11 mo old killed by family dog

[PonderThis]

In studies, Pit Bulls are ranked in the dumbest group of dogs, in that it takes 100 or more repetitions of something before a pit bull type dog will "learn" it. Dogs in the smartest group, such as German Shepherds, learn something in 5 repetitions. Ever seen a pit bull do anything useful but fight? Nobody else has, either.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs

[PonderThis]

I did know one put bull owner that said his dog did something useful, he blamed the dog for kicking his truck out of gear, sending it down the mountain when he owed more on it than it was worth. But nobody really believed him, and his insurance company still fixed the truck anyway. He was left with a crappy truck with high mileage on it and still owed more than $20,000, plus having to pay the deductible too. Do dog owners really pick dogs that match their own intelligence? I don't know.

[BeerMe]

I already said I don't like Pit Bulls, so if society wants to ban them it's going to be fine by me. But my references pointed out people that like aggressive dogs will just pick another breed to be their current favorite instead, and the real problem is owners like that, not the dogs themselves. Also that enforcement-wise, proving parentage of a dog is a nightmare, and media hype over things like this only encourages more of these kinds of people to own these kinds of dogs.

Personally, no matter how nice a pit bull is, petting one feels to me like petting a pig. That's enough right there so far as I'm concerned. Add in that they're incredibly difficult to train, compared to an intelligent breed of dog, and I have little use for them personally. I've even told one person he can't bring his (now) two pit bulls on my property. That's caused some hard feelings.

Wow. Some of these comments sound very uneducated and im sure most of you never have even owned a APBT or know the history behind the breed.

Statistically, smaller breeds and Labs account for the most bites in the US. I work as a firefighter/paramedic and also work in an ER and we have to report dog bites. I can say for the 6Yrs ive been in the field, ive only seen 3 pitbull bites but they were provoked in some manner. Most others were very common family dogs. Idk why ppl look at the dog bite fatality stats. The CDC even says that because of breed misidentification that there studies shouldn't be used when considering BSL. They say rotts are #1 and "pit bull type" dogs are number 2. Right there, they are lumping nearly 20 or more breeds into one name. Pitbull is NOT a breed but a type. Just like the retrievers, and spaniels are types but have many breeds under that name. That top ten dangerous list was very inaccurate. Stating that APBT were bred specifically for fighting, totally wrong. They do not have "locking jaws", no such thing. It still amazes me that ppl believe "stats" that they read on some website. I like how ppl say we shouldnt sterotype but look at what ppl are doing to these dogs through breed specific legislation laws.

When it comes to fatalities, that is very hard to track because alot of reported pitbulls are misidentified, mixes, etc. That's fact from the ASPCA and who knows how many other attacks just don't get the press because it's not a pitbull involved.

Idk where ppl get that the pit is a naturally aggressive dog or that they are stupid and very hard to train. That's just ppl drinkin the kool aid. I think alot of ppl forget that a pitbull was the face of the military in world war 1 and 2. It was the most popular family dog in the beginning of the 20th century. Hell, petey from little rascals was a pitbull. The RCA dog was a pitbull. Pitbulls were called the nanny dog back in the day becuse of how good they are with children. Did you know that all but 1 or 2 of michael vicks dogs were adopted to family homes and a couple are actually trained as therapy dogs. What dogs do you think were used for search and rescue at during 9/11, APBT's. Helen Keller had a pitbull along with other famous ppl such as Pres roosevelt, Pres Wilson, Gen patton, Rachel Ray, Jon Stewart, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel just to name a few i know off the top of my head. The first dog to travel cross country was a pitbull. Popsicle is the #1 customs dog and responsible for the largest bust on record. The promo dog for buster brown shoes was a pitbull. The APBT is the only breed to have been on the cover of Times magazine for 3 issues. Its ashame how the US has turned its back on such a loyal breed of dog

Did you know that the person that founded the UKC, did so in order to have a place to register his APBT. He wanted to show that a dog can be bred for it's intelligence, obedience, workability, agility, etc. APBT's were never bred for aggression. There are numerous dogs that are truly aggressive and I would never come near.

