Category: Animal House
You know the whole with banning danger dog spiecies from some states. Now, talk about that.
Breeds and spiecies are two different things. For fuck's sake, stop making an idiot of yourself.
Hahahaha, Joanne. I agree. She misworded that, but I do know what she's getting at. For example, Pit Bulls are banned in a lot of states these days. I think it's pathetic. A Pit Bull, raised by the right owners, can be a very peaceful, loving dog. It's when the wrong kind of person raises them that there's trouble. I think banning breeds like Pit Bulls punishes both the dogs, and the owners who would raise them well.
Yes, pitbulls are very nice if raised by the right people. i met one recently. He's hyper, but friendly. *smile*
Yeah, I am quite an idiot when it comes to animals. I admit I don't know much about them at all. All I know is they survive. Hahahahaha. Kidding. Continue with your conversation, don't mind me...
My bf has a Pitbull. He is a nice dog around people, but he doesn't get along with other dogs. We have to keep my dog and him seperated when I go over to visit. My apartment does not allow agressive dog breeds such as Pitbulls.
I think banning certain breeds is not the answer. People often make bad dogs and the dog is usually the one that suffers for it. I have seen wonderful pit bulls and rots I have also seen ones who are agressive. People get the dog for all the wrong reasons. They want an attack dog, or a fighting dog and they ruin the animal. Another factor is often people get dominant dogs and have no idea of how to manage them and the dog tries to be leader and set rules. You know a friend has a scar that she received from a dog and it wasn't a pit or a rot, it was from a labrador. also, if pits were suddenly to disappear from existance ppl would just find another dog to take it's place to be agressive. any dog, if treated nastily enough can learn to be mean. Pits are preferred b/c of the lock jaw.
I heard someone defend their right to keep a pet lion. "Lions can be rather sweet," was what he said.
Everyone talks about 'bad owners' - all dogs are good - things like that, but what happens when someone gets hurt?
I think, if you want to keep pit bulls, oh wolves, oh lions / tigers / whatever, you have an obligation to keep them away from other people - and animals.
What do the animal rights / PETA croud do when one of these dangerous types hurts a defenseless animal?
Some dog are bred, or socialized, to be extremely docile. Look at dog guides for example. Or the tiny ones that so many people have now.
I guess"then the doggie lovers would have a connundrum on their hands.
If dog lovers want to make inroads, then perhaps dealing with the real dangers, rather than issuing platitudes about good dogs and bad owners, is in order.
i've heard of vigetarian lionesses. hehe well she was kept ok.
Rotties have lockjaw as well. Now, as I'm forever persuading idiots like my dear but sometimes very mixed up mother, if a Rottie attacked a child and you couldn't prize its jaws open, well, that is an example of very bad ownership and how that particular dog is raised. Now, as a lot of you zoners will know by now, my BF's parents have the most gorgeous Rottie, in fact, the most gorgeous dog I've ever had the very great pleasure to meet. The most he'd do to anyone, whether he was getting some veryry much wanted attention from a small child, say, my little cousin Robbie, 26 months, to say, somebody the same age as my Grandparents,would be to nibble your fingers since he's still very young and at 3 years of age, still hasn't left puppyhood behind, bless him. Now, since he was raised in perfect hands, would that make his breed on the whole so dangerous that all Rotties would have to be banned from anywhere? God, that is just so ridiculous it is also just blimming unbelievable. Those blimming officials out there need to get their backsides across the pond to Scunthorpe, they really do. We will be waiting there with Borris, so I can promise you, I don't think they'll find it in their hearts to go home again after they met such a gorgeous dog, let alone ban all of his breed from parts of the US of A. In both BF Kris's and my words, Borris demonstrates what Rotties really aren't, lol.
Jen.
