Pittbulls

[cowgirl411]

I was just wondering, but what dose everyone think about pittbulls??

[fuzzworth]

I'm not sure what this topic is for but I will bite.

I love pitties, they are wonderful companions I would never own one for a few reasons:

1 more energy than I have. I'm not a very active person and these dogs need exercise and work to be happy. They have amazing amounts of stamina and endurance.

2. BSL. BSL is breed specific legislation. Banning of pits in many cities and places limits my choices to move and its not that I can't cope with limiting my choices of where to live, its more if my current city chose to ban pits would I or could I afford a move or the heart break of losing my dog.

Pit bulls aren't as dangerous as a large number of people think, any dog in the wrong hands can be a menace and unfortunately for pits they have been chosen as the dog to have to be tough or powerful or fight. Not because they are extra vicious but because they are 110% loyal and will do what their people ask of them to their very last breath.

[cowgirl411]

I agree with you 100% fuzzworth. This thread isent important, I just wanted to see what some people thought about pittbulls is all.

[piggly wiggly]

I agree fuzzworth. My province has the breed ban in effect. Any pitbull, or mix, or even having traits that make it look like majority of pitbull will have to be euthanized if born after the ban came in to affect, I think it was two years ago. Dogs that were already owned by people do not have to be given up, but they must be spayed and neutered by law, and be muzzled at all times when off the owners propert. Any dog that poses a threat by seeming aggressive will be put down. I have never had a pitbull, but this ban makes me sick. The dog is only doing what the owner has trained it to do. I have an elderly neighbour who owned a pitbull, a small dog got loose from it's yard and ran and attacked the pitbull, the pit did nothing but take the bites, it just stood there shocked and looking at it's owner like help!. The small dog was about 30 pounds, the pitbull maybe 60lbs. That pitbull was so sweet, he recently passed away from old age. I feel for the breed, and wonder what breed will be next. Rotweillers, dobes, mastiffs, bulldogs. The list can go on.It's ridiculous to me.

[newpiggiemommy]

I love pitts. I have a pit/choc. lab mix and it is the best dog I have ever had. I saved her from going to the pound at 6 weeks old! She is now pushing 14 years old and I am facing many health issues with her and it breaks my heart.

I don't think pitts are for everyone! They are a dog that deserves a very respectful family. One that will understand their capability of being mean and one that will nurture their kind and gentle nature. They can be the best dog in the world or the worst dog in the world. It all depends on the way they are cared for!

[PrincessAngel]

I think pitbulls are good dogs in the right hands. My cousin has a pitbull and she says its very sweet. When I was littler a stray pitbull came on our play ground and he was sweet and let us pet him he was starving and very thin but still a young dog. We called animal control I still don't know if they ever caught him. But he left before they came and it broke all us little kids hearts to see a man walking his dog kick the pitbull in the head cause it was walking by them.

[Res Judicata]

I agree with you, Piggiemommy. I see pitbulls as dogs with a lot of potential, if they are treated right. Unfortunately, too often they're bought because the owners want a fierce pet. It seems the same way with Rotties. I knew a guy who treated his two Rotties with a lot of respect. He was gentle, but firm with them, made sure they got the attention and exercise needed for their temperment and they were some of the nicest, best behaved dogs I've ever known, and then there was my parent's neighbor who had a free-running, ill-tempered Rottie named "Killer." Eventually another neighbor caught the dog and took it in to the Humane Society before something happened to the neighborhood children.

[cavyinhawaii]

I live on a military base and they are banned from the base. I think pittbulls with training can be good pets. They are very energetic and very very strong. They also need early socialization with other dogs and animals.
My sister has a Rottweiler and had to do lots of work with her when she was young. She is now a good family dog unless another dog comes in her yard. She is extremely protective and territorial. I am not sure if Pitts have that same instinct.Many legislations put Rottwielers and Pittbulls in the same catagory. I have heard of some areas requiring extra insurance if you own one but have never run into it myself. I just have pigs and cats.

[newpiggiemommy]

Rotties and pitts are my favorite dogs because they are so loyal! They will do anything to please their owner! Unfortunately, too many people abuse that loyalty and force them to be mean!

