PetSmart takes heat for excluding pit bulls from doggie day care

Newsday's pet columnist and blogger Denise Flaim writes in a recent post that the pet supplies retailer PetSmart has been the target of online complaints about “breedist” requirements at its doggie day-care facilities.

Its PetsHotel and Dog Day Camp programs do not welcome any dogs with a “bully breed” classification, which it defines as “American Pit Bull Terriers, Miniature Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Bull Dogs, Bull Terriers or mixed breeds that have the appearance or characteristics of one of these breeds.” It also retains the right to reject individual dogs of any breed.

“I will no longer patronize them in any way -- and have written them to tell them so,” wrote one irate cross-poster. “On the Web site, there is a ‘contact us’ capability to send an e-mail. I thought a good name for them would be PetStupid, and told them that was what I would call them from now on ... ” Animal House

The criticism of PetSmart is another installment in the ongoing debate about much-maligned pit bulls, which have experienced high kill rates at local animal shelters and have faced municipal bans, mostly because of their tough reputations as fighters.

--Tony Barboza

Photo: Anne Cusack/Los Angeles Times

Comments

[squarf]

Pit bulls should be smoothly, quickly, and efficiently destroyed as a breed. They are not pets; they are psychotic killers. Kill the killers before they can inflict harm. Thankyouverymuch.

[ItsTheOwners]

Unfortunately, it's the owners.

So many pitbull owners have "issues" that they try to deal with by having a "bad" (dangerous) dog that they train/abuse to visciousness that it is too big a liability risk for PSmart to take pits in, even if they are sweet-tempered.

Legally, you can discriminate against dogs but not owners, though, in this case, it would make much more sense to do so.

[NoMoreViciousPitBulls]

These unpredictably vicious dogs have already been banned in England, Netherlands, France, Australia, New Zealand, Norway and parts of Canada. They are also banned in 14 cities and counties in the US, with many more bans pending. They should be banned throughout the US. Dogs that have been bred to fight and kill for hundreds of years have no place among people as "pets." I have personally witnessed unprovoked attacks by these dogs on people who were merely passing by. Adios, pit bulls. If you feel inadequate, go buy a jacked-up pickup truck.

[dave]

I'm surprised the Times would post such an ignorant comment by Squarf. My "killer" pit bull adopted from the Carson pound licks me to death every day, along with every child and dog she meets.

[Mark]

i agree with Persmarts policy of excluding these types of dogs.

[Lee]

I have had the same pit bull for almost 8 years now, she is not a killer, she is not vicious, and she is just a fun loving, ball chasing “lap-dog” (If you can have a 60lb lap-dog).
I live in a nice apartment building, and I have had to deal with the ignorance of land-lords who choose just to limit their liability. It has caused me to have to move, obtain letters from my vet, letters from animal trainers, obtain personal liability insurance, and to court apartment managers like some would court a fiancé.
Our daily trips to the doggy park are the highlight of her life. Where Ginger is known by name, and where she walks from person to person, begging for an ear rub. It can be un-nerving for some people, to see all teeth and tongue with a tail going 90 miles per hour, begging for an ear –rub, but once people get over their fears, fed by the media, they love her.
In the almost 8 years I have had the dog, the only time she has ever become what most people categorize as a pit bull was when someone tried to break in my door, in the middle of the night. Needless to say, I do not know if it was the pit bull, in attack mode, or the sight of my 9mm that made him run away, but I do know that I feel safer living in Los Angeles with her sleeping in the bed next to me.
I do know that there are pit-bulls who need to be euthanized; however, I know from experience that it is not the breed, but the inbreeding and how the dogs are raised. If you raise a poodle the way some people raise pits’ you will have an attack powder puff. If you raise a pit with love and attention, you will have a friend who will love you for life.

This said, I will now boycott Petsmart. I will also e-mail and write their corporate office concerning this, as I will not do business with a company that claims it does it for the animals, who chooses to classify a whole breed as animals who are killers.

[Comeonnow]

Pit Bulls are not psychotic, that is just ignorant. There are tens if not hundreds of thousands of pitbulls living happily across the country in family homes and doing just fine. The problem is those people who train some poor dogs to be aggressive AND owners who are so negligent that they let what can be a powerful breed run wild. You can say the same for Rotties, Dobermans etc.

Some pit bull lines have been bred to be animal aggressive. So I don't fault petsmart here for their policy. They have the liability in the end and they know their employees.

But all the hysteria over one specific breed just misses the point. There are LOTS of powerful breeds that can be trained to fight. If you destroyed every pitbull on earth tomorrow I can promise you that by may the cruel people who fight dogs would have picked a new breed to fight with.

[Gwen Lebec]

This is complicated. PetSmart can upset those who think all dogs are alike, or prepare to be sued and attacked when a bully-type dog hurts or kills another dog at the facility. If they took bully dogs, I would not let any of my dogs stay there. It's taking a bet that the dog's owners, who you do not know and will not likely meet, are among the smaller percentage of knowledgeable, responsible bully owners. They can be great dogs with the right genetics and the right owners. But way too many people that own them don't understand that they are a 'special responsibility' dog. One of my dogs is a bully mix, and I would never trust her in a confined space with strange dogs, even though I have never had problems. It's my job to make sure everyone, including her, is safe. PetSmart is doing the right thing.

[jamilyn]

I own two pit bulls, they are the most loving, caring dogs I have ever owned.
And it is true that its all about the owner and how they treat their animals.
I have had them for 9 years and never, have they ever attacked anyone or anything and my friends even let their little ones around them.
So please don't discriminate against all pit bulls.

[Paul]

You naive people, all of your opinions are a reaction to what you see on TV and hear on the news. I have been a proud owner of Pit Bulls for 20 years and NOT ONE of my dogs have EVER been aggressive. It is ignorant to say that the breed should be destroyed that is like saying ignorant people should be destroyed because they are too lazy to find out all the facts before they offer an opinion.

ANY dog and be taught to be aggressive. My rat terrier is more aggressive to people that any Pit Bull I have owned. He was severely abused as a puppy and was a stray I adopted him knowing he had these issues. He has bitten me several times out of fear from past trauma but over time he is getting better. He is 17 pounds and not threatening but I have to be careful with him because of his temperament to lash out if scared.

Pit Bulls by nature of protective of their owners more than any other breed. My Bully is a 70 pound lapdog and will piddle on the floor so excited to see new people. She wants nothing more then to give kisses and have her belly rubbed like any other dog but since her breed has a bad rep due to IGNORANT humans lets just get rid of the whole breed. Very intelligent? very well thought out?....no very narrow minded...Yes.

