***~~> Pit Bulls - Lets Talk!! UPDATE on Page One!!!

[TwinsinCA]

Not to put toooooo fine a point on it, but your title is "Pit Bulls-Let's Talk!! Good, Bad, Ugly-tell me what you think!!" However, you really only seem to be interested in hearing the good. You seem to trivialize and discount the bad and the ugly at every turn....never mind the true, firsthand accounts of negative experiences. If that was the intent, why even bother giving lip service to "bad" and "ugly" in the title?

And to add on to that if I may -- I keep hearing things like "but other dogs are also dangerous". Yes, many are. But I thought the topic here was pit bulls.

 

[old lady]

Pit bulls are the cutest puppies and they grow up to be very playful and loving.

 

[tiggersmom2]

Not to put toooooo fine a point on it, but your title is "Pit Bulls-Let's Talk!! Good, Bad, Ugly-tell me what you think!!" However, you really only seem to be interested in hearing the good. You seem to trivialize and discount the bad and the ugly at every turn....never mind the true, firsthand accounts of negative experiences. If that was the intent, why even bother giving lip service to "bad" and "ugly" in the title?

I agree with you. I have seen the OP post on pitbull threads before and get quite upset when anyone says anything bad about them, so I am truly surprised she posted this thread....she had to know it would make her upset again if anyone posted disparaging remarks against pit bulls.

If you are going to post a thread asking for the "good, the bad, and the ugly"....don't argue with those that actually have experience with the bad and the ugly, jmo.

 

[Mermaid02]

Wow. I don't think that is funny AT ALL.

Not everyone is an expert on dog breeds. And ya know what? If I see a loose dog, I take measures to get my kids OUT of the way because you Just Don't Know. Those are GOOD moms to protect their kids. They do not deserve an eye roll.

They were ignorant and they DID deserve an eye roll. If you're gonna be scared of something..... know what it is. This dog was NOT vicious at all.... if my dog were loose (we have a weimaraner) I would hope someone would try to help her instead of running for the hills. Gimme a break. Are you scared of every dog you see?

 

[Mouse House Mama]

They were ignorant and they DID deserve an eye roll. If you're gonna be scared of something..... know what it is. This dog was NOT vicious at all.... if my dog were loose (we have a weimaraner) I would hope someone would try to help her instead of running for the hills. Gimme a break. Are you scared of every dog you see?

Well if it involves the safety of my children then well, yes. How would I know if the dog was vicious or not if it was just a loose dog? I am not going to take a chance to find out. If I can get my children into the safety of our home or car etc. THEN I might go see if I can find the dog's owner (check tags etc.). We had one idiot pet owner a few blocks away that didn't leash his dog in the front yard. It was a big dog and when you go for a walk the dog comes running over. I found out quite by surprise and no longer walk that way. When I am walking and a dog runs at me I don't really care what kind of dog it is. Even more so if I am walking with my kids. So if you think we should all check to see the tempermant of a dog before we "run for the hills" sorry but that is not going to happen here. I am going to get my children and myself to safety and then assess the situation. Oh and I was a dog owner for many many years and would never be offended if someone was scared of our dogs.

 

[kribit]

I agree with you...but as others have said, I think this should be for ALL breeds, not just one.

Just for fun (and not directing this at you Toby'sFriend)

Can you pick out the Pitbull?? You might be surprised!

That is an awesome tool. Even I as an Amstaff owner had a hard time picking it out.

 

[kribit]

And to add on to that if I may -- I keep hearing things like "but other dogs are also dangerous". Yes, many are. But I thought the topic here was pit bulls.

Very true, but when people make comments about how vicious and dangerous pitbulls are, it is a natural reaction to include "other dogs." (German Shepards, Rottweilers, Dobermans).

I was chased and could have been killed by a german shepard when I was younger. I LOVE German Shepards and would love to own one some day, however, I realize that her owner left her outside ALL DAY LONG penned up and the dog clearly didn't get any love. The same goes for any dog.

 

[Mermaid02]

Well if it involves the safety of my children then well, yes. How would I know if the dog was vicious or not if it was just a loose dog? I am not going to take a chance to find out. If I can get my children into the safety of our home or car etc. THEN I might go see if I can find the dog's owner (check tags etc.). We had one idiot pet owner a few blocks away that didn't leash his dog in the front yard. It was a big dog and when you go for a walk the dog comes running over. I found out quite by surprise and no longer walk that way. When I am walking and a dog runs at me I don't really care what kind of dog it is. Even more so if I am walking with my kids. So if you think we should all check to see the tempermant of a dog before we "run for the hills" sorry but that is not going to happen here. I am going to get my children and myself to safety and then assess the situation. Oh and I was a dog owner for many many years and would never be offended if someone was scared of our dogs.

