Baby Mauled To Death By the Family Pit

[Pamela H in Texas]

Nakia, I WANT to agree with you but I think it might be, at this point, since the numbers have so drastically gone up regarding this (according to the CDC info shared in another post), that maybe we need to give a STRONG message to parents, "IF you knowlingly keep an aggressive dog that results in serious harm or death, you will be charged accordingly." POSSIBLY then some parents will make wiser decisions. SADLY, some people don't think the natural consequences through well enough and SOME are swayed by legal issues.

[Kathy in MD]

I never hear about any other breed of dog killing or randomly mauling humans. How about the rest of you?

 

Many years ago I heard of an elderly woman who had a large pack of small dogs that managed to knock her down and kill her.

 

Apparently dalmations were very popular at a time and were very poorly bred. We had one at the time that was border-line and eventually became unpredictable. We put her doen before anyone was hurt, but the vet told us that there were many problems.

 

I've also "heard" that other dogs bred for protection could become vicious. But the difference is that you can beat a most of them off or others could pry the mouth off. A pit bull just won't be deterred and the jaws are too powerful to pry open.

 

Bad breeding or upbringing can ruin any breed or individual. Also a pack often changes the dynamics.

Edited April 23, 2009 by Kathy in MD

[Nakia]

Nakia, I WANT to agree with you but I think it might be, at this point, since the numbers have so drastically gone up regarding this (according to the CDC info shared in another post), that maybe we need to give a STRONG message to parents, "IF you knowlingly keep an aggressive dog that results in serious harm or death, you will be charged accordingly." POSSIBLY then some parents will make wiser decisions. SADLY, some people don't think the natural consequences through well enough and SOME are swayed by legal issues.

 

I know what you mean, Pamela. It just breaks my heart. But if someone owned an aggressive dog that harmed or killed one of my children, I would be out for blood. I, also, cannot understand why people keep aggressive dogs.

 

The last time we brought our cat to the vet, we walked in face to face with a very large (approximately 120 lbs) dog. I have no idea what kind it was, but most likely, a mixed breed. He was on a double metal chain collar, and he lunged at my oldest dd. His owner was able to restrain him. The owner looked at me and said, "I think he wants to eat your children" and laughed. I did not laugh. As a matter of fact, I gave her my best "eat crap" look, and took my children and cat into another area. I really wanted to tell her off, but I didn't think it best to show my dds that side of mommy. I then had a very frank discussion with my children about strange dogs (not for the first time). I was frankly shocked that someone would own a dog that "wanted to eat children".

[Oak Knoll Mom]

First, a pit can do a lot more damage than a chihuahua

 

That's why I would never own a pit. *If* they turn, they could kill. Not a risk I'm willing to take.

[Desert Rat]

This is so sad. I worked at an county animal shelter for 3 years. Most of the pit bulls I encountered were great animals. The animals I worried about were, in order, rottweillers, chows and sharpeis. FWIW, in the 3 years I worked there I was only bitten once.....by a chihuahua. But, my scariest experience was when a 120 lb rott charged me and dang near got me. The one story that sticks in my mind is the couple who had newborn twins. They were laying on the floor with dad when both of their dalmations attacked and killed one twin. This was a few blocks from my house.

Any animal is capable of hurting. Any animal is capable of loving. Pit bulls get a really bad rap.

[LUV2EDU]

That's why I would never own a pit. *If* they turn, they could kill. Not a risk I'm willing to take.

:iagree::iagree:

[sagira]

The family probably tried to convince their family and friends that their dog would never turn on them, also.

 

This is really sad.:angelsad2:

 

:crying:

 

I agree.. so sad..

 

This time around we're even more careful what kind of dog we get because we have children. We're looking for the sweetest, kindest, kid-friendly dog breed with almost nil history of aggression.. and then train her a lot, train the kids how to be around her and make sure everyone (including the dog) is kept safe and happy.

 

Tragic.

[sagira]

How incredibly sad! I hate this happened, but I have to wonder if it is really a good idea to charge the parents. Aren't they suffering enough? Sure, they probably made a poor decision, but for the rest of their lives, they are going to have to live with that. That seems like punishment enough for me.