If one was to use that analogy than mankind should be eliminated because as a species we are the most aggressive and destructive of all species on this planet. My Pit Bull is a better friend, dog and companion than ANY person I have known. I'll take my pit bull over any person any day.

I wish you naive people would do a little research and educate yourself a little before you say ridiculous statements. Go find a breeder of these animals go see them, go see how loving and friendly they are go educate yourself. Bad people make bad dogs regardless of breed.

[Mary Ellen]

Unfortunately, the pit breed has to suffer the consequences of the IRRESPONSIBLE HUMAN who is responsible for negative perceptions of all these so-called "restricted" breeds.
When human take responsibility and change how these dogs are bred and rasied, then the negativity will disappear- but only when that happens.

[steve]

An unfortunate decision that PetSmart will, hopefully, reconsider. My wife and I will be rethinking our patronage of their stores and will definitely be informing our dog owning friends of this new policy.

[PitLover]

I own 2 APBT(American Pit Bull Terriers) and they are the best dogs I have EVER owned, one of them is a registered therapy dog and teh other one won a obiedence compition and is excelling in weight pulling! They are great dogs, they get along with every other dog they meet, they love kids and other people and I have never seen them show a tooth! The APBT is just a dog, yet its like no other! If only PetSmart knew what wonderful breed they are missing out on!

[C Murillo]

If you are so stupid to believe its the breed than you don't deserve to own a dog. If the dogs were raised in loving homes instead of being bullied or trained into attack dogs they wouldn't be in the news. It used to be Doberman Pinschers, then German shepherds and then Rottweilers, and now anyhting with bull in it.

[Dawna]

I completely agree and will shop at PetSmart now exclusively. Our labrador was viciously attacked by a pit bull mix at a local LA daycare facility that she has visited for the last year. It was a bad attack and she almost lost her leg. Luckily, she didn't, but I will never visit that facility again. Its unfortunate but this country needs to follow Europe with the banning of those breeds and we should force them to all be spayed/neutered at birth.

[AES]

Actually, I've never met a dangerous pit bill. The most dangerous dog I ever met was a springer spaniel. I agree with ItsTheOwners, but not exclusively with respect to pit bulls--people can make vicious dogs out of ANY breed.

I think we need to talk about what PetSmart's decision is really reflecting: a culture that had hisorically loved to base its discrimatory decisions on physical appearance and ill-informed hype. It's too bad that this tendency applies to multiple species. Would you argue that because the majority of violent offenders are male, we should put all men in prison preemptively?

[Bald Bull]

Its the owners of the Pitbull that makes them over agressive for fighting yes they are agressive by nature but so are german shepards so dont blame the dog blame the owners of the dog who train them to kill

[tina cooper]

I have a pitbull... he is the sweetest boy in the world.. before saying how horrible a breed is.. do some research.. and get to know them.. not through books but in person..

[Mea]

Those that would selectively destroy a species are narrow minded and deserve nothing but our pity for their lack of understanding of the world. Any dog can bite, any dog can attack. Rather than exercising breed discrimination, the public would be better served with education. Start treating animals with humanity and start punishing the owners who allow their pets to roam out of control. Bull breeds offer kindness, love and loyalty not often found in other breeds.

[Rick]

It's the owners? What planet are you people on? Do you watch the news? Story after story about irresponsible parents who buy a pit bull puppy, raise the dog with nothing but kindness, then watch as the dog attacks and kills their 2 or 3 year old kid. It's happened over and over. And the idiot owners always say, wow, he never did that before. He was never mean before. Right. Not until he chews your kid up. It's the breed, stupid! If you get one of these vicious dogs, you're getting a four legged time bomb.

[TheOwners]

It's definitely the owners fault. Dogs aren't born killers. It's the humans they live with that make them so. We're the ones who screw them up and now we just want to flush them away and forget about them.

Shame on PetSmart.

[Chris Camp]

As a new pit bull owner I can say that I've encountered quite a bit of prejudice against these guys. The reality, at least with respect to our dog Lola, couldn't be further from popular perception. She's a super-angelic canine - snuggly, nice to other dogs, accepted at snooty day care after lengthy interview process, very loving with other people and gets along well with children.

She was a rescue and I couldn't ask for a better dog.

One of the problems here is that there's not much empirical evidence backing up the idea that these dogs are innately, genetically more dangerous than any other breed. I'm of the mind that the problems are much more owner-related than breed related. If problems are owner based, punishments and frustrations should be focused there as well - not on the dogs.

The comments by squarf are symbolic of the disrespect for the breed - arguing for a sort of canine genocide? Um... that seems a bit extreme doesn't it. Even if you're just making a point I think the extremity really drives home the emotion/fear-driven foundation of squarf's argument. Our inability to reduce this sort of unsupported bias (towards animals as well as other humans) is a continuing human flaw.

[Let's be rational]

Pit Bulls may not necessarily be "human-aggressive" (unless trained to be), but they are definitely aggressive against other dogs, as most terrier breeds are. Their strength and fighting ability make them uniquely qualified to rip a smaller dog to shreds. They may lovingly wag their tail for their owner and tenderly lick a child, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere near a pit bull whose territory is threatened. That's why Bassett Hounds aren't the preferred breed of Gang members.

[BittenTwice]

It's not just the owners, it's the breed. You never hear about a toddler who wandered into a neighbor's yard and was torn to pieces by two Golden Retrievers. Very few other breeds are capable of that kind of damage. Pitbulls were designed and bred to kill for sport, nothing more. If you own one, you (a) are asking for trouble, because that dog is going to hurt somebody someday, and (b) better keep it away from me, my dogs, and my kids; because we aren't going to be the victims of your misguided, misinformed and idiotic dog selection process.

[Dee]

Pit bulls are NOT bad, they are just very willing to please their owners. Also, they are not ticking time bombs. All too often people take in a pit bull and do not realize that importance of training and exercise. These are high energy dogs, they need to be excersided everyday, and not just a short walk.

Training is also very important. A dog with this type of strenth and energy needs to be under control at all times.

It is not the dogs, it is the owners. Of course there are going to be some dogs that are too aggessive and they need to be euthanized. But, for the most part they are great dogs, and would do anything for thier owners.

[James Langer]

It saddens me to hear such ill informed whining from people. It is in the owner's actions reflected how a bully breed turns out. Reference Cesar Millan and how he specifically finds "bad" breeds and turns them into the most tame and wonderful dogs. (He keeps pits and rottie's as his personal pets) Yes, certain people give them a bad name, but remember; animals are animals and the only reason their behaviors go astray is because of human interruption to their natural instincts. I have two bully's in my life and they are sweet hearts and more obedient than most labs I've interacted with lately. I WILL NEVER GET ANYTHING OTHER THAN A PIT AGAIN.

