Pit bulls: Enough already

We keep thinking we should step in and stop this pit bull debate, but it's hard to resist the passion on both sides. Some readers of L.A. Unleashed feel this way:

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 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 Pit Bull killings there are 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

But a majority of you seem to feel this way:

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.

Stephanie

Stay tuned for more updates.

--Alice Short

Comments

[blacknews]

Buy the dog because you love the dog not because you want to look hard or be a gangsta. If everyone did that they would raise them with love and not hate.

[James Talbot]

Pit Bulls (like other breeds of dogs) are like kids. They're not born mean, they're MADE mean.

[Darren K]

It always amazes me how people think that dogs bred to fight and genetic built that way are safe - a dog at the taste of blood becomes a different dog, you only have to look at a farmer with sheep or cattle dogs to know that no matter how gentle or loving they may be - they cannot be left alone as their instincts will kick in and they will kill, i have witnessed family pets turn killer at the taste of blood and of course people who have not experienced or witness it say..my little doggy would never hurt a fly...a pit bull can and will turn given the right conditions - pit bulls are a problem throughout the world and they are not to be trusted becuase simply when they turn you have no hope of a second chance - that alone should mean they should be under restrictive controls - they are a dangerous dog ...yes there are some good ones - but once they go awry..you dont stand a chance of controlling them

[Jersey]

Stephanie is unfortunately wrong, which is scary because she owns a pit bull bulls and apparently knows little about the breed, placing her own dog in danger. Pit bulls, all pit bulls, have dog aggressive genes because they were created for the illegal sport of dog fighting. Just because a dog has not acted on these genes in the past does not mean it won't in the future. But love and training, while helpful, does not change genetics. Pit bull attacks are not news, they are a daily occurance - see www.dogsbite.org to understand the depth of the problem. This has nothing to do with people hating dogs or thinking dogs were born mean because most people have more understanding than that. This is about understanding and accepting what pit bulls are and caring for them properly. Owners are not doing that. If they did, they would not be bringing pit bulls to dog parks and doggie day cares in the first place.

[MG]

[quote]Pit bulls, all pit bulls, have dog aggressive genes because they were created for the illegal sport of dog fighting.[/quote]

Jersey is unfortunately wrong.
There is no gene for aggression.
Also "Pit" dogs were not developed for the "sport" of dog fighting.
They were developed as stock dogs.
There is also more on that in the article below.
I would like to suggest that everyone read this article.
Here is the bit about genes for aggression.
http://www.dapbt.org/collier.htm
[quote]The case against APBT having genes determining aggression was compelling enough to be accepted by the Alabama Supreme Court in August 2002 in a case brought by the Washington Animal Foundation.[/quote]

It is important to know your own dog and not to place it in a position where it can get in trouble.
There is dog-dog aggression in many breeds and the level can change as the dog matures.
People need to be aware of that and not set their dogs up for failure.Jersey is right about that.
BadRap has a great article on Dog Tolerance levels.

http://www.badrap.org/rescue/dogdog.cfm

[joneseyand roxie]

As a pittie owner man you take the heat. Your dog must be perfect at all time. Should I share that our pittie went to training at Petsmart.? In three classes she was attacked by a poodle AND THE TRAINERS DOG a mini collie who BIT my husband.

STOP WITH THE PITBULL BASHING. YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE WRONG END OF THE LEASH!

I feel for the poor yorkie who was fatally injured - it was the owner of the dog who attacked that is at fault. ALL PITTIES are NOT agressive. Mine happens to be very fearful and we have worked hard for her not to think people would abuse her as they had in the past. She swims at Huntington and several times she has been jumped by dogs there who WERE NOT PITTS

Lastly, for the goof who says once they taste blood... Does that mean my dog will ravage a cow becuase we feed her raw meat on occasion. I DONT THINK SO.

Got her from a shelter and would NOT part with her.

