I agree mostly. The problem locally is with owners---who have pits for status and for drug house protection. Kansas City, Kansas/Wyandotte County does have a pit ban, due to excesses in the above catagories.

I had a Lab/pit mix, not by choice, due to a lying mother dog with litter owner. I got the pup at six weeks---could not tell then. Was told it was a Lab/Border Collie mix. Louie was raised with kids and as a watch/guard dog. He was totally reliable when handled correctly---BUT---the correct handling was not the ordinary methods. Plus, I was unable to keep him in a fence or on a tether. When he got loose he was a TOTALLY different dog---aggressive, would not come, extremely dog aggressive(to the point of attacking dogs in the dogs own fenced yard). I literally had to chase him into exhaustion to catch him.

The last time he got loose, he damaged three properties(chasing cats) and was extremely aggressive towards a workman in the neighborhood(who jumped back into his truck for safety).

That was the last straw. I worked with him on training for 3 years---while under control(with supervision in the yard or house---on or off leash) he was flawless-----once loose, the training was useless.

I spoke with my vet---who is very active with rescue organizations----and we determined trying further work was useless and we regretfully euthanized him. I have never had to do that in 50 years of working with dogs---many with aggressive type dog training. I currently have a Rott/GSD mix which was well on the way to being seized by the police and euthanized for his out of control behavior. I took the dog when the family gave up and was going to allow the seizure. The police officer leading the process has since petted the dog---something she did not believe was possible.

Point is that some dogs can not be safe in society under normal conditions. And many owners have no idea what they are getting into when getting a 'status' dog.

By far the most sensitive dog I have ever seen was a purebred pit bull owned by my sister. She raised Pete from a pup and he was unbelievably gentle and intelligent. She could simply look at him across the room and he would cease doing something he shouldn't and look ashamed. My sister happened to have a pet mouse at the time also. Thelma and Pete were extremely bonded and even had the same coat (cream with tan patches). My sister would feed them at the same time. Pete would patiently guard Thelma while she ate, before eating his own food! They napped together; Thelma draped over Pete's muzzle. Almost unbearable sweetness...

Tragically, Pete was stolen from my sister's property one night by fighters. When she finally found Pete, he was near death from abuse and had become vicious. He had to be put down.

I can see why these dogs are preferred by fighters. They can be so sensitive to mistreatment that they kinda "snap" and are never the same creatures again. Raised with loving care, this breed can make an ideal family pet. But they must be kept out of the hands of abusive owners and especially out of the "pits". I agree that a ban is not the answer. Perhaps efforts to stop and deter dog fighting could be stepped up.

Anyone who believes all the hype the media shoves down our throats ought to check out The Truth About Pitbulls website. Lots of interesting info about pits and their history, and what it is about them that made them an easy victim for the dog fighting enthusiasts.

For example, did anyone know that around the turn of the century (1900, not 2000) pits where the most common and loved family dog? That they were used as the proud symbol of America on WW1 war posters, and I think WW2 as well? They NEVER had the rep that they do today until scumbags and the criminal element got their hands on them.

They are amoung the most lovable and intelligent of all the breeds. Their strong sense of loyalty and devotion and desire to please is what makes them so easy to train to fight, not some inherent meanness on their part. Their capacity for love and forgiveness also makes them desirable to fighters, because they know they can abuse this dog to no end and he will remain unagressive towards them...well, to a point. Every creature has it's limits.

Time after time pits also pass tests on witholding agressive behavior, where other breeds have much lower scores. The reputation these dogs have is so unfair, if you want to know the truth about them, the info is out there. Please educate yourself and pass it on!!

My sister has been a dog trainer for 35 years. In that 35 years, yes, she has seen various breeds of dogs bite. But, according to her 35 year experience, she said pit bull bites are the worst. She said she has seen them, unprovoked, bite even their owner. She said that their jaws have 2100 lbs of pressure (it only takes 14 lbs of pressure to break a bone), and that a bite can break your arm in two. She said that if a pit bull latches on, it is nearly impossible to get them off. She said that if a pit bull bites, one better have a gun to shoot them off or a knife to slit their throat - getting their jaws to let go is nearly impossible.

Well, the poor woman who was eaten by her pitbull had raised it since it was a puppy. The dog just snapped.

Woman Loses Arm in Pit Bull Attack...a recent attack in my home town.

Sue

The news report said there were warning signs before the attack.

I bet this dog was an intact male, kept chained up...Not properly socialized or trained or given enough exercise.

Pitbulls need a job to do or a lot of exercise, they are lousy dogs to keep chained up.

As a vetern breeder of AB's, which are constantly mistaken for APBT's, I believe the fault for the bad reputation lies in the hands of both breeders and owners... there are way too many self-proclaimed back-yard breeders who don't know a thing about what constitutes a well-bred animal, and have absolutely no knowledge of canine genetics... and there are way too many owners who don't take the time to research before buying a pup to be sure that the chosen breed is the right one for their family situation.

