Vick case illustrates pit bull’s changing status

[Roon]

Dog once portrayed as lovable now has image of vicious aggressor

RALEIGH, N.C. - The image of the American pit bull terrier was once the smiling dog living in a shoe with Buster Brown, or the lovable pooch with the circle around one eye that used its powerful jaws to pull members of the “Little Rascals” from danger.

But today, many see the pit bull as something very different: As either the center of a rural, Southern white tradition of animal baiting, or the vicious devil dog snarling on the covers of rap CDs or mauling other dogs for big-time purses, as in the recent indictment of NFL star Michael Vick.

“It’s important to understand that this isn’t about race, but it is about culture,” said Cindy Cooke of the United Kennel Club. “One is rural, and the other is urban. But both are equally horrible.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19937995/

[rwheeler31]

1. We can only fear them now.

[spag68]

2. Don't blame the dog

If raised in a loving manner, pit bulls are very mellow and protective of children they are raised with.

[msongs]

3. status dog - being walked around the area on their chain link leashes

around here doesnt matter the race or ethnicity, anybody walking their pit bull terrier always has a chain link leash.

usually the dog has a goofy tongue hanging out look.

maybe the chain link leash is on the wrong animal.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

[quinnox]

4. Pit bulls as a breed should be tightly limited

and controlled. They are on the tops of the list for unprovoked attacks. My lanlady has one and I fear the dog, I have tried making friends but it barks and growls at me. I have done nothing to make it dislike me!

Pit Bulls are dangerous.

[cynatnite]

5. big dogs have always scared me...

My sister deals with all kinds of animals and she's had her fair share of handling pit bulls. She quit when out of nowhere the dog killed three of her cats with no provocation. My sister got this dog as a puppy and it happened right after he turned two. She feared for her kids after that and won't have another.

[LeftyMom]

7. Terriers are bred to be aggressive to small animals for rodent control.

There are exceptions (I know quite a few cat/pibble households) but it's in their nature and generally any terriers aren't a good mix with smaller animals.

[Ayesha]

6. It's not the pit bulls' fault

It is the owners'. Most pit bulls are sweet, loving dogs. My partner rescued a pit bull that was running loose in our neighborhood the other day. The dog was sweet as can be, and scared of my partner! Luckily she had just escaped from a yard nearby and we were able to get her home. I'm so glad we found her and not someone who saw a pit bull running through an alley and assumed she was a vicious beast. She could have been hurt or killed because of people's ignorance.

[karlrschneider]

8. The problem is that nowadays many pit bulldogs have bred in agressive traits.

That's what makes them somewhat unpredictable. Of course that can happen with any breed...Rottweilers have also become victims in many cases of the same kind of mindset that encourages antisocial behavior.

[mondo joe]

9. It seems to me there's also a matter of physiology.

The pit bulls I've seen have really impressive jaws, and powerful necks. As far as I can tell, they are built to do the maximum damage with a bite, and hang on. Even if, for the sake of argument, they were no more aggressive than other dogs, it seems to me they'd do a lot more damage when they were aggressive.

[karlrschneider]

10. Yes, that's very true...they do have powerful jaws. Moreso than most other breeds

which is also enhanced by selective breeding. It's just another example of a species being exploited by us human types for kicks.
Bah.

[TygrBright]

11. Sadly, there seem to be few quality lines left...

...in the breed. There are a few conscientious breeders remaining, breeding true to the real pit bull standard-- mellow, companionable, protective, and easily socialized with humans. Far too many puppy mills and abusers have gotten hold of them and bred the lines to a debased standard. It's going to take a few more decades to suppress the degraded lines and revive the breed, would be my guess. In the mean time, finding a reputable breeder with quality lines will be tough. Good quality show and pet puppies will be expensive as allgetout, and rare.

It's too bad. They're lovely dogs when bred true and raised in loving homes by conscientious owners.

Unfortunately, even I would be a bit nervous about Pit Bulls, AmStaffs, and the other breeds that have suffered from this vile practice over the last 30 years. I'm not a breed judge and certainly can't tell a properly bred and socialized animal from one of these sad, misbred, often abused dogs. I would err very much on the side of caution and can understand why anti-breed ordinances are so tempting (though I still think they're a stupid solution to the problem.)

regretfully,
Bright

[HuffleClaw]

12. a dangerous breed, pure and simple

whose owners are equally to blame.

[JCMach1]

13. exactly... the times I was nearly chewed apart by these dogs as a kid

for no reason...

Sorry, but I hate them...

[jzodda]

14. Lots of Igornance when it comes to Pit Bulls

I owned a pit bull for 14 years. For all those years she never bit anybody and was as gentile as a golden retriever. In fact my friends golden retriever was more aggressive. Its part breeding and even more importantly how the dog is raised. If the dog is raised with love and trained (you really should send all dogs like Pit Bulls, German Shep, Doberman, etc to obedience school as pups imo) they are like any other dog, except they are bigger and stronger. There are many big dogs and any can become mean if the owner does not raise them right or mistreats them.