I own a pit bull...sm

No he is full blooded pit bull with papers...sm [2008-11-13]
But everyone thinks he has boxer in him. He has always looked like a boxer because of his color. Everybody thinks he is a boxer or boxer mix.

Those pit bull attacks are ashame...sm [2008-11-10]
I don't know why these dogs attacked. I don't know if these dogs were provoked or what. It is hard for me to imagine a dog just attacking for no reason. I can't imagine my dog ever doing that. I know other people who have pits as pets and they have never had a problem with attacks. I think every good owner should know their dog inside and out and know their little quirks. Now I could see a pit bull attacking an owner who was sometimes mean to them or mistreated them in some way. I could see them getting enough and attacking. A lot of times I think that is really behind attacks and we don't know that. Still a dog never should kill a human. When you own a pit you have to have the utmost respect for the fact they could kill an animal or human if they wanted. They are physically capable but most are not emotionally capable. My dad had a couple different pits and I have learned my great grandfather had pits for many years. He would only have one at a time. He took his pit hunting hogs and the pit would hold the hog and my great grandfather would put a rag over the dogs nostrils to cause him to have to let go of the hog and he would do whatever it was he then did with the hog. I didn't ask details. But what I am saying here is this was an man who was in close interaction with a pit and was right there when they attacked hogs and he intervened and had to pull them away from the hog by cutting off breathing from the dog so he would let go. He was never attacked or bitten. My dad said that was never an issue. The dogs knew he was the master and they never got out of line. If these were as unstable as some are made out to be and some may be but if they were really that unstable they could have attacked and killed this man. But he never had to worry about this. All of his pits loved and respected him as their owner. Now one deciding factor could be he never mistreated his dog. Never ever. He always treated them good. I think this may be why his dogs never showed him anything but kindness. Again there are some dogs (pits and others) who are unstable. They are just flat out mean and would do anything. But not all dogs are like this. My husband often says when people say aren't you worried CJ could hurt you one day. He says no I KNOW in my heart with everything in me this dog would die before he would hurt one of us. This pit is the most loving affectionate dog I have had the joy to own. Don't ask me how I know.. You would have to know CJ.

Pit bull or not he is a loving dog ...sm [2008-11-09]
who has never attacked and I honestly with all my heart know he would never hurt me. I believe in all honesty he would die to protect me to make sure I wasn't harmed if that is what it took. I know some pits have attacked owners and I believe these were either unstable dogs or abused or provoked. My dog has a respect for me also. He knows I am the boss and when I take a firm tone and let him know I am not happy with him he just bows his head and lays down. I didn't set out to own a pit bull he kind of fell into my lap you could say and I fell in love with him and he with me. I rocked him as a baby and nurtured him and he loves me with everything in him and I love him the same. My ownership of him just happened unexpectedly and I am so grateful it did. When I am sad he licks my tears and is so loving. I know other breeds are capable of this but CJ just happens to be a pitbull. I dont care. His breed is not important. It is the love in his heart. What is inside him. I don't judge a dog for what they are but who they are.

To pit bull owners and defenders: [2008-11-08]
Two weeks ago in mycity, an elderly demented man was found dead at home by his daughterreturned home from work. Autopsy confirmed that his death was caused by his daughterI I just can Why take chances when the outcome can be deadly? Thiswoman will be blaming herself for the rest of her life. All dogs bite, but pit bulls donstopuntil they havekilled.

anything but a pit bull [2008-09-29]
x

I forgot Penn and Teller's Bull**** on Showtime [2008-07-26]
I agree with most every darned thing they say.

