“About 20 percent of dogs in ASPCA shelters are pit mixes.”
Around here, I’d say it’s more like 60%
shoot, I was hoping this would be a Sarah Palin thread!
Pits are great dogs, and every dog was bred for a purpose.
I have noticed around here that many many people have pits or pit mixes. Most of them are whatever we call Yuppies these days, well dressed, out walking them, taking them to dog parks etc. I wondered why, with all the bad press, and it occurred to me. These days it’s trendy to rescue a dog from the shelter, having a purebred is not *enlightened* enough in our new *green* culture. And, if you go to the shelters, they are bursting at the seams with pits and pit crosses.
Having said that, I’ve not met one yet that was anything other than a typical nice dog.
This is about the first year I can remember that no pits wandered up to my door looking for rescue. (Maybe the toy poodle mix scares them off)
The American Straffordshire Terrier is a wonderful dog. Unfortunately, as you rightly point out, owners have them for all the wrong reasons.
When well cared for ( as is true for most breeds) they are loving, protective, and extremely loyal. When trained by dog fighting organizations, drug dealers, and other idiots they are overly agressive and fearsome.
I say shoot all the bad owners. Handles mulitple problems with a single solution
I read a book by Temple Grandin: Animals Make Us Human.
In it she notes that Pitbulls, once called Nanny Dogs, were bred to fight other animals, but not people. Over the last 10 years or so, owners have been selectively breeding for a wariness and readiness to attack people.
I don’t trust them.
There’s no such thing as a schnoodle. Ms. Raymond has a mutt named Turk.
So happy to see a well-balanced article on “pit bulls”. I have a mix - he’s a sweetheart. The perfect dog for old ladies, babies, toddlers and cats (the group with which he was raised). It has taken time and work to minimize his dog agression, but he has made dramatic progress in that area. I know he can be dog agressive and I manage that very carefully when I have him in public. He is NEVER without his lead and a person who knows how to manage the situation if he is to be around other dogs.
My stepdaughter has a lhasa apso that is far more dog agressive than my pit mix. Its funny to watch them together because my guy knows he isn’t allowed to murder that annoying little dog - he tolerates the agression for awhile and then he simply lays down on the annoying little sneak.
You might find this of interest
RDO Woof
What else do you want us to give up to make you feel better?
What size of pistol do you carry so i can be sure I don’t get one larger...just so you can feel confident in being around me.
What is the HP of your car, so I will make sure mine does not growl louder and blow your doors off...so you can feel happy around me.
What is the size of your husband’s unit, so I can go to a surgeon to have mine reduced...so you don’t feel quite as unfulfilled.
Or, better, yet, accept that you are a control freak and you are never going to get your way, then crawl out from under your rock and live life the way God meant...minding your own business and leave me and my pit, and my guns, and my vehicle, and my unit alone.