Posted on 01/26/2006 12:00:29 PM PST by iPod Shuffle
11-Month-Old Girl Loses Her Ear To A Pit Bull
(CBS) PALMDALE, Calif. An 11-month-old girl was in stable condition Wednesday but doctors were unable to reattach her ear that had been torn off when she was attacked by a pit bull, according to a Palmdale police lieutenant.
The girl was attacked by a 3- to 4-year-old male pit bull terrier at a home in the 2900 block of East Avenue R-13 about 1 p.m. Monday, according to the Antelope Valley Press.
The girl's injuries were mostly around her face, including a detached ear. That ear was shipped to UCLA Medical Center where doctors were going to try to reattach it, but were unable to, according to Lt. Don Ford of the Palmdale Station.
The infant was with her aunt who had gone to visit friends. The dog, who had had no problem with the girl on previous visits, attacked her without provocation. There had been no previous problems with the dog, Ford said.
The animal was euthanized at the Lancaster Animal Shelter.
Aren't they? They're not mine, but the picture was just too cute not to share...
Never said that. Having the same collar and a GSD, I know exactly what the collar does.
A neighbor walks a pit bull around, and everytime I see it my trigger finger twitches.
Phooey with you! You pointed out the collar and the 'spikes' on it... you said the collar plus the dog = monster dog. You're acting like the collar makes a dog a monster and that's just flat wrong.
If you don't like pit bulls, fine. Pinch collars, which you say you use, aren't some cruel thing or something used only with bad ass dogs, and you shouldn't have implied they are.
""You can trust a poodle more than a pitt, but both dogs will bite under similar circumstances. ""
No, they wouldn't.
Meaning that a pit bull (already known to be a troublesome breed) that requires such a collar is likely a monster dog.
I use that collar with my GSD when we go walking to keep her from walking me. I use that collar with neighbors' dogs I dog-sit because they need it (lack of discipline, won't listen otherwise). Pit bulls likely need that collar to keep them from chewing on peoples' necks, or biting the ears off of babies in this case.
See you in the next "pit bull attack" thread!
The explanation I've heard and believe is that pits as fighting dogs were bred to be easily handled by their human owners who needed to manage them in order to compete them.
People aggressive and dog aggressive are two different things. Terriers are all naturally dog aggressive. At conformation shows they stand terriers face to face to see them respond aggressively as part of the standard. I just saw on TV this Jack Russell competition chasing bait down a hole and they were all muzzled. Some would stop mid chase and attack the dog next to it muzzle and all. It was disgusting. Some sport.
The difference between today and a century ago is that today I would guess the macho criminal element breeds pits for people aggression. Pits were never meant as guard dogs and have no judgement for it. Unlike GS...
My dog is not evil.
Thank you.
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For the Love of Van, by Jane Lamar-Spicka (1947-2005)
Published in Urbanit Magazine, November 1999
"And in South Baltimore tonight, there was yet another dog-bite incident. A four-year-old child was viciously attacked by a neighbor’s Pit Bull. The child was rushed to Shock Trauma and listed in serious condition. The Pit Bull was seized by authorities and, they assure us, has been taken to Animal Control to be destroyed. In other news tonight......." *
As a Pit Bull owner, I have to admit, these stories always sadden me and anger me somewhat. I feel sad for the family of the injured child, of course, and angry for the unfortunate Pit Bull who ended up in the hands of a careless, uncaring owner. The problem with the "Pit" is not that it is a naturally vicious dog, but the fact that the ones who turn out to be aggressive are raised by an element of vicious people who enjoy the power of having 'them meanest dog on the block. As in: "Don't mess with me or I'll sic mah d-o-a-g on ya!"
I sit and watch these Pit Bull horror stories while Vanderbilt, MY Pit Bull, sleeps peacefully at my feet. (He is named as such because, not only has he made our lives richer, but he needs a serious bath in some designer perfume!) After a long, stressful day, Van plays the cheerleader to my husband, George and me. When we return home, he dances around and wags his tail in a frenzy of joy. If he were human, this would be the equivalent of a ticker tape parade. Furthermore, he is not aware of his size or strength and thinks he's a lap dog. As he squeezes me off the couch, I could swear he thinks that he's "Eddie" on Frazier!
