzu would honestly do any serious damage to an individual? Do you really think your Shih Tzu is capable of KILLING children or other animals? Do you think that it would take multiple adults to pull your Shih Tzu off of a child's ankle? Of course the Pit Bull ATTACK would make news over the Shih Tzu BITE. The news doesn't report every single car accident that takes place and they certainly aren't going to report on an ankle biting dog. When a dog maims or kills a child or another animal, it makes the news. If that dog is a Pit Bull, Chow, Dobe, etc. it will make the news. When ankle biting dogs start killing children, it will make the news.

The problem is that people really believe that other dogs must not be attacking because its not making the news. Wrong. I know 3 children that were attacked by dogs. One almost killed. None of the 3 were pitts or even aggressive breed dogs. None of them made the local news. But another child was bitten by a pitt, not attacked bitten (a bite on the leg, not even that serious)----it was all over the local news.

BTW, "ankle biting dogs" can bite a toddler or infant in the face. One of the kids in our child care center was bitten very badly by him mom's poodle. He was only 18 months old or so and sitting on the floor playing. The poodle walked by and for whatever reason turned around and snapped him in the face several times. He still has some serious scars from it (he is grown now). No, it didn't kill him but it could have been a lot worse than it was.

I am not trying to say that pits are these wonderfully sweet dogs that would never attack. They can and they do, just not all of them. And when they do, its not always about the owners but many, many times it is.

My biggest point is that ANY dog can attack a person. ANY dog can do damage to another animal.

Everyone wants to outlaw pit bulls but they just don't seem to want to accept that if that happens; it will just be another breed that makes the news. The attacks that are because of bad owners? They will still happen, just with a different breed. There will always be bad dog owners.

 

[sbell111]

I was not referring to the public's perception of the breeds. I was stating that at one time, the dobie and the rottie shared the same reputation as the pit.

Ummm, reputation = perception.

 

[Hollywoodhaha]

I'm sure it would. I started a similar thread last year after our neighbor's dog (not a pitbull) attacked our family dachshund, Schnitzel. We are on a corner lot. The neighbors are across the street from our side yard. So their house faces the side of our house. Everyday my father would walk past their side yard with our dog after first jogging five miles around the neighbrhood.

This dog had already had 911 called on it after it cornered a woman and would not back off. It had run after my dad several times and he was literally told that it was his fault for jogging by their house. They kept it in a fence when not there, but if they were out in their front yard, so was that dog.

Literally all that happened was my dad and Schnitzel (who was on a leash) walked by. That dog rushed them and grabbed Schnitzel. He shook him several times, severing the muscles in Schnitzel's ribcage. It is a miracle Schnitzel survived. But he has never been the same. Every time I see him I am reminded of it because where once he had beautiful long red hair, he is now bald. The hair never grew back after they shaved him for surgery.

The family did get rid of the dog thank God. It's the only thing that kept us from seeking compensation. Sadly, we live in an area with no leash law, so this is not the first aggressive dog in our neighborhood. Even when you call the sheriff's office, they do nothing about it.

Incidentally, this dog was not a pitbull. It was a german shepherd. And yes, had it been some kind of unidentifiable mutt like my beloved Eragon, that thread still would have been posted.

I'm sorry about your dog and I am sorry his fur hasn't grown back
I love Schnitzel's name, though. I wish I would have thought of that for my dauschund

 

[HOGFAN]

if pit bull attacks my dog= dead pit bull