Dallas baby dies after pit bull mauling, police say

[CashMan]

German Shepherds were the pitbulls of the 1970's. A large spike in popularity lead to irresponsible breeding and people taking in large, intelligient, high-drive animals that need the right environment to develop normally.

The result was, every time a poorly bred and improperly raised GSD bit someone it made the news and they got the same rep that pits have now.

It will be interesting to see which breed turns up next at the top of the hit list.

There is a reason, why Shepards are used as military/police dogs and pit bulls are not. So, I do not think it will just shift to another breed. Part of it is environment, I think a majority is genetics.

 

[Faerluna]

German Shepherds were the pitbulls of the 1970's.

Then it was the dobermans in the 80's. The the Rotweillers in the 90's. Now it's the pit bulls.

Nobody ever looks at the other end of the leash for the problem.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

There is so much wrong with this thread.

 

[joseephuss]

Then it was the dobermans in the 80's. The the Rotweillers in the 90's. Now it's the pit bulls.

Nobody ever looks at the other end of the leash for the problem.

The pit bulls started in the 90s. The dobies were in the late 70s and early 80s.

It is the other end of the leash that are dragging down these breeds.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

If people don't want their children around Pitt Bulls, that's fine. If people don't want to be around Pitt Bulls, that's fine. I do not agree with people who want to ban Pitt Bulls or kill them outright. That's ignorance and never a good policy IMO.

 

[StylisticS]

My dad has a pit. Cool dogs. I showed her once in that snow picture last year on this board. Very nice towards people. She barks but that's all she is about when she actually is with people. I still like Rottweilers better though.

 

[joseephuss]

If people don't want their children around Pitt Bulls, that's fine. If people don't want to be around Pitt Bulls, that's fine. I do not agree with people who want to ban Pitt Bulls or kill them outright. That's ignorance and never a good policy IMO.

I am not promoting doing this, but it is easier to ban Pit Bulls and enforce that ban than to make sure only people who know what they are doing own them. It is too far reaching, but it is an easy solution.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I am not promoting doing this, but it is easier to ban Pit Bulls and enforce that ban than to make sure only people who know what they are doing own them. It is too far reaching, but it is an easy solution.

Easy for who? Not for the Animals themselves. We all know what happens to banned animals.

You start going down that path and pretty soon it will be Dobbies, then Rotties, then Boxers etc. This is one of those things that once you put it in motion, you can't say where it might stop.

 

[jobberone]

If you ban Pit Bulls then do you also ban a mixed breed with Pit Bull and if so how much. How do you prove a mixed breed has or doesn't have Pit Bull? What about banning all the top ten dogs responsible for the majority of attacks? While that would temporarily likely reduce morbidity and mortality, people would find or develop breeds to replace those dogs and you'd be back to square one.

You cannot legislate morality or outlaw stupidity. Heck, you can't even define it.

 

[iceberg]

I am not promoting doing this, but it is easier to ban Pit Bulls and enforce that ban than to make sure only people who know what they are doing own them. It is too far reaching, but it is an easy solution.

it's easier to ban just about anything than figure it out.

these days we're banning just about everything cause it's just not good for you.

there are hard parts of life. you simply can't ban them and pretend it's better.

 

[dreghorn2]

German Shepherds were the pitbulls of the 1970's. A large spike in popularity lead to irresponsible breeding and people taking in large, intelligient, high-drive animals that need the right environment to develop normally.

The result was, every time a poorly bred and improperly raised GSD bit someone it made the news and they got the same rep that pits have now.

It will be interesting to see which breed turns up next at the top of the hit list.

So much misinformation in this thread. Not in this post though.

 

[Faerluna]

I am not promoting doing this, but it is easier to ban Pit Bulls and enforce that ban than to make sure only people who know what they are doing own them. It is too far reaching, but it is an easy solution.

Breed Specific Legislation is an ugly path to take. It gets worldwide attention when a dog like Lennox is confiscated, proven by DNA to not even be a pit bull, confined unjustly for 2 years and then killed anyway for no lawful reason.

I just read this yesterday, too:

http://everythingworthknowingilearn...-your-labrador-retriever-is-safe-think-again/

Another fine example (one of many) of the people in charge being ones that no absolutely nothing about the subject of the laws they are enforcing, to the detriment of all pets and pet owners alike.

 

[joseephuss]

Breed Specific Legislation is an ugly path to take. It gets worldwide attention when a dog like Lennox is confiscated, proven by DNA to not even be a pit bull, confined unjustly for 2 years and then killed anyway for no lawful reason.

