What has four legs and an arm? A happy pit bull. What happens when you cross a pit bull with a collie? A dog who bites your leg off, then goes for help. Contrary to tasteless jokes and public opinion, it is not the breed of dog that makes a dog dangerous, rather it is the owner of a dog that makes dogs dangerous.
But, let’s face it, there are certain dog breeds that demand their owners be aware of negative opinion; and it is the owners’ primary responsibility to implement careful training and socialization of their pups in order to bring an understanding and acceptance of the breed by the general public. The breeds currently labeled aggressive include Akita, Boxer, Chow, Dalmatian, Doberman, Alaskan Husky, American or Staffordshire Pit Bull, Presa Canario, and Rottweiler. These dogs are mid-size to large and generally muscular, with large heads. The responsible dog owner must help his dog, especially the so-called “aggressive” breed, learn how to cope and respond, in a healthy and acceptable manner, to the spectrum of people, animals, places and things he might encounter throughout his life. Dog obedience classes, regular visits to the vet, playtime with other dogs and regular walks outdoors will help the dogs (and their masters) develop confidence and ease. This goes a long way in helping them become resilient in the face of unsettling situations.
Unfortunately, many of the aggressive breeds, especially the pit bull, have been exploited by certain types of people, such as gang members and drug dealers who are using them as a "status symbol," to menace communities and intimidate rivals. This subculture has emerged in recent years following crackdowns on guns and knives. Then, there’s Michael Vick, former Atlanta Falcons’ qu...
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...f by others and suffered from neglect. As a result, she is apprehensive about strangers, so I monitor her behavior at all times.
One can imagine that there is a lot of hysteria with regard to those pit bulls who have attacked or killed people or other animals. It may seem practical to euthanize these dogs as rehabilitation is not always a practical option when people are hurt and grieving. However, it is not the breed that causes senseless acts of aggression; it is the acts of the dog’s master who is the underlying cause of the aggression. All dogs may bite, but dog bites can largely be prevented by proper training and management. Dogs can become aggressive out of frustration and dominance. “The frustration comes from a lack of exercise, and dominance occurs from the lack of strong, but calm leadership from its owner,” says Cesar Milan, the popular Dog Whisperer.
Perhaps the reason why pit bulls are feared by society is because we are afraid of what they are associated with. Pit bulls are often thought of as a gangster’s pet, a role in violent and illegal activities. People stereotype this breed because of the unfortunate acts of few. In contrast, society needs to understand that they are being racist towards a breed of dog. Denver’s systematic killing of pit bulls could be compared to the actions of the Nazis during the Holocaust.
...ports Illustrated cover photo of a pit bull (Pit Bull Rescue Central, "Breed Information”). Dog fighting made a comeback during the 1980s and the pit bull became the favorite macho dog for dog fighters. The dogs were trained to kill or be killed. Pit bulls were also the preferred guard dog for gangs, thugs and criminals. Since the supporters and detractors of pit bulls hold such disparate opinions regarding the ferocity of the breeds, it is only hoped that further discussion and education will help resolve the sad fate that awaits these unfortunate animals. Simply placing all the blame on the breeds will not solve the problems of dog fighting, overbreeding, aggressive training, and excessive euthanizations. Lastly, the biased, sensationalistic publicity of horrific dog attacks which has destroyed the reputation of the once beloved All American Dog must cease.
Pit bulls, the most dangerous dog to ever live. People like to train Pit Bulls to fight other dogs until they are either hurt or dead. The owners that train the dogs are usually the ones that make the dog turn out to be vicious and dangerous. “Each year, 1.2 million dogs are euthanized, approximately 40% of whom are Pit Bulls”(Moore). Pit Bulls don’t know better to understand which is right from wrong since they’re being raised up to fight and protect. Pit Bulls aren’t good family dogs due to the power of their strength and that they could attack at any moment.
Many people associate a negative connotation with the dog breed “pit bull.” These dogs are thought to be dangerous and problematic. However, much of this can be attributed to the mass amounts of negative media attention that pit bull breeds receive as opposed to other breeds of dogs that can be just as dangerous. For example, The National Canine Research Council did a four-day study on dog-bite repo...
Most of the dogs on this list are common household pets, like the Labrador retriever, and are normally non-aggressive and very friendly. Many times these dogs show no sign of aggression and pose no threat to society. Perspective One Breed-specific laws were put in place with the expectation to help prevent dog bites and attacks. The State and Federal government both came to the conclusion that this is a positive way to promote safety from dog attacks. “Both state and federal courts consistently uphold the constitutionality of breed-specific pit bull laws.... ...
One reason people are so frightened of pitbulls is for their roles in street gangs. They are often used as what law enforcement has begun to deem,
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), there is a “great deal of confusion associated with the label ‘Pit Bull,’” as it does not refer to a single breed of dog, but rather to a group of breeds with similar characteristics1. These characteristics include short hair, a wide skull and shoulders, muscle definition, stocky build and a deep jawline, the combination of which create a dog that manages to strike fear into a perfect stranger. The term ‘Pit Bull’ is derived from the bulldog, which was originally bred as a hunting dog for large game, but has since developed into a “loyal companion rather than a working dog.”1 Their history as “gripping dogs” for hunters follows them into modern society, as many of these dogs have been inhumanely pitted against one another as well as other animals for sport and for human entertainment1. It is because of these illegal fighting rings that ‘Pit Bull’ type breeds have become the subje...
