Oh man, I am so prejediced...

[Momto2Boyz]

(ok, first I will note...pretty sure I spelled prejediced wrong...I can't get it to look right...and it's just way to early...haven't finished my first cup of coffee yet)

Anyhoo, not against people, but against dogs! We are HUGE dog lovers in our family. And I know that certain dogs with bad reputations, with the right upbringing can be sweet dogs.

But we have about 3 people in our neighborhood who totally ignore leash laws. They walk their dogs off their leashes. For the most part, it doesn't really bother me. I figure, people know their dogs and they know how they will react to things. I have even been known to let my little Puggle out in the front yard to go potty without a leash (on rare occassions).

So out of these dogs...there is a golden retriever, a small bichon friese (I think, one of those little white, curly dogs) and Pit bull. When the retriever and bichon go by, we just kind of ignore them. But whenever the guy walks by with the pit...I find myself gather up the kids and trying to get them inside the house before they reach our house. I actually feel bad about this. The guy is really nice and the dog seems really well trained (stays right at his heels), but I still do it. There is just such a stigma attached to those dogs, that it makes me nervous!

I don't know the guy well enough, or I would just say something to him. But every time he goes by, I wonder if I should say something to him about putting his dog on the leash. Plus, if I do that...in all fairness, I think I would have to say something to the two other people who do the same!

What would you guys do? Would you say anything?

[Greebo]

Meet the dog. Judge it for yourself up close. Ask him if the dog is ok with kids.

I've met plenty of pit bulls that were gentle giants.

[Ceashels]

I think it is the perfect opportunity for you to get to know the guy and the dog. Everyone one is different and nurture has a lot to do with the dogs behaviors. I don't think I would let the kids approach the dog though. They are little, they can't be dominant with a strange dog and it isn't fair to put the dog in a situation where he would feel challenged by a similar sized opponent. But I would still take time to get to know the guy.

[Russ]

I have a pit bull mix, she was a rescue. She had been half starved and got hit by a car. The vet fixed her up but could not adopt her out and we were her last hope... so now we have 4 dogs.
Anyway, she is the sweetest little dog you would ever meet. Hilda LOVES people and is the biggest ham if you start ooo'ing and aww'ing over her. A really loveable dog.

All that said, we were very aprehensive about getting her the minute we heard "pit bull" but once we met her, it was all over... she is "little baby".

As greebo said, get to know the dog. Talk to the owner.

[Frugal Nurse]

Judicial = fair. Prejudice = leaning toward one side.
Now, you'll be able to remember.. right? Cuz judicial is a commonly seen word - I think.

Any dog can bite and mame. Did you know the #1 dog bite in ED is from a cocker spaniel? Cute dog.. huh?

Pitbulls can sense your fear. He knows you are fearful. That's what raises their senses even more. You don't want to do that.

Meet Mr. Pit. Do not make eye contact. be casual. Relaxed.
What a great way to meet Pit's master too.
Talk with the Master. Not the dog. Once you are comfortable and it's okay with Master - be introduced to Mr. Pit.

If you're comfy with the demeanor - introduce the children.

But honestly. Pits won't attack unless they are threatened. Children will not threaten - unless your children have absorbed your fear.

But I know pit bulls will attack to kill- as opposed to the little bite from a cocker spaniel.
But it's all in the Master's control.
If he's walking Mr. Pit without a leash - he has control.

Still doesn't make it legal though.


Give the pup a chance.

woof

[nuisance26]

~Even when the dog is loveable it can do serious damage. My cousin's child was badly bitten in the face by a large dog that he knew well. It was an inside dog of a babysitter. This little boy was so sweet and would never have provoked a dog. My children will not be meeting any dog that is more than half their weight and they will come inside if there are any dogs loose in our yard. My cousin's son was only 4 and it was just horrible.~

[Lori Biever-Launder]

As a person who has owned bull breeds for MORE than a quarter of a century, has shown dogs, has trained dogs (for money, not just fun) and who volunteers at the local animal shelter, let me give you the so-called (hee hee)expert's view:

During the first third of the last century, Pit bulls were one of America's foremost family dogs. EVERYBODY that needed and all-purpose farm dog had one. Pete the Pup (the "Little Rascals" dog) was a Pit Bull. Some of the most famous "who's who" of the day owned Pitties--Helen Keller, Laura Ingalls Wilder and Fred Astaire, just to name a few.