According to the American temperament testing association, pitbulls and variants score high from 84- 89% Compared to other common breeds such as a Poodle at 82%, yorkie at 82.5%, bullmastiff 79%, bichon frise 76%, Shiba inu 64%, shih tzu 78%, springer spaniel 83%, golden retriever 84%, greyhound 81%, great Dane 79%, dachshund 82%, chihuahua 71.1%, and so on.

Pitbulls just got a bad rap with the boom of fighting dogs and the pit just happen to be the popular thing to fight. My point is do actual research b4 u go off on something you really don't kno or understand instead of listening to what's on tv which is a big problem with most of America nowadays.

Heres an interesting site to visit that proves breed misidentification is a huge problem. I'll bet it will take you more than 3 tries to pick the right dog http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html

You can also visit the American Temperament Testing Society website, http://atts.org/, you will be surprised at the temperament of some dogs.

So all i am saying is ban the deed and not the breed and know some factual information before coming with ridiculous comments and stats that you found on the web. All of my info is from good resources such as the aspca, cdc, atts, and some just from true history

Labs and smaller breeds have more bites, yeah probably because there are more of them. I'm willing to bet that the dogs to bite ratio is a lot lower with the Labs and smaller breeds than it is with the Pitbull. Didn't see that stat, wonder why?


That isn't even a 'bad' image of the dog and it scares the living shit out of me. Wouldn't trust that dog for a second.

[ghicks99]

In studies, Pit Bulls are ranked in the dumbest group of dogs, in that it takes 100 or more repetitions of something before a pit bull type dog will "learn" it. Dogs in the smartest group, such as German Shepherds, learn something in 5 repetitions. Ever seen a pit bull do anything useful but fight? Nobody else has, either.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs

Lol, seriously. Thats the worst proof of any argument i have ever seen. A wikipedia article, u do know that anyone can edit wikipedia. 2nd, your basing it off of one persons theory. Anyone with half a brain can look at that list and tell its not quite right. Also, the dog ranked 34 which was above average, so idk what you were looking at on that wikipedia page. Or did you not know that American Staffordshire Terrier is another name for a pitbull. Plus it, did you read how he came up with this list " Coren sent evaluation requests to American Kennel Club and Canadian Kennel Club obedience trial judges, asking them to rank breeds by performance, and received 199 responses, representing about 50 percent of obedience judges then working in North America.[5] Assessments were limited to breeds receiving at least 100 judge responses." So according to that, it tells me that he didnt test one single dog himself. He basically asked an opinion. Now how is that scientific at all?

You go to any place that deals with dogs and they will tell you that APBT's are some of the smartest dogs. My APBT was house broken at 11 weeks. Took a couple hours to crate train, follows all common commands and even follows hand signals, learned to walk on a loose leash in a couple days, the list could go on. My APBT was the best in his training class and picked up on everything way faster than the other dogs, some of which were listed in your wikipedia "smart" dog list. My APBT has also recieved his CGC if you have any clue what that is.

I suggest you look at my other post and actually look up the info and use a true source and not wikipedia. Hell, you can read on the Westminster kennel club or UKC or other dog registry sites and they will tell you an APBT is nowhere near stupid. If an APBT is so stupid and non trainable, why are they commonly used as SAR dogs, rehab dogs, special needs dogs, compete in obedience and other competitions with great success etc. You dont see but a handful of the dogs listed in your super reliable wikipedia page that are used for half of what the APBT is capable of. You sir have absolutely no credible basis for any of your arguments.

Read this directly from the official UKC website. Hell, when u get to the website, there are 2 dogs in the UKC banner, one happens to be an APBT.
http://www.ukcdogs.com/WebSite.nsf/Breed...ember12008

Also, see what dog is in the top 10 breeds and happens to be number 2. So hey, u can either believe kennel clubs that have been around over a hundred years, or some psychologist personal theory with absolutely no science or testing behind it.
http://www.ukcdogs.com/WebSite.nsf/e6332...,10,breeds

[ghicks99]

I already said I don't like Pit Bulls, so if society wants to ban them it's going to be fine by me. But my references pointed out people that like aggressive dogs will just pick another breed to be their current favorite instead, and the real problem is owners like that, not the dogs themselves. Also that enforcement-wise, proving parentage of a dog is a nightmare, and media hype over things like this only encourages more of these kinds of people to own these kinds of dogs.

