I KNOW not everyone likes pit bulls. I KNOW that quite a few people are scared of them. I KNOW there's a lot of people that think the entire breed is the devil and should be banned. But what irritates me, is because of ONE bad incident with a single dog, that automatically means the whole breed is bad news.

Any dog attacks, but people aren't scared of those breeds. Is it simply because of the bad rep that pits get because they were bred to fight, and in some cases, still are? Some people fight chickens, does that mean everyone should be afraid of chickens? Some snakes are poisonous, but that doesn't stop people from owning them.

I was reading a website that Fallon has, it's kinda like craiglist. A lady posted on there saying she was trying to get rid of her pit bull because she doesn't have time for him anymore and people just start posting how bad of a dog pit bulls are and how pit bulls kill their animals and what not. I don't know if reading that pisses me off or upsets me more.

I understand once a person has a bad incident with a dog, they're gonna have issues towards them. But hold it against the dog, not the whole breed. And don't put the whole breed down because of stuff you've heard when you've never been around a pit.

Pits are NOT bad animals.

I agree, and I feel the same way about Rottweilers.

:sigh I know some breeds just get a bad rap. any breed you mention to someone you want a certain type of dog, and suddenly they have all these bad stories about them.

my dogs a lab pit mix and hes a big baby he runs and hides from other dogs and look how he is with our daughter
whenever she cries he runs over and tries to comfort her
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i32/kimberlyconkle/beale2.jpg

i agree...people are so effing stupid sometimes...
like any other animal they are only bad and dangerous when they are trained to be that way :no people i swear.

Completely agree. My dog ( lab/pit mix) is one of the sweetest dogs ever..

my dogs a lab pit mix and hes a big baby he runs and hides from other dogs and look how he is with our daughter
whenever she cries he runs over and tries to comfort her
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i32/kimberlyconkle/beale2.jpg

thats one of the cutest picture ever!! :P

Umm yeah I have 2 pitt mixes (pic below) anyone want to tell me with a straight face they are mean? I do get frustrated when people generalize about a dog breed.

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/1sailor2puppiesandme/100_0788.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/1sailor2puppiesandme/100_0790.jpg

actually small dogs are the worst with kids....mini poodles in particular...my kid never messes with my mom's poodles but they always snap at him. damn little poof balls!

Oh yeah I hear ya.. I have a pit/German shepherd mix. And he is so scared of people and other animals it's funny.http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/bakerswifevfa154/July4th2007017.jpg

Completely agree. My dog ( lab/pit mix) is one of the sweetest dogs ever..

OMG! I was going to say the same thing! I've ALWAYS had big dogs.... I have lived with someone who had smaller 'safer' dogs, and THEY WERE THE ONES THAT BIT ME!!!! No joke.... My pit/lab is the BIGGEST BABY! He's a lap dog and a love. He HAS to be near people. He's fine if you are welcomed into his house, but he's interested in EVERYTHING outside of the house. He points his ears straight up and watches intently.... the worst one, a Dachsund, OFF IT'S LEASH IN A PUBLIC PARK came tearing over directly at my boy, and he backed up a step or two feeling threatened.... did HE do anything???? NO! Not even a bark, just this bewildered look at the little wiener with legs... and WHO nipped at who????? Yup, wiener dog barked and nipped at my boys front paws.... and did he do or say anything??? NO! But eventually he did step forward to sniff the wiener, and stepped on wieners paw and wiener yelped... His non-leash believing owner starts squaking about 'what did your dog do to mine' and I was like... what happened???? YOUR DOG IS OFF A LEASH IS WHAT HAPPENED!!!! Holy moses... Not all people should be pet owners.

It's not the DOG it's the OWNER!!!!!! Yes, pits are predispositioned to be fighting dogs, but only due to years of agressive behavior reinforcement and encouragement. People like Michael Vick don't help the crusade either.

Yappy dogs have smaller, sharper teeth.... IMO.....

Brownie is a pure bred pit (she's in my siggy) and she's pretty much a big baby. DD cries, Brownie comes and licks her in her face to make sure she's ok. When I was still preggo, most of Dh's family tried talking us to get rid of Brownie simply because she's a pit and we were gonna have. They said Brownie would attack. His aunt said her and her daughter wouldn't have anything to do with Brownie because she's a pit. Before we left, they were all playing with her and loved her.

Unfortunately the few bad apples (more like bad OWNERS/BREEDERS) have spoiled the reputation of the breed as a whole. For those who are convinced of the evilness of pits you can talk until you are blue in the face and STILL never change their mind.

OMG! I was going to say the same thing! I've ALWAYS had big dogs.... I have lived with someone who had smaller 'safer' dogs, and THEY WERE THE ONES THAT BIT ME!!!! No joke.... My pit/lab is the BIGGEST BABY! He's a lap dog and a love. He HAS to be near people. He's fine if you are welcomed into his house, but he's interested in EVERYTHING outside of the house. He points his ears straight up and watches intently.... the worst one, a Dachsund, OFF IT'S LEASH IN A PUBLIC PARK came tearing over directly at my boy, and he backed up a step or two feeling threatened.... did HE do anything???? NO! Not even a bark, just this bewildered look at the little wiener with legs... and WHO nipped at who????? Yup, wiener dog barked and nipped at my boys front paws.... and did he do or say anything??? NO! But eventually he did step forward to sniff the wiener, and stepped on wieners paw and wiener yelped... His non-leash believing owner starts squaking about 'what did your dog do to mine' and I was like... what happened???? YOUR DOG IS OFF A LEASH IS WHAT HAPPENED!!!! Holy moses... Not all people should be pet owners.

