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.

[John Robertson]

Thank you!

People seem to think any short-haired dog in an old photo is a pit bull!

[nvcdl]

I don't believe pitbulls were breed to be aggresive as much as they were breed to not "quit" ie: be "game" in a fight.

I find most of the nice dogs in my neighborhood are more aggresive them my APBT.

I think "pit bulls" are not for everyone but they are a great dogs.

[endthematrix]

An American Staffordshire Terrier named Stubby earned the rank of Sergeant and was the most decorated dog of World War I.

[redangus]

I had a friend who brother owned a Pit. Let it play with his 6 year old daughter. Said it was a wonderful pet, until it attacked the little girl when she came home from school one day. Thankfully her mother was home and got her in the shed and locked the door. The dog kept up the attack as she called her husband on the cell. He came home and the dog attacked him when he tried to get out of truck. He got back in and grabbed his .45 and put three bullets in the dog.

They had owned the dog for 6 years since it was a pup. Did my friend learn from this experience? No he bought an Akita, took it through the whole training thing, and it still attacked a little boy in his driveway as he was holding the leash, talking to the parents. It cost him a bundle, not to mention the cost of an expensive dog that had to be put down.

So while any dog can do unpredictable things some breeds, those bred to be fighters(pits)or guards(Akitas, rotts, chows) seem to be walking timebombs and should probably only be owned by specialists like the police and armed forces where there breeding could be put to good use.

[nvcdl]

Didn't insult me but it can be easy to get emotional about a dog - especialy a great "pit bull" - they have personality that I've never seen in other dogs.

I'm still upset that my 11yo male amstaff (AKC version of a pitbull) died last winter. He was a very sweet dog tho I have no doubt that he would defend my family to his dying breath.

[sinkspur]

This whole "I gotta have a dog that's dangerous" thing says more about the owner than about the dog.

I've got a neighbor who owns an Akita and a Lab.

I asked him once why he didn't get a cocker or a some other smaller dog.

With a straight face, he said "'Cause the Akita would kill it."

[sinkspur]

Your love of your dogs is admirable, but pits are ticking time bombs.

As for their "personality"--have you told your insurance carrier that you own a pit? Some insurance companies in Texas won't offer a homeowner's policy to a pit owner.

[ApplegateRanch]

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

For that matter, since some seem to be confused, neither are the English & American Bull Terrier a "pit bull".

The Staff is basicly a Pit bull that has has been ruthlessly back-breed for better temperament, while retaining the other Pit characteristics, much like the modern Dobbie.

And, as aside to some others here, unlike SUVs & guns, animals can and do "drive" and "fire" themselves.

[endthematrix]

"This whole "I gotta have a dog that's dangerous" thing says more about the owner than about the dog."

Sink, you gotta say that...you own bichons!

[This Just In]

Perhaps it was the owners who were at fault. After all, they owned two different breeds.

We've raise pit bulls our entire lives growing up and NEVER had one incident, other than the occasional accident on the carpet. Our dogs were very social around people, but good watch dogs. Of course, we'd be very careful when they were around strange dogs, but never fought amongst each other.

[nvcdl]

It sounds like your friend has really bad luck or perhaps is doing something wrong.

I supose we could ban all powerful dogs.

[sinkspur]

Sink, you gotta say that...you own bichons!

Well, I'm not embarrassed or ashamed to own bichons. They're wonderful dogs, easily trained, and aren't a danger to anything.

I would never own an unpredictable dog, and pits are as unpredictable as the weather.

[sinkspur]

I supose we could ban all powerful dogs.

Don't ban them. Neuter them. Soon, the breed would be gone.

[redangus]

I'm afraid that kind of sums up my friend. He was a well educated person with common sense except when it came to 'TY'. He was your typical thin, small, intellectual, Walter Mitty type guy who used to brag that he could walk through his neighborhood and no other dog would leave its yard as they walked by.

The dog knew me very well. I was there when they brought him home. Played with him, petted him and fed him for 3 years and he still wouldn't let me in the front door unless Joe put him on a leash.

[Brimack34]

Put them on the border.

[ExtremeUnction]

If there is a lack of stability, though, they have the proclivity and ability to inflict serious damage.

Destroy them.

[endthematrix]

Uh, they are one and the same. The two registries had different names.

http://www.akc.org/breeds/american_staffordshire_terrier/index.cfm

"As the breed moved to America the names Pitdog and Pitbull Terrier stuck. However, American breeders wanted an animal heavier than the British breed, hence the name American Staffordshire Terrier. This is the breed commonly referred to a Pit Bull." (AKC)

"In 1898, Chauncy Bennet formed the UKC, a breed registry aimed solely at the registration and acceptance of pitbulls. The AKC had wanted nothing to do with pitbulls, so Bennet sought to create an organization that would represent the breed as performance dogs. Mr. Bennet added “American” and initially dropped “Pit” from the APBT’s name but public outcry let to “Pit” being added back to the name - thus the American Pit Bull Terrier."

http://dogs.about.com/cs/breedprofiles/a/pitbull_history.htm

http://www.ukcdogs.com/breeds/terriers/americanpitbullterrier.std.shtml

[nvcdl]

The Amstaff are breed for looks, temperment wise I don't think there is a big difference - neither is breed to be an attack dog.

All the breed specific bans on "Pit bulls" seem to include AmStaffs.

Bull Terrier and the little English Staffy Bull teerier have been banned as dangerous dogs in UK.

[Bombardier]

I've been a dog owner for 30+ years. My first dog was a Malamute, and she was one of the smartest dogs I've ever owned. Later, I had a Peke-a-poo, and he was pretty bright, too. A little terrier mix I had was just as sweet as could be, but not too easy to train (as terriers tend to be). Next was a nasty tempered Lhasa Apso.....I still have bite scars from him. After he passed on, I got another Lhasa, and he's as sweet natured and easy to handle as anything imagineable. This Lhasa had a little friend in a Yorkie Terrier, who was also a sweet dispositioned little dog....poor little guy had to be put to sleep a couple months ago for diabetes (he had a lot of internal damage from hyperglycemia). I just got a few days ago another Yorkie puppy, and he's a smart little guy....should be fun to train.

My point is this: I know dogs. I would trust most Rottweilers and many Dobermans. I'm cautious around Chows, but pits are one breed that I won't have a thing to do with. They're a grenade with the pin pulled, just waiting to go off, and they'll attack INSTINCTIVELY another dog in a heartbeat. It's what they were bred to do. My late Yorkie wasn't taught to chase squirrels and other rodents, it's what he was bred to do. My Lhasa is territorial because that was in his breeding. Any dog's instincts can be controlled TO A DEGREE, but cannot be suppressed. An instinct to kill is too dangerous to keep uncontrolled. Muzzles, heavy chains and reinforced kennels are all a sign that pits are dangerous animals, and should only be handled by those who will handle them properly. The shame is, most pits are owned by lowlife scum who either use them for fighting, or to guard a drug operation, or some other scroungy purpose. Those POSs value these animals precisely BECAUSE they're bred killers.

Now, can any real dog lover HONESTLY say he likes pit bulls? I've had my encounters with them, and I can truthfully say I wouldn't shed a tear if the entire breed were to go extinct. Breeding a dog for the express purpose of killing another dog is just plain wrong, and nothing anyone says can change that fact. Dogs are wonderful, loyal, loveable animals.....how anyone could be so twisted as to want to kill them for jollies and bet on it is just repugnant to me. Pit bulls are just an extension of that sickness.

[nvcdl]

Nueter all powerful dogs? You sound like a gun cointroller.

MD used to have a law that banned free blacks from owning guns and dogs. Same mentality