 

I agree with this. It's horrible, and it's going to haunt them forever :(

[Peggy in Va]

Mutts. Packs of mutts. Also, hunting dogs, like beagles. Of course, they are dogs that have gone back to the wild, but stray dogs in packs, regardless of their breed, tend to be super dangerous.

 

:iagree:Not only stray dogs in packs, but even your friendly family pet. Any dog that is allowed to run loose can become part of a pack, and frequently the owners never know. That pack may be made up of "friendly family pets", but at that point the pack mentality takes over and they are dangerous to not only other animals but people as well. Bottom line, dogs are dogs.

[lionfamily1999]

:iagree:Not only stray dogs in packs, but even your friendly family pet. Any dog that is allowed to run loose can become part of a pack, and frequently the owners never know. That pack may be made up of "friendly family pets", but at that point the pack mentality takes over and they are dangerous to not only other animals but people as well. Bottom line, dogs are dogs.

I saw a story about a boy that was chased and attacked by a group of family dogs. His mother found him hiding in a house he'd broken into. She drove through the group of dogs and rescued him. The craziest part was that this was a group of various breeds, all family dogs, all 'friendly' and safe around kids. I'm not sure that they were all put down, I do know the mom killed at least one and injured nearly all of them with her car. The people that were defending the dogs and their owners all said, it was the pack mentality and not, necessarily, the dogs themselves. That scared the bejeeminies out of me. How crazy to think that any dog, according to this show, can go into 'pack mentality' and turn into a vicious brutal predator.

[Peggy in Va]

I saw a story about a boy that was chased and attacked by a group of family dogs. His mother found him hiding in a house he'd broken into. She drove through the group of dogs and rescued him. The craziest part was that this was a group of various breeds, all family dogs, all 'friendly' and safe around kids. I'm not sure that they were all put down, I do know the mom killed at least one and injured nearly all of them with her car. The people that were defending the dogs and their owners all said, it was the pack mentality and not, necessarily, the dogs themselves. That scared the bejeeminies out of me. How crazy to think that any dog, according to this show, can go into 'pack mentality' and turn into a vicious brutal predator.

 

I first heard of this type of thing from friends of ours who live in Fauquire County and have several dogs and own a kennel. If I remember correctly, the reason we were discussing it was because they had had to get rid of one of their dogs because it had started running with a pack and was killing livestock.

 

This type of thing had never occurred to me before. When I was little we used to let our dogs run all the time, no leash laws. I still hate leash laws, but I would never let my dogs run. At least not intentionally.

[Perry]

I still hate leash laws....

 

Why?

[katemary63]

My good friend adopted a pitt mix as a six week old puppy. She raised it right, obedience trained it, loved it and treated it well. She had this dog 8 years. She also had 2 babies during those 8 years. This dog treated those babies like her own, loving and gentle. They cuddled together, they slept together. I witnessed this dog with her kids many, many times and would have thought she was 100% trustworthy. After enough time, you begin to trust the dog and this dog had 8 years of trustworthy behavior behind her. No growling, no lip lifting, just gentle, patient, babysitter behavior. They thought they had the best dog in the world.

 

These people are upper middle class, educated people. He is a Phd. and she has an advanced degree as well. They have NEVER abused their pets. They are VERY knowledgable about dog training and behavior. They BELIEVED that it was the nurture and NOT the nature of the pitt bull that gave the breed a bad rap.

 

Then one day, dad was napping on the couch. Five year old DS was watching TV with beloved family pet laying by his side. He pulled her ear, probably not hard, he loved her and was not an agressive child. The dog jumped up, grabbed his head in her mouth and shook him like a rag doll. When dad woke up and came to the rescue he had to beat the dog with a bat to get her to let go. The dog then attacked him. He backed into a bedroom, bat in hand, with the dog advancing on him. He turned around and was able to close the door on her.

