Pit bull terriers

[Freckle]

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.

and all dogs could attack, and all dogs might think they're top dog, and i'm sure that you are if anything more careful than the owner of let's say a golden retriever. but the fact is that you got him to make some people who you didn't like wary, so you can't grumble if people who you do like (or don't know) are also wary too. that is all i am saying here.

fed up, gets on nerves, same difference. i still think my point is valid (and not particularly controversial, as it happens).

staffie

pit bull the ears o na pit bull are the most defining difference i think.

I don't like the look of Staffs but the only one I know is the soppiest thing you ever met.
My brother bought a Bijon Frise because his daughter is asthmatic and they're supposed to be a 'hypoallergenic' breed.
He had to get another dog as well because when he took the B F out on its own he got homophobic abuse!

i'm not a dog expert but haven't the pitt bull's ears just been clipped?

yes staffys are broader,
And I completely agree with you, I am not expecting everyone to love my staff, he is a staff. who have a bad rep. Which is why I put him into his crate when we have vistors or workmen etc in the house. I am fully aware that some people are scared and in that instance he is put away or taken home.

yes your point is vaild.

aitch no not clipped, pit bull ears are more upright triangular and piontier, its actually on the dangerous dogs leaflet about the ears.

They clip Great Danes' ears in America, apparently. Barbaric if you ask me.

american pit bulls have sharper faces

why did I think pitbulls are smaller?? They do look similar don;t they!? Didn;t realise that, I can completely understand why people are scared now.
But I do wonder why pitbulls are still about when the DDA was put into place in 1992, surely they should have died out by now..

We have a beautiful newfoundland which are huge and fluffy and renowned for their excellent nature with children. My dd was two when we got the dog - she's four now. I have often had to reprimand her for elbowing the dog and pulling her ears when she is cross that the dog has sat on her toy or something...the dog has never reacted at all and seems to instinctively know to be gentle with dd. i.e. If I lie on the floor reading and generally minding my own business, this is an open invitation for ten stones worth of fluff and dribble to dive on me for a play. However if dd is playing on the floor, the dog steers clear. I believe she does respect dd as superior in the 'pack'. That said, she once bit my foot by accident (I kicked the ball out of the way a little too early!) and although she immediately let go once she realised she had got me instead of the ball, the pain was excruciating - and the skin wasn't even broken - and so I dread to think how powerful she would be had she meant it. I trust her 99.9999% but you still have to be careful.

actually i may be wronmg about the earclipping

'Here are some more facts about pit bulls

• Their ears are cut short so that there's less for the other dog to bite in a fight.
• A lot of dogs are labeled "pit mix" at the pound based solely on looks. Dogs labeled "pit" in the pound are less likely to be adopted.
• Pit bulls are rumored to have a jaw that actually locks into place when they bite something really hard. That's not true. They're just really strong.
• The word "pit" comes from dogs fighting in a pit.
• England outlawed pit bulls in 1991 with its Dangerous Dogs Act.'

sorry!

I don't think these dogs should be allowed as pets it doesn't matter how trained they are or how lovely they usually are they are inherently (spelt wrong I know) aggresive animals it takes one thing for them to kick off and when they do as this story proves it can be disasterous.

But under the DDA, a pitbull had to be netured, tattooed, mirco-chipped, muzzled in public places. As they had to netured, why is there still pitbulls in this country??

I think neutering and spaying should be mandatory for all pet owners but registered breeders.

In the US, when you adopt a pet from a rescue centre or pound, it leaves the place neutered or spayed, no exceptions. I mean, they came in there as unwanted animals, why create more?

Makes NO sense not to neuter or spay immediately. There is NO evidence that early neuter or spay affects the animal's growth at all.

In fact, it prolongs the animal's life directly by eliminating the possibility of reproductive organ cancers and indirectly in that many behavioural problems are the result of an unneutered or spayed animal.

IMO, if you don't want to neuter your dog b/c you see it as feminising it or as cruel, you have no business being a pet owner.

exactly Expat. We got our dog netured at 6 months (didn;t have the money for it before then) 1, because we never wanted to breed him, and 2, because I have seen what overbreeding a dog can do, and 3, because why bring into the world more puppies. I saw in the paper last week, that a litter of 6 week old staff puppies had been left at a dog's rescue centre along with the mother, because the owners couldn't cope with them, WHY breed her if they couldn't handle it??

expat - at the idea of compulsory neutering for all pet owners! Seems a bit harsh!

It's too bad you had to wait, Sparkly!

Again, in the US, there are a number of charities who will pay the cost of neuter/spay and many mobile units where the vets will go into areas of deprivation and offer the procedure free of charge.

It's a money-saver in the end b/c fewer unwanted animals for the council to contend with.

Not to mention the animal's life.

lol missed that one forty

I wish that I had the money before then, but at £129 it wasn;t cheap, but defo. worth it.

You know EIS, the more I hear about the USA makes me think that somethings our government really need to think about it.

I think the PDSA will neuter animals for very small cost for people on benefits in the UK. Alternatively - why don't people get a dog or cat from a rescue centre? They are already neutered.

A lot of it is to do with breeding, a family up the road ahve a weimaraner whihc I ahve reported to the police and RSPCA as they allow their young children to walk it and they can't control it. the dog has gone for my springer a few times and is often free to wander in and out of the house and into the front garden which has a low wall where it iften snarls and jumps at kids as they pass by. Sadly nothing seems to have been done as I am sure it is an accident waiting to happen.

As for staffies although they look scary and I am not a fan I kow two families who have one and they swear it to be a lovely family dog. I do know someone else who has a staffie however and he is always bragging about how dangerous it is and the factthatit has such a strong jaw that could kill, and they have four children. I don;t allow dd to go to their house. I ahve also seen a staffe come running out of someones house and attack an old lady who was walking her yorkshire it then proceeded to literally tear the dog to shreds before out eyes.

As for large dogd being dangerous, my anecdotal evidence from walking the dog is that little ones are certainly the worst when it comes to being aggressive with other dogs, it is always a little yappy dog thatwill try and take on my springer who is scared of his own shadow! It is as if they have something to prove because of their size.

Unfortunely for us the PDSA doesn't cover our area. My cats have been netured by the cat protection, but we had to pay for the dog, which I didn't mind doing, because I needed wanted to breed him, also wanted to calm him, as he can be hyper.