The ignorance continues...

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by totalia
I have to admit, dogs scare me. Though the big ones worst of all. If a big dog were to attack me, it's tear me to shreds because I'm so small.

Though I was bitten on the face by a little poodle once, its the big dogs that scare me. Their fangs are huge.

People should not be allowing their animals off the leash at any point. Even my cat stays on a leash if she's outside.

We have to remember, these are wild animals. They have been a bit domesticated but they are still hunters, still predators.

A small dog may bite but without a pack, they can't do that much damage. But a person on a bike (or anywhere else for that matter) is fair game for a large dog like a pitbull and much more likely to be killed by the large dog.

Perhaps its ignorant to fear such large animals when they can reach the size of a human being, but I don't think so. I think its reasonable.

Staffordshire Terriers (pit bulls) are actually relatively small dogs.
Just so you know.

I also think if you are that afraid of a dog, or anything, you should really seek help to overcome your fears. I had to do it with my fear or airplanes. It took a while, fears are hard to get over, but I did it.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

You get no sympathy from me either, I'm afraid. Large dogs can be dangerous and hard to control, even if you start out with them on a leash. And Pit Bulls have the added characteristic of having jaws of steel and the tendency to hang on til the death. Some may be sweet, but why would anyone want to take the chance? There are plenty of other sweet dogs out there that aren't bred with this kind of capability. I would much rather start out with a "notoriously" sweet breed, and deal with that dog, than to start out with something with the kind of deserved reputation that a Pit Bull has. The Bernese Mountain Dog has my vote for the sweetest dog out there..


If a toy poodle bites a 5 year old-you can drop kick it off the child across the street. Try removing a Pit Bull in the same way when he has his jaws clamped around a kid's leg...

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by mthr2boys

Originally posted by izzy
Oh my goodness, Bev! I'm so sorry this happened to your dog! I would also be scared about what this pit bull might do next if it got loose again, especially if I had small children. The new owner sounds like an idiot.

Was this reported to the appropriate authorities? If not, you probably should talk with the animal control person in your area. They might take the decision out of your neighbor's hands.



Thanks for the welcome! I have to agree with the idiot comment, even tho I hate to since he is my neighbor and never had any problems with him before, I guess he is not a smart man when it comes to dogs.

I am giving him to this weekend to get rid of dog, if not I am calling and reporting and also will ask him previous owner info to see if anything turned in on them when they owned the dog.

Thanks again for the welcome!

Bev

You are probably doing the best thing for this dog, Bev. his owner sounds like a complete and utter fool. Hopefully the dog will be given a second chance with a good family with dog expereince who can train him properly. I'm so sorry that this jerk let his dog near yours.

People like him are exactly my point.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by phamton
Small nitpick: American Staffordshire Terriers are not Pit Bulls. The true Pit bull is the American Pit Bull Terrier. The American Staffordshire Terrier, are generally of larger bone structure, head size and weight then their cousins the American Pit Bull Terrier. "Pit bull" is a generic and derogatory term that encompasses any of several breeds of dogs or crosses on those breeds. The purebred version of a Pitbull is often called Staffordshire Bull Terrier (NOT an American Staffordshire Terrier, two very different breeds). Given this, their looks and body styles can vary. They are now often crossed with American Staffordshire Terriers, American Bulldogs, Dogo Argentino, Presa Canario, Rottweiler, and anything else people can find that is a larger, more muscular dog.

Here are some pages that clears up that misconception:
http://www.puppydogweb.com/caninebreeds/amerstfter.htm
http://pages.zdnet.com/cirklec/cirkleckennels/id26.html

WHAT IS AN AMERICAN STAFFORDSHIRE TERRIER?

The American Staffordshire Terrier is a unique breed, and has one of the richest and most well documented histories in the family of dogs. The American Staffordshire Terrier and the American Pit Bull are NOT ONE AND THE SAME DOG, and we feel it is time to clear up this misconception.


True, the American Staffordshire Terrier did spring directly from the American Pit Bull Terrier roots, but since 1936, the breed has been bred along completely different lines than its predecessor, the Pit Bull. Thus, while many Pit Bulls have continued to be bred for "performance" the American Staffordshire Terrier has been bred as a pet, family dog, child's guardian, show dog and for obedience competition.

Probably one of the most famous early American Staffordshire Terriers was "Pete" of the Little Rascals movies. His trainer stated that Pete was one of the brightest, easiest to train dogs he had ever worked with. Also, the current Buster Brown dog is an American Staffordshire Terrier.