I own a pit bull...sm [2008-06-13]
He lives inside with us and sleeps in my bed with me when my husband is out of town working. He is nothing more than a big baby. I believe you that your dog is amazingly sweet. Just because he has a certain breed in him does not guarantee he will be a mean, dangerous dog. I think it is WRONG to euthanize a dog because of its breed. It makes me very angry. I do agree with restrictions such as having a fenced in yard and not allowing them to roam loose. These dogs are very protective of their owners and WILL hurt someone if they are a stranger and they feel their owner is threatened. That is where dog owner responsibility comes in. My dog has never and will never be allowed to roam free. He stays in the house and I have a fenced in back yard he cannot get out of. I have signs posted on the fence in the backyard as a warning. He is not a mean dog but if a stranger he does not know approaches him or the back yard or comes to the door he will get aggressive. If someone my dog is not famiiiar with comes over I put him in the backyard. But as long as it is someone he knows and has met and he knows I am okay with them being here he is fine. He will lick them and wag his tail. He is just very protective of me. If anyone ever tried to hit me or attack me he would attack them. I had a friend jokingly look at CJ (my pit) and she said I am gonna hit your mama CJ and she reared back and hit at me. He did lunge at her. But I hollered and grabbed his collar and when I hollared he instantly sit. But I told her don't ever do that again. Beleive me she won't. CJ would never intentionally hurt someone unless he felt I or he was threatened. He is the biggest baby ever. If he knows someone he will lick them and love on them. To euthanize all pit bulls is stupidity. Unless you own one you don't know what misunderstood dogs they are. It is all in the owner and how responsible they are. If you don't own one you can't know how loving they can be. I can say without a doubt my pit would die to protect me if he had to. And the only time he will get aggressive is when a stranger approaches our house or the back fenced in yard. RESPONSIBLE ownership is the key. I don't even take CJ out for walks because I do not want to take a risk of him getting loose from me and feeling threatened by somone and hurting them. He will not have an opportunity to bite anyone because if a person he doesn't know comes over we put him out in the backyard in the fenced in area. If a stranger comes in the back yard when there are signs posted then they will just get bit possibly because they were warned. They can come to my front door anytime. But not the back. I think I am responsible and if my dog was aggressive to us or my friends or family who came over I wouldn't have him but he is not that way. It is only strangers.

bull, he was not too drunk he has a girlfriend. See the writing on the wall. nm [2007-12-30]
,

Pitbull Hero [2008-11-17]
Stray Pit Bull Saves Woman, Child from AttackerPet Pulse Staff Reports Browse NewsFront Page BY CATEGORY:Alerts Notices Animal Attacks Care Safety Crime Law Cruelty Abuse Deaths Accidents Entertainment Health Science Heroes International Lost Found New Trends Petlanthropy Strange But True Survival BY PET:Dogs Cats Fish Birds Horses Reptiles Small Pets Other Pets November 5, 2008 A dog came out of nowhere and stopped a knife-wielding robber from accosting a mother and her young son on Monday afternoon. (Pet Pulse Illustration by Tim Mattson) PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- The wandering 65-pound Pit Bull mix might have seemed menacing to some passerby, but one woman will always remember him as her guardian angel. The dog, which authorities think is lost and not a stray, successfully thwarted a robbery attack on a mother and her 2-year-old son, who were held at knifepoint Monday afternoon. The Florida woman, who has been identified by authorities simply as Angela, was leaving a playground with her toddler son in Port Charlotte when a man approached her in the parking lot with a knife and told her not to make any noise or sudden movements. Angela didn't have to do either to protect herself and her child -- a dog mysteriously ran to the scene and charged the man, who quickly fled. I don Animal Control Lt. Brian Jones told Pet Pulse. I don The exceptional part of the story, Jones said, is that the dog had never met or even seen the people it quickly jumped to defend. You hear about family dogs protecting their owners, but this dog had nothing to do with this woman or her kid, Jones said. He was like her guardian angel. After the alleged thief ran away, Angela quickly placed her son, Jordan, in the car and tried to drive off. Before she could, though, the dog jumped into her backseat, waiting with her for the police and animal control officers to arrive at the scene. The dog was transported to a local shelter and if his owners donAngel. Animal control officers and shelter workers believe Angel is lost, and not a stray, because of his good health, sturdy weight and mild temperament. It Jones said of Angel's possible owners. For Angela, it doesn't matter where the dog came from, just that he was there when she needed him most. I don Angela told NBC2 News. For a small town with a population of 46,452, animal control officers were kept busy Monday afternoon. Jones says they department also responded to a report about a boa constrictor in a church parking lot. The snake found its way into a car engine and was able to be removed without being harmed. It took three people to move the massive, seemingly random placed snake. It he said of the Gulf Coast town. And we can go for four or five months without the media contacting us about a story. It Officers from the responding county sheriff's office canvased the area and were unable to locate the suspect described as being in his 20s, tall and dark haired. Tell us what you think about Stray Dog Saves Woman, Child Held at Knifepoint below. Share your favorite videos by clicking on the ZootooTV tab. Send us your story ideas by e-mailing us at news@zootoo.com or by calling us at 877-777-4204. Pet Pulse reporter Amy Lieberman and NBC-2.com contributed to this article.

