[sfwwfc]

It angers me to be reading the replies to this question. Ive signed up just to set those of you that seem uneducated or miss-educated on the path of pitbull enlightenment! Fr_Chuck.. what where the circumstances of your attack? Was the dog secured before it attacked you? Did the dog attack you or was there something about your behavior that triggered a predatory instinct? (tripped on the sidewalk, made eye contact with it, or run from it?) Is it possible that another breed would have bitten you in a similar circumstance? Sorry to burst your bubble, needkarma, but there are hundreds of accounts of children being attacked by other breeds. The most likely dog to bite is a Lab however you will never see that on the news. Sorry folks but Lab attacks just are not as sensational! In addition, Pits are not a "hunting" breed they are a "fighting" breed. My father has breed and continues to breed hunting animals. Bird dogs to be specific. Pits share very little with these breeds I grew up raising. Three years ago I met my first pit. She was a badly treated and under fed fighting dog. By fighting dog I mean her owner bet money on her KILLING other dogs. She is EXTREMELY aggressive! One night she appeared in my yard. Having a great base of knowledge about dogs I was confident approaching her and offering her the rest of my lunch. Thus beginning the best friendship Ive ever had! I adopted her and after this my first pitbull I will own no other breed. Extremely smart, fiercely loyal, and more protective than a pet lion. A lap dog never unwilling to show affection. Why would anyone own any other breed? I know if anyone where to approach my children in my yard she would be there. Better than a firearm for home defense that my daughter can find. While I know I can't bring her around other animals because of her past I would sooner trust my graceful pittbull playing with my toddler than a clumsy Lab unaware of his own strength! Educate yourself! Introduce yourself to the next bully breed you meet! Talk to a few owners! Breeds don't kill people breeders do!

[sadzgt]

[F]

This whole thing just saddens my heart that a breed of dog will be eventually be destroyed because of bad people.

[F]

Why can we not just ban bad people?

It is not the breed of dog it is the owners that need to screened. I remember through the course of my life time when German Shepards were the breed to beware of followed by Dobermans and Rottes now it is Pit Bulls. It is not the breed but the reason for, treatment of and type of owners that chose the breed. I have friends and relatives that have each one of these breeds in their family and they are all wonderful dogs. The key is that the dogs are part of their family. My son and his wife have three children ages 9,5,2 and Scooby Doo happens to be a pitbull. My neighbors have a German Shepard wolf mix,the dog is a love. Could they be dangerous? While I was sitting in our family car at age 8 our family dog a St. Bernard attacked me for no apparent reason, some say it was a drop in the barometric pressure, others says he thought I might hurt my little brother who was crying because the dog was licking his face I will never know. I do know that all dogs no matter the breed have the potenial to be dangerous.

[Binky2619]

I think it is absolutely STUPID, ( the ban ). I have a 6 week old pit bull pup named Romeo, and he has the most gentle nature. I know he is still young and has to grow into his personality, but you can just tell he is a lover. I have 3 other dogs and he follows everything they do. Teach them right, give them love, and they will be the most beautiful, loving family member you could ever imagine. My sister has a white, deaf pit bull named Zuece, and he is a 130pd BABY. He follows you around and gives you kisses, and wants to be a lap dog. He is also very good with her other two dogs. So please stop all the non sense, stop believing what you hear, forget the hype... If people would give them the chance and love them how they need to be loved, you would Stop hearind all the crap you hear today. SINCERELY A PIT BULL PET OWNER!!

[cartwright]

----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------


"Rep. Wesselhoft said the proposed bill will also include provisions designed to bring about an eventual ban of pit bull dogs in the state.
The grandfather clause contained in the bill would allow for the continuing existence of pit bulls currently in Oklahoma. However, pit bull owners would have to have the dogs spayed or neutered, and the animals would need regular rabies shots.
In addition, a pit bull owner would have to be age 21 or older and would be required to have a $100,000 liability insurance policy on every pit bull.
Also, each pit bull would have to be tattooed or otherwise marked when it is registered with the state. Owners would not be able to sell or transfer the dogs to other individuals in Oklahoma, excluding family members. And a person living in Oklahoma will not be able to bring in a new pit bull from out of state.
After those pit bulls that are allowed to remain in Oklahoma under the grandfather clause of the proposed bill die of old age, Wesselhoft said there should be very few pit bulls remaining in the state, if any."

