Pitbulls; Danger to Society In The Wrong Hands

I was spurred into putting this website together after being accused of being "ignorant" and needing more "education" about Pitbulls......

 

SO I began reading, researching and digging in.  There was more than I expected. 

This research has not made me an overnight expert on Pitbulls, but I am definitely not the "ignorant" person in "need of education" anymore, either.   Actually, I was pleased to find that I hadn't been all that far off base.

When you deal with Pitbull enthusiasts, you will find a wide variety of people. 

You'll find those who love this breed so dearly and so zealously that they'll go to the ends of the earth to explain away every single negative incident involving the breed.  I will refer to them, from this point on, as the Pit Bull Cult.  (PBC)

You'll also find -- thankfully! -- many well informed, honest owners who know and understand their breed.  These folks know what their chosen breed can do.  They understand the tendency towards dog aggression.  They aren't stupid enough to take their Pit to a dog park.  They don't leave their dog chained out back on a log chain and starve it or bait it.  They don't support dogfighting, nor fight their dogs.  They take precautions, they are smart and careful.  They don't waste time trying to convince everyone else that a Pit is "like any other dog" because they know it isn't. 

 

The Pit Bull Owner

Sadly, the Pitbull, in this day and age, is widely owned and bred by a class of society that is criminal in nature.

A "tough" dog is often preferred by those who want to appear "tough" themselves.  Bad ass dog = bad ass human?  Yuck.  Go get a penile enlargement if you feel so inferior instead of buying a Pitbull.  This category of Pitbull owner/buyer is going to most certainly buy from a back yard breeder and the likelihood of getting an unstable, aggressive dog is HIGH.  This is the dog that you, John Q. Public, should fear.  This dog is very unlikely to receive any proper training.  This is the dog you should never allow your animals to be around.  A "thug" Pitbull is a very dangerous animal to your pets, and possibly to you, too.  (More about dog-to-dog aggression vs dog-to-human aggression later.)

A great quote from Pit Bull Rescue Central:  “An insecure person who wants only an aggressive dog to bolster some personal human inadequacy should never become an owner of one of these dogs. An uncaring or negligent person should not buy an AmStaff or an APBT (or any other dog for that matter)."   KUDOS.   Nail on the head there.

Then you have the kind-hearted, well-meaning rescuers.  They have big hearts.  They see the shelter is quite overpopulated with Pits, so they bring one home.  This is honorable.  They love dogs and want to give the shelter Pit another chance.  I can't "hate" on anyone who does this, but to do so blindly is foolhardy and potentially very dangerous.   Granted, bringing home any shelter dog with unknown history is something of a gamble, but an unknown Pit (or, really, any bully breed, or breed known for aggression) is about the biggest gamble you can wager.  If you're bringing in such a dog into a home with other dogs, smaller animals and/or children?   Your heart is bigger than your brain.  This is not said with the intention of discouraging shelter dogs whatsoever.  Only that you must be prepared for any myriad of personalities, behavior issues, etc with an unknown dog.  Not a venture for the weak hearted.  Not something to enter into haphazardly - especially if it is a bully bread, especially if you have other pets and kids and especially if you don't have some solid dog-handling skills. 

Great advice:  "Due to their affinity with people, this breed is a good candidate for rescue and adoption, but potential homes need to be carefully screened to insure that the new owners understand and accept the responsibility of owning a pit bull. Media hysteria and bad owners have greatly damaged this breed and every incident involving a pit bull makes it worse for the entire breed and their owners, often prompting breed specific legislation or breed bans.  Potential owners need to be informed of the pit bull's correct temperament, and need to be prepared to deal with the issue of dog aggression. Most pit bulls have a high prey drive and may chase small animals or livestock. This is NOT a breed for everyone! The only way to repair the pit bull's bad reputation is to keep them in the hands of responsible owners."

As said before, the class of Pit owners who know their breed exists as well, but unfortunately, they would seem to be the minority.  And, as I have discovered, this segment tends to fall into the PBC rather easily.  Perhaps that is due to simple human nature and our tendency to "root for the underdog."   The Pit is hardly an "underdog," but due to so much negativity and hatred of the breed, it would seem to inspire many owners to raise up their own hackles and defend to the point of being seen as a cultish type of group.

Then you take things to an entirely different level when you research the "dogmen" of the APBT.  (American Pit Bull Terrier)  (More below.)

 
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"Dogmen" and "Game"

It is important that you understand something of dogmen and game if you wish to understand the mindset of many when it comes to pitbulls.

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Those fanciers of Pitbulls (and Pitbull fighting) will often refer to themselves as "dogmen." 

The term "game" is a little slippery to explain, but you will hear dogmen refer to a dog that "has game." Dogmen explain "gameness" as the willingness to keep fighting no matter how difficult; despite pain, exhaustion and threat of injury or death. 

They will insist that the *only* way to prove a dog's gameness is by "gametesting" (=dogfighting). 