they smell chemical changes... [2008-11-13]
my friend had kept a retreiver that wandered up and when my friend got pregnant, Fancy would not part from her side until after the baby was born. My neighbor had trouble with her son and his friends. Somehow, the bull got loose and was kept for 2 to 3 days in the front yard (we he would not let any of the potheads in. Anybody doing drugs was greeted with earflapping and then a charge!

Might I add...sm [2008-11-13]
The brindle pit bull on the left there. My pit I posted the pic of on here. This one on the left is his daddy. He is where my pit inherited the short snout and not the somewhat longer ones some pits have. If you notice CJ's (my pit's name) mom on the right there. She has the typical longer snout. It isn't real long but just not short like CJ and his dads are. That is CJs mom and dad. I think they made a beautiful boy, my CJ.

Let's all post a pic of our pet...sm [2008-11-12]
This is my darling Pit Bull, CJ, and my other darling Beagle, Darla. They are the best of friends.

Yeah they say nuetering helps...sm [2008-11-11]
Mine is so sweet I haven't even nuetered him. But there have been some offers to breed him to females and because he is such a wonderful dog I would like to keep his bloodline going with other family pets who are inside family dogs. Now I can tell you if the dogs were bullying my child such as the ones in San Francisco they would no longer be inside and would probably be kept in some kind of kennel. I would not even trust them to stay in the yard. They would have been under lock and key. I know personally that you can't keep a pit bull locked in a room and expect that he won't get out. I tried that when I left my house because I didn't want him to be free roaming around the house because he is nosy and may get into something or chew something. Well he tore the door down and got out. I was so mad. But I learned that you can't keep them in a room and believe they can't get out. He was about a little less than a year then but now he is so good and don't get into things when I leave him. I guess the puppy in him made him do it. But I cannot express enough that mother should have never kept those pits in the house if there was the slightest problem with her son. Those must have been some mean pits. This irresponsible breeding makes me so mad. I don't want my dog to be some mean killing machine. I want a sweet baby. That is why I thought I would never own a pit but he was such a sweetheart as a pup. He was and still is real laid back.

Those pit bull attacks are ashame...sm [2008-11-10]
I don't know why these dogs attacked. I don't know if these dogs were provoked or what. It is hard for me to imagine a dog just attacking for no reason. I can't imagine my dog ever doing that. I know other people who have pits as pets and they have never had a problem with attacks. I think every good owner should know their dog inside and out and know their little quirks. Now I could see a pit bull attacking an owner who was sometimes mean to them or mistreated them in some way. I could see them getting enough and attacking. A lot of times I think that is really behind attacks and we don't know that. Still a dog never should kill a human. When you own a pit you have to have the utmost respect for the fact they could kill an animal or human if they wanted. They are physically capable but most are not emotionally capable. My dad had a couple different pits and I have learned my great grandfather had pits for many years. He would only have one at a time. He took his pit hunting hogs and the pit would hold the hog and my great grandfather would put a rag over the dogs nostrils to cause him to have to let go of the hog and he would do whatever it was he then did with the hog. I didn't ask details. But what I am saying here is this was an man who was in close interaction with a pit and was right there when they attacked hogs and he intervened and had to pull them away from the hog by cutting off breathing from the dog so he would let go. He was never attacked or bitten. My dad said that was never an issue. The dogs knew he was the master and they never got out of line. If these were as unstable as some are made out to be and some may be but if they were really that unstable they could have attacked and killed this man. But he never had to worry about this. All of his pits loved and respected him as their owner. Now one deciding factor could be he never mistreated his dog. Never ever. He always treated them good. I think this may be why his dogs never showed him anything but kindness. Again there are some dogs (pits and others) who are unstable. They are just flat out mean and would do anything. But not all dogs are like this. My husband often says when people say aren't you worried CJ could hurt you one day. He says no I KNOW in my heart with everything in me this dog would die before he would hurt one of us. This pit is the most loving affectionate dog I have had the joy to own. Don't ask me how I know.. You would have to know CJ.