...ociated Press published an article “Pit Bulls are A Danger to Society,” yet this year, the same publisher issued an article “Attitudes and Laws Against the Pit Bull Soften – The Big Story” in which the Pit bull advocates hail the changes as recognition that breed-specific laws discriminate against dogs that are not inherently aggressive or dangerous should not be discriminated against or victimized. The debate puts millions of pit bull owners up against a relatively small group of activists against the breed and challenges the notion that Pit Bulls that are well-cared for had any history of aggressive behavior in the first place, closing the argument by again stating what the Canadian Encyclopedia explained, that their actions were just a park of the cycle of favorites and least favorites that has always been and always will be in the history of ownership of dogs.
Pit bulls, like any other dog, grow into their temperament. The way the dog is raised rounds out their character and general temperament. According to the “American Temperament Test Society: Pit bulls pass temperament tests 84.1% of the time, which ranks them slightly better than golden retrievers (83.8%) and cocker spaniels (81.7%), and well above miniature schnauzers (78.6%),” (The Biting Truth). Myths have generated atrocious attitudes towards this breed for years. The nature of the dog to be a protector to children and the bulky build of pit bulls makes them a very easy breed to target. These opinions ...
Roughly about 30% of all dogs are pit bulls that are taken to shelters which depending on the area that figure can raise up to 60%. Not every pit bull rescued were a part of dog fighting but John Goodwin, of the Humane Society, says most of the dogs have scars and marks to show for their fights. The fate of these dogs remain to a judge that determines whether the fight dogs need to be euthanized. Since these dogs were trained to be aggressive and attacks other animals 9 times out of 10 they are to be put down. The dogs that haven’t been a part of dog fighting fit into a family and shows no sign of
Even though pit bulls are the majority of dog attacks anybody hears about, they are loyal and caring dogs. All they want is the love and approval of their owners. They will do anything that they are told to do. Their strength, stamina, and speed fuel the passion they have for their owners. Pit bulls are not vicious by nature; they are good guard dogs fueled by the love for their family; and, they are definitely loyal friends. They have a lower temperament than many other well-known breeds; therefore, they are not vicious by nature at all. They are very strong guard dogs. Pit bulls are known to be a scary breed, so people stay away from them. They have an amazing amount of speed and stamina that they can use to chase predators away, too. Pit bulls are the best friends anyone could ask for. They are loyal and loving creatures that just want to please their family. They are good dogs to train to be around children. If the children are a part of the dog’s family, then the dog will protect the child at all costs. Pit bulls are a good breed to have as a family
They can suddenly become killing machines and destroy everything including kill people. They even hurt their owners when they are unhappy. The dogs stand about 50cm high and weigh between 25kg to 40kg. If they want to hurt people, nothing can stop them. Steve Austin, who is elite dog trainer, said, “Anyone who has a pit bull would never admit it.” In April 26, 2014, the events is from the Daily Telegraph reported by Janet Fife-Yeomans. Pandelis Germanos, who has Caeser and another four pitbull-type dogs which is to prevent his house was got hurt from his Caesar and another four Pitbull-type dogs. When she tried to pull Caesar off her mother, she lost his two fingers. Another true event happened in 27 May, 2013, this events’ source is from The Daily Telegragh. Three vicious dogs savaged a man who is jogging. Due to a neighbours’ help, he did not die. Chris Thompson who was one of the people that fend off the dogs said that he had grabbed a pot plant and cracked it over one dog’s head and the shock made them disperse but then they came back and latched onto another person’s hand. A hard pot plant cannot cause any injury on the dog. Mr Keith Kirkpatrick, who is a Brisbane dog trainer and adviser to Brisbane City Council has said, “They’re not a good guard dog because when they bite they switch off. You can tap them on the head but there’s nobody home and their plan threshold is
There are many different dog breeds and they all have different temperaments, which is partly why many dog lovers are sometimes more particular to one breed than to others. Although not all seemingly unique breed behaviors are breed specific, most importantly aggression.
Currently, pit bulls have been reported by the media with very horrific and disturbing news of having attacked a child or being shot by a police due to aggression while some are reported to have been abused or neglected by its owners (Forderer and Unkelbach 534). And because the reports keep coming with heated discussions, more and more people have forged a frightening image of pit bulls even to the extreme of refusing to take care of such breed. Pit bull advocates claim that the dogs get a bad reputation considering that people should learn the dogs are not inherently aggressive. What the pit bull advocates would like to point is that the owners of the pit bulls should be considered guilty for mishandling of their own dogs. There are owners of pit bulls that even encourage the dog to be aggressive in order to fight and protect them in a wrong manner and wrong degree of training (Forderer and Unkelbach 536). Pit bull advocates claimed that a well socialized and well trained pit bull would be very intelligent and could be one of the gentle dogs imaginable.
When dogs bite or are being aggressive , it is sometimes what their owners teach them. For example, some owners teach their dogs to hunt or to fight. When owners praise the dogs for doing one of those, its making the dog think t...