Personally, no matter how nice a pit bull is, petting one feels to me like petting a pig. That's enough right there so far as I'm concerned. Add in that they're incredibly difficult to train, compared to an intelligent breed of dog, and I have little use for them personally. I've even told one person he can't bring his (now) two pit bulls on my property. That's caused some hard feelings.

Wow. Some of these comments sound very uneducated and im sure most of you never have even owned a APBT or know the history behind the breed.

Statistically, smaller breeds and Labs account for the most bites in the US. I work as a firefighter/paramedic and also work in an ER and we have to report dog bites. I can say for the 6Yrs ive been in the field, ive only seen 3 pitbull bites but they were provoked in some manner. Most others were very common family dogs. Idk why ppl look at the dog bite fatality stats. The CDC even says that because of breed misidentification that there studies shouldn't be used when considering BSL. They say rotts are #1 and "pit bull type" dogs are number 2. Right there, they are lumping nearly 20 or more breeds into one name. Pitbull is NOT a breed but a type. Just like the retrievers, and spaniels are types but have many breeds under that name. That top ten dangerous list was very inaccurate. Stating that APBT were bred specifically for fighting, totally wrong. They do not have "locking jaws", no such thing. It still amazes me that ppl believe "stats" that they read on some website. I like how ppl say we shouldnt sterotype but look at what ppl are doing to these dogs through breed specific legislation laws.

When it comes to fatalities, that is very hard to track because alot of reported pitbulls are misidentified, mixes, etc. That's fact from the ASPCA and who knows how many other attacks just don't get the press because it's not a pitbull involved.

Idk where ppl get that the pit is a naturally aggressive dog or that they are stupid and very hard to train. That's just ppl drinkin the kool aid. I think alot of ppl forget that a pitbull was the face of the military in world war 1 and 2. It was the most popular family dog in the beginning of the 20th century. Hell, petey from little rascals was a pitbull. The RCA dog was a pitbull. Pitbulls were called the nanny dog back in the day becuse of how good they are with children. Did you know that all but 1 or 2 of michael vicks dogs were adopted to family homes and a couple are actually trained as therapy dogs. What dogs do you think were used for search and rescue at during 9/11, APBT's. Helen Keller had a pitbull along with other famous ppl such as Pres roosevelt, Pres Wilson, Gen patton, Rachel Ray, Jon Stewart, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel just to name a few i know off the top of my head. The first dog to travel cross country was a pitbull. Popsicle is the #1 customs dog and responsible for the largest bust on record. The promo dog for buster brown shoes was a pitbull. The APBT is the only breed to have been on the cover of Times magazine for 3 issues. Its ashame how the US has turned its back on such a loyal breed of dog

Did you know that the person that founded the UKC, did so in order to have a place to register his APBT. He wanted to show that a dog can be bred for it's intelligence, obedience, workability, agility, etc. APBT's were never bred for aggression. There are numerous dogs that are truly aggressive and I would never come near.

According to the American temperament testing association, pitbulls and variants score high from 84- 89% Compared to other common breeds such as a Poodle at 82%, yorkie at 82.5%, bullmastiff 79%, bichon frise 76%, Shiba inu 64%, shih tzu 78%, springer spaniel 83%, golden retriever 84%, greyhound 81%, great Dane 79%, dachshund 82%, chihuahua 71.1%, and so on.

Pitbulls just got a bad rap with the boom of fighting dogs and the pit just happen to be the popular thing to fight. My point is do actual research b4 u go off on something you really don't kno or understand instead of listening to what's on tv which is a big problem with most of America nowadays.

Heres an interesting site to visit that proves breed misidentification is a huge problem. I'll bet it will take you more than 3 tries to pick the right dog http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html

You can also visit the American Temperament Testing Society website, http://atts.org/, you will be surprised at the temperament of some dogs.

