I agree about the owner thing being bs, this is an inherently violent breed.

I knew a woman that absolutely doted on this pet pit bull she had. She treated that dog like royalty, and it still attacked me completely unprovoked when she invited my friend and me into her house. The second I set foot into her house it lunged at me and sunk it's teeth into my arm, drawing blood and leaving a permanent scar. They had to pull it off me and it still tried to attack me until they locked it into a crate. The owner was visibly shaken and scared and pulled the " I have no idea what got into him, he's never done this before!" speech. So for everyone claiming " Oh it's the owner and the environment, not the breed." I'd be happy to call serious bs and show you my scar.

Yeah, some breeds are more dangerous than others and I think that this one tops that list.

It is too bad people keep apologizing for these attacks, and people keep getting killed by these wonderful, loving dogs.

Right on! You never hear of a "Collie kills another human today" In Los Angeles, the police say there's an attack of a pit bull almost everyday, but most are only minor injuries. And there is probably more, but are not reported. Like I say, genetics. How about a pet wolf? Naaa, they won't hurt anybody.

Totally agree. Breeding them should be banned, and we should pass strict liability laws for owners. Your dog bites someone, no excuses, you're liable. No matter how many of these stories happen each year, there is a dumbass crowd out there that still thinks they're just a misunderstood breed. These things flip back into what they were bred to do in a fraction of a second, for no reason.

You don't read headlines like "Family Rottweiler kills toddler" or "Family German Shepherd kills mother of 3" or "Family Doberman Pincher kills old man" and those are considered aggressive breeds. It's always pitt bulls. They are simply dangerous. Never take them for granted when you're in their presence, even if you raised them from a pup.

My parents - age 85 and 90 - live in a rural area, and their next-door neighbor recently got a Pit puppy. Already comes into my parents' yard and barks and growls at my 90-year-old father. I'm worried.

Maybe its because the owners breed these dogs to be vicious. But critical thinking may be hard for you folks so its cool.

It is true that some breeds are more aggressively predisposed, but it really does boil down to the animals owner and how they raise it. People need to start educating themselves about a breed before they just go out and get a dog (i.e. don't get a big strong dog if you can't controll/handle it). We need to start taking responsibility for raising our pets. I know many families with pit bulls and some are territory aggressive and other you can pretty much do anything to them and they don't care. Every generation has it's "bad dog" in the 80's it was Doberman Pinschers, 90's was the Rottweiler, and at other times German Shpeherds. The fact is that as a dog owner you need to be responsible and train/work with your pet everyday. Also an animal is an animal and will never be completely predictable when it comes to their actions. With that said I also want to point out that I question the facts of this article simply because it mentioned a Pitbull terrier as the attacking dog at the beginning of the article and then goes on to say it was a Pitbull. There is a difference between the two so the writer/reporter for this article needs to get their facts straightened out.

You do not hear of these things because people do not sensationalize them as they do with pitbulls.

Just consider how pitbull is used as a term and euphemism for negative connotation.

prove it was a "pit bull" first. Most of these dogs are mixes and in most cases there are multiple unfixed animals in the home.

AG, this one's for you, and there are dozens more where it came from: http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2012-03-09/story/jacksonville-17-month-old-killed-neighbors-rottweiler

Ok, you pit bull enthusiasts, let's hear your side of this debate.

Tell us how loving and friendly YOUR pit bull is. Tell us how you raised YOUR pit bull properly, so that YOUR pit bull would never, ever do anything like this. Tell us how fondly YOUR pit bull plays with your young children. Tell us how much a part of the family YOUR pit bull is.

Then tell us why YOUR pit bull is so different from the ones we read about in the news.

Just another thought: Michael Vick wasn't raising and fighting Poodles was he?

Pit bulls: The radical Islamists of the dog world.

@Gus - Seems like I was just saying this same thing a few days ago. Oh yeah, that's because I did when a baby was killed by the family pit bull. "Well he's never killed anyone before I just don't understand it." How many more have to die because of this breed?

That's just it, Pitbulls are very loyal and easily trained to be fighting dogs because of their loyalty. They are emotional and do just about whatever it takes to make you happy. They require A LOT of attention, you can not leave a pitbull in a crate all day with no human interaction. People like to say of vicious pitbulls that, "it's the owner" and it typically is, this doesn't mean however that the owner is some thug training their pitbull to fight...they're just not being a responsible owner to their dog and they're probably neglecting it.

my analogy for pit bulls is they are like fireworks. some communities allow sparklers. some allow sparklers and fire crackers. some even allow sparklers, firecrackers and m-80s.

no community allows dynamite to be set off by the general public.

sitting in a drawer, in the right hands, none of those items are dangerous. dynamite is regulated because of the degree of mayhem it can cause when mishandled, and cause sometimes when people think they are being careful.

beagle, german shepard, pit bull. same progression. same issue.

Ok...so what about the Black Lab that was attacking my Princess who happens to be a pitbull, or as like to referr to them "stafordshire terriors"??? It was attacking her and I went to grab her and it turned around and grabbed my hand, chomped down on my index and middle fingers and it's teeth went straight thru. This happened YESTERDAY. so lets just down on pits, lets publisize this article and damage the breed more...because they are soooo Cliche! I'm sorry but any canine that is LARGE is capable of such feats. Pitbull or not, these are ANIMALS. and as ANIMALS, have animals instincts...and are capable of hurting humans who do not have thick skin. So all you pitbull people can shove it. I love my princess. That Black Lab is a menace and has bitten 3 other people. What if it attacks my children, who will protect them? My pitbull Princess. Thank you and goodbye.

Ban? Nah, we need to keep eliminating redneck paranoid bully genes. If you want a big mean dog because it's "Tough like you are," then enjoy your pain and sorrow.

This is why I own a Chihuahua. If she goes crazy, I think I can take her. As a bonus, she makes little poops.

Not all pitbulls are like this. If they are raised with care as any dog should be, they don't do things like this. On the other hand when pitbulls aren't cared for properly they tend to be worse than most other dogs who are treated the same. License pitbull breeding/buying/selling or something. Not every pitbull is bad.

Amy -

"The term pit bull is used in reference to multiple breeds of dog, namely, the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, and crosses between the two."

The article could be correct on both statements.

Over 47 million people are bitten by dogs every year. Almost 80% are the family pet. Out of that number since 2000 27% are fatal. Most are small children and the elderly. We have become enamored with dogs to the point of stupidity and disgust. Trading slobber with a dog is borderline beastiality. I use to love dogs but the misguided dillusional fantasy of their role has become absurd to the point where I hate the human love for that stinking mut. We have lost focus as a society. A couple drowned trying to save their dog. Guess what the dog swam to saftey on his own after. I think he lured them out because he was just as fed up as I am. I believe this is all about the billion dollar a year pet industry who make having pets so alluring and almost expected. Another fun fact. More than 75% of emergency room injury visits by the edlerly are caused by tripping over fluffy.

Here's some food for thought. The majority of the "Pitbull" headlines involve dogs that aren't even "Pitbulls" .. The media classifies anything with a block head as a pit. So basically you want to ban and kill anything that closely resembles what the media describes as a "pitbull" when in fact it could be an entirely different breed or combination there of. Real smart.

Owners of Pit Bulls who attack a human or another pet should be held liable and sued for everything they have. Maybe this would convince them that owning an animal breed known to be vicious is not a good idea.

@Lynn86

A "close resemblence", as you put it, means it is either a pitbull or a pitbull mix. What else could it be, exactly? It's odd, no one seems to get confused with any other breed like pitbull apologists. Is your eye sight seriously clouded that harshly, or are really that arrogant? It's your problem, nonetheless.

A pit bull type dog is a combination of dog breeds that includes the American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, American bulldog and any other pure bred or mixed breed dog that is a combination of these dogs.

Please, get your facts straight. You're embarrassing yourself on the world wide web.

Report: U.S. Dog Bite Fatalities January 2006 to December 2008

A 2009 report issued by DogsBite.org shows that 19 dog breeds contributed to 88 deaths in a recent 3-year period. Pit bulls accounted for 59% followed by rottweilers with 14%. Of the 88 fatal dog attacks recorded by DogsBite.org, pit bull type dogs were responsible for 59% (52). This is equivalent to a pit bull killing a U.S. citizen every 21 days during this 3-year period. The data also shows that pit bulls commit the vast majority of off-property attacks that result in death. Only 18% (16) of the attacks occurred off owner property, yet pit bulls were responsible for 81% (13).

Breeds of Dogs Involved in Fatal Human Attacks in the United States Between 1979 and 1998

A 2000 report issued by the Center for Disease and Control (CDC) reviewed a 20-year period to determine the types of dog breeds most responsible for U.S. dog bite fatalities. During 1997 and 1998, at least 27 people died of dog bite attacks (18 in 1997 and 9 in 1998). At least 25 breeds of dogs were involved in 238 human dog bite related fatalities during the past 20 years. Pit bulls and rottweilers were involved in over half of these fatalities and from 1997 to 1998 were involved in 67%.

Donotous, better work on your math skills. You have just stated that 47 million are bitten every year and 12.7 million (27%) are fatal. That's 34,794 per day ! Might want to put your brain in gear before typing !

That breed of dog needs to be gotten rid of all together. It seems like they are really not good to be around for anyone.

@ Chris,

Ever seen a cane corso? A dogo argentino? Any mastiff mix for that matter would end up being classified by the media as a "Pitbull". Even the american bulldog (or mix) would be classified as a pit if it attacked someone and the media wanted to grab headlines.

It's unfortunate for this breed of dogs. I see a few posts that say they "weren't" bread to be violent. Well, you're incorrect people. Actually, they were bread to fight other dogs not people but that doesn't mean they can't be violent against humans. Back in the 1800's they actually used to have them fight for their own pleasure and betting just like some people do illegally today.

• Although I do not hate Pit bulls, I will never own one nor will I allow my children over a friends house that owns one.

It's like any other animal that's tamed and has the capability to kill a human. Bears, and other exotic animals that are tamed and raised by humans have attacked and killed their handlers out of nowhere.

I feel very terrible for Mrs. Davis. I mean, she had to go through such pain, suffering and terror before she died. That had to be so so painful. I cannot imagine what went through her mind while going through that.

RIP...

@mpa-4893349 You are right is a generic term. What I was trying to get at is that there are differences and to be specific in the beginning and then general afterwards doesn't keep things factual and causes a blanket effect for all of those breeds under the Pitbull general term who aren't associated with this specific breed. That is just me though. Thanks for pointing it out though.

if you had the choice to leave your infant, alone, with a pitbull or a collie/golden retriever/poodle, etc., which would you choose?!?!

@ Lynn86

Yes I have. Maybe an ignorant media outlet, but they are separate in statistics. Pitbulls accounted for 71% of human fatalaties by dogs last year, NOT including those breeds you mentioned--they are labelled separately.

Pitbull attacks are not less frequent then you think they are. They are very frequent for a dog that accounts for a very small percentage of the species.

An American Bulldog is considered a pitbull. You appear very confused. A pitbull is not a dog breed. It is a classification of many dog breeds. Your logic is the fallacy that most pitbull apologists abide by--there are many different definitions for what a pitbull is among people such as yourself. This is in an attempt to split the classification and try to blame "separate" breeds and not the owner's own, further spreading confusion among the masses about what a pitbull is and isn't. It isn't necessarily ignorance, but rather the confusion and misinformation spread by those trying to defend the classification of breeds. Do some of your own research for once.

@JmB66......I didn't mean to touch a nerve with you and I honestly wasn't trying to be offensive. It's just something I have always wondered about but have never asked.

A Pit Bull............I'm shocked.............now if you had told me a Shih tzu had done this I would understand.

Ok full disclosure I had to use spellchecker on the dog name then google it you should have seen the original way I spelled it don't think it would have gotten pass the censors.

Shon, are you serious? That is, by far, the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Why do white people keep animals in their houses?

Wow, just wow. Not sure where you're from, but up here in the Northeast, many people treat their animals as their family members, with love and respect, regardless of their color. This isn't 3000 BC. Your statement leads me to think you're very uneducated and an opinionated, ignorant individual.

I feel very bad for any animal that you own. Depending on the weather where you live, that poor dog is either very hot or very cold for a good portion of the year. Do everyone that loves dogs a favor and give that dog to a family that will love it. A dog needs to be socialized and loved just like anything else. Keeping it in the backyard and not allowing it to ever come in your house like it's some sort of rabid wild animal is just ignorant. What a moron you are.

Many mastiffs, Boxers, American Bulldogs, Ridgebacks, look like 'pitbulls' - really anything large and muscular with a block shaped head will be labeled a 'pitbull' by the media. Every 10-20 years, a new breed is villainized - Rots, German Sheps, Dobermans. Growing up I was taught Dobermans were MEAN and Rots were even scarier. Luckily I've since educated myself, I now foster dogs, and have encountered many wonderful dogs of many breeds. I have a Am Staff (pit)/yellow Lab mix, and he is wonderful - very submissive (because we trained him from 3 months of age on to be so), well socialized with humans and people. He makes a piss poor guard dog. We had a foster dog who was a purebred Am Staff and she tried to kill him, apparently she was food/toy aggressive. We had to pass her on to a bully rescue group because I was not willing to sacrifice my dogs' (or my own?) safety like that. Pits (of all variations) are truly awesome dogs, for the RIGHT OWNER. The right owner is probably 5% of America. They have been trained/bred into fighting - not their original purpose yes but it is bred in there now - they are usually smart and VERY loyal. They will protect when needed (I think my Pit/Lab just got the Lab gene on this). This can make them dangerous - powerful jaws that lock down. I don't agree that all pits are "like a loaded gun" because I think most pits in the right hands, with firm pack order and leadership, when handled correctly, can be fantastic dogs. Most people just don't know what they are doing and adopt the next cutest dog they see, rather than educate themselves about the breeds and what would fit best with their home. If you can be a firm, strong pack leader and don't chain your dog in the back yard or kennel it for countless hours on end and socialize it from a young age, your pit should be just fine. There are at least thousands of mishandled dogs in the US, I see a lot of pit type breeds used for fighting in the rural areas - I've seen two on the side of the road, dead w/ a huge chain on their neck. Well gee, I wonder WHY this dog could be aggressive. Not everyone is handling them badly, and this case of the grandmother dying is tragic, but there is probably more to the story. I doubt the granddaughter had any control over these dogs, she probably missed or ignored some warning signs of aggression or nervousness in this animal. I hope they take the non-attacking dog away from this girl and give it to someone who can work w/ it (away from children or the elderly). I believe the stats about pitbulls attacking has gone up significantly because they are SO MANY being bred. The German Shep market isn't booming the way Pit breeders are right now. If there are 1 million pit bull type breeds in the US today versus 1/2 million Rots or Shepherds...well that could skew the stats a lot. I think breeding should be restricted because so many idiots who should not have them, but like the look, own them.

Hey we can put these pit bulls to work for the ObamaCare death panels. Like Obama shouldn't waste resources giving grandma a pacemaker. We just giver her a pill and a hungry pitbull. Problem solved.

I'm only posting to people with a brain here. Don't just talk about it - take action. Stay away from all dangerous breeds. If you see one not on a leash, report it. Don't associate with people who own these animals. Stupid people who own these dogs can be dangerous also. Take responsibility for protecting you and your loved ones!

Ok Shon, then on that note, you should have just asked the question in general, not in color. A dog eating off a person's plate is disgusting, and touching your animal while preparing food creates a risk of getting hair in the food you are preparing. That is also an irresponsible dog owner for not setting boundaries for their animal, or teaching it proper behavior. So perhaps it's your choice of friends, not the color of their skin?

@JmB66........The only reason I brought race into this conversation is because I have never seen black or hispanic family bring large breed dogs into their homes. I have never seen black or hispanic people allow their dog to eat out of their plates. I have only seen white people do this. It just seems odd to me. I don't know any black or hispanic families who would allow a large dog in their home if they have a small children.

I'm sorry I offended you but I was just curious as to why white people do this. Trust me I'm not a racist. Black people and hispanics do a lot of crazy things that don't make sense to me too.