It's not the DOG it's the OWNER!!!!!! Yes, pits are predispositioned to be fighting dogs, but only due to years of agressive behavior reinforcement and encouragement. People like Michael Vick don't help the crusade either.

Yappy dogs have smaller, sharper teeth.... IMO.....

know how ya feel, we took lucy to the beach the other day and let her off her leash for a lil while to run around. Well this lady with her damn whatever the hell toy dog it was also had her dog off the leash, well her dog came up to lucy and started barking and growling her head off, and was snapping at Tim when he tried to shoo the dog away. The lady then had the nerve to come over and tell us that we needed to put lucys leash back on b/c our dog was to dangerous to have off one.... hello!!! her dog was the one acting crazy, lucy was just laying in the sand.. :angry

if it was only one incedent I could see it..

BUt it is more than one- and it is not that they bit- ALL dogs have the potential to bite-

it is the way they bite..

I am for banning uncertified "PIT bulls"
not pure bread stafs-- very different breed of dogs here-

PIT BULLS are dangerous and unpredictable dogs- they ARE NOT a recognised breed of the AKC or any other affiliate.

PIT bull breeding is what does them in-- it is NOT how they are raised-

you say you have 'good" dogs-

I have seen a "pit" who was hand raised- german command trained, raised with children her whole life- snap and bite almost 1/2 a 2 yrs old face off-
she had to have so far 15 surgeries- 1,000 of stitches and more surgeries to correct her face.
this PIT BULL broke the little girls jaw, fractured her cheek bone tore her eye socked where her eye ball was hanging loose... it took a shot to the dogs head- with the little girls face locked in it's jaws to get her face out of his mouth..

I will never let any child and I will never go around any dog I think even remotely looks like a pit bull..

oh and for owners that claim they have pit bulls- double check your homeowners or renters policies- since many will not cover bites from a pitbull...

I dog bite can result in thousands and thousands of dollars in damamges--

the littel girl I mentioned her parents sued- the owners even with homeowners insurance- lost thier house and was forced to pay 1.5 million in damages.

my dogs a lab pit mix and hes a big baby he runs and hides from other dogs and look how he is with our daughter
whenever she cries he runs over and tries to comfort her
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i32/kimberlyconkle/beale2.jpg

OMG your dog looks EXACTLY like mine. Like seriously the same white patch on the chest, the same face, the same brindle coloring the whole thing.

This is the best pic I have of him on my computer.
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t258/DKBloodstone/PerkedEars.jpg

wow they do look alike....reeses doesnt have brindle on his body though just legs and head and we call his white star the batman symbol lol,whered you get your dog?
heres a better pic of him
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i32/kimberlyconkle/beale2008.jpg

People are ignorant, that about sums it up for me. I know pits are wonderful dogs. Owners create "bad dogs" not the dog itself, any dog can and will bite if provoked.

i feel the same about pits, rotts, mastiffs and any other "aggressive" dogs. and so many dogs are mistaken for pits (bulldogs, and other types of terriers)

ETA: no dog should ever be left alone with children that's dumb to do that

Oh yeah I hear ya.. I have a pit/German shepherd mix. And he is so scared of people and other animals it's funny.http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/bakerswifevfa154/July4th2007017.jpg

how flippin cute

why pits? why not wolf hybrids?

I (L) pit bulls! They are so beautiful. My little sister has to pits at her dad's house and they are just as sweet as can be! The only time Rugby would hurt someone was if he jumped up on you because he was so excited and knocked you over. And Sophia's just a lovebug! They are very protective though and if someone were to hurt my sis or someone in her family in front of the dogs... that's a different story completely.

i also get frustrated when people generalize the breed....if the dogs are raised in the right enviornment there shouldn't be anything to fear from them...however of course the dogs that are raised to be aggressive are going to be that way...it's all how they're raised...

why pits? why not wolf hybrids?

So true. My DH would love to own a wolf hybrid though, they are popular up here in Montana.

We own Australian Cattle Dogs, and let me tell you, they do not like strangers.

if it was only one incedent I could see it..

BUt it is more than one- and it is not that they bit- ALL dogs have the potential to bite-

it is the way they bite..

I am for banning uncertified "PIT bulls"
not pure bread stafs-- very different breed of dogs here-

PIT BULLS are dangerous and unpredictable dogs- they ARE NOT a recognised breed of the AKC or any other affiliate.

PIT bull breeding is what does them in-- it is NOT how they are raised-

you say you have 'good" dogs-

I have seen a "pit" who was hand raised- german command trained, raised with children her whole life- snap and bite almost 1/2 a 2 yrs old face off-
she had to have so far 15 surgeries- 1,000 of stitches and more surgeries to correct her face.
this PIT BULL broke the little girls jaw, fractured her cheek bone tore her eye socked where her eye ball was hanging loose... it took a shot to the dogs head- with the little girls face locked in it's jaws to get her face out of his mouth..

I will never let any child and I will never go around any dog I think even remotely looks like a pit bull..

oh and for owners that claim they have pit bulls- double check your homeowners or renters policies- since many will not cover bites from a pitbull...

I dog bite can result in thousands and thousands of dollars in damamges--

the littel girl I mentioned her parents sued- the owners even with homeowners insurance- lost thier house and was forced to pay 1.5 million in damages.

While I agree with this sort of.. This can happen with ANY DOG. not just Pits. I never EVER leave my dogs alone with my kids or other peoples kids period. I am 100% confident that my dogs wouldn't bite, but still I wouldn't put my kids or anyone else's kids in that kind of situation.
. No dog bites without giving off a warning. The problem is people don't interpret those well or have no clue that a wagging tail, does not always mean happy to see you. Also it really does come down to the owners of these dogs taking the time to educate themselves on the more powerful breeds. I wouldn't buy a car without research yet we get dogs all the time because it's cute or we just like them.