That still doesn't answer the issues raised by people who get attacked. Perhaps a ban is not the answer. But animal lovers would serve themselves far better by providing the general public with solutions, rather than platitudes and testimonials. I'm not picking on animal lovers; that is true of anyone wanting to continue something that is dangerous to the health and safety of others. A testimonial is no more than marketing material for your next pamphlet or whatever. I'm not saying I disbelieve you about your particular animal; in fact if you are exposing a child to it, it is probably very tame. However, responses like yours are not uncommon amongst advocates, who would serve their animals far better by providing actual solutions, to actual people who encounter these situations. Being rushed by a dog is no joke, whether the one being rushed is a human, or one of a massive number of non-aggressive dogs.
But who decides what is an agresssive dog and what isn't. Any dog can be nasty. so, by that logic then all dogs should be banned. And the key is that the owner needs to be aware of their dog and have that dog socialized. If the dog is not socialized then they need to be the one who keeps it under control. So, in that sense, it still in the owners fault, not the dog's. There are bad pits and good ones. I was bit in the face by a pit when I was a child but I don't condemn the breed. I wouldn't go near that particular dog again but I didn't judge the rest of the dogs I met by him. Owners are the ones who need to take responsibility with their animals. You know, I would never leave any dog alone with a child I don't care how much I knew the dog. And again who determines a dangerous dog. Do you know what breed they have the most records of receiving bites from? a cocker spanniel. So are we to ban all the cockers because of that? People need to take responsibility, control their dogs and train them and not get them for the wrong reasons. One of the guide dog instructor's where I work has a pit as a pet and she is the sweetest gentlest dog ever. She was raised properly and that is the key in so many of the situations. I saw someone at the vet with a rot who was letting the dog do whatever he wanted. The dog told her what to do and that can be a recipe for disaster.
I am afraid that people nowadays take animals, especially dogs, as a status symbol or as a "toy" and forget that dogs should have a certain education. It is in all dogs nature to try to get the higher position in the group possible. Dogs used to live together in groups and the one who was the strongest became an alpha - the first dog. Nowadays. this "group" is a human family. When a dog, no matter which breed he is, comes to a family he starts climbing up and up. Unfortunately, because of people's ignorance and stupidity, it often happens that a dog becomes an alpha and rules all the family. His "masters" lose all the authority and respect.
People should know that raising a dog, a small poodle or a big husky is a responsability, a long way of several years, a strong relationship. Dog will always try us out. Dog will always try to get the higher position on a scale. It is up to us whether we will allow it or not.
In the perfect world I would provide the minischool for all people who want to have dogs. I wonder who would then really decide for one.
Well, a lot of the time, I'm afraid, it is bad ownership makes for dangerous dogs. It all depends how intelligent some breeds are and how much social interaction and stimulation they get from their owners and other people around them, enforcing good behaviour, using praise and rewards if and when the dogs merit them, totally ignoring/blanking them for behaviours which are unacceptable.
Quoting my friend who's parents are the very lucky owners of a totally drop the dead gorgeous Rottie then, If you've got a good owner, you've got a good dog.
Jen.
I agree with both of the last 2 posts. good owners make good dogs. and too often I see ppl letting their dogs rule the roost. You can train with positive methods and still establish who is the leader. Dogs are happier with structure as it is more close to what they would live in the wild.
dogs, like people are influenced by the enviroment.. so, if it's raised wrong, misstreated, abused, homeless, and what ever, then you're going to have an agressive dog.
handled bad, you have a bad dog...
I've always been afraid of Pit Bulls and Rotties. But more so Pit bulls. You hear more about Pit Bulls attacking kids and adults alike, sometimes out of nowhere. I remember, when i was little, a rottie attacked a friend of mine's nephew and he was in critical condition for afew weeks. The dog jumped the fence, chased him and was shot by a police officer.
I also agree that owners need to treat their dogs with love and respect but that they need to teach them obedience with positive training as well. I sincerely think their should be classes for this, more so than there already is, and that those who choose to get the more agressive dogs should be required to take them. All that said, I think that dogs must be credited with having their own personalities. Even an abused dog can learn to be pleasant and tame, and sometimes, even the best trained dog can turn violent. It's the same with humans, only most of us are fully aware of what's acceptible behaviour and what's not.
