Dogs, even pit bulls, are like people

[Bullies2Love]

Dogs, even pit bulls, are like people

By Traci Durant
Guest Columnist
Sunday, February 1, 2009

The banning of dangerous breeds of dogs needs to be rethought. All dogs of one specific breed are not dangerous, vicious or aggressive, and pit bull is the main breed everyone looks at. I work at a veterinary clinic and see plenty of dogs of all breeds, including pit bull, and out of all the pit bulls that come through either to board or for exams, I have only come across two that were considered aggressive or dangerous. Most of the dogs that come in snapping or growling are not of the so-called vicious breed; they are just afraid or old and cranky.

Not all pit bulls are vicious, aggressive and dangerous. Every animal is unpredictable; I have seen dogs of nonvicious breeds that live together since being puppies become aggressive and vicious toward each other. I myself have owned a lot of dogs, including Doberman pinschers, German shepherds, pit bulls and strays (mix breeds) that were dumped. More than 50 percent of all our dogs were strays and of the so-called vicious breeds. We have never had any of our dogs become vicious, aggressive or turn on other dogs or us; not even the strays that we didn't know anything about. All they wanted was a good home, and that is what they got.

Most people want to say that it's not the owner or the dog's living environment that turns the dog, but in most cases it is. It's the way the owner acts toward the dog and the way the owner treats or neglects the dog. Some people get animals and don't want to take the responsibility. Sometimes it's not the owner's fault, but fault could also be placed upon other people or neighborhood children that come by to be irritating: screaming, hitting the fence, poking sticks at the dog or trying to get their own dogs to bark and charge the fence at the dog on the other side. In some ways, animals are like people, and people are like animals by the way we act. When a person or an animal gets pushed so far, they are going to push back. In reality, people are more vicious than animals. If a person is neglected or mistreated, he or she is going to do something for attention or to get back at the world, and yet we don't ban them. They just get a so-called slap on the wrist.

It doesn't matter what breed the dog is, it should not be banned from city limits, but instead there should be certain requirements for owning so-called vicious breeds. Requirements that present and future owners must meet, such as proper fencing and ties (no chains) in yards if the dogs jump fences, but dogs still must have plenty of time to roam the whole yard. Proper warning signs if needed for watch, protection or so-called vicious dogs. All dogs of the so-called vicious breeds must at least take a certified obedience class to train and socialize the dog with other dogs and people. Owners can only own two or three of the same breed if the breed is categorized as a so-called vicious breed. Special requirements for breeders who house more than two breeding dogs of the so-called vicious breeds must have proper privacy fencing, proper kennels or housing for the dogs and absolutely no chains or ties.

I currently own a pit bull (far from vicious) along with a border collie, who my pit bull has always gotten along with. She had never seen my sister's dog (a miniature pinscher) or my parents' dogs (five Chihuahuas, a blue heeler mix and a Labrador-rottweiler mix), and she never once tried to snap, bite or charge at the other dogs. All she wanted to do was sniff and play. My pit bull has never been aggressive or vicious toward anyone. I have even taken her to meet my grandmother, and she loved all over her. I also took my pit bull to the balloon festival last fall, and not once did she bark or growl at anyone.

Both my pit bull and border collie do bark at people they don't know that may be a threat to me, and that is one thing I will always want in any dog I own because I feel safe no matter where I go. No matter what happens or where I live, I will never give up my dogs.

Traci Durant lives in Abilene and works at a veterinarian clinic.

[Julie]

I agree. My dog has always been very loving towards people, especially children (I'm assuming that's why they were originally titled 'nanny dogs'.). Plus she's just a silly sixty lb lap dog. How seriously can I take that kind of threat??