Watch this vid.  This is the mentality you're dealing with with this segment of society.  Note all the heavy chains.  Note the music with this vid.  Note all the pictures of the dogfighting rings. 

 

The above vid was posted on a pro-Pitbull forum (naturally.)  It was met with many kudos about "great vid" and "love to see game dog vids." 

"Gameness" is further defined by one website this way:  "Gameness in APBT's (American Pit Bull Terrier) is a canine virtue that is most akin to the human virtue of unflagging courage. It is a determination to master any situation and never back down out of fear. It was developed in pit bulls by many generations of selective breeding. It is what allows a pit bull to keep fighting non-stop for two or more hours, in spite of broken bones, torn muscles, blood loss, dehydration, and exhaustion." 

This concept is taken further to say that a "game" dog is the one who will be 100% trustworthy with your small children. I believe the thinking here is that if the Pit has shown great wins (great game, or gameness) in the ring, then that same dog has also shown zero aggressiveness towards his handlers and therefore, zero human aggression.  This dogmen "cull" the dog if it shows *any* human aggression in a dogfight.  It is put down.  Only dogs who've proven their gameness are allowed to breed.

More from this author:   "It's important for people to understand the paradoxical truth that she (the author's dog), like all the other nice, human-loving pit bulls out there, is the way she is BECAUSE OF -- NOT IN SPITE OF -- her breed's history of selective breeding for fighting purposes."

Hmmm.  Endorsement of dogfighting, anyone?  Perhaps not an endorsement, but also not a discouragement of the practice. 

Coming only from a logical perspective, it makes sense.  The dogmen fight the dogs.  Any dog showing the slightest bit of human aggression is cut from the gene pool.  Isn't that what humans do as they develop a dog thru selective breeding?  They don't breed a dog that shows whatever traits they don't want in that dog. 

See dogmen and their "game" dogs. 

Oh, and as a sidenote, dogmen do NOT refer to dogfighting with the afforementioned word.  They call it either "gametesting" or a "pit contest."

One disturbing quote:  "Of course, to the devotees of the sport, (of dogfighting), there is simply nothing more exciting. In fact, I know some proponents who seriously believe that one reason the activity is suppressed by law is because if the general public got a taste of it, other lucrative sports would be doomed!"

Granted, fighting animals vs animals or animals vs humans HAS been around forever.  There will always be a sick and perverse segment of society that enjoys bloodshed and death and calls it "sport."   Yet, I still doubt very much that it is suppressed by law enforcement because we would all ditch our baseball, football and basketball to watch two dogs mutilate one another.

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Don't Fall For This Nonsense Without Knowing "The Rest of the Story." !!!

 

 1.  "There are a lot of dogs that are called "Pit Bulls."

This is true, but is often used as a diversionary tactic when yet another Pitbull attack is reported.   The following are commonly lumped into the category of "Pitbull": 

American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, and Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and mixes of those breeds.

There have been  attempts to "re-name" pitbulls, in order to find more public favor, but you can't tell people an apple is actually a banana. 

So, many members of the PBC will ask you, rather snottily - "Do you even know what a Pitbull is?"   To make this simple, if it looks like a Pitbull, it probably has some mix of Pitbull in it, or may be purebred.  The AST is also a Pitbull.  The lineage is exactly the same. 

Truth be told, they all came from the same thing.  Let's go into a little history here.

(Source:  badrap.org)  A dog (Olde English Bulldog) that looked much like today's Pitbull was originally used in the 1800's in the British Isles to 'bait' bulls. These matches were held for the entertainment of the struggling classes; a source of relief from the tedium of hardship. In 1835 bull baiting was deemed inhumane and became illegal, and dog fighting became a popular replacement. Soon, a new bulldog was created by crossing the Olde English Bulldog with terriers to create smaller, more agile dogs. The best fighters were celebrated and held up as heroes for their courage and fortitude during battle. At the same time, bite inhibition towards humans was encouraged through selective breeding so gamblers could handle their dogs during staged fights. Partially because of these early breeding efforts which frowned on "man biters," pit bulls gained a rto the breed and provided a framework for breed standardization. Then, in the 1930's a group petitioned the Amercian Kennel Club (AKC) to allow pit bulls to be shown in the conformation ring. To separate the dog from its reputation as a pit fighter, they were given the new title 'Staffordshire Terrier' which was later changed to 'Amercian Staffordshire Terrier' to avoid confusion with the English Staffordshire Terrier.

The American Staffordshire Terriers have been developed since that time for conformation, while the APBTs have been developed for working drive, in addition to conformation. The two styles are basically mirror images of each other, with slight differences in build and character that have started to show over the past 65 years. To make matters even more confusing, some AmStaffs are dual registered as both UKC APBTs and AKC AmStaffs, while APBTs cannot be registered with both organizations. Depending on who you talk to, AmStaffs and APBTs can be the exact same breed, or completely separate breeds.

