Pitbulls - NOT LOOKING FOR DEBATE!

[sweet angel]

Does anyone here raise or train pitbulls? I'm looking for help for a client whose dogs got loose thru no fault of his own and killed a stray cat....and are now in lockup and may be put down. These dogs are gentle, loving dogs...but they are dogs.

Looking for POSITIVE feedback here...NOT bashing.

Thank you.

 

[golfgal]

This is not a bash but the problem with Pit Bulls is the breading. They have been bread to fight, instinct does take over at times and that is unpredictable. Add to that that they have powerful jaws that lock onto a victim and it isn't good.

When I was in high school we did dog rescues. We had a pit bull once, she was pregnant. She was a wonderful, loving dog until one day she just snapped and had to be put down. We hand fed the puppies until they were ready to be adopted out. They were the cutest dang puppies too.

 

[clh2]

Sweet angel - I know nothing about Rotts or Pit Bulls, but our dog trainer teacher LOVES them. I can't offer any advice, but was going to suggest checking out a similar discussion board for dogs.dog forum

Also - keep in mind different states have very different laws regarding liability after a dog has exhibited agressive behavior, so as you post on that board, you may want to specify the state you are in.

 

[sweet angel]

Well, ANY dog (heck, any animal) can be unpredictable. I agree with you that they've been inbred for way too long though.

 

[sweet angel]

Sweet angel - I know nothing about Rotts or Pit Bulls, but our dog trainer teacher LOVES them. I can't offer any advice, but was going to suggest checking out a similar discussion board for dogs.dog forum

Also - keep in mind different states have very different laws regarding liability after a dog has exhibited agressive behavior, so as you post on that board, you may want to specify the state you are in.

Thank you. I'll pass that along.

 

[Nana Annie]

.....

 

[hiwaygal]

You might consider contacting a pit bull rescue group: http://www.pbrc.net/

They will most likely have information or references for your friend.

 

[grinningghost]

I've known several people who have had pitbulls as pets. Most were sweet, lovable angel dogs. In fact, my tax lady has one who is SO lovable, he's annoying.

My BIL, however, had a sweet lovable one who one day just turned nasty and attacked my MIL for no reason. They got rid of the dog.

 

[sweet angel]

I believe he's been in touch with dog rescue groups and the like. If anyone knows of a NJ dog-savvy lawyer, I'd love to know!

Thanks for the input.

 

[phillybeth]

My aunt's 20 pound terrier killed a cat that was in his yard. These things happen, and any breed can do it. Case in point- a coworker adopted a rescued greyhound, had the dog for quite a while, alnog with two cats. Came home one day and the dog had eviscerated one of the cats. They are animals, and sometimes the hunting instinct just takes over.

 

[sweet angel]

Just giving a little bump...

 

[sweet angel]

bump again?

 

[sweet angel]

bump again?

 

[WonderfulDreamer2]

Hey girl. I checked with my friend and he had no suggestions. I'm sorry. I liked the dog forums and the rescue group ideas. Hmmm, let me google dog advocacy.

 

[WonderfulDreamer2]

http://www.chako.org/

I didn't read the entire thing but look at this site.

 

[N.Bailey]

I wish your friend luck, but sweet animals don't just start attacking live creatures. That poor kitty. I don't care if it was a stray, my sympathies are with that animal, not the ones doing the attacking.

Once dogs get the taste for blood, there really is no turning back. I hope if your friends are able to somehow spare these dogs that they are much more responsible. If they owned these dogs, yes, it is indeed their fault that the dogs got out. What if thru no fault of their own, the next time it's a child?

I know you don't want a debate, and I didn't post this to debate. I just stated my opinion. You're free to differ.

 

[phillybeth]

I wish your friend luck, but sweet animals don't just start attacking live creatures. That poor kitty. I don't care if it was a stray, my sympathies are with that animal, not the ones doing the attacking.

Once dogs get the taste for blood, there really is no turning back. I hope if your friends are able to somehow spare these dogs that they are much more responsible. If they owned these dogs, yes, it is indeed their fault that the dogs got out. What if thru no fault of their own, the next time it's a child?

I know you don't want a debate, and I didn't post this to debate. I just stated my opinion. You're free to differ.

Bull****- and I hope the censors leave that in. Blood lust is a FALLACY, and 'sweet' dogs do kill animals- it is their nature.

Any dog can kill, any dog can bite a child. Pits are no more or less likely to bite than any other dog, but because of their size, their jaw strength, and their bad reputation, pit bites get all the media attention.

The worst dog attack on a child I have seen was a cocker spaniel- a dog most people think is cute and family friendly. That poor child needed over 500 stitches to put her face back together.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Unfortunately, something like this can happen with just about any breed of dog, especially when there is more than one dog involved in a "prey chase" situation - this phenomenon is referred to as "pack mentality":

the incident in the tennis court is what we call a "pack situation". Whenever you have more than two dogs together and an aggressive situation occurs, it becomes a pack situation, sort of like a barroom brawl, one guy starts and the rest join in. That type of mentality is not really what the individual dog is really like, but instead is what comes about from the pack mentality kicking in during the aggressive situation. It probably was initiated by the stick (your dog probably has high prey drive) and it got out of hand).

People who own more than one dog at a time need to be aware of this, as dogs that are normally docile might behave aggressively given the right circumstances. It could also happen in places like a dog park where a group of dogs "gangs up" on another animal. It's a natural canine instinct evolved from their days as part of packs hunting to survive.

The fact that they are pit bulls is not going to work in their favor. I would be concerned about this becoming a "learned behavior" with any dog(s), but in this case perhaps even more so because of the breed (when you look at what they were originally bred for and how that instinct is also part of their genetic makeup; it's, for better or worse, the reality of why people are often anti-pitbull). If she wants to give it a shot, she can google "animal lawyers NJ" or "animal law NJ". I think if her town allowed them to live, she would have to show she has a "Fort Knox" type yard in which to keep them contained. She could also have them evaluated by a Certified Animal Behaviorist to obtain a professional opinion about their behavior under normal circumstances.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

N Bailey, I disagree. I realize that these dogs got out of the yard, so that's different. However, if an animal gets into our yard, our dog will kill it. So far, it's only been squirrels and a rabbit. If the neighbor's cat gets into our yard, I hope it can run fast. I would be heartbroken if that were to happen (I am very much a cat lover), but it is a possibility. We're not sure of the mix of our younger dog, a lab cross, but she likely has some pit in her, but many dogs will kill an animal that comes into the yard.

However, our dog is wonderful with our indoor cats (we have 4 cats). We watched her like a hawk with our 2 cats when we first got her and then last year when we brought 2 kittens into our household we were very cautious, but she has been great. She does chase and play, but the cats just come back wet from being licked and played with.

And I know for a fact that children, even ones that Sheena does not know can come into the yard, stick their fingers through the fence, etc and she will not do a thing. It's happened many times. So because she has killed an intruding squirrel does not mean she will attack a child.

 

[Cass]

whose dogs got loose thru no fault of his own

How did they get loose? who is responsible for that happening? Be happy it was a cat and not a child who was killed.

============

Happily, I live where there is legistation against pitbulls. They are not allowed to be bought, bred, sold etc... anylonger.

Anyone with a pitbull already (before the new law)- had to register their animals, spay or neuter them and they have to be muzzled in public. There are fines for no doing so. Once they die out after their natural life span - there will be no more in pitbulls in our communities.

an 11 year old girl was killed in the park, ripped apart by two of these animals - sure pits are as likely to bite as chihuahuas, but it is likely the girl would have survived a chihuahua attack.