So all i am saying is ban the deed and not the breed and know some factual information before coming with ridiculous comments and stats that you found on the web. All of my info is from good resources such as the aspca, cdc, atts, and some just from true history

Labs and smaller breeds have more bites, yeah probably because there are more of them. I'm willing to bet that the dogs to bite ratio is a lot lower with the Labs and smaller breeds than it is with the Pitbull. Didn't see that stat, wonder why?


That isn't even a 'bad' image of the dog and it scares the living shit out of me. Wouldn't trust that dog for a second.

Those breeds have more bites reported because those breeds bite more and alot of them generally have a very sour temperament compared to the APBT. You can go directly to the ATTS or any kennel club site and see that the APBT was bred to be a companion and working dog and that they are naturally not human aggressive. You ppl need to stop believing the hype. So over this mentality that ppl have in this day and age. Its like if the news or some website say one thing is bad, your quick to just blindly agree without knowing the truth firsthand or getting credible info from credible sources. Credible sources arent hard to find. Be educated and informed to stay above this ignorance that is like wildfire in the US today.

BTW, that pic isnt an APBT. That is an american bully which is totally different. Those are typically gotti and a couple other bloodlines introduced in the early 90's. Usually they are a cross between an APBT and a mastiff or bulldog So that they are short and stocky. They were mainly bred for looks. I dont believe american bullies are recognized by any of the well known kennel clubs. Its only recognized by a few private clubs. Like i said b4, know your breeds and do research and then make a point

[BeerMe]

Those breeds have more bites reported because those breeds bite more and alot of them generally have a very sour temperament compared to the APBT. You can go directly to the ATTS or any kennel club site and see that the APBT was bred to be a companion and working dog and that they are naturally not human aggressive. You ppl need to stop believing the hype. So over this mentality that ppl have in this day and age. Its like if the news or some website say one thing is bad, your quick to just blindly agree without knowing the truth firsthand or getting credible info from credible sources. Credible sources arent hard to find. Be educated and informed to stay above this ignorance that is like wildfire in the US today

In recent years, the dogs responsible for the bulk of the homicides are pit bulls and Rottweilers:

"Studies indicate that pit bull-type dogs were involved in approximately a third of human DBRF (i.e., dog bite related fatalities) reported during the 12-year period from 1981 through1992, and Rottweilers were responsible for about half of human DBRF reported during the 4 years from 1993 through 1996....[T]he data indicate that Rottweilers and pit bull-type dogs accounted for 67% of human DBRF in the United States between 1997 and 1998. It is extremely unlikely that they accounted for anywhere near 60% of dogs in the United States during that same period and, thus, there appears to be a breed-specific problem with fatalities." (Sacks JJ, Sinclair L, Gilchrist J, Golab GC, Lockwood R. Breeds of dogs involved in fatal human attacks in the United States between 1979 and 1998. JAVMA 2000;217:836-840.)

The Clifton study of attacks from 1982 through 2006 produced similar results. According to Clifton study, pit bulls, Rottweilers, Presa Canarios and their mixes were responsible for 65% of the canine homicides that occurred during a period of 24 years in the USA. (Clifton, Dog attack deaths and maimings, U.S. & Canada, September 1982 to November 13, 2006; click here to read it.)

Other breeds were also responsible for homicides, but to a much lesser extent. A 1997 study of dog bite fatalities in the years 1979 through 1996 revealed that the following breeds had killed one or more persons: pit bulls, Rottweilers, German shepherds, huskies, Alaskan malamutes, Doberman pinschers, chows, Great Danes, St. Bernards and Akitas. (Dog Bite Related Fatalities," Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, May 30, 1997, Vol. 46, No. 21, pp. 463 et. seq.) Since 1975, fatal attacks have been attributed to dogs from at least 30 breeds.

http://dogbitelaw.com/dog-bite-statistic...-kill.html

Yeah, no need to fear these dogs. It isn't that I've seen this nonsense on the news. I've seen PERSONALLY how unstable this breed can be. Whether it's from overbreading, bad owners, training. Don't know, but I don't like them and I'm entitled to my opinion.

[PonderThis]

Right. They're aggressive, ill mannered and psychologically unstable, and their dogs aren't any nicer.