In 1909, Guy McCord founded an organization titled ADBA (American Dog Breeders Association). This was created exclusively for APBTs and continues to be the lead registry for this breed. In 1976, the ADBA outlined its own breed standard, or, Basis of Conformation. In 1990, a new registry called ABKC was formed to promote 'American Bully' dogs - a new breeding style of thick, bulldoggy looking dogs that are said to have English Bulldog in their background as well as other breeds.

(Source: dogsbite.org) In 1935, the American Kennel Club (AKC) agreed to register Pitbull dogs, but only under the name Staffordshire Terrier. This was done to distance the breed from its continued use in dogfighting. Thus, the Pitbull and the Staffordshire Terrier was one in the same, yet held two different names.

In 1972, the AKC renamed the breed to the American Staffordshire Terrier. Though the American Staffordshire Terrier is by definition a Pitbull, many owners claim they are different breeds and shelters adopt out Pitbulls under the Staffordshire name. 

AmStaff or APBT? AKC? UKC? ADBA or ABKC? So many registries, so many ways to label a "Pitbull!"

"American Staffordshire Terrier" is not a polite new name for Pitbull, although it's often misapplied by people who dislike the term 'pitbull.' Understanding the jumbled history of the breed names helps to clear up some of this confusion and mislabeling.

Before the end of the 1800's, the dogs we think of as 'Pitbulls' were typically called bulldogs - a name that's still used by many breed enthusiasts. In 1898, Chauncy Z. Bennet founded the United Kennel Club (UKC) and re-named the bulldogs 'American Pit Bull Terriers'. This move gave legitimacy with their reputation for their trustworthy nature with humans.

Let's take this further.  

A  Pitbull can be a multitude of things -- either a purebred dog or a mixture of others that likely share the same traits and often, similar physical attributes, which adds to the confusion.  But let's look at FUNCTION.  Every dog fits into a general group, whether it is herding, retrieving, pulling, pointing, racing, guarding, tracking etc.  In the case of Pitbulls, that function is, in part at least, tenacious hold and fighting to the death.  Gripping dogs were bred for fighting and baiting.  Gripping dogs were bred to refuse to quit.  

Such dogs could be of many breeds:  APBT, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the original Boston Bulldog, Bull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Presa Canario, Cane Corso.

All the afforementioned breeds are/were bred to be fighting/guard dogs.  You'll find all kinds of breed mixes between these dogs.  They will have very similar physical characteristics as well.  Just because a dog may not be a purebred Pitbull means nothing.  It may have been bred with one of the above that manifest the same, or at least similar, disposition and physical traits or a scary combination.

 

2.  "All dogs have teeth, so all dogs can bite."

I love this one. It could be my favorite. 

Yes, all doggies have teeth.  Yes, all doggies can bite with those teeth.  Yes, all doggies can inflict injury with their doggy teeth. 

I was actually told once on an Internet forum that even a MinPin could hit the jugular and kill me or my dog.

Well, I suppose that is true... but seriously, what the hell is the statistical likelihood of THAT?  :)   About the same, I think, as a squirrel getting into my bedroom in the middle of the night and chewing my toes off.

I'll take an interaction with a Min-Pin ANY DAY over one with a Pitbull -- whether it be with me or with my dog.

 

3.  "Pitbulls just get more media attention than other dogs"

They might.  The media is a powerful source, but you cannot possibly totally blame the media for this.  If the above-mentioned Min Pin attacked and pierced my jugular and killed me, that Min Pin would certainly make the news.  All the headlines. 

Pits make the headlines because they attack and tend to cause a lot of damage when they do.  The overwhelming number of horribly bred (not to mention, untrained and/or poorly trained, unsocialized, etc) Pits owned by stupid, uninformed, irresponsible owners ENSURE Pits make the news reports time and time and time again. 

Do a simple youtube search on "dog attacks" and see what you get.  The majority (I'm NOT saying ALL - just the MAJORITY) are Pitbull attacks.  Attacks on other dogs AND humans. 

In fact, do a search on "Pitbull fight" and if you have any human decency in you, you will be sickened.

Here's one.  This vid interposes cutesey little scenes along with "training" exercises. All I want to ask YOU, is do you want this dog to get a grip on YOUR dog?  You can see yourself exactly what this dog has been trained to do!

How about this one?  Would your dog stand a single chance?  WATCH THIS VIDEO, even if it is long -- WATCH IT!  Listen to the white guy with the buzz cut.  If you want to understand the sub-culture, the underground, this is a must watch, but I'll warn you -- if you have a heart in your human chest, you'll probably cry.  I know I did.   If you make it to 13:08, you'll need Kleenex.  I had to pause the vid there being so upset, disgusted and saddened.  That poor baby.  No, that dog could likely never be rehabilitated, due to what the "dogmen" had put it through, but to come to an end like THAT?  Call it sport if you wish, change the name and call it "gametesting" or "pit contest" -- but I call it SICK.