It is extremely unfortunate that we can't police ourselves, mainly by exercising a little common sense, and doing a little bit of learning... and instead, the government must get involved and police breeders and owners. As we all know, most officials are not properly trained to differentiate between breeds, and many can't even handle large or aggressive dogs by themselves.

Mandatory spay/neuter is NOT the answer... what is? I wish I knew... I'd love to make the mandatory culling of irresponsible breeders and owners legal!!

The dog was bred for far longer to be used as a fighting dog, than as a lover, this is the cause of the breeds aggression. Pit bulls are a dangerous breed, BUT IF you know what you are doing its possible to keep them- just remember they are dangerous.

I remember seeing a dog fighter on TV, he said, Playboy- the dogs name "is a killer bred to fight", he then argues some crap to the cops about just let me continue to fight dogs, which i do not agree with at all. The man although cruel and dumb does have a point though, these dogs are dangerous and have been molded and made to kill other dogs, thats why pits snap once they are exposed to what the breed was designed for, its all in them, it only needs the right condictions. Improv/ handymac, your dogs had just realized what they had been made to do, sort a like a city border collie going into the sheep trials only much darker.

I just don't understand the reason someone would take a chance on owning a pitt. There are so many other breeds available, also mutts that have a more even temperment. I know it's usually the owners fault and training problems, but not always. They are other breeds that can have problems with temperment too. Is it just a status thing? I just don't get the need to own one of these dogs.

Yep, power and status, Pit bulls are okay IF you know what your doing- but because of the breeds bad rep, its not a good go for 90% of oh-look-at-me I'm-the-owner-of-a-pit-wanabees IMO.

No, it is not always a status thing. They are loving playful dogs and there are many of them in rescue that need homes. Everyone who owns one is not some gangsta punk, drug dealer or lowlife.

The sweetest dog I ever knew was a pit. Rescued by friends from an abusive situation. She was a total love.

Pitbulls were bred to fight animals, not people. Think about it. The handlers had to be able to separate, feed, doctor, breed the dogs. Even the most dog aggressive Pit was people friendly.

People aggression is new to the breed.

I see this thread as purposely trying to start arguing.Obviously people on both sides feel very strongly and arent likely to change their minds.
And sorry,even with all the crap about punish the breed not the deed,doesnt change my mind.

I agree its the deed not the breed but the bottom line is until something major is done, like banning curtain races of people in curtain areas from owning pits, or place age bans, useally its teens and young men that do it. It will continue to be an issue.

Its a wonder we even allow such breeds to exist in our day and age. I like pits but its reality that they can be dangerous. I know a mix, doesn't even have pure blood in her and she plays bite the throat of her owners! Great dog, but scary game, they are working on stopping it.

Wow, runsnwalken, are you serious - "banning curtain races of people in curtain areas from owning pits."

Banning certain races from owning pits? I'm not a fan of pit bulls but I'm certainly not a fan of blatant racism and discrimination. Which race would you suggest should own pit bulls and which race shouldn't?

Your race comment speaks loudly of ignorance.

Well- in Animal cops just about all the people who fought pits were black/hispanic, I'm not racist and its a heavy disscusion I know, but if they don't ban some races from owning dangerous breeds, then they should just have you register dog with the state/city, after they conduct studies to find out what races fight dogs the most.

meaning if your are /happen to be a race that is founded by the government/city to fight dogs a lot- black or otherwise- you "can own" a pit but it must be altered by law and you must have monthly visits from Animal control to be sure dog isn't used for fighting. Probably only a need in really low income areas or areas with heavy dogfighting.

Sorry but you gotta do, what you gotta do, its either that or just ban the breed alltogether in those areas.

Not all Pits have these aggressive tendencies. That is a stereotype which is as ignorant as racial discrimination! (runsnwalken, your basing your racial belief system on what you see on tv? yikes!) In fact, Malcolm Gladwell reported in the New Yorker:

"...the American Temperament Test Society has put twenty-five thousand dogs through a ten-part standardized drill designed to assess a dogÂs stability, shyness, aggressiveness, and friendliness in the company of people. A handler takes a dog on a six-foot lead and judges its reaction to stimuli such as gunshots, an umbrella opening, and a weirdly dressed stranger approaching in a threatening way. Eighty-four per cent of the pit bulls that have been given the test have passed, which ranks pit bulls ahead of beagles, Airedales, bearded collies, and all but one variety of dachshund. "We have tested somewhere around a thousand pit-bull-type dogs," Carl Herkstroeter, the president of the A.T.T.S., says. "IÂve tested half of them. And of the number IÂve tested I have disqualified one pit bull because of aggressive tendencies. They have done extremely well. They have a good temperament. They are very good with children." It can even be argued that the same traits that make the pit bull so aggressive toward other dogs are what make it so nice to humans. "There are a lot of pit bulls these days who are licensed therapy dogs," the writer Vicki Hearne points out. "Their stability and resoluteness make them excellent for work with people who might not like a more bouncy, flibbertigibbet sort of dog. When pit bulls set out to provide comfort, they are as resolute as they are when they fight, but what they are resolute about is being gentle. And, because they are fearless, they can be gentle with anybody."