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Original poster

Pit bull terriers

381 replies

Freckle · 01/01/2007 11:32

Can anyone explain to me the attraction of owning a pit bull terrier? Why would you choose that breed over any other? Especially when there are children around and the breed has a reputation for unpredictable behaviour - and don't forget that the breed was developed to take on bulls, so it's not going to be a pussycat in any circumstances.

Another child has been killed by one, apparently owned by her grandmother - here . I don't like flagging up bad news on here, but I'm struggling to understand the mentality of people who choose to own such dogs.

OP posts:
DominiConnor · 01/01/2007 19:25

Problem of the last Tory government getting rid of the only person in their midst who had any science qualification.
"Breed" is a matter of opinion unless you're going to fork out for a programme of genetic sampling to determine "bad" genes. Round numbers that's a few hundred million quid and 2-3 Nobel prizes worth of breakthroughs.

You can define a knife as "dangerous" based upon things a copper in the street can determine.
As I recall flicknives are explicitly forbidden as well as guns.
We need the same for dogs.

That's not going to be "fair" in the eyes of Daily Mail readers.
The only way such a law can be workable is simple tests like size.
Any dog above a certain size requires a muzzle say 2 ffet from nose to rump.
Serious fines for non compliance. If you afford to feed a big dog then a £10 fine is irrelvant. Define big enough that within 3 months after the law is passed that unmuzzled dogs are not spotted. Increase the fines until this is so.

For dogs above (say) 20 lbs, a compulsory test for behaviour. Dog is poked, exposed to loud bangs, etc. Failure means dog is put somewhere safe at the owners expense.

Of course I am in la la land.
It's far better that kids are ripped to pieces so people can show how rich and hard they are with big dogs.

Pixiefish · 01/01/2007 19:28

that would be workable dc

tribpot · 01/01/2007 19:30

But the whole 'you'll lie if I tell you' 'no I won't, just tell them the truth' opening gambit is one of two people who are still emotionally involved with each other.

I know it's incredibly easy to say, and incredibly hard to do, but you need to break that connection if H is to understand that you are separate, if not truly separated yet.

Obviously he knows all the buttons to push so it's a nightmare, but I think you responded exactly as he wanted, by engaging with him as if he had a right to be involved in your personal life.

To ignore his command to lie to his friends would have been better, and then if you ever had been in a position in the future where you would have had to lie about why he didn't go out last night (which, let's face it, who really cares about anyway) - just don't. Don't lie. It doesn't matter what he says you should do, do what the hell you want. But don't make an issue of it with him and dance to his tune as a result.

tribpot · 01/01/2007 19:31

Arrggggh Firefox crashed and then restored the session - this post belongs on an entirely different thread

(Also agree with Freckle re: the pit bull terrier though)

nothercules · 01/01/2007 19:37

But the problem is not necessarily the size of a dog although if you are being attacked then it would be. Pit bulls aren't particularly large dogs.

Pixel · 01/01/2007 20:35

They are 'designed' to be hard to restrain though aren't they? They are solid muscle and have a smooth short coat so there is nothing to get a grip on. There are also those powerful jaws which I'm sure I read somewhere are supposed to 'lock' when they have got a good grip on their victim. I know other breeds are capable of aggression but I don't think they are all as capable of doing so much damage in a short time.

nothercules · 01/01/2007 20:46

That's my point - being small doesnt mean less dangerous than a large dog.

incognitovet · 01/01/2007 21:06

I work in an inner city vet practice and can honestly say that in the last couple of years the fashion of owning a staffy/pit bull type dog has gone completely over the top

Mostly they are owned by young lads who have absolutley no common sense or sense of society.
They let them shit in the street and never clear it up, they never wormm them- a helath hazard to children, and worse than that, they encourange them to be aggressive with dogs and people.

The number of dog bite injuries we see is truly staggering at the moment.

As I work for a charity, we have a policy that tries to tackle this problem by talking to the owners about responsible ownership...
and on a personal level, if a dog has gone for a person, I usually read the riot act and strongly suggest euthinasia..

this is something that i have been slated for on here, but I still do it. I don't want to feel that i have been too lenient and not prevented a child's death

There are tons of stray and unwanted pets, why bother with a dog that you know has shown the potential to attack?

bloody tradegy,

paulaplumpbottom · 01/01/2007 21:24

Shouldn't ant dof who shows aggression by law be put down? I have a gorgeous Springer spaniel whom I adore, and I don't believe he has an aggressive bone in his body and he is very sweet with my daughter even when she is torturing him (dressing him up and and covering him in blankets) has been nothing but patient.Having said that I would never triust an animal 100% and if he showed any aggression I would seriously consider putting him down.

incognitovet · 01/01/2007 21:27

i think they are allowed to be aggressive at home...