"You don't read headlines like "Family Rottweiler kills toddler" or "Family German Shepherd kills mother of 3" or "Family Doberman Pincher kills old man" and those are considered aggressive breeds."

It's called media bias. Here are some headlines of dogs killing people this year without the breed mentioned in the headline:

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Dog-Fatally-Bites-Baby-While-Mom-in-Bathroom-Police-139509313.html

Dog: husky

http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20120421/PC16/120429826&slId=1

Infant boy killed when mauled by family dog in Ridgeville as father slept

Dog: Golden retriever/lab mix

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/apr/28/first-birthday-ends-tragedy-when-family-dog-attack/

Dog: Rhodesian Ridgeback/Mastiff mix

But if it is a pitbull or rottweiller...they will most likely be put into the headlines. Huskies and German shepherds kill a few people, but the headlines don't mention the breed or rarily do. It doesn't sell that well. Jack Russell Terrier kills child (yes, a few years ago a kid was killed by one) - who is going to read that 'drama'? Pit bull kills child - drama!

I see nothing wrong with pit bulls if you have understanding of the breed and that one specific dog you own and you won't be in denial. For instance, I have a golden retriever, friendly dog breed, but mine is viscous. She doesn't like men, children, baby carriages, other dogs, etc. I have owned a golden before her that was exactly the breed stereotype. I know she is viscous and I make sure that she is always on a leash and that she is away from people and other dogs. We have tried to train her to stop lunging at people; this has improved, but we still do not trust her.

I have met really good pit bulls, I have met ones that are really bad (and in those cases it was due to neglectful owners that did not fix a fence, refused to put their dog on a leash (which my golden retriever has already had two fights with already because their damn dog was not on a leash and ran towards us and attacked) and will ignore anything wrong that their dog will do (such as steal someone's food, the owner refusing to pick up after the dog defecates on public/private property, etc.). However, I have met other dog breeds whose owners can fall into the same categories: good or bad. I have met good and bad rottweilers, jack russell terriers, daschunds, chihuahas, labradors, golden retrievers, pugs, boxers, german shepherds, bloodhounds, etc.

The term pit bull is used in reference to multiple breeds of dog, namely, the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, and crosses between the two. However, in a few parts of the world, the American Bulldog is also classified as 'Pit Bull' type dog, despite the fact that they have major genetic differences. In the 90's, the American Bully was created from the American Staffordshire Terrier and the American Pit Bull Terrier.

These are the dogs people are refering to as Pit Bull type dogs. OK? Mastiffs, Cane Corsos, etc are not pitbulls, they are listed seperately in these reports.

When almost 60% of fatalities are caused by one breed and the next runner up only has 14% - Then you're talking about a problem with that one breed of dog. Statistics don't lie. Golden Retreivers are the most popular dog in America. They should be the ones with the most bites (and they are) The difference is that they bite, they don't kill. I'd much rather my kid get a bite than have his throat ripped out if he makes a mistake in how he approaches a dog.

@Kyle6286......There is no reason for name calling. I didn't call anyone names or hurl insults at anyone. I just asked a question that has been on my mind for a long time.

By the way I live in Arkansas so it is warm here all year long. This past winter the temp rarely dipped below 60 degrees. That seems like fine weather for a large dog to survive outside. If it ever gets really cold here (which rarely happens) then I bring my dog into my garage and give him a comfortable place to sleep and turn on the heater. He gets daily walks and lots of attention. I honestly think my dog would hate being indoors.

I absolutely agree pitbulls should be legal... for target practice!

Shon-2484210 I don't meant to sound racist but why do white people love to have animals in their homes.

It's true. Our dog sleeps in bed with us, as do most of our (white) friends' dogs. Where I live about half my neighbors are black and about half white, and there is a HUGE difference in how they react to my dog when I walk her every day. Almost all the black kids (and adults sometimes) act afraid of my dog, and almost all the white kids come over to her and say how pretty she is. That sounds racist, but I'm just saying what I see every day.

It might be an historic thing. Northern Europeans kept dogs (and all farm animals pretty much) in their homes. Most other parts of the world didn't have this relationship. Our immune systems adapted to this, and as such much of the American native population succumbed to diseases that we were immune to, during the conquest of the Americas 500 years ago. Guns, Germs, and Steel goes over this in depth.

I used to know someone who bred pittbulls. He taught me a lot about them. He kept them each in their own cage, which was locked. He also had a 6" fence around his back yard. He didn't allow anyone in the yard when he exercised them, one at a time. He had 4 children, all boys. They weren't allowed near them. When he had a dog loose in the yard, the kids and wife were in the house.

They have been bred for violence. That is all they are for. They are killing machines. The facial appearance (short muzzle and very wide at the jaw hinge) is the result of breeding. The clamping pressure of pittbull jaws is an unreal amount. I have forgotten the specific PSI, but it was in the 1000's of pounds. They are a mouth full of teeth on legs.

When they bite, they don't let go. A "breaker stick' is used to pry their mouth open to make them let go. This is one reason their damage is so great when they attack.

When a regular dog bites, it biites and lets go. May even bite numerous times. Makes a lot of small punture wounds. But when a pittbull bites, it bites and hangs on. Then, they shake their head, like we've all seen dogs do to their toys. (Except these guys are NOT playing.) That part, wherever the bite is, is then torn off. Then it bites again, and another chunk is torn off, and so on. This is why the mauling is so great. This is why they cause so many deaths.

And for all of those out there who will site that recent fact that there are more black lab bites reported, it is because of sheer numbers. The black lab is currently the most numerous breed. Therefore, although there are a lot of bites from that breed, the percentage is very, very small. You also need to note that they are BITES, not MAULINGS or DEATHS.

He also taught me that another reason they are so dangerous, is that they are typically very quiet. They don't bark, so you usually don't get a warnig that they are even there. All of a sudden, you have a dog attached to your body.

I actively avoid being near any pittbull. You can have your pittbull if you like, but keep it away from me!

I believe that ALL residences that harbor a pittbull should be required to have that fact clearly and prominently displayed, so I can make the choice to expose myself to the dog, or not.

i don`t have a dog but i have a mother inlaw, any body need a dog sitter????

Not a "Happy Camper" when there is a Pit Bull Dog in a neighborhood.

The "Owner" seems to have a particular attitude problem, telling everyone, "Don't worry, he/she, will not bite". The attitude of the Master usually is one of defiance in their own personal lives, and denial their dog is a threat to Society.. They seem to enjoy the attention, and the invincible attitude of themselves and their dogs potentially being dangerous..

Pit bulls were at one time a very fine breed, always brought up through it's history as a Fighting Dog. There are so many irresponsible Breeders now of Pit Bulls, that many of them are labeled Dangerous.

Pit Bulls are not happy being domesticated. Look at all the Breed's mauling, biting, and killing of innocent human beings.

Just don't "Mess" with Pit Bulls. Many times it is an agressive behavior, and the innocent person is killed.

Was a purebred dog (2) owner for over 28 years; 2 dogs, and know my breeds. Mixes seem to be a lot more tame. Watch what dog is right for your family--do the research. Look into getting a Rescue dog; checking it out very thoroughly--no Pit Bull mix in them.

the same laws and rules for owning a chimp, a tiger, a lion etc should apply here....time to face the facts...PIT BULLS KILL...period!

It's easy to jump on the "ban the breed" wagon, but seriously, other dogs bite as well. It's just that their bite isn't going to kill you the way a Pit's might! I have 2 rescued chihuahua's, the older one is quite grumpy with strangers. We picked up my friend from the airport one day with our dogs in tow and my friend kept putting his hand closer and closer to my dog. The dog was giving him all kinds of signs, showing his teeth etc., but he just kept pressing his luck, and then my dog snapped and bit his hand. Drew a bit of blood. Pitbulls get put down because of the strength of their bites- other dogs get away with it because, well..they're little. Guess we could call it size discrimination? Think about it, if tomorrow you get bit by one of those adorable little teacup whachamacalits, are you gonna put them down??? NO. Just stating the obvious here.

@bob douglas......Thank you for giving an insightful answer! You make a lot of sense and you are correct. Black people are more afraid of dogs than whites. I have noticed this too. I think we can discuss differences in the races without being racist.

Kudos to you!

The cops shot the dog becouse the crate had a broken lock?. So what's next, the cops shot John Doe becouse their handcuffs were broke?.

It's kind of how you can be a Gun lover. Own Rifles and shotguns for hunting... very useful and relatively safe. These are your Labradors. You could also decide it's a good idea to get a handgund for protection, Maybe a .45. That would be your German Shepherd. Then there are those who want a little more muscle, maybe a semi automatic handgun - that's your Rottweiler.

Then you have the drug cartels, terrorists, and wackadoodles who want automatic assault weapons. Those are your Pit Bulls.

Dogs are PACK animals. If you leave a dog outside ALONE all the time, you are hurting that dog psychologically. ALL canines - Wolves and dogs - prefer to live in a PACK. As a domesticated animal, the dog's pack is their HUMANS. If you leave a dog outside all the time, it WILL suffer emotionally and psychologically. AND that's regardless of the owner's skin color.

In the South, the people who are in poverty, poor or working poor leave their dogs outside all the time. It's not a COLOR thing.

Cane Corso is an Italian Mastiff. Presa Carnios are the "pit bull on steroids" who are tall and massive like a Mastiff but have a head structure like a pit bull. They are not the same dog - nowhere near the same. The Presa Carnios are the breed of dog who mauled and killed a woman in San Francisco. My Giant Maso Mastiff is a developing breed that is 85% Mastiff (or English Mastiff) and 15% Cane Corso. The Cane Corso looks like a slightly smaller Mastiff with a body that is leaner like a Great Dane (meaning it has the "cut" after the ribs). Mastiffs (except for Bullmastiffs and American Mastiffs) are a very gentle breed who are protective ONLY when they or their "pack" are threatened. They make great guard dogs for flocks of sheep or cattle since they will see the sheep or cows as their "pack" and will watch and guard. Their PRIMARY "weapon" is their BARK - they do not attack physically unless they have barked to warn of the threat and warn the threat to go away and an ACTUAL attack by a predator or threat is underway. Then they will tackle the threat and HOLD IT (usually by lying down on it) for the pack leader (the human) to come and deal with the threat.

Pit bulls have powerfull jaws. That is why the owners train these dogs to fight. IT IS THE OWNERS FAULT COMPLETLY. Animals are not born mean.

I remember when I was growing up in the 50's bulldogs were considered dangerous. I never heard of one biting anyone. My husband had a boxer and he was very tame. My niece has a boxer, and she is very tame. They are also of the bulldog family.

I have a yellow lab and he stays in the back yard in a 800 square foot lot with a huge wooden house. He is very intelligent, loving, and only gets excited when I go in his lot to pet him. He loves everybody. He likes attention and smiles a lot in his doggy way. The most beautiful dog I ever had was a Husky-Chow mix. He lived to be 15 years old and I cried a bucket of tears when he died. He was so tame even the cat could eat with him. The only dog I ever had that was vicious was a German Shepherd. He was that way as a pup, and I gave him away when he was less than 6 mos. old and bit one of the kids. But I have been around people that own German Shepherds, and they are not normally mean dogs. This one was an exception.

@Cat-1200657......You make a very good point. I never thought of it that way.

Anony-6923842 Comment collapsed by the community

Pit bulls were originally bred as nanny dogs. They were never bred to be violent.

1. The "nanny dog" thing is a MYTH. The phrase was first used by Lilian Rant in a 1971 interview. There is no documentation prior to that date showing pit bulls were called that. There is, however, a great deal of documentation about pit bull's viciousness.

2. They absolutely were bred to be violent. Pitbull breeders raised them for bull baiting, ratting and dog fighting. They were never a popular breed destined for households. Studies have shown in the first half of the 20th century they accounted for 1% of dogs. There is no long line of gentle pets.

with all the crap people need to register for,

there should be a registration for people to be allowed to own such an animal.

my brother has a pit that thought it would try and see if he was the Alpha in the house and bit me because he doesn't like conflicts, i was breaking up a fight and he thought i was the aggressor,

i let him know that i was the Alpha in the house as i beat the crap out of him, then the people i was separating from each other began to attack me.

after that the dog broke through a door to sleep in the same room as me, i woke up with the dog jumping on the bed and lying on my chest,

i still love the dog, as i was yelling at the dog when i was punching him in the head,

"I love you but i'll kill you if you want to try anything like this again".

i have cousins who raise Pitts for hunting and the dogs all know when it's time to be aggressive and when it's time to be a family dog.

society gets animals like they get the cars they drive, they don't know how to drive the cars they get, and they don't know how to raise the animals they get either.

Animals are not born mean.

Yep, i have had my pet crocodile since it came out of the shell . I call her sugar . I do know why my neighbors are so upset with me.

"I have never understood why white people feel compelled to have their dogs inside their homes."

I can only speak 4 myself here.....

My reason: If U get past the security system AND my Shepherd, U R going 2 face the 6-shot .38 AND my .22 pump-action w/deer slugs.

"Really officer. My house was broken into & my dog is dead. Y would I NOT think I was next?"

"Yep, i have had my pet crocodile since it came out of the shell . I call her sugar . I do know why my neighbors are so upset with me."

LOL

LOL the comments are hysterical. While all of you go off about how Pit Bulls are demon spawns from hell, my bestfriend not only has a Pit Bull but a German Shepard AND a Rottweiler. They are some of the most loveable dogs I have ever seen and they have never caused any trouble for family, friends, or neighbors nearby. The only time this Pit Bull ever gets aggressive is after I get done being aggressive to her FIRST. Get over yourselves and take responsibility.

A dog is a pet, a companion and yes sometimes security.. I wouldn't dream of keeping my dogs outside. They live in the house with us and when we're gone, they have the run of the house. I only have 1 dog now, just had to euthanize one due to old age.Not a pit bull.. never had one, never will. A big old mutt... I can tell you that I never let my dog eat off human plates, he has doggy dishes. I never touch him when preparing, cooking food. I usually shut him out of the kitchen area while doing so. What's the point of having a dog that isn't allowed inside, that is kept chained or crated outside all the time?

Shon,

I'm curious, not racist, just curious because here's something I've noticed. Black people are afraid of dogs and afraid of water but not afraid of guns. Why is that?

Pit bulls make up less than 2% of all dog breeds but caused 35% of all mauling cases. This is not bad owners, this is a bad breed of dog.

Shon-2484210 - The lady in the article was black. I live near OKC and saw it on the news last night. She had two large dogs in her apartment. There should be a limit on how many pounds of dog you can have per square feet in an apartment. I haven't noticed any racial divide on who has dogs in the house, but it does seem like more women allow this than men. I am not one to allow big dogs in my house. There is a strict limit of one dog that weighs less than 10 lbs. And he is never allowed to eat off my plate!

You never hear of other dog attacks because that isn't "newsworthy." The media feeds the frenzy. Any dog can attack. Any dog can "snap." If bad breeding is involved, dogs can become aggressive for no reason. Obviously, if a dog as strong as a pibble attacks, it will cause more damage than a Yorkie Poo. I agree that most dogs are not even Pit Bulls, but persay fall into the category of "bully breed." The media used to attack Rotties, Dobbies, etc. Now, it is the pibble's turn. My Sr. Pitizen is a good dog. He is a therapy dog. He provides love and joy to sick people in the hospital. Using common sense and good handling can help. So can adopting from a shelter where they test the animals' temps. Getting any dog from a backyard breeder is risky. You people who stereotype are ridiculous. Your ignorance overwhelms me.

It's interesting that we never use to hear about pit bull attacks until people decided to start fighting them... it used to be German Shepard’s, then it was Doberman’s, then Rottweiler’s were considered dangerous dogs that attack and were always in the media... next on the list is supposed to be Akita's. If people were humane and had any kind of soul in them, they would start respecting these animals rather than abusing and judging them… just a note that Pit bulls are in the top dogs for best temperament rating and have a higher overall rating than the average dog. I will be a voice for pit bulls until people stop being ignorant and realize the real problem which is the people breeding them in their backyard and abusing them for their own pleasure. It makes a person wonder what the world is coming to that hurting a poor helpless animal has become common, they are like kids and rely on us to take care of them, all they want is to make us happy. Then there are people like Vick who get off easy when anyone who can kill a dog with his bare hands should never see the light of day again. As Gandhi said, The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which its animals are treated.