I'm assuming the people who are crying about bully's are the same people who have NO tolerance for smokers, butt in to the woman disciplining her child in public, or crosses the road when you see a group of teens coming up. If you live your life in fear of everything and shelter your kids from the world, you are in for a pretty terrible life. Go watch FOX news.

[Jimmy]

Too many wannabe-thugs own this breed to make up for their own inadequacies and male insecurity, so I'm not surprised about this ban. Good for PetSmart

[JD B]

It isnt about individual dogs. Some dogs have a predisposition to kill or approach people and other animals in a thereatning manner. It is to a degree an inbred genetic attitude. Do the people who feel they have to own dogs who could rip your face off while you sleep think the general public owes them special doggie days or something?

Get a collie or a lab and get over yourselves. Keep your killer poochies at home and quit bellyaching. No one forced you to buy a toxic pet.

[sfdoglover]

there is always some breed that gets sensationalized in the media as being dangerous - it used to be the doberman. yes, these dogs were trained historically to be fighting dogs, so they have breed characteristics that are line with that. Obviously a dog that was traditionally a lap dog will have less capabilities in those areas. But I have seen goldens as well and chihuahuas put down because they've bitten children or their owners. A well balanced dog, one with proper training, exercise and socialization do not harm people. I adopted a pit bul, who was rescued by a program at the UC Davis vet. school. She was microchipped, neutered and re-socialized with dogs and humans. I never expected to be a pit bull owner and did a lot of research before regarding the breed. I could not be happier, she is such a sweet dog, she plays well with other dogs, kids, squirrels whatever... but most importantly, she's so well-behaved and happy-go-lucky that I really think she helps change people's perceptions about the breed in general. Don't judge a dog purely on looks alone, there are always exceptions and most of the time fear comes from ignorance and misunderstanding. I wish everyone could meet my dog and see just what a great companion pit bulls can be.

[65mph]

You can't require a store to individually evaluate your dogs. A high enough percentage of these dogs is dangerous, and that's just prudent that they're banned from a facility that cannot offer to monitor each dog all the time. It's like driving - the highway patrol is not going to test your driving ability and your car's mechanical condition. If you're over the speed limit you get a ticket. These dogs are over the treshhold of reasonable caution. It doesn't matter if your dog is the sweetest in the world - there are too many incidents with these breeds so they're all banned. It's simply responsible (and smart) of PetSmart to do this. If you want to pay more for individual day care - it's your choice. But for the price you're paying at PetSmart you cannot demand a service that simply costs more.

[Dan Priven]

Pit Bulls cause more problems than other dogs for the same reason that Camaros are in more accidents per mile than Sables - self-selecting owners. It's not the Camaro's fault, and it's not the Pit Bull's fault - but I still don't want my daughter being driven around in a Camaro, and I don't want my kids approaching a Pit Bull in the park.

[Adam]

If the comments to this article prove anything it is that humans have been horrible failures in the breeding of both pit bulls and our own children. First, the amount of sorely uneducated people on the Pit Bull breed that have comments to make like they should all be killed is very sad. When in fact the Pit Bull breed has been demonized by American's who were born and bred to think it's alright to harm or kill animals, or pit them against each other in fights to the death. If we are to destroy a breed I suggest we start with the breed of humans than thinks causing animals pain is a fun thing to do. That said, although I agree with individually destroying troubled animals, I also am fine with destroying troubled humans that kill others... in neither case should we make sweeping generalizations and say all of any one race or breed should be destroyed because of the actions of a few.

[RrL]

Seems reasonable but a bit silly. Probably wiser to assess things on a dog by dog basis. Considering the pure strength of those dog breeds listed I could see how a large retail chain like PetSmart would want to protect themselves in the lawsuit happy America we currently live in, should one those those types of dogs get into it.

Dog owners need to be reasonable. I own a very large and very friendly French Mastiff (think Hooch), however, she was turned away from a smaller dog day care in my neighborhood for similar reasons. Nothing against them but these types of breeds are by nature very tough, very strong and capable of some serious harm and they didn't want to expose themselves to that.

She is great but she is an animal and although I am not afraid of her biting me or people in general she doesn't get along with every dog she comes across and I think PetSmarts realizes that. It is enevitable that dogs are going to get into it at daycare, PetSmart knows that. Iti is a whole different story when a Lab and Beagle get into rather then a Pit and Beagle.

Just because you love your dog doesn't mean every has to. I don't like little tiny dogs too much and would prefer they not come to my dog park because they always instigate fights between other dogs but it's part of living.

Take it easy, find someone who will enjoy taking care of your dog and st

[Chris]

One person wrote: "You never hear about a toddler who wandered into a neighbor's yard and was torn to pieces by two Golden Retrievers."

No, you just hear about the woman who had facial transplant surgery because her labrador ripped it off.

Clearly labradors should also be banned from Petsmart...I mean I don't want to get my face ripped off. And what about rottweilers, and dobermans too, they done some severe damage.

Face it (no pun intended). None of that will work. Get rid off all the pit bulls and inept owners will just switch to Mastiffs, Labs whatever...

Read Malcolm Gladwell's piece from the New Yorker; the data proves it's owners not dogs. This is a case of poor logic and nothing else. Petsmart should ban agressive dogs, and they should not plan on getting my business.

[Daphni]

Please, no more letters from pit bull lovers. The victims should have their say, not the perps who keep these biting machine breeds alive. I'm sure your Pooky is just perfect, like others who have bitten people and shocked their owners who said 'I just can't believe my loving poochy did that'

If you are an experience dog owner you should know you can never trust 100% any dog, that the dog won't get demented and start attacking at some point because of his inner delusions, or that the dog won't get loose, start running with others and be overcome by pack mentality when they see a small child running and attack it with out stopping to think 'what is the responsible thing to do, follow the other loving poochies and have fun or stop and just watch, or tell my owner?'

We don't deserve to have our children and loved ones attacked by these loving kind peeing on the floor sweetie pie timid dogs. We don't need their genes in the gene pools of neighborhood dogs.

[Greg]

This is not fair. As usual, American people cannot take responsibility. It is always someone else's fault. In this case, the Pit Bull or Rotty..

BTW, I am a American and a Vet from the last two wars. But I am no hypocrit.

A dog is a dog. I love animals of all kind. STOP penalizing good people with good pets. It is the owners that make those dogs aggressive and mean. It is the owners responsibility to keep his dog well aclimated to his surroundings.