[ghicks99]

Those breeds have more bites reported because those breeds bite more and alot of them generally have a very sour temperament compared to the APBT. You can go directly to the ATTS or any kennel club site and see that the APBT was bred to be a companion and working dog and that they are naturally not human aggressive. You ppl need to stop believing the hype. So over this mentality that ppl have in this day and age. Its like if the news or some website say one thing is bad, your quick to just blindly agree without knowing the truth firsthand or getting credible info from credible sources. Credible sources arent hard to find. Be educated and informed to stay above this ignorance that is like wildfire in the US today

In recent years, the dogs responsible for the bulk of the homicides are pit bulls and Rottweilers:

"Studies indicate that pit bull-type dogs were involved in approximately a third of human DBRF (i.e., dog bite related fatalities) reported during the 12-year period from 1981 through1992, and Rottweilers were responsible for about half of human DBRF reported during the 4 years from 1993 through 1996....[T]he data indicate that Rottweilers and pit bull-type dogs accounted for 67% of human DBRF in the United States between 1997 and 1998. It is extremely unlikely that they accounted for anywhere near 60% of dogs in the United States during that same period and, thus, there appears to be a breed-specific problem with fatalities." (Sacks JJ, Sinclair L, Gilchrist J, Golab GC, Lockwood R. Breeds of dogs involved in fatal human attacks in the United States between 1979 and 1998. JAVMA 2000;217:836-840.)

The Clifton study of attacks from 1982 through 2006 produced similar results. According to Clifton study, pit bulls, Rottweilers, Presa Canarios and their mixes were responsible for 65% of the canine homicides that occurred during a period of 24 years in the USA. (Clifton, Dog attack deaths and maimings, U.S. & Canada, September 1982 to November 13, 2006; click here to read it.)

Other breeds were also responsible for homicides, but to a much lesser extent. A 1997 study of dog bite fatalities in the years 1979 through 1996 revealed that the following breeds had killed one or more persons: pit bulls, Rottweilers, German shepherds, huskies, Alaskan malamutes, Doberman pinschers, chows, Great Danes, St. Bernards and Akitas. (Dog Bite Related Fatalities," Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, May 30, 1997, Vol. 46, No. 21, pp. 463 et. seq.) Since 1975, fatal attacks have been attributed to dogs from at least 30 breeds.

http://dogbitelaw.com/dog-bite-statistic...-kill.html

Yeah, no need to fear these dogs. It isn't that I've seen this nonsense on the news. I've seen PERSONALLY how unstable this breed can be. Whether it's from overbreading, bad owners, training. Don't know, but I don't like them and I'm entitled to my opinion.

Im so over the term "pit bull type" dogs. That dog bite law website has been scutinized by many professionals and even the cdc. Its a very unreliable source Like i stated, nearly 30 different breeds are mistaken for an APBT. Most ppl dont even know some of the dogs that are "Bully" dogs such as the bull mastiff, boxer, bulldog, boston terrier etc. Thats why when you hear pitbull attack, there are a number of dogs that could be responsible and you never actually see the dog itself on the news. That term is used way to loosely and the cdc and aspca know it and that is why they dont even support BSL. The clifton study is another unreliable study and theory just like the other guys study on smart and dumb dogs. The cdc website is one of the best places to get good info.
http://animal.discovery.com/petsource/bu...reeds.html

[BeerMe]

Obviously a misunderstood breed. They are kind and gentle and pose no threat. I was completely wrong and you are right. Can somebody tell me where I can get one of the pretty puppies below so I can 'play wrestle' with the dog?



Why are these Pitbull dogs always on thick chains again???

[BeerMe]

It means nothing, I know, but just 'Google Images' for the different breeds the Pitbull is the only one where the pictures on the first page are frightening.

The pitbulls are the only ones on chains, barking, showing their teeth. Proud owners......

[tvguy]

Pit bull owners will rationalize all the data until it conforms to what THEY WANT TO HEAR.
It really doesn't take much research to determine that these dogs are at the top in fatal attacks and horrible mauling.
And It's mostly children.
Maybe this is anecdotal and meaningless to some but the small court judges who have had hundreds of dog bite cases in their courts will flat out tell you it's a dangerous breed and a lousy pet.
One thing that amazes me about this breed is how often they will kill other much smaller dogs.
I have NEVER owned a dog that would purposely kill another small dog that was obviously not a threat.