So true. My DH would love to own a wolf hybrid though, they are popular up here in Montana.

We own Australian Cattle Dogs, and let me tell you, they do not like strangers.
my sister has 3 wolf hybrids and a husky but if one of them attacked a child and another child was attacked by a pitbull which story do you think would run?Any dog has an instinct and prey drive any dog can turn at anytime thats why they shouldnt be left alone with a child EVER.Also of a pitbull shows any agression theyre not supposed to be bred in order to "keep the gene pool clean" pits were bred to fight bears and defend man, its man thats fucked them up

Also if we were to ban a dog just because of it's breed isn't that racism in human terms aka the holocaust or slavery just because you were born of a certain descent your disciminated against

Also if we were to ban a dog just because of it's breed isn't that racism in human terms aka the holocaust or slavery just because you were born of a certain decent your disciminated against

there are bans in place like in some housing they don't allow certain breeds unless mixed into housing. Where we came from they wouldn't let you adopt pit bulls or mixes from the shelter if you were a city resident. (which included housing) Lots of renters and home owners insurance won't pay out claims or insure you for a bite if you have a :quote banned breed :quote dog. mostly they are the aggressive types. rott's, pits, bull dogs. things like that. Some apartment complexes won't rent to you if you have a dangerous breed. it's already happening.

People are just dumb.

I want a pit bull. I don't care what anyone thinks.

I went through this oh so many times with mine. The whole neighbourhood hated and avoided me for getting a "fighting-dog".

One year later, she was the example for a good dog among the other dogowners and even those who used to be afraid of dogs appriceated her company.

Pitts, Staffys, Dogos.. What some seem to forget is that those dogs are very very loyal to their owners. You NEED to have that in mind when you decide to raise one.

Dogs become what you make of them. No matter what breed they are. IMHO there are no such thing as "bad dogs", but a lot of incompetent owners.

I have a lot of people who were scared of Pitts because of what they have heard, but once they met my puppies they were fine. I do agree that if a dog is inbred that it can cause future problems with dog BUT that is EVERY SINGLE BREED not just Pitts. Also, the parent that leaves a child alone with a dog or any other animal and that child gets hurt, I lay the responsibility of that on the parent.

No one other than my husband and RARELY a close friend who the dogs know and are adults are EVER alone with my dogs. It is called responsible ownership.

I know baby i know, :tears I've been brought to tears by what people say about my pit bull. And he is the sweetest thing :grumpy it isn't fair. That's why I hate the media, and I hate IGNORANCE!! If you spend 5 minutes around a dog like Sammy, or MOST pit bulls you would realize they are amazing.

Sammy plays catch with the neighbor girl and shes five years old, she eats her lunch outside and he just lays with her... never steals her food! never grabs the ball out of her hands!! He is soooo good, and yet people still think he will hurt her. :tears
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc260/ash_marcus/sammy-ash-isabel/samson.jpg

oh ashley, he's beautiful

oh ashley, he's beautiful

thank you!! I found this dog as a puppy in a BIRDCAGE, in the middle of summer heat. He had NO WATER and nobody was paying attention to him. So I bought him to get him out of that hell hole and he is the most amazing dog I've ever had. He was raised right and he never even tried to bite, but he knew as a baby that "no" means "no..." I'm proud of him for being a good dog, and I hope he can change peoples minds. But that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt when people say mean things... I have more pics of him but they are on DHs computer out in the middle of god-knows-where.

i would love to have a pit. dh sadly has some of the stereotypes but his are based on the scientific fact that when they bite they bite differently than other dogs. he wouldn't be 100% opposed to getting a pit especially if we met a good breeder with good dogs, etc

i would love to have a pit. dh sadly has some of the stereotypes but his are based on the scientific fact that when they bite they bite differently than other dogs. he wouldn't be 100% opposed to getting a pit especially if we met a good breeder with good dogs, etc

yeah, everybody says to meet the parent dogs. seems like a good idea to me. plus a breeder that has good feedback from families with young children. and i always spay and neuter my pets so i think that helps too.

yep we always spay and neuter (with the exception of my rottie who was given to us by my uncle when he didn't have the space for him anymore and he was already like 8 when we got him)

Both of my dogs are fixed and we have had no problem getting insurance we have had some frustration with having a place to live with them but it was more our price range not the houses. Housing here allows us to have pitts.

wow they do look alike....reeses doesnt have brindle on his body though just legs and head and we call his white star the batman symbol lol,whered you get your dog?
heres a better pic of him
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i32/kimberlyconkle/beale2008.jpg

We got him in Greenville South Carolina for free. He is brindle all over, so thats the only difference I can see. I can't believe they look so similar lol :)

While I agree with this sort of.. This can happen with ANY DOG. not just Pits. I never EVER leave my dogs alone with my kids or other peoples kids period. I am 100% confident that my dogs wouldn't bite, but still I wouldn't put my kids or anyone else's kids in that kind of situation.
. No dog bites without giving off a warning. The problem is people don't interpret those well or have no clue that a wagging tail, does not always mean happy to see you. Also it really does come down to the owners of these dogs taking the time to educate themselves on the more powerful breeds. I wouldn't buy a car without research yet we get dogs all the time because it's cute or we just like them.

Thank you for saying that.

I think an excellent magazine to read is Bully Breeds. (Petsmart had it). There is so much info in there about all the bully breeds, not just pits.

Who would have thought that labs have more of a tendency to bite than pits do? Who would have thought that pits are actually in the top family dogs? (I don't remember if that was in the magazine or somewhere else)

I don't support PETA anymore since the president of it supports the banning of pit bulls. In a letter she wrote support the banning, she compared a pit bull to a chihuahua. :rolleyes

Thank you for saying that.

