Pitbull'S Good Or Bad

[meatboy]

this is a subject that was always in the news in the uk,now it raises its ugly head here in los,although banned in some countries there are still people who breed them.when a tragedy happens as in yesterdays news you always get the owners saying it wouldnt hurt a fly.back in the uk most owners were drug dealers and the dogs was owned for one reason protection,others were used for fighting[gambling] to the death.you also hear the owners are the only ones that can control these dogs,is this true.i saw many in the uk where i lived [where there were many drug gangs] they always frightned me.would you trust one in your home.where did this breed originate from and for what purpose.as a dog lover who trained greyhounds they could turn on you when on the track as there is only one thing on their mind it happened to me,my personel opinion you cant blame the dog.please lets have your thoughts and opinion's.

[martindavies]

A quick search will bring up a load of old threads discussing pitbulls. Do we really have to go through it all again?

[meatboy]

A quick search will bring up a load of old threads discussing pitbulls. Do we really have to go through it all again?

not in my time on tv there hasnt,please enlighten me.you dont have to read them.

[bprinceuk]

A few years back I remember watching a documentary of a lady in the USA who kept and used this breed as search and rescue dogs. We had a pit bull in our village which was allowed to roam free, fortunately it was one of the friendliest dogs in the village and some cruel B poisoned it. Many dogs seem to get a bad rap, when a lot of the time it is the owners who are at fault. Ceaser Millan the well known dog whisperer has many pit bulls and they seem to be happy living with other dogs.

A quick search will bring up a load of old threads discussing pitbulls. Do we really have to go through it all again?

not in my time on tv there hasnt,please enlighten me.you dont have to read them.

[F1fanatic]

As always, depends on the owner.

Its unfortunate that the 'wrong' type of person generally is attracted to pit bulls - for all the wrong reasons...

With the 'right' owner (that genuinely understands dogs and treats them as they individually need to be treated), a pit bull will be fine. With an owner that doesn't understand how to train them, they can be lethal.

And, before any snidey comments - I know that I do not have what it takes to own a pit bull!

[cardholder]

As always, depends on the owner.

Its unfortunate that the 'wrong' type of person generally is attracted to pit bulls - for all the wrong reasons...

With the 'right' owner (that genuinely understands dogs and treats them as they individually need to be treated), a pit bull will be fine. With an owner that doesn't understand how to train them, they can be lethal.

And, before any snidey comments - I know that I do not have what it takes to own a pit bull!

Fair comment about 'not having what it takes' (I think I am the same) and also about attracting the 'wrong types'.

I was thinking that if you have to have 'qualifications' to be able to own a pitbull (and I think you do) - then it is perhaps not an animal that should available on general sale.

There is a thin dividing line at this level of what constitutes a 'pet' and where 'dangerous animal' comes into play.

[endure]

There are quite a few dog breeds that aren't recommended for novice dog owners and the pitbull is one of them. As someone mentioned Cesar Milan is quite keen on pitbulls but he knows what he's doing.

[F1fanatic]

There are quite a few dog breeds that aren't recommended for novice dog owners and the pitbull is one of them. As someone mentioned Cesar Milan is quite keen on pitbulls but he knows what he's doing.

I agree. But its not only 'novice' dog owners that do not know how to deal with dogs....

Fortunately most dogs are easy going and friendly, so the problem doesn't arise too often.

I count myself in this group - I do my best for my dogs. But there is no way in the world I am assertive enough to own a dog that needs a 'dominant' personality. I've had to work v hard at showing myself to be 'pack leader' with my dogs - but its not something that comes naturally AND, it is hard work.

It needs to come 'naturally' for pit bulls and other potentially dangerous breeds - and many people think they are being 'assertive' when they are being aggressive. Which will only encourage a dogs' aggressive traits.

Edited December 16, 2011 by F1fanatic

[meatboy]

thanks for the posts so far,one thing when a someone gets killed by a pitbull it always seems to happen when left with someone who is not the owner,so 24hr.attention is a must.once again i must ask the question would you allow one in your home,my brother in law has one and we have banned him from visiting us my wife has told him he is not welcome if he brings the dog,[he says he is the only one who can control him] but do they know they have a smoking gun i dont think so.i love dogs the first one i tried to make friends with bit me [2yrs ago] now we are the best of mates and he is also friends with our own dog,so should pitbulls be in a family home or this is what i think is they should have indaviduel attention.

[katana]

Pitbull'S Good Or Bad...this is a subject that was always in the news in the uk,now it raises its ugly head here in los...

I was reading the story yesterday.

Apparently the pit bull savaged the 46-year-old owner's 71 year-old Thai mother to death in her home in Ramintra Rd in BKK. I think she was quite wealthy owning a Thai restaurant in the States.

Tragic story.

There's invariably a sense of menace around those dogs. Never really understood why someone would want to own one.

http://www.thairath.co.th/content/region/224028

Edited December 16, 2011 by katana

[bangkaew]

the Staffordshire BT used to be called a pitbull but they changed it and then bred for showing and for a family pet. In America the American Staffordshire BT was the show line and the American PBT was the fighting line. Saying that, all the afore mentioned breeds can be dog aggressive and all, with early socialisation, can and should be not dog aggressive. Any dog can be made dog or human aggressive.