Can you identify the Pit Bull? Many dogs are identified in dog to human bites as Pit bulls but aren't.
http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html
http://members.aol.com/radogz/find.html

Very good point. This quasi ban in Boston goes after anything that could be percieved as a pit bull. IMO, it is not even an enforceable law for this reason, which makes it even more scary. Bad dog owners should be punished. Good dog owners should be allowed to keep their dogs in peace.

 

[jipsy]

This could all be solved if everyone just owned cats.

 

[Bichon Barb]

Originally posted by DawnCt1
You answered your own question; its a matter of temperment not esthectics. With regard to the "possibility" of poodles being banned for their appearance, it would never happen. Poodles would organize and form their own PAC (Poodles the superior breed) and outlaw humans. They will also lobby to be allowed to ride only in the front seat of the car and reruns of the Westminster Dog Show aired weekly. So I would be careful about the irreverent comments directed to poodles.

I grew up with a miniature poodle. She always thought she was mom's favorite. So when I grew up, and it was time for me to get my own dog, I went with a Bichon. I didn't want my future children to have to go through what I did.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by jipsy
This could all be solved if everyone just owned cats.

Tell that to my Jack Russell....he's horrified of cats (and rats, and mice, and birds, and squirrels, and bugs, and...)

 

[DawnCt1]

Originally posted by Bichon Barb


I grew up with a miniature poodle. She always thought she was mom's favorite. So when I grew up, and it was time for me to get my own dog, I went with a Bichon. I didn't want my future children to have to go through what I did.

I could see how you would be concerned. I always tell DS that Annie will have his driver's license before he does.

 

[totalia]

Lol. I'm not that terrified of them. I can go near them and not have to run or anything. I just don't like them.

My sister has a golden retreaver. She's a beautiful animal but she's also as tall as I am. She constantly wants attention but, though I will pet her, I will only do so if she is sitting down, not barking and not sticking her wet nose into my crotch (have them happen with a nightgown on just ONCE and you will never let her near you when wearing on again. ewwww *shudders*).

I find her dog to be very intimidating and when she is running around and jumping, barking, that kind of thing, I won't go near her and usually tell her to go away. Thats when she becomes really scarey. The rest of the time, I can tolerate her and even pet her.

I don't so much mind little dogs. There's a little one in a store downtown who's owners take him there every day. The store owners are his. He is the sweetest little poodle I ever met. His name is max and he's so tiny that I can't help but pet him when I see him because he's such a sweet thing and not agressive at all. I wouldn't mind him because he wouldn't be able to do any more damage to me than my cat can. Though somehow, I don't think my fiance would want a poodle lol. I see him more likely wanting something like an alaskan malamute or german shepard (wayyyyy too big and intimidating to me. If a dog can drag you along the ground and not even be slowed up by it, IT"S TOO BIG).

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by totalia
If a dog can drag you along the ground and not even be slowed up by it, IT"S TOO BIG).

When I was about 2, my grandmother had 2 purebred white german shepards (Angel & Star) and a purebred Bermese Mountain Dog named Kelley.

Kelley was my best friend. He was HUGE. I mean like to me he was the size of a pony. I actually used to ride his back when I was 2 or 3. He died when I was 9.

He was just a big gentle giant.

 

[Mermaid02]

I haven't read all of the replies but I just wanted to say the difference between being attacked by a toy poodle and being attacked by a pit bull is this- One good kick and you can KILL a toy poodle... now we have all heard stories of bystanders hitting pit bulls with baseball bats and the dog not letting their jaws let go of whomever is in their grip.

Are all pit bulls bad? Of course not. Am I willing to let my son play at a friends who has 2 of these dogs? Not a chance in hades.

I just want to add that any dog can turn in an instant and I NEVER assume my dog won't bite someone. We keep her in tight control at all times for her sake as well as everyone else's. It's our responsibility to her as her caretakers.

 

[MeanLaureen]

I don't have time to read all the replies other than on the first page so if I'm repetitive, sorry in advance

I love dogs probably more than anyone else and I realize that while a lot of a Pit Bulls aggression is trained into them by their owners, there can be aggression bred into them by bad breeding.

I don't think that what the city has proposed is a bad thing. It's a small concession for Pit Bull lovers to pay to be able to keep their breed. Think of the alternatives - they could ban the breed all together. I would much rather hang a sign and muzzle my dog while in public!