The way we came to acquire Van is sort of a sad story in itself. It was Monday, (which is REALLY something to be sad about,) after a cold and rainy Thanksgiving weekend in 1996. I noticed that George was later than usual returning from work when the phone rang. He called and said he was at the veterinarian where we always take our cats. Since the cats were with me, I asked him what he was doing there. (You can see what's coming, don't you?) He then replied boyishly, "Remember the other night when we were talking about getting a dog?" (Now you KNOW what's coming!) He then went on to tell me about stopping at the corner gas station to fill up the pick-up when some people pointed out this cold, starving, abandoned little puppy. He then decided to it take to the vet to see if it would even survive. (There was also evidence of scars on his back legs where it looked like someone had been beating him, trying to make him into a "fighter".)
(A few years later, there was an item in the news about people in a near-by neighborhood who got busted for holding Pit Bull fights in their garage and charging admission. In a follow-up story, they showed the dogs on their way, most likely, to be destroyed. One of them looked exactly like Van and considering our proximity to this place, we think that Van might have been part of this pack. We also wonder whether if he could have been thrown out because he wouldn't be mean. Whatever, it's almost as though he understands the meaning of Lucky Dog!)
(Meanwhile back at the Spicka's) Over the phone, I couldn't help but notice this look-what-followed-me-home-can-I-keep-it expression in my softhearted guy's voice. Being a champion for stray animals and lost children myself, what else could I say but yes. I then remembered to ask him what kind of puppy we were about to become parents of and he told me it was a Pit Bull, a MALE Pit Bull. I DID have a moment of doubt: after all, these dogs did seem to get a lot of bad press. (But then, I remembered The Cocker Spaniel From Hell on my block when I was a kid. This beast would lie in wait for us to come by on our bikes so he could come out and bite us. My point? It's not just Pit Bulls. It's how one raises ANY dog.)
Anyway, when George got home with Van, the poor thing (the puppy, not George) sat in complete surrender on the kitchen floor. The cats, being curious as, well, ... you know, came out to meet their new little brother. The elder one, a Maine Coon, stuck her aristocratic nose in the air and stomped out of the room in disgust (Oh, no! One of THOSE!). The other, a tabby of twenty pound proportions and a definite candidate for Jenny Craig, walked up to this hapless creature, hissed, left the room and immediately tossed her Meow Mix on my dining room floor: her way of saying, "Welcome to the family and stay the hell out of my way!" When we told our friends we had a Pit Bull, they asked, "Aren't you worried about the cats?" We assured them that we wouldn't let the cats hurt Van.
For the next three days, Van stayed wrapped in blankets and only got up to eat and … whatever. On the forth morning when I went in to check on him, he made a little whining noise and licked my hand. I knew then he would make it. As sweet natured as Van appeared to be, a Pit Bull is, nonetheless, a dog that requires a little more responsibility than your regular mixed breed. First of all, their reputation of being one of the strongest breeds of dogs in the world is very, very true. George and I went and got a book on the historical background of the breed and we learned that the best way to raise them is ... very carefully!! Secondly, neighbors were constantly watching us to see if Vanderbilt is vicious or not.
"The heritage of the Pit Bull is deeply rooted in what has been called "The blood sports". The Pit Bull sprang from a canine ancestry that fought other animals: bulls, bears, other dogs and even lions." (page6,"The American Pit Bull and Staffordshire Terriers: Complete Owners Guide”, by Joe Stahlkuppe, Barrons, 1995). Later in the history of the breed, Pit Bull owners would stage dog fights for the purpose of gambling. Ironically, according to Stahlkuppe, the relationship between the trainers and the dog was friendly. The trainer would treat the dog with kindness to insure the dog’s loyalty.