Quotes from this sickening video that really stand out to me:

"Animals that can't or won't fight will be put to sleep immediately.  I have no use for her." 

"The government wants to control everything and for the reason that they can't control it is why they want to ban the sport because they're not able to get tax dollars out of it." 

(WTF?  What kind of convoluted thinking is THIS?  Well... the answer?  It is a dogfighter's thug thinking.)

I am no fan of PETA, but here's another.    And plenty (too many!) more:  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

With this one, at first glance, you might think the guy is beating on the black/white dog, but he isn't -- he's hitting on the Pitbull, as the pit owner stands there like a dumbass. Once the black/white dog owner gets that stupid pit to let go, somehow, under God's mercy, the small-balled Pit owner walks away....

"They'd gotten loose earlier that morning."

This could be any of us!

Also, as you peruse videos, you will find silly cutesy stuff from Pit-loving folks mislabeled -- "DOG ATTACKS THREE YEAR OLD!"  You think, OH NO, I don't want to watch that... but like a train wreck, you might click it.  And the video is some little baby child with a Pittie and the child is pulling its ears or tail or whatever... and the person is putting cute texting on the vid, such as, "Look at how Pits are monsters!  My Pit is eating my baby!"  Ok, hehe.  Funny.  NOT.  Anyone who posts this bullshit, in my opinion, is a fully inducted crew member of the Pit Cult.  The most well respected Pitbull sites all say the same thing:  Do NOT let your Pit ALONE with small children or other animals.... but these dumbass people on youtube apparently didn't get the message or are so fully invested in PBC insanity that they'll never find their way back out.  Until their small animal is killed or child is injured/mutilated.  And you know, I pray that never happens to these ignorant imbeciles. 

Even large websites, such as Dogster, show their bias in their writings.  From Dogster:   "But there are the sensible people who honestly feel that Pitbulls, and any dog that resembles one, are a danger to society. Often, these folks don't know much about dogs and certainly not much about Pits. But they are being bombarded with almost all bad press about these dogs. It is evident that the media fuels misconceptions about Pits and stirs up the public. And the statistics behind the fury are less than accurate. Even the Center for Disease Control, which puts out many of the stats, states that dog bite and dog attack data cannot be gathered accurately. But, still, the section of society that does not feel safe with Pit Bulls has a right to be heard. And, considering the bull they are fed about Pits, it's no wonder they don't believe the Pit Bull supporters."

Really.  The article then states that the author owns three Pitbulls herself.  Gee. 

 

4.  "It's all in how they're raised, trained & socialized!"

Not sure how to even begin to address this.  I can take a tiger-baby and raise it... and it will eventually probably eat me. 

A responsible Pit owner made a great thread on a pit forum and says:  "This breed's genetic traits involve dog aggression, to varying degrees. Even the most well socialized Pitbull can one day decide that other dogs are not play buddies. It happens most often when the dog reaches maturity between two and three years of age, and it can happen without apparent reason."

From Pit Bull Rescue Central:  "Dog aggression is a normal trait for this breed..."

And:  "That said, many pit bulls get along great with other pets and may live happily with other dogs without incident. We simply cannot assume that this is true for all of them. We also cannot take for granted that pit bulls who get along with other pets today will do so tomorrow. None of this should suggest that, in the language of popular myth, pit bulls are more likely to “snap” or “turn.”  It only means that their attitude toward other dogs may change as they mature."

Wait!  Doesn't that contradict itself?? 

From Dogster, 10 Misconceptions about Pitbulls:  "You can't breed a dog to fight other dogs for almost 200 years and expect those instincts to vanish."

No, you can't.

Read anything written on any respectable Pitbull enthusiast site and they all say differently worded versions of the above.  It is simply NOT "all" about the training and socialization.  Most certainly, training and socializing can be of huge benefit for the dog, but it is not "all" there is to it.  No matter how hard you may try, you cannot totally "train out" or "socialize out" what is within the genetics of the dog.  This is true of any dog in any group. 

Yet, the PBC loves to try to convince others that you can, in fact, train and socialize the dog aggressive tendencies of the Pitbull out of him.  This is frighteningly irresponsible.  Sure, there are non dog-aggressive Pitbulls in the world, but knowing that more ARE dog aggressive than are NOT, is it a wise risk?  You have to weigh the odds.  Besides that, how can you trust anything they might have to say when they're clearly so uninformed (or more accurately, so much in denial) as to the genetic disposition of the breed they're trying to defend?  Can you train out a Retriever's need to retrieve?  A herding dog to herd?  It's ludicrous. 

Are other breeds dog aggressive?  SURE!  Of course.  Even a breed NOT known for dog aggression can be that way due to the way it is raised, poor breeding, lack of socialization, early experiences, etc and so on.  The Pitbull and various mixes don't completely corner that market, but they do occupy a big space and anyone who tells you otherwise should be ignored.