It is true that pit bulls aren't to blame..the human is, but NOT in the way pit bull advocates suggest: handling and training. If you do research on the breed you will find facts: The pitbull has enormous jaw strength and what makes this particularly dangerous, accordong to experts is the WAY the pit bites. In other words,a german shephard bites but can be knocked, kicked or pushed off, or lets go- the pit clamps down, swings the victim from swide to side and does not let go upon attack, unless the owner has trained them very well and orders a command. By that time, the damage is usually irreparable. The pit was genertically bred to originally keep herds in line, although many pit fans dispute the original genetic thing and claim it can be overcome. The jury of experts is still out in that one. One statistic that is not disputed is this: The pit leads in maiming and deadly dog attacks-out of all dogs, yet population wise, this breed acounts for only a small percentage of dogs.That FACT is from the g agency that collects the statistics on all REPORTED attacks and can be easily googled. People need to educate themselves before getting all sappy and buying the "underdog", a pit bull..Although banning seems punitive, I strongly feel training must be required to own this dog and ALL pits should be muzzled in public. If a shephard attacks a dog or person,to my way of thinking at least I could kick,hit, throw something or scream them off-with a pit,I wouldn't stand a chance. You cannot compare this dog to other aggressive breeds by the very nature of it' physical difference: the WAY it attacks and posibly it's genetics, which as stated by many are not their fault..yet, the public needs to be protected as well. If you own a pit, get training and muzzle them in public..you will not be able to stop or prevent an attack by yourself either..

It is not the dog its the owner. People get this type of dog expecting it to be easy, just feed and love it. Well its not easy, you cant just feed and love it. You have to train it, you have to keep it active (ie: walk it several times each day preferably (leaving it out in the yard does not qualify as a walk), play appropriate games with it (tug is not an appropriate game for these dogs, any game that encourages it to bite down and pull is not appropriate), do not leave ANY BREED of dog alone with an infant (common sense people you have a brain for a reason try to use it), when you do walk it keep it on a leash PERIOD, when you do let it out to play in your yard be sure that it can not get out of your yard have appropriate fencing in place or use a longer chain or leash long enough that it can explore/use the yard but short enough that it can not cross out of your yard. its not that hard people. This dog is also sensitive to emotions, if you approach it with fear it will take a more offense type posture, if you are afraid even a little then ask your friend to put the dog away before entering their house. That said I love my brothers American Bulldogs, I know them I know he cares for and trains them properly and am unafraid of them, other peoples any type of dogs i will not go near as I know that if they havent been properly handled they are far more likely to be dangerous. Any breed of dog can be dangerous if not treated appropriatly for their breed, do the research know the type of dog know what it needs and know that you can satisfy all of its needs before you adopt it.

@Chris-4288055

A Pit Bull is not "many breeds". It is short for American Pit Bull Terrier, which is just as much a distinct breed as a German Shephard. It's no different than calling a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel just a King Charles. Now if you want to say "Pit Bull type" then you are referring to dogs that are like a Pit or part Pit. But that is stupid anyway. No one says "Labrador type". It's either a Pit Bull or it's not.

Pit Bulls were breed to be dog aggressive and many of them (not all) are still dog aggressive. They were also breed to be people friendly. Even the "most stupidest" dog knows the difference between other dogs and humans. If a Pit Bull is aggressive towards humans then it is not conforming to its breed type. That means this human aggressive dog was either trained to be human aggressive, was abused, or is faulty. What I mean by faulty is that its breed line includes Pit Bulls that have not been strictly bred for its conformity. This happens when scum breeds dogs to fight illegally, and unlike the old days when they were bred to conformity, the idiots these days only breed for aggressiveness.

BTW, an American Bulldog is not a Pit Bull. That is also a distinct breed and I have never heard anyone say or suggest that they are "considered" the same until you. Go ask a vet if Pit Bulls are dogs they have to worry about getting bit when they come into the clinic.

I never hear of a German Shepherd or Doberman Pinscher killing anyone.

Really?

Your sarcasm is ridiculous. Dobermans, German Shepherds, and Rottweilers are far less common than they were decades ago because they have been stereotyped as dangerous breeds and home owners' associations and apartment complexes do not allow them. The same is bound to happen with pit bulls. Also, for all your sarcasm, you are unknowingly right: You never hear of attacks involving other breeds because it doesn't draw headlines. My friend was attacked by a Golden Retriever as a child; she'll be scarred the rest of her life. My own dog was also attacked by a Golden, oddly enough. And as an owner/trainer, I have never met an aggressive pit bull. Chihuahuas and Yorkies, definitely. But when they snap, they don't do as much damage as a pit bull can. Also, there is no investigation or evidence concerning the animal's treatment or history in these attacks. Until there is, I'm going to continue to side with the "crazies" who will stand up for the prejudiced pit bull. Promote responsible ownership, don't further abuse and pervert the breed.

well once upon a time it was the German Shepard and the Doberman and the Rotty who was the center of attention (in the 70s), as these dogs become popular, a lot of back yard breeders and bad owners made those dogs have bad reps. Now its the pit bulls time.

Stories of other breeds attacking or biting do not grab the public's attention or sell newspapers. I never saw the news story about the pomeranian that killed, it wasn't on my evening news, I had to search it online. The american bully, pit bull terrier, cane corso, and american staffordshire type dogs have been inbred so much that most dogs are misidentifed as pitbulls. The only true way to tell is DNA testing. This is why I am so against breed specific legislation in this country. If you want to call something a death machine then make sure the DNA fits your description of the animal. You are right that Pit Bull breeds have a history of being bred for fighting especially in the 1980's when they were also used to protect drug cartels. They also were bred to hurd bulls too. What you dont know is their unconditional love and their ability to come back after being abused and mistreated ex: the Michael Vick dogs. They are extremely loyal and protective of their families. I have 2 pit bull terrier mixes and children. I am a responsible pet owner and would never leave my dogs unattended with anyone that felt uncomfortable or that they didnt know, especially young children, NO MATTER what breed I had...( I grew up with poodles and bassets) I am also a volunteer at my local NO KILL shelter and have been bit by a smaller dog that required stitches and left a scar. Most of our bite holds are for smaller breeds of animals outside the terrier family. It was the German Shepherd, Doberman, Rotweiller, and now pitties. In the next generation it appears to be headed toward Husky / Wolf hybrids and Chows as status symbols..I hope that this breed can get past all the negative publicity that keeps selling news stories.

Rkaralius: Get them a shotgun or do it yourself.

i have been attacked by chihuahua ..it was very aggressive and wouldnt let me get inside my house.. very very hostile animal, but the owner thought he was "just the sweetest thing" yeah right.

i dont say a pit bull will never attack but then there is NO dog that will never attack....i have a Boston terrier that is a sweet little thing but i would never ever leave her or any other dog alone with a child or an older person ...you just never know. I also have a boxer that is very gentle but likewise i would never leave her alone with anyone for the same reason...you just never know.

my daughter has a rott that is a sweet gentle soul but for some reason she hates my parents..she barks and snarls at both of them...hence she is never left alone with them.

no other breed is capable of the mayhem that the pit bull is capable of. many breeds have killed. no breed comes close to the deadly efficiency of the pit bull. compare the annual u.s. deaths by breed and you have your proof.

http://enhs.umn.edu/current/6120/bites/dogbitefatal.html

lol. If chihuahuas were 100 pounds they would make a pitbull seem like a mild mannered poodle.

Again though I have to say, I've met some nasty little chihuahuas and some mild mannered chihuahuas....

...in almost every case the animals behavior is always based on the behavior of the people around it.

You must show every dog that you are not afraid of it and that you are the "alfa" dog. They do not understand reason like we do....they understand raw emotion.

Face down an alfa predator of relative size in the wild and if it walks away and you live to tell about it then you passed the test. You have an understanding of the mindset you need to be in to control a dog...a bit extreme but my point is dogs don't respond well to chicken $hit weaklings. If you are one or have one in the family get a cat or goldfish or something.

Last FIVE year dog bite fatalities in the US

2007: 34 FATALITIES 15 PITBULL (41%) 4 ROTTWEILER (12%)

2008: 23 FATALITITES 11 PITBULL (43%)

2009: 30 FATALITITES 11 PITBULL (32%) 4 ROTTWEILER (13%)

2010: 33 FATALITITES 19 PITBULL (57%) 4 ROTTWELER (12%)

2011: 15 FATALITIES 9 PITBULL (60%) 2 ROTTWEILER (17%)

Seems like the pitbull will hold onto the title for this year, but the Rotts are hanging in.

CDC Link to fatal dog bites

http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/images/dogbreeds-a.pdf

Table 1

Pits bulls are responsible for 25% of the dog bite fatalities - Pits and Rottweilers make up over 50%

Age specific data from 1997 and 1998, showed that 70% of fatal dog bite victims (19 out of 27) were children. One was less than 30 days, three were between 7 and 11 months, nine were between 1 and 4 years, and six were between 5 and 11 years. Of these 27 deaths, rottweilers accounted for 10, crossbred rottweilers accounted for 2, pit bulls accounted for 6, saint bernards accounted for 3, and a husky, great dane, doberman pinscher, a crossbred great dane, a crossbred doberman pinscher, and a mixed breed each accounted for a single death.

Although rottweilers and pit bulls were responsible for 60% of the 1997-1998 dog bite fatalities, these breeds have accounted for far fewer fatalities in past years.⁸ An earlier study by Pinckney and Kennedy showed that from 1975 to 1980, 81 dog bite fatalities occurred in the U.S., involving only one rottweiler and no pit bulls. The breed that caused the greatest number of fatalities between 1975 to 1980 was the German shepherd, a breed that was not involved in a single human death during the 1997-1998 study period.⁹ Likewise, the proportion of deaths attributable to pit bulls has varied over time from 20% in 1979-1980, to 62% in 1987-1988, and down again to 22% in 1997-1998.^10,8 Pit bulls are noteworthy in an additional respect. Although the most common fatality scenario in the 1997-1998 data involved a single unrestrained dog located on the owner's property, this was not the case for pit bulls, which were almost twice as likely to attack off the owner's property, as compared to other breeds

I'd be interested to see the percentages of breed ownership too. Pit bulls are the tough dog du jour. A lot of people own them to look like tough guys. Back in the day it was rottweilers and there was a big push to have them banned too.

No matter what anyone says, ANY DOG CAN BE AGGRESSIVE AND VIOLENT, given the right stimulus and situation. With that said, my 10 and 25 lbs dogs have little chance of causing severe damage to any but an infant , much less death.

Pit bulls are not only large and powerful but have a very powerful bite and a strong instinct to not let go.

I tend not to like my small dogs around children and there is no way i would have children around a large powerful bred like a pit

Harold of the Rocks, yes, it is because of the owners - but what does the "liberal media" have to do with anything? You must be one of those holier-than-thou sheeple who worship FOX "news".

Great! The facts always matter. But on a personal note, this breed (Pits) scare me and I don't and will not be around them.

Marie Haughey

Your sarcasm is ridiculous. Dobermans, German Shepherds, and Rottweilers are far less common than they were decades ago because they have been stereotyped as dangerous breeds and home owners' associations and apartment complexes do not allow them. The same is bound to happen with pit bulls. Also, for all your sarcasm, you are unknowingly right: You never hear of attacks involving other breeds because it doesn't draw headlines. My friend was attacked by a Golden Retriever as a child; she'll be scarred the rest of her life. My own dog was also attacked by a Golden, oddly enough. And as an owner/trainer, I have never met an aggressive pit bull. Chihuahuas and Yorkies, definitely. But when they snap, they don't do as much damage as a pit bull can. Also, there is no investigation or evidence concerning the animal's treatment or history in these attacks. Until there is, I'm going to continue to side with the "crazies" who will stand up for the prejudiced pit bull. Promote responsible ownership, don't further abuse and pervert the breed.

Hey, these people want to keep dogs that kill other family members I have no heartburn...not my problem. If however, one of these loving canines kills one of my family members, the police can take out the dog...I'll take out the owner.

maridanne

no other breed is capable of the mayhem that the pit bull is capable of. many breeds have killed. no breed comes close to the deadly efficiency of the pit bull. compare the annual u.s. deaths by breed and you have your proof.

http://enhs.umn.edu/current/6120/bites/dogbitefatal.html

Never been around a Dingo have you - you want to see a bad ass dog, just try and pet one of these terrors when the owner isn't around.

My friends Pit Bull would jump on the couch and use its 800 pound head to nuzzle up next to you, stick its face 6 inches from yours - and I actually heard it say; you will pet me or you're gunna die. All the while Rollie would be laughing his ass off, saying; I think you better pet Bud.

I don`t have a dog but I do have a mother inlaw, any pitbull owner need a dog sitter? (cheep)

Liberal has noting to do with it. I'm so far Left, I'm Right. I have 2 Pits. She will eat you alive, but she's really sweet with family. He's just a big sweet mush.

over 60% of the fatal dog attacks in 2012 are by pit bulls or pit bull mix.
7/8 fatal dog attacks this year on anyone over the age of 3years have been by pit bulls.

These are facts please read the page to see statistics.

My opinion is that many dog of many breeds are aggressive for a variety of reasons. They are much more likely to attack if they are not fixed. Poor training and abuse will also increase the chance of them attacking. These are all still chances though and any dog can attack at any time for any reason. BUT ONLY THE ONES WITH THE TOOLS FOR KILLING DO KILL PEOPLE.

Chiapetto, people like you absolutely turn my stomach. Have you ever owned a pit bull? Or even met one? I own a pit mix and rescued a full bred American Bull Terrier, the breed most people mistakenly refer to as "pit bulls" (which, by the way, encompasses SEVERAL breeds and skews the data on "pit bull" attacks). The pit mix I have was beaten, shot, starved, and left to die on the side of the road. Him and the full "pitty" I rescued were nothing but sweet and gentle despite being abused and abandoned. They are loyal and will do what their owners ask of them, so when they are taught to be aggressive, that's what they do. And by the way, I think wanting to wipe out an entire breed of a species that has walked the earth long before we have shows ignorance, selfishness, and a complete and utter lack of respect for life.

I read this article and some of the comments and for the first time was really hesitant to comment, because the discussion surrounding Pit Bull ownership can be quite inflammatory and that is not my intention. 3 years ago I was walking my beloved German Shepherd after work like I did every evening. We live 1 block from the beach and it was a part of my day I always looked forward to. A few houses down the street from me, the owner owned a Pit Bull and occasionally this dog chewed through the fence, rammed the fence enough to break the lock and so on and so forth. It was a problem in the neighborhood for this dog to on occasion get loose. Animal control was at their home often. This Pit Bull was only 3 years old.

On a fateful early evening 3 years go this last July, I set out for my walk with "Barney" my beloved half German Shepherd/half Collie to watch an ocean sunset. This neighbor's Pit Bull could be heard barking through the front window as we walked by the home (across the street), in a moment I heard breaking glass and another neighbor yelling at me "look out". That dog broke through glass to get to my dog and me that evening. My dog was killed (9 years old, weighted 90 pounds, was a large breed) and I lost three fingers before neighbors got the dog to run off after beating it with brooms, rakes, and a high pressure hose brush made for vehicles. Animal control caught the Pit Bull and after so many incidents with the dog, the dog was euthanized. I did not know prior to that time that the dog had reports of 3 other incidents of biting (all family members).

I did some research in conjunction with Animal control and learned that Pit Bulls have been cross breed so much that their behavior has become so vicious that they are now listed by the American Kennal Association as "a vicious and high risk breed". According to the Humane society of the U.S., 94% of attacks from Pit Bulls are unprovoked and 45.4% of attacks are fatal. 39% of the time, a Pit Bull will initiate an attack on it's owner or familiar family member. Due to the jaw bite of the breed, they bite hold and shake behavior with an inherient trait of behavior of refusal to release their jaw. There have also been clinical studies done by the U.S. Pet Owners Association that show that the personal traits of owners of vicious and high risk breeds most likely have criminal convictions and display anti-social behavior.