 

DS was rushed to the ER where he recieved 111 stitches in 11 different locations on his head and face. The dog was put to sleep and necropsied because my friend believe she must have had a brain tumor and wanted to prove to everyone that the dog was not responsible for the attack. No tumor. Sad story to learn a hard lesson.

[Peggy in Va]

Why?

 

I guess because for the same reasons I assume a fish would rather be in a lake, river, or ocean than in a bowl or tank. I think the dog would be happier if it could just come and go as it pleased as opposed to being dependent upon someone to walk it.

 

Don't get me wrong, I understand leash laws and they serve many purposes. They help protect neighbors property, people, other animals and the dog itself. Perhaps "hate" was too strong a word. I don't hate them, and I'm not against them, I just think it would be nice if we didn't have to have them. Kind of like, I would prefer not to wear a helmet when I ride a horse. Does that mean I wouldn't wear one, no, that would be foolish. In a perfect world, I think it would be nice if dogs were allowed to roam about. Obviously, if you live on a farm or have acreage, the dog has more opportunity to roam about the property. And I think most dogs that live in an environment like that will stay on the property.

 

As I said, I wouldn't let my dogs run. We are fortunate in that we have enough property where our dogs can run around, play, and get lots of exercise. Do they enjoy it, sure. Do they enjoy being walked, sure, it gets them out of their yard. Would they rather take themselves for a walk, most definitely.

[Perry]

Thanks for explaining. I've always seen them as protection both for dogs and people; I appreciate hearing a different perspective.

[Remudamom]

 

I compare that to our other dog. He's a smooth coat collie mix, 55lbs, and so submissive it's pitiful. He'll take anything from anyone. He even bellies up to our toddler. No worries with him as he knows his place.

 

 

I don't think you can beat a collie. My rough coated collie I had before children used to go to work with me at a day school. He liked to nap with the two yr olds. One of them got too friendly one day and pulled his tummy hair right off of him when I was across the room. He just groaned and looked at her like "don't you have any manners at all?"

 

Friends of ours raised a pitt. He was fine until one day a child ran through their yard. He had to be shot before he let go of her.

 

The town my parents grew up in used to have so many roving dogs that were dangerous to children that they had dog hunts. Tracked down the packs and destroyed them.

Edited April 24, 2009 by Remudamom

[Elaine]

Those people should be prosecuted.

 

Yes, I know they've lost their son, and in the eyes of most people, "have suffered enough". But...

 

They should be prosecuted.

According to the article linked, even the neighbors knew that the dog was mean. Those people knowingly put their child in that position, as many others do. It's one of those things--if we can't get people to use good judgment on their own, we should legislate for the children's protection, and follow through with prosecution in a consistent way. If people won't give up their aggressive dogs because it's the smart thing to do, maybe they'll do it because our government steps in for the protection of children.

 

(call me hard-hearted this morning, but it's what I really think...)

 

That is hard-hearted. Sorry, but it is.

 

They are in prison, they are just not in a building. Everyday, for the rest of their lives, they will regret their decision. Locking them up will serve no further purpose.

 

And I don't like the "let's lock 'em up to make an example of them" either.

[Laurie4b]

I'll share an opposite pit bull story. Years ago, a friend who was a farmer (cattle and hogs) had a bull dog (I believe it was a pit) that followed him around everywhere and was really sweet. One day, he was in the pen with the Charlais (steak cows!) and a bull charged him from behind. He didn't see it, but the dog did. The dog jumped up, grabbed the bull by the jaw and hung on. My friend's life was saved. That's what they were originally bred for.

 

That same ability is also what makes them scary. I used to live in an upstairs apt. where the woman downstairs had one. It was sweet to her. I used to take care of it when she was gone--feed it, etc. but it was borderline hostile toward me. I was always very wary. One day (when the woman was at work), the dog somehow got out of its pen and attacked a jogger. I ran out to help pull the dog away (he wasn't clamped on) and the man, of course, yelled at me, thinking it was my dog. I was probably lucky it didn't turn on me, but I dragged it back to its pen.

 

I wouldn't own one--unless I was a cattle farmer.