I have two beautiful white boxers. Yes, I've read all of the crap about white boxers being blind; (if blind is reading hand signs from across a large yard), and, deaf; (if deaf is hearing the treat bag from in the house when they're outside), than I guess they're deaf and blind...Yes, I've also heard about boxers being "mean". My girls aren't. They're loving, but they do try us at times, and that's when you have to step in and show a dog who is leader of the pack. You want a suggestion of a solution? If I understand things correctly a parent is always held responsible for a child's actions if said child isn't old enough to be held accountable...Ok, if a dog misbehaves, it's simple, hold the owner responsible as if that dog were a young child...If the dog bites someone charge the owner with assault; whether or not the bite occurred to a minor, if the dog leaves a mess in a public place charge owner with littering...I guarantee you, if such laws were set, owners would learn to be a hell of a lot more responsible for their charges.
I should have said set and enforced!!!
Beautiful ideas! I wish they could be implemented.
Definitely. I mean you hear stories about Pit Bulls, sometimes packs of them, attacking someone out of nowhere and even killing them. But they never blame the owner. It's always the dog. Now I trust a Pit Bull as far as i could throw one, but maybe if they got proper training, they would be better dogs.
Most dogs can be good if trained good. There are those rare incidents where a dog is ogressive because of chemical balance (or lack of), but that can be tested for...Some breeds have a hier incidents of having chemical issues than others, but those can be identified and tests ran. However, in my opinion if your a responsible dog owner: (1) Train your dog to be friendly and only attack (if you want a guard/attack dog) when commanded or circumstances dictate, and that requires high training indeed! (2) Clean up after your dog. (3) Teach your dog not to chew on objects of or steel objects from others and keep yapping/howling/wining down, ETC...You get the picture...All of those irritating habits that will majorly piss off your neighbors? :) Our girls don't bark/howl/wine unless there is an emergency; (potty time, strangers approaching; {then they hush when told}, in pain, ETC), our girls are either in the house, on tie out or under our supervision; (which avoids issues like steeling the objects of others), and, I work with them every day. My husband has compared our dogs' behavior to others around us; (pet store, taking walks, ETC) and from what he has seen; (and I've heard), they are the best behaved dogs around: If I must say so myself. LOL. As most of you can probably tell I'm rather proud of our 1 year well trained white boxer girls. :) And, it hasn't cost me a cent to train them. I've simply used what I learned in Guide Dog School and what I've researched on the Internet. It really isn't that hard. :) Just takes a little time and effort: (And, oh God, let's not forget the patience)!!!
Maybe banning certain breeds isn't the answer, I don't know. But if states have restriction, like MA has on pitbulls and their owners, they should be obeyed and the owner penalized if they're not. Here owners of this breed of dog have to muzzle their dogs in public; be at least 18 to own one and submit their and their dog's photo to Animal Control; there are some other parts of this law I can't remember, but owners of this breed are specifically registered. A big name football player here flaunts this law, claiming residence in CA...tough * if you're going to live here even part of the year you are expected to abide by our laws. And maybe I'm wrong, perhaps it's wrongful training of these dogs that makes them aggressive, but what kind of moron keeps one in his house with an INFANT?! It is a risk, like it or not. I do not like this particular athlete, and it sounds as if he is testing to see exactly how much he can get away with.
Also is anyone here familiar with a dog originally bred in the Canary Islands? I forget the breed name, but in the San Francisco Bay area some years ago one attacked and killed a woman who lived in the same complex as the owner. There was, if I'm not mistaken, some talk about banning this particular breed, and it's not a breed I recognize. Never heard of white boxers either, but I do like boxers.
I still think limitations should be dealt with, and if there are limits to how docile a dog can be because of its biology, then no matter how people / dog lovers feel, we have a duty to innocent civilians, who while beeing torn apart aren't going to be thinking about who handled the dog right or wrong.
