Couldn't Resist Posting This (Pit Bulls)

I am a dog-petter. I love to pet dogs and play with them. I love dogs....I just don't want any myself, so I enjoy other folks' dogs.

It's a miracle that I've only been bitten once. I was walking in our neighborhood and stopped to chat with a young couple walking an elderly golden and a Rhodesian Ridgeback. Both dogs were very friendly, much grinning and dancing and pressing against me with tails a-wag. I petted the golden, then the ridgeback, then the golden wanted some more attention and then I finished up with the ridgeback again. As I was pulling my hand back from the ridgeback (I wasn't moving quickly, just slow and steady), he turned and clamped down on my wrist, drawing blood. The young couple were horrified and said he had never done that before. They were extremely apologetic and offered any actions I needed. All I asked was that they immediately bring me the dog's up-to-date shot records and be prepared to cover any medical bills needed. They agreed, the dog was up-to-date on all shots and was healthy and the bites were only superficial.

My late husband once was bitten on the rear end by a Chihuahua. Yes, a Chihuahua. He worked as a mailman during his summers in college and was walking on a sidewalk that abutted a raised porch and the Chihuahua launched itself off the porch and latched onto the seat of his uniform pants. He had to shake the dog off. Luckily, he did not get bitten at all, but it tore a hole in his trousers. You can about imagine the ribbing he got back at the post office when he made his accident report.
 

I only pet dogs owned by people I know well (relatives & friends), and only after getting permission.

I never pet strange dogs, and when my niece and nephew were little I cautioned them about doing it.

I also don’t put my hands on or hug an owner unless the dog knows me and has seen me several times before.

Back in the late 90s I was wrestling with my 5 yr old nephew. He was squealing and giggling. The family dog (a lab who had seen me many times) become uncomfortable and growled….so I stopped and backed off.

Last summer I was invited to a gathering (picnic) at the home of local relatives…a house I’ve been to a few hundred times over the years. When we got out of the car, SO and I were greeted by a lot of barking from a dog (on a leash) owned by my cousin (daughter of homeowners) and her husband (who live out of state). Not sure of the breed…looked like labradoodle.

Eventually owner removed the leash, and dog (who had never seen me or SO) settled down.

However, after awhile I got up to use the restroom, opened the patio door, and I walked inside dog followed me. As I started down the hall the dog went NUTS barking and also growling. I stopped, and owner came to get the dog.

Just protecting the homefront, I guess. :shrug:
 
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The thing is, we know most any dog can bite and will under various circumstances, but, which ones are likely to do so and cause the most bodily harm and or ever deaths from their attacks sometimes it is these things that should be considered with bringing a pet into the home especially to have around young children. The data is rather hard to ignore, but, I don't know I could be missing something since I'm no expert on the matter.

http://www.dogsbite.org/dog-bite-statistics-fatalities-2015.php

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United_States

A 2009 report issued by DogsBite.org shows that 19 dog breedscontributed to 88 deaths in the 3-year period of 2006 to 2008. Pit bullsaccounted for 59% followed by rottweilers with 14%. Of the 88 fatal dog attacks recorded by DogsBite.org, pit bull type dogs were responsible for 59% (52).Nov 16, 2015

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http://www.livescience.com/27145-are-pit-bulls-dangerous.html

from above link:

Police in Nassau County, N.Y., are searching door-to-door for two pit bulls that went on a bloody rampage, attacking a teenage boy and three women during a 30-minute period Wednesday (Feb. 13).
"One literally went for my leg and [the] other was trying to jump on top of me, but I was hitting them, and I was punching them," Janelle Manning, 24, told CBS New York. "They both weren't letting go, once they got a hold of my leg."
Because of her leg injuries, Manning now struggles to walk up and down stairs, CBS reports. "These dogs were, like, trained to kill; trained to hurt and viciously attack people," she said.

