It is irresponsible to say my wife wouldn't bite anyone. A human is an animal and has animal instincts, which can surface at anytime under the right circumstances. Any human is capable of biting and harming someone, some do more harm than others.

- not quite clear on the concept...

or substitute some other animal for wife/human - horse, cow, etc.

All animals have instinctive behavior. That doesn't mean that a given dog will bite under any circumstances.

Example, Mike Tyson :D

At the dog park one day I was told not to pet the pit puppy. The owner said he wanted him to grow up mean. This is the attitude that makes any dog dangerous.

Jim-killer articles on the second link. Thanks.

Statistics, which I don't have handy, prove you wrong. Every breed of dog will bite, even turn on it's master if the circumstances are right. The issue really is can you ever control all the circumstances all the time?

When I was 10 we had a cocker spaniel. One day when she was sick she bit me when I was trying to feed her. Other than that the most loveable dog a person could own. We kept her because it was my fault for doing something stupid, and really, she was not all that dangerous even when she did bite. I cried for a week after she was hit by a car. We also adopted a boxer when I was 8. I made the mistake of trying to play fetch with a beef rib he was working. No blood drawn but the dog was history by 6:00 pm even though once again I was the idiot for taking the bone away.

The point is that given the right situation a dog, even one you think would never hurt anyone, can become aggressive.

Recently we owned for 2+ years the most awesome GSD. We took him to training classes, did the dog socialization thing, all of it. Then one day he decides the neighbor wiener dog looked tasty. No more GSD. Well there's more to that story. The GSD, Ryker, was extremely loyal to the family, especially our kids. One day my son was playing rough with another kid and Ryker growled at the boy. That was the final straw - even though the dog thought he was doing right by us.

Comparing Blacks to Dogs.

Nice.






For the record, I was attacked by a pitbull when I was about 12. I was waiting for a bus and this thing just ran over to me from the other side of the street, leapt for my jugular (I swerved and instinctively put my arms up) It attached itself to my bicep and would not let go - it just hung there until it's moron owner got it off.

I have hated them since with an absolute passion. If you ask me, they should be painted up like soccer balls and let go in an Argentinian prison soccer ground one by one. "GOAAAAAAAAL!"

re: particular dog
"Statistics, which I don't have handy, prove you wrong."

- Well, no. I'm a professional biologist. If such statistics existed I think I'd have seen the study. What I think you must be thinking of, is some table or other that shows dog bite rates by breed. But that doesn't tell you what a particular dog will do - only that some dogs from the breeds listed will bite, and some breed bite more than others.

So you got bit by a pit many years ago. I got bit by a German Shepherd Dog when I was a kid and don't hate them all now. Don't blame the dog, blame the owner for lacking control over the dog.

These dogs are certainly products of their upbringing. Nothing more. Nothing less. There are many strong willed breeds out there that simply need to be raisd properly.

The problem is that many owners have these dogs as symbols of their manhood, or simply have NO control over them whatsoever. This is a bad thing obviously.

Some of the sweetest dogs I've ever known, from birth to death, have been the so-called dangerous breeds - Rottweilers, Pits, Dobies. One male Dobie I knew ran around all day with THREE tennis balls in his mouth at all times because he always wanted to play "fetch". I was never afraid of that dog and I don't believe he ever knew that he was supposed to be "tough".

I have known many sweet, well-bred PBs. There is one in my building that could not be more affectionate and friendly. The problem is that each breed has its characteristics, and though not all dogs within each breed are the same, too many PBs are badly bred for aggression and fighting toughness only. These dogs within the breed are timebombs, no matter how well they are raised. :cool:

Most people get bit by a dog at some point in their lives. If you get bit by a cocker spaniel, or by a collie, or even a lab - it doesn't make the headline news. If you get bit by a pit bull or one of the other 'agressive breeds', it makes the news and there are calls to have the dog put down. It's all about hype. I'd wager that more dog bites occur from the non agressive breeds than the 'agressive breeds' but these are never reported.