I'm a dog lover, and most dogs love me. - sm [2008-11-10]
I can be walking down the street, simply make eye contact with one and smile without saying a word, and the dog will usually rush up to me, wagging his tail like crazy and acting all silly and lovey-dovey. In the past, some of the absolute sweetest dogs I'd ever known were pits & rotties. But that was in the ྌs, before the big 'gangsta-dog' thing became popular. Then people started breeding these dogs more for a surly attitude than for good temperament, and it seems to be a dominant trait that's getting passed forward, even when unintended. So fast-forard to 2 weeks ago. I was out walking in my neighborhood, and was coming up a long flight of sidewalk stairs that go up the steep hill I live on. Halfway up, I saw a big brown pit bull standing there looking at me. I had seen him running loose on my street earlier in the day, and wondered whose he was, but then forgot about him. He had an aggressive body-language that I didn't like. But I'm not afraid of dogs, and continuned on up the steps, and talked to him nicely as I reached the top. But then the dog totally went off, and began barking, growling, and making charges at me. I knew to stand my ground, and first tried sweet-talking him. Didn't work. If I tried to slowly move away from him in any direction, he'd come around and try to come in at me from behind. There wasn't a soul around. I tried scaring him off, but that only exacerbated the problem, so I decided to just stand there and let him do his thing. 20 minutes later, he was just as aggressive as ever, maybe worse, because his charges were coming closer and closer. The only 'weapon' in my possession was a single can of cat food in a plastic bag, that I'd walked down the hill to the market to buy. Considered whacking him with it, but didn't want to be in that close to him. Turns out the owners were in an apartment right across the street. A couple finally came out and called off the dog, stating Oh, we didn (I doubt that - the dog had been out all afternoon.) Anyway, I told them I'd call the sheriff and/or animal control if I ever saw him out again. When I got home, I called animal control anyway, and filed a formal complaint, so that if he bit anyone in the future, there would already be a complaint against him, and he likely would not be released from the shelter. Animal control said they'd follow up with the owner, which hopefully they did. In the meantime, I did 2 things: I programmed the sheriff's phone numberinto my cellphone, which I now slip into my pocket whenever I go out for a walk. Good thing to do, anyway. The other thing is I went to Army-Navy Surplus, and bought a cannister of professional-grade pepper spray. Not the wimpy, .02% 'dog-repellent'. I doubt that would stop a pitbull. I got the 15% stuff that will bring a 200-pound, raging crack-addict to his knees and keep him there for more than an hour. That goes into my pocket, as well. Now I can walk & bike with peace of mind. Meanwhile, those pitbull owners should consider themselves very lucky that their dog went after someone who knows dogs, is not afraid, and didn't RUN. If a timid woman, or worse, a child, had come up those steps that afternoon, the resulting attack might have made the 6 o'clock news that night. There are probably still some gentle pits left out there, but I think their numbers are declining because of the current fashion statement of being a 'big bad gangsta, with my big, bad gansta-dog'. They want their dogs to intimidate people, and then they wonder why they can't rent an apartment or get homeowners insurance to cover dog bites. In some cities you have to post a $30,000 bond in order to keep one. It's little wonder that unwanted pits and pit-mixes are clogging up our animal shelters. I feel sorry for the animals, but if I were adopting, I wouldn't want the financial liability of owning one.

The unpredictable temperament and [2008-11-09]
genetic predisposition to aggression of your beloved pit bull breed caused this man He was not killed by a Great Dane or a Great Pyrenees or a Labrador or a Golden or a St. Bernard. He was killed by 3 pit bulls that should have respected him as their master, elderly or not, demented or not. You seem to be focused on placing blame on the others in the house who left him alone with the pit bulls. I agree with you that they are responsible -- just as you would be responsible if your pit bull were to attack someone. And with a pit bull it is always possible. You may think you are taking every precaution against it, but you can never, ever be sure what your dog will find threatening, and thus when your dog will attack.