[PonderThis]

But cats were fair game?

Edit: I know this was kind of an unfair blow, but I do think the human owners influence what their dogs will do. For example, my dog doesn't chase cats, because I discourage it. I don't discourage him from killing mice and snakes, so he thinks nothing of killing those. I don't let him chase deer more than into the surrounding woods, and he doesn't. We both know our boundaries.

[illcommandante]

I know a guy whose rottweilor ate his cat, and some of his thumb. But, it's a threatening world, and you could see he'd made the poor dog, fully aware of the fact.

[tvguy]

But cats were fair game?

Edit: I know this was kind of an unfair blow, but I do think the human owners influence what their dogs will do. For example, my dog doesn't chase cats, because I discourage it. I don't discourage him from killing mice and snakes, so he thinks nothing of killing those. I don't let him chase deer more than into the surrounding woods, and he doesn't. We both know our boundaries.

I totally agree and many pit bull owners do influence their dogs in the wrong way. But IMO does that change the fact that the rest of society suffers because of this?

Pit bulls are born with this ability to be very aggressive, feel little pain, fear nothing and the ability to crush bone and maim.
I have heard countless stories about these particular animals that go bad even though they did have a responsible owner who did not teach them to be aggressive.

BTW, I can and do stop my cat obsessed dog from catching cats even though I let her chase them sometimes. I take her out and let her chase ground squirrels too, they are too fast, the same with Jack rabbits.
My dog gets more excitement from this than ANYTHING else.
My other dog stays in my yard and rarely goes anywhere with me. He will and does kill cats that come in to my property. I'm down with that and I couldn't stop him anyway because he always kills things at night.

[ghicks99]

You all wanna say this and that about saying whatever until i get a positive response but everything im giving you is true data from the organizations that deal with the breed. I think they know more about the breed than a little bit and history shows the true nature of the dog. The bad dogs are usually with bad owners. Hell, most dogs have bad owners. Alot of ppl in general buy a dog, feed it, and take it outside. Ppl dont know how to socialize and properly train there dogs.

Like i said b4, those pictures of the big muscular dogs are not APBT's, they are american bullies. Looks like an APBT but way bigger. An APBT is only about 35-70lbs. Most of those pictures are just for looks and so breeders can make there dogs look badass etc. Some ppl just have the chains for looks. Just because a dog is showing teeth, doesnt mean its being agressive. You dont kno if someone is dangling there favorite toy or whatever to get them to do that because no dog is gonna bare teeth just for the heck of it.

Point is, BSL doesnt work. If the CDC, ASPCA, and others agree, what else can ppl argue. Or are they not a big enough organization? They know the fact that most ppl cant recognize a APBT and the CDC even says on there website that because of breed misidentification, BSL should not be used because it puts alot of breeds at risk, not just the APBT. Did you visit the site i posted where you pick out the pitbull from 30 or so dogs that look similar? Im sure none of you got it right. Kennel clubs and temperament testing facilities all agree with the good temperament and obedience that the APBT has, but no, they must be wrong too. History proves that the dog has a great temperament, but no, the US and countless others were wrong for using the APBT as the face of there promotions or used in there movies. Get real ppl. Statistics are the worst things to use in an argument. Especially when it comes to dogs. because chance is, the dog was misidentified in the 1st place, especially the APBT.

Pitbulls are not and were not bred to be agressive at all, especially towards humans. I do agree that they can show agression towards dogs but there are numerous breeds that show dog agression and alot of ppl dont understand aggression in general and the different types.

Here is my APBT. Not some super muscular dog and definitely not an ugly dog by any means. We cant go for a walk without a few ppl stopping us and checking him out

[PonderThis]

And what percent of pit bulls get euthanized at humane societies and dog pounds because nobody wants them?

[ghicks99]

You all wanna say this and that about saying whatever until i get a positive response but everything im giving you is true data from the organizations that deal with the breed and have for over a hundred yrs in some cases. I think they know more about the breed than a little bit and history shows the true nature of the dog. The bad dogs are usually with bad owners. Hell, most dogs have bad owners and i dont mean because they make them agressive. Alot of ppl in general buy a dog, feed it, and take it outside. Ppl dont know how to socialize and properly train there dogs. Im sure there are a high number of ppl that buy a specific breed, even though what the breed needs doesnt fit there lifestyle.