I think an excellent magazine to read is Bully Breeds. (Petsmart had it). There is so much info in there about all the bully breeds, not just pits.

Who would have thought that labs have more of a tendency to bite than pits do? Who would have thought that pits are actually in the top family dogs? (I don't remember if that was in the magazine or somewhere else)

I don't support PETA anymore since the president of it supports the banning of pit bulls. In a letter she wrote support the banning, she compared a pit bull to a chihuahua. :rolleyes

Last time I checked PETA stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. If she's supporting the banning of pitts, she certainly doesn't belong in the position she's in!

I agree. It is sad. I don't have much experience with the breed but I have known a few people with them. Our neighbors in FL. had one, a pit mixed with some other breed. He was always coming into our yard. He and our dog, a mini dachsund, dug a hole big enough that he could crawl under the fence. He was never ever mean to any of us or our dog and there were times we had him for days to weeks straight. He would crawl under the fence, refuse to go back, and they would leave him with us. It was so funny, as soon as you would open the patio door he would run inside and instantly jump onto the couch and lay down. We would feed him, play with him, etc. and never had a problem. In fact, he was nicer to our DD than our mini dachsund. He hated Breanna. We ended up having to get him a new home because of it, too. She couldn't even be near him without him growling at her. We had another mini dachsund that was as nice as could be. You could do anything to that dog and she just sat there. I remember when we bought our house back home we called to get insurance and they asked if we had a pit, rotti, or german shepard. If we did then they would not sell us insurance. We would have had to go somewhere else and I'm sure pay a really high amount just to keep the dog(s) if did have one or more. Oh, and John's one friend back home used to have 2 rottis. He still has one but the other had to be to sleep for health reasons. Anyways, they are huge. The male was alot bigger than the female. But they were all babies. They would just plop down at your feet. Ya, soooooo scary and aggressive. :rolleyes It is very unfortunate some people had to ruin it for breeds like that.

http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/legislation.php

A 10 Lbs Pomeranian killed a baby a few years ago... Obviously a problem with that particular dog, not the breed. "The baby's uncle left the infant and the dog on a bed while the uncle prepared her bottle in the kitchen. Upon his return, the dog was mauling the baby, who died shortly afterwards. ("Baby Girl Killed by Family Dog," Los Angeles Times, Monday, October 9, 2000, Home Edition, Metro Section, Page B-5.)"

there are bans in place like in some housing they don't allow certain breeds unless mixed into housing. Where we came from they wouldn't let you adopt pit bulls or mixes from the shelter if you were a city resident. (which included housing) Lots of renters and home owners insurance won't pay out claims or insure you for a bite if you have a :quote banned breed :quote dog. mostly they are the aggressive types. rott's, pits, bull dogs. things like that. Some apartment complexes won't rent to you if you have a dangerous breed. it's already happening.
i was referring more to the acts their trying to pass like in california where you cant have a pitt just because of the state your in

Honestly, I'm really disappointed that society as whole would ever condone the banning of any breed of animal. That just saddens me. :no

Thank you for saying that.

I think an excellent magazine to read is Bully Breeds. (Petsmart had it). There is so much info in there about all the bully breeds, not just pits.

Who would have thought that labs have more of a tendency to bite than pits do? Who would have thought that pits are actually in the top family dogs? (I don't remember if that was in the magazine or somewhere else)

I don't support PETA anymore since the president of it supports the banning of pit bulls. In a letter she wrote support the banning, she compared a pit bull to a chihuahua. :rolleyes

Rocky is a lab and we read that labs have the most reported bite incidents than any other dog. But it also said it is because more people own them. I'm not sure what site this was but John found it right after we got Rocky. Rocky is the nicest dog ever though. He is sooo good with the kids. I could not have asked for a better tempered dog for our kids. I have found with him that I'm a big dog person. We used to have 2 mini dachsunds and then we got Rocky, a lab, and I'm now wanting a mastiff. That will be wayyy down the road though after John retires and the kids are older. There was a white and dark tan mastiff/bull dog at the animal shelter when we got Rocky that was just gorgeous. She was the sweetist thing ever, too. We would have gotten her if it wasn't for hip probelms she had so she couldn't have people pushing on her back hips. And with 3 kids I knew we were not the right family for her.

Rocky is a lab and we read that labs have the most reported bite incidents than any other dog. But it also said it is because more people own them. I'm not sure what site this was but John found it right after we got Rocky. Rocky is the nicest dog ever though. He is sooo good with the kids. I could not have asked for a better tempered dog for our kids. I have found with him that I'm a big dog person. We used to have 2 mini dachsunds and then we got Rocky, a lab, and I'm now wanting a mastiff. That will be wayyy down the road though after John retires and the kids are older. There was a white and dark tan mastiff/bull dog at the animal shelter when we got Rocky that was just gorgeous. She was the sweetist thing ever, too. We would have gotten her if it wasn't for hip probelms she had so she couldn't have people pushing on her back hips. And with 3 kids I knew we were not the right family for her.


When I was 9 I was mauled by my neighbors Lab, they had not even kept their dog up to date on its shots so I had to get the shots for my protections. Don't ever let anyone say that rabies shots don't hurt!!

Last time I checked PETA stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. If she's supporting the banning of pitts, she certainly doesn't belong in the position she's in!

I agree! She, or anyone else, shouldn't even be a part of PETA if they support it.

