| I am a dog lover to the bottom of my heart, from | | | | not bred to attack people. Somewhere along the line |
| my head to my feet. And regardless of what I read | | | | something in their breeding has changed. The |
| or hear about pit bull attacks, I don't hold anything | | | | characteristic of aggression towards humans is not a |
| against the pit bull breeds. Maia, my black lab mix, is 1 | | | | normal characteristic of this breed. They are loving |
| 4 pit bull and she is the most loving and sensitive dog | | | | dogs but do need training, exercise, and socialization |
| I have ever had. I acquired her when she was 2 yrs | | | | with many different people when they are puppies. |
| old and she had obviously been raised properly with | | | | So why ARE they attacking small children? I realize |
| training and socialization. She has some of the | | | | there are other individual dogs within breeds such as |
| characteristics of pit bulls such as the broad face and | | | | Rottweilers who have also attacked small children in |
| muscular body and the intense prey drive for small | | | | particular, but the ones we hear or read the most |
| animals such as chickens and cats. However, she has | | | | about are pit bulls. Is it that more people own pit bulls |
| totally accepted my cat and although she tries to get | | | | than other types of dogs? I know within my home |
| the cat to play and wants a good chase, the cat | | | | town, I have seen more pit bull or pit bull mixes than |
| doesn't oblige, holds her ground and Maia gives up. | | | | any other breed. Naturally when you have a large |
| But any cat outside of my home is fair game. | | | | population of anything, there are going to be |
| Therefore, she is never off leash around other cats. | | | | problems within that population. But that still doesn't |
| But for the life of me, I cannot understand why, | | | | really answer the question of why they are attacking |
| after all the media attention the pit bull breeds have | | | | children. |
| received because of the attacks by these dogs on | | | | Dogs know the difference between humans and |
| small children, families keep adopting them into their | | | | other dogs or animals. When they fight another dog, |
| homes where young children are present, and then | | | | that dog fights back and they are "justified" in their |
| go away for even a few moments leaving them | | | | actions, protecting themselves. But when they attack |
| alone with the new dog. What are they thinking? | | | | a small child who is in a baby chair or playing alone |
| It's one thing if the dog was raised by the family | | | | outside and the child can't fight back, what is causing |
| from a puppy with proper training and socialization | | | | the dog to want to kill the child? Does it not know |
| and the dog understands and respects the fact that | | | | that the child is a human? |
| every member of the family is the pack leader and | | | | It could be a prey drive of a dog not socialized as a |
| therefore the dog is not a threat. But these people | | | | puppy to know that small humans actually are NOT |
| who adopt a pit bull that they know nothing about, | | | | prey. It may not have been raised around small |
| take it home to become a family member and then | | | | children and sees them as something totally different |
| leave it alone with their 2 or 3 yr. old child have got | | | | than the grown versions. It could feel that it is |
| to be out of their minds! Are they trying to prove | | | | protecting its possessions such as a toy that a child |
| something? Do they think if they just give the dog | | | | has picked up. It could be "protecting" itself from a |
| enough love it won't hurt anyone? | | | | child who is pulling its tail or ear. It could be many |
| These breeds were bred to fight bulls and bears. | | | | things, but what it comes down to is no one really |
| Once that was no longer an option they were bred | | | | knows for sure. We can make all sorts of |
| to fight each other. Why do you suppose these | | | | assumptions and excuses, but without getting inside |
| breeds of American Pit Bull Terriers, American | | | | the psyche of each dog who attacks, we can't say |
| Staffordshire Terriers and Staffordshire Bull Terriers | | | | for sure. |
| are the main breeds used in illegal dog fighting | | | | If you are going to adopt a pit bull, understand that |
| arenas? Because that is what they have been bred | | | | the dog will be your full responsibility, whether it is a |
| to do for generations. They are extremely strong | | | | wonderful safe dog or whether it bites or attacks a |
| and when they bite down they will not let go until | | | | family member or someone else. It is your |
| the other dog is defeated. For their size, I'm sure | | | | responsibility to keep your children safe. It is not the |
| they are the strongest dogs of any of the breeds. | | | | dog's responsibility to be a good dog. You are its |
| However, the fact that they were bred to fight | | | | leader, provider, trainer and socializer. Never leave a |
| other animals does not explain why they are | | | | pit bull terrier alone with another dog it does not |
| attacking children. When they were originally bred to | | | | know because many pit bulls are unpredictable with |
| fight each other, the owners were in the rings with | | | | other dogs. And never leave a child alone with a pit |
| them, pulling them apart at intervals. Any dog that bit | | | | bull. Be responsible as an owner of any dog. |
| its owner or anyone else was culled out. They were | | | | |