[Jenni_Feathers]

Being an owner of a Rottie/German Shepherd mix...I think that BSL is a bunch of BS its the bad owners the screw everything up for the good ones, its them who should be punished, not the dogs, nor the breed. Its the bad owners fault, and the good ones are the ones who are affected. Its not right. Luckily I live in an area that doesn't have any restrictions on breed, this is a little off topic, but does anyone know about traveling to an area (like for vacation) that has breed bans or restrictions with one of the banned or restricted breeds?

[piggly wiggly]

I am not positive about travelling to places with the ban, but I assume it's okay aslong as you follow the rules. Like here the dog would need to be spayed/neutered, and be muzzled at all times when in public.

[Jenni_Feathers]

Okay, thanks. Thats sorta what I figured too, I'm gonna look into it to make sure though.

[naturegal592]

I respect people who have pit bulls and have had great luck with them. However I have small children and a day care, I would never have one. In fact it was time to take the kids outside last fall and there was one (a mix) in the yard. Guess what kids, it is craft time. I called animal control. It may have been the nicest dog in the world but I would never take the chance. I wasn't aware there were bans on them in some places.

[cavyinhawaii]

Originally Posted by piggly wiggly

I am not positive about travelling to places with the ban, but I assume it's okay aslong as you follow the rules. Like here the dog would need to be spayed/neutered, and be muzzled at all times when in public.

I know here that if I had a friend to visit with a pittbull the dog would have to stay elsewhere(kennel etc).It could put my family in a position where we could loose our home and have to move into town. As far as I know the only place pittbulls can go on post is to the vets office then back off.

[originalhandy]

Originally Posted by Jenni_Feathers

this is a little off topic, but does anyone know about traveling to an area (like for vacation) that has breed bans or restrictions with one of the banned or restricted breeds?

Do not under any circumstances take a restricted breed into an area with BSL. It is OK for you to drive through the area so long as you keep on going. But if you stop whether to eat or the night you will be in violation of local laws and they will take it from you. If you are lucky you might get a cop that will let you away with it, but cops are people too and buy into the hype surrounding them.

I fought BSL in my town for little over a year and (thankfully) won in March just gone. BSL is an agenda of the medida, ignorant elected officials and insurance companies and PETA IMHO. It is born of ignorance to ban a breed and not deal with the issues on hand. They will tell you about dog fighting yada yada yada. Well, what are they willing to do about the people fighting the dogs, not much, too much like hard work. Drugs, well arrest the people, well we cant just go in and arrest them. So lets punish innocent owners like myself because the Gov is inadequate in what it tries to do. They get to pat themselves on the back and tell the public "look what we just did for you" and everything gets brushed under the carpet till next time.

I do believe however, if somebody does succeed in Banning "Pitbulls" and type breeds etc it wont be long before the GSD is under pressure, then Labs, then Collies etc you see where I am going ?

Myth after myth after myth is pumped from the media and people lap it up, trusting the source of the media. If a lab bites a kid nothing will be in the paper or on TV but if a putbull does "Pitbull Mauls Child" is the obvious headline. I have seen evidence on one site that shows screenshots of websites with pitbull attacks and showing the dog in a pic that isnt even close to a Bull Terrier breed! So what do they do, remove the pic and run the headline anyway because it sells papers!

Sorry for the long rang, BSL is a pet peeve of mine,

[crazywiggy]

This thread has not been active for a while now - but I couldn't resist posting just to agree with this:

I do believe however, if somebody does succeed in Banning "Pitbulls" and type breeds etc it wont be long before the GSD is under pressure, then Labs, then Collies etc you see where I am going ?

This is exactly the case in the UK as we speak. The current Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 bans four breeds - the pitbull (inc APBT and American Staffordshire Terrier - and anything that is deemed to "look like" one), the Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Braziliaro. The ban was a knee-jerk reaction, brought in following a spate of pit-bull "type" attacks. As for the other 3 breeds, this was almost funny it was so ridiculous. There were NO Dogos or Filas in the country at the time - and only one recently imported Tosa puppy - who suddenly found himself banned! Someone obviously just flicked through a breed book and picked out the scariest looking breeds.

All has been quiet here on the BSL front until the last year or two. One child was killed by a "pitbull", and more have since been killed by rottweilers, and many attacked by other breeds. Now there are parts of society demanded that rotties are banned, as well as Rhodesian ridgebacks, Akitas, and all the bull breeds (staffies, American bulldogs and bullies). Great lets ban the lot - and then the thugs will go out and buy GSDs and dobies and boxers - guess who'll be next on the hit list....

BSL is just that = "bull s*** legislation