Not to be going off with personal attacks, but I honestly can't tell if you're a troll or if you're just actually really dumb...

lol, a ******ed gem in a thread full of them. Pitbulls are inherently more dangerous than many other breeds of dog, this isn't in doubt and is the reason people are saying they should be banned/licensed.

License all dogs. That was you ensure pet owners are good enough to care for their dogs and wont abuse them, that the dogs are raised correctly and checked to ensure they arent aggro and you can teach the owners about how to correctly raise a dog so it wont eat the face of a baby.

Reading the title of this thread, the real question isn't whether pit bulls shoudl be allowed to breed but rather should Pit Bull OWNERS be allowed to breed.

Most times, the dog is fine, dogs are dogs for the most part.

it is the owners raising them to be aggressive and 'tough' dogs that is the problem IMO.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...011802504.html

or...

HAHAHA nice one. I'm sure plenty of people are mauled to death every day by golden retrievers, collies, shihtzus, etc. It's just not deemed newsworthy unless it's a pitbull.

In the article linked, it says pit bulls, not golden retrievers. Just sayin...

I've had more issues with friends labs and shepherds than friends pitbulls. Its all in how the dog is raised as a puppy imo and how the owner treats them. **** one of my friend had a pit that was the biggest lap dog. You could lay on the ground and use his belly as a pillow and he wouldn't give a ****. I've been snapped at a number of times by a couple shepherds. Hate those dogs. Pits have just been given a bad rap by all the inner city thug owners/media.

I saw a documentary on dogs a couple weeks ago. Certain breeds can be more aggro by instinct than others and i have no doubt Pit Bulls are one such example.

Sure being raised well is better than being raised badly, but all things being equal certain dogs are closer to wolves than others and will be naturally more aggressive.

I dont know if this equates to getting rid of Pits, but its dumb to argue all dogs are identical in natural temperament just as its dumb to argue all dogs are equally intelligent.

Ummm....

Again no one is saying pit bulls are the biggest biters. We're just saying when they do decide to bite it's way more vicious, pre-meditated, damaging and w/o warning than other dogs. Pitbulls don't snap. They clamp on.

suzzer, you checking out "The Pit Boss" reality show?

Nope.

Whaaaa?

I've had a few pits and they are undoubtedly more difficult to take care of. They are very aggressive and extremely strong and need much more work from an earlier age than most dogs. However, if you train them properly they are the most loyal, obedient, intelligent dog that you could ever hope to have.

However, I think they should not be allowed to breed for the most part. You go into any shelter and the majority will be pit bulls. There are just too many of them and they are too popular. With that many pit bulls, some are bound to have terrible owners and that is just a recipe for disaster.

All I know is pits are a beautiful breed of dog and I would love to get one or 2 someday when I have a place for them. More than likely just one though.

Had a pit bull mix who was awesome, a gentle loving dog. I hope its okay to post this here, there is a dog at a shelter in New Haven CT Shelter who is on the urgent (not much time left) list. If anyone is interested, here is the link.

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/dis...petid=14503805

I think they may have two urgent pits. It would be great if they got a home.

Just my opinion, but I wish no dogs were allowed to breed until all of the millions and millions that are out there waiting to be adopted got homes. I have always adopted and never regretted it.

I don't think they should be. Way overbred for sure. Most are put down here in Phoenix, overcrowding.

Accurate. So many 'purebred' dogs have so many genetic disease tendencies that I wish the whole process would just grind to a halt. FWIW, we have a boxer/pit mix and although she does occasionally fight with our other dog, she is extremely friendly around people and an absolute joy to bring to the dog park.

Yes, let's put the government in charge of licensing pit bull owners. That will solve the problem appropriately.

I doesn't matter how well they are raised. They can snap at any minute despite their demeanor.

lol

I own a pit bull, he is a beautiful dog, and it is my dream to run a pit bull advocacy group/pit bull rescue shelter. This thread has infuriated me but maybe some people will listen and learn something if its approached calmly.