'The Truth about PETA' http://www.workingpitbull.com/truthaboutpeta.htm

PETA's Shame
http://www.nokillnow.com/PETAIngridNewkirkResign.htm

Letter written by Ingrid, supporting the ban.
http://www.realpitbull.com/peta.html

i was referring more to the acts their trying to pass like in california where you cant have a pitt just because of the state your in
it always starts somewhere though, usually it starts small like county or city, then moves to the state. In detroit you can't own a pit bull under the age of 18, they will euthanize them if they get them in the shelter because they can't take the chance of someone getting harmed or someone adopting them for harmful means. :shrug what can you do? Well in California they are saying that you don't own dogs so what does that tell you?? ( yet you are required by law to leash your pet and get the rabies tag.. but you can't legally own them. :rolleyes)

Rocky is a lab and we read that labs have the most reported bite incidents than any other dog. But it also said it is because more people own them. I'm not sure what site this was but John found it right after we got Rocky. Rocky is the nicest dog ever though. He is sooo good with the kids. I could not have asked for a better tempered dog for our kids. I have found with him that I'm a big dog person. We used to have 2 mini dachsunds and then we got Rocky, a lab, and I'm now wanting a mastiff. That will be wayyy down the road though after John retires and the kids are older. There was a white and dark tan mastiff/bull dog at the animal shelter when we got Rocky that was just gorgeous. She was the sweetist thing ever, too. We would have gotten her if it wasn't for hip probelms she had so she couldn't have people pushing on her back hips. And with 3 kids I knew we were not the right family for her.

I hope you don't think I was putting labs down, I was just stating a fact that I had read. I owned a lab that was abused as a puppy. He attacked me twice in the 10 years we had him and I will honestly say it was my fault. He was very protective of his food because his previous owners never fed him. I knew that, but made the mistake of messing with him when he was eating. As he grew older and was dying, me and my cat were the only ones he would have anything to do with.

it always starts somewhere though, usually it starts small like county or city, then moves to the state. In detroit you can't own a pit bull under the age of 18, they will euthanize them if they get them in the shelter because they can't take the chance of someone getting harmed or someone adopting them for harmful means. :shrug what can you do? Well in California they are saying that you don't own dogs so what does that tell you?? ( yet you are required by law to leash your pet and get the rabies tag.. but you can't legally own them. :rolleyes)

Well, that's kind of idiotic. I was watching the news one night and it was talking about shelters in the San Francisco Bay area. I think it said 2/3 of all shelter dogs are pit bulls/pit mixes and more than half of those end up getting put to sleep.

And Dh doesn't understand why I don't wanna breed Brownie..

it always starts somewhere though, usually it starts small like county or city, then moves to the state. In detroit you can't own a pit bull under the age of 18, they will euthanize them if they get them in the shelter because they can't take the chance of someone getting harmed or someone adopting them for harmful means. :shrug what can you do? Well in California they are saying that you don't own dogs so what does that tell you?? ( yet you are required by law to leash your pet and get the rabies tag.. but you can't legally own them. :rolleyes)
I know she quoted me about when i said isnt it the same as the holocaust and slavery you can't help what your born into, and it wouldnt be fair to ban a breed and she was pointing out its already being done in apartment complex areas and i was clarifying the state ban their trying to do

the animal shelter i went to had tons of pitts and most were in the corner shaking and terrified :(

I hope you don't think I was putting labs down, I was just stating a fact that I had read. I owned a lab that was abused as a puppy. He attacked me twice in the 10 years we had him and I will honestly say it was my fault. He was very protective of his food because his previous owners never fed him. I knew that, but made the mistake of messing with him when he was eating. As he grew older and was dying, me and my cat were the only ones he would have anything to do with.

No. I didn't think that. I was just saying that I had also read that info. about labs. Honestly, I didn't think labs had that bad of a bite report but they do. Thankfully, our dog is not like that. We got him as 10 week old puppy. The shelter had him since he was really little so I know he doesn't have a bad past. He is very protective of us. If you come to the house he will bark and bark but he will not make a move to bite. John came out to the garage one day with his coat on (a long black coat) when I was out there with Rocky. Rocky stood right in front of me so he couldn't come near me. He didn't recognize John with the coat on. Plus, at that time John was on push so he didn't see him much.

I know she quoted me about when i said isnt it the same as the holocaust and slavery you can't help what your born into, and it wouldnt be fair to ban a breed and she was pointing out its already being done in apartment complex areas and i was clarifying the state ban their trying to do

I know I was also just expanding on my point as well. :D i think that banning breeds of dogs is idiotic in general. as usual it's education that people need not lets just ban it because most of them are dangerous. I think that is stupid.

if it was only one incedent I could see it..

BUt it is more than one- and it is not that they bit- ALL dogs have the potential to bite-

it is the way they bite..

I am for banning uncertified "PIT bulls"
not pure bread stafs-- very different breed of dogs here-

PIT BULLS are dangerous and unpredictable dogs- they ARE NOT a recognised breed of the AKC or any other affiliate.

PIT bull breeding is what does them in-- it is NOT how they are raised-

you say you have 'good" dogs-

I have seen a "pit" who was hand raised- german command trained, raised with children her whole life- snap and bite almost 1/2 a 2 yrs old face off-
she had to have so far 15 surgeries- 1,000 of stitches and more surgeries to correct her face.
this PIT BULL broke the little girls jaw, fractured her cheek bone tore her eye socked where her eye ball was hanging loose... it took a shot to the dogs head- with the little girls face locked in it's jaws to get her face out of his mouth..

I will never let any child and I will never go around any dog I think even remotely looks like a pit bull..

oh and for owners that claim they have pit bulls- double check your homeowners or renters policies- since many will not cover bites from a pitbull...

I dog bite can result in thousands and thousands of dollars in damamges--

the littel girl I mentioned her parents sued- the owners even with homeowners insurance- lost thier house and was forced to pay 1.5 million in damages.


