"Take Care with Pit Bulls"

This article ran in the paper yesterday; couldn't find it online.

The first article I've ever read around here that's not 100% Anti-Pit-Bull. I wish that it put more emphasis on the fact that Pit bulls are DOGS, and other dogs have tendencies to run amok when handled improperly, as well.

Thanks for starting this thread. I have 1 red carver pit bull his name is Red. I used to have 2 actually, but he died. Anyway, pit bulls are not monters. They are just misunderstood by many. These dogs are fierce, aggressive and to be feared. They'll attack at a moment's notice and like no others. Chances are the breed that comes to mind is pit bull, doberman or rottweiler. Shame on you. Actually, these stereotypes are so enforced in society that it's become normal and accepted to consider certain breeds as dangerous or monstrous. Pit bulls act or behave badly when they are maltreated by their owners. Or they were subjected to intense cruelty and poor living conditions, supposedly to enforce aggression such as dog fighting. When there's talk of pit bulls attacking people or other dogs, the breed in question is usually not confirmed. It's hard to tell the difference between a pit bull and a Staffordshire Terrier or numerous mixes that may have pit bull-like qualities or looks. Witnesses to these attacks will generalize and guess that the breed was pit bull. With these recurrences, the pit bull name is never cleared. Because of this, pit bulls are banned from many apartment complexes, dog parks and even pet stores. To set the record straight, pit bulls aren't even close to biting more than other breeds. According to one Huntsville veterinarian, chows are the breed that statistically bites the most. Concerning aggression, what matters is not the breed but the particular dog and how it was raised and socialized.
Sadly, pit bulls make the news more because of their already-tarnished reputation. If people instead would focus more on the lives pit bulls and other "dangerous" breeds have saved, plus the fun-loving personalities of these dogs, there might be a chance that the pit bull name could be restored.

That's an excellent article, actually. It makes all the important anti-BSL points and gives pretty good advice.

The story would be better if every place you see the word Pit Bull you replace it will "Dog".

People still don't get it....not the breed but the owner.

Exactly!

Maybe if we all sent e-mails to that effect?

Except the letter was written specifically enquiring about pitbulls.

True, but the question was about pit bulls. The debate they are having about BSL is about . . . pit bulls. Yes, dog would be better, but that wouldn't make the point . . . because to many people, pit bulls aren't "dogs." What I like about this article is that yes, its talking about pit bulls . . . and calling them dogs in places . . . and giving perfectly normal, sane advice that would be the same advice I'd give to someone to asked about poodles.

There have been a couple of neutral or anti BSL stories in the papers here lately... Then the whole dust up in our own area over a Pit Bull that was picked up by a local shelter and put down the same day. The Sun's poll also went 60% against BSL and a year or two ago I am sure that would not have been the case....

But the advice they give is implying that it is the breed.

The advice they give is valid for all dogs. I would argue that a Pit Bull raised by a good owner is MORE stable (than the average dog) in the situations mentioned in their advice. Eventually that have to realize it is the human variable.

That's true, and they should have stated outright that these rules apply to ALL dogs. Not so much because pit bulls are more or less stable, but because it is just as stupid to leave a husky, or a jack russel, or a chihuahua alone with your child . . . and people should know that.

I have a couple of complaints about it, but overall, I am thrilled. It's nice to see an article that doesn't consist of "OMG! Let's kill all the baby-eating 'pit bulls' or no one will ever be safe!" It actually has excellent advice.

Exactly... and if they actually DID somehow manage to eliminate pit-type dogs, some other breed would take it's place, probably something like a Dobe or a Rott or maybe a GSD for it's "badassery".

It's a shame so many good breeds have bad repuatations.

This is great article i will share it to other dog lovers i know...

People are quick to forget, in the 70s it was the german shepherds, the 80s the dobes, rotts have been strung along in this whole mess too. I always point that out to people, and it's a like a light clicking on. They then can make the connection between a breed of dog getting popular with jerkish owners, and realize that it's the people and not the dog/breed that is at fault.

I mean, just think back to all the disney movies. When dogs were involved with the villians, what one of them didn't have dobes as evil wicked attack monsters?

The article itself was fair, but perhaps it's headline could have better. Unfortunately, article authors are seldom the same ones writing headlines. Headlines are routinely written by others, and designed to "grab" the reader and entice them to continue. But some readers are lazy and only read the headlines.

The question was specifically about a pit bull, because that's the individual dog that happened to bite the questioner's child. With that in mind, the answer's author could hardly not refer to the breed of the dog involved in that particular incident. However, right from the second paragraph the questioner was advised to "research the situation to determine if the attack was provoked or not.".

That's sound advice since many times people, particularly children, will unknowingly provoke a dog to attack simply because they don't know how NOT to behave around a strange dog. That's not always the case, but many times victim behavior can partially explain a particular attack. Sometimes it's irresponsibility on the part of the victim's care giver. Most dog bites to children happen when care givers leave a small child alone with a dog, or allow the child to wander into a neighbor's yard and get too close to a chained and probably neglected dog. None of that removes responsibility from the dog's owner in the eyes of the law. But to prevent future bites it's wise to teach children how to behave around dogs, and not to approach strange dogs.

The answer also pointed out that pit bulls themselves are not the problem, but rather irresponsible owners that don't raise and train them properly. The last 5 paragraphs did not even mention "pit bull" at all. It began with "I believe that we all need to do everything we can to prevent dog bite injuries.". From then on it talks only of "dogs" ... without mentioning any specific breed.