[Chuck Williams]

Well written, I think you hit the nail onthe head when you talked about outside influences and owner responsibilities. I'd like to throw in a small example of what your talking about to maybe clarify what you mean:

My girlfriend and I own a 2 year old(ish) pitbull (JD is ihis name). We have had the dog since weened and got him from a breeder. I do some work training and hadleing a working dog (GS) so i have been the primary "trainer" for JD. When it comes to certain aspects of behavior the way JD responds to my girlfriend and I are night and day. For example I have taught him to walk in a proper heal to theleft side of the human, etc.. When I walk him that is where he walks.. no questions asked no tugging, pulling , etc.. Whenshe walks him it's a different story. He will take a front postion, pull on the lead, etc.. The dog will react to different people in different ways based on the treament they have recieved. So, if strangers do nothing but irritated the dog then the dog will not take kindly to them, if an owner consistantly treats the dog with aggression and anger the dog will learn that from the human.

I have to admit that a pitbull was not my first choice of dogs. having had one for 2 years and seeing how absolutley intelligent, charming and sweet he is... I almost feel bad for thinking poorly of them. Pitbulls just like any other breed of animal or like any human should be judged based on thier individual traits and behaviors not on public or social perception. That is discrimination, it's illegal with humans yet wwe accept it with dogs. if we lived by the same principal when dealing with human beings the foirst time a white man commits a crime all white men would be locked up, the first time a black man commits a crime all black men would be imprisioned, etc.. I think you get the point. Thanks for the article it was a verty educating read.

[Joe Frazier]

Would you take a child to an orphanage or an adoption agency just because of that
child's color of skin? How about leaving that same child along the side of the road
or a major highway to get hit? Most would say that they wouldn't. But it happens everyday
right under everyone's nose. It's called breed discrimination. Good, friendly,
and loving pitbulls get taken to Animal Control Shelters. Dropped along the side of roads, even
euthanized as soon as they come through The Shelters doors. Just on the basis that they ARE
pitbulls! Not because they are mean, ill tempered, or even sick! So you say you're not racist,
or a biggot? Prove it, give a Pitbull A Chance! These great dogs deserve it, and will show you
all the love and loyalty double fold over any other dog. Oh, And Love A Pit Today!

You can make any dog mean, vicious, what ever you want to call it.... It has just about everything to do with their environment. yes, some dogs just change... they can have mental disabilities just like we can, but other than that, it is all in how they are raised. If you have a good responsible owner, your dog won't be mean, if you have someone that beats it, refuses food to it, leaves it chained to a rear axle of a car, never gives it attention, it's gonna hate people. I know I sure would hate human kind if I was treated like that. They have feelings just the same as we do, and they should be respected. Respect is earned, not given. If you establish pack leader, and treat them good at the same time, they will respect that and listen very well. Dosha does.... but if you want to be mean and cruel, one of these days the dog is gonna take a chunk out of you, then you want it destroyed... I say tough s**t.

"The Vicious Animal Is The One Holding The Leash"

How can we ask for mercy from above us, when we can't even show mercy to the creatures who are below us.

[Bullies2Love]

I couldn't agree with you more. People that are trying to ban dogs are not willing to listen to solutions and think by killing the dog is going to solve the problem. I like to stand before some people and say we have had murders for the hundreds of years and has anyone even tempt to stop that?


Here is something that all needs to read before even thinking of banning dangerous dogs. First, BSL doesn't work.

http://stopbsl.com/bsloverview/the-failure-to-improve-safety/

[Joe Frazier]

Let me be the first to say, I have never voted for a BSL, I don't think there is such a thing as a bad dog, and never scold my dog with such words, just bad people. I was a little leery of pitbulls when mom got hers, not because of the locking jaw bs, or any of those, the only one that had me on edge was the pits turning on their owners, and after having one around, knew that was bs unless it was being abused. I now have my own too. This great, loving, and Loyal breed deserves so much better than what it has now days. And if you look through the history of APBT, NO ONE HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE BREED TILL NOW! Gee I wonder why that is... people freak out over the smallest stuff now days, and some people if they aren't throwing a stink about something they aren't happy. Well I say it's time we stand up for our dogs! Flagship the breed, inform people, hold gatherings, and turn the breeds name around. But it will take all APBT, Amstaff, and Staffies owners to do so, for every 6 of us that is trying to turn their reputation around, it will only take one to undo it with all the media hype and BS that the one bad attracts. Please, support your bullie breed!!