We already take biology into consideration: If I had a dog with extremely short hair there's no way in hell I'd let it remain outside in winter very long, even if someone told me its training said that it could do cold weather, because its biology prevents it from being able to handle the situation. And who would take a husky or other thick-coated long-haired dog into a tropical climate? Maybe someone could claim it was conditioned to "get used to tropics" but its biology would indicate the animal would no doubt suffer tremendously.
If it's true that the pit bull breed's brain is too big for the braincase, giving it constant headache, then yes, that would be cruel to breed new ones. What to do with the existing ones? I don't know but whatever situation would work for a dog with chronic headaches. Probably like us a rather sanguine and predictable environment. I just think if there are biological factors, they should be considered without all the emotion associated with dog-lovers.
The idea of charging the owner is practiced at least in Washington state if I'm not mistaken.
I have an idea of what to do with existing pit bulls: breed them intentionally w other breeds of dogs to filter out their undesirable characteristics. Human beings have ethnicity related diseases, like sickle cell anemia and Tay Sachs (Ashkenazi & French Canadian) where they should not partner up with someone from that group who is a carrier. Why not intentionally breed 'em with other breeds of dogs, to get a potentially lovable mutt? A former neighbor once had a pitbull/dalmation/boxer mix that was very friendly.
As for biology, that is partially why I don't keep a dog up here. In states like Florida you obviously don't need to pour salt on the ground to keep folks from slipping in snow. The salt on the ground in winter months has to be murder on the dogs' foot pads. I don't know how dog owners get around that up here. And I have actually known folks who kept Siberian Huskies in Florida. Most likely they were indoor dogs who were taken outside only for walks, but that has to be an uncomfortable existence for such a large dog that's obviously designed for colder climates and working in colder climates.
Biology can even affect choice of pet depending on region and response to it. For example if a doctor in Florida orders a toxoplasmosis test, most likely he has a patient w AIDS who is running into opportunistic infections. If he orders it up here, most likely he/she is an obstetrician with a pregnant patient who owns a cat. Cats carry this virus in their solid waste, and while it is practical to have outdoor cats in warm weather states, it is not possible to do so but a small part, maybe half the year here, so most likely cat owners are handling/changing cat litter, and if they're not washing their hands well or are immune compromised, like pregnant, they will be more susceptible to that virus.
Yes, I can see the issue with the pits; (if it's headaches that are causing the issue), but that is not an issue with boxers. Plain and simple they're smart enough that if you abuse them they will strike out, but they're not smart enough to know the difference between Joe who abused him and Tim who didn't; (depending on the circumstances), and they're not smart enough to know what they are being taught; (attack, kill, ETC) is wrong. Not even humans are expected to know right from wrong if they're raised one way...So, a big part of the problem is those individuals who look at a dog and think it looks mean, so, what do they do? They make it mean. That dog is no more to blame if it strikes back than a human who's been abused and has finally snapped. If anything, the blame is less, we are supposedly the smartest animals on Earth, so, how can we expect more out of an animal who isn't as intelegent?
Excellent points spongebob and cattleya. I think breeding them so that the traits disappear is a wonderful idea. It's good for the dogs and good for us. I hate it when animals (or humans for that matter) are born with all these medical problems when it can be avoided.
I have PitBull. She's a very gentle, sweet dog. It's just how you train the dog, it's the owner, not the dog. For example, I've never had a bad experience with a litbull, but I me and my friends were attacked by a Labrador Retriever. The dog was abused, and still to this day, is abused. It'sour neighbor's dog. Any dog can be friendly, any dog can be mean. It's how the dog is raised.
I know. But what about those Pits who attack out of nowhere and attack total strangers at that?
Why don't you call the police or an animal rights organisation on these neighbours if you know that they're abusing this dog? Surely, if you know about it, they can easily discover that you're telling the truth and fine and/or inprison the people and take the dog away.
I have like 3 times. They always manage to get the dog back. But I think the dog has died. And PitBulls don't usually attack people. If they do, it's because they were tkught how to by their owners. They were taught it's okay to attack children because the owners don't raise them in the proper way.