Quote:  Is this breed good with other dogs in general?  "The short answer is no. Developed for the purpose of fighting other dogs, most pit bulls are dog aggressive, at least to some degree. Some pit bulls will simply not tolerate any other dogs, regardless of sex. A few pit bulls will remain dog friendly their entire lives, but they are a minority."

Quote: "Training will not eliminate dog aggression in the pit bull but, when combined with responsibility and vigilance, training can bring these natural tendencies under control in on-leash situations."

 

 5.  "You need to be a responsible owner and look for the signs of an impending dog fight."

This excuse holds no water.  Pits were purposefully bred to NOT show signs of an impending attack.  Pit Bull Rescue Central says:  "Remember that a fight may not always be preceded by growling, barking or posturing. One second everything is fine and the next the dogs are going at it."

Dogster advice:  "If you have a Pit Bull, learn about his body language and the signs that he is getting ready to fight. This will prevent many incidents."  

Please note!  This statement was made by the same author who said:   "But there are the sensible people who honestly feel that Pitbulls, and any dog that resembles one, are a danger to society. Often, these folks don't know much about dogs and certainly not much about Pits."

SURELY, the self-proclaimed expert on Pitbulls would also know Pitties were bred to NOT show signs of impending attack?  Seems like a good case of the pot calling the kettle black.  She's saying that if we feel Pitbulls are a danger to society, that we don't know "much" about dogs?  Can anyone take that seriously?   I can't.

Quote:  "It is important to note that many pit bulls do not display the "typical" signs of dog aggression before a fight. They may not growl, bark, or posture at all, but simply alert and raise up on their toes."

You had better be a very on-top-of-things owner and really know your Pitbull if you think you'll know when it is preparing to attack.

 

6.  "Pitbulls are the "Nanny Dogs""

The Nanny Dog Myth

Some people simply want a Pitbull because they've heard somewhere that they are the "Nanny Dog."  They like the sounds of a strong, fearless guardian for their family and home.  They buy into the "Nanny Dog" theories, completely uninformed on all the selective breeding "processes" the dogmen went through to cull out human-aggressiveness that ARE NOT BEING DONE to ANYWHERE NEAR THAT SAME EXTENT TODAY WITH PITBULL BREEDERS. 

Those dogmen knew the Pitbull wouldn't show human aggressiveness because it was tested time and time again in the fight ring.  If there is ever a time that a dog would bite a human, it would surely be in the midst of a fight; when the dog is in pain and stress.  If the dog could be handled in the fight ring without a hint of human aggression, it probably was 99% safe in the company of any human under far, far less stressful conditions.  Even the nuttiest two year old human child could never dole out the abuse suffered during a dog fight.  It would be like water off a duck's back.  This is why/where I believe the "Nanny Dog" garbage came into play.  Not the TERM, just the belief that the Pit could be trusted around children.

Truth be told, one woman, Mrs. Lilian Rant, used the term "nursemaid dog" in 1971 in reference to the AST.   It took off from there, but read the article linked at the top of this section and see what you think.

Truth:  The Pitbull was never the "Nanny Dog" and it sure isn't the "Nanny Dog" now!

DO NOT TRUST YOUR CHILD'S WELFARE WITH ANY PITBULL!

Do you see ANY nanny you'd want here?:    1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Great nanny dog, huh?   But gee, he'd never shown any signs??!!!!!!!

All these lost human babies!  The PBC may try to say these children did "something wrong" by the dog -- but COME ON.  A STABLE dog could nip, or even inflict a serious bite if a child annoys the dog, OK!  But a STABLE dog does not SLAUGHTER and kill a human child or any human!   Don't drink that Kool Aid. 

I'm not sure where to put this, but I'll go ahead and insert it in this section.  Referring to the Dogster Pitbull expert, we get this quote:  "Pit Bulls give more kisses than any other type of dog (it's proven!)"    Of course, there is no source or statistic or anything else to back that asinine statement.  My GSD mix slobbers kisses on me all the time, but I never considered making a study about which dog delivers slobbery doggy kisses more often than any other.  PBC member, that's all I can conclude.

 

7.  "Pitbulls temperament test better than any other breed"

The PBC love to throw numbers out about the pass rate of Pitbulls.  It's nothing more than dream-thinking. 

This explains it best and I strongly suggest you read it.

More info on aggressive dogs that passed temperament testing.

 

8.   "Dog to dog aggression doesn't mean dog to human aggression."

Granted, these ARE different things.  But go ahead and tell that to these folks:

Justin -- Let's add insult to DEATH -- these jerk pit owners forced the memorial of the dead child to be moved off of their property.  Yep, the child was killed ON the owner's property.... but what SANE dog KILLS a small child just because the child dared step a few feet into the property?   