I thank that is stupid to pick on one breed of dog .we have more parents killing there kids. Then pitbulls killing humans. People want to many rules for one breed of dog . I have a pit and if it was not for her I could have been hurt worse than I was .a boxer attacked me she was able to stop him. But you would not see anyone gripping about boxers.

[HorseLover]

Well I guess for someone who does animal rescue this is a hard question for me to face but I would like to make a attempt at it and throw some of my own views out there.I am sure this will cause some kind of stir from a few people and frankly I don't care it's my opinion and I have the right to express it... So here it goes... I have worked with many pit bulls and other aggressive dogs, which many we were able to rehabilitate(we used Dog whisperer methods,THEY WORK! ) and for those dogs they now have healthy happy homes. But let me include the types of dogs that were aggressive so maybe people will see that it is not just pit bulls and that any dog can be aggressive, it's not the breed of the dog it's the raising of the dog! As for the list cocker spaniels(these being one of the most we have seen), chows, labs, huskies,mixed breeds, pit bulls(in 15 years of animal rescue I have only seen about 2 dozen of these and all but 3 were able to be retrained),dachshunds, chihuahuas(please excuse the spelling), yorkie,mastiff,german shepard,boxer,cairns terrier, jack russel and a few others. You must realize that there are several good pit bulls out there just as there are several of all breeds out there.
Do I think pit bulls should be banned? Hell NO! Banning our choice of animal to have is just like saying it is OK to say who can have children and who can not. Better yet it would be the same as saying people of different races and / or backgrounds can not love one another, so please take a moment and think about it, since when does (what is supposed to be a free world) allow the government tell us what we can and can not own in our own home? Does that seem like we are free with rights? It seems to me when we start allowing the government to decide for us we are nothing more the walking robots doing their every little bidding. I don't know about anyone else but I refuse to live like that, letting someone else rule my rights for me. Who are we to say to anyone else that they can't own what they choose to ? I do believe owners should be held liable for their dogs but how can we hold a dog liable for doing what he was taught to do be his human leader? It's unfair to the dog, we are responsible for the children we bring into this world why not be held responsible for the animals we choose to keep?? This is has become a war of who is stronger in politics and if we continue to let them decide for us there will come a day that your cute little dachshund or your fuzzy siamese cat will no longer be allowed either. I promise you that if we continue to sit down and keep quiet instead of raising our voices and standing up to these political bullies then we will one day be without rights. It is up to everyone of us to make a stand-UNITED WE STAND, Separate WE FALL!
I have said my peace but if you have anything to add then please free as it is your god given right to do so!! ;)

[bfinstad]

I think this whole thing has gotten out of control. We need more responsible people out there breeding pitbulls to stop selling them to just anyone and stop breeding for the money! I own a pitbull that is wonderful and I would love to continue his bloodline. There is no way I would sell a puppy to just anyone. There are too many people out there trying to fight them. We need more responsible people calling in on dog fights, we need more animal cops (they are wonderful, but we need more) and regular cops. This issue is just as important if not more important than the drug issue. We have people out there traing and inbreeding dogs so that they are bigger and more aggressive than ever, and are killing people. This is a huge issue and people like michael vick need to be put away for a long long time for doing these things. If anyone told me I had to turn him in or do all that bull they're saying you have to do,I would honostly move out of this country. The government doesn't seem to know how to get things under control anymore and its starting to really make me sick!

[momofpitbulls]

At one time I was also scared to death of a pit bull (cause of what I had heard) really any dog cause I was bit by a dog as a young child & not a pit bull. Did not want one. Would not go into a yard that had one. After some one gave me one as a puppy and I trained it, loved it, it listens to me, well both (now I have 2 which the female Angel just had 8 puppies) do actually. Their good around my nieces and nephews, but don't let some hurt the kids cause they will take up for them.
I do realize they can become mean, it's in their jean, but I also believe it's the way you treat them to. I'm also very careful with my dogs. If it seams their having a bad day, as we all can you know, I just don't let the kids around them.
Just my opinion!!

[momofpitbulls]

I also forgot to mention that I don't breed mine to make money, so far most of this litter of going to family or if I have any left and do decide to sell one I will be very careful who my puppy is going to. If I don't know you, then you DO NOT get my puppy. This was Angels first litter & our family has been deciding if we would like for her to have another one or not. Because we are scared of the fact someone may end of with one of the puppies and fight it. My heart would just break. I don't believe it that at all.

