Pit Bull PSA

[TTChamp]

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I'm with you. I just don't see what the appeal is. My ex-boyfriend had a large aggressive dog that was very eye-catching. He thought the dog was great. It made me nervous because it displayed aggressive behavior towards strangers. Why would anyone want this? Isn't aggression an inherent quality in certain breeds. I don't think it is soley the fault of the owner when these breeds act out but I'm willing to concede I might be wrong.


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You are right that certain breeds are naturally aggressive towards strangers. These are typically breeds that were breed for gaurding.

I think I chose my words badly when I originally said "poor treatment by the owner". What I meant was "irresponsible treatment by the owner". IMO if you chose to own an aggressive dog you need to take action to train the dog and mange the aggression. If the owner doesn't take positve action to train and socialize the dog then aggressive dogs are likely to act out. What I am saying is that the irresponsible owner is to blame.

Let me reemphasize that Pit Bulls are not a breed that is natuarally aggressive toward people.

Pit Bulls were breed to have little to no aggression toward humans. Think about it from the point of view of the guy who is trying to breed the ultimate fighting dog. You want a dog that is strong, fearless, and aggressive toward other dogs. You don't want a dog that is aggressive toward you, espeacially since you may be handling your dog during and right after fights.

[LockForward]

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...intelligent dog like a golden retriever?....

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Golden retrievers are one of the dumbest dogs you can get.
Which is why they make great pets, they're not going to outsmart you.

[TTChamp]

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If not a Pit Bull, what is the most dangerous dog then?

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First off I will say that an abused or poorly socialized Pit Bull that has turned on people probably is the most dangerous dog. Espeacially to children. When Pits decide to attack they don't stop until the opponent is dead.

IF THERE IS A PIT BULL YOU DON'T TRUST NEVER LEAVE SMALL CHILDREN ALONE NEAR THEM.

However, a well socialized Pit doesn't present much danger at all.

I would be most scared if I was alone with a Rotweiler that perceived me to be a stranger. Doberman Pincher would be up ther too. As far as getting bite I would be scared of Cocker Spaniels and Dalmations. I have never had any of these dogs though so my opinion is somewhat uneducated.

[Warik]

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The same thing can be said about any big breed of dog, especially since pitbulls are not ranked #1 for breeds that bite or kill humans.

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They may not be #1 for breeds that bite or kill humans, but they ARE illegal to own in MANY places including where I live. I agree with exist... the fact that you need to TRAIN a dog not to rip people and smaller animals to shreds is probably one of the best reasons not to own one - even if they are legal where you live.

[hawk59]

When I went to the pound to get a dog at least half the dogs there were pit or pit mix. Granted, this was in a ghetto section of Newark, but the fact is if you want to get a dog from a shelter then there's a good chance the dog that you feel a connection with is going to have some pit in it.

[Mr_J]

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I have never had any of these dogs though so my opinion is somewhat uneducated.

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I wouldn't feel anxious around any dog, but alot of that has to do with me tustling with these type of dogs making me very comfortably around them physically. I can see why people are intimidated, but think this is because they are scared of getting hurt (not just by dogs).

Dogs are just like humans, and cary greatly in personality. My current dog is a cattle dog and a total teddy bear and this is one of the most dangerous breeds in australia. I also knew a huge german shepard that was the biggest pussy I've ever met. Massive bark, but would probally run away from an intruder. This dog would scare anyone shitless (HUGE), it was so funny. The maltese was the boss.

I used to have a doberman and she was alert around strangers but wasn't aggressive. I knew a rottie which was a pretty nasty dog until it got to know you. I knew a german shepard that was nasty all round.

I haven't found that these breeds are any more aggressive than other breeds. The nastiest dogs I've known have been the small yappy dogs.

I haven't known any pitbulls.

[RacersEdge]

Something is genetically wrong with these dogs. I would be in favor of any law that got rid of them.

[jaydub]

Warik,

They are illegal for pure political capital reasons.

You do not need to train them to not attack people, you simply need to avoid abusing them.

J

[cambraceres]

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Something is genetically wrong with these dogs. I would be in favor of any law that got rid of them.

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I am an experienced owner, who has cared for over 20 full blooded pit bulls, and this is past indelicate. I have only owned one myself, but an old roommate of mine literally filled our house with them. I thought the idea was horrible, and I still do. Every single pit that was brought to my house was a game bred dog. This made me nervous, but after a while you see that all they want, just like any other dog, is love and attention. They are no more dangerous than any other when cared for and trained by a responsible owner.
I know some have been attacked, and these people will always have a bad view of these animals, but the ineptitude of an owner should not send an entire breed to the gas chambers. I know how strong they are because I do wrestle with mine. He could kill myself and the remaining members of my family at will. I know that he won't because of a long spotless history of good behaviour on his part.
So far, he has won over every person he has met with a friendly, loving personality.

Now I will admit that the dog will attack if you display aggressive tendencies toward me or my family, but he takes his cues from me and does so very well. I don't see what is so wrong with having a dog with these special needs and capabilities if you so desire. I like having a guard dog instead of guns for the children to be around. A dog can respond before I can unlock and load any one of my guns.

I do not allow the safety of my loved ones to be an afterthought, and the fact that this dangerous dog is with them and in direct contact with them in no way breaches the integrity of my above statement

Cambraceres

[spamhead]

I have a 165 lb. female Rottweiler. We had to have her trained at the police acadamy at a young age because she kept trapping my wife in a corner for no appartent reason (other than to show her who was boss).

After the pro traning (about 3 weeks) she turned out to be the best dog ever. Very nice, very sweet. But it is funny to watch people switch to the other side of the street when they see us coming.

If you have a potentially dangerous dog, I agree with the OP, you HAVE to have the necessary commitment to raise it properly.

I am all for having some type of registration/liscensing process for owners of these types of dogs.