[LUV2EDU]

:iagree:Not only stray dogs in packs, but even your friendly family pet. Any dog that is allowed to run loose can become part of a pack, and frequently the owners never know. That pack may be made up of "friendly family pets", but at that point the pack mentality takes over and they are dangerous to not only other animals but people as well. Bottom line, dogs are dogs.

 

It makes me so angry when an owner is walking their dog in the park without a leash. I've had dogs run up to me growling. However, the owner always states, "Oh he won't bite!" I always respond with, "If he has teeth, then your dog bites!";)

[LUV2EDU]

I saw a story about a boy that was chased and attacked by a group of family dogs. His mother found him hiding in a house he'd broken into. She drove through the group of dogs and rescued him. The craziest part was that this was a group of various breeds, all family dogs, all 'friendly' and safe around kids. I'm not sure that they were all put down, I do know the mom killed at least one and injured nearly all of them with her car. The people that were defending the dogs and their owners all said, it was the pack mentality and not, necessarily, the dogs themselves. That scared the bejeeminies out of me. How crazy to think that any dog, according to this show, can go into 'pack mentality' and turn into a vicious brutal predator.

 

Was the movie called The Pack? The Pack was a 1977 movie about family pets that turned into predators.

[unsinkable]

I've heard of the breed Presa Canario being responsible for mauling deaths of adults.

 

As for the pack thing...I got chased by a pack of dogs once as a little girl. Our neighbors had to beat them back with rocks and sticks.

 

In regard to the poor dead baby: I pray that somehow, some way he didn't suffer (next to impossible, I know.)

[sixpence1978]

The whole situation is just so sad.

 

Yes, dogs are dogs. They can turn. And the big ones get such a bad rap because of their power.

 

I grew up with Rottweilers my whole life. My 2 children were even around them as babies. In fact, I have a picture of my DD sitting on a Rottweiler at 1 year of age. They never showed any signs of aggression.

 

All 3 of these Rottweilers died of cancer. Even at their sickest, they were the sweetest dogs. Our last Rottweiler was a rescue from an abusive home. Her ear was broken and permanently bent backwards, she was sick, and she had spots on her muzzle that didn't have fur because of the beatings she had. Honestly, out of our 3 Rottweilers, she was the most loving.

 

I just hate to see such prejudice against entire breeds. I'd equate it to humans. Yes, more violent crimes are committed by men. Does that mean we should be afraid of all men?

[WishboneDawn]

I just hate to see such prejudice against entire breeds. I'd equate it to humans. Yes, more violent crimes are committed by men. Does that mean we should be afraid of all men?

 

The difference being that certain breeds have been bred selectively so that they possess qualities that can make them, even with the best of owners, dangerous. Couple that with the fact that so many dogs, pits and pit mixes especially, are the result of dogs people don't fix or backyard breeders who haven't a clue when it comes to animal husbandry and you get the situation where dogs who haven't had dangerous traits bred out of them are sold to people who aren't screened in any manner and are often entirelty inappropriate owners.

 

Even loveable, loyal rotties have some traits (the no-warning bite, their enormous strength) that make them dangerous with the wrong owner. I love them myself but I doubt I'll ever own one as I don't have the consistency or character that breed demands of an owner.

 

For the record, I own a mutt who likely came from a backyard breeder and who looks like she has both pit and rottie in her. Thankfully it's her beagle side that rules her brain. A beagle I can handle. :)

Edited April 25, 2009 by WishboneDawn

[Greta]

I just hate to see such prejudice against entire breeds.

 

I realize that there are very good dogs of every breed. But that doesn't change the fact that some breeds *tend* towards aggression more than other breeds do. I don't think it should be surprising -- I mean some dogs were bred to be lap dogs, while others were bred to be hunting dogs, while others were bred to be (fill in the blank). It's only natural that they are going to have different behaviors, on average. In the case of pit bulls, I'm always stunned to hear people talk about what a sweet breed they are when they were bred to take down dangerous bulls and to fight. Ain't nothing "sweet" about either role. Useful and valid in the first instance, horrible and inexcusable in the second, but sweet in neither.