This case is sickening.  It had been reported that these dogs had been aggressive toward people while running loose in the neighborhood.  To up the ante on the disgust factor, these godforsaken PBC jerks claimed their dogs weren't even Pitbulls, but were instead "bulldogs."   You can claim that your Pitbulls are whatever else you want to claim -- but what a load of bs.  The absolutely idiotic, asshole owners of these dogs should be put down, too.

More:   Natalie Murphy, Shaylee, &  many more

Dog aggression is normal with Pitbulls, especially as they reach maturity, around 2-3 years of age.  They've been bred for this for a very long time.  Simply put, it's in their genes.  They're not the only breed out there prone to dog aggression, but they probably have the highest propensity for it..

Human aggression is a different thing.  Just because a dog hates dogs does NOT mean it automatically hates humans.  They really are entirely different.  It could also be the other way around; a dog doesn't like humans, but loves dogs (however, this would be completely atypical of a Pitbull).   Where you have to be careful is that with the lack of care in breeding over the years the Pitbull has become so popular, less and less care has been put into the breeding to breed out the human aggression.  Some segments actually find this as a benefit and see it as building a stronger guard dog.

A fully inducted member of the PBC makes this ridiculous statement on Dogster:  "When a Pit Bull attacks a person, there are always other factors involved, such as protection of food."    NONSENSE.!!!!!!!!  If you've followed *any* of the links on this page, you can see for yourself how ridiculous of a statement that really is.

 

9.  "Pits do NOT have locking jaws and other breeds have much stronger jaws than a Ptbull."

Okay, let's hand this one to the PBC.  The locking jaw thing is a fallacy.  The TRUTH of the matter is, Pits have been trained and bred to grip -- and grip HARD -- as well as to shake and NOT let go.  Most Pitbull enthusiast sites recommend a "break stick" because of this tendency and further recommend that no responsible owner should be without one. 

To take it a step further, consider this quote from Pit Bull Rescue Central:  "Pitbulls are terriers and were bred to recognize other dogs as "prey." Simply put, in a fight, the other dog becomes a "rabbit."  Terriers grab ahold of their prey and shake. Many pitbulls will instinctively do the same if they get into a scrap with another dog."

Now, let's consider --  is your average thug pit owner carrying around a break stick?  Um, not so much.  He's too busy holding up his frikkin' pants that are sagging down. 

Does your average nice Pit rescuer know about all of this?  I wonder.  They just make the news later with comments such as "Gee, he never acted that way before, I can't believe it."   Are they carrying around a break stick?  I doubt it. 

Do you want to own a dog that requires you carry a break stick with you to go walk the dog in case it decides to clamp down on some other dog?  Are you willing to learn how to use it properly?  Because you must do both if you're a truly responsible owner. 

So combine little to no advance attack warning with strong jaws that will not let go, as well as attempt to shake and tear the other dog apart and what do you get?  A dead or severely injured dog.

To take this further, many tests have been done to measure the "bite force" of various breeds.  The Rottweiler generally comes in first, followed by the German Shepherd Dog and then the American Pit Bull Terrier.  Ok.  Where this differentiates -- is that the Pitbull is far more tenacious -- the Pitbull hangs on, grips, SHAKES and does NOT LET GO.   The Pitbull has been bred for this for many, many years.  (And still is!  Check out this information on how to make a springpole.)  The Pitbull requires a break stick in many cases and if that is not available, it may require nothing short of a gunshot, to get it to let go.

More on the need for a breakstick:  "Because Pit Bull dogs have been bred for specific fighting abilities and can cause serious injuries to other dogs if a fight is not broken quickly and efficiently. Keep in mind that most dogs fight differently than Pit Bull dogs. Pit Bull's inherent reaction in the heat of a fight is the one of a Terrier with a prey. They will work to get some sort of grip in a desired place, and then will hold and shake. This is quite different than most other types of dogs who do a lot of random biting, growling and barking but will most likely quit when their opponent shows signs of submission. In many cases, a non-Pit Bull fight will be a lot of noise and snapping jaws, usually resulting in little damage. Since a Pit Bull will firmly grip and hold its victim, breaking sticks have been designed to break their grip. This is the safest, easiest, and most effective way to stop a Pit Bull fight. No responsible owner should be without one."

FINALLY, the PBC Dogster author concedes:   "Pit Bulls Can Cause More Damage Than Other Dogs  -  Sorry, Pit Bull lovers but this is sometimes sadly true. Myths such as the locked jaw have been disproved but a Pit Bull's traits make him naturally more driven. Consider these: tenacity (they often fought til death in rings), gameness, prey drive, a compact, strong, muscular body (pits can pull up to 7,000 pounds) and centuries of fighting instinct."

Note how the author precedes her explanation with "Sorry."  She's apparently sorry to just be honest.

 

10.  "Pitbulls were bred to NOT show human aggression."