What people often do not realize is that when the 'bull and terrier' was working for the butcher bringing down the animals it was important that the handler could grab the dog by the tail or leg and pull the dog off WITHOUT THE DOG TURNING ON THE HANDLER. Same with the fighting pit, there is a referee and the handlers must be able to pull the dog off regardless of how much red mist was in the dog's eyes. Any human needed to be able to do this and the dogs were bred for this. Therefore instinctively the pitbull breeds are not human aggressive at all. And in fact were known as the 'nanny' breed as children could do anything to the dog without a problem. Obviously if some psycho tortures it then it will become aggressive.

[F1fanatic]

thanks for the posts so far,one thing when a someone gets killed by a pitbull it always seems to happen when left with someone who is not the owner,so 24hr.attention is a must.once again i must ask the question would you allow one in your home,my brother in law has one and we have banned him from visiting us my wife has told him he is not welcome if he brings the dog,[he says he is the only one who can control him] but do they know they have a smoking gun i dont think so.i love dogs the first one i tried to make friends with bit me [2yrs ago] now we are the best of mates and he is also friends with our own dog,so should pitbulls be in a family home or this is what i think is they should have indaviduel attention.

If ANYONE says they are "the only one who can control" their dog then it makes sense not to allow them anywhere near you! Obviously the owner should not be allowed to have the dog - it should be with someone who is able to teach them that biting is unacceptable.

[bangkaew]

pitbulls are very human friendly but are incredibly strong so if not trained they will be a handful. I would rather have a trained and socialized pitbull around my kids than a soi dog any way!

[xen]

Just a thought about pitbulls in Thailand . They may be good dogs with the right owner but isn't there a chance that it can be like putting pirhannas in the klongs if they start breeding with the local soi dogs. Not all dog owners have the foresight to be re responsible for where their dogs will end up.

[F1fanatic]

pitbulls are very human friendly but are incredibly strong so if not trained they will be a handful. I would rather have a trained and socialized pitbull around my kids than a soi dog any way!

You're right insofar as its easier to trust "trained and socialised" dogs.

HOWEVER, I'd trust the soi dogs before some of the dogs with owners here!

Generally, soi dogs rely on people for food, so are v people friendly. I've never yet come across an aggressive (to people) soi dog.

[isanbirder]

Just a thought about pitbulls in Thailand . They may be good dogs with the right owner but isn't there a chance that it can be like putting pirhannas in the klongs if they start breeding with the local soi dogs. Not all dog owners have the foresight to be re responsible for where their dogs will end up.

I don't think a pitbull is suitable for just any owner, though I don't know quite how you could restrict ownership without banning the breed (a practical impossibility).

Sometimes you have to protect people from themselves.

[bangkaew]

pitbulls are very human friendly but are incredibly strong so if not trained they will be a handful. I would rather have a trained and socialized pitbull around my kids than a soi dog any way!

You're right insofar as its easier to trust "trained and socialised" dogs.

HOWEVER, I'd trust the soi dogs before some of the dogs with owners here!

Generally, soi dogs rely on people for food, so are v people friendly. I've never yet come across an aggressive (to people) soi dog.

I say that because my bk mix when woken or forced to move he will growl and bite. He does not break the skin but that is the instinct. And there are loads of long haired soi dogs that I bet you can get at 7 weeks and properly socialise but will have less tolerance to a 4 year old pulling their tail and ears than a pitbull. Not only have pitbulls been bred to never bite humans no matter what - this was paramount importance with such a dog, and are very human friendly, they have a very high pain tolerance and are very confident. This means they are not bothered by much. They don't fear bite.

Saying that I would not have one because I don't want the hand bags at dawn scuffles my soi dogs have at the beach etc to be a pitbull killing a dog!

[Riely]

Pitbulls are great dogs, I had them as a small child and they were loving tolerant and friendly. It's just a case of the owners trying to dodge accountability for their actions.

[meatboy]

last week a dog the same as ours badly bit a childs facein the uk,ours is the most friendliest dog you could ever meet,but would i leave a child alone with him if he was sleeping a big NO,dogs are no diff.to us when sleeping if someone pokes y you will re-act in an agresive manner and so will a dog i saw this happen a few weeks ago,someone grabbed his tail and he wipped round and growled and went to bite him if i had not been there i think he would have,a short while after he knew what he had done and was very quiet.we all know that children will try to poke a dog,so if the dog feels threatened it is going to re-act,so i would never leave a child unsupervised in a room with any dog.

[F1fanatic]

last week a dog the same as ours badly bit a childs facein the uk,ours is the most friendliest dog you could ever meet,but would i leave a child alone with him if he was sleeping a big NO,dogs are no diff.to us when sleeping if someone pokes y you will re-act in an agresive manner and so will a dog i saw this happen a few weeks ago,someone grabbed his tail and he wipped round and growled and went to bite him if i had not been there i think he would have,a short while after he knew what he had done and was very quiet.we all know that children will try to poke a dog,so if the dog feels threatened it is going to re-act,so i would never leave a child unsupervised in a room with any dog.

Depends on the dog and (perhaps more importantly), the owner.

I'd have no concerns leaving three of my dogs with children as I know that if they were being handled badly they'd run away or (if they couldn't) roll over on their back and look pathetic ! My other dog though, I suspect if someone she didn't know pulled her tail and wouldn't let go - she might bite, so I'm careful to ensure this never happens.

All my dogs sleep on my bed and although initially I received the odd growl when I kicked one of them in my sleep, I made it clear this was not acceptable (with my 'normal' noise showing displeasure). They cotton on v quickly.