sameshitdifferentyear · 01/01/2007 22:00

Don't agree at all with DominiConnor's remark that all dog 2ft from rump to tail should be muzzled. I'm assuming I read the post correctly, it did make for somewhat odd reading. However, if this were to be the case (the size of dog and muzzling issue) hundreds of large dogs that are docile family pets and have never shown any malice or agression, would become very miserable being forced to wear a muzzle, and this alone would alter their behaviour and temperament. Not all large breeds should be tarred with the same brush of pitbulls and similar breeds. That said, there are still pitbulls, staffies, rotties etc that live in harmony with children. I would like to see a law where breeders have to be more responsible about who they sell their dogs to. I know a lot of these dogs will have been sold on by people that aren't fit to be under the title of breeder, and this is what needs to be stamped out. Legislation, tighter laws and controls is what's needed. Together with responsible dog ownership. I only hope, for the sakes of the children - and adults that have been mauled and tragically killed by dogs, that we see this happen.

paulaplumpbottom · 01/01/2007 22:28

Who would police that? Apparently they can't even police the policys that are in place now.

Original poster
Freckle · 01/01/2007 22:53

This is why every dog should be microchipped. The chip would show when it was last vaccinated (chip can be updated at vets), when it was neutered, ownership, etc. Any dog not microchipped would be put down (harsh and I am an avid dog lover). No dog bred for aggressive purposes could be bred and would not receive a microchip.

I know this won't stamp out all attacks, but it would limit the scope for irresponsible pathetic men to own dogs which they think confer some sort of macho status on them (it doesn't - it merely makes them look sad and rather lacking in the balls department), without any thought for training or safety.

OP posts:
SparklyGothKat · 01/01/2007 22:59

FWIW My staffy is netured (was done at 6 months old), vacaticed (sp??) going for his booster on the 8th, and is mirco-chipped. We only let him off his lead if we are the only people in the field, and he is never allowed to roam without us.
Pit bulls need to be all destroyed, I remember the laws coming in in 1992, so can't understand why there is still pit bulls around tbh.

Original poster
Freckle · 01/01/2007 23:04

I think the problem is proving what is a pit bull. The news said that this was a "pit bull type". However, I understood that the DGA stipulated similar types as being banned too.

Perhaps it's time to stop certain breeds as they serve no practical purpose (after all do we need to control bulls these days?) and have aggression bred into them. So all bull terriers would die out and perhaps also other breeds, if they pose a risk. I know that all dogs pose a potential risk, but it's the breeds which cause such terrible damage when they attack that I am thinking of, as opposed to those that "just" bite when threatened or attacked.

OP posts:
SparklyGothKat · 01/01/2007 23:04

I found this which is dated 1992, and says that under the dangerous dogs act, that all pit bull terriers have to be netured and tattooed, and they have to be muzzled in public places. surely this law is still in place and the police have the same powers to get these dogs destroyed...

AitchTwoOhOhSeven · 01/01/2007 23:09

sparklygothcat, can i ask why your dh wanted a staffy in particular? i think they're lovely looking creatures, personally, but i'd be wary of getting one because of the effect they have on other people. in fact i'd be wary of getting a dog in the city full stop, but that's another a personal thing of mine...

expatinscotland · 01/01/2007 23:09

My FIL's pet dog was attacked by an Akita at a posh park in Edinburgh last month. My FIL was so shocked he didn't get the owner's details - FIL has ill health and incident really rattled him, he was alone and had no mobile on him at the time.

It's frightening to think that these irresponsible owners' dog is still out there.

I don't understand the number of unneutered dogs I have seen here in the UK.

TBH, it really shocked me when I first got here.

kid · 01/01/2007 23:14

My yorkie was in a local park when he was attacked by another dog that was being walked off its lead. DD (then 1 yr old) was with us and thinking back now, the dog could have got her.
Our dog was almost killed in the attack. The owner and my DH was hitting the dog with a bag and lead but it would not drop my dog. I bet the owner never expected her dog to do that, I also bet she didn't have the dog destroyed. I never saw her or her dog again. We just had to rush home with our dog with blood pouring from his head

SparklyGothKat · 01/01/2007 23:17

HIs best friend has 2, and they had puppies. He wanted a dog that would protect me, and if I am truthful, Riddick is more my dog than his. He is normally is by my side all day. He is a beautiful staff and I love him lots, but I still shut him in his crate when other children come round as he gets carried away and knocks them over (great clumsy oof he is)

2shoes · 01/01/2007 23:20

sorry quick hijack SparklyGothKat please if you live anywhere near me can I come and meet your staff. I so miss mine

AitchTwoOhOhSeven · 01/01/2007 23:21

wouldn't any dog protect its owner, though?

SparklyGothKat · 01/01/2007 23:21

I have to share this awwwww pic He is a lot bigger now, wish he was still this tiny!!

SparklyGothKat · 01/01/2007 23:24

Thats true, but we had a lot of trouble at our old house and he wanted to know that I would be safe, and as staffy have a rep. he knew that people would be wary of him IYKWIM.

SparklyGothKat · 01/01/2007 23:26

2shoes whereabouts do you live?