Indeed, they were bred to show zero human aggression, as no handler or referree wished to deal with that problem.  They were quickly "culled out" when they did.  Is that the case now???  That really is the million dollar question.  I don't have a million bucks to bet, but I'd still say NO.  The byb's and the thugs don't care.  They're answering the needs of those who want a Pitbull.   They don't care about human aggressiveness.  They don't care about "gameness" as the dogmen did/do.  They care about a buck or twenty. 

Not human aggressive, huh?

BUT I would not be fair if I didn't also include the breed characteristic of the Pitbull to be very human affectionate and loving.   This characteristic, overall, is surely why the "attacks" on the breed make people so upset. 

Quote:  "Note: A pit bull that shows unprovoked human aggression, especially with children, is NOT typical of the breed and is showing very poor temperament."

True!  These dogs were originally bred to be very human-loving and tolerant!  When bred and raised properly, with sufficient socializing, exposure and exercise, they still ARE very human friendly.  These are not the Pits that are the trouble.   A solid amount of blame must be placed on the humans.  Humans obtain these dogs, not knowing much of anything and humans let their dogs appear in countless news stories when they don't do the work, they don't gain the knowledge, they don't take proper care, they don't exercise the dog, they don't give the dog an outlet -- or worse -- they purposefully train the dog to "protect" and they TURN the dog human-aggressive.... on purpose!  Pitbulls were never intended to be "guard dogs" like this!  They were never intended to be human aggressive!  So why are too many of them that way now?  STUPID HUMANS.   

 

~~~~~~~

Summary

 

So what are we left to think, to believe? 

I'm going to summarize my own personal thoughts and leave you to come to your own.

Pitbulls are set up to fail in so many places, in so many ways.  Many shelters are overflowing with them.  Craigslist is full of Pitbull dogs.  Ads like these:

 

"I have 10 pitbull puppies that need new home they are full blood line gotty ther is a rehoming fee but only if u gona keep the puppy if not dont bother caling me and for dose who flagg me plz stop flagging me cuz just all I trying to do is find them good homes u can rech me at xxx-xxxx"

Do you think the person who wrote the above ad knows anything whatsoever about the true bloodline of his puppies?  He certainly knows almost nothing about the English language.

 

Brownie is a sweetheart that needs a good family to love him. He's great with little kids, my 9 month old grandson adores him. He would do best as an only pet though, he does have a female playmate at the moment but doesn't do well with small animals such as guinea pigs, and kittens. 

This ad has a picture of about a little boy between two pitbulls.  (Probably the 9 month old being referred to in the ad.)  At least they admit the dog doesn't do well with small animals.  I sure hope they do re-home this dog SOON before they find out just how much he really loves 9 month old human babies.

 

Black and white spotted pitbull 4sale he's potty trained he sits lays down and more I think hes 8mo if u want him give me call at 515xxx52xx 4 sale 4 175.

Nice ad.  We know the dog sits, lays down and more, but no mention of what "more" is.  No mention of his disposition towards anything...  But you know, someone may very well buy this dog.  These are the Pitbulls being passed around our cities -- owned by those who can barely spell.

 

Athena is a 10 month old purebred pit bull. She is a very high energy dog, and gets along great with other dogs her size. No little kids (she will knock them over) cats (she chases them) or small dogs (she tramples them). The adoption fee is the cost of spaying her. She is a BIG dog and solid muscle.....she thinks she is a lap dog. The photo is old, I will try to add a more recent one. The reason she is being rehomed is due to the birth of a baby, she is too high energy to be around the baby, and deserves a home where she isn't outside or locked in a room all day. Serious replies only, and be prepared to answer some questions!

At least this person can spell well enough to put together a paragraph that makes sense.  What catches my attention is the owner says no children, cats, etc and gives us some pretty innocent sounding reasons.  The owner is too afraid, apparently, to have this dog around a new baby that's due to be born.  Newsflash!  The Pitbull is a terrier and that means energy and lots of it.  The problems mentioned above, if that's all they are, can be minimized by exercise and training, but apparently this person would rather get rid of the dog.

~~~~~~~~~

So we have huge numbers of clueless people passing these dogs around, breeding these dogs left and right and selling them on Craigslist.   The average person, average Craigslist buyer and breeder both, know diddly squat of pretty much most of what is on this page, but it doesn't stop them.  The Back Yard Breeder that you'll find on Craigslist has one concern:  MONEY.  These people are assuring the continued downward spiral of the Pitbull Terrier and those who buy from them encourage them to continue. 

The average owner doesn't fight their Pit and their Pit is untested until it kills, maims or mutilates and then they're on record saying stupid shit like, "She is such a sweet girl! She never gave any clue! I can't believe it!"   The clueless owners almost always claim that they "can't believe it."  WELL BELIEVE IT. 

No responsible, informed, intelligent human being buys a Pitbull from Craigslist. If you've made it this far and still don't understand the absolute necessity and imperative need to get a very well-bred dog if you must own a Pit, then stop reading because you didn't "get it."

