Protect your pet from being labeled "Bad Breed"

THERE is a knock at the door. A uniformed official says he has come to take your dog. The dog has done nothing wrong, but his breed has been outlawed in the town where you live. You've had this dog since he was a puppy. He is obedience-trained, licensed and vaccinated. He never runs loose. He has never bitten anybody. And you love him. But it's bye-bye, Buffy, if he's the "wrong" breed.

All over this country - and in Allegheny County - owners of pit bull terriers and rottweilers have been ordered to get rid of them or have them seized by authorities. Now, a small but feisty group called American Dog Owners Association Inc. is battling officials on many fronts to put an end to this madness. The current battleground is Buffalo Grove, Ill., where both breeds are targeted.

Municipal officials don't ban any breed, outright. They just impose rules that the average pet owner can't live with: 8-foot fences, licenses that cost hundreds of dollars per year, proof of $500,000 in liability insurance. "Breed-specific" laws come in response to fear. A couple of well-publicized attacks, and the push is on to ban a breed.

So you say you don't like pit bulls or rottweilers and you would never own one. It's still your fight. They might come after your breed next, especially if it's a breed designed for guard and attack duties. On the local front, those of us who own and love Labrador retrievers should hug them tightly and donate generously to the ADOA. America's most popular purebred dog is also one of the top biters.

In 1995 - the last time I checked bites by breed - Labrador retrievers were No. 3 on the Allegheny County Health Department list. Labs logged 60 bites - right behind the 73 bites reported for pit bulls. German shepherds were No. 1 with 84 bites. There are no bad breeds. There are bad and irresponsible dog owners. There are bad and vicious dogs. Elected officials should go after them. The ADOA will help them devise laws to do so.

The association does not condone or defend bad dogs or their owners. They support laws requiring licenses and vaccinations. They are opposed to dogs running loose. Their main goal is "to promote, protect and defend responsible dog ownership."

"If your breed is banned, the ADOA has no legal standing to help you unless you are a member. And though the group has proved you CAN fight city hall, the cost is high - $20,000 to $30,000 for a full-fledged court fight. The group needs more members and cash donations. "

Their address is 1654 Columbia Turnpike, Castleton, NY 12033. Or check out their Web site, which includes an online membership form, at

No one bats a thousand, but the ADOA has won in court - usually because proposed legislation violates existing federal and state statutes. The group prefers to avert bad laws before they are put on the books. Pennsylvania has a very good "dangerous dog" law that arms local officials with effective remedies against dogs that bite and dogs that fight.

And Pennsylvania is one of 12 states that has laws specifically banning "breed-specific" legislation.

There are 52.9 million pet dogs in this country, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Most of us have done nothing as dogs lost ground: breeds banned, dogs banned from parks and limits placed on the number of dogs we can own.

We could learn a lesson from what the National Rifle Association has accomplished with big membership rolls, generous donations and well-paid lobbyists. They fight effectively for everyone's "right" to own guns that maim and kill more people than dogs ever could.

Thanks very much, Varda.

If they were selecting for unusual instinct of this kind the breed in general would have this trait.

That is why I asked the question I asked about the "killer" instinct. I define instinct a bit narrower than most folks, and don't use the term synonomously with trait. (wrong as it might be) Although traits and instinctive behavior are both genetic, I think of instinct as specie behavior on the whole. Bees dance and bats echo-locate; something they cannot avoid. At any rate, I believe I understand what Jeff is saying now about killer instinct.

This would mean that owners of PB could never own more than one dog at a time because they couldn't safely put them with another dog.

Exactly. I shouldn't be, but am always surprised by the number of people who believe pitbulls come into the world as "natural born killers." The truly sad part is the ignorance on both sides. A lot of good hearted souls as well as the scum that dogfight really believe this.

Jeff, I thought this might help also, it's from the UKC web sight. Note how it specifically states that the American Pit Bull Terrier is good with children and people, making excellent family dogs and somewhat explains where the dog came from (notice it doesn't say anything about being a killer!).

Sometime during the nineteenth century, dog fanciers in England, Ireland, and Scotland began to experiment with crosses between Bulldogs and Terriers, looking for a dog that combined the gameness of the terrier with the strength and athleticism of the Bulldog. The result was a dog that embodied all of the virtues attributed to great warriors: strength, indomitable courage, and gentleness with loved ones. Immigrants brought these bull and terrier crosses to the United States. The American Pit Bull Terrier's many talents did not go unnoticed by farmers and ranchers who used their APBTs for protection, as catch dogs for semi-wild cattle and hogs, to hunt, to drive livestock, and as family companions. Today, the American Pit Bull Terrier continues to demonstrate its versatility, competing successfully in Obedience, Tracking, Agility, Protection, and Weight Pulls, as well as Conformation.
The United Kennel Club was the first registry to recognize the American Pit Bull Terrier. U.K.C. founder C. Z. Bennett assigned U.K.C. registration number 1 to his own APBT, Bennett's Ring in 1898.

GENERAL APPEARANCE

The American Pit Bull Terrier is a medium-sized, solidly built, short-coated dog with smooth, well-defined musculature. This breed is both powerful and athletic. The body is just slightly longer than tall, but bitches may be somewhat longer in body than dogs. The length of the front leg (measured from point of elbow to the ground) is approximately equal to one-half of the dog's height at the withers. The head is of medium length, with a broad, flat skull, and a wide, deep muzzle. Ears are small to medium in size, high set, and may be natural or cropped. The relatively short tail is set low, thick at the base and tapers to a point. The American Pit Bull Terrier comes in all colors and color patterns. This breed combines strength and athleticism with grace and agility and should never appear bulky or muscle-bound or fine-boned and rangy.

CHARACTERISTICS

The essential characteristics of the American Pit Bull Terrier are strength, confidence, and zest for life. This breed is eager to please and brimming over with enthusiasm. APBTs make excellent family companions and have always been noted for their love of children. Because most APBTs exhibit some level of dog aggression and because of its powerful physique, the APBT requires an owner who will carefully socialize and obedience train the dog. The breed's natural agility makes it one of the most capable canine climbers so good fencing is a must for this breed. The APBT is not the best choice for a guard dog since they are extremely friendly, even with strangers. Aggressive behavior toward humans is uncharacteristic of the breed and highly undesirable. This breed does very well in performance events because of its high level of intelligence and its willingness to work.
The American Pit Bull Terrier has always been capable of doing a wide variety of jobs so exaggerations or faults should be penalized in proportion to how much they interfere with the dog's versatility.

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