Here are some facts. [2008-11-09]
http://www.dogsbite.org/bite-fatalities-2008.htm Notice how many of these descriptions offatalities use the phrase the family.

pitbull statistics [2008-11-09]
The statistics which appear to show a high rate of attacks due to alleged �pit bull-type dogs� are full of inaccuracy simply because any dog that can pass for a �pit bull� will be called a �pit bull� by the media. And yes, American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, and Staffordshire Bull Terriers are often referred to by the slang term �pit bull,� but were these the actual breeds responsible for the attacks? Probably not since a slew of other breeds of dog � like Presa Canarios, Cane Corsos, Spanish Alanos, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Bandogs, Dogues Brasileiros, Dogo Argentino, Guatemalan Bull Terriers, American Bulldogs, Boxers, Bull Mastiffs, Bull Terriers, English Bulldogs, and even Labradors, Rottweilers, Akitas, and Chow Chows � have also been labeled �pit bulls.� Statistics are inaccurate because they are not based on �reliable breed-specific population data� Still, it is a testament to the quality of the breed that even though many are unsocialized, tortured, and otherwise ill-used, very few are human-aggressive. I hesitate even to include abuse as a factor since even when they are abused most bullies are incredibly friendly and loving towards humans. You can thank over a hundred years of proper breeding for this trait. There is no scientific evidence that one breed of dog is more vicious than another.

Let's get to know pit bulls...sm [2008-11-09]
A lot of people on here I am sure do not own a pit bull. It is hard to know the breed when you aren't around them on a day to day basis. I would just like to share some traits of pit bulls. Pits are robust. They are active and love to play. They are a smart breed of dog too. I guess you could say they are roughnecks. They will do anything to please their owners and want to be a big ole lap dog. Oh yeah they will and mine does (all 70 pounds) climb up in your lap wanting to be nurtured. LOL. If I had to describe their personality I would say first of all contrary to all the media hype and hysteria of pits, the dogfighting community (by the way I do not condone dogfighting) did not breed pit bulls to be human aggressive. They wanted a dog they could work with in the fighting arena and not have to worry about these dogs attacking them or other people watching this sport. (which is unscrupulous but just trying to explain this is how they were bred). A lot of pit bulls are so happy on meeting owners friends they don that some people who get them worry they won't make a good guard dog because some happily greet strangers. The protective instinct a pit has usually won't surface until they are about a year old. I would say they want to be the center of attention. They are very self confident dogs. I have to say pits can be funny. One reason is pits have some of the most expressive faces. Sometimes though you may have a perfectly nice pup which will grow up to be mean because he was encouraged to be mean. Raised to be mean. If pit bulls could choose their owners instead of the other way around then I would say a pit would choose an owner with high spirits and a joy of living. Good owners of pits are able to handle their dogs. A pits character traits seem to be contradictory in that they are strong but sensitive; rowdy but gentle; outgoing but devoted; easily fired up but highly trainable; mischevious but sensible; energetic yet serene; peaceful but always alert. All these describe the pit bull.

Are you saying this couldn't have ...sm [2008-11-09]
happened with a Great Dane or a Great Pyranees or Lab, etc.? Are you saying these dogs aren't capable of killing or mauling? I don't think the old man was their master. I think the pits belonged to the daughter and her boyfriend. Unfortunately this happened and it shouldn't have. These dogs for some reason chose to attack. I don't know or you why. I would like to know but we will never know. I just don't believe that dogs attack for no reason. It don't make it right for them to attack but I think there is always a reason. Something provokes them. I guess the daughter and boyfriend thought the dogs would not hurt the man but something happened there that day and a dog should never kill a person. But something happened. These dogs were not quite as stable as thought to be or either the man wasn't stable enough to be staying in the house with the dogs. You are right you never know what the dogs will find to be threatening and something must have made these dogs feel threatened. I take every precaution I can with my pit bull. He is not mean or vicious but he has that protective instinct for his family and that is what I have to protect others from. But so do German Shepards, Dobermans, etc. My dog also looks for me to tell him when it is okay. When someone is okay. When we introduce him to people we tell him it is okay CJ. He/she is nice. And we let him sniff them and then he will go have a seat and just chill. He don't want to hurt anyone he just wants to make sure nobody hurts his family. As soon as he knows we are fine he is fine and goes on about his business. But that is only if a visitor wants to meet CJ and then we will let them but otherwise he will stay in his fenced in back yard. I try to be as responsible as possible.

