Yet another child dies at the jaws of pitbulls

[DaGoose]

No intelligent parent would leave any child unsupervised with any dog. Dogs are not human, even the most docile dog can snap.

Humans can attack children, too, and often do. It's a matter of knowing who to trust, regardless of the number of legs.

Usually, aggressive dogs, like aggressive humans, are made that way, not born that way.

I strongly disagree. Again...........

It is the breed. How many times have you read "Beagle kills child"? Or "Cocker Spaniel mauls senior citizen to death"?

And after nearly every local pit bull attack I've read the owners always say, "We never trained him to be aggressive" or "He's never done that before".

Many dog breeds bite, that's a fact. But few, if any of them of them will maul and kill to the extent that pit bulls do.

 

[manifold]

What bothers me the most about this particular story is that these dogs were known to be aggressive and wander the neighborhood off leash. If it was my neighborhood these dogs would've been dead long before this tragedy would have ever been allowed to happen.

 

[Ravi]

What bothers me the most about this particular story is that these dogs were known to be aggressive and wander the neighborhood off leash. If it was my neighborhood these dogs would've been dead long before this tragedy would have ever been allowed to happen.

Wellllllllllll....you do live in liberal heaven after all.

 

[uscitizen]

Owners should at least be charged with negligent homicide.

 

[Sallow]

No intelligent parent would leave any child unsupervised with any dog. Dogs are not human, even the most docile dog can snap.

The social structure of canines would support this. They need a dominant pack member around to settle disputes. And they look at children as "puppies".

 

[mammastevens]

Pit bulls are just dogs.

Any dog that is trained to become aggresive will be dangerous.

Its not the breed folks

Pit Bulls and Rots account for 67% of fatal dog attacks. I think it IS the breed.

 

[Tank]

It's because that breed has always been treated like a second class dog in America.

 

[Tank]

 

[ba1614]

Deleted, never mind. I should have read through the whole thread before posting. way to much ignorance to bother with

 

[HUGGY]

I'm sitting in a room with my Pit Bull right now. He's 8 months and already over 110 lbs. The problem isn't really their nature it is their strength. Mine has a huge thick neck(bigger than my thigh or a small persons waist). The have unusually large muscles attached to the jaw. I've seen him take one of those cow leg bones from Pet Smart and snap it in two with one bite. A grown unarmed man wouldn't stand much of a chance against a 120-130 lb Pit Bull that was pissed off. They are just too fast and strong. We play fight several times a day and he is very gentle...well ..better put he is in very good control of his mouth. He growls and I'll stick my face right up in his and he bites and lunges lightning fast but never..OK ALMOST never breaks my skin. One of the "tricks" they use is the way use their paws. They can hit real hard with their front legs. Mine will stand up on his hind legs(He can almost look me in the eye when he is fully stretched out I'm 6 feet) and slap sideways hard enough to knock an unawares person to the ground. If you get knocked down you are through....unless he is playing...in which case you CAN fight for your life. He will stand on your arms while he decides what he wants to rip off your body. The real trick is to say "Sit" very clearly. Oh and if he "Sits" on you swearing at them is effective. They have very sensitive feelings.

 

[RadiomanATL]

We own a siberian mix. I wouldn't hesitate in leaving it alone with my 15 month old. She is protective of my children. To the extreme. I mean, WAY protective.

A pit bull? no way.

 

[uscitizen]

I have shot 3 or 4 pit bulls over the course of the last 2 years for chasing my stock, and actually killing one calf. That one cost the owner $250 plus a dead dog.

any reasonable country folk undersatands if their pet harms stock they will be shot.

I also had to shoot about 3 more that were not pit bulls. A couple at least were strays that city folks had dumped in the country.

 

[Skeptik]

I have shot 3 or 4 pit bulls over the course of the last 2 years for chasing my stock, and actually killing one calf. That one cost the owner $250 plus a dead dog.

any reasonable country folk undersatands if their pet harms stock they will be shot.

I also had to shoot about 3 more that were not pit bulls. A couple at least were strays that city folks had dumped in the country.

It's really sad as well as annoying to people who live out of town when pet owners dump their animals out in the country.

 

[uscitizen]

I have shot 3 or 4 pit bulls over the course of the last 2 years for chasing my stock, and actually killing one calf. That one cost the owner $250 plus a dead dog.

any reasonable country folk undersatands if their pet harms stock they will be shot.

I also had to shoot about 3 more that were not pit bulls. A couple at least were strays that city folks had dumped in the country.

It's really sad as well as annoying to people who live out of town when pet owners dump their animals out in the country.

I personally think dumping an unwanted animal should be a felony.

 

[Tank]

I have shot 3 or 4 pit bulls over the course of the last 2 years for chasing my stock, and actually killing one calf.

Where is your livestock, Compton?

 

[AllieBaba]

Big dogs that