Where is that pit bull thread when I need it?

[fishonjazz]

I wish dog owners would accept that, under the right circumstances, any dog could bite someone. I've been bitten, and my mom has been bitten, by dogs "who would never hurt anyone."

We all except that. A pitbull attack is different than a lab attack though. They are different breeds with different strengths and weaknesses. Its like getting shot by a bb gun vs getting shot by a .45 caliber.

 

[fishonjazz]

I think it is some of both. But there have been so many accounts of a nice family with a nice pit bull who was just the biggest love dog ever who was just happy and friendly... then it killed the 3 year old.

Yes, any dog can bite. Not any dog goes from snapping at someone to ripping them into pieces. Not any dog can. Pit bulls do and pit bulls can and they have done it for no identifiable reason enough times to say that maybe this breed needs special attention.

This.

 

[Jaymz]

The potential damage IS much more significant with a pit. For sure.

There is new science indicating that past behaviors from “ancestors” can be expressed through dna. Some Darwin evolution thing. I completely forget where I read this, so I cannot source it. However, this is my theory of why Pitbulls can suddenly snap out of nowhere, for “no reason”. So I believe all the stories. Especially since they were once bred for dog fights.

The DNA expression can be reversed though, through proper care/environment/training etc. so that behavior can also be bred out of the breed.

The problem I foresee with this tactic is pit bulls already so widespread. You would have to do some kind nazi move to round em all up.

But it makes me so sad to think that a lot of good nanny pit bulls could possibly be euthanized due to the behavior of other pits.

TLDR: registry seems like a proper solution to me. Awareness of behavior programs should be implemented with “dangerous breeds”

 

[bigb]

I think it is some of both. But there have been so many accounts of a nice family with a nice pit bull who was just the biggest love dog ever who was just happy and friendly... then it killed the 3 year old.

Yes, any dog can bite. Not any dog goes from snapping at someone to ripping them into pieces. Not any dog can. Pit bulls do and pit bulls can and they have done it for no identifiable reason enough times to say that maybe this breed needs special attention.

Since this thread has been here, I now own an English Mastiff. He is the absolute nicest dog, to us. He’s a big 150 pound lap dog. I literally have a picture of him sitting in the lap of my then 4 year old, who was sitting on the bottom of our slide.
We’ve learned he is different out and about. He is VERY protective of my family. When we take him anywhere, either me or my wife have to have hands on his leash at all times. He won’t take off to attack anyone or anything, but if someone approaches us, he’s very much in “I will destroy you” mode. He’s more like that when I’m not around, as he knows I’m the Alpha in the pack.

 

[Rubashov]

This has been discussed a lot in this entire thread. Scroll back through to see some entries. Here's one of mine. A bit long though. For the TL;DR see what @Gameface said.

Where is that pit bull thread when I need it?

Is the problem the dog or is it the people who buy the dog for its reputation for being vicious? Animals respond to how they're trained and looked after, funnily enough the people I've known who've all had aggressive dogs have generally been arseholes themselves.

jazzfanz.com

Awful story.

Another thing with dogs is as they get old they can get snappy from arthritis. My aunts neighbour had a beautiful German shepherd, Toby was a lovely dog, my grandfather who had been a farmer and worked with animals for the first 30 years of his life looked at Toby one afternoon and said "that dog needs to be put down, he's suffering with arthritis and is a danger to the kids" (they had a couple of kids under 6 at the time) within a month Toby had bitten one of the children and was put down. Id never seen that dog so much as bark at anyone let alone bite, he'd sit at the bottom of their driveway snoring, every so often somebody would walk past and call him, he'd get up, loaf over and lick you to death.

 

[Rubashov]

We all except that. A pitbull attack is different than a lab attack though. They are different breeds with different strengths and weaknesses. Its like getting shot by a bb gun vs getting shot by a .45 caliber.

I've seen the damage a trained shepherd can do to people, its no joke. Offenders are regularly brought into work that have been bitten by the Police dogs, those buggers bite right through bone.

 

[Jazz Spazz]

I wonder if merfolk have these same conversations about their great white, hammerhead, and mako shark pets.

 

[Gameface]

I wonder if merfolk have these same conversations about their great white, hammerhead, and mako shark pets.

Only when they get weaponized by clipping their fins.

 

[Miggs]

Since this thread has been here, I now own an English Mastiff. He is the absolute nicest dog, to us. He’s a big 150 pound lap dog. I literally have a picture of him sitting in the lap of my then 4 year old, who was sitting on the bottom of our slide.
We’ve learned he is different out and about. He is VERY protective of my family. When we take him anywhere, either me or my wife have to have hands on his leash at all times. He won’t take off to attack anyone or anything, but if someone approaches us, he’s very much in “I will destroy you” mode. He’s more like that when I’m not around, as he knows I’m the Alpha in the pack.

Would your wife be able to control him if he went full Terminator mode?

 

[Miggs]

I've seen the damage a trained shepherd can do to people, its no joke. Offenders are regularly brought into work that have been bitten by the Police dogs, those buggers bite right through bone.

Cool. They’re still alive.

 

[fishonjazz]

Cool. They’re still alive.

Also, those are police dogs.

 

[bigb]

Would your wife be able to control him if he went full Terminator mode?

Full Terminatior mode? I don’t think I could control him. He damn near separated my shoulder one time. One thing we’ve learned is that if we’re the ones to approach people, he’s much more likely to be accepting vs if we’re stationary and they approach us. He’s also very chill when people are in our backyard with us. He has no problem when my kids are back there playing with other kids.
He’s never gone into what I would call “attack mode”. It’s more of a “I’m going to lunge at you and show you that I’m a big guy will to protect my people.”