Pit bull or not he is a loving dog ...sm [2008-11-09]
who has never attacked and I honestly with all my heart know he would never hurt me. I believe in all honesty he would die to protect me to make sure I wasn't harmed if that is what it took. I know some pits have attacked owners and I believe these were either unstable dogs or abused or provoked. My dog has a respect for me also. He knows I am the boss and when I take a firm tone and let him know I am not happy with him he just bows his head and lays down. I didn't set out to own a pit bull he kind of fell into my lap you could say and I fell in love with him and he with me. I rocked him as a baby and nurtured him and he loves me with everything in him and I love him the same. My ownership of him just happened unexpectedly and I am so grateful it did. When I am sad he licks my tears and is so loving. I know other breeds are capable of this but CJ just happens to be a pitbull. I dont care. His breed is not important. It is the love in his heart. What is inside him. I don't judge a dog for what they are but who they are.

abused pit bulls [2008-11-09]
Again I refer to the web site I have posted which gives statistics regarding pit bull ownership by criminals. I don Of course I am not suggesting that you orblondiearecriminals, but I would hope that you could at least admitthat a large percentage of pit bulls are owned by those involved in drugs and other crimes, with the purpose of attacking and/or intimidatingothers in their criminal circle. There are countless other breeds capable of providing the same companionship and loyalty and unconditional love as a pit bull, but without the strength and aggression to kill human beings. Did you read on the web site about the 24-year-old woman who was killed in her own bed by her 2 pit bulls she had raised since puppyhood? Nobody knows what happened, but these were her two babies, and yet then turned on her and killed her. It is believed that she could have had a seizure, as she was epileptic. Why would a dog perceive their master lying in bedhaving a seizure(if indeed that is what happened) as a threat, and why would they kill her? What set them off? Ask yourself THAT question. Ifpit bullswere the only loyal dog or the only loving dog available to own, I could maybe understand the risk all you owners are taking. But that is just not the case. There are so many other breeds with which you can form that same bond, without the terrible risks.

PitBull's are misunderstood... [2008-11-09]
Instead offocusing narrowly on only your dislike of PitBulls, why don't you look at the bigger picture as a whole... First of all, the statistics on fatal attacks...well it doesn But that still doesn't mean PitBulls are more likely to bite... The statistics that I have read regarding breed specific likelyhood of biting have shown that small dogs (and mixbreeds) are way more likely to be aggressive towards humans and other dogs. Specifically Dachshunds, Chihuahuas, and Jack Russell Terriers to name a few. PitBulls were more likely to show aggression to unfamiliar dogs. I_udi=B6T48-4SNGRDR-2_user=10_coverDate=06%2F03%2F2008_alid=765300851_rdoc=2_fmt=high_orig=search_cdi=4968_sort=d_docanchor=view=c_ct=27_acct=C000050221_version=1_urlVersion=0_userid=10md5=a9e7d67a2a45dc01019b232cbbfa3bf5 Here are some other good points from websites that are unbiased: To reduce the number of dog bite-related injuries, adults and children should be educated about bite prevention, and persons with canine pets should practice responsible pet ownership. (CDC website) �While at times informative, statistics on fatal dog attacks can also be misleading. For example, a number of cases where a Pit Bull, Rottweiler or German Shepherd Dog were counted as causing a human fatality, in reality the direct result was from gross human negligence or criminal intent�. (http://www.thedogpress.com/Columns/Jade/07_Dog.Bite.Stats_09.htm) A fatal dog attack is not just a dog bite by a big or aggressive dog. It is usually a perfect storm of bad human-canine interactions -- the wrong dog, the wrong background, the wrong history in the hands of the wrong person in the wrong environmental situation. (Malcolm Gladwell, Troublemakers - What pit bulls can teach us about profiling, The New Yorker, Feb. 6, 2006.) www.dogbitelaw.com/PAGES/breedlaws.html Our Country was not founded on the restriction and punishment of the masses based on the actions of a few. Focusing legislation on dogs that are vicious distracts attention from the real problem, which is irresponsible owners. These very breeds as a whole have proven their stability and good canine citizenry by becoming Rescue' dogs, Therapy dogs working inside hospitals, professional Herding dogs and family companions for years. Banning the so-called dangerous breed will merely hasten the upswing in popularity of some other breed that will be used for vicious attacks on people and other animals. There is no valid reason to deprive animal lovers of their well behaved pets. The reports and statistics are flawed. Among other things, a dog bite victim is usually unable to identify the breed of dog that bit him or her. Therefore, victims will name the type of dog that currently is on people's minds as being the dangerous dog. (From the Animal Farm Foundation.) One more thing, the best K-9 drug searching dog in America is a PitBull...his name is Popsicle because he was rescued from a man who tried to kill him by putting him in a freezer. -Cindy, owner of 1 PitBull (Zeus) and 2 Beagles (Max Osiris)...and yes they do get along!

