There's nothing wrong with bully breeds provided they are raised right. Maybe you should do some research. If you look at stats, most dog bites are from smaller dogs rather than big dogs like that.
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I know this is a site about Guinea Pigs however as the conversation lead to Pit Bulls. These dogs are not all aggressive. Its the way they are Bred and Brought up. A Dog isnt born aggressive. Pit Bulls can easily be kept as pets as long as they are born into a loving family who will do it no harm. The same goes for the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. I agree with what you are saying about petstores though. I stay well away.
Nymphae, can I just say that we have a neighbor who has a pit bull (a family with 6 boys, mind you), and he is very sweet, sweeter then another neighbors lab.
I don't think it's fair to put the blame on the breeders. The breeders I personally know go to extreme lenghts to ensure all their animals go to good homes and with people who know how to care for their guinea pigs. Besides, people can think for themselves right? Just who in the right mind wouldn't look up some information before buying a pet? That's the first thing an owner should do.
A bichon freesh(sp?)
I don't think it's fair to put the blame on the breeders. The breeders I personally know go to extreme lenghts to ensure all their animals go to good homes and with people who know how to care for their guinea pigs. Besides, people can think for themselves right? Just who in the right mind wouldn't look up some information before buying a pet? That's the first thing an owner should do.
The first thing any breeder - or rescuer, for that matter - should do before placing any animal is find out if the prospective buyer is educated about the needs of that animal! If a breeder doesn't know that much, they're not being responsible.
And about the Pit Bulls. There aren't any in the Netherlands simply because the breed is too agressive and people kept getting attacked by them. Forgive me if I don't shed a tear about those animals getting euthanized. And don't throw the; 'people made them mean' at me, 'cause there have been numerous cases of these dogs being kept as a family pet.. always well cared for and then suddenly snapping and biting someone. These dogs aren't suitable as pets. And if people breed them.. well, I suspect they're letting them fight and are trying to breed stronger and meaner dogs.
These animals were bred as guard dogs and in the case of Pit Bulls, even as fighting dogs! They just have more tendency towards agression than most dogs have. I'm honestly not making this stuff up. quote]
While I don't think you're making stuff up, it's clear to me that you are not speaking as a person who is educated on the subject. I happen to be a dog trainer and rescuer. Pit bulls have been bred to have a tendency toward aggression - toward other DOGS. They have NOT been bred to be aggressive toward, or fight, PEOPLE. It's not the same thing.
Let's just say you've all got your opinions, and I've got mine. You're obviously putting earplugs in at the 'were raised in a good home, but went mean anyway'-part. But that's okay, if you don't want to hear it and you are of those lucky few that haven't gotten bad experiences with dogs then count yourself lucky and go be happy.
I have been put in many bad situations with dogs.
A jack russel terrier when I was young, ripped me by my hair. It was his owners fault. I may have cared for him when his owners were away and given him all the love I could when they threw him outside for days at a time, but it wasn't enough.
A bichon freesh(sp?) tore open my lip while I was petting him. Once again, it wasn't the dogs fault. I was stupidly hovering and to anyone else it would have looked like the dog just "snapped".
And a Cairin Terrier who's belly I was scratching bit me.
All of these dogs were under 40 pounds. I have been bit by my lab. And I have been licked by my dog.
I have never been bit my a pit bull. Not when I pulled their ears (when I was younger) or their tail. Not when I yanked to hard on the leash and not when I played rough with them.
Any GOOD trainer could go and be bit by a family dog and find them selves at fault..or passed experiences. Maybe the dog didn't like hats. You were not there nor are you a dog trainer.
This IS the breeders fault and the owners. The dogs are not at fault here. That just like racism in my opinion.
I think that you are the one putting earplugs in. We have given you the facts yet you still beleive that they are at fault.
These animals were bred as guard dogs and in the case of Pit Bulls, even as fighting dogs!
I'm not going to join in the breeder melee here but I really want to correct this misconception about pit bulls:
Bull terriers were not bred as fighting dogs! That is totally and utterly and completely wrong. They were bred to help farmers control their herds of cows (hence the clue to their origins is in their name: pit bull terriers).
Bull terriers are the cow farmer's equivalent of a sheep dog. Obviously the size of a cow compared with the size of a sheep meant that a stronger and more robust breed was needed, especially when a bull needed to be moved. Bulls have been known to kill and seriously injure people and the dog was the farmer's guardian. They were therefore especially bred to be loyal and protective towards people, not attack them! Pit bulls were so loyal to their owners that they would die protecting them.
Please please please stop believing the myth that pit bulls were bred as fighting dogs!