Despite reputation, trained pit bulls can be wonderful pets, experts say (?)

San Fran Chron ^ | June 4 05 | San Fran Chronicle

[churchillbuff]

Pit bull terriers may be one of the most controversial breeds around, but they are also one of the most misunderstood by the public, dog experts said Friday in the wake of the fatal mauling of a 12-year-old boy in San Francisco.

If bred and trained properly, pit bulls can be wonderful pets, experts said. If there is a lack of stability, though, they have the proclivity and ability to inflict serious damage.

[endthematrix]

I agree overly agressivene (and submissive) temperaments are an undesirable trait, bad luck. I favor culling in extreme cases and sterilization to keep a standard.

[dervish]

"The problem with pit bulls is that their "trip wire" for reversion to feral status is much more sensitive than any other breed capable of killing a human. (Discounting the ever-annoying chihuahua and other harmless breeds.)"

Where is your evidence for this alleged "trip wire"?

"In the case of the pit bull, however, dogs that showed aggressiveness towards other dogs and humans weren't killed - they were, in fact, the ones that were revered."

Wrong. Fighting dogs were not allowed to be people aggressive or they could not be handled in training or the ring.

One more question. How manty Pit Bulls have you actually known in real life?

[dervish]

"American Staffordshire Terrier and American Pit B ull Terrier are NOT the same breed. Check with UKC and AKC."

You are mistaken. They are the same breed. The same dog may be dual registered.

[This Just In]

I would agree with your assumptions.

In our neighborhood there was a young, single man that owned 2 pit bulls. He'd go jogging with his dogs, but never put them on leashes. Judging by the fact that the dogs never listened when he'd command them to come, and the fact that the animals would be running around the town at all hours of the day, he wasn't a very responsible owner.

Although the dogs ran around, they never attacked me or my children. By comparison, an owner living a block from us had a German Shepard in a fenced yard. One day, while a close friend was walking her Dachshund that huge dog jumped the fence and mauled her dog. Their pet received stitches as a result of the attack. Just a couple of days later the very same dog attacked a girl. The owners finally gave the dog to the animal shelter.

We never read about the attacks in the paper.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

"Yes, let's keep something as a pet that can eat children."

Your car can commit mass murder.

[justche]

I had to re-read this, because I started to write nearly the same thing a couple of hours ago. We've always had lab mixes, I now have a German Sherperd. So I'm not a lapdog person.

I've had several talks with parents and the kids next door. My dog is wonderful, she's socialized, she's fairly well trained, but she's a dog, she shouldn't be teased, and they shouldn't come into my yard without me with them. I hope the poster so insistent that his (her?) dog is amazingly well behaved and not a ticking time bomb, gets to continue that line of thinking. But I wouldn't risk my child EVER being around a pitty. Not ever, not even a mix, and it's offended friends that I won't go visit or allow to my house.

I'll be teaching my daughter proper gun safety. I'll also teach her the same thing my dad did "when you pick up a gun, your intention is to kill someone, not harm them, not scare them. Your intention is to shoot them dead, so you don't pick it up to play with it, EVER." That respect can't be taught about an animal that has been bred to kill. That might jump over a neighbor's fence when they aren't home, or while walking in front of a yard on the way to or from home. I think we should do what Australia is doing, mandatory de-sexing, breed it out of existence.

[mother22wife21]

Now that's an idea whose time has come.

[Treader]

The one obvious fact that was bypassed by every pitt bull lover on this thread is that 12 year old boy died, from being mauled by a FAMILY PET PITT BULL! Just a random accident? A 4 yr. old niece of mine had her scalp ripped off to where it covered her face, and the pitt was packing her around by her skull. It took 17 operations over 11 yrs to return her face and scalp to a decent sense of recovery. I have owned and worked with many dogs over the last 50 yrs. My first pony ride was on a military police german shepherd on Guam. I have owned 3 labs, 1 border, 1 red & 1 tri queensland heeler, 1 golden, 1 wiemaraner and 1 german shorthair. I have worked with dogs, basically all of my life. My current dog, Jack, is a 1yr old yellow lab. Over the years, I have met many pitt bulls, some fighting dogs and some supposed pets. Some of these pitts did not survive our encounter. I would venture to say that I know more about the bad side of this breed than anyone on this thread. These dogs have no business in human society. None, other than fighting other dogs for profit. You idiots that keep these killers as pets, need a long hard reality check.