we must make judgments, [2008-11-08]
and hopefully good ones. I love animals; have been around them and owned many all my life; but do not trust pit bulls. I have a good friend who now has a pit bull and it changed my comfort level on going to visit. On one of the tv court shows, even the judge uses a chart to show the number of pit bull attacks and deaths vs other breeds. That ought to cause one to make a sound judgment.

Here is a web site. [2008-11-08]
http://www.dogsbite.org/blog-dog-bite-statistics.htm The problem is that no matter how responsible a dogowner you are, dogs can accidentally escape. What would happen to an innocent person walking down the street if your dog happened to escape your yard or your house? One story on this web site is about two little boys who were walking down the road when a pit bull came bounding out of the woods and knocked one of the boys to the ground and latched onto his face. No one can ever convince me that this breed has any unique combination of personality traits that make it worth risking innocent human lives to own one. I think the entire breed should be destroyed.The evidence of their inherent danger is overwhelming.

You are absolutely right, he [2008-11-08]
could have done any of a number of things to causeA PIT BULL dog to attack and kill him. He could have yelled at the TV. He could have stepped on one of their feet. He could have fallen down. We donno pet should ever be capable of killing a human with whom it shares a home. Other breeds recognize their master and other humans in their living spaceand take their rightful place. Most good, smartcompanion dogs would have recognized this manThe instinct of these dogs to attack overcomes them and they can This breed should never be kept as pets. You should visit the web site I posted and click on the tab about pit bull owners. I find it very interesting that you have used the same phrases that most owners use to defend the breed. Can you name one desirable character trait that a pit bull has that you cannot find in any other dog?

I understand that your dog loves you, [2008-11-08]
but your dog is a pit bull and they can attack spontaneously whether they are provoked or not. There is no way to predict it. Why risk someone's life? I don I would never, however,choose a breed that is known to be unpredictable and dangerous and could maim or kill someone I love or a stranger walking down the street were I too slow to close the door or forget to close a gait securelyand an accident occur. There are lots of breeds that demonstrate the kind of dedication and love that you describe. My mom has a mixed dog (Pyrenees/St. Bernard) who is a genuine companion to her. She is obedient and trustworthy and gentle. You can get a dog who genuinely loves you who is not a pit bull. I truly hope you never encounter a time when your dog misconstrues your actions andyou trigger some instinct that tells her she is in danger, or that you are in danger from another person. Tragedy could strike so quickly.