Hey! Hey! How about MY Pit Bull? Admittedly, he DOES make a great prop. Hey! Did ya hear the one about the two door-to-door salesmen and the friendly Pit Bull? We often have people coming to up on our screened porch offering to cut our grass or make home improvements of some kind. (Excuse me!! We are musicians and have other priorities!) Ya see, des two guys came to our back door and wanted to repair our roof or ..., whatever. This sounded like a "guy" thing to me so I called George. On his way to the door he grabbed Vanderbilt, who is always excited when we have company. (Picture Dino on "The Flintstones.") And when he saw the two hapless salesmen, he started jumping and wiggling all over and literally went into a tailspin. They, of course, thought he was going to attack them so they took off like bats out of Hell. Awwww! too bad! What can I say? We're not bothered by unwanted visitors too often since we got Van The Friendly Ninety-lb Pit Bull Friendly is the keyword here.
The concern about Pit Bulls stems, and rightfully so, from their reputation as a fighter breed and their sheer brute strength: If not raised with love and HUMANE discipline, they CAN be dangerous. For those, however, who have ever been a fan of The Little Rascals, The Our Gang comedy, might remember Petey the Pup, the all-white dog with the black circle around one eye? That's right. He was, literally, your friendly neighborhood Pit Bull. Obviously, this dog was well-mannered or he never would have been allowed to associate with child stars!
*Not a real news cast.
The prong, what you call "inward-facing spikes," is kinder than the choke. Less damage to the trachea.
Many dog trainers use these collars. It does not signify a vicious dog. In fact I often feel more comfortable in the vicinity of a dog with the proper collar to control it than in the area of a dog with one of those feckless flexileads. Now those things scare me.
No, both are dominance, and the only difference is where you are in the pecking order.
There is a difference between 'aggression' and 'prey drive' toward small moving targets... but aggression toward people ~usually~ involves clashes over dominance and territory. Dog aggressive or people aggressive are just shades of grey, not different behaviors.
"Its just that retrievers don't make good news stories."
Check out this thread. Barely anyone questioned the Golden Retriever who dragged a forty pound child around by a neckscarf until she tragically choked to death. Because it was a golden retriever, docility assumed.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1564799/posts
That is a great story
That is because the "the Golden Retriever" was obvioiusly not intending to hurt the child. A bitbull would have had their teeth sunk into the neck.
"They aren't natural species that should be protected for some intrinsic value."
You answered the question yourself when you said they "fight to the death."
That trait is tenacity and pain tolerance, and can be usefully channeled in many other ways.
I don't agree. Something was wrong with that dog pulling around an unresponsive child.
Of course something was wrong... the GR in question a the very least lacked any manners or training. Tug of war can be a very bad thing to teach a dog, it brings out a lot of the behaviors you may not want around a weaker child.
"No, both are dominance, and the only difference is where you are in the pecking order."
If that were true there would be no difference in our ability to train wolves and dogs.
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"The dog that we now recognize as the APBT was originally bred in the British Isles early 1800's to 'bait' bulls. These matches were held for the entertainment of the struggling classes; a source of relief from the tedius and brutal way of life suffered by many commoners during that time. In 1835 bull baiting was deemed inhumane and became illegal, and dogfighting became a popular replacement. The best fighters were made heroes and the trait for aggression towards other dogs began to be selectively bred into their genetic make up. At the same time, a very strong bite inhibition towards humans was also bred into the APBT lines so handlers could lean over into the fighting pits and pull their battling dogs apart without worrying about receiving a redirected bite. Partially because of this selective breeding which culled out "man biters", this breed became well known for its loving devotion and trustworthy nature with humans."
'snip'
The APBT was also a favorite dog among politicians, scholars, celebrities. Helen Keller, Theodore Roosevelt, and the "Our Gang" Little Rascals all had APBTS. Many reading this website may have grandparents and great grandparents who kept a favorite APBT as a pet. Today, this tradition continues with tens of thousands of Amercians who love and cherish their family pit bulls.
'snip'
Why Would Anyone Want a Pit Bull?