 

[MHopkins2]

My roommate just adopted a pit bull puppy with my blessing, so y'all can guess where I fall on this one. (Not to mention my overall distaste for laws that punish the good people for mistakes of the morons - and even more so when the law in question is one the morons probably won't follow anyway.)

Bren, I do agree with you that insurance rate hikes are fair with a "high risk animal," but I also think there should be a built in exception with proof of obedience training (continued, not just six weeks of Puppy Basics).

Bev, your neighbor is a moron and an ******* to boot. You should definitely report him - that dog deserves a chance with an owner who has a clue. If it gives you any comfort in the mean time, what I've read about these dogs is that they are often (lacking proper training) very dog aggressive, but that doesn't necessarily carry over to being people (child or otherwise) aggressive.

 

[totalia]

Those laws are NOT punishment. They are protection.

Amazing how people can twist things.

And Esmerelda, your dog may have been sweet and cuddly but if the dog ever got out of control (not saying he would but if...) he could have bitten your head off. Literally. That's not the kind of thing to have around children. You'd have been dead before you could blink.

These are not something like a goldfish that couldn't hurt you even if it tried. These are big predators that if they ever decided they hated you or got angry enough, they could actually kill you.

That's why there are laws over animals that seem to have a shorter temper than others. It's too protect people.

And its not like this is a toy poodle or a cat. Its a BIG and very agressive dog that can seem sweet and docile one minute and the next try to take out your neck.

My sisters "oh so loving golden retriever" (that's sarcasm there) has tried to bite the baby more than once and he wasn't even near her. Brooklyn gets alot of attention because they don't want her to attack him but obviously she is still jealous. She could kill him if she ever became jealous to the point where she didn't want him around anymore. All it would take it one bite.

 

[skiwee1]

Originally posted by EsmeraldaX
Tell that to my Jack Russell....he's horrified of cats (and rats, and mice, and birds, and squirrels, and bugs, and...)

So is mine. Don't even mention a bath either as my big brave JR runs and hids. He does know how to spell PIZZA though! I do think they should get rid of all pit bulls though. There have been too many incidents with them.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by totalia
Those laws are NOT punishment. They are protection.

Amazing how people can twist things.

And Esmerelda, your dog may have been sweet and cuddly but if the dog ever got out of control (not saying he would but if...) he could have bitten your head off. Literally. That's not the kind of thing to have around children. You'd have been dead before you could blink.

These are not something like a goldfish that couldn't hurt you even if it tried. These are big predators that if they ever decided they hated you or got angry enough, they could actually kill you.

That's why there are laws over animals that seem to have a shorter temper than others. It's too protect people.

And its not like this is a toy poodle or a cat. Its a BIG and very agressive dog that can seem sweet and docile one minute and the next try to take out your neck.

My sisters "oh so loving golden retriever" (that's sarcasm there) has tried to bite the baby more than once and he wasn't even near her. Brooklyn gets alot of attention because they don't want her to attack him but obviously she is still jealous. She could kill him if she ever became jealous to the point where she didn't want him around anymore. All it would take it one bite.

You don't think a poodle or a cat could attack??? Re-read my previous post about a small child near me being mauled by a poodle. I personally have been scratched up so bad by cats that I still have some scars, and my Jack Russell Terrier was attacked by a cat and it bloodied him up pretty good.

Yet when he plays with my neices pitbull he is just fine.

YES , this is punishment. A good, responsible dog owner who wants a dog because they just fall in love with the dogs face or personality should not be punished because a handful of idiots who buy poorly bred dogs, or abuse their dogs, or neglect to train their dogs.

I recently had the oppurtunity to adopt an abandoned puppy. I am now waiting to find out if it is part pitbull, not because I care, because I don't, but because I refuse to walk down the street in Boston with one of my dogs muzzled and one of them not; just because she is 1/4 a breed that some idiots mistreat to the point that they snap. If it comes back that she is 1/2 or 1/4 pitbull, I will not adopt her. I'd rather she go to a home in NY (where she currently resides) where she can walk around happily and unmuzzled with her owner.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Originally posted by MeanLaureen
Think of the alternatives - they could ban the breed all together. I would much rather hang a sign and muzzle my dog while in public!