It seems like most of the negative reports about this breed is parroting of media stories, which are often exaggerated or misreported, and when its discovered the next day that it was actually a German Shepard, boxer, mix, mutt, whatever, its not going to be on the front page as a clarification. If you only learn about something from sensationalized media outlets, of course it is going to be distorted.

To the people who have had a personal negative experience with a pit bull (assuming the breed was identified correctly, etc) it seems like an OVERWHELMING majority of the owners were ignorant people. So whats the answer?

I think EVERYONE should be more responsible with their animals, nut just pit bull owners. OPs story is very sad, and it is clearly the guys fault. He wasn't a monster, or a thug, he stayed for the cops, and was worried about the well being of the woman's dog and his own. The problem seems to be education.

Pit Bulls can develop dog aggression, it often happens around their third birthday, but they are one of the LEAST likely animals to bite people. These dogs were selectively bred to be extremely tolerant of people. Dog fighters stand in the rings with their animals, pick them up in the middle of fights, point at the opponents dog and tell them to GIT GIT GIT and attack vulnerable points. Dogs that bite their handlers are pit down immediately . Through unnatural selection these animals are bred to be completely tolerant of all humans.

So what causes the problems? Mistreatment. Sadly, I think a majority of companion animals suffer unnecessarily, but because of the culture of dog fighting and its naturally criminal elements, pit bulls attract the most unsavory members of our communities, and these are not the type of peoples to offer a safe and happy lifestyle for animals. Personally, I'd like to see EVERYONE be held responsible for their animals, and require that everyone get a license.

Anecdotes are just anecdotes, poker players should know about sample size. You hear about pit bulls because WHEN things go bad they can go terribly bad. Of course this is true, but there are not going to be 100,000 other reports alongside the tragic ones with headlines like "Pitbull kisses man's goddaughter, joy ensued" or "Powerfull pitbull impresses owner's friends with how high he can jump." But here are some of my own anecdotes.

My dog was a male "pitbull" (who knows that his genetic make up is, staffordshire, boxer, etc) stay. There have been two occasions where stray dogs (a lab and a collie) have charged at my dog snarling and lip raising, and I spoke calmly to my dog and held his collar while I spoke firmly to the dogs to get back. One lunged at Lars and I intercepted with my leg, which got bit. My dog listened to my commands to stay, I shook the attacking dog off, and the owner arrived to grab his collar. He refused to fight a strange aggressive dog that was HURTING me because I told it. Is that a an out of control pitbull? This was a dog that had NO training before I knew it and I only had time to train the dog after grinding 3-4 hours a day and being a full time student.

And it isint because my dogwouldn't protect me if I was in real danger. I play wrestle and shadow box with my friends all the time, and Lars knows that its play. Normally he interrupts by trying to wrestle with me. But once on a walk I was accosted by a homeless drunk who pushed me up against wall and asked me for my wallet. My dog was wearing a cute little blue coat and I think the guy mistook me for a yuppie/hippe/pussy but Lars instantly stood between us and pushed the man down with his paws.

I carry a non harmful citronella spray to deter stray dogs from approaching, and a parting stick, or break stick, which is a notched peice of wood about the size of a hammer handle that can slide inbetween the dogs mouth to gently open it if he is clenching his jaws. $25 dollars worth of tools and I am more prepared to deal with my dog getting into an accidental fight that 98% of dog owners out there.

My dog is never let loose without a leash, he never barks except for when people approach the door, and its only a couple half assed "whoofs" then. It is terribly terribly simply to keep a pit bull safely in your house, and completely rewarding. These animals, because they have been bred to bond with people so deeply and are so willing to please their masters, are insatiable snugglers with often hilarious personalities. If you put in time as a puppy, and are careful, you have the best dog possible. If you rescue a dog that has been in bad situation, they can be rehabilitated and become terrific animals. Pit Bulls are one of the most successful breeds in not only athletic competition, but even in therapy work.

/rant