I am not going to deny that a bite from a pit bull could have more severe cocequences than a nip from a poodle.

Exactly. If the dogs are specifically bread for aggressive behavior and/or raised to exhibit aggressive behavior, you've got problems.

The issue here is bad breeders and owners. NOT the breed.

There's a reason why people like me (non-biker/street thug) defend this breed with a passion. They are great dogs!

- Skip

I don't have a dog in this fight <g> as I don't own a dog, but anecdotal stories like, "I knew somebody once that had a pit bull and he was nice" are pretty worthless.

Dogs are animals that under the right circumstances are capable of injuring or killing you. That's just the way it is. A pit bull, or rottweiler, or doberman, et al that have been bred to be especially effective at injuring or killing has to be treated with respect commensurate with their capabilities, I don't care how many babies faces he licks.

Mike

African Americans. And no, I was showing how your a racist by saying "all" pitbulls are violent because one bit you.

A poodle bit me when I was 12ish. Does that mean that all poddle are ferocious. Nope.

Breeds are breeds, to some extent. My GSD is a perfect example. Sweet, loving, submissive dog. Loves our kids, their friends, their friends friends. But, when the kids run, her play exhibits herding behavior. She "knows" not to nip and turn them, but that's obviously learned, and you can see her struggling with it. Same thing with the cat-she knows its part of our family and is cool w/ him, but if he runs at full tilt across the yard, she chases. Prey drive.

I know sweet pits, American bulldogs, Rotties etc etc. However, that doesn't mean you can ignore their potential. That doesn't equate to "why would you ever own one." I wouldn't own a bad one, and anyone who keeps an "agressive dog" or encourages that behavior better deal with it like a loaded firearm. I have tremendous sympathy for those folks that have had an otherwise loving pet involved in a tragic bite incident, but anyone that harbors a dog that is known to be vicious and looses control of that animal resulting in personal injury should be treated in the same manner as a negligent shooter.

Kids are often bit by border collies. Why? Running children or children on bicycles are seen as runaway sheep, if you will, and the herding instinct is incredibly strong. border collies are not recommended for homes with small children for this reason. If a kid is running and the dog gets fired up, the kid freaks out and runs harder, only exacerbating the situation. Older children stop or slow down. The dog nips to bring the escaping sheep back in line.

Unfortunate tendencies, but these dogs were bred to work. Or in our bc's cases, play frisbee. ;)

Pit bulls were bred to be capable of doing a lot of damage in a dog fight. Their a powerful dog.
No, Their jaws don't lock, but when they get hold of something they like to hold on, and have the strength to do a tremendous amount of damage.

Anybody disagree with the above ?

Quote " Describe the breed and what it was bred for.

Let's hear some jaw pressure stats too while were at it compared to other breeds.

And why are they so stocky ?

And do they have jaws that lock ? "

The dogs wer originally bred for farm work. Before firearms when it was time for the farmer to slaughter his bull often the bull refused to co-operate. The "bulldog's" job was to latch on to the bull by the nose and tire him out so the farmer could come out & cut his throat.

All the ridiculous jaw pressure stuff is myth. All large dogs with short snouts have good jaw strength.

Actually they are not that much more stocky than many other breeds.

Locking jaws is probably the most ridculous of all. The jaw mechanism of a bulldog is no different than for any other dog. They dont lock any more than a poodle's.

Unfortunately, it's not hype. at least around here. When a PB attack or bite makes the news, it's usually because of the ferociousness of the attack. The amount of physical damage or death. Especially around kids.

Defend your sweet little dog all you like, because chances are, he is a nice dog. Unfortunately, whether by breeding, or training, the results of a bite or attack are generally tragic.

Notice the vicious attack of the stuffed toy. He has yet to tear up the first one & he knows that the small ones belong to the cat & leaves them alone.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1128691256.jpg

Is your issue with vicious dogs or low lifes that cause dogs to be vicious or bulldogs?