Thats very sad and I'm truly sorry to hear that, but I do feel that a dog won't bite unless provoked. I myself was in a situation very similar to that lil girl you referred to. When I was 4 I was bit by the nicest pit in the world. And its not b/c she just up and decided to attack me, I was playing with her, waving a zip tie in the air, trying to get her to bit it, well i waved it in front of my face right as she went to bite the zip tie. Obviously she bit me in the face and I had to have numerous facial reconstructive surgeries, nearly lost my eye, and now have some facial nerve damage. But even with this, I still love pits and believe that had I not provoked the situation it never would have happened. Any dog can bit tho, ( I was bit in the ankle by a chihuahua while riding my bike... mean little fucker....) However just b/c one dog does it doesn't mean the whole breed should be punished. A lot of dog bit stories never make the news b/c its a dog with a good rep. However many of the stories that are on the news the dogs aren't even pits... they look similar to pits/pit mixes and their for are classified with the breed....

I find it funny how a lot of people who don't want their pit/larger dog generalized.........seem to turn the table (in defense of "bad" breeds) and start generalizing other SMALLER breeds of dogs in the process.

For example.........saying something like "little dogs bite more".....or "dachshunds are the worst ones". Those are just as much of a generalization:pukey

Just something I've noticed and don't understand:dunno

And b/c everyone else posted their pits/ pit mixes, I thought i'd add mine...
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c113/dotb182/Pets/IMG_1140.jpg

you know the women who got the first face transplant was actually attacked by a lab

I find it funny how a lot of people who don't want their pit/larger dog generalized.........seem to turn the table (in defense of "bad" breeds) and start generalizing other SMALLER breeds of dogs in the process.

For example.........saying something like "little dogs bite more".....or "dachshunds are the worst ones". Those are just as much of a generalization:pukey

Just something I've noticed and don't understand:dunno

that I have noticed too. Also i have a mini schnauzer and a mini doxie, when you mention either of those breeds to people they always have something negative to say about the breed. you can't win either way.

if the banning of pitts happened the mixes would just be registered as their other mix like our dogs registered as a lab mix and the brindle could be from a staffordshire terrier ;)

I didn't read this whole thread but I wanted to add my 2 cents on the OP.

I don't think there are bad breeds. I do think there are bad dogs and they are that way for whatever reason. Bad treatment, trained who knows.

I'm one of those people though that regardless of the breed if I don't know the dog I'm cautious

if the banning of pitts happened the mixes would just be registered as their other mix like our dogs registered as a lab mix and the brindle could be from a staffordshire terrier ;)

:yes I've been trying to convince db about renting out our house so we could get a bigger place, but around here its hard b/c so many places have breed restrictions, I told him fine we'll just hide the fact that she's half pit, and when we are asked, we'll only tell them lab..

I find it funny how a lot of people who don't want their pit/larger dog generalized.........seem to turn the table (in defense of "bad" breeds) and start generalizing other SMALLER breeds of dogs in the process.

For example.........saying something like "little dogs bite more".....or "dachshunds are the worst ones". Those are just as much of a generalization:pukey

Just something I've noticed and don't understand:dunno

i dont, all breeds have the good and bad in the bunch I've met some nice ones and some mean ones

if the banning of pitts happened the mixes would just be registered as their other mix like our dogs registered as a lab mix and the brindle could be from a staffordshire terrier ;)

exactly. we have no clue what oreo is, more than likely there is some pit in her. because honestly any mixed breed can have pit in them. but her mom was a collie, so she is considered a collie mix.

:yes I've been trying to convince db about renting out our house so we could get a bigger place, but around here its hard b/c so many places have breed restrictions, I told him fine we'll just hide the fact that she's half pit, and when we are asked, we'll only tell them lab..

reeses papers say lab mix since we got him from the pound and lab is the dominent gene (they dont know since he was a stray)but you can see the pitt when you look at him long enough, also i think the pounds sometimes suspect but dont say anything since they want to find them good homes

Thats very sad and I'm truly sorry to hear that, but I do feel that a dog won't bite unless provoked. I myself was in a situation very similar to that lil girl you referred to. When I was 4 I was bit by the nicest pit in the world. And its not b/c she just up and decided to attack me, I was playing with her, waving a zip tie in the air, trying to get her to bit it, well i waved it in front of my face right as she went to bite the zip tie. Obviously she bit me in the face and I had to have numerous facial reconstructive surgeries, nearly lost my eye, and now have some facial nerve damage. But even with this, I still love pits and believe that had I not provoked the situation it never would have happened. Any dog can bit tho, ( I was bit in the ankle by a chihuahua while riding my bike... mean little fucker....) However just b/c one dog does it doesn't mean the whole breed should be punished. A lot of dog bit stories never make the news b/c its a dog with a good rep. However many of the stories that are on the news the dogs aren't even pits... they look similar to pits/pit mixes and their for are classified with the breed....

You are my hero. You are the ONLY person that I've met (even if it's just online) that has had a bad experience with a pit and doesn't hold it against the entire breed. :hugehug

Don't some places now go so far as to ask for DNA testing of the dogs mix. With today's technology it's hard to always get away with it.

Here's my baby, Brownie.
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/ibaprcsangel3/Our%20Babies/Brownieoutside2.jpg

i've never been intimidated by a large dog just small dogs. in my experience the little ones are the dogs that feel they are big dogs in little bodies or whatever. also to the person that said a dog won't bite unless provoked that is very true.

reeses papers say lab mix since we got him from the pound and lab is the dominent gene (they dont know since he was a stray)but you can see the pitt when you look at him long enough, also i think the pounds sometimes suspect but dont say anything since they want to find them good homes

I think some pounds do that, but I also think some pounds will say it's a pit mix in case the dog ends up attacking someone, it won't be on the pound, KWIM? They'll just say they knowingly adopted a pit and you can't hold it against us.