I just read this yesterday, too:

http://everythingworthknowingilearn...-your-labrador-retriever-is-safe-think-again/

Another fine example (one of many) of the people in charge being ones that no absolutely nothing about the subject of the laws they are enforcing, to the detriment of all pets and pet owners alike.

I agree. I wouldn't want to see that path taken.

 

[tomson75]

Never really understood the whole "Pit Bulls are just fine if you raise them right" argument.

Tons of animals are fine if you raise them right. Cheetahs are very docile creatures in the right atmosphere, doesn't mean I should be able to raise one in my house.

I'm sure if you raised almost any reasonable sized animal from birth in your house he could be a great pet. But that doesn't mean you should be able to do it. Nor does it mean you should subject other people to potentially having some sort of issue.

"You always hear about pits because they are so big and strong that they do more damage than other breeds, not because they attack more".

mmmkay. Then they sound like they shouldn't be allowed to be pets to me.

This post is total BS.

 

[Tabascocat]

This post is total BS.

Haha, was thinking the same. I always wanted a hippo as a pet. I bet I can raise it in my pool, think I can safely swim with him?

There are wild and domesticated animals, most of the wild ones can never be domesticated. That snuggly cheetah will someday eat your beloved family dog and there is nothing that can be done about it, it is in their nature.

I'm sure Siegfried and Roy would not condone having tigers as pets

Pit-bulls are not wild animals, but if they are not raised right and/or mistreated, they have the ability to snap. This falls on the master and imbeciles should not own them. I am not in favor of banning them though, we never hear the good stories, which probably outweigh the bad ones.

 

[Faerluna]

I am not in favor of banning them though, we never hear the good stories, which probably outweigh the bad ones.

Here's one that just happened near us:

http://www.fluvannareview.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4051

More interesting pit bull info:

http://www.ywgrossman.com/photoblog/?p=676

 

[ZBTHorton]

Haha, was thinking the same. I always wanted a hippo as a pet. I bet I can raise it in my pool, think I can safely swim with him?

Nice reading comprehension there. I used the word "reasonable". Pretty sure a hippo isn't reasonable.

There are wild and domesticated animals, most of the wild ones can never be domesticated. That snuggly cheetah will someday eat your beloved family dog and there is nothing that can be done about it, it is in their nature.

Actually. Dogs are used as companions for cheetahs in lots of zoos.

Example: http://shine.yahoo.com/animal-nation/dogs-cheetahs-unlikely-friends-185400115.html
Another: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ndlf5_L5gsE
Another: http://abcnews.go.com/US/video/cheetah-dog-friendship-10010528

I'm sure Siegfried and Roy would not condone having tigers as pets

Tigers are also...obviously not reasonable.

I used the cheetah example specifically because they are so docile. Another good example would be the fox, who is actually trained and owned as a pet in some countries(Russia for one).

Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1G2yZMUNUQ

 

[Ren]

There is a reason, why Shepards are used as military/police dogs and pit bulls are not. So, I do not think it will just shift to another breed. Part of it is environment, I think a majority is genetics.

They are easy to train yet incredibly strong, smart and fearless, the perfect dogs for that kind of work. Treat them with the same irresponsible neglect a lot of pitbulls are and they can be just as dangerous, they are not born trained. Luckily for the breed they are not the "cool" dog so most of the people who get them are pretty responsible.
Heroin junkies used to use these dogs in Oslo for protection when they got high and those dogs where anything but safe to approach or be around and there's a lot of heroin junkies in Oslo so it was not uncommon to come across one that was off its leash. Because of this i've seen far more aggressive German shepherds then i have pitbulls. Genetics or owners?

 

[tomson75]

Nice reading comprehension there. I used the word "reasonable". Pretty sure a hippo isn't reasonable.



Actually. Dogs are used as companions for cheetahs in lots of zoos.

Example: http://shine.yahoo.com/animal-nation/dogs-cheetahs-unlikely-friends-185400115.html
Another: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ndlf5_L5gsE
Another: http://abcnews.go.com/US/video/cheetah-dog-friendship-10010528




Tigers are also...obviously not reasonable.

I used the cheetah example specifically because they are so docile. Another good example would be the fox, who is actually trained and owned as a pet in some countries(Russia for one).

Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1G2yZMUNUQ

:laugh2:

Wow.

 

[Tabascocat]

Nice reading comprehension there. I used the word "reasonable". Pretty sure a hippo isn't reasonable.

I was being sarcastic because it is unreasonable to compare a dog to a cheetah, they have the instinct to hunt and kill, which will always be there. They might be ok for awhile, but it won't last.