But do pit bulls deserve their reputation as vicious "attack" dogs? An overwhelming amount of evidence suggests they do.
A five-year review of dog-bite injuries from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, published in 2009 in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, found that almost 51 percent of the attacks were from pit bulls, almost 9 percent were from Rottweilers and 6 percent were from mixes of those two breeds.
In other words, a whopping two-thirds of the hospital's dog-attack injuries involved just two breeds, pit bulls and Rottweilers.
Other studies confirm these statistics: A 15-year study published in 2009 in the American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology revealed that pit bulls, Rottweilers and German shepherds were responsible for the majority of fatal dog attacks in the state of Kentucky. [See What Your Dog's Breed Says About You]
And a 2011 study from the Annals of Surgery revealed that "attacks by pit bulls are associated with higher morbidity rates, higher hospital charges and a higher risk of death than are attacks by other breeds of dogs."
The authors of that 2011 study go on to say, "Strict regulation of pit bulls may substantially reduce the U.S. mortality rates related to dog bites."
Pit bulls and the law
Some states and cities have acted on the research: The state of Maryland has determined that pit bulls are "inherently dangerous" and all owners are liable for any injuries they cause, according to theBaltimore Sun.
Even the U.S. Army has acknowledged that pit bulls are high-risk dogs; they are therefore prohibited in some military housing units.
Pit bulls join several other breeds on the list of dogs that are recognized as more likely to attack and cause significant injury: The Centeres for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed data and found the following breeds are implicated in a majority of dog-bite fatalities:

  • Pit bulls
  • Rottweilers
  • German shepherds
  • Huskies
  • Wolf hybrids
  • Malamutes
  • Doberman pinschers
  • Chow-chows
  • Saint Bernards
  • Great Danes
It's worth noting that no matter how these data are arranged — mixed breeds versus pure breeds, injuries versus fatalities — pit bulls consistently rank at the top of the list for attacks, and by a wide margin. (Rottweilers generally rank a distant second.)
Paying the price for pit bulls
As a result of the overwhelming evidence against pit bulls, home owners and landlords often must pay significantly higher insurance premiums if they have a pit bull or other recognized "bad dog" breed on their property. [Infographic: Dog Bite Incidents]





 

I knew someone that had a pitbull. She was a very nice and shy dog. I've known other pitbulls and they all were well behaved dogs. I don't know why some dogs bite at tmes.
 
My 3 dogs here have never bitten anyone but that doesn't mean they wouldn't under the right circumstances. We never leave them alone with little kids because sometimes they tease dogs. I'm more concerned about dogs that maim and kill. I especially hate it when dogs chase people who are out for a walk or riding a bicycle. If people would just keep their dogs on their own property life would be so much easier for everyone.
 
Awww Butterfly, Callie protects me like that too. Even cars just cruising by at night and he stands between me and the car like "I've got my eye on you" -same dog and a few minutes ago Ninja was in my lap. Seventeen pounds of solid kitty. Callie came by to take a sniff and Ninja met him nose to nose. Callie stood up and laid down behind the chair. Cats rule!
 
I'm on the same wavelength as Linda.
Little kids and dogs should always be supervised if only to be able to educate the children about how to relate to dogs. Sometimes it is to protect the children and sometimes to protect the dog.

When it comes to bigger dogs then more vigilance is necessary. Some breeds, like our cattle dogs, have instincts to nip the heels of cattle to round them up and as a medium sized dog, a bite can be nasty although they are unlikely to kill anyone. Cattle dogs and sheep dogs tend to be very loyal and protective of their human pack and when children are playing together and there is horseplay and squealing, they may enter the fray to protect their children, in the process biting the neighbours' children. Yes, they are nice dogs and good pets but it is still important to anticipate risk and take preventative action.

Another risk is from older dogs who may be in pain with arthritis and who have lost patience for being pulled around. They should be spared the attention of little children, supervised or not.

However, when it comes to dogs bred or trained for fighting, whose physical structure and biting techniques are designed for maximum injury, I wouldn't want one anywhere near me or mine. At the first aggressive sign I would want them put down for reasons of public safety. If they kill a cat or another small dog then for me that is reason enough to euthanize them.

I remember years ago an old lady was walking in our street and two german shepherds that were kept as guard dogs were on the loose in their front yard. They jumped the fence and attacked her, knocking her to the ground. Then they scalped her. She died a couple of weeks later.
 