 

I am genuinely glad that you and everyone else here who has similar stories, have had good experiences with aggressive breeds. But I'm still not owning one. I made a huge mistake in getting a rat terrier and the only reason he hasn't been put down is because he's on meds that calm him down. I will *never* again think that the way I raise a dog can overcome it's nature. I chose a whippet and an eskie based on what I read about their temperaments, and they have been wonderful dogs. I freely admit to prejudice when it comes to dog breeds. It's just not worth the risk of owning a potentially aggressive dog when there are so many great dogs out there.

[Tree House Academy]

This is sad. :(

[Brilliant]

 

I just hate to see such prejudice against entire breeds. I'd equate it to humans. Yes, more violent crimes are committed by men. Does that mean we should be afraid of all men?

 

Well...yeah, my children and I are way more careful around men than women. Sorry if that's sexist. But read the thread about Red Flag Guy and you'll see that many agree with me, including the author of an excellent book, Protecting the Gift. Since I read that book years ago, I have always taught my kids that if they need help, they need to find a woman, preferably a mom. Even over a male store employee or security guard. Women don't commit violent or sexual crimes; men do.

 

There's a very sad case here in California right now in which a woman has been arrested for the sexual abuse and murder of a girl. I have heard cops being interviewed about this, and they are still in disbelief that there was not a man involved. They have "never" seen a case like this that didn't involve a man. (When women are arrested for crimes like this, it's always because they are an accessory to the crime which is primarily committed by a man).

 

So, yes, I am wary of pit bulls AND strange men.

[hferguson10]

This is so sad - we are huge pet people, so to hear about a family pet turning like that - it's terrible. yes, wisdom is needed when searching out a good family pet.

[LUV2EDU]

I just hate to see such prejudice against entire breeds. I'd equate it to humans. Yes, more violent crimes are committed by men. Does that mean we should be afraid of all men?

 

I know you probably didn't mean anything by this statement; however, I couldn't help but notice the "dog is like a man" comparison.

Edited April 26, 2009 by LUV2EDU

[Soph the vet]

I've heard of the breed Presa Canario being responsible for mauling deaths of adults.

 

:ohmy: I just had a client in the other night adament that we change "Pitbull" on his dog's file to "Presa Canario" because he didn't want his dog stereotyped....wonder if he knew about this interesting bit of info.

[DarlaS]

I just hate to see such prejudice against entire breeds.

 

So do I. Especially since most of the time (unless the dog is registered which most dogs aren't) they are more or less guessing what breed of dog it is anyway. Breed specific legislation can't work for that reason. How do you know for sure what those mixed breed are? Most dogs ARE mixed breed.

 

I own a siberian husky, and "husky types" show up on a few of these so-called "dangerous dog" lists, so I'll use them for an example. Many mixed breed spitz type dogs (of which there are quite a few) look to the untrained eye like a "husky type" and need not have one iota of husky blood. If one of these dogs bites someone however, it's a strike against a husky--and it's very possibly not even a husky at all. Most people only recognize a very few common dog breeds and with wildly varying degrees of accuracy even then. How could they possibly enforce such a thing even a little bit fairly?

[Dobela]

Pit bulls scare me. We have one that roams the neighborhood sometimes and is very unpredictable. We watch closely for it. I was furious when one of my neighbors began feeding it because she felt sorry for it. She would place the food on the 2 ft strip of grass between my driveway and hers until animal control finally captured it. I was furious that she would actually try to attract the dog just few feet from my car and the children's play area.

 

But, pits are not the only dog to scare me. Our neighbors had chows growing up and they were huge and snapped at anything that came near the yard. Once one got loose and bit another child in the neighborhood in the neck which led to many stitches and long term medical problems. When I was in college my roommate decided to get a chow and that dog attacked my border collie nearly killing her.

[DarlaS]

Our neighbors had chows growing up and they were huge and snapped at anything that came near the yard.