Many of these byb dogs make it into the inner-city to be owned by thugs.  That is bad enough, but the "dogmen" also perpetuate the issue, under the high faluting belief that their methods are more professional or humane. We know the thugs put a dog down if it doesn't live up to expectations. The dogmen basically do the same thing. The dogmen are likely far more selective in their breeding practices, however.

After you've trained a dog to the fighting extent that either thug or dogmen do, such dog is not fit to go into any environment that includes other animals.    

If they didn't kill the dog that did show human aggressiveness in the ring, this dog may be released to a shelter or rescue for adoption by a totally naive public!   This dog is likely both dog and human aggressive and is a true danger to society.   This dog must be put down.  It must.  It is not the dog's fault.  It is the idiot human's fault and it is sickening.

So are the thugs or dogmen all that different?  I don't really think so.  I think they're both thugs -- only the thugs know and admit they're thugs and the dogmen stand on a pedestal of their own making.  Both make me ill. 

It hurts me to hand a single positive towards the dogmen, but they immediately cut the human aggressive dogs out of the ranks.  Today's back yard breeders don't do that .... and we now have a scary number of human and dog aggressive Pits out there. 

I don't see any reason to allow the APBT to continue to be bred without far more oversight.  I think dogfighting fines should skyrocket to massive proportions.  If we do not outlaw the Pitbull, then we need massive regulation on the breeding of the Pitbull.  I think fines for not registering a Pitbull should be extreme and expensive.  I think if you are caught in connection with dogfighting, you should go to jail for a minimum of 20 years.    

I am extremely sorry for the responsible owner, who knows their breed and resists joining the PBC. 

If an enthusiast loves the disposition of the Pitbull and proclaims to not have interest in dogfighting, I can't see why that love and admiration wouldn't carry over to the AST.  (American Staffordshire Terrier)  This breed has been bred away from the dogfighting ring over many years, yet is said to have the similar loving characteristics of the Pitbull.  This is not to say that the AST is a Labrador in personality! but with many years of breeding away from dog fighting and more gearing towards conformation, its personality is perhaps less dangerous. 

Bottom line is that we must, as a society, totally shut down dogfighting and properly control the breeds of dogs bred to participate in this bloody, cruel sport.  We must do something, enact whatever laws we must enact, to bring down the number of dog maulings and killings.  We must go back on the owners of these dogs and impose extremely harsh and expensive penalties for those who violate.  This is for any and all breeds, not just Pitbulls and Pitbull mixes, even if such breeds are more often guilty of these "crimes." 

I'm not a big government person and I don't like much government interference in people's lives, but I feel this issue is one that may require government intrusion to actually get a handle on the situation.   

Above all, please don't be a statistic with your Pit or allow your Pit to make someone else's statistic.  Research the breed.  Spend time on the Pitbull websites that recommend responsible practices and care of a Pitbull.  Exercise and train the dog.  Please be careful and take that ownership seriously instead of re-homing the dog when it is too much for you and passing a potentially dangerous dog down the line to an unsuspecting, uninformed person.

 

A MILLION DEAD DOGS

 

There are approximately one MILLION Pitbulls put to sleep in shelters every year.

Quote:

"You will learn here that while Pit Bulls make great family companions while in the right hands and living situation, they require intelligent, responsible and dedicated ownership.

Unfortunately too many people obtain these dogs for the wrong reasons or have little understanding on the inherent traits this breed possesses. It is unfortunate that one of the original purposes of the APBT was (and still is for many) dog-to-dog combat, but it’s a fact that can’t be denied or ignored. It’s very important that every potential Pit Bull owner, understands the selective breeding that took place to make these dogs of today and the inherited characteristics that are potentially within this wonderful breed.

. . . . We can’t blame specialized breeds for behaving like they were bred to do what they do. Certain specific traits were selectively bred into the dogs and are now a part of the breed’s character. It’s like the digging instinct of many Terriers, the herding behavior in Shelties, the compulsion to run in a Greyhound, etc. Your Pointer may have never spent a day on a real “hunt”, but he may still point and flush out a bird as his ancestors were bred to do so. We don’t have to condone or glorify it, but dog aggression is not uncommon with Pit Bull type dogs. Owners must recognize and accept this fact or they won’t be able to provide competent ownership and have fun with their dogs. It’s a mistake to think the fighting gene can be easily trained or loved out of a dog. Or that early socialization will guarantee your Pit Bull will always get along with other animals. Even though PBRC does not in anyway condone animal fighting, it does acknowledge the importance of understanding the special traits of this breed and advocates education about proper and responsible Pit Bull ownership. You can have all the dog experience in the world, but it’s also essential to understand the distinctive features of the type of dog you own or work with. In this case, a dog with an important fighting background who requires extra vigilance around other pets."

 

AMEN.

 

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