[Sabrina Luna]

If you have ever owed a Pit bull and it turned on you or someone you have known then somewhere down the line it was your fault. If your Pit bull was very much loved and well trained and it still turned on you then you can talk all the mean things you want about that breed. Growing up all my dogs were pits, at one point I even had three Pits at a time and none of them had done any type of harm on me, my family, or my friends. My dog now is a full blood Pit bull. And he is the best caring dog. One thing I give you bad talkers is that there jaws do lock. Pit bulls are like any other dogs, they are so easy to train it is just the way you train them. the careless people we have in this world take advantage of there lock jaws and see only greed, just like they do with chicken fights, crash cars for street racing or shooting a gun because its in there careless hands.......... Careless people are the ones that put a bad name on pit bulls.
And since they have that bad name Pit bulls are the only dog bites you well ever hear of.

[Faith]

So many ignorant comments and so little time to respond. Gee, when will people get some education about canine aggression and learn that any dog can attack if given the right circumstances, including neglect, abuse, lack of socialization, lack of training. I am constantly reading about people having issues with pit bulls, but I own two and we are the ones constantly aggressed upon by other breeds on our daily LEASHED walks due to dog owners who will not leash their dogs. Dog attacks in our communities is not a pit bull problem, but is an irresponsible dog owner problem. There needs to be tougher penalties for bad dog owners of ALL breeds, so that responsible pit bull owners are not targeted by breed discrimination.

Some of you readers need to stop getting your 'facts' about pit bulls from biased news reports and try reading a book written by an expert. Yes, what a novel idea.

[Laura]

I have to say that when many people think of Pit Bulls they automatically associate them with fighting and aggression. I myself used to believe Pit Bulls were vicious, blood thirsty creatures, until I read this article.

Because it's hard not to think so when all you hear about on the News is Pit Bulls mauling little kids. But you see, that's always the key word, kid. Kids do not know the danger of dogs and when they go around them then sure, they'll pet them at first but then it resorts to the child pulling the dogs tail or ears or even annoying the dog by jabbing at it or teasing it. Trust me I know, I remember when I younger I would always tease my dog and I have multiple scars from it but we never got rid of her because it was my own fault, not hers. She's still alive and she's not aggressive at the least, I mean only a little towards me but we all know why that is.

So it's never a dogs fault for attacking someone, it's either the owners fault or the person they are attacking at the time. Which makes me said when they have to euthanize the dog because it may attack again.

[TinaNuNu]

Wow, so much to say about all of this. Well lets start by addressing Stephanie, Pit Bull jaws are the same as all other dogs jaws and NO they do not have a locking mechanism, they are just strong and when they do grab a hold of something it is very difficult to get them to let go. However it is possible as I have done this many times in the past. I am a dog trainer and also work with dog behaviors. I was trained by one of the best and most popular dog behaviorists in the world.

I have been bitten by the same pit bull that killed the Yorkshire Terrier, the pittie was going after my small dog and I stepped in the middle and got bit. However, this dog is a dangerous dog and has a very HIGH prey drive, something he has had probably since he was born and unfortunately his owners did not learn to properly take care of this, there is so much they could have done but did not recognize the signs early and then it went too far. Again this brings us back to owner responsibility. Before we purchase or rescue any dog, we should look in depth at the breed and do as much research on this as possible and see if we are ready to deal with what this breed was bred to do and find ways to excercise the needs of the dog and know what to look for in their current behavior and know how to deal with it. Of course when they are little and they snap or growl a great many of owners think it is normal puppy behavior, I can tell you that no matter what the breed it is not normal and it is not cute.

I am not against the pit bull, I just believe that not everyone is capable of owning one properly. My small 4lb dog lived with a pack of pitties and guess what, he ruled and they knew it, even the ones with issues. My little guy also bit an un-neutered pittie in the face at Venice Beach for approaching with too excited of energy, which was actually my dog correcting the pittie and the pittie ran, cried and hid behind its owner. Now you tell me that all pits are bad? NOPE, just misunderstood.