I think some pounds do that, but I also think some pounds will say it's a pit mix in case the dog ends up attacking someone, it won't be on the pound, KWIM? They'll just say they knowingly adopted a pit and you can't hold it against us.
When i adopted reeses you sign a contract saying they dont gaurantee health or temperment of your dog though

Here's my baby, Brownie.
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/ibaprcsangel3/Our%20Babies/Brownieoutside2.jpg

Omg! Brownie is adorable!!!

You are my hero. You are the ONLY person that I've met (even if it's just online) that has had a bad experience with a pit and doesn't hold it against the entire breed. :hugehug

Nah theres no way I'd hold that incident against the breed, I mean its not like the dog was trying to hurt me ( It was my aunts dog and I grew up with it) also as soon as it heard me scream it stoped and laid its head in my lap whining... Why hate some thing soo sweet... however the chihuahua that bit my ankle a few years ago.. its lucky I didn't kick it ( literally) back into its yard..

i found my contract

i undersigned hereby acknowlege reciept of this animal described above and hereby release the country of nevada from all responsibility in connection herewith including, but not limited to, any liability for any future damages or injuries cause by this animal

the second one says
I aknowlege that the county of nevada makes no representation or gaurantees regarding health,age or temperment of this animal

so you couldn't hold it against them theyre experienced :p

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=10266652

:tears:tears

i've never been intimidated by a large dog just small dogs. in my experience the little ones are the dogs that feel they are big dogs in little bodies or whatever. also to the person that said a dog won't bite unless provoked that is very true.
I don't agree with that at all!

My aunt had her husky latch onto her hand one day over food and nothing more. Totally out of the blue and the dog had never done that before.

My mother has a border collie that is the sweetest thing ever until it comes to her food. She has never bitten anyone but my mother has to practically throw her food dish at her, so her hand won't get bit:no

My oldest son was bitten in the face by a cocker spaniel....over food. My inlaws who owned him were bitten several times over food!

When we lived in Maryland our neighbors basset hound ran up and out of the damn blue bit my sons stomach. We had just come outside and my son had not even so much as looked at that dog:no

I was bitten as a child too. He was an older dog who had never bitten once in his entire life. He bit my face within a second flat and I required stitches. No one saw that coming out of that "sweet dog" who had NEVER bitten prior.

i've never been intimidated by a large dog just small dogs. in my experience the little ones are the dogs that feel they are big dogs in little bodies or whatever. also to the person that said a dog won't bite unless provoked that is very true.

i totally agree.
my mom has two jack russels and they think they are large enough to take on the world!(the vet even said that)

they wont hesistate to bite or nip at your legs and feet where as my dog lilly (who is lab mixed and rather large)is the biggest baby of the 3.

I don't agree with that at all!

My aunt had her husky latch onto her hand one day over food and nothing more. Totally out of the blue and the dog had never done that before.

My mother has a border collie that is the sweetest thing ever until it comes to her food. She has never bitten anyone but my mother has to practically throw her food dish at her, so her hand won't get bit:no

My oldest son was bitten in the face by a cocker spaniel....over food. My inlaws who owned him were bitten several times over food!

When we lived in Maryland our neighbors basset hound ran up and out of the damn blue bit my sons stomach. We had just come outside and my son had not even so much as looked at that dog:no

I was bitten as a child too. He was an older dog who had never bitten once in his entire life. He bit my face within a second flat and I required stitches. No one saw that coming out of that "sweet dog" who had NEVER bitten prior.

Just an observation ( in general). Many dogs are very territorial when it comes to their food, and is a habit that is hard to break when they get older, its something that they must be broken of when they are young.

Just an observation ( in general). Many dogs are very territorial when it comes to their food, and is a habit that is hard to break when they get older, its something that they must be broken of when they are young.

I was just trying to prove that not all dog bites are "provoked" ones. Sometimes dogs can bite over territorial reasons alone.........food being a huge factor.

Just an observation ( in general). Many dogs are very territorial when it comes to their food, and is a habit that is hard to break when they get older, its something that they must be broken of when they are young.

yep food is a huge issue for a lot of dogs especially shelter/rescue dogs!

especially stray dogs who had to fight for what they eat I dunno how reeses survived he just rolls over when you touch his food bowl

Being provoked and having a reason to bite (ie, over food) are along the same lines, IMO.

especially stray dogs who had to fight for what they eat I dunno how reeses survived he just rolls over when you touch his food bowl

Brownie just looks at you like "why are you touching my food, I'm hungry damnit!" :lol

Being provoked and having a reason to bite (ie, over food) are along the same lines, IMO.

:yes Exactly IMO being territorial over things like food is somethign that can be prevented with the proper training. By not having proper training its just as bad as provoking it..

I tested reeses at the shelter because i didnt want to take him home and have him bite athena when she started crawling and getting into everything, he rolled right over like please dont hurt me he also hides from other dogs a lil doxie scared him the other day while we were walking although he does have nice taste in standard sized french poodles lol

Being provoked and having a reason to bite (ie, over food) are along the same lines, IMO.

:yes plus there are things that can be done even as an adult dog to help curb the aggression with food. but it takes a lot of work and training. and it's something that has to be done for the rest of their lives.

:yes plus there are things that can be done even as an adult dog to help curb the aggression with food. but it takes a lot of work and training. and it's something that has to be done for the rest of their lives.

yup your supposed to make them sit and wait for you to put the food bowl down and then for you to give the command that its ok to eat, it helps them learn that your the one who brings the food

aka "don't bite the hand that feeds you"

I think it's called Nothing is free in life, or nothing in life is free I can't remember. but that is what you are supposed to do for everything, the leash, food treats you name it.