And it is the parents fault if they let there kids ramble about un chaperoned. No small children should be un-accompanied with animals. Kids are curious. They pull, hit, push, etc... Animals don't like that as well as people don't like that. So don't do it. And the most ridiculous part of this scenario with PetSmart is ... Any owner that would put his or her dog in day care, is not the same caliber of person that would spend time making there dog mean !!!! Think about it !

Before one can by certain breeds, they should be investigated or interviewed. Same for people who want to have kids.

Good day !

[jfx]

Both statments are true:

Most pit bulls and Rottweilers are gentle loving animals and excellent pets.

Most vicious dog attacks are by pit bulls and Rottweillers.

"According to the Clifton study, pit bulls, Rottweilers, Presa Canarios and their mixes are responsible for 74% of attacks that were included in the study."

http://www.dogbitelaw.com/PAGES/statistics.html

[toby]

Hey Petsmart ANY dog over 40 pounds can be a deadly animal if treated poorly.

It's a shame that we always have to pick on one dog.

Before it was German Shepards, then after the movie Oman, it was Doberman Pinchers and Rottweilers and now it's Pit Bulls.

To think, that 70 years after the world fell in love with Petey, The Little Rascals Pit Bull, and Nipper, the Pit Bull in "His Master's Voice" (You know the RCA Record logo with a Pit looking into a Megaphone)...

That America would once again forget that it's not the nature of the dog but how we humans raised it.

Shame on you Petsmart for propagating misinformation and fear. If you don't know any better...then maybe you should just go out of business.

[KateNonymous]

1) Different types of dogs have been bred to have specific characteristics.

2) Dogs can be trained.

So a responsible, caring owner is likely to have a well-behaved dog, regardless of breed--but part of being responsible is knowing the characteristics of that breed, not ignoring them.

And a person who wants to raise an aggressive dog is going to pick a breed that has more aggressive tendencies.

How is PetSmart to know the difference? I'm not asking this to be flippant. For those of you who have good-natured pit bulls, I can understand why you feel that your pet is being discriminated against. I'm sure you don't want your dogs to have to interact with aggressive animals, either. How should PetSmart protect your dogs from the dogs of owners who want aggressive animals? Is there a screening method you would recommend?

[MG]

What the Experts have to say about Breed Specific Legislation
http://www.animalfarmfoundation.org/topic.php?id=21&topic=17

[MG]

California Stats
http://www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/CaliforniaStats.asp

[quote]Over the past 43 years (1965 - 2007) there have been 59 fatal dog attacks in California, or an average of 1 to 2 dog attack fatalities per year.

At least 14 different breeds/types of dogs have been identified as participating in a fatal attack in California. The breeds include small and medium-sized dog (Pomeranian, Schnauzer) -- up to large and giant breed dogs (Malamute, Presa Canario).

The victims were: 14 adults and 45 children.

In keeping with being the most populous state in the U.S., California is also the state with the most fatal dog attacks.

California also leads the nation in having the largest number of criminal, negligent and abusive owners receiving felony convictions after encouraging or permitting their dogs to exhibit behaviors which resulted in a fatal attack.[/quote]

[quote]Furthermore, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

In 2005, one hundred and forty (140)* California children died as a result of maltreatment (abuse or neglect).

In ONE YEAR, 2005, more than THREE TIMES as many California children died from maltreatment (abuse or neglect) than the TOTAL from ALL fatal dog attacks in California over the past 43 years.[/quote]

It seems there may be a bigger problem than dogs in California.

[Kim]

It's pretty amazing how much the anti- pit bull crowd is focused on hyped news reports of children torn limb from limb. There have been a handful of such reports. The number one killer of children, as far as my research has taken me, is accidents--most of which I'm betting are caused by people, not dogs.

In other "news:" I have a 100-pound pit bull next to me on my couch right now who's been a far sight kinder to kids than some of the parents I've seen in my neighborhood. I'd love to ban THOSE folks from the local Babies R Us!

[sfdoglover]

my dog goes to daycare once a week- she had to go through three evaluations before they would let her stay and become part of the program: 1) health evaluation 2) One hour behavioral evaluation 3) half day evaluation at the day care. The daycare my dog goes to is more expensive then petsmart i'm sure... but I like the fact that ALL dogs are evaluated the same way. As someone said above, I don't want my dog playing with an aggressive dog and getting hurt either. If there are any 'incidents' or behavior problems along the way, the dog is asked to not come back. The dogs are also designated to three separate play areas based on their size. My dog was the first pit bull admitted to the daycare and has been going for months. San Francisco has a lot of dog daycare facilities, but it still took us quite a while to find a place that would call us back, let alone accept a pit bull.

[tufflove]

Wow. So many false statements (pit bulls that snap? please.. the only fatalies from pit bulls in the last two years have been from intact, breeding cycle dogs and/or chained dogs and some Darwin award winning children...any one who knows dogs would have seen any of those attacks coming) Some people just aren't worth arguing with though.

I will say that I'm the guardian of three gorgeous, rescued pit bulls. They hold Canine Good Citizen Certificates from the AKC and are loved by all of our neighbors and friends. We (the humans) hold advanced degrees from top universities, have great careers, own a home, and are politically active.

One of the best thing about having pit bulls is that they serve as a great filter; people who are scared of them or don't like them are people we don't want around us anyway. So, you losers who hate our dogs? Stay on the other side of the park with your scaredy cat face on. Pit bulls are the most popular breed in the United States. There's more of us than there are of you! And yes, for a long time most pit bull owners were lowlifes who didn't have alot of clout, but that is quickly changing. Proposed pit bull bans are getting shut down all over the place. Hell, even Rachel Ray has pit bulls...doesn't you Fox news, fear-mongering people love her?

[Shwoop]

Luckily for PETM, they won't miss the patronage of the minority of canine owners that own the pit breed. If everyone is so inclined to hang PETM, why don't they also go after insurance companies who for long have not written home policies if you own such breed? IMO, it's a sound business practice that acts to mitigate costly and lengthy litigation coupled with headline noise that is a PR nightmare. You pit owners would do everyone a favor by just sticking together and crying breedism. Enough said.