[bfinstad]

Congratulations Momofpitbulls!! Im so happy to hear that there are responsible pitbull owners out there! I love to hear about things like this and how you won't just gve your pups to anyone! By the way... hey are beautiful puppies!!

[Gmoney2007]

OK this is just dumb why hate the animal just because the person that owns it is a total idiot! I have 4 pitbulls for myself and the have never bitten anyone they never attack kids or none of that! So how can you say lets ban the dog all together this is ridiculous

[MOWERMAN2468]

I agree that people should take responsibility for their animals however this affects the ones who never caused any harm also. Thats just like someone coming up to me and saying " off to the electric chair miss. we have too many brunettes burning down houses." Why should everyone else have to suffer? If people would learn not to train these dogs to be mean then it wouldnt be that way.

Got cut off somehow with rating. This breed is ferousious to begin with. It is just good at hiding it and giving people a false sense of security around them, then it will, I said WILL turn on someone and could even cause death.

[MOWERMAN2468]

Agree with Need.A pit bull is bred to hunt.Why own a dangerus animal.Just stick to faithful fido.

So what cartwright is saying is that a gentle, loving pitbull (DEFINETLY NOT MY OPION), that is bred to work with a 2,000 pound bull, is so gentle, and loving? I think it would take a ferousious animal to try and attack a bull that outweighs it by about 1940 pounds. What do you think? Makes sense don't it.

[MOWERMAN2468]

Apparently, the man who owned the dogs was a next door neighbor, and one of the dogs was pulling a sleigh with the little girl in it (who was 2, I just found out!). The sleigh went by the attacking dog and that's when he bit her in face. She was in the backyard with all 5 dogs, and I assume not much supervision! The other dogs were put down because their shots weren't up to date, and there was a question of rabies. The dog that did attack her was kept alive for rabies testing. When the testing was over and came back negative, the dog was put down too.

I think it was awfully stupid on the part of the owner and the parents of the little girl, allowing such a little child in the backyard with 5 big dogs!! Like what were they thinking?? :confused:



Yes exactly! We have a yellow lab, and we didn't have to get the special licensing for him. However if we mistreated him or let the child we're expecting kick or tease him or be mean, etc, he might attack too. Of course we'd never do that, and I strongly believe in supervision for little kids with dogs, for both the dogs and the child's protection. My dog is also in obedience classes. I don't think any breed should automatically be labled "dangerous".

Why is it you people think that when an innocent child is attacked by an aggressive breed of dog that you think they were not attended by an adult? So silly, I was attacked, and was in a salvage yard garage with the owner, my grandfather, and my dad there, all walking in a single file through the shop and I was attacked for no reason. Get real people and just admit these dogs are dangerous.

Also, just this week a young two year old girl was attacked by a pit bull when she went up to pet the dog. She had petted the dog many times before at her uncle's home. With no bad results. But this time she had to go to the hospital and almost had to have reconstructive surgery to her face. She to was not unattended, her father and uncle were there with her. The dog had never showed any aggression before to her. Guess what she too will grow up and be for any and all bans of this breed.

[MOWERMAN2468]

Your right Orange, that was really stupid on the parents fault for not keeping an eye on the little girl, and she was 2? Anytime you have a young child with bigger dogs especially more than one dog you need to keep an eye out beecause you don;t know what can happen. Being a mother this would have been just common sense since it would be dealing with dogs that were'nt mine.

There was another situation like this that happened here a few weeks ago. The dog didn't attack the child but it was an accident and this is just to prove the point why children need to be supervised with big dogs.

a little girl had been playing with her aunts dog in the backyard of her aunts house, I think the girl was four. She had been wearing a scarf, what happened was the dog had been playing with her and grabbed the end of the scarf and dragged her aroung the yard. She wasn't able to get the scarf off while this was happening and the dog ended up choking her to death. I beleive this dog was a German shepard.
But because no one was keeping an eye on the little girl this unfortunate accident happened.

Why defend the dogs here? Were you there? Do you know the child was unattended? Come on now, if you have a child that is injured by a dog, would you still be defending the dog? Probably not.