Like i said b4, those pictures of the big muscular dogs are not APBT's, they are american bullies. Looks like an APBT but way bigger. An APBT is only about 35-70lbs. Most of those pictures are just for looks and so breeders can make there dogs look badass etc. Some ppl just have the chains for looks. Just because a dog is showing teeth, doesnt mean its being agressive. You dont kno if someone is dangling there favorite toy or whatever to get them to do that because no dog is gonna bare teeth just for the heck of it.

Point is, BSL doesnt work. If the CDC, ASPCA, and others agree, what else can ppl argue. Or are they not a big enough organization? They know the fact that most ppl cant recognize a APBT and the CDC even says on there website that because of breed misidentification, BSL should not be used because it puts alot of breeds at risk, not just the APBT. Did you visit the site i posted where you pick out the pitbull from 30 or so dogs that look similar? Im sure none of you got it right. Kennel clubs and temperament testing facilities all agree with the good temperament and obedience that the APBT has, but no, they must be wrong too. History proves that the dog has a great temperament, but no, the US and countless others were wrong for using the APBT as the face of there promotions or used in there movies. Get real ppl. Statistics are the worst things to use in an argument. Especially when it comes to dogs. because chance is, the dog was misidentified in the 1st place, especially the APBT.

Pitbulls are not and were not bred to be agressive at all, especially towards humans. I do agree that they can show agression towards dogs but there are numerous breeds that show dog agression and alot of ppl dont understand aggression in general and the different types. Visit cesar milans website. He owns a couple of APBT's. That is why socialization is important for all dogs. I see countless dogs that just go nuts and cant contain themselves around other dogs, doesnt mean the dog is being agressive.

Here is my APBT. Not some super muscular dog and definitely not an ugly dog by any means. We cant go for a walk without a few ppl stopping us and checking him out. I happen to live nxt door to the "popular" family, meaning when the kids get out of school, ALL of the kids in the neighborhood come to there house to play and it drives all the dogs on our street nuts and you hear nothing but barking. Meanwhile my dog has the temperament and obedience to go outside and play with the kids and they all love him and nearly argue over who gets to hold his leash. Of course this play is always supervised, as should any. Meanwhile i have ppl a few doors down that have 2 german shepards and nothing but an electric fence and they constantly have there 2 very small children, i'd say 3 and 5, play outside with the dogs while the parents are sitting on the couch. Thats a big no no and irresponsible

[ghicks99]

And what percent of pit bulls get euthanized at humane societies and dog pounds because nobody wants them?

Very true. But how many of them are APBT's? How many are mixes etc. A big issue are these backyard breeders trying to make a buck. Its definitely not that nobody wants them, the APBT is one of the most popular dogs. Do me a favor, go on google. Look at some of these reputable associations etc and see what the breed is all about. You can easily google the history of the breed and see how the breed was an american icon. Its just unfortunate that the popularity and dumbass ppl have made the breed what most ppl percieve them as. You wont find any reputable source that will say the APBT is agressive towards ppl or generally a dangerous dog.

[APPLEGATE]

Amanda, the breed is corrupt with poor breeding. Ask the service people about the breed. Postal and meter readers will say that breed is dangerous. Welcome to the real world and please look with a open eye about the breed.

[PonderThis]

Hey I've put up with this pit bull stuff enough already from my jerk friend who insisted on breeding his no matter what, now he's got two of them unfixed, and she's knocked up again. He thinks it's OK because he says lots of people want his puppies. I think the whole thing's unconscionable, and I don't want his dumb dogs around either. I could handle one maybe but this is ridiculous. He of course can't understand why he's losing friends over these dogs. I see people wanting to rent houses all the time, too, that own these, and legally they're a potential legal minefield for any land owner and his insurance company, all while the dog owners blithely think the world is picking on them. It won't bother me if every short haired dog that even remotely looks like a pit bull mix is gotten rid of.