The town I grew up near has banned pitbulls. Why? Because a bunch of teens were teaching them to fight and taking them around town and sicking them on puppies, smaller dogs and people, and the pit gets blamed? Humans really are not logical or intelegent.
I just got a pit bull due to breed specific legislation in the state where she lived. She's an amazing, caring dog, and as long as she's not allowed to be the pack leader, there's really no problems. Any bulldog needs to be shown who's the boss, and trained from a young age to be sweet. I don't tell people what kind of dog she is though, just because of the bad stigma. The fact of the matter is, most attacks the media blames on pit bulls aren't really pit bull attacks at all. Furthermore, in all technicality, pit bull isn't a breed of dog, but a type of dog with certain characteristics. The name Pit Bull encompasses several different breeds.
The deal about the pack goes for any dog. We have two beautiful, friendly, sweet boxer females, but despite their training; (I've worked with one since less than 8 weeks), they still have to be reminded of their places in our higherarky. Consistancy, disiplin, love, and stability!!!
Thanks for the information on pit bulls! I never knew that there really isn't a breed with that name. *smile*
The true names for dogs which people call pit bulls are American Staffordshire Terriors, American Pit Bull Terriors, American bulldogs, Boston Bull Terriors, and in some places, even Boxers are considered Pit Bulls. The fact is, any of the Molaser breeds are prone to animal agression, but because backyard breeders breed for looks instead of temprament, unfortunately, many dogs have picked up a bad name. Mostly, it is ignorance shown by the general public, programmed in by sensational media. The fact is, I've never met a bulldog who was mean to people. Mine doesn't like the cats, but we crate her up when we want to interact with them for now, until I can get some professional help for her. She tends to be skiddish of other dogs who approach her hard, but once they sniff each other out, they're always buddies with her.
I def wouldn't get a Pit bull or allow one around my future children. There are only a few breeds I trust fully. Saint Bernards, Brittanys and Golden retreivers.
St. Bernards? They're a bit big for smal children are they not? But I don't agree with banning breeds in certain states or at all. After all it's not the breed itself that's bad. It's the owners who mistreat or otherwise train them to be aggressive. Tat's why I love that show The Pit Boss on Animal Planet. Kudos to Shorty for working to dispell that myth.
ST Bernards are awesome with kids! I would trust them before I trusted a Pit Bull.
I wanna meet one. I don't think I ever have. I don' recall every living near anyone who owned one, much less anyway we felt close enough o that I could feel comfortable asking permissio to pet the dog. I wanna feel how soft they are. As for Pit BUlls though, it's ironic tha generally speaking other dogs, dogs supposedly more gentle than Pit Bulls, have bitten more people. I could believe that golden retrievers on average have bitten more people than Pit Bulls. Any dog that feels threatened is going to react.
As for the St. Bernard though I've heard how gentle they are. I was talking more about the dog accidentally knocking the kid over simply due to his size. When I was a kid my folks had to give up a dog for that very reason simply because he was so exuberantly affectionate. Not that he was a St. Bernard (although for years I thought he was). Actually I think he was a beagle. But we had him during the time I was trying to learn to walk and anytime I'd make a move he'd run up, knoc me down and start licking the heck out of me. In fact the only image I have of him is all fur and tongue, this fuzzy, rolled-up rug with what felt like a bunch of tongues. LOL. And I remember him being a lot bigger than Beagle would imply since I don't believe they're a large breed.
Gotcha. And you're right, beagles are tiny.
This one sure didn't seem like i. But I'd love the chance to meet a St. Bernard since I've heard they're incredibly soft.
actually there are two sizes of beagles. one is 10 to 12 inches tall and the other kind stands about 14 to 16 inches. They are great dogs but licking machines for sure. also they are not easy to housebreak which is so-o-o-o-o gross.