OK I have exp with raising beagles...sm [2008-10-16]
My husband has 10 hunting beagles in kennels. I do most of the taking care of them. I also have a pit bull and a beagle inside. You are in a predicament. The dog definitely deserves and should be treated the best that can be provided. First of all, is she getting fed and all? Make sure she has food and water. Look on the internet and look at the pics of dogs with sarcoptic mange. Just a few months ago one of our beagles got it and looked awful. She lost her hair and scratched and had bleeding spots on her from the scratching. Some just lose spots of hair. If it has this I can tell you how to get rid of it and make the dog look like a different dog. We treat our beagles a lot ourselves. If it has mange it would need ivermectin but the problem is if it has heartworms and you wouldn't know unless you take it to the vet to check then the ivermectin would kill it. The test to check is about $30. If it does not have the heartworms then you give it a shot of ivermectin 1/10 of a mL for every 10 pounds. Make sure not to overdose. You give it once a week for 4-5 weeks. It kills the mange and most everything else it might have. But you have to be very careful because an overdose is lethal. Also to help grow the hair back you put on NuStock which can be bought at a feedstore for around $12 a tube. It has instructions on it. THe ivermectin can be bought at the feedstore too. This is for cows. That is why you only give it a very small amount. It is 30 something dollars for a thing of it. This is how I cured my husbands beagle and it worked and the dog looks great. Regrew all the hair and is very healthy. But make sure it don't have heartworms first. And weigh it to see how much to give. This is a alternative to vet care and I am telling you it works.

Understandable....sm [2008-10-12]
That is understandable with all you hear about them. Sometimes they look big and scary too. I used to be afraid of them too until I came to know a few. Then I became a pit bull owner myself. I realized they are just a dog though. They are just as capable of love and affection as any other dog. If you knew one you would love them. They are really one of a kind. All the media hype makes them out to be something most of them aren't based on what a few are. But your fear is understandable if you don't know or have never been around any pits.

Well then I guess it is a good thing that ...sm [2008-10-12]
close minded people like you don't run our country then. Go do some research before you make comments. A pit bull is a dog like any other. They are steretyped as being vicious because some people fight them. I do not agree with fighting any breed of dog including pit bulls. Those fighting pits are TRAINED to do that. They are not born that way. Some won't even fight after being trained to. I used to have a Yorkie that was a little fellow but he was 10 times meaner than my pit. Actually I will tell you how nice the pit was. With his size he could have easily killed the yorkie. Well the yorkie was constantly growling and biting the pit and one day just reached up and bit him square on the balls. The pit turned around and just looked at him. He could have torn the little fellow apart but he didn't. Now would a unstable mean dog be that calm? You need to rethink your comments. You are way off the mark.

Did you miss the posts by the [2008-10-08]
It sounds to me like she did everything right as the OWNER and they still ended up with a dead cat and other potential tragedies. ANY breed (Not just the pit bull, but any breed) with this kind of earned reputation and documented behavior should not be allowed to be bred any longer for any reason in MY opinion. And yes it is that simple. No gray area here as far as I'm concerned.

It certainly is about education (sm) [2008-10-05]
I enjoy watching Cesar Millan's show. Pit bulls are one of his favorite dog types. His have wonderful personalities because Cesar understands them and how to communicate with dogs of any type, and especially those with a reputation for being difficult. I recently saw a great episode about a man who was terrified of dogs. He'd been attacked by a dog in Mexico - a pit bull. Cesar taught him how to read what dogs were saying and how to broadcast calm leadership, even to a dog behind a fence many feet away from you. That man was very happy to overcome his fear, and Cesar was able to help his family adopt a dog from Cesar's pack that had the right energy for their lifestyle.

I agree with you [2008-10-03]
I do believe how a person raises a pet is the number one factor of how an animal behaves. Not all dogs are cujo dogs. One time my DH and I were taking a walk and some guy was out walking his pit bull. I didn't think anything of it, went over and bent down to pet it just like I would have any other dog, and he was so adorable and loveble, licking my hand and loving the attention he received. I never even once gave a thought that the dog would have attacked me for no reason. I didnyeah, go ahead and try it, your fingers look tasty, you don. HA HA, but to everyone else in the family he was adorable and wanted to be pet and held. I had an aunt who had a poodle that was mean as anything. So all dogs are different. I think its horrible that bad people have trained dogs to do bad things, but nobody should judge a dog by its cover. Me particularly, I am a cat person, but everyone in my family has a dog or two. I too would find it upsetting for people to judge one breed of dog who you find loveable and adorable just because of somethings that have happened with other owners. I remember awhile back Rottweilers were getting a bad name. I'm glad there are people like you out there who will give a pet the love and attention they need. Thank you.