However, during the late 1980s and on, the thugs and other "little men, little equipment"--types (if you get my drift) turned to these wonderful dogs as the "badass breed du jour". They took a dog whose temperament has been sound for hundreds of years and bred for its loyalty and desire to please, but taking it to a new level: aggressiveness.

While these dogs have always been iffy (for the most part) with other dogs, a well-bred bully (as we often call them) is NEVER to be human aggressive. Even a game bred dog (one bred specifically to fight) should have a rock sold temperament where people are concerned. They have an incredibly high pain threshold and are very sturdy dogs who can take nearly anything a rough toddler can dish out.

The temperament testing done in this country has established that Pit Bulls and American Staffordshire terriers (the AKC version of a Pit) are safer than Golden Retrievers and Labs. A WELL BRED bully is a delight to be around!

My current dog, an AKC papered bitch with a stack of show ribbons an inch thick, is a sterling example of what is RIGHT about these dogs. She LOVES kids and has never done anything to a child (or an adult, for that matter) other than lick them or beat them with her killer tail. She has been used for years in dog safety classes we give at the local elementary schools. She is the ONLY dog to have been used inside my work (the public library) in conjunction with our children's programs. Gypsy is FAMOUS in our town! Tons of kids know me only as "Gypsy's mom".

I am NOT downplaying dog aggression. MANY breeds (not just the bull breeds) are known to be dog aggressive. My girl was never, ever allowed to scrap with any dog and she gets along fine with everyone. She has even had other dogs BITE her and not reciprocate. The key to this is being a hyper responsible owner and doing the following:

NO dog parks
NO off leash outside one's own yard EVER
Unless the dog or bitch is a show dog, it should be altered and, once a show dog is removed form a breeding program, it should be altered too
Obedience training and, if possible, obedience TITLES
a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) title
NO unsocialized dogs
NO chained, unsupervised dogs

Many, many, MANY dog bites come from the frustration
that dog feels at being chained or from being teased. Dogs RARELY just "snap"; they give plenty of warning--people just don't know how to read the dog's body language (i.e., a tail wagging is NOT always a good sign). Also, most dog bites come from unaltered males. So, if you are attached to your dog's testicles, get over it and REMOVE them. YOU are not having them removed and your dog won't be less of a "stud" without them (except in the literal sense).

Your Pug/Beagle mix needs to be socialized with other dogs. ASK all other owners if you may bring your dog to sniff. If the person says, "No", abide by the owner's answer. The Pittie might be great with other dogs and be desperately WANTING to play with other dogs; OTOH, s/he may be dog aggressive and the owner is deluded in thinking the dog will obey him 100% of the time. It only takes ONE slip-up for a tragedy to occur.

That being said, anything with teeth can bite. I have never had a bull breed so much as lift a lip at me at the shelter (or anywhere else, for that matter). Labs and Lab/Shepherd mixes, OTOH? I can't COUNT how many near misses I have had with these dogs. I am not faulting the dogs here, but the clueless owners who don't understand why their dogs don't arrive with obedience titles and speaking English! Also, lot of Labs have been so badly bred by uneducated, but well-meaning folks (being a popular breed is NOT a good thing) that many are very shy (leading to fear biters) or have so many behavioral issues because parents who weren't health tested and who had personality issues were bred simply because they were both purebreds. Genetics take a long time to understand and this is no place for the layman. Just last week, Gypsy was bitten TWICE by one of our neighbor's two Chihuahuas. If she had NOT been such a stable dog, the Chi would have been DEAD. Gypsy did NOTHING but wag her tail and him and draw her face back.

Lastly (off the bull breed issue), do not EVER have your puppy outside off leash in and unfenced area. You may THINK your dog would never bolt after a cat, child, dog or rabbit, but I am here to tell you: it happens. The results are often tragic and very, very expensive. My dog is obedience trained and she is NEVER off leash outside a fenced area and her recall is just about 100% PERFECT (her manners and obedience rate in the top 1% in the country, from my personal experience).

I hope this isn't too much info! LOL

[Lori Biever-Launder]

BTW, it's Bichon Frise.

Also, the MOST aggressive dog in our neighborhood is a Golden adn the owner is PROUD of how aggressive he is! Dumb a--.

[Frugal Nurse]

Lori, thank you for that post.
I thought it was quite informative, compelling, well-written, and insightful.

Great post!

[Russ]

OWNER responsibility is the key!