As for st. bernards, they slobber everywhere. they have these huge jowls and they will shake their heads and spray the world within 50 feet. they are very gentle and loyal but don't live very long.
as for the original topic of this thread, i think they should not ban breeds of dogs. what they should do is make the perspective owners take a class on dog care and obedience. in my state if you register for a hand gun you have to take so many hours of that kind of class so why not for a dog. hey even more radical why not for parents?
Exactly. And then they need to educate the general public about the breed itself, and the fact that the breed itself isn't good or bad but that they're what we, human beings, make them. It's like I said, that's why I like that show The Pit Boss. As for Beagles, Pete was definitely a licking machine. And maybe he was one of the larger sized Beagles. As I said the only real memories I have of him are fur and tongue, and it felt like he had at least three tongues in that head of his.
Goodness only knows I have not read all
of this here board topic
yet, why some dogs
treated so mean?
Sometimes it's because the owner wantsan aggressive dog because in thir mind it'll make him look cool to have an aggressive dog. And some people are just mean that way. And unfortunately it's the dog that pays for it more often than not since the breed more often than not ends up with a bad repuation because of what humans beings did to a few of them to make them aggressive.
hearin' ya
And the infuriating part is that like issues related to blindness there's a disturbing number of peopl who absolutely will not allow themselves to be reeducated aout, let's say the true personality of the Pit Bull. I remember one episode of Pit Boss in particular that really made me mad. Shorty and his crew's whole mission is to dispell the myth that ALL Pits are vicious, aggessive animals. Well part of that involved a photo shoot that was supposed to net them an easy grand, which they needed to pay some vet bills. Well they brought one of their more dossile Pits to the shoot and the photographer didn't like it because the dog didn't look big, strong or mean enough. He wanted to put these big, heavy chains on him and even wanted to go so far as to spray ketchup in the dog's mouth and all over his muzzle to make it look as though he'd just bitten somebody. And then he accused Shorty and Co. of being unreasonable when they walked out on him. Uhm, hello? You obviously didn't hear the part about howthey wanted to showcase the friendlier, gentler side of Pit Bull nature that the media and other idiots have glossed over.
I don't like Pit Boss. Pit Parolies is better.
I don't know. I just can't stand Tia. Pit Boss is funnier in my opinion.
Pit Bulls and Rotwellers {I know, not too good at spelling haha }
cool like doggies
then
again....
like was stated previously
it goes much in the handling and care of the puppies
did not hear a thing
{computer where I am at is
on mute}
Not using a screen reader
Still, there is a difference between the enter key and the space bar.
In any case, what is the difference between these two shows. I love Animal Planet but haven't really watched tv in a few years so missed these.
Pit Boss has a lot more language I wouldn't use and prefer not to be exposed to if I can help it.
Pit Bulls and Parolees is about alady wh owns a ranch that serves as a Pit Bull rescue. So they both have generally the same goal, to rehabilitate as many Pit Bulls as possible and dispell the myth that the entire breed is vicious and dangerous. But Tia Maria Torres hires prison parolees while SHorty Rossi hires little people. Of course his rescue facility also doubles as a talent agency for aspiring actors. In fact most of his small crew either have acted or are working in that direction alongside the Pit Bull rescues.