I guess I should have been more clear... the dog wasn't a threat at all.... he was wandering aimlessly (he was old) and he was across the street and up a little bit... a Mom saw him and was like, "Oh my god a pit bull" and then it was like lemmings running to the cars. The dog wasn't paying any attention to any of them. My son and I walked home (4 houses up the street) and I observed the dog (no owner in sight) when I finally went out and leashed him. He was very sweet and happy to be on the end of my leash.

 

[ford family]

Has anybody mentioned that pit bull terriers are amongst a small list of dog breeds that have been illegal in the UK for about 17 years?
Anybody caught owning one is charged under the Dangerous Dogs Act and the dog is automatically destroyed.
Unfortunately the dog is prized by pimps, drug dealers and fighting dog supporters and a number still exist so, sadly, child deaths still occur. Regular amnesties are held to enable owners to turn their pit bulls in to the authorities to be destroyed without fear of prosecution themselves.

ford family

 

[CathrynRose]

Has anybody mentioned that pit bull terriers are amongst a small list of dog breeds that have been illegal in the UK for about 17 years?
Anybody caught owning one is charged under the Dangerous Dogs Act and the dog is automatically destroyed.
Unfortunately the dog is prized by pimps, drug dealers and fighting dog supporters and a number still exist so, sadly, child deaths still occur. Regular amnesties are held to enable owners to turn their pit bulls in to the authorities to be destroyed without fear of prosecution themselves.

ford family

No they havent - put it is an absolute travesty. To have a dog destroyed simply because of the breed? Its quite sad.

I agree with you. I have seen the OP post on pitbull threads before and get quite upset when anyone says anything bad about them, so I am truly surprised she posted this thread....she had to know it would make her upset again if anyone posted disparaging remarks against pit bulls.

If you are going to post a thread asking for the "good, the bad, and the ugly"....don't argue with those that actually have experience with the bad and the ugly, jmo.

I havent gotten upset in this thread? Say whatever you want.... Pit Bulls = Little Devil Dogs who eat kids, I dont care - My point in this thread was pure curiousity and education to those who (as a PP mentioned) see a little dog running loose and scream PIT BULLLLLLL!!!

And yes - I have 'defended' my breed of dog before. When talk of BSL and banning them altogether, going into people's homes and taking their family pet for no reason other then because of it's breed and killing it, I will defend the breed. Everyone should be - because once theyve eliminated all Pit Bulls, the 'drug dealers & pimps' will find another breed to own and fight. Perhaps it will be a Lab next....or a Poodle...or the dog you own.

 

[Hercules10]

Has anybody mentioned that pit bull terriers are amongst a small list of dog breeds that have been illegal in the UK for about 17 years?

So which breed(s) are they gonna outlaw next?

Is it going to come to the point that the only canine you can legally own is a toothless, clawless 5lb terrier?

 

[CathrynRose]

So which breed(s) are they gonna outlaw next?

Is it going to come to the point that the only canine you can legally own is a toothless, clawless 5lb terrier?

And hairless too. We dont want anyone having an allergy/asthma attack due to the lil' guy.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

Once we saw the most beloved of all the pit bulls we'd ever owned (and the one we thought was the sweetest) take the side out of a cow for absolutely no reason AND we saw that it was virtually impossible to make him un-clamp his jaws if he did not want to, it scared the crap out my father. If this dog could do that, any of them could do it. Period. The unpredictability was too much to risk with other animals in the future and above all, with his children and grandchildren. No dog was worth that.

Was the dog neutered? No. But if you have to neuter a dog to keep it from being aggressive enough to kill another animal for no reason, then I really don't have any interest in owning one.

A. Dogs in packs will do things that a single dog won't do. B. Unneutered dogs (especially males) can be much more aggressive than neutered dogs. C. Some dogs have more of a "prey" instinct than other dogs.

Your family didn't know any of this, and I understand why pitbulls scare you. BUT, it was your family's lack of knowledge of dog instincts that resulted in this attack--it was not the fault of the dogs involved. Most livestock owners know better than to let a pack of unneutered dogs near their livestock. That's dogs of ANY large breed.

I'm not saying that to criticize your family or give you a hard time. Any dog is capable of biting, and large dogs, due to their size, are capable of killing. Unneutered packs should not be allowed to roam.

I've had four dogs during my adult life. Two were dog aggressive (one a german shepherd mix, one a pitbull mix). Two were NOT dog aggressive (the other pitbull and the other german shepherd mix).