 

Here's a fun little bit of trivia: Chows were originally bred to hunt wolves. Anything that can take down a wolf is not to be trifled with--even if it does look like a big fluffy fuzzy lovey. Obviously such a breed might not be an ideal pet dog for the casual owner.

 

Incidentally, when mixed with other breeds a Chow makes a "husky type" dog. :glare:

[Scarlett]

So sad. So very sad. I will defer to Soph's professional opinion....but I've always believed an entire breed should not be condemned the way Pitts are.

 

We had a Boxer/Pitt mix (mother was full Boxer, father half Boxer half Pitt). We loved that dog. We got him when he was about 3 1/2 weeks old...fed him from a baby bottle. We were young and ignorant, but we trained him as best we could.

 

He was a gentle dog, but very protective especially of our fenced in yard. For instance we would walk him through the neighbor hood and if he saw a cat sitting on the sidewalk he would just sniff it and keep walking. But a kitten got in our yard once and he was batting it around and would have killed it had I not rushed out to rescue it....I think he was just playing but the kitten would have been just as dead. Then there was the oppossum that wandered into our yard. Our dog killed it and buried it--all except the head which he left sticking out. Shudder.

 

Then there was the infamous meter-reader incident. We came home to find blood on our dog's face.....and the gate broken and tied shut. We were terrified he had bitten someone. Our neighbor told us this story: While we were at work, a new meter reader tried to read the meter from the side gate instead of from the back as normal. Our dog kept bashing at the gate until he busted the catch and it swung open. The meter reader saw it happening and stepped inside a cut out by our garage...dog runs by, meter reader jumps into our yard and holds the gate shut against the dog who quickly realized where the guy was and ran back and started bashing on the gate from outside the fence. Our neighbor heard the commotion and came out and said our dog's name sharply. Our dog stopped, wagged his tail and ran to the neighbor who then locked him up in his yard until the meter reader could escape.

 

So....that being said....we trusted the dog completely....with us. However, the main point of this I think is that NO dog should ever be trusted with a young child. I was 5 months pregnant when our dog had to be put down....he was 12 years old by then and so sick he would not drink or eat. We sobbed for weeks. But we had already decided that had he lived he would NOT have been allowed to be around the baby. It was just not a risk we were willing to take.

 

We didn't get a dog again until ds was 4. We got an 8 week old Brittany. So they've grown up together and now ds is 9. We have lots of friends with babies and toddlers....I crate the dog when they come over. I trust her.....but she is still a dog and babies and toddlers will always tend to pester a pet.....just not a risk I am willing to take.

 

I feel bad for the parents of that baby though.....so sad. A life long torment awaits them now.

Edited April 26, 2009 by Scarlett
I crate the do. I don't grate her.

[LUV2EDU]

I found this article interesting.

 

Top Ten Most Dangerous Dogs

 

1. Pitt Bulls

 

2. Rottweilers

 

3. German Shepherds

 

4. Huskies

 

5. Alaskan Malamutes

 

6. Doberman Pinschers

 

7. Chow Chow

 

8. Presa Canario

 

9. Boxer

 

10. Dalmatian

 

http://www.petsdo.com/blog/top-ten-10-most-dangerous-dog-breeds

[Supertechmom]

We had a pit bull issue with a neighbor (oh no, he's just a sweetie!). That dog did much the same thing yours did. He would run up, without making a sound. Now, that dog also bared his teeth and crouched (like readying for a jump). His intentions were pretty clear to me. The most unsettling thing was the silence, for sure. As though the dog were stalking or seeing us as prey, instead of seeing us as a threat, iykwIm. He was stealthy, rather than loudly agressive.

 

 

our boxer would do this(not bare his teeth and growl just run up to you) but it was because he had been trained from about 8 weeks on that he had to sit whenever he saw humans. Then he couldn't move until given the signal. He got lose a few times when we first moved here and scared the neighbors to death because he would do this. Just come up and sit in front of them and stare. I showed them how to use the signal in case he ever got loose again. It happened a couple of more times before we got things secured so he couldn't get out but by that time they were able to give him his commands and bring him back to us. Just a thought if a dog comes and sits and stares at you. He might be waiting for a command. (or he might be deranged as well :D I've been on the receiving end of both! One can just never tell with a dog. And if he had been shot, I wouldn't have been upset with the neighbors. One just never knows.) But just a thought!

