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.

I agree with you about the musculature. My next door neigbour had a rottwieller.....looked beautiful but one look at the dog's chest made me realise that if she went for me I'd have no hope of fighting her off. Another mate had a lab, similar side, different build. Now that lab could have done me some damage, but I'd have at least stood a reasonable chance of fighting it.

Why have a dog that is so powerful, when you can have other , less well built, dogs?

I have a border collie (rescue dog, so rather an unknown quantity behaviour-wise, 3 years old when we got him - also first dog, as opposed to bitch, I'd had). He's a Scottish type - does that make him more, or less, demanding??

I have to admit that I don't exercise him as much as he'd probably like and there are times, when I'm working that he has to spend up to 4 hours by himself. He seems quite happy (in fact, ecstatic when I come home!) with his lot and his only "fault" is that he has a thing for the postman - seems to view him as an invading army when he dares to put stuff through our letterbox, so precautions have been taken.

Other than that, he's very welcoming to visitors. Utter wuss when it comes to fireworks or thunder though.

There was some suggestion in the news that it was fireworks which set off the dog in question - which then leads to a completely different debate over whether fireworks should be restricted to organised displays and stipulated nights of the year (rather than the year-round pot luck situation we endure at the moment).

But even 'organsed' displays can set dogs off.

I have heared that the owner had already had a warning about the dog's behaviour. Don't know if this is true or not?

Yes, but if organised displays were restricted to certain times/events, people could plan ahead. I sedate ours on firework night, but so many people set off fireworks in the weeks before and after that I can't possibly do that all the time.

Scottish types are bigger, longer in the leg and generally more solid. He's about the height of a retriever, but not quite as "large".

He's fine with the children, as is a complete softie with our rabbits and guinea pigs. The 4 cats, of course, completely rule the whole house, so no problem there!

Fio - off topic here - don't you live in Faversham? I thought you did and, when we were there last week, I kept wondering if I would see you and not know!

My grandfather came from Faversham.

It is about the only thing I know about him

LOL! Yes, it was Aero's house. Must organise another. Not sure she'd want the dogs though.

Faversham is lovely and quaint, but was not at its best last week in squally wind and showers. So, being on my best behaviour and making sure my boys were too was all wasted as there was (as far as I know!) no MNetter there to witness it .

What an appalling thing to happen, and how irresponsible of the owner.

That's my only comment on this story (BOTH sides of the argument are covered in such an enormous pile of bulls**t that it's nigh-on impossible to have a rational argument about it - IMHO ).

As a matter of interest though, here is a little quiz to see if you can identify a pitbull. Apologies if it's already been posted on here.

Quiz

Sorry to hijack but...

I thought like another poster that pit bulls were banned. About 3 weeks ago I stopped outside a house as my phone rang while I was driving. A dog appeared which was like a larger chunkier staffy which I was convinced was a pit bull and made sure my doors were locked. On one side it had serious scarring from a fight I presume and it really gave me the creeps. I drove off after my call but can't forget about it as it wasn't a staffy. Should I report it to somebody/the police? I drive past on my way to my office so can confirm the address.

Maybe try the quiz in my post ChicPea and decide then

It's not pit-bulls which are banned, it's "pit-bull-like" dogs which are.

So it doesn't have to be a full-pit-bull, to be an illegal dog.

Police have confirmed that the dog in this case is an illegal dog.

So presumably the uncle will be prosecuted.

I don't understand how any parent can have any dog around small babies and children fullstop. I was bitten by a labrador 32 years ago, when I was 2 1/2. It had been teased by children in the neighborhood. I went up to stroke it, it thought that I was going to hit it like the children had done, so it bit me. Luckily I don't remember it but my Mum says they had to hold me down at the hospital so that they could put stitches in my right hand and give me an anti-tetanus jab. My Dad almost fainted and had to sit down. I still have the scars from those stitches, as well as a deep fear of dogs that come running up to me. The dog later bit another child. I'll never have a dog in my house, no matter how often DDs plead and beg. I don't care how nice, soft, cuddly, well-trained, "not the type to bite" dogs appear to be. They are pack animals and parents can't be there 100% of the time.

I have not read the full thread but, about small breeds being more agresive than bigger ones, I think there is a reason for that: the smaller the dog the less discipline they get, with the result that the dog rules the house within a few months.

The trainer of one of my dogs put it in a few words, you can not expect a dog to behave well if you treat him like a baby. A dog is a dog not a child, and needs though and consistent leadership.

But if the children were teasing the dog, it's hardly the dogs fault if it bites. It would have warned them but they wouldnt have recognised the warnings before biting.

Petunia - fine don't have a dog in the house around babies and small children; that's your choice. But I sincerely hope you don't judge those who do

It's a poor analogy I realise, but condemning all dogs is a bit like saying all men are rapists imo

Post script - I do think it is sensible however to avoid dog ownership of the known aggressive breeds which have a documented leaning toward violent characteristics....

ChicPea... did you lock your doors because the dog looked exceptionally dextrous?

People accuse me of having a Pit Bull Terrier from time to time, but the truth is that he is a portly staffy. He is loosing a lot of weight at the moment as I have got him off his steroids, but this has made him loose his fur in several patches down one side which gives the appearance of bad scarring, although I know it wasn't my dog you saw btw!

Thats a really good quiz 2labs. Bet it takes most a while!

That quiz was a lot harder than I thought.

I had to click on all the dogs out of curiosity. That Thai Ridgeback is really hideously ugly.

No I don't judge people who have dogs with children. I recognise that having a dog is a good opportunity for children to learn about looking after a pet. But I do find myself tensing up when I see any dog and children "just being playful". Children, especially small ones can go too far and all it would take is for the child to pull a dogs tail once too often. Once is all it takes.

I'm not saying I'll never have a dog, I know most dogs are probably friendly and wouldn't hurt a fly. I just don't want one while the children are small. It's probably more to do with me never being able to forgive myself if anything happened more than anything.