So, to say that the breed gets a "bad rap" or it's someone elses fault that this particular breed of dog attacks to kill, or as stated above in comments "don't show the animal you are afraid of it" is all nonsense. This breed of dog is vicious and a high risk. And any family who has this type of dog as a pet is taking a terrible risk. I never really thought much about the breed before my tragedy, but losing my own pet (who was a member of my family) and three fingers which were ripped off my hand trying to get the dog to release my dogs neck, along with the 2 surgeries to save another finger and months of physical therapy and suffering will always be a reminder of what a Pit Bull is capable of. No other breed other than Rottweilers and Mastiffs does the damage this dog does and it's classified as a terrior.

This is another tragic story about a Pit Bull who killed a family member, not a funny antidote about having a mother-in-law who will dog sit (cheep). There is nothing funny about this breed and as far as I am concerned could be wiped off the face of the earth tomorrow and I'd be just fine with that. I am not ignorant or selfish and have a great deal of respect for life and limb (even after losing parts of mine). But I do strongly believe that anyone who chooses to own a Pit Bull as a pet should intelligently acknowledge the inherient risk of the breed, not only to their family but to others.

Poor genetics and poor ownership are the leading causes of human/animal bite fatalities. I'm not going to lie and say I haven't seen some aggressive pits, but neither will I say that I haven't seen some of the nicest, quietest, most loving dogs also be pits.

I am a longtime volunteer at an inner-city animal shelter that is about 60-80% pits at any one given time and also worked dispatch for my municipality's animal control and a recorder for VDHB cases (Vicious Dog Hearing Board) I've seen good and bad in every breed of dog. I've seen good and bad in every owner. When bad dog meets bad owner that's where problems happen.

I have, without a single exception, never ONCE had a dog come in on a bite case that was a licensed, registered, purebred , pedigreed APBT whose parents were carefully selected for intelligence, even temperament and affectionate and loving natures.

EVERY pit type that we have ever gotten in front of the VDHB on a bite case (haven't yet had a fatality in my five years of volunteering at the shelter) has been a backyard-bred dog whose parents were selected for the enlarged adrenal gland supplemented by leaving the male intact and assisted by massive doses of steroids. These ghetto breeders temperament test each puppy, pick out the most aggressive, then sell the other puppies to a family as a family pet without warning them that the puppy's parents had a higher aggression index than normal. It is these puppies who while they may have grown up in a loving, caring, nurturing home with plenty of exercise, can have mental instabilities. And it's not the dog's fault, it's the dog's genetics; it is what its parents' owner bred it to be.

Instead of going after the dog for becoming what we humans made it to be, let's go after the humans who made it what it is.

And people should stop buying puppies from backyard breeders. You're just continuing the cycle.

Very well said. I wish more people put more thought towards the resposiblity to owning any 'pets'.

Any dog can and will attack if inclined or trained to do so but the pit bull is just to power full to fight off.

She was 60 and there were two of them I used to work on a garbage truck i carried a bat . You can back down a pit. I have done it. I am a little older now and if you want me to watch your pits . I will have my revolver with me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl-ZIo-Wztc

Definitely not the breed. It's definitely the owners, liberal media, and an uncanny coincidence at work here. Glad I wasn't duped.

Wow, you conservatives sound like a broken record, blaming everything on the "liberal media." And what would the conservative media do, choose to ignore the story and pretend the danger doesn't exist?

muddlerfly-very funny post.i like it

Linda Allen said:

I did some research in conjunction with Animal control and learned that Pit Bulls have been cross breed so much that their behavior has become so vicious that they are now listed by the American Kennal Association as "a vicious and high risk breed".

There is no 'American Kennal Association." If you're referring to the American Kennel Club, they don't even recognize 'Pit Bull' as a breed name. Pit bull referred to a dog's purpose, not the breed, since lots of dogs were crossed with the original bulldogs used to fight bulls in pits in the UK in the 1800's.

The American Kennel Club wouldn’t recognize the Pit Bull, largely due to the Pit Bull’s reputation as a fighting dog. In 1898, a man named Chauncey Zachariah Bennett founded the United Kennel Club as an alternative to the AKC, because he perceived the AKC to be too focused on dog shows and wealthy hobbyists. Bennett wanted to provide registration services for breeds the AKC wouldn’t recognize, including the Pit Bull, the Toy Fox Terrier and the American Eskimo Dog. Bennett’s own Pit Bull was the first dog registered with the UKC, as an American Pit Bull Terrier.

In 1936, the AKC recognized the American Pit Bull Terrier, too, but only under the condition that the name be changed to Staffordshire Terrier (the name was later changed to American Staffordshire Terrier, to distinguish the breed from the Staffordshire Bull Terrier). This name change eliminated any reference to pit fighting in the name.

According to the Humane society of the U.S., 94% of attacks from Pit Bulls are unprovoked

You got that from Wikipediia:

A 1991 study found that 94% of attacks on children by pit bulls were unprovoked, compared to 43% for other breeds

but this was not from the Humane Society, it's from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

and 45.4% of attacks are fatal.

Got that from Wikipedia, who attributed to the Kentucky Medical Examiner

One 15-year (1991–2005) review of dog attack fatalities investigated by the Kentucky Medical Examiner determined that pit bulls were implicated in 5 of the 11 fatal attacks (45.4%).

39% of the time, a Pit Bull will initiate an attack on it's owner or familiar family member.I could not, for the life of me, find out where you got this. Could you point me in the direction of where you got this statistic?

Due to the jaw bite of the breed, they bite hold and shake behavior with an inherient trait of behavior of refusal to release their jaw.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association:

There is no evidence for the existence of a physiological "locking mechanism" in the teeth or jaw structure of normal pit bull-type dogs, although a dog's jaws can be locked in a closed position by surgically correctable jaw abnormalities. However, pit bull-type dogs exhibit "bite, hold, and shake" behavior, which is seen in all breeds of dogs, and at times refuse to release when biting.

There have also been clinical studies done by the U.S. Pet Owners Association that show that the personal traits of owners of vicious and high risk breeds most likely have criminal convictions and display anti-social behavior.

Also from wikipedia;

Several studies have determined that pit bull owners and owners of other "vicious" or "high risk" breeds (most commonly identified as Akita, Chow Chow, Doberman Pinscher, Pit Bull, Rottweiler, and Wolf-mix) are more likely to have criminal convictions and are more likely to display antisocial behaviors. A 2006 study comparing owner's of "vicious" dogs to owners of "low risk" dogs determined that the former group had nearly 10 times as many criminal convictions.^[50] A 2009^[51] and a followup 2012^[52] study generally supported these conclusions.

This was attributed to the Journal of Interpersonal Violence and the Journal of Forensic Sciences.

Amanda

With all due respect your comment

there is no American Kennal Association

Well, sorry to inform you there is, The American Kennal Association, Inc. is different from the American Kennel Club and what exactly is your point? What is your point is cutting and pasting the same information I stated in my comment. You obviously have some sort of agenda on the comment and article or was it just to repeat the comments I made. Which by your own posted comment match my statement.

Hey Amanda - you might want to check your facts before you diss someone's comment. The San Antonio Humane Society says that over 45% of Pit Bull attacks result in fatalities. Now they don't say whether it's human fatalities or other animal fatalities, but clealy it states 45% of attacks result in death.

Linda...I am so very sorry for what happened to you and your beloved pet. I am such a dog lover and I have 4 now and had Akitas for years and they did and still do get a bad rap. I know any dog can attack, but pit bulls have a more pwerful bite than any other breed and will not let go once they have their target, that's why they are used for fighting.

Anyway, I just wanted to extend my condolences to you for your loss and the suffering you went through both physically and emotionally.

Pitbulls should be wiped off the face of the Earth. In England, the breed is banned. The Brits are smarter than we are. Anyone that has a pitbull is selfish and is playing russian roulette, with his own life, and others as well.

ColtsFan67Az

Thank You. I read the article and was hesitant to comment because I know people love their dogs and the subject regarding Pit Bulls is sometimes sensitive. I very rarely tell my story to anyone, I still have nightmares about that evening, and ofcourse my physical constant reminder. Thank you for your compassion.

My thoughts are with this poor women's family and the family of the infant also killed earlier in the week. Words can't express the horror these victims went through. As I said in my post, I hope people who choose to own Pit Bulls will please take these incidents seriously and take measures to protect their families and others, eventhough they think their loved pet would never exhibit this behavior, but they too often do.

wise one, well boo hoo.we all should own a pit bull. make good money fighting them

As a former animal control officer, I'd like to weigh in on this. The "pit bull" is a bastardized version of the American Staffordshire terrier. Staffordshires, when bred by a knowledgeable breeder, is bred for temperment first, health, and conformation in that order. But the dogs bred by stupid backyard breeders are bred most for looks or agressive tendencies. No attention what so ever is given to breeding against undesireable traits or diseases. If you buy a dog from a reputable breeder with breeding records and both parents on site, you can be reasonably assured you are getting a stable dog. But a backyard breeder or someone who is breeding fighters and is looking to make a profit on the culls isn't going to care about personality or anything else, just the money. It's nothing but a crap shoot as to what you're going to end up with. Puppies are always sweet and cute, but by age 3 to 5, sometimes the genetic tendencies start to appear. Most attacks are done by dogs in that age group. It's not the dogs fault by any means. But the fools who breed agressive dogs to agressive dogs are going to get aggressive dogs at maturity. It's simple genetics.

In the not so distant past, at different times, I have heard Dobermans, German Shepards, Rottweilers and Chows were the MOST dangerous breed at one time or another. The REAL problem here is almost always the fault of the owner; they do NOT research the animals needs and temperaments..... they think all you need to do is go pick out your puppy, then feed it and take it out to go potty, leave them locked in a cage for hours on end and everything will be hunky-dory. Our own ignorance and arrogance is what gets us into so much trouble.

Linda Allen said:

Well, sorry to inform you there is, The American Kennal Association, Inc. is different from the American Kennel Club

Ah, sorry about that. You're right. I was at work and did a quick google search and didn't turn anything up. There is an American Kennel Association--the spelling was wrong. I just found it and this is what I read on the APBT:

Provided proper socialization has taken place, this breed gets along fine with cats or other household pets. It makes a good family dog as long as the family can handle its boisterousness. It will protect your home, and it may be eager to fight other dogs.

What is your point is cutting and pasting the same information I stated in my comment.You obviously have some sort of agenda on the comment and article or was it just to repeat the comments I made.

No, the point was to correct your sources for those comments so the next time you post them you'll have the correct references.

Which by your own posted comment match my statement.

Actually, no. I specified that purebred puppies from parents carefully selected for intelligence and even temperament have never, in my personal experience been a risk. It's the backyard-bred ghetto dogs who are high risk, and I advocated stopping the uncontrolled breeding of backyardbreds.

This breed of dog is vicious and a high risk. And any family who has this type of dog as a pet is taking a terrible risk.

I can count on one hand the number of times an American Bulldog, American Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Cane Corso, Presa Canario, or English Bulldog has come into my shelter on a bite case. To say that all of these 'types of dogs is taking a terrible risk' is not taking into account all of the individual characteristics of the entire type. A breed-standard Bull Terrier, for instance, is barely even two feet tall--there are maybe a handful of stories about them biting people and none of them have been fatal. On a risk scale, they'd be lower than a Chihuahua.

Not every pit is a risk--there are many who will never be. We have several at the shelter right now:

Lars, an absolute sweetheart, even though his legs are so deformed he can't walk in a straight line, can't run or jump, and only weighs 20 pounds--he lived five years in a crate so small he couldn't stand up so his legs deformed. I am 100% sure Lars is no risk to anyone.

Chucky, starved as a puppy, whined so much his owner kicked him in the jaw, broke it, and never got it fixed--a vet had to amputate the infected lower jaw and he laps up soft dog food and his teeth have decayed. I am 100% sure he also is no risk to anyone.

Chanel, her owner had all her teeth pulled so she wouldn't bite the male dog when he tied her to a rape rack, then slashed her jaw muscles so she couldn't close her mouth anymore.

Damien, only two legs.

Chloe, blind, deaf, toothless, fourteen years old. She'll be euthanized next week if no one adopts her--her elderly owners died and their kids wouldn't take care of her for the last few months of her life.

Patsy, puppy, six months old--no paws, she walks on stumps. Owner's kids wrapped barbed wire around all of her paws so tightly she got gangrene and her paws had to be cut off.

Feisty, paralyzed from the middle of her back when a guy tried to kill her by dropping a cinderblock on her head. He missed her head and crushed her spine. She drags herself on two front paws.

Roz, just got out of surgery, we still don't know if she's going to make it. Her owner duct taped her mouth shut, then molested her, tearing her open and causing a rectal prolapse. He hit a nerve somewhere deep in her abdomen and damaged it, her back legs don't work anymore.

I look at these dogs and I don't see a breed; I see an animal who suffered and didn't have to; I see a dog who deserves better. So if you advocate wiping all of these dogs off the face of the earth, we'll just have to agree to disagree on this, because these dogs don't deserve to die.

LindaAllen01

Amanda

With all due respect your comment

there is no American Kennal Association

Well, sorry to inform you there is, The American Kennal Association, Inc. is different from the American Kennel Club and what exactly is your point? What is your point is cutting and pasting the same information I stated in my comment. You obviously have some sort of agenda on the comment and article or was it just to repeat the comments I made. Which by your own posted comment match my statement.

Linda Allen, Amanda was simply pointing out that you got most of your information from Wikipedia (an unreliable source at best), and that the organizations you quoted as making certain statements didn't make them. If she repeated anything you said, it was to quote the Wikipedia information that you took your statistics directly from. She was basically saying "this is what you said" and "this is what Wikipedia said" and showing that you copied your information from there almost to the letter. That's why she was cutting and pasting...it was for comparison. All she was doing was proving that you got your information from Wikipedia, and she did a good job, lol.

I own a Pit. Its never going to be unsupervised around any infant or child or anyone elderly or anybody it doesn't know well. I'm responsible, I understand its an animal, and the way pack mentality works. I blame this squarely on the owners of the dog. Many things are dangerous in this world and I hate all you people that want to ban all of them. Life is dangerous try to be smart about it. Don't force me to dumb down my life because you can't think.

Jaime 1234

I'm not quite sure what difference it makes where I got my information from. I never stated where I got my information from except from the American Kennel Association, Inc,, which she admitted she found the site after looking for it and the Humane Society. She seemed to want to immediately go on the offensive because of what I said. She is coming to the discussion with an agenda of a group of dogs, by name and specific circumstances who are in the shelter she works at. Certainly there are misserable people who treat animals terribly. That does not mean she needs to first correct me and say I'm wrong about the American Kennel Association then re-wwrite that she did in fact find it, and make references to Wikipedia when I never once mentioned anything from Wikipedia. Wikipedia is a website that any idiot can add information to and I don't rely on it for any information. I never mentioned the word Wikipedia in my comments. The information I found out regarding Pit Bulls came from many sources throughout my ordeal including testimony from Animal control officers and Breeding experts during my care 3 years ago.

I'm sorry for Amanda's notion that a dog's life is more important than a human being's life. She immediately wanted to make her point about abused dogs in her shelter. I've had dogs most of my life, and each one of them, including my precious Shepherd/Collie mix killed by a Pit Bull was a shelter dog. So is the Golden Retriever/mix and the poodle/mix I still have. All shelter dogs. So I have the highest regard for what Amanda does and her love of animals to do it. It was very difficult for me to comment on this story, and perhaps Amanda should try a little less at being a "right-fighter" for Pit Bulls and have a little more compassion for people.

my grandfather and grandmother raised a pitbull. that was one of the sweetest happy go lucky dogs i have ever been around

LindaAllen01

I am sorry that you had to experience the attack and the obvious lack of compassion for you sharing your story.

14 month ago, I was walking with my then 7-month-old bichon poo puppy. We were both attacked by a loose pit bull. We were both injured. We both are scarred. And we remain both traumatized. My puppy is a shadow of who he was before then.