True. I bought a home a couple months ago. Things moved QUICKLY!! So quickly that I didn't have the HOA's documents until after I was moved in! I hadn't even seen them, and just didn't think to ask about pets. I had a few days of just me and DS moving in. When boxes were settled, I got the pups from the place I boarded them and brought them home. Of course the pres. of our neighborhood saw them, and I received a letter. Seems there is a restriction of ONE PET no larger than 25 pounds. If you choose a parakeet, that's your ONE PET! So I had two of the board members over to "meet" the dogs. My flat-coated retriever was his usual charming self. One of the guys even liked him!! My boxer/lab was his self...ran behind me for protection. LOL! They didn't have a problem with either one. The boxer/lab will show anyone that he's the boss, but if they approach him, he runs for cover. My retriever is about 72 pounds, and the little one is 52. So I got to attend a Board meeting! Wooo hooo! LOL!

Board meeting in a nutshell...apparently there was someone who had a large dog. A UPS person delivered something to the house and left the package on the doorstep because of the dog. As she was leaving, the dog got out of the door (not very strong patio door) and ran for the UPS person! I was told it went for the lady's neck, but she put her arm up to protect herself. Bingo! No large breeds allowed, nothing over 25 pounds, just one animal are now the rules. They did not tell me the breed, just that it was a large dog. So one bad apple spoils it for the community...unless you meet with the board, have them visit, and they give the okay. But if one of mine dies, I cannot get a second dog. Just keep the one left. Not a problem. If/when both are gone, I can only have one pet up to 25 pounds. Okay even though I love retrievers and labs. Of course, I could sell this home and move by then.

 

[MeanLaureen]

I'm still puzzled over how having to muzzle your dog on a walk outside is a punishment??

It doesn't hurt the dog, there are a lot nicer types of muzzles out there lately and it's not like they are saying the dog has to be muzzled when it is in your house - I just think it is a much better course for the city to take than a permanent ban of the breed.

Curious - do those of you that think the muzzle is a horrible thing think that the new training aides like Gentle Leader and Easy Walkers are cruel? They are in the same family as a muzzle almost.

You know what ticks me off to no end and I wish they would do something about? The spiked training collars that are used on dogs like Pits for training AND for everyday use. THAT is cruel! A collar that when the dog pulls on the least digs a spike into their skin??? I don't know how many times I have seen these on Pits because people think it makes their dogs look "tougher".

It's sad but the house behind us, the daughter's boyfriend housed his Pits at her house in the back yard. These dogs were used in illegal fights. How do I know? Because the animals would come back bloody, cut and with broken and sprained bones and look half dead. They kept the females pregnant. One dog was nothing but skin and bones and wanted out of that life so bad. Any time I would come over to the fence in my back yard she would try to get to me. I would sneak her cookies. Every so often you would see the owners of the dogs come out and give them injections - steriods no doubt.

I did get in contact with a reporter who did a piece on illegal dog fighting rings. I worked with him and the police and by feeding them information about their comings and goings and secretly taping them and their car with the license plates as the took the dogs out, we were able to stop them.

And no, I don't live in the city. I live in the middle of the 'burbs in a subdivision with an elementary school down the street

 

[ladycollector]

I haven't read all this thread so dont flame me. This is just my opinion and I hold NO grudges and please dont hold any against me. I probably will not post again because this is what I have to say and its all I have to say.

Pit Bulls weren't bred to be pets. Thats the way it is, get over it. They still have that temperament and they can turn. Im not sure if we can ever get it out of them. Same for rotties, my cousin had one and they thought it was the sweetest thing, but a few times it tried to attack me. They ended up giving it away, I feel sorry for the children they gave it to. Albeit cute, but a mean little bugger. I was scared of him. They raised him from the time he was a newborn. They found him deserted. If that means anything.

About 33% of dog attacks are by pit bulls. Thats not good. I agree that the law is sad because its less enjoyable for the dogs to walk, but... It protects us a little bit. I dont know where I stand on the laws.. I try to stay away from pit bulls thats for sure. If I see one I will go in a store or go to my car till its gone, Im not going to accidentily provoke it. So I feel both ways on the laws. But there is ZERO doubt in my mind that Pit Bulls can turn in the blink of eye. Not that other dogs cannot, but Pit Bulls are more likely to do so. Just the statistics.

Count me as a - undecided.

 

[phamton]

I think any breed of dog can turn on you but a bite from a chihuahua would probably only involve a bandaid. Pitbulls and other large dogs could just cause more serious injury.