[MG]

Merritt Clifton Debunked
Part 1
http://lassiegethelp.blogspot.com/2007/08/dangerous-breeds-dog-bite-statistics.html

Merritt Clifton Debunked
Part 2
http://lassiegethelp.blogspot.com/2007/08/pit-bulls-dog-bite-statistics-and.html

Dog Bite Statistics-Science or Junk Science?
http://www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/dogbites1.asp
Merritt Clifton-Junk "Science"
[quote]Mr. Clifton's "study" can be found on a prominent dog-bite attorney website and is being used as "statistical evidence" of breed behaviors by those who seem unable or unwilling to recognize the critical errors in data collection and the damaging and erroneous conclusions drawn from a biased and flawed sample.[/quote]
...
[quote]Clifton then went on to draw sweeping and totally inaccurate conclusions about breed behaviors; presenting his collection of newspaper articles as "evidence" and "predictive" of the nature and behavior of all the other dogs in the U.S.[/quote]

[Sled Dog]

Year after year the news reports on pit bull attacks...and not just those trained to be mean. Good on PetSmart. I'd be fine if the breed was phased out. When I see pit bull owners I always wonder "why would you wan't that kind of dog, knowing it's record?"

[I_Slay_The_Dragon]

Only in California, would "doggie day-care centers" be debated,
ad-nauseum. Meahwhile, one-in-five kids go hungry, drop-out rates
steadily increase, and teen-age STD-cases hit a record high.
Ah, "The Golden State" and its unmistakeable stench: Pretentiousness.

[MG]

[quote]Is there a screening method you would recommend?[/quote]

Dogs range from dog social to dog selective to dog aggressive.
They can be anywhere on that scale.
That applies to all dogs not only the dogs that the public and media are calling "Pit Bulls".
I personally wouldn`t take ANY dog to ANY doggie care centre unless the people running it understood that.
Having owned many dogs of many breeds and types throughout my life including one "Pit Bull" I wouldn`t have put any of them in a daycare with dogs they did not know and with people that think they can make sweeping generalizations about breeds or types of dogs.
BTW the "Pit Bull" was at the extreme end of dog social.
The Cocker Spaniel was at the extreme end of dog aggressive.
The others were about midway on the scale.
The worst case of dog aggressiveness I have seen was a Westie that had to be peeled off a "Pit Bull".
Luckily for the Westie the "Pit Bull" was very dog social and just rolled over to play.
A small dog will lose in a fight with a larger dog.
Dog aggressive small dogs can seriously injure and kill other small dogs.
Know your individual dog`s tolerance level,slow introductions and supervised play.
That applies to all dogs.
I have a Lab that I would not place in a doggie day care or a dog park situation due to the fact that a lot of people do not understand dog tolerance levels and they`re surprised when a fight occurs.
My Lab is dog social after slow introductions.
All dogs can and will fight.Some have short fuses,some have long fuses.
It`s up to owners to control dogs.They don`t control themselves.
If you need to put any pooch in daycare I`d be looking for a small daycare with compatible dogs and experienced people that understand dog tolerance levels.

[GM]

I have a Neapolitan Mastiff. Their background includes thousands of years worth of fighting. They have fought in wars, against lions, and each other. Being a mastiff, my dog is a HUGE. His main job is to guard us and our home from anyone who may want to rob or hurt us. This instinct has been part of the "Neo" and is not something that will simply go away. However, I can train him to be friendly with people and other dogs with some simply steps. Currently, I allow him to wander freely in my front yard because I know he is not going to attack anyone without provocation (i.e. someone breaking in or someone attacking my wife or I).

Similarly, a pit bull is first and foremost a guard dog. Perhaps that anyone or any dog is perceived as a threat. Instead of euthanizing these dogs, the owners of these dogs should be educated and be required to attend classes and obtain a certificate that indicates their dog is both trained and socialized. For the people who are not educated, their dogs should be taken away and given to a person who is willing to go through a process aimed at decreasing any unwarranted attacks. Again, pit bulls are guard dogs and are good at their jobs. People should not be ridiculed for wanting a good guard dog- it does not necessarily mean they are lacking in "other" areas- but instead they should be encouraged and perhaps even forced to educate themselves and train their dogs.

[Cabrilla Azulada]

Breed-specific legislation and policy is itself dangerous and a form of security theatre. It implies that the public will be protected from dangerous dogs, but it makes no provision for individual dogs that are dangerous. We don't need breed-specific rules that punish without evidence when our current dangerous animal laws do a better job. They do require effort, though, which is always harder than willy-willy generic interdiction. Only the lazy feel safer because of security theatre.

[M. Gadston]

A couple anecdotes: the most aggressive dogs I've seen at our dog parks (and the ones who get into real, not play fights) are boxers, followed by chows. Not the pits.

I had a Labrador who was a dear with people (like most pits, btw). He was, however, hell on cats and extremely aggressive toward strange dogs (like some but not all pits). Should Labradors be banned because my dog tried to attack a seeing eye dog? No - but a dog who's aggressive like him should be banned from situations where he would endanger others (in this case, other dogs and cats) - regardless of breed. Leash laws protect everyone.

My roommate in college was mauled by a golden retriever. Not a pit. A golden retriever.

I have neighbors who keep trying to raise pits for profit. The owners are appallingly clueless, and animal control seizes their dogs on an annual basis. But the dogs have been quite sweet despite their circumstances. The only exception: one of their intact males, whom the owners kept on a chain 24/7 and didn't exercise.

You don't have to be Cesar Milan to know that those 3 factors would make for a frustrated, dangerous dog of any breed.

[Dog Lover]

It does no good to ban a breed. Each dog should be evaluated individually. My dog was recently attacked by a small (under 15 lb.) terrier mix. That same dog would be welcomed into the day care program, however the dog is a total whack job!

[Des]

I have to say that I agree with PetSmart for one reason. When they take a dog to board they don't know how it has been trained or treated. Yes, it is the owner and not the breed that make these dogs vicious. And before you Bully dog owners say I have a bias against, let me tell you this. I watched my Shitzu get ripped apart in front of my eyes when I was 12 by a Pit. We found out later that the owner beat the dog. Yet, I am a dog person by nature and love all breeds. ALL BREEDS including Pits. Pits can be very sweet and gentle and loving, I've experienced it. So my agreement comes not from a bias but a past experience with a bad owner. The store just doesn't know the dogs history and they have to think of all the animals in their care.
Oh and the Pit that attacked my Shitzu and almost killed her. I ran into him a week later and he was the sweetest, gentlest dog. I was sad that his person felt a need to take her anger out on him. He in turn took his out on my dog. I felt sorry for him and hoped he could get a better home with people who loved him.

[John]

Every dog, no matter the breed, has a bad day at one time or another. When a Pit has a bad day it instinctively wants to kill the object of its aggression. Most other breeds don't have this extreme reaction in a fight. Pits are genetically designed to bite and lock then thrash until the prey is dead.