My cat has raised two pitbulls and two german shepherds. My current bully was the "puppy babysitter" at the rescue--they left her out in the fenced yard during the day with the puppies. She is incredibly gentle and non-aggressive. She likes to lick my 20-year-old cat's face (and butt ).

By the way, my veterinarian has 3 Dobermans AND 2 or 3 kids under the age of 10. Needless to say, she is not a supporter of breed-specific legislation.

 

[kribit]

Has anybody mentioned that pit bull terriers are amongst a small list of dog breeds that have been illegal in the UK for about 17 years?
Anybody caught owning one is charged under the Dangerous Dogs Act and the dog is automatically destroyed.
Unfortunately the dog is prized by pimps, drug dealers and fighting dog supporters and a number still exist so, sadly, child deaths still occur. Regular amnesties are held to enable owners to turn their pit bulls in to the authorities to be destroyed without fear of prosecution themselves.

ford family

I always like the King Charles Spaniel. Cute as a button dog.

That's too bad people equate a dog breed to the type of person you are or what credentials you hold. Hmmm...my husband has an MBA and I'm also college eductated. I'm not a pimp or a drug dealer and I own an Amstaff. I imagine a host of the people who rescued the dogs from Vicks compound are also not pimps or drug dealers.

It's a shame the UK can be so closed minded about a dog breed. Thank God I have no intention on moving out of the US.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

They were ignorant and they DID deserve an eye roll. If you're gonna be scared of something..... know what it is. This dog was NOT vicious at all.... if my dog were loose (we have a weimaraner) I would hope someone would try to help her instead of running for the hills. Gimme a break. Are you scared of every dog you see?

I'll tell you--I'm a huge dog lover and pitbull defender. I'm afraid of dogs running loose! Too many times, when I've been walking one of my dogs on a leash, a loose dog has run up and started growling or even attacking. It is the most frightening thing in the world. Large dogs can be very scary, and you don't know if they have "good" owners or "bad" owners, if they're dog aggressive, or whatever.

I don't have any children but I can only imagine how parents might feel about a large, unknown dog running around loose in the neighborhood!

 

[CathrynRose]

It's a shame the UK can be so closed minded about a dog breed. Thank God I have no intention on moving out of the US.

I agree - but being the 'land of the free' , there's too many towns and states in the US who have implemented BSL and / or are trying to.

http://www.understand-a-bull.com/BSL/Locations/BSLListings.htm

And I dont drug deal, or pimp - either.

 

[CathrynRose]

However, you really only seem to be interested in hearing the good.

Not true. I dont need to hear the good, I own one.

 

[kribit]

I agree - but being the 'land of the free' , there's too many towns and states in the US who have implemented BSL and / or are trying to.

http://www.understand-a-bull.com/BSL/Locations/BSLListings.htm

And I dont drug deal, or pimp - either.

I did read this at one point. The funny thing is when people look at my dog they all say "oh, she looks like a lab." I swear people don't know what she is. I even wonder sometimes if she is mixed because she's so small. I don't really care, she's still my first born and she's the sweetest, most loving dog.

When I first saw your dog, I thought he was an American Bulldog. No kidding.... I still have a hard time telling if a dog is a pitbull.

I checked my state, no provisions so far. I don't live in the city though, so I imagine the cities need to have far more rules and regs because there are people (like Vick) who train dogs to be mean.

 

[ford family]

So which breed(s) are they gonna outlaw next?

Is it going to come to the point that the only canine you can legally own is a toothless, clawless 5lb terrier?

I am not aware that they plan to outlaw any other breeds. The only illegal types are pit bull, japanese akitas, dogo argentino and the fila brasiliero.
See http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/welfare/domestic/ddogsleaflet.pdf
The law refers to "types" rather than "breeds" because it also covers similar dogs such as American Staffordshire Terriers and American Bulldogs.
This law has been in place since 1991 and, although amended from time to time, has not had any other dangerous dogs added.

ford family

 

[PrincessKitty1]

A friend of mine who used to have a pitbull (he died last year) introduced me to Best Friends magazine. I'm very naive and, being from the south, I always thought of pitbulls as dogs for rednecks. (Don't trash me for using the term redneck--I can drawl with the best of them! ). I learned from Best Friends that pitbulls are the dogs of choice for thugs (pimps, drug dealer, gangs, etc.).

Best Friends is an animal rescue organization that is doing A LOT for pitbulls and for abandoned animals in general. For anybody who may be interested, here is their website:
http://www.bestfriends.org/

Their magazine is well worth the $25 donation. If you're like me, and you can't read all those horrible stories about abused and abandoned animals--don't worry. Best Friends magazine is about all the positive things that are going on to HELP animals. It's a very upbeat magazine.