[QUOTE=RaeHughes;7499376]
If you DEFINITELY cant identify a Pit, how do you know that the loveable child hugging dogs that you claim are exemplary models of perfect pits? Yep, they may be as the more general “dogs” (and good on your training and their core temperament - seriously meant!) but you have self-identified them as Pit Bull Terriers. In most cases of these attacks, the dog-owners have self-identified their dogs as PBTs - everyone who is passionate about this breed but cant accept that there has been a lot of bad/random/with-absolutely-no-sense breeding/handling/“training” with that breed are doing a dis-service to their beloved dogs.
Shhheezz - you can id a BC or a BCX, a Lab or LabX, a Boxer or Boxer X, a GSD or GSDX, a mastiff or mastiff X (and, yes, I can!). SO, if the PBT is such a great dog, why cant you positively ID it? If you can, then you can stop this uncalled for negative impression of your dog. If you cant, well great that your dog is good but you cant comment on the breed.
I have interacted with a number >20 owner-identified PBTs or PBTXs. I have met two that were really great loveable dogs - both over 6 years old when their very conscientious owners relaxed finally. NONE were left alone with children or other pets. NONE. So, yes, highly disciplined owners with very well positively disciplined, well-exercised, obedient dogs - who knew very well what the dogs were capable of and had them before relationships/children/etc who were not going to just give up on their dogs. (One was competing as an obedience dog - in the ring, during the stays, the handler had permission from the kennel club for it to wear a muzzle. Just in case. No-one ever suspected that it would suddenly turn it was just a precaution.) How many are still alive? TWO! The others “turned” - of the 18+ I had the vaguest suspicion that they might “turn”, 3 - and they were last-chance-rescues who really were on their last chance. One guy, when I met him on one of our walks, was in tears as he had had to put his beautifult dog down - it had killed his cat that had been around from a puppy. His child was less than 4m away when the attack happened, under parental supervision. He simply couldnt take the chance and that dog had shown absolutely no evil intent before. Heck, it had sat there while a cat swung off it’s face for a reason only known to the cat! All it had done was cry and look pleadingly at “Dad” - who had rescued him.
I am a BC and Lab lover - fanatic some people may say :D. Passionate about both of these highly intelligent, trainable and lovable breeds. Would I recommend them for everyone - heck no! Well, not the BC :). Not by a long shot - must be very hard for a human to have a dog more intelligent than them. But, hey, BCs were bred to nip (if used as a cattle dog), to strong-eye a sheep, to move sheep with their energy/body language etc. Labs - phew! Have you looked at those teeth? The strength of the neck - well, they need that to carry the swans out of the swamp (ok! my favourite lab of all - a large black English Lab :).)
IMO, ALL dogs need to be positively disciplined to live within the present human society in which we all live. These animals have evolved with modern human over thousands of years - conmensual evolution IIRC. Too many of us are distant from the original uses of these animals and we all need to accept and work with that.
However, no-one does their favourite breed any favours by completely denying any negative traits. Further, if your favourite breed is involved in a mauling, please dont try and deny that is one of your favourite breed. IN NZ, at the moment, we have a # of people calling their dogs “Lab/Boxers Xs” when, well, there aint no lab in that dog![/QUOTE]
And theres the post about how awesome Labs are and how they (or a mix) could never be involved in a mauling cuz you know, they are Labs. Talk to anyone who works in a vet office or with a large number of animals about how awesome Labs are. Do I think they are bad dogs inherently? No… I think they are very common pets and owned by people who shouldn’t own a dog. Same as pits.
During the last year, in my neighborhood, cows were getting mauled by a pack of three dogs. Some of the attacks were fatal. Full grown cows. A lab, a LabX and a GSD mix.