[Lindsay]

Thankfully in my area we have PetCo and Southern Agriculture to give our business to. And in the most basic sense, I would not take any of my 3 American Pit Bull Terriers to a day care where they would be permitted to run loose with other dogs. That's just asking for trouble. I supervise interactions, and I decide which dogs have the appropriate temperament to interact with my own. Even if I trust my dogs implicitly, I know that if they were to respond to aggression with like aggression, that they would be blamed for the entire scenario. It is simply not worth the risk to me.

However, at the heart of this issue, I do not agree with breed-specific measures of any kind. If someone can take their ill-tempered German Shepherd Dog to Petsmart's doggie day care, then why would they prohibit other breeds? Is there an honest belief that once you get outside the realm of certain breeds, that there is no more risk? Get real. Breed regulations are of no comfort to people who've been attacked or had their pets mauled by non-"bully breeds."

At any rate, I spend a lot of money on my dogs. They eat the best -- far better than what Petsmart carries -- and are constantly being re-supplied with toys, collars, leashes, and whatever else they wear out. We spend tons of money going to dog shows and events. It goes without saying, my dogs are very important to me, and I can simply choose to spend my dollar elsewhere. If Petsmart cornered the market on pet supply chains, I would be upset. Well, in all honesty, I am upset, but only moderately. If I have to go a bit down the street to PetCo or Southern Ag, its no more than a minor irritant to me. Those chains like my bull-breed dogs, and they are greeted with cookies at the cash register, as well as pets from many other patrons.

"Bully breed" owners, and anyone else who doesn't believe in this genius plan of Petsmart's, let your money do your talking, and go spend it elsewhere. Petsmart is convenient, yes, but its not the only, nor is it even the best place to shop for/with your pets.

[Stephanie]

My pit bull is not aggressive to humans or dogs. She is also QUITE typical of a loved and cared for pit bull. She will chase squirrels. She is an angel.
We read articles on bad dogs precisely because it is NEWS, and its NEWS because the majority of pit bulls and other dogs are GOOD. There are currently over a million in the US hanging out with their people, dogs, and cats right now.
And it's always people who have NEVER OWNED ONE who hate them. Ask yourselves why people with pit bulls almost always replace them with another pit bull after the first passes on?
And the sicko who wants to "destroy" them should be considered a danger to himself and others... ANYONE who has no regard for the life of a human or an animal is not intouch with himself, with God, or with anyone else on this planet.

[Victoria Hyde]

Just so you know I was saved by a PIT BULL TERRIER. She risker her life a child. I have 2 right now with a young son and if anyone tries to tell me thier monsters I have LOTS to say. MY son has bitten thier ears, he rides them like a horse, he can do whatever he wants and THEY DO NOT CARE. I dont know why people confuse BAD onwers with bad dogs. My son was almost bit by a Standard poodle. That wasnt in the news. I absoltly have full trust in my dogs. They are loyal, loving, gentle, trustworthy, and they have so many other great qualitys I cant even name. They people who beat thier PIts and starve them, chain themn to trees with no water,food....THEY should be punished not the breed. Every night my dogs are under my blankets and there they stay all night.

[anitagayle]

L.A. Unleashed
All things animal in Southern California and beyond.
Previewing your Comment
BRAVO Pet Smart!
Our Yorkie was viciously killed by an off-leash Pit Bull at Mothers Beach in Marina del Rey on 02/25/08. It is one thing to lose a pet due to natural causes; it is heartbreaking to say the least. But when a pet is killed, one experiences the additional emotions of being infuriated and helpless, knowing that the perpetrator goes free to repeat the offense. Los Angeles has no laws or enforcement to take action against the perpetrator or to protect the innocent victims. It is amazing how many dog killings there are by Pit Bulls in the greater Los Angeles area and nothing is being done about it. It is time to change the laws and make it safer for our children and pets. We admire Pet Smart for taking a stand to make it safer for defenseless helpless animals, which cannot protect themselves against pit bulls.
Edson Stroll & Anita Winters

Posted by: anitagayle | April 26, 2008 at 10:59 PM

[Harriet]

I disagree with PetSmarts bully-breed ban, because it is breed-specific, rather than dog-specific. PetSmart purports to have professional dog trainers and knowledgeable staff. Dogs can be temperament tested, as well as undergo the American Kennel Club's Good Canine Citizen test. Dogs can undergo obedience training, and owners who work hard at ensuring that their dogs are exercised, trained, and taught affection - regardless of breed - shouldn't be penalized.

When I was younger, I saw two different dog attacks. Neither were Pit Bulls. One was a German Shepherd who charged from his front lawn to attack my friend's leashed beagle while out for a walk. It was horrifying to see this German Shepherd flinging the beagle about. The beagle survived, but needed surgery. The other attack involved a purebred Afghan who left his yard, crossed the street and entered my yard; fortunately for my small 30-pound mutt, I was able to keep myself between the two and I hustled my dog into the house.

So - after everyone is done bashing, banning and trying to kill every Pit Bull and/or related "bully breed", I suppose the German Shepherds and Afghans are next? Or maybe the Mastiffs and Saint Bernards? They are both gentle giants, but they can look pretty ferocious and daunting if you have an angry one posturing and barking at you. Oh - and I do recall a case where a child was mauled by a Saint Bernard. A very sad incident, that was the case of the child's parents. They left the child and dog together unsupervised; the child apparently lifted up the dogs floppy ear, and drove the pencil in, puncturing the ear drum and causing the dog unrelenting pain. If someone did that to me, I'd be attacking them too, if I was physically capable of doing so.

The point is, it's not the breed, it's the owner. There will always be a couple of mean-tempered dogs in ANY breed (I remember nearly being bitten by a Chihuahua once), but it's not necessarily because of the breed, but the dog's individual temperament. Penalize the owner who purposefully or ignorantly raises an untrained, unsocialized dog that as a result is an angry basketcase. Don't penalize the dog. And don't penalize the owners of dogs who happen to the media's favorite breed to bash, when the owner works hard to train and socialize the dog in question.

There is a lot of unfortunate misinformation out there too that people keep repeating. Their jaws don't lock, but some breeds of dogs have a higher tolerance to pain so it takes more to get them to let go of something they've got in their jaws. BTW, there is a very nice article in the May 2008 issue in Ladies Home Journal about a deaf Pit bull, rescued as a puppy from a drug dealer; the dog knows quite a few words in American Sign Language.

It's not just Pits, but any of six specific breeds AND any dog that looks like it might have some part of one of the six breeds in the dogs background. I have a dog that appears to be an American Staffordshire Terrier; she ended up with me six months ago because she was run over by a car (who kept going, leaving her in the roadway to die). It's not the breed, but the actions of any dog depends on the dog's unique personality, background, training and socialization.

