And the article doesn't say, how were the dogs able to get to the cats? Were the cats running loose in the shelter?
I think Pitbulls are like any other breed, where a specific trait is emphasized in the breeding, and continued to be focused on in subsequent breedings. You want a mean fighting dog? Then you breed 2 mean fighting dogs. You want dogs that will go nuts looking for vermin? You breed Doxies or Jack Russell's that make your yard look like Swiss cheese. Around here, LSD's (Livestock Guardian Dogs, like Great Pyrenees) are likely advertised as coming from, "working stock". Many Amish folks here raise sheep and goats, and need those flocks protected. The puppies are raised with the flock almost from birth.
Another good example: I used to adopt retired Greyhounds off the track. Those guys are born--and love--to run. We were in a coursing club, where various Sighthounds (Greyhounds, Whippets, Afghans, Borzoi's, etc. Dogs that hunt by sight instead of smell), would chase a motorized lure around a big grass field. It would zig and zag all over the place. The dogs were released in pairs or 3's, and they were just nuts for it. They got to "catch" the lure at the end--a plastic grocery bag. One time, someone showed up with a couple of show Greyhounds. They were gorgeous, with excellent confirmation. When the lure went off, they looked at it for a moment, and wandered back to their owner.
The point being, whether you want a working dog, a show dog, or just companions, a good breeder will study the genetics, and select their stock accordingly. With backyard breeders (where most Pitbulls come from), its always a crap shoot. One of the most heartbreaking things I've ever seen, was a story and picture, of a couple guys with a young pitbull. The dog refused to fight, so they cut off his ears, and threw them on the ground in front of him. The photo showed this sweet pup sitting there and looking at his own ears on the pavement. I still have nightmares about it.
= new reply since forum marked as read