And a lot of people don't take the time to train their dogs, which is sad.

There's ALWAYS a reason a dog bites or attacks, you just don't always know it. I don't believe for a second that a dog attacks for no reason. Just like I don't believe people murder "just cuz"

And a lot of people don't take the time to train their dogs, which is sad.

There's ALWAYS a reason a dog bites or attacks, you just don't always know it. I don't believe for a second that a dog attacks for no reason. Just like I don't believe people murder "just cuz"

oh yea, i murder just cuz....i killed jay leno what now?

I was just trying to prove that not all dog bites are "provoked" ones. Sometimes dogs can bite over territorial reasons alone.........food being a huge factor.

Yes, but to the dog that is provocation. You can't look at these situations through human logic/emotion - you have to look at them through the eyes and logic (instinct) of the DOG!

I was just trying to prove that not all dog bites are "provoked" ones. Sometimes dogs can bite over territorial reasons alone.........food being a huge factor.

This is true. My male cattle dog will give you ZERO warning before he bites, he just does it out of nowhere. He's bitten the Vet quite a few time, and he never gives any warning that its going to happen. He's also bit the cable guy, and unfortunately a few kids who wouldn't stay out of his face. He's very good with kids, but he really doesn't like it if they get to close to his face or if they are running around him....makes him very very nervous. Its in a cattle dog's nature to "nip" my male dog sure isn't afraid to do it. We keep warning signs out our front door, and he isn't allowed to be left alone with children.

:hugs

I love my pit/lab mix Helo, but my mother freaks out that I have him she tries to blame everything on him. I am a bit of a clutz and I feel and broke my foot and she tried to tell me how is was Helo's fault because I was walking him at the time. Helo stood next to me until I was able to get up even though he had to go to the bathroom and wouldn't leave my side for hours.
We have more problems with my grandma's Chihauhua who bites everyone, he bit my 2 year old neice on the face completely unprovoked.
I have seen Helo be agressive twice, once with another dog because the dog charged at me (as soon as the other dog backed off Helo stood next to me and growled until the other dog was gone from view). Our upstairs neighbors used to fight a lot and the girl would beat the crap out of her boyfriend, and Helo saw it going on and he growled at her until she left him alone.
He will "play bite" as my DH calls it which is basically him putting your hand in his mouth (his teeth next actually touch you) and then he moves his tounge around. I think it's because when he was a baby we used to rub his tounge and he likes it, so if you dont do it he will do it for you.

I always thought that pits were originally bred for killing lions or something. But, I just read that pits were bred as bait dogs for bulls. Once bull baiting became illegal, that's when people started fighting them.

http://www.badrap.org/rescue/breed.cfm

I agree to a point. Pit bulls are in fact a more aggressive breed though, just like rotts, german shepards etc. No they arent all bad, but they have more of a tendency to get that way than say.. a golden retriever.

Pit bulls have a higher passing rate for the American Temperament Test than Goldens do. It's not by much, but it's still higher.

http://www.atts.org/index.html

I think people are mean and scared of any dog that looks a certain way. People have crossed and said mean things about our American bulldog because they think she looks kinda like a pit, and they have also crossed the street and said really terrible things about my lab mix. :shrug

pits are ANIMAL aggressive not PEOPLE aggressive. they are more likely to attack another animal rather than a person!

I just saw this thread and you are so right. I have a pit...she is my babylove! I saved her from the humane society and she is 4 years old. She was obviously fought because her teeth between her I teeth are filed down, she has scars all over her and is blind in her right eye. Before we addopted her she had puppies and they all died )-8 Here she is. I have NEVER seen her be aggresive and if you were to come into my home like so many have before she would walk right over to you and lay her head on you. Does that mean I trust her with babies crawling on the floor...HELL NO I dont trust any dog really with kids.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c280/kyleydill05/0810071821.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c280/kyleydill05/ASUApartmentBirthday195.jpg

DAD YOUR CHOKING ME LOL

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c280/kyleydill05/ASUApartmentBirthday192.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c280/kyleydill05/ASUApartmentBirthday201.jpg

In the end all I do know is that I'd rather see a toy poodle (with a low jaw strength) coming at the lower half of my body, than some large dog (with powerful ass jaws) coming at my top half or face.

I am one of the ones who is admittedly scared of dogs......ALL dogs really (that I don't know)but especially large dogs:dunno I just don't want to be around them.....AT ALL:dunno Maybe it does come from my childhood experience:dunno

ETA that I'm not afraid of my own dogs........just larger dogs

on a dog forum i'm on they showed the bit force of a rott, a german shepard, and a pitt. i believe the rott had the highest bite force.
just wanted to put that out there for one.

also wanted to say that i never pass judgement on a dog before i encounter or interact with that specific dog. if you remember a while back me complaining about my neighbor's dog almost jumping over the fence at buddy? well, dh was working on finishing the fence and he was in the very back corner and that dog pushed a hole through the old rotting fence trying to bite his face off. i DO NOT like that dog. i think it's a vicous dog. i know, i know, "give it a chance" but see, i can't give it a chance. i can't get close enough to the dog to give it a chance. at any rate, all i have to do now is deal with the barking as our fence is finished.

but, like i said, i don't judge a dog until i've interacted with it. i can't in my job because sometimes, i'm the only one there to do a bath, and therefore i'm forced to bathe this dog weather i like the breed or not. we have some awesome pitts, we have some bad pitts. we have great golden retrievers, we have no awful golden retrievers. hell, we have some amazing cocker spaniels, but most of them are evil dogs when being groomed :giggle (this coming from a girl who owns a cocker) i don't judge by breed, i judge by dog, and only after i've interacted with that dog.