My favorite breed or of some mixture is the German Shephard, I love this breed of dog, but, I know darn well it's capabilities and how aggressive it can be, toward strangers under certain circumstances it wouldn't stop me from wanting to own one though, but I don't kid myself into thinking it's just some innocent little sweet thing. Sure some of them act like little babies, a former roommate of mine had one that would jump in bed and snuggle with any of us who were the person home when the slightest big of thunder approached his earshot. That dog for some reason especially didn't like strange men you better believe brownie would bite you unless proper introductions were made and then you had better not look at any of the homes occupants in the wrong way or you might be on the menu. Just the way it was, so, mostly when, male, guest came over, Brownie was put out into the yard. I grew up around the breed, but, I'm, always, cautious around ones I don't know. I fell head over hills for a Doberman once as well, it was the sweetest thing once it new you and the owner were friends. Having said that, I respect the nature of these types of dogs.
 
It is important to know what your dog is capable of and err on the side of caution. That goes for any breed really. Especially around children, I know many people who dogs and kids grew up beautifully together. But it depends on the dog and child. One thing to always teach kids is to always ask the owner before petting. But if the dog is alone or in it's yard stay away. My Sophie is a canine basket case. She is always on a secure leash and I only walk her where there are no other dogs. She will never meet my grandson, she's just too unstable. Callie too has a secure leash but the only thing that makes him mad is men appearing out of the dark. He's gotten better though. Regular neighbors know him now and will announce themselves with "GOOD EVENING MA"AM!". Hearing the man before he appears makes it okay. But I would never let him off leash.
 
One of my dogs is a Shepard. His name is Ernie, and he is quite famous here. The sun set was a few hours ago. In the dark, the nocturnal animals started their waking time. As always, the frogs crook - the night birds call, and amongst them, is a pack of coyotes that hunt the valley and its oak growth ravines. They do this while they perform an a-capella of high pitched yelps from all members of the pack. These yelps, end in a long lingering arias that is a howl. Ernie, is a piebald Shepard. He sat overlooking the stage, and his strong baritone voice barks a response. This elicits an allegro of yelps and barks from the tenor coyotes. This recitative continues until Ernie lifts his muzzle to the night sky and performs an arias that is a long, rich, pitch perfect howl which lasts a good 15 seconds. As the last echo bounced from the sides of the ravine, all was quiet. The frogs stopped crooking, the birds did not call, and the coyotes bowed in their silence. Ernie lifted his nose to the breeze, bids his audience a good night, and returned to the house. So ended this evening's opera.
 
Thanks. Ernie lives within 100 + acres about 30 miles from the nearest town. When I take him into town, he doesn't seem to be bothered about any of the people he sees. I can't imagine him biting anyone.
 
Thanks fureverywhere - no, I'm just a reader. But I didn't just make that up. It really happened. Even the frogs thought something extraordinary happened! Ernie is very vocal.
 
I have mixed feelings about Pits.. I would own one only if I didn't have other dogs... or cats.... However, I really wouldn't trust one with my other animals.. Breeds have triggers.. and even the most docile dogs can succumb to them... Pits tend to be animal aggressive.. No way would I trust one with my other animals..
 
As I've said it's the individual dog and not the breed. Sophie tries to kill wild animals but fears our house cats. With Callie it's a game, he and our big gray cat get into stand-offs, both holding their crotch and mocking each other. If Callie wanted to...Foote would be dead in seconds. Instead he has a tic tac board of scars over his nose. They can understand that other animals of the house, even rats are not prey.
 
Yet... so many times one reads of a "Pit" who was just a love... and wouldn't hurt a fly... and never was a problem, suddenly attacking a small dog or another animal.. I contend it IS in the breed.. these are fighting dogs and have been bred through the centuries to be animal aggressive. The natural tendency was mostly suppressed or ignored but then something triggered this instinct and the dog acted. The same goes for other breeds. The "Herder" breeds WILL chase... they will chase something eventually.. as a moving object is a trigger. My Australian Shepard cannot resist chasing cars. Hunting and tracking dogs will tend to wander and roam. NOT all.... not every time.. but when a trigger hits at the right time these dogs will act on it.. It is beyond their control And that is why I would never take in a pit. I have cats and small dogs.. I know the dog would not mean to, but should one of my other animals do something that triggers aggressive behavior.. it would act.. and I'm not about to take that chance.
 

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