BTW, I'm not some guy who needs to have a dog to make me feel like some he-man; I'm a middle-aged woman who just happens to have been in the right place for this dog. This dog was not socialized at all when I got her. However, I have been carefully working with her since she came into my life.

She is not a "born killer" waiting to snap at some dog, otherwise the tiny Italian greyhound that was walking with us in a park today would surely have been eaten. Likewise the poodle-mix that leaped up and nipped at my dog two weeks ago at the leashless dog park would have been in serious trouble.

At the leashless dog park, my dog plays with many dogs, all sizes. Friday I watched a pair of dogs (one of them a lab) team up and play wrestle with my presumed-Staffordshire; my dog was on her back, with one dog at her throat standing sideways, with the other standing over her lengthwise, as they wrestled about having a ball. If anything was going to trigger my dog to go bonkers, you'd think having another dog grab your throat would have; but no, they played, and sometimes she was on top, other times they basically played tag, leaping and cavorting.

Is she protective of me when we are out on walks? Yes, if she perceives a potential danger; but she is always leashed, and I am always on the other end of the leash. Unlike the Boxer that charged us a couple months ago while we were out walking; the Boxer was on a leash, but the owner wasn't able to hold on. Did my dog prepare to fight as she saw a dog nearly twice her size charging to attack us? Absolutely. Was anyone seriously hurt? Not at all. I controlled my dog, giving her only just enough room to lightly defend herself, as we continued to back up away from the attacking Boxer, until the owner was finally able to regain the leash. Boxer had a couple of very minor scratches, no bites, no gaping wounds.

I'm not the perfect dog owner either; but I am willing and able to work hard on being as good as a dog owner as I can be. And my dog follows my lead; she is willing to work on being the best dog she can be.

I have two cats as well; and they still have all their body parts. Even the all-around domestic short-haired cat who ran across the room to whack my dog in the face is perfectly fine. Hmmm.... maybe that's what PetSmart will ban next? The evil, domesticated short-haired cat?

[joenseyand Roxie]

Ok we took our staffie pittie to PETSMART for training. Spent about $25 a week there.

YUP YOU GUESSED IT "DOG BITES A CUSTOMER"...

The dog who bit my husband? their trainers dog who was is and has had severe agression issues.

Hearing the ban of pitties at PETSMART is a relief! I would NEVER take my dog back to a place where the
staff has such little knowledge of their OWN pets.

By the way, we did not just attend one class but three. In the first class it was an agressive poodle, the second class a small pekinese style dog that snarled at my tail wagging pittie the whole class.

Our dog wears a gentle leader harness which allows me to grab her quick when she is "picked on" at a dog park. I always thought that labs were so sweet, I dont think so anymore. The scar on my pitties face from an uprovoked attack reminds me every day that its NOT THE DOG BUT THE OWNER.

$1250.00 a year we spend on dog supplies. IT WONT BE AT PETSMART.

I wish I could "phase out" some of the human gene pool that has been writing here. Surely as a civilization, it would be better to do without such flawed intellect and stupidity. In addition, I am with another owner... dont like our pittie? Cross the street because she doesnt deserve your breedism. She doesnt deserve your scorn- she was rescued from abusive people and only wants love and affection. NOT YOUR UNBIASED bad behavior on an innocent creature.

SENT MY PETSMART CARD TO THE CEO...cut up

[Mary]

I can guarantee that anyone that makes the comment to "eradicate" pitbulls has (a) never owned a pitbull (b) ever worked in rescue (c) is a professional trainer, groomer or vet. Let's get this straight once and for all:
ANY vicious dog that shows aggression to humans should be evaluated and possibly euthanized REGARDLESS of breed. PERIOD. Quit discrimintating - it is ignorant like any form of racism.

[Whit]

ignorance. In the 70's it was Doberman's you all were afraid of, the 80's it was Rottweilers and now you say it is pitbulls. Responsible educated owners-- that is all any dog needs to be good.

Funny- I just drove 10 miles out of my way to buy a crate at PETCO Sunday

[Stacey]

I agree with all the pit-Owners. However, I also agree with petsmart's decison. These dogs do have a bad reputation with society because of the media. Anytime there is negative press to be had about dog fighting or attacks, it always involves a pitbull. Did you know that Cocker Spaniels are more likely to bite you than a Pitbull? Do not blame petsmart! Blame michael vick and negligent pittie owners who allow for this reputation.

Petsmart is only taking the necessary precautions that OTHER concerned petowners are voicing about this breed. As an owner of a pitbull, lab, and dachshund, I am obviously very frustrated. Instead of boycotting the store, I think it's your job as a pittie owner to demonstrate what a great breed this dog is through store visits, letters to the company, and creative advocacy.

The company is just responding to customer concern that was created through negative media attention about pitbulls. Why don't all the pittie owners out there organize an event where this breed can get some positive media attention (i.e. participating in a charity event)? Then, and only then, will society see the how friendly and harmless these dogs are.

[eve]

Kudos to Petsmart for choosing safety over profit and protecting the rest of its canine daycare population. A loose pitbull recently murdered my 12 year old diabetic cat who never left the confines of our front porch. I am a rescuer of stray dogs and have used my own money to neuter/spay and vaccinate over 40 dogs after nursing them back to health. I then take them to a local weekend adoption program and screen potential adopters before eventually finding the right homes for them. Three years ago I took in a 6 month old pit bull puppy. But she didn't get along with my other three dogs and was very jealous and quick to attack them if they tried to get close to either me or my husband. We enlisted the use of a kennel because we couldn't leave her unattended with the other dogs and two cats. Eventually she began to calm down but she still goes off now and then. I can see it in her eyes and I know when she is becoming angry. She is an angel towards me or my husband and has never shown any agression towards either of us. We decided to keep her only because we believe she would end up being euthanized if her adopters returned her to the adoption facility without our knowledge. I believe as one of the earlier posters that these dogs are bred to be guard dogs and owners of these dogs should be required to go through some form of certification because many owners do not truly understand their own dogs. Being loving and faithful to their owners is only part of canine socialization.

[Sarah]

Okay one
-ANY dog can attack & kill
Two
-If you think Pit Bulls are inheritantly vicious, uhm.. where the hell is your evidence supporting that? GUess what.. you wont find any, & thats why an Alabama Supreme Court ruled, there is no evidence that a Pit Bulls are genetically more vicious than other breeds.
Three
People fail to realize their role in the breed bans.. They forget it is THEY who create the dog and shape it into the dog it becomes, born innocent just like a child. The dog needs to learn rules as well.
Four
Educate yourselves people, your ignorance is causing thousands of good dogs to DIE
Five
Know who you are discrimintaing against, many pit bulls are therapy dogs, the number one drug sniffing dog is a pit bull, many have saved their owners lives and lost theirs for it!