The owner was fined and restitution was charged to her, but there is no mechanism in my state to actually have the owner even pay the fine, much less the medical bills. She stood up in court, blamed my puppy, and simply refused to pay. I went week after week, until I couldn't take it anymore. As soon as I stopped showing up, the judge dismissed her case. We were in traffic court. I could not afford to sue her. And the dog was never quarantined or anything.

I was walking my puppy and was attacked by a pit bull that lived in an adjacent neighborhood. It was the most violent experience of my life.

Yes, clearly the owner was not responsible, but I fought the dog. I refused to give up my puppy. The pit bull spotted us two blocks away...two blocks away...and immediately took off running toward us. There was no place for me to get to before he was upon us.

What I think a lot of people miss in the articles of pit bull killings of humans that I have seen thus far, is that many of them are of family members. Not strangers.

All of the talk about bad breeding does point to the fact that currently there are dangerous pit bulls from breeding alone. So, all the talk about addressing ownership fails to address the breed (and I use that term loosely). Fails to address the dogs.

Even with extensive work, my puppy is terrified out doors, of other people, and of loud noises. It breaks my heart to see him. I have PTSD and still struggle.

I think Linda's point is that these are real people, both the victims and the survivors, and this is a real problem with this type of dog currently, whether it's inbreeding, ownership, or inherent traits.

Finally, I will add that the pit bull that attacked me, too, had a history. A history of violent attacks and a history of owner problems (no rabies vaccination, no license, loose dogs). Animal Control knew this dog was a problem at some level.

Yet he was allowed to remain in the house with an owner who clearly was not responsible nor cared about its containment.

Owners. Breeding. Laws. Animal Control. Consistency in being a significant portion of violent attacks. All of that is a problem that with all these comments and those on other articles like this one do not even help.

I am sorry, Linda, for your loss. I grieve with you and for you and wish you peace.

That's 2 deaths by pit bull this week. They are a breed designed to kill, and have no place in the family home.

@lindaallen01; sorry about your mishap, but you don`t walk children naked past a sex offenders house! the pit you said smashed the gate chewed thru the fence and so on. WHAT THE F YOU DOING IN THE AREA!!! beach or not use your head sometimes!! And if you met my mother inlaw you`d know what im talking about!! (ccw permit get 1)

@bipolar echo; thanks bro!! i wasn`t kidding either!!!

muddlerfly

You've got alot of nerve blaming me.

WHAT THE F YOU DOING IN THE AREA!!!!!

My home was three homes away, so I'm not supposed to walk down my street, not supposed to park my car on the street where I live, none of the neighbors who live on my street are to be outside their beach homes. Your comment is sickening and offensive. I did nothing to provoke this animal but walk across the street . This dog killed my large breed german shepherd/collie and ripped off all the fingers on my right hand, which one was able to be reattached after 2 surgeries and 9 days in the hospital and months of rehab. Had it not been 5pm in broad day-light and neighbors out on their front patio's who came to my rescue to beat the dog with brooms, high pressure hoses, and rakes and punching the animal in the head, it would have killed me as well. This dog was hell bent on killing that day. Shame on you for your offensive comment to me.

beach or not, use your head

I live there too. In the beach community where I live, the blocks are long and narrow with homes 3 story style and very close together. People in the block used to cross the street to deliberately not walk directly in front of the home where this family and dog lived. But according to you, we all should be prisoners in our homes, not take walks in our neighborhood, or if someone's dog breaks through a living room glass picture window to get out of the house and attack, ITS OUR OWN FAULT. You're pathetic.

Aryanth

Thank you for your post. I did not share my experience for any reason other than to bring light to the situation that does unfortunately plague and promote bad publicity about Pit Bulls. Certainly there are many sweet and loving pets and very consciencous owners out there. But to be bashed and now see this idiotic statement MUDDLERFLY made actually blaming me for the attack shows the real lack of compassion people have in general. It's sad when people take to a comment site regarding an article with the main purpose to make sarcastic comments, pick apart other's comments, and eventually end up hurting someone who has experienced a similar situation as the article is stating and wants to share their thoughts and comments. Thank you for your compassionate remarks to me and shame on people like Muddlerfly for making it a joke.

My pain is no joke, the loss of my career is no joke, the perminent disfigurement I live with every day of my life is no joke, trying to hold my new grandson in my arms with half a hand is no joke, struggling to dress, cook, shop, be seen in public and the horrific memories are no joke simply because I took approximately 50 steps outside the front door of my home.

@LINDAALLEN01?; you told us the f`en dog was a threat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! smashing gates! fences torn apart!!!! NOT MY ISSUE!!!! AGAIN WHAT THE F! 3 HOUSE`S AWAY WHY WOULD YOU ATTEMPT TO WALK ACCROSS THE STREET? OR NEAR!!! THREAT! GO THE OTHER WAY NEXT TIME!!! (ccw permit 4 dog or owner apply today) wake up!! stupid is as.........................

Mr. Muddlerfly- you area about the most unconscionable xss that I have ever seen make a post on newsvine. You're telling a woman not to leave her house and that her attack was her fault. Yes indeed stupid is as .....and you would certainly know.

LindaAllen01 - please accept our apologies for this poor excuse of a human being and his belligerent rant on you on behalf of myself, and others who have noticed it as well. After all, this person doesn't think people have the right to walk in front of their own home. He's blamed you and called you stupid. He's had no right to do that and the only thing I can think of is if he has mother-in-law problems, it's probably his own fault, he appears to be quite a piece of work. It must have been hard, as you said to write your incident and comment here, unfortunately, there's one guy like this in every group. You keep on going girl.....this man has no conscious and definately no class! God Bless you for your courage. I' m so sorry there are people so cruel in the world. Aryanth commented above...so sorry for the lack of compassion you received in sharing your story. You did nothing to deserve what happened to you, I hope you know that.

Linda Allen: Sorry about the lateness of this post, I realize you're probably not going to see this I'll send it to you in a private mesage too.

I didn't realize until just now that the last half of my last post didn't actually post. I AM sorry for what happened to you and the loss of your dog and your own life--it should never have happened, the dog was bad to begin with (poor genetics/poor upbringing) the owner was just an outright poor excuse for a human who should never have had a dog in the first place, and a bad dog plus an owner who refused to euthanize the first time it showed aggression just made a bad situation worse.

I did not, in any way, mean to castigate or minimize what you went through, and I realize, from your expereince, that you have every right to think that anything that looks like a pit is automatically bad. One traumatic exprience with one bad dog and one bad owner can color one's perceptions of every dog after that.

My apologies also if my going and hunting the references to the statistics you quoted made it seem like I was 'attacking' you--as part of my municipality's anti-animal cruelty task force we volunteers are combing the Net for all kinds of statistics on all kids of dogs and situations relating to dog/human or breed/human relationahips, and the stats that you listed were ones I hadn't seen before. I had to find out where you got them. When I found it was on Wikipedia I had to go hunt down the source and verify that what was said was accurate, and when I found it wasn't I thought I'd let you know what the authority really said and where you could find it later if you wanted to quote it again. (BTW I couldn;'t find where the American Kennel Association said Pit types were a 'vicious and high risk breed', and I also couldn't find the '39% of the time, a Pit Bull will initiate an attack on it's owner or familiar family member'--would you by any chance be able to refer me to where you found that statistic?

(My municipality already requires that every pit type be registered, licensed, have proof of shots, no small children or vulnerable elderly in the home, and your property has to have a specific amount of square footage; if you have more than two your home has to physically be inspected to make sure it has the requisite amount of space; licensure requires a landlord's ok for pit types, and proof that the dog's owner and landlord both have to have dog bite insurance. We are now trying to push for mandatory spay/neuter for EVERY pit type (we'll even do it free) but there's been some pushback from owners and we think if we can come up with enough stats to prove that uncontrolled breeding is having a detrimental effect on the breed standard as a whole and human health and safety is an issue, we can get that mandatory spay law passed.)

Part of the reason why I might have come off as uncaring is my current frustration with the 'Pit bulls are all bad and every one needs to be killed on sight' mentality.

We're actually dealing with someone like that at the moment. A person in our municipality walked out to one of the city's dog parks and methodically shot and killed every pit type who was running there playing with other dogs who did not have a leash on. The cops moved in but he did have a permit for the weapon, and it is against the law in our municipality for a dog to be off leash even in a dog park, and he said his Chihuahua had been attacked and killed by a pit and he believed every pit was bad and needed to be shot on sight and he was doing what he could to eradicate the breed.

Every dog he shot was a bully breed mix, though not every one was a pit bull. None of the ones he shot were on a leash; while the law in our municipality is that every dog must be on a leash at all times outdoors (and every dog must be wearing a collar, tags, be licensed, registered and up to date on shots) people tend to walk into the fenced section of the dog park and let their dogs off leash to run and play with each other. Four of the eight dogs that were shot were shelter adoptees (spayed/neutered, licensed, vetted, registered, temperament tested) two I knew personally and one was an abuse case still in a cast from a broken leg. One was a service dog for a crippled veteran.

As someone who sees hundreds of these dogs and sees the wide difference in personalities in each one, I simply don't understand the mentality of people like that. I'm sure that you wouldn't buy a gun, get a permit and start shooting every dog you think is a pit on sight whether it was acting aggressively or not, but the 'I'd be fine if they all disappeared off the face of the earth' part of your comment kind of gave me tunnel vision because that's what this guy said when the cops questioned him--and because he had a permit, the weapon was legal, and the dogs he shot were off leash, (albeit in a dog park with a ten foot fence) the prosecutors declined to prosecue, and we're pretty sure he's going to do it again knowing he can get away with it now. And in the meantime seven people lost pets, and a local disabled war veteran who paid $20,000 for his service dog now doesn't have that dog anymore.

So again, I am sorry if I came across as uncaring and standoffish; some of the comments you made just reminded me too much of the case we're working with now, and I should have started off with my sympathies and condolences right off the bat instead of being obsessed with the statistics we're collecting. Working with shelter animals, both cruelty cases and bite cases requires some emotional distance and sometimes we apply that wrongly--I've certainly been guilty of that. More than once.

Easy! They were bred so that trailer trash owners could feel tough and act cool. Also to guard the drugs! Oh...and to kill innocent people who happened to cross their path. Useless, useless breed!

They're also the number one breed in the dog fighting arena. There's big money in that.

Good answer.

I agree that the breed is too agressive for the family home but the blame still rests squarely on people.

Rather than running around slaughtering family pets, how about we "phase" the breed out.

You would have more success getting the breed out of our society if you let people keep their dogs but not allow any new pitbulls into the mix. Outlaw breeding pits and owning them. Everyone who currently has one should be forced to make accomodations fitting to housing a dangerous animal and not be allowed to purchase another once that dog dies...naturally...there you have it...within 20 years no more pitbulls.

I am a dog lover and I have been around some relatively mild mannered pit bulls. Though I would not trust them around my children I would not desire for them all to be rounded up and killed. A couple of well placed laws that are correctly enforced would take care of the bulk of the problem and then nobody has to give up their furry friends and we wouldn't be killing animals wholesale.

The dogs didn't ask to be where they are. We put them there, let's take them away in a way that is a bit respectful of life.

I am an animal lover but I don't like being near these dogs. The guy down the hall from me has one. It's always on a leash and he's been in control of it. When I first saw him, he said, "Don't worry, he's friendly." Cut to a few months later as I'm walking down the stairs holding my cat, the dog freaked out completely and jumped all over me and I had a huge bruise on my thigh the next day. So maybe he's fine around people, but he's still not completely safe to have around. (It was a good ten minutes before my senior cat's heart stopped pounding.)

Pretty much the people I see with these are guys between 20-35 who think they're really tough and something special because they can "control" this great big dog and I think it makes them feel like a big man. "Look at me. I tamed a pit bull." But they're unpredictable dogs and have an aggressive streak.

Ok Now that all of the idiots have had a chance to talk lets try and get some facts maybe. First know something about dogs in general. A dog will see a scared person or animal as a threat and attack as a precaution to itself . It see that object as unstable. Now with no one at this place when it happened who knows what was going on with this old lady how was she acting . Second was it neutered and was it properly trained and taken care of like walking it and keeping its mind busy. Was it even a full pitbull and was it from a kennel as they could have issues from that. These large breed dogs also need very strict rules and taken care of by some one who knows what they are doing . If you let them think they are at the same level with you some day you will have issues and that goues with all dogs. My sister has a golden retreiver that has bitten a ton of people. Now the last thing you get rid of this breed of dog the german shepards and the rotts will just replace them in the drug world and the are just as dangerous dont think they are not. Both of those dogs treated under the same circumstances are just as dangerous and have a stronger jaw strength .. Proven. What makes the pitbull different is right now they are severly over bred and they have a fight till the end attitude that is it. Also you sgould never leave your kids home alone with any animal that is a large breed.or alow them to sleep in the kids rooms. They need to know there place and that is a pet not a person.

Shaydie,

It is good that you recognize that you don't like these dogs. Stay way from them because if you ever get around one alone, they will sense your trepidation and the outcome will not be good.

And the pit in the stairwell was after the cat, not you. Keep your cat away from this dog anyway you can...pit vs cat...pit wins....no matter who is right or wrong...don't lose your little buddy over stupidity.

AS NANNY DOGS IN THE UK. They are protective animals. They love THIER family members. If they feel they are threatened and/or family members, they will protect what they love. I had a in-home child care center and my Princess never once threatened any child..she loves them. The only reason there is such a high number is because peopple report them more, advertise the attacks, and plain try to create a bigger mess for these loving creatures.

Really? How many dogs don't go crazy when they see a cat? Unless they are raised/used to cats, that is a fluffy toy you are holding!

Here we go with the pit bulls...drinking a driving kills a lot of people but they have failed to make alcohol illegal, nor automobiles.

These are animals that if raised properly, and by properly I mean vacinated, under vet care and with a lot of TLC, they are some of the MOST loving and affectionate dogs around. They would give their lives for their owners, but you rarely hear those stories. I am an owner and I trust my dogs unconditionally, especially my 6 year old...People that are on here calling for the eradication of the breed are so ignorant. I am liable as an owner and am well-insured, simply because of the type of breed that I own, even though she has never bitten another animal, let alone a person. The crazy part is though I live across the street from a woman that has a rat terrier that attacked me as I was walking up the street one day, on the opposite side of the road from her house. Here's the deal...I will put down my dogs when everyone else that has a dog that bites puts theirs down...fair is fair. The breed or the size of the dog should matter very little here...a biter is a biter.

Jess -

Please see powt 2.10 above. Here in the US they own the record for the most lethal of breeds since 2001.

cat fluffy toy theory is true I think.

When my mutt was a puppy we bought her an orange colored stuffed fox as a toy. When it got all nasty and we finally threw it away she started trying to "play" with our orange cat of relative size. We do not by any toys that look like animals. After that and a few "alfa" dog moments she now understands that the cat is not a toy and that daddy will growl and bite if she even acts like she is going to "play" with the cat. After a few months of conditioning and behavior correction our cat and dog get along just fine. I have had much more success speaking the dogs language as well...that is to growl really nasty at them when they are doing something you don't like. Don't do this unless you are truly not afraid of the dog however because it will know if you are bluffing...they seem to be able to smell a chicken $hit regardless.

DONT BUY YOUR DOG TOYS THAT LOOK LIKE OTHER ANIMALS....at least that was our lesson when teaching the dog that the cat is not a toy..lol.

Brian, MPA - The reason they hold the record is because they are the most over bred, and not properly taken care of (snipped) by idiots with the same IQ as yourselves. My pitty loves children but isn't a huge fan of males walking towards me while alone, which means he is able to differentiate between a harmless child and someone that might actually be dangerous. As mentioned in my previous post, my pitbull loves playing with the autistic children at the care center in town and literally licks their faces. They pull his tail, ears, etc... and when he's done playing, he simply runs off to our back field. Wow, so dangerous morons!! BTW - Just so you understand that I am not living in denial, I do understand that any dog, including bully breeds, can be extremely dangerous; however, my pitty receives a ton of exercise, love, and discipline. This is what is required when owning a large dog, especially a highly energetic one at that. I am an excellent owner and I will never adhere to the BSL you inbred, uneducated losers are proposing! Go live on an island together with your nasty little ankle biting pomeranians and Chihuahuas!!

sheeplle:

A dog will see a scared person or animal as a threat and attack as a precaution to itself . It see that object as unstable. Now with no one at this place when it happened who knows what was going on with this old lady how was she acting .