The fun loving, spunky and affectionate attitude of the APBT is what most admirers come to love best about these dogs. We like to say "To know them is to love them". Pit bulls are impressively loyal, bold and courageous animals. They are natually clownish, alert and intelligent .. in other words, a whole lot of fun to have around! Many participate and excel in various dog sports and activities, including Obedience Trials, Search and Rescue work, Agility Trials, Flyball and Frisbee Competitions, and Weight Pulling events. With their tenacious work drive and strong desire to please their owners, they are natural competitors and win impressive titles wherever they're worked.
http://www.badrap.org/rescue/breed.cfm
Not relevant at all... dogs are wolves that have been selectively bred over thousands of generations for their ability to handle domesticated life.
The marketing crap they have on pit bull excuse and marketing sites is just that. It's a nice pitch. Doesn't make it ~true~. If you look on the American Kennel Club - Staffordshire Bull Terrier page... it says they are "particularly good with children". Just think about that for a minute.
It's propaganda. It's the political correctness of the dog world. They are trying to change the dog through better marketing. And it's dangerously and knowlingly false.
Partially because of this selective breeding which culled out "man biters", this breed became well known for its loving devotion and trustworthy nature with humans."
While some truly whacked out dogs that were too viscous to handle were culled for management reasons, that doesn't mean dog aggression is a different instinct. Only that some are too aggressive to even manage well enough to fight. The dogs were not loyal loved companions, they were expendable pawns.
Many participate and excel in various dog sports and activities, including Obedience Trials, Search and Rescue work, Agility Trials, Flyball and Frisbee Competitions, and Weight Pulling events.
They don't 'excel' as a breed, in any of these sports, they are not easier than a Golden in obedience, they are not better able to search and rescue than a GSD or a Lab, they are not near as fast as a Border Collie, and they can't pull as much as a Malamute or a Greater Swiss.
The only thing they're really the best at is what they were bred for. Fighting.
>People who are supposed to be conservative say that pit bulls should all be exterminated. <
Ironic, is it not?
Did you realize, that the words, "Pit Bull" do not apply to only one breed of dog? People, including legislators, use it to represent a type of dog, and interestingly enough, lump into the group a rather rare breed (in the US), the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. AKC registration statistics from 2005 only show 856 of the breed added to the registry (that's 856 for the entire country), making the "Staffy Bull" the 84th most popular breed out of the 154 AKC breeds. This is a breed famous in its country of origin as "The Nanny Dog", because of its love for children. It's by no means a large dog. It averages 24 to 38 pounds, and is only 14 to 16 inches tall at the shoulders.
Its US history is as follows:
"In 1935 the Staffordshire Bull Terrier was recognized by the Kennel Club in England and enthusiasts were able to conduct conformation matches. The sport of dogfighting had long been made illegal and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier had evolved into a dog of such temperament as to make him a fine pet and companion and a worthy show dog.
Bull and Terrier breeds were believed to have arrived in North America sometime in the mid-1880's. Here they developed along different lines with a heavier, taller dog being the end result. Today's American Staffordshire Terrier represents that breeding."
There is no record of a death being attributed to an AKC registered Staffordshire Bull Terrier. None, nada, zip, zero.
Keep in mind, the lovable Boston Terrier, long cherished by Americans as a family pet extraorinaire, could be technically classified as a "pit bull" (although the Animal Rights wackjobs aren't that courageous, nor stupid). The history of this little bull-and-terrier is as follows:
"The breed is a true American creation, resulting from a cross between an English Bulldog and a white English Terrier.
In 1889 about thirty fanciers in and around Boston organized what was known as the American Bull Terrier Club. They were showing dogs name as Round Heads or Bull Terriers. As time went on, these people met with considerable opposition from Bull Terrier and Bulldog fanciers who objected to the similarity of breed name, as they said this new breed was quite unlike their own. As this breed was in its infancy, the AKC was not yet convinced that the breed would breed true to type. The new breed's supporters would not be dissuaded, however, and they established the Boston Terrier Club of America in 1891, changing the name of the breed from Round Heads or Bull Terriers, to Boston Terriers, taking the name of the city where the breed originated."
Please cite for me, if you would, an account where an AKC registered Staffordshire Bull Terrier, NOT a UKC pit bull, nor an unregistered pit bull type dog, has ever been proven to have killed anyone, much less a child.
The dogs doing the maiming and killing are not registered animals, and they are not Staffordshire Bull Terriers.
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