These innocent dogs are dying because of YOUR ignorance

Get your facts, and stop relying on "what you hear"

[Roxanne]

I used to shop at petsmart when buying large breed puppy food for my APBT puppy. My fiancee and I currently have 4 in our kennel right now, we have sold 12 of 13 pitbull puppies and so far have had no complaints of them hurting anyone. We have however gotten several emails were the new owners have taken their pups to the vet, and the vet has stated that they have never seen a pitbull as calm and good natured as them. So I'm sorry for those of you who do not believe it is the way the owner raises them. When I talk about how its in the way that you raise them I mean you have to be responsible enough to know exactly what you are dealing with when owning a pitbull. You can never leave a pitbull unattended with any other animals or especially children and not because they are visious, but because they are unaware of when they are playing to rough. I have a picture posted on my website of one of my rescued pitbulls with my baby cousin laying on her, while I do not fear that my dog would ever hurt her I still would never leave her alone with a child. I bring my pitbulls around the children that I work with and every staff member there has stated how they know other smaller dogs who are more visious than mine. So while I understand that the petsmart has had problems with a "bully breed" before I do not think it is fair to punnish all pitbulls or other "bully breeds" for every dog is different just like every person is different. Thank you.

[Ellen]

"...Our Yorkie was viciously killed by an off-leash Pit Bull at Mothers Beach in Marina del Rey on 02/25/08. ... Los Angeles has no laws or enforcement to take action against the perpetrator or to protect the innocent victims. ..."

I'm sorry for your loss, but you are just barking up the wrong tree here. Doesn't LA have leash laws? (If not, hadn't you better get some?) Isn't it a problem that the leash laws aren't being enforced? Wouldn't that be a better place to focus your attention?

Yorkies are tiny. They look like prey to many other dogs, which is why municipalities have leash laws and such. A cranky BEAGLE could have killed your dog, and I know at least one who would if allowed to roam off-leash. Don't let your understandable sorrow throw your logic off completely, please!

[Denise Ochoa]

All dogs can bite. Just give it a rest and let's pick on cats now!!! What about the real things that kill Aids,Cancer & people. I think that we all should all have 1 kid because people kill and we have 2 stop the bread!!! I have 3 blue line pits they are indoor babies and everybody that comes
2 my apt loves them they are trained 2 pee & poop on a pad. They all eat food togther and sleep with myself & kids people need 2 just find a hobbie.

[Jen]

Gwen Lebec's response is the most reasonable one posted on this forum. Breeds differ genetically so a dog's behavior depends both on nature and nurture. The first time my border collie mix saw sheep she began to herd them - I never taught her to do that. Does that make me an irresponsible owner?
Again, like Gwen wrote, how do you know it is not the irresponsible owners that are dropping their pit bulls off at PetSmart?
Let's be reasonable! This is not a black and whiite issue with one right answer. PetSmart is erring on the side of caution in order to protect both pets and people.

[Beau]

I own two pitbulls that are the biggest babies you could have...they are around infants and other dogs as well...in fact my 4yr old 95lb pitbull was recently attacked by a cat...he lost because he didn't fight back but instead ran away. People profile badly. I take my dogs to petsmart and everyone acts in disgust. Today a guy told me I had a nice looking dog. His wife then asked me what type of dog I own...once I said Pitbull she whispered to her husband something and then he answered "well I just said it was cute." Probably throwing a fit cuz he admired my precious pitbull. I also have to go to court because my dog slipped out the front door the other day and urinated on a gas meter across the street. If he was a different dog noone would raise a fuss at all. Its pathetic.

[Gwen Lebec]

I have a Pit Mix, and she is just as loving and sweet and safe as all the dogs mentioned above. But I realize that while it is not her fault, and not my fault, lots of badly bred pit type dogs and their unwise or bad owners have created a huge number of very serious problems and that our society has to deal with these problems. And I have to deal with it in how I manage my dog. My desire to take my dog in public is NOTHING compared with the need to keep kids (and adults) safe. All of us could choose to have other dogs. If you don't want people to be concerned about your dog - have a different dog!!! If you have a pit type dog - then shoulder the responsibility, and help find a way to stop the problem dogs - and do it all politely and without whining. You CHOOSE to have a dog that generates this response in people. You knew this when you got the dog - or you are too dense and uninformed to have any dog. The response exists because of horrible, horrible events. How dare you minimize those concerns? Have you ever talked to a child that had 50 surgeries to repair their face? Have you talked to a child that lost their arm and can tell you what it is like to be eaten while alive and conscious? Your hurt feelings about people being worried about your dog is ridiculous compared to these incidents. If you walked into a building where every person carried a loaded AK47 - and you knew that at least some of them were dangerous - how would you know from just looking at them which people were reliable and trustworthy and which were not? That is the way most people feel when they encounter pit bulls. And sometimes they are right - and their pet or their child is attacked. If you are whining about people not liking your dog - and not caring about the fact that pit type dogs are abused more often and more cruelly than any other breed - and not caring that most dogs killed in shelters are pit types (no homes) - then you really don't care about dogs - or people. You only care about yourself. If you care about these dogs and their suffering - you should want a gigantic reduction in their numbers. When they are no longer the most common dog around and the most common dog abandoned or killed - then people will worry less when they see one. More importantly, fewer dogs will be suffering. If your focus and concern is the reception your dog gets - then you are not helping anyone, especially pits. You really need to look at your values. Public safety is important. Reducing dog abuse and death is important. Your hurt feelings, your inconvenience - get over it!

[Jen]

Once again, Gwen Lebec has it right. YOU MUST READ HER POST! She is the most reasonable voice on this blog.

If Pitbull owners really cared about the breed they would favor efforts that make it more difficult to own one. Responsible pit owners will not suffer much and in the end, less pits will be sent to shelters. Why don't you all realize this?????

[Ron]

I have a rescue pit bull. He was confiscated by the Chicago police after they raided a pitbull dog fighting ring. My wife and I have given our pit a lot of love and care and he has become one of the sweetest dogs around.

Condemn pitbull breeders and dog fighters, but not the dogs themselves. It is evil people who have harmed many of these dogs and turned them into monsters.

[nicole]

i dont feel the need to defend my dogs, as they are great, well behaved dogs. my question is why petsmart excepts me and my 3 bully breeds in their store and in their dog classes, and they bathe and groom my "bullies", but dont want the same 3 dogs coming to their doggie day care? thats what i cannot understand! they are making things worse for this wonderful "group" of breeds. mine consist of a pit, 2 corsos, and a olde english bulldogge.