So the old lady was scared and the dog killed her. That's a good reason not to have one around. You probably don't mean it to sound this way, but way to blame the victim.

Listen: I'm all for anyone owning any dog s/he wants, including pits. I remember the attempted ban on Rots and I think I remember similar calls for Doberman and G Shepherds, and think they are all ridiculous.

But if you have a dog that will attack scared people, maybe that's not a good one to have with seniors or children. Just a thought.

Not a "Happy Camper" when there is a Pit Bull Dog in a neighborhood.

The "Owner" seems to have a particular attitude problem, telling everyone, "Don't worry, he/she, will not bite". The attitude of the Master usually is one of defiance in their own personal lives, and denial their dog is a threat to Society.. They seem to enjoy the attention, and the invincible attitude of themselves and their dogs potentially being dangerous..

Pit bulls were at one time a very fine breed, always brought up through it's history as a Fighting Dog. There are so many irresponsible Breeders now of Pit Bulls, that many of them are labeled Dangerous.

Pit Bulls are not happy being domesticated. Look at all the Breed's mauling, biting, and killing of innocent human beings.

Just don't "Mess" with Pit Bulls. Many times it is an agressive behavior, and the innocent person is killed.

Was a purebred dog (2) owner for over 28 years; 2 dogs, and know my breeds. Mixes seem to be a lot more tame. Watch what dog is right for your family--do the research. Look into getting a Rescue dog; checking it out very thoroughly--no Pit Bull mix in them.

My question is this: Why should the burden be on an innocent person who happens to be scared of dogs to act differently because their owners are irresponsible? And if the dog has been badly raised and attacks someone, why should they be spared simply because their behavior is the result of bad management? The dog is still dangerous.

I would like to just say how horrible I think it is that someone was killed and my prayers go out to her family. However, as a pitbull owner of 15 years, I feel like I have to defend these dogs and get some facts out there, as well. The article says that the woman was killed by one of the family's 2 "large" pitbulls. Pitbulls are not large dogs! They are medium sized, weighing in at 55 pounds tops, if they are actually a pitbull terrier. Anything bigger than that has been bred with something bigger somewhere down the road, like a mastiff. There are alot of dogs out there that look like a pitbull and alot of dogs being sold as a pitbull, that aren't truly a pit. Also, A pitbull was not bred to fight. It was bred to hunt and kill wild boars. A pitbulls instinct isn't even to be a good guard dog, since they have been bred to be so trusting of humans and are most generally not territorial. A mastiff is extremely territorial and leary of anyone other than it's family. So, a "pitbull" who is large is most likely bred with a mastiff and would have these traits. I also don't believe a dog can just "turn". Every dog is different, like humans. Our dogs would never attack anyone. We have had people come in our backyard while the dogs are out and they just look at them. We have had several different people come to our home to dogsit while we were on vacation and the dogs could care less who they are. My cocker spaniel I had growing up would've bit somene's head off if someone walked into our house and he didn't know them. Also, to toss out any stereotypes most likely being made of my family since we are pitbulls owners and lovers, we are an upper middle class family and highly educated. Before you comment on the breed, got to the library and actually read a book about them. You might learn something!

Pit bulls are large, aggressive dogs originally bred to fight in pits. It's the breed's fault 50% and the owner's fault 50% for HAVING A PIT.

Um, we don't let people keep bears for pets, so that comment was just kind of off the mark.

But even so, there are much larger dogs than Pitbulls in the world, and they don't go nuts and eat their owners on a whim. And how do you know that they were kept inside all day? how do you know that the family didn't take them out all the time? You don't. All you know is that the dogs turned on the hand that feeds them. Pit Bulls are not good family pets. They are meant to be fighting dogs. That's why they fight. They are mean vicious dogs and should not be bred.

No it wasn't you can't just kill a whole breed of something for what a few do. These dogs were not properly taken care of. Just like some people shouldn't have kids... some people shouldn't have dogs. The owners that have them when they attack always seem to be some ass-backwards people who live in the middle of nowhere with the dog tied to a tree or something. Bull Mastiffs are also responsible for a HIGH number of attacks should we kill all of them too. Where does it end?

Moomoo - How did you extrapolate that from the article? I don't see where it says anywhere that the dogs were mistreated or abused or in poor condition or not properly taken care of. Why blame the victim without the facts? The statistic that you should be concerned about is that Pit Bulls are responsible for 70% of FATALITIES from dog attacks. Other breeds might bite, but once you are subdued or back off they stop. Pits will keep on attacking you until you're dead. That is a danger that is inherent in the BREED not the owners.

Moomoo, who is suggesting killing every existing animal? I think the idea is to make their breeding (i.e., their continued use as house pets) illegal, not to just kill all the existing animals.

How can you generalize and say these dogs "probably" weren't taken care of? How do you know that? They could have doted on that dog, and exercised it 4 times a day. If you're saying that just b/c the dog attacked it must have not been taken care of, then it seems like pretty much everyone commenting disagrees. In fact, that's the entire basis for most of us believing it's a dangerous breed...you DON'T have to mistreat one in order for it to flip out and hurt or kill someone.

It is sad that the media portrays pits as killers, because you never hear of german shepards and dobermans attacking doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Just recently we heart of a tiger attacking a man..guess whose fault it was?? When I was a child the biggest fear then was a doberman pincher. The word was that "they turn on their owners!" Thankfully we had 2 of the best dobermans in the world. They had nice temperments and playful. What people don't realize is one has to treat the dog with respect. It is how the dog is raised. A lot of people should not have dogs that they cannot raise or handle. A lot of people feed a pit every other day and keep them caged in small cages. They are often stolen for fights and mistreated. I rescued several pits and I know they are protective of their environment. So while I would not directly blame the owners I would certainly question the dogs environment. Pits don't seem to have the monopoly on turning on people, take a hard look at humans they turn too!

No responsible pet owner would have two huge pits in an apartment.... COMMON SENSE.

I am not saying all pits are good dogs but their are bad ones in every breed. My daughter got bit by a Lab that had never shown aggression before. I don't think they should be outlawed.

rachel-3673200 you are clearly misinformed, as are soo many other people that comment on the ferocity of these dogs. These are working dogs, bred origninally for the purpose of working around large farm animals (I.E.-bulls) This dog needs a large amount of exercise or it will become difficult to handle. Number one comonality I see in every attack-Multiple pit bulls in a home. To have two of these in a small apartment is asking for trouble. They require exercise. Just like a jack russel, also a working dog. If they are nto exercised they need a release. Now as to the higher reported incidents of attacks- are you really going to report your neighbors 15 pound dog for biting you? Doubtful. Not only that, but Pittbulls have increased tremendously in popularity over the past decade. Statistics are facts, not truth.

Lufe - Statistics are facts. And statistically Pit bulls are responsible for 60% of fatalities attributed to dog attacks. You may not report a 15 pound pug for biting you. But if a 15 pound pug killed my baby you bet your ass that would be reported. That's the difference. I agree that large dogs shouldnt be cooped up. But you have to also agree that a dog should not kill you out of boredom.

Inbreeding is definately the problem!!!---there are too many novice breeders out there who have no idea what the heck they are doing. Speaking from experience, purebreeds are always the most high strung and have the most medical issues.

Mutts are the best dogs---Well balenced all around.

But I still blame the dog owners for their animals behaivor---100%

yes, you probably wouldn't report a beagle biting you..get a clue! The FACTS are about maiming, serious or deadly attacks. that's the whole point..SERIOUS attacks.. pit bull leads by a large percentage, yet in number makes up a small percentage of all dogs..what about those facts don't you get??? ..guess you'd just rather pretend they don't exist or put some stupid spin on it, like all dog bites aren't reported so these facts are flawed...wake up..there is a problem with these dogs for WHATEVER reason that needs to be addressed. FACT.

No Rob is cool ssssssssssssssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuupppppppppppppppppppppp.

Middle school out already?

now that's funny!

Elementary, my dear Jeanette. Elementary.

Kindergarten at least.

My daughter bought a pitbull pup. Not a good idea says I, with 2 little kids in the same house. Oh dad, the breeder says this is a very calm and peace loving dog. 6 months later my 1 year old grandson has the side of his face ripped open because he pet the dog while it was eating. The only good pitbull is a dead one. Sorry folks, who cry don't condemn the breed because of the owner. The breed is only useful for killing things. They don't make good pets. They are defective and flawed and awful beasts, unfit for human companionship. Ban them.

Pardon the pun but you are a sick puppy. If it's not the dog's fault please LIST ONE SINGLE TIME A GOLDEN RETRIEVER HAS ATTACKED ANYONE. It's not a coincidence that 99% of the fatal dog attacks are from pitbulls. The owners should be charged with negligent homicide at a minimum.

bob...look it up.......there are lots.......

I understand what you are saying, but there are some breeds that are physically capable of doing far more harm to a person than others. I have a Shih Tzu that is the most gentle soul I have ever known. But even if she was aggressive, she would be "14 Pounds of Furry Fury" at best. A 75 pound dog, be it a German Shepard, Pit Bull or Rottweiler (but not a Golden Retriever for some odd reason) can do more harm than my dog ever could. I have seen gentle Pit Bulls, so I know it is not necessarily the breed, but some breeds are potentially more dangerous than others.

Actually according to the CDC Golden Retrievers acount for most dog bites in America, Then the Lab. and also According to the CDC. PitBull or like breeds, 2% of all bites. But on the other hand. Pitbulls acount for 70% of all fatalities. Now those are some numbers. Now I have seen well tempermented pitbulls and ill tempermented retrievers. The difference is the power of the Animal. Physically, The Pitbull is the most successful breeding program in the world. There has not been a breeding program of any animal to convert it from it's natural form to an animal built this powerful. The problem is when the mind of a pitbull goes....coupled with thier success of being a physically superior animal they can kill. I think the Pro-Pitbull really need to get off the mantra of blame the deed not the breed....and start saying yes, These animals are powerful, and we need to come up with some sort of regulatory standards to protect the public. I fear if they don't Breed Specific legislation will eventually irradicate these Dogs.

Damn, won't let me post links.... sorry... just google Retriever attacks, there are quite a few!

It is time that these breeds are outlawed in city limits. (Or in general.) If people are allowed to own them at all, they should be kept in rural environments and in pens safely locked away from friends and family. If you want them to protect your property, then only let them out in the main yard at night when you would not expect to have company and you are asleep. But otherwise, keep them locked in their separate and strong holding pens in the back. Until we have laws banning these dogs, courts should assign huge payouts to the victim's families. But what do you do when the victim is a family member? You sentence jail time as if it was manslaughter.

hey bob 99%? LOL. find better facts please.

hey bob 99%? LOL. find better facts please.

Just because there are some pit bulls that seem okay doesn't mean that the breed in general isn't dangerous. You can always find people who've smoked for 50 years and managed to somehow stay healthy, but that doesn't mean that cigarettes aren't hazardous. The breed should be outlawed, at least from the public.

I think we will stick with our Australian Shepherd. He might nip at our heels trying to herd us, but I don't feel like he is going to try to bite our faces off anytime soon.

Yes, there some exceptions, but these animals were bred only for two things. Agressiveness and fighting.

Generally, it's difficult to change their true nature. You'd be about as well off trying raise a timber wolf and expecting it to be the family dog.

Yeah Bob!!! Read the facts before you open your idiotic mouth!

The difference is that when Golden retreiver bites you, it's one and done usually. It doesn't keep attacking you until you're dead and then start to eat you like pit will. Pit Bulls are very nice dogs, except when they aren't Then they go apesh!t crazy.

James - What a great comment!

Bob - My friend's face is scarred for life because of a Golden.

The prejudice against these dogs is not fair to them. People bred them, mistreated them, and they are shot and punished. How is that fair? People need to clean up this mess by being responsible dog owners, spaying and neutering, and training and socializing their pit bulls.

The problem is that pit bulls have a stronger jaw then other dogs. So when they do attack it is generally viscious. My brother's stepdaugther was a attacked by a friend's rott a couple of months ago in the face. Lucky for her they were able to restrain the dog before it did more damage. If it was a pitt, restraining it might have been harder.

It is a combination of owner and breed. But, like people and other dogs, they can snap. Unfortunately, when they snap it can cause more damage. I don't care for dogs but I would rather be around a chuahua than a pit any day! Pitt owners always think their dogs are good or they have them under control but don't be offended if I DON'T believe you.

Sympathies to the family.

And you, Rachel, are an uninformed, uneducated idiot!

"bob in LG" and others who blame the breed have a valid point here.

If it was 100% the owners fault, there would be this same type of incidents with all other dog breeds. However, this is not the case. Some dog breeds are more aggressive than others. As such, regardless of the type of upbringing and home life a dog may have, if provoked, an inherently aggressive breed will act aggressive.

Sure, the owner is a fault as well.. after all to house a large dog indoors can be viewed as abusive and may bring out the aggressiveness of the breed. This can also happen when a large dog is protective of its immediate family and acts aggressive when threatened by 'outsiders'.

The only solution is to establish boundaries for different breeds. And for owners to realize, accept, and take responsibility of owning an inherently aggressive breed. There is a reason for legally limiting the ownership of a wolf or coyote. Sure both are canine, but the breeds are so aggressive in situations, that they have not been domesticated.

Pit bulls are not the extreme of the dog breeds as they have been domesticated. However, the rules in owning a pit bull should not be the same as with all domesticated breeds as the breed is prone to aggressiveness.

Bob in LG- you should check your "facts" before you post them. Do a little research and you will find that 99% of dog attacks are NOT from pit bulls and golden retrievers HAVE attacked people. It is ignorant to just blatently say that all pit bulls are bad dogs.

"Bob in LG

Pardon the pun but you are a sick puppy. If it's not the dog's fault please LIST ONE SINGLE TIME A GOLDEN RETRIEVER HAS ATTACKED ANYONE. It's not a coincidence that 99% of the fatal dog attacks are from pitbulls. The owners should be charged with negligent homicide at a minimum."

LIST ONE SINGLE TIME SOMEONE USES ALL CAPS AND IS TOTALLY WRONG. Oh...nevermind.

The bottom line is this;

If you do not know or understand dogs or have any family members who are even remotely afraid of dogs you SHOULD NOT HAVE ONE FOR A FAMILY PET!

Dogs run in packs and their social structure requires an "alfa" dog. If you are not up to the task you are in for trouble....in fact ALL family members have to give the dog the impression that they are higher in the family heiarchy. If not the dog will figure out where it fits in and anybody it views as beneath it in the family will be subject to it's behavior and unable to control it. The way they figure out who is beneath them is not based on reason...it is based on who spends the most time with them and to a lesser degree who is not afraid of them.

Please people, for the love of god, make sure the people in your family unit are dog people before you get one....especially a pitbull!

Oh and Waffles....you are simply making that statistic up. If 99% of dog attacks came from pitbulls they would have been outlawed or hunted down and killed a long time ago.

You are lucky.

Dogs has a pack nature. They are "man's best friend" because they inherently supports the "human family and its turf" as their pack. Rottweilers, German Shepards, Dobermans and the like can tear up any stranger to their turf, but will never ever attack known members of their "pack" like Pit-bulls so often does. Even if a dog attacks a "pack member" it might be a bite, Pit-bulls kills.

Troy1101...notice the quotations? I was quoting Bob...my post is the last line :)

Jim58 seems to have the best reasoning for not having a pit bull. The comparison to smoking makes good sense.

I am especially worried about all the children who are in danger from pits and other large dogs. Theys cannot defend themselves and the parents dont have the sense to keep these large dogs away from their babies, Dogs are not human and are guided by instinct.

To those who keep seeming to insist that the CDC keeps statistics that suggest golden retrievers bite more frequently than Pit Bulls, BULL CRAP.