[MOWERMAN2468]

Funny though, you rarely hear of psycho poodles ripping an infant to shreds.

Hmmm, you say rarely? I don't recall ever hearing that a poodle ripped an infant to shreds. I have seen one lick an infant in the face though.

[froggy7]

so what cartwright is saying is that a gentle, loving pitbull (DEFINETLY NOT MY OPION), that is bred to work with a 2,000 pound bull, is so gentle, and loving? i think it would take a ferousious animal to try and attack a bull that outweighs it by about 1940 pounds. what do you think? makes sense don't it.

So you are also in favor of banning bulldogs and bull terriers? After all, the "bull" in dog breed names comes from them being used with cattle, and in bull and bear baiting. So they have just as much of a propensity for being violent dogs, don't they?

[MOWERMAN2468]

It angers me to be reading the replies to this question. Ive signed up just to set those of you that seem uneducated or miss-educated on the path of pitbull enlightenment!! Fr_Chuck.. what where the circumstances of your attack? Was the dog secured before it attacked you? Did the dog attack you or was there something about your behavior that triggered a predatory instinct? (tripped on the sidewalk, made eye contact with it, or run from it?) Is it possible that another breed would have bitten you in a similar circumstance? Sorry to burst your bubble, needkarma, but there are hundreds of accounts of children being attacked by other breeds. The most likely dog to bite is a Lab however you will never see that on the news. Sorry folks but Lab attacks just are not as sensational! In addition, Pits are not a "hunting" breed they are a "fighting" breed. My father has breed and continues to breed hunting animals. Bird dogs to be specific. Pits share very little with these breeds I grew up raising. Three years ago I met my first pit. She was a badly treated and under fed fighting dog. By fighting dog I mean her owner bet money on her KILLING other dogs. She is EXTREMELY aggressive! One night she appeared in my yard. Having a great base of knowledge about dogs i was confident approaching her and offering her the rest of my lunch. Thus beginning the best friendship Ive ever had! I adopted her and after this my first pitbull i will own no other breed. Extremely smart, fiercely loyal, and more protective than a pet lion. A lap dog never unwilling to show affection. Why would anyone own any other breed?! I know if anyone where to approach my children in my yard she would be there. Better than a firearm for home defense that my daughter can find. While i know i can't bring her around other animals because of her past I would sooner trust my graceful pittbull playing with my toddler than a clumsy Lab unaware of his own strength!! Educate yourself!! Introduce yourself to the next bully breed you meet! Talk to a few owners! Breeds dont kill people breeders do!

Typical pit bull owner, thinking it was Fr_Chuck's actions causing the attack.

[froggy7]

hmmm, you say rarely? i don't recall ever hearing that a poodle ripped an infant to shreds. i have seen one lick an infant in the face though.

Poodle attack brings lawsuit - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

And keep in mind that "everyone knows" that the dogs that attack are "pit bulls", so a lot of mixed breed dogs that attack someone automatically get labeled as "pit bulls". If it's a lab/sheperd mix and attacks someone, it's a "pit bull". If it's a lab/pit mix and it attacks, it's always described as a "pit bull" or a "pit mix", almost never as a "lab mix".

[MOWERMAN2468]

At one time I was also scared to death of a pit bull (cause of what I had heard) really any dog cause I was bit by a dog as a young child & not a pit bull. Did not want one. Would not go into a yard that had one. After some one gave me one as a puppy and I trained it, loved it, it listens to me, well both (now I have 2 which the female Angel just had 8 puppies) do actually. Their good around my nieces and nephews, but don't let some hurt the kids cause they will take up for them.
I do realize they can become mean, it's in their jean, but I also believe it's the way you treat them to. I'm also very careful with my dogs. If it seams their having a bad day, as we all can you know, I just don't let the kids around them.
Just my opinion!!!

WHY, would you own such a creature that when you think they are having a bad day you would not allow the children around them? When it happens to be too early one day for you to detect the pit is having a bad day, I hope the child(ren) is not injured too badly. Then they too will grow up to want this breed banned.

[labman]

I am afraid all of Mowerman's posts in this thread reflect the same ignorant stereotypes about dogs that we no longer accept with people. They certainly are at odds with the reality of all the sweet, loving Pit Bulls that live to old age and never cause a problem. I have yet to see one of his posts showing much knowledge of dogs.

All breed specific legislation is a bad idea.