[Supertechmom]

I found this article interesting.

 

Top Ten Most Dangerous Dogs

 

 

8. Presa Canario

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/canarydog.htm THe info found at this link about dog #8 is enough to make one wonder why anyone with kids would have one. His precautions and handling is all about control and alpha dominance. Geesh

 

Course I was surprised to see a boxer listed. They were tagged as great with kids. BUt I reckon too many of those have pit breed too heavily in their background. We used to have one but we won't get another because too many people get them confused with pits especially the brindles.

[LUV2EDU]

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/canarydog.htm'>http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/canarydog.htm'>http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/canarydog.htm'>http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/canarydog.htm THe info found at this link about dog #8 is enough to make one wonder why anyone with kids would have one. His precautions and handling is all about control and alpha dominance. Geesh

 

Course I was surprised to see a boxer listed. They were tagged as great with kids. BUt I reckon too many of those have pit breed too heavily in their background. We used to have one but we won't get another because too many people get them confused with pits especially the brindles.

 

 

According to Dog Breed Information Center:

 

Quote

 

1. The Presa Canario requires a very dominant owner.

 

2. No member of the family can be uncomfortable around the dog.

 

3. In the wrong hands this dog can be dangerous.

 

4. This is not a breed for first time dog owners.

 

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/canarydog.htm

[Jean in Newcastle]

our boxer would do this(not bare his teeth and growl just run up to you) but it was because he had been trained from about 8 weeks on that he had to sit whenever he saw humans. Then he couldn't move until given the signal. He got lose a few times when we first moved here and scared the neighbors to death because he would do this. Just come up and sit in front of them and stare. I showed them how to use the signal in case he ever got loose again. It happened a couple of more times before we got things secured so he couldn't get out but by that time they were able to give him his commands and bring him back to us. Just a thought if a dog comes and sits and stares at you. He might be waiting for a command. (or he might be deranged as well :D I've been on the receiving end of both! One can just never tell with a dog. And if he had been shot, I wouldn't have been upset with the neighbors. One just never knows.) But just a thought!

 

I was walking the golden retriever that we had we were first married. A huge German shepherd cornered us, hackles raised, teeth bared. I didn't know what to do. So I yelled "sit". The startled dog sat. And we slowly backed away down the street. As far as I know, that dog is still sitting!

[LUV2EDU]

I was walking the golden retriever that we had we were first married. A huge German shepherd cornered us, hackles raised, teeth bared. I didn't know what to do. So I yelled "sit". The startled dog sat. And we slowly backed away down the street. As far as I know, that dog is still sitting!

 

Quick thinking!:001_smile:

[Janet in WA]

A pit bull lived next door to us when I was growing up, and he spent a great deal of time escaping from his fenced back yard. He maimed and killed many neighborhood pets before they finally got rid of him. But he loved people. He'd run up to us and bare his teeth in a huge grin. The most amazing dog smile I've ever seen. The first time he did this, we thought we were gonners. When we realized he was just grinning because he was happy to see us, we were so relieved.

[sarahli]

Unfortunately this doesn't surprise me, although I've seen many more poorly bred Rottweilers in the Detroit area than Pitts. (I'm from the metro-Detroit area). In Detroit because of the crime levels many resort to getting a "protection dog", and because they do not have the money to get a well-bred dog, they get one from the neighborhood litter and then in-turn breed that one.

 

When I lived in TX, many families had Pitbulls chained in their yards, the dog just lived on the chain. Except the ones that ran around the neighborhood, sometimes in pairs. On the street corners you see several pickups with cages and a cardboard sign that says "Pit-bull puppyz 4 sale". And families with children driving up and laughing and picking out the family pet. Ugh. This is why they get a bad rap.