Here is the CDC's study:

And here is another study that shows marked concern over the incredible prevalence of Pit Bull attacks in the last 10 years. Obviously, as the breed becomes more common, we are finding out that a much higher number of dogs within the breed bite (i.e., back in 1980 not that many people had even heard of Pit Bulls). It's too bad the CDC didn't put the overall number of dogs existing by breed, because I have a feeling the number of bites or fatality for Pit Bulls is outrageously high compared to how many even exist:

Oops...Sorry Waffles....Im used to seeing quotes in bold or italic.

Totally missed the actual " "...lol.

Bob, you are wrong and I don't even need to research.

Last FIVE year dog bite fatalities in the US

2007: 34 FATALITIES 15 PITBULL (41%) 4 ROTTWEILER (12%)

2008: 23 FATALITITES 11 PITBULL (43%)

2009: 30 FATALITITES 11 PITBULL (32%) 4 ROTTWEILER (13%)

2010: 33 FATALITITES 19 PITBULL (57%) 4 ROTTWELER (12%)

2011: 15 FATALITIES 9 PITBULL (60%) 2 ROTTWEILER (17%)

Seems like the pitbull will hold onto the title for this year, but the Rotts are hanging in.

This thread is getting ridiculous. People are citing statistics that do prove that pitbulls account for 42% of the dog related fatalities in the past 20 years. Yes that is true. Pitbulls are also the most bred breed in America during that period. Further more the same statistic prove that of all attacks, not just fatal ones only .033% of all pitbulls are involved. Your comments of pitbulls accounting for such high attack percentages are equivalent to someone saying that because the minorities are involved in most urban homicide cases, it is the fault of their race for such conditions. Nope, not the city or environment or the schools that they grow up with, just their race, because they are not as civilized as the white people who account for a much smaller percentage of the statistic. Grow up people. I own a boxer/hound mix, but when he was a puppy and before his DNA test everyone thought he was a pitbull and I forced myself to read all of the information available on the breed. What I found was that this breed is the most loving and loyal if raised properly. If the dog is properly socialized as a puppy both around kids and elderly, if they understand their place in the hierarchy and are educated, they will never attack, bite, or challenge their owners. What's more interesting is that it is the exact same training technique for other breeds. Whoever said it above is correct, each generation has its overpopulated dog that becomes a menace due to the rising statistics and number owned by irresponsible owners, but we cant punish the breed for it. Illegal breeders need to be eradicated and punished, legal breeders need to have the same legal process of selling puppies from the litter that most shelters do and that includes background checks, insured neutering, resource availability and previous experience raising dogs.

Again if you are looking to get rid of all pitbulls for .033% who have actually bitten humans, you may as well enlist yourself in KKK, because clearly the minorities are all bad because of the statistics for murder rates. Just like with people, it is the environment and quality of education that produces criminals and it is our responsibility to make sure no one is mistreated and raised in a way that will make them a threat to a society.

Again if you are looking to get rid of all pitbulls for .033% who have actually bitten humans, you may as well enlist yourself in KKK, because clearly the minorities are all bad because of the statistics for murder rates.

Here i was enjoying your post and then bam!!! You had to bring the KKK in.

That is a bit of a stretch for analogy don't you think? Otherwise, idiots beware...good post.

DogOwner - Great Post! "Your comments of pitbulls accounting for such high attack percentages are equivalent to someone saying that because the minorities are involved in most urban homicide cases, it is the fault of their race for such conditions." ~ I thought this was a very good analogy!

Deleted

We should spray alittle weed killer around too.

Good post! Respond to Gail "Pit bulls do no harm" Keller above.

Thanks. The kicker is that the owner was completely shocked and scared and tried to pull the " I have no idea what got into him, he's never done this before!" speech, and it's like gee lady, may want to rethink your pet choice once it starts attacking your guests.

.

My idiot sister in law got a pit bull pup 7 years ago saying that same sh*t its not the dog, its the owner bs. Last year we buried my neice, the dog killed her she was 13. She doesn't try and tell me that bs anymore. Every time I see her I wanna kick her fing A$$.

The dog bit you, not her you f****** moron! It was protecting her! People really don't get it. The media reports every single attack that involves a "bull terrier mix" but you never hear of any other breed attacking people. Do you people really believe that pit bulls are the only dogs that attack people. Of course not! The reason pit bull attacks are so prevelant is becasue every @!$%#ing white trash hoosier or ghetto thug has to have one and they raise them to be mean or in less than ideal situation, such as having two giant pits in an apartment. IT IS NOT THE BREED MORONS!!!!!!!!!!!! ITS THE MORONS WHO OWN THEM!!!!!!!!!! If pit bulls suddenly became the breed of choice for civilized people that live descent lifestyles, you would stop hearing about these attacks. I have two dobermans that are the sweetest animals on the planet but 20 years ago my neighbors would've been terrrified of them. Why? The f****** media!!

@DobieLuver: You don't think dogs attacking invited house guests in the name of "protecting their owner" is a problem?

Other dogs bite but pits kill. It's MORONS like you, Doobieluver, who defend them that allow for stories about them breaking through fences to kill kids.

Nice try Dobie, this lady had a nice house with a yard and had a job as a manager making good money. She loved the dog and treated it like gold and it still attacked me. She also had a yellow lab in the house that did not attack me, so your point is completely unproven and irrelevant.

Dobie: Why the need to curse so much?

And I wouldbe willing to bet it came from a lineage of cross-breeding and fighting.

Anon-2702134, I am sorry that you had to go through such a tramautic experience. Sadly, the owner being completely shocked is a reaction true for many dog owners, and not just limited to one breed. A lot of people who own dogs are not aware of subtle behaviours in their animals. Opening an entrance to a home is always a risk when you have an animal in the home. It takes proper introduction when you enter an animal's territory. The dog probably saw you as a threat, what triggered that we don't know, as there aren't many details to your repeated story in this comment feed. My question to you is, since that incident, have you met any other pitbull type dogs? And the reason I say pitbull type is that it encompasses a number a breeds of dogs. I personally have seen mean ones, and then ones that are certified therapy dogs, have passed the Canine Good Citizenship test. I have been attacked or snapped at by a German Shepherd, Chow, Miniature Pinscher, Chihuahua, and Labrador Retriever. In most cases it was when I was younger and didn't know how to approach a strange dog. The Chow was the only one that was aggressive for no apparent reason, other than he was off leash near an duplex complex and the owner was no where in sight and he was being territorial. Irresponsible ownership there.

I have a pitbull/lab mix. He is about 4 years old. He is the biggest baby you will ever meet, but I am very aware of his personality and behaviour. If I am sitting he gets ansy and whines if another dog approaches me, but is less protective when I am standing. He loves children, but will growl at grown men passing by in the street. He demands that he sniffs you first before he will trust you, as he is dominant. He gets along with people and most dogs but he is picky about small dogs or very hyper ones. I have a 7 year old son and the two of them adore one another; but I am also smart enough to know that you never leave ANY animal alone with a child.

I guess my point is, and it will be controversial to most responses in this article (and I'm sure a lot of people will skim through my response and just read "It's not the dog, it's the owner" and assume that's what I'm saying), if you own any type of dog, especially one with strength and size, you must be responsible and educate yourself. Pitbull attacks are always lapped up by the media due to the strength and determination of the dog. Attacks from a pitbull will always be severe due to their strength. I'm not denying that strength was not bred into them. But until recently (and by criminals for that matter), pitbulls were not bred to attack humans; because they were bred to fight other dogs and round up cattle, harming a handler would have meant instant death for the dog.

There are dogs that are just inherently aggressive. Genetics, upbringing, and illness, not breed, determine a lot of behaviour disorders in dogs. It's very important for people to recognize this, and if they have a dog that is unmanagable the humane thing to do is to put them down, or give them to a sanctuary. Without the details on this story, we don't know the dog's past history and why the grandmother was attacked. BSL only creates more problems. We have enough of these dogs in the shelters that are doomed to die. BSL will just cause criminals to overbreed more of them because of their "illegal" status, making them a prize possession and raising the population and number of strays that are more likely to attack than someone's loved and well-raised pet. If these dogs are bad, then we only have ourselves to blame. We created different breeds of dogs, dogs are one species and we took them and molded them to our needs, even if for some people they created them for criminal purposes. It is definitely humanity's fault that they suffer now.

I am being sincere when I say that I would have loved for you to meet my dog, as I am confident that I am a responsible owner. I would hope that one day you won't base your whole opinion of these dogs off that one horrible experience and label and what the media reports. Take a look at the dog temperment test and you will see that pitbulls currently do better than the nation's most popular breed. Go to a shelter and meet an adoptable pitbull. Don't keep living in fear of these animals.

Thank you for your well written response Jelliot. I'm definitely not trying to say that every pitbull on earth is violent or is just waiting to attack, I do not believe this to be true. I do however believe that they have more of a propensity for violence and agression than other/most breeds. There weren't really any other details to the story other than the ones I already provided. This woman had raised the dog as a puppy, she was very loving and proud of it, she was my friend's boss and invited my friend and I over to her house one night. We got into the house and the dog attacked me, that was about it. There was another dog, a yellow lab, there that was not aggressive and did not attack. I have not personally had any other up close and personal dealings with pitbulls, but I have passed by ones that were barking and aggressive on the street, and where I live there have been a number of attacks. Again, this could be due to the owners, I'm not making blanket judgments, but I fully agree that some breeds have inherent traits, such as this.

Hey Jelliot, you have the kind of dog that can rip off the neighbors arm, and retrieve it for you! That's multi-tasking! There is a reason I love my English Setters.

GO TO The Facebook page "Demand truth in dog bite Reports" and everyday you will see a report about a dog bite other than the " VICIOUS PIT BULL" that always seems to make the big headlines. Dog bites are bad, every dog can do it, many do, only the pit bull gets the big headlines...what...?

Get ALL the facts not just what is spoon feed to you

I own a pitbull, my sister owns a pitbull, and my brother owns a pitbull...We are all law abiding citizens, work 40+ hours every week, pay taxes, raise children, pay our own bills, etc... Not one of us has a criminal record and not one of us have ever been in a gang. I love pitbulls and wouldn't trade mine for the world but I'm smart enough to know that there are mean dogs (any breed) in the world. The problem is that pitbulls are over populated because of backyard breeders that are only in it for the money and not the quality. This is the reason there are so many attacks/maulings. Pitbulls were never bred to be human aggressive and if they were they were destroyed immediately. Do yourself a favor and do some research before commenting on a topic you know very little about.

Really? I am white trash, a gangbanger, or a criminal because I own a pitbull? You're a pathetic loser that buys into media sensationalism. What was the background of the pitbull that attacked the grandmother and baby in a stroller? Was it beat on daily? Was it locked up in a room 23 hours a day? Oh wait, you don't know, do you? I am assuming you have never owned a pitty either, correct? Well our 85 lb pitbull gets 3 hours of exercise a day and you know what? He works with the Autistic children in our community!! Yep, you heard me. So, is he worthless too? Or maybe, just maybe, he is an example of what a pitty can be when raised properly. I wish I could put all of you hateful individuals on an island and nuke it. Scumbag.

Amen, PitbullLover. My family has two pit mixes and one pure pit, all rescues, and they are great pets. They need a lot of exercise, they need chew toys. The need to be properly trained and socialized. People don't realize these things. Every dog, not just one breed, needs it! The general public hangs on the every word of the media who over-sensationalizes one breed. Years ago it was German Shepherds, Dobermans, and Rottweilers, and you see so few of them these days. I take my Shepherd with me everywhere, and people always exclaim, "You never see those anymore." BSL and irresponsible breeding and owners have ruined many good breeds. Sadly, the pit bull will be the next. Aren't people great? - sarcasm

It's okay Pittlover and Lisa don't cloud the little haters minds with facts. It bothers them.

Tony they are the chosen breed of a lot of pro athletes ..so your point is bigoted

Lisa,

Most of these people want to round up dogs and kill them....you are going for the people....and nuking them...lol.

Don't worry, at the end of the day none of our opinions will have any sway over the fate of the pitbull anyway.

No need to commit mass murder over a bunch of us blabber mouths whos opinions don't matter anyway....lol.

Im going to go ahead and doubt that you chewed her up and killed her because she made you mad dude.

Undistorted you are absolutely wrong. You sound as though you need some help. Your stats are just not correct.

If a certain race kills more, should we put them ALL down? Now rethink what you have written.

There are great dogs in this world and those dogs should not be compared with the likes of the evil,

dangerous pit. Pits have been proven to be the most dangerous breed in the world, get rid of them.

Denver, CO has a law you can't own a pit in their city, County.... GOOD FOR DENVER.

"A dog is a dog, plain and simple. Different breeds of humans are more aggressive than others... works that way with everything. "

You contradict yourself here. Different breeds of dogs ARE more aggressive, just as there are aggressive breeds of bees (African Honey Bees or "killer bees"), ants (such as fire ants) and other species. Why would we want to intentionally expose the public to inherently aggressive creatures?

Jean - You have your facts wrong, actually. Those are solid statistics. Pits are not evil - no animal is evil, because animals do not know evil. Some people are evil, definitely. I wish every murder and rapist was put down as quickly as a biting dog was. That would be justice. And going back to dog breeds, Golden Retrievers are responsible for more dog bites than pit bulls, but because of the difference in size and strength, less fatalities. Personally, I'd trust a pit bull over a Golden, Yorkie, or Chihuahua any day. Prejudiced people like you and your BSL have ruined many good breeds, and you're ruining this one, too.

If one breed kills over half of the human fatalities, why should it be banned? I don't understand your logic. If one virulent disease caused over 50% of human fatalities, 100% of our resources would go toward eradicating that one disease. After after our resources had made a significant inroad against that disease, we could go back to worry about the other thousand of disease cause the other 47%. It's the same way with pit bulls. They cause over 50% of the fatalities. One single breed.

I am a veterinarian that made farm calls for 20 years. I was bitten by two dogs over those years: a hound and a jack russell. A grey muzzled geriatric black lab was the most threatening I ever faced. I have
my second pit bull now, and she is family. I do (or did, before she got so old) pay attention if she is in my bedroom when my kids come in, because pitties are territorial (like a lot of breed.s). And I put her in a crate before people come in, just for the liability. But my cat beats up on her. They are not by far the most likely dog to bite. Cocker spaniels are. My mother's yorkie is wicked. But they do not have the biting strength so do less damage.

Wow Jean... sounds like you are the agressive breed here... guess we should ban you as well. I simply stated that of the 30 people killed every year by dog attacks, half are caused by Pits. That is not a large amount considering how humans are killed everyday.

And my statistics are good... Not sure where you get your info, but I would suggest looking at a few different sources before you call someone out on theirs. Just makes you seem small minded. My suggestion would be for you to get some help with you acusatory anger issues.

With regards to OrtheHighways comment, I agree with your logic... if Pits were the cause of half of human fatalities (such as the disease you quoted). However, roughly 12-15 deaths a year are not the cause for erradication of a species. Actually, more people die from the killer bees mentioned above than they do Pits. Sharks kill roughly 10 people a year and cars kill thousands a month. I don't see us shutting down the auto industry. And so we are all clear, humans kill more humans than any other species.

Again, erradication is not the answer. Education is the answer. Learn how to interact with the species. We can't force nature into a box and expect it to behave.

Undistorted, any unnecessary death should be avoided. Your post sounds like you think it's okay that 15+ people a year are killed by pit bulls because humans die every day anyways...... wonder if you'd feel that way if it was your mother who was mauled by a dog.

And breeding dogs is not "nature". These are not wild animals that we are trapping in the jungle and bringing home. It seems the logical thing to do would be to ban breeding this breed of dog as they have proven themselves to be unreliable and dangerous.

Pit bulls killed 52 people last year, many of them adults. Pit bulls are heavy and powerful and if they can knock you down and get you on the ground, they kill you. They kill healthy, strong adults. It doesn't take much to incapacitate an adult human being, and once they bite down on you, you can't get them off. If they get a hold of your face or head, you are done for. The weird thing about this breed is that so many people defend them. If they come into a shelter, they are adopted out even if the shelter knows nothing about their history, whether or not they been cruelly treated, abused, starved, nothing. They adopt them out to families with brief behavior assessments. They are killing children, adults, horses, dogs, etc. Who would bring a dog like that into their home? They should be brought up on charges.