Never leaving a dog alone with a child, hello? What planet are you living on? When I go down to the basement to switch over a load of laundry, I don't put my German Shepherd guide dog out the back door because my toddler is playing on the living room floor with his blocks. That was just an unthinking statement, and any guide dog handler who is also a parent will tell you the same. To LeoGuardian. I know pitt bulls who are service dogs, so sorry, but you will just have to digest that and reevaluate your thinking. I also know a child who was badly maulled by a golden retriever, FaithInGodForever, and has lasting nerve dammage. Being pregnant does not make you immune compermised. It can make the fetus vulnerable, but it actually strengthens the immune system of the pregnant woman in most aspects. There's nothing freaken wrong with having a well trained pitt bull in the same house with an infant. I know someone with a pitt bull assistance dog, and yes, she has two children, should she not have her amazing service dog around her infants? Fortunately, in those states and cities ignorant enough to have BSL, breed spacific legislation, the law does not apply to service dogs, otherwise pitt bulls, ratwilers, german shepherds, boxers and dobermin pinchers who make outsdanding service dogs, guide dogs, hearing dogs, etc would not be able to do their work. I know many pitt bulls and ratwilers, not to mention the obvious german shepherds who do search and rescue, also many are tharapy dogs. Most people do not report small dog bites, because they are smaller and can be dealt with at home unless they are to the face or another particularly vulnerable area. If every bite by a shitsue, pomeranian, etc were reported, then the bites by Pitt Bulls would be negledgable by comparison. That bit about Pitt's brains being too big is crap, it's an unsubstantiated theory long since disproven, not grounded in reality at all. To the one going on about coat length. The thick coats of huskies are insolating and, yes, they can protect against heat quite well, almost as well as they can protect against cold. Many responsible pet owners have huskies, samoids, etc in warmer climates, they just keep their dogs hydrated and are attentive to their condition, and they do just fine. As for boxers having short coats, why don't you tell all of the TSE grads working boxers in the northern United States how it is cruel, or can't be done, while they laugh in your face. As to salt getting on dog's feet, you use musher's secret, lanolin or vasoline and voila, problem solved, or use mushing booties for your dog's feet. Thank you, Jesse, Pitt Bulls are not a breed, so as to the rubbish about breeding them out, how dare you all talk about destroying a breed either by out breeding it into extinction or by euthanasia, when you don't even know what you're talking about? That's canine natzism. And, it's idiotic, the American Pitt Bull Tarrior, the Staferture Bull Tarrior, the French Bull Dog, the American Bull Dog, etc are all dogs classified as Pit Bulls. In a study pictures of both pure breed and mixed breed dogs were shown to animal control officers, veterinarians and police officers and only about 5 percent correctly identified the APBTs American Pitt Bull Tarriors. To faith in god forever, get real, not allowing one particular breed around your kids? Well, won't you feel ashamed for your judgemental and ignorant attitude when I go by with my lovely GSD or one of my friends with a sweet Pitt Bull tharapy dog pass you on the street and your children flock to our well-behaved and sweet tempered dogs. Here's a story for you. After Challenger, a remains detection dog, a Pitt Bull, wearing his prominant orange search and rescue vest took his handler across a golf course and a man nearly killed the dog beating it with a golf club, just because he saw a pitt bull running towards him, despite the handler in uniform and the dog in a search and rescue vest. People who make snap judgements and sweeping statements like you do aut to be ashamed of themselves.
The way I put it was pregnant OR immune compromised, which includes a # of immune disorders. I had my daughter in a cold weather state, and an ob will ask if you have a cat in the house on your first visit so they know whether or not to ask for toxoplasmosis testing, as this virus is sometimes carried out in cat waste. As far as different breeds being classified as 'pit bulls', and used as therapy or guide dogs, aren't guide dogs trained for this purpose from the time they are pups? They have been specifically handled by a group of people trained to teach service animals, not to bully them, mistreat them, or breed 'em to fight. That is the problem with some of these dogs, not the dogs themselves, but the fact that they end up in the wrong hands & get mistreated or bred for fighting purposes. The pit bull that's been trained for therapy or a guide dog is different than the ones that tend to wind up in shelters.
Well, you may have meant "or" between pregnant or imune compermised, but that's not how it came out, so I responded to what was written. Actually, the pitt tharapy dogs I know, 2 of them and the one service dog were all rescues from shelters. I agree with you that people make dogs the way they are, was responding to another poster on that score, I should have been more clear. I appoligize.
No problem...It's great the shelter pitt bulls worked for therapy and service work. We actually had a family in this neck of the woods with a pitt that was a friendly one, but there was a warning on one aggressive dog of this type in the same neighborhood. I still cross my fingers around 'em, though, as it seems a lot of young, lower income people keep 'em to "look tough", and I hope these dogs aren't being bred or kept for fighting purposes.