[GladesGuru]

"don't leave powerful dogs unsupervised with small children/weak adults just as you wouldn't leave a gun lying around"

Wrong! The literature on Irish Wolfhounds goes back to early Norse Saga, and to early Roman reports. Those dogs were known to be of immense size. For example, according to the Roman author, the dogs could look a Roman in the eye while on all four feet. They were so large that they were the "wonder of all Rome".

And the same dogs were also remarkably gentle. Which one might, at first glance assume to be strange for a dog bred for killing wolves and kept as a war dog. Medieval military texts considered a wolf hound equal to two men at arms.

But any such dogs that turned on people would have been killed, as another post so accurately said. Check the Saga for the King's wolfhound that killed a wolf which entered place where the King''s baby rested. The King returned, saw blood everywhere, and killed his hound with his sword, only to find, too late, that the source of the blood was the dead wolf.

I have had three of these enormous dogs All were gentle, superb around people, and also could detect by body language those who meant me harm.

Please note that this is the result of thousands of years of selection for such characteristics. The Irish wolfhound's ability to detect bad intentioned people is the carefully selected ability to read, and react to, subtle differences in body language.

Just like wolves react to the subtle body language of an ill or injured animal. Genetic engineering isn't something discovered in our generation. We found how to manipulate DNA. Earlier generations had to breed for characteristics we are about to be able to directly inject into an organisms DNA.

Alas, playing G*d does require assuming the responsibilities of such acts And therein lies the danger of DNA games - who has divine wisdom?

[OpusatFR]

They aren't all bad. My neighbor had one that just loved me. Of course, it did attack my dog.

[Ditter]

This is the most damning anti pit bull article I have ever read but the pit lovers are probably already refuting it.

[John Robertson]

I'm not backing off on my general feeling about the breed, but I have learned that: Every breed is different, unique; and, within that breed, every dog is a unique personality. And, no matter the breed, most of them are better than most people. And when they die, it's one of the saddest days you'll ever have. Sorry.

[John Robertson]

A great response, and spot on, from where I sit.

Get ready to take cover.

[John Robertson]

Brilliant.

That may be the best pit bull apologist slapdown I have ever read here.

[John Robertson]

Spot on.

[John Robertson]

Sir, your passion and loyalty are appreciated and saluted.

But please understand that if the "anecdotal evidence" one has on pits is, they have shredded my foot, mauled all the animals in the neighborhood, and terrorized children...then it amounts to circumstantial evidence. Quite sound, legally--and intellectually.

[ryan71]

"Don't blame the animals. They only know what they're taught."

Right, and they've been taught to kill for many, many years. Bread for it, actually. Just like a race horse is bread to run.

"Do you blame guns when criminals use them?"

No, I don't blame guns (or SUV's) since they are inanimate objects. Pit bulls, however, are living, breathing, unpredictable animals.

I would not have a pit bull in my family.

[John Robertson]

Thank you for your strong response, borne of a lifetime of first-hand experience. You will be attacked, of course, but they will just be proving your points.

[Lazamataz]

Artificially-created deadly asps may be one of the most controversial breeds around, but they are also one of the most misunderstood by the public, snake experts said Friday in the wake of the fatal biting of a 12-year-old boy in San Francisco.

When can I own one of these?

After all, it's not the breed. It's the owner.

[armymarinemom]

After working in an OR for around 20 years I can honestly say that the human I saw with the most lacerations still living was inflicted by a family pet. The sweet PitBbull that had always loved the family tried to maul Grandpa to death.