Hit the nail on the head. IF you think you want a large breed dog you need to be considerate of your family. Make sure that you do not have anybody in the home that is easily spooked or exibits any signs of weakness...and don't be blind of your family and assume there are no weaklings in it. Make sure there are not because any dog will identify them and place itself above them in the family heiarchy. ANY DOG. The big ones just happen to be big enough to cause real damage.

How's about we crack down on backyard breeders who are inbreeding these pits and generating these more agressive members of the breed. Those are the real problem. I can't describe it in any scientific manner but it seems to be these particular members of the breed have a tendency to get "wild".

If 60 isn't that old, then what is old? The average human life is only 78, 60 is old.

Annie,

Mike is just being rude. You are as old as you feel.

You dumb dumb I'd like to see you go up against a pit bulls set of jaws! NO human stands a chance. Idiot.

Who's dumbdumb Damian? Not sure who you are calling that but I can assure you if a pit bull jumps me I will give him my left arm to bite and break his F&^ing neck with my right arm.....I promise you that!

It will be over in 5 very quick seconds.

I should qualify that and say when you live in an area full of 12 feet long alligators, black bears and panthers a pitbull is chum!

Troy1101 -- Thank you. But Mike is just unaware of a change in demographics. "Old" is if one is in the 90's now. I'm surrounded by neighbors, co-workers and friends who are in their late 50's and early 60's and they're running marathons, mountain climbing, tough mudders. Recently, there's been a story of a 102 year old woman who still changes the oil her car and is taking some business classes (for what, I don't know, but that's not the point).

I think Mike is probably 19 or 20 and forty is probably really OLD for him! But I have learned about the power of pitbulls reading these threads and so my comment was probably a bit naive.

The power of an animal is irrelivant if you are not afraid of it....unless it has rabies.

I have hiked a large majority of the Appilachian Trail and many trails in many wild places in the south. When you come across an apex predator in the wild the worst thing you can do is back down from it. All animals have a fight or flight instinct. As long as it thinks you will fight you are typically OK. That means no sudden movements that can be interpreted as skiddish and solid but nonaggressive eye contact. A look that says you are sure of yourself or as I like to call the "don't start no $_— won't be no $___" look. That doesn't apply to predators that hunt in packs but works very well with loners like bears and cats....even a small pack of wild boars....from experience.

I am not sure on this data but I am betting the large majority of pitbull fatalities are women, children and elders as these groups tend to lean more towards the flight instinct.

I could just be beating my chest but beating your chest when facing down an animal is not such a bad idea!

Mostly when I am hiking in the mountains I just carry a stick and make noise so Idon't have to worry about it.

Quick funny story about "old"...My brothers and I took a 25 year old friend hiking on the AT with us..25 miles of ridgeline in a single day...we rested at one of the shelters on the trail and my 25 year old friend felt like he was going to die and we would need to carry him out. While we were istting there resting a 78 year old dude comes out of the trail with a fully loaded backpack and had been hiking the trail for 3 months and wasn't leaving for home until early fall.

We jabbed our friend that he had been outdone by an 80 year old...

..only as old as you feel.

you know what i dont under stand is why ever body put pits down but any thing with teeth can bit cats dogs to people u all need to fall back and leave pits alone if u aint a pit then u aint @!$%#.any dog in my mind can turn pit bulls neeed love just like any body out here u treat them right and they will treat you right i have 2 of them and would not change it for nothing you all make me sick when u talk about pits so please leave pits alone u scared of pits but people is the one u should watch out for PIT BULLS IS THE @!$%# GO PITS GO PITS

Yea, inbreed is a problem. They have NO family tree, just like the breeders who breed them.

You really shouldn't make assumptions about people, even if you aren't in the 47%. I could probably buy and sell you, but I love my pit bull.

No, not really. I'm 50 and I've never heard of anyone being attacked by a Doberman or a German Shepherd (outside of Hollywood). Yeah, it's pretty much the breed. If even one person cannot control the animal and it kills a human, it's the breed. Pets should NOT have the capacity of killing its owner or a member of the family or their friends. Period.

ken, here's where your reasoning is flawed: the physical structure of the Pit's jaw is incomparable to that of the Doberman, German Shepherd Dog (my 11-week-old GDS is soo cute!), or any other breed. Training and socialization will not alter the structure of that jaw.

Ken, Your another one that needs serious help.

mach - training and socialization will alter the behavior of any dog. The jaw does not matter if the dog will not bite.

Joe - other breeds were stereotyped in the past, maybe not nationwide, but definitely in certain regions. Even now, apartment complexes and home owner's associations have banned Shepherds, Dobermans, and Rottweilers. Personally, I find golden retrievers more dangerous - my friend was viciously attacked by one as a child, and one of my dogs was attacked by one while out on a walk. My dog was on a leash, btw.

Marie, I'm with you on the training and socialization thing. And you're right about the restrictions placed on other breeds, too. In my little town in Michigan, the campgrounds on the river-front will not allow German Shepherd Dogs or Rottweilers. As the very responsible pet parent of an 11-week-old GSD pup, I'm offended by that stereotype. A GSD bit my cousin when she was a child; she's offended by the breed's existence.

But the phrase "...if the dog will not bite" scares me. I think you have to always assume the worst: that any dog will bite.

Apparently, Joe Joe, you don't check the internet on dog attacks.

http://www.newschannel5.com/story/16645526/dog-trainers-say-even-medical-service-dogs-can-attack

Happened this year. German shepherd killed 6 year old.

Mach,

I want my dog to bite! Just bite the right people.....like a burglar....and anybody I sick her on. I spent alot of time training her for that. It serves two purposes....she will not become agressive towards anybody without my permission and is gaining experience about how to fight a human if she must...and when we are asleep at night she knows she has full rights to any unannounced visitors

Our dog is a family pet to my kids and wife but she also has a job and knows what her job is. I didn't buy a dog to feel warm and fuzzy...her job is to protect the family.

The rest of my household views her as just a family member and I'm ok with that but I sleep well at night knowing my 80 pound brindle blackgum curr is curled up in her OPEN crate by the front door guarding the family. You want a bit of agression in your dog if that is their function. You just have to direct the agression correctly....just my opinion.

If I were qualified to train our GSD as a protection dog, I would do it, too. Knowing I could rely on him to attack on command would make me feel warm and fuzzy!

I know many people/families that have owned pitbulls as well and not one of those dogs ever attacked or bit anyone. Stereotyping a pitbull is the same as labeling someone with tattoos a criminal or dirtbag. It's ridiculous and so is your comment. I could educate you and the majority of other people on APBT's. I've done my research and then some. There are currently 3 pitbulls in my immediate family. Coudn't ask for better dogs. I know, I know, they're a dangerous breed and we must be thugs or gangbangers, or perhaps we want some kind of "street cred" because we own a pit. It's always the same arguments with you people that know nothing about this subject other than what you hear from the media and on the news. There are approximately 1,000 dog bites EVERY DAY!! I hate to tell but not all or even the majority of those are pitbulls. Get a clue!

Pitbull Lover -

If you look at fatalities instead of bites, the pitbull is the champion with about 40 - 50% of fatalities by this breed.

Not a huge number of fatalities in a given year, still . . .

HAHAHAHAHA!!! Gotta love the internet tough guys that are historically richer, bigger and tougher than total strangers by default, hahaha!!! Hey pitbulllover83, why don't you go make me a sandwich while I service your sister?

tool.

Tool? That's original...and I'm not richer, bigger, or tougher by default, Jack...God has blessed me, that's just the way it is. Deal with it!

And your comment about me making you a sandwich while you go service my sister was also original! Did you come up with that all by yourself? You should be proud...I haven't heard that one since 8th grade, probably the most intelligent thing you've said all day.

I have been a veterinarian for 15 years and in my professional opinion, pit bulls are a naturally violent breed. Yes there are cases in which they do not turn on the owners, but that does not mean it will not happen. Any breed of dog has ability to become unstable and violent in a hostile environment, however Pit Bulls are the only breed that tends to become violent and unstable in a loving environment.

I was the vet for my neighbor's dogs since they were pups. After years of loving these dogs and giving them nothing but the best, one day while in the yard, they turned on the wife as she was gardening. While trying to help her and even though they knew me, they attacked me while I tried to help her. My scars were minor and eventually went away, however she died.

And for those that claim it was the owner's fault, because they did not have any children, these dogs were their children and got nothing but the best of love.

Pitbull,

Dude isn't even worth the energy it takes to respond to a comment that is, oh I don't know, half baked, totally off topic and very revealing of his IQ.

He prehaps should be left in a 10X10 cage with say.....4 or 5 very hungry pitbulls.....and I mean the really nasty ones, not the ones that are raised correctly.

That is very heartbreaking about your wife.

Bill, I'm thinking it was the vet's neighbor's wife who died. Heartbreaking is right, regardless of which of us is confused. Because she was gardening, I wonder if the dogs attacked because she was in a submissive position.

I appreciate a vet's commentary on this subject: thanks, Essynce312. As a healer of animals, I believe you have no "dog in the fight", so to speak.

boe- you need a brain!

Pam, I'm sure the people with the dead gramdma would say the same thing. Because their dog was sweet and never did anything like that before. The point is - they are a very unreliable, powerful and by nature BRED to be attack dogs. You petting it and saying what a good boy he is, isn't going to change that.

You were one of the lucky ones.

Letter R, you best get down on your knees and thank God your here.

They're great...till they one day snap.

If I were a dog and you tried to ride me I would bite your freakin head off...lol.

Just a few months ago my best friend was attacked by a pit bull while taking her morning walk in WY. It knocked her to the ground and went straight for her throat. Thank goodness for her walking partner and a neighbor who came out and shot the dog. The dog was not provoked, was a family dog that had played with toddlers and was having a bad day. Only thing is their bad days are like the person that takes a gun into their work - lethal.

In general dogs are a circumvention of nature, because if it wasn't for humans, there'd be no such thing as a dog.

I tried not to laugh. I failed.

@mach----- ditto

ditto

Not a Pit but I saw a pug chase my in-law and damn near rip off her pinky toe!! Not all dog attacks are awful :)

you are a fool.

Even more dangerous than you think chady....a stupid racist fool. Although now that I think of it "stupid" was probably implied on your part

I've been trying not to reply - but NO DOG, NONE, should EVER be left alone with a small child, much less a baby! That story was horrible, but the parents put the baby down ON THE BED to sleep, and left the house, with the dog still inside. THAT incident was HUMAN error. There are A LOT of attacks against children who have been left alone, by a number of different breeds. Not just pits.

I am wondering, since the crate lock was broken, if the pit had gotten loose in the apartment in this case, and perhaps when the grandmother entered, though she was an intruder. I'm not getting involved in the breed vs. owner issue - but in both of these cases, there was absolutely some human error and/or potentially extenuating circumstances involved. Possibly this grandmother wasn't particularly familiar to the dog, and he was protecting his property. Had it BEEN an intruder, we'd have been saying "great job!" to the Pitt.

Sorry, but you don't leave a baby alone with any animal. Totally the parents' fault on that one. What idiots.

Gwen: NO NORMAL DOG KILLS A BABY LAYING ON A BED! Period. My parents had two German Shepherds growing up. They were around me from infancy and never showed aggression TOWARD MEMBERS OF OUR OWN FAMILY! If strangers came they would bark until they saw we welcomed the stranger and then go lay down and even wag their tails and be friendly - what normal dogs are supposed to do. We did not "train" them to act this way. German Shepherds get in trouble when PROTECTING their family (biting strangers they view as threatening) - not EATING them. My Shepherds NEVER acted this way toward children. Only adults.

You CANNOT COMPARE this kind of aggression (a shepherd protecting it's family from strangers) with stories of pits attacking members of their own family, eating babies left on beds and busting through fences to attack children. That's not territorial, it's psychotic.

You can blame the owner all day long, but a big chunk of behavior in animals is based on genetics. (yes, in humans too, LOOK IT UP) These animals should not be killed simply for being pits but future breeding should be regulated to only reputable licensed breeders.

eating babies left on beds and busting through fences to attack children. That's not territorial, it's psychotic

sounds like a combo of ignorant owners and just plain sensationalism (eating a sleeping baby yeah right)

there are bad pits and good ones and like any dog they must be socialized and exercised.

you cant judge the whole breed by the actions of a few. i socialized my pit from 12 weeks old to a year at a childrens daycare and exercise her every other day, and never off leash. pits take responsibility which many pit owners dont do. shes 80lbs and a sweet heart and my house isnt getting robbed. i also know rotty owners with children that have never had a problem.

Tony, I hate to stoop to your level but I think I must. I wish you were standing in front of me at this very moment. You have a lot of big talk about the "owners" of pitbulls. I can guarantee you one thing...your paycheck, if you collect one, wouldn't add up to half of mine for a 40 hour week but yet I own a pitbull. Secondly, you wouldn't have to worry for one second about my pit attacking you but I can promise you that I'd hand you your ass! It's big mouths like you that say the aame thing over and over again that don't have the first clue about what they are talking about. You my friend are an idiot!

And, as a another responsible pit owner, I'd back you up.

That expains my white-trash neighbors and their SIX pitbulls. They don't work real jobs, they just make money breeding these things and collecting welfare. Why would a normal person need SIX of these dogs? The damn dogs cannot be contained with a fence - they dig out underneath it, they climb it, they fling themselves against the gate till the gate comes open. Then they try to dig underneath my fence to get at my dog (which would be lunch for one of these animals). They roam the neighborhood chasing cars, etc. Calling animal control is useless - they will not do a thing about them, not unless they attack someone. So in the meantime, no one who lives in our neighborhood can be out enjoying their own yards unless they carry a weapon or pepperspray. What a way to have to live. Talk about neighbors from HELL!

Pitbull Lover -

You seem really impressed with your salary and station in life, and informing everyone else how inferior they are.

I'm beginning to think that owningh the breed is a means of overcompensating for your low self-esteem . . .

mpa....he did say he was stooping to the other persons level....and from some of these really stupid remarks on here, there's a lot that *stoop*..... this breed is NOT horrible! ANY breed will bite..attack....and many many of these happenings happen because the OWNER isn't using their brain!

I have one....she's a love! AND a good dog!!!!!!!!!!!!! and NO my self-esteem is not low....don't think Pitbull Lover's is either

Good afternoon mpa! I only brought up my salary and station in life because Tony likes to say that low-class individuals are the only ones that own pitbulls. I squashed that pretty quickly though. And for the record, I don't have low self-esteem but I do have a beautiful family, a nice home, new vehicles, wonderful friends, great pets (including a pit)...well, I could go on and on but I think you get the point. I'm more than comfortable in my own skin but I appreciate your concern. That's very sweet of you! ;-)

f-you!

Pitbulllover83: The more you talk, the more you prove Tony's point.

PitbullLover83 - low class is a state of mind, a state of being, and you clearly qualify. Above you threaten to kick someone's ass. A thug punk who makes millions in sports or music usually remains a thug punk, and white trash like you cannot earn your way to respect, because you are a low minded cave man. I suspect "pitbulllover" may mean just that, attempting breed with an animal with a similar intellect.

Make laws that throw the book at dog owners who choose to own any violent breed and then allow that dog to attack anyone. I'm talking at least 10 years behind bars. Let's see who chooses to own pits then.

I suggest rather than putting the dog down... they put down the owner for being stupid enough to ever have one of these dogs near children.

Or make them carry $1,000,000 in insurance on the creature. Face it, this dog is being used now by drug dealers or people who have little self-worth and think they impress people with the dog.

NOT!

Just a few months ago my best friend was attacked by a pit bull while taking her morning walk in WY. It knocked her to the ground and went straight for her throat. Broke her arm when she put it in front of her throat. Thank goodness for her walking partner and a neighbor who came out and shot the dog. The dog was not provoked, was a family dog that had played with toddlers and was having a bad day. Only thing is their bad days are like the person that takes a gun into their work - lethal.