[K-FL]

There have been studies done and pits are NO more likely to be aggressive than any other dog. However, there are some considerations. First, a pit can do a lot more damage than a chihuahua (I'm really surprised THOSE didn't get pinged as most aggressive). Also, there are a lot more issues with the type of people who choose pits vs other dogs. And then there is the issue with very young children and supervision around animals. I don't think ANYONE takes that seriously enough. But they are animals and one startle, a pinch, whatever could set them off even if it hasn't in the past.

 

I really hate the bad rap of pits. They are beautiful and sweet dogs when bred responsibly and owned by responsible dog owners. It saddens me people have ruined such a beautiful breed.

:iagree:It's not the breed, it's the people. Of the 50 dogs they got from Michael Vick's place, only one had to be put down for being un-savable.

[Supertechmom]

I was walking the golden retriever that we had we were first married. A huge German shepherd cornered us, hackles raised, teeth bared. I didn't know what to do. So I yelled "sit". The startled dog sat. And we slowly backed away down the street. As far as I know, that dog is still sitting!

 

:D Good job!

I have found that a lot of the scary breeds are trained and will respond to authority. Seems like the bigger they are , the more effort some put into making sure they are trained. A shame more people don't consider training to be a necessary part of owning a dog regardless of size. A lot of dog issues could be prevented if early and continuous dog training was in place. I probably spent an hour every day going over the basics in heeling, sit, stay, down, proper doggie behavior. It is a lifetime daily commitment with doggie training.

[LUV2EDU]

:D Good job!

I have found that a lot of the scary breeds are trained and will respond to authority. Seems like the bigger they are , the more effort some put into making sure they are trained. A shame more people don't consider training to be a necessary part of owning a dog regardless of size. A lot of dog issues could be prevented if early and continuous dog training was in place. I probably spent an hour every day going over the basics in heeling, sit, stay, down, proper doggie behavior. It is a lifetime daily commitment with doggie training.

 

I agree that training is good. However, well trained dogs may still try to defend themselves against a perceived threat.

[lionfamily1999]

Was the movie called The Pack? The Pack was a 1977 movie about family pets that turned into predators.

No, I think it was on Discovery. It was one of those 'Scariest Animal Attack Stories to Make You Scared to Leave Your House Ever Again' shows. Maybe it was Animal Planet....

[msjones]

I never hear about any other breed of dog killing or randomly mauling humans. How about the rest of you?

 

I didn't intend to imply that pit bulls are the only breed of dog that can/do kill or maul humans. Obviously, other dogs can bite and cause injury. I meant that pit bull attacks are only ones I hear about. It seems that they frequently do far more damage than your average dog bite --enough so that their attacks are deemed newsworthy.

 

Is this really debatable? Tell me if I'm wrong -- I'm no dog expert. But it seems that a pit bull has far more potential and inclination to injure and kill than other dogs. That alone, in my mind, justifies some prejudice.

[KidsHappen]

This is so sad. I worked at an county animal shelter for 3 years. Most of the pit bulls I encountered were great animals. The animals I worried about were, in order, rottweillers, chows and sharpeis. FWIW, in the 3 years I worked there I was only bitten once.....by a chihuahua. But, my scariest experience was when a 120 lb rott charged me and dang near got me. The one story that sticks in my mind is the couple who had newborn twins. They were laying on the floor with dad when both of their dalmations attacked and killed one twin. This was a few blocks from my house.

Any animal is capable of hurting. Any animal is capable of loving. Pit bulls get a really bad rap.

 

You know, I always heard Sharpeis were calm, gentle dogs but my brother got one from a breeder and I tell him all the time I think the breeder slipped him a pit or rott instead. This is the most aggresive dog I have ever seen. My brother is a very responsible owner but this dog scares me.

[Greta]

You know, I always heard Sharpeis were calm, gentle dogs but . . .

 

Really? I had always heard that they were bred for fighting! I quickly (not thoroughly) browsed some articles that came up at Google, and basically I think they were originally bred to be all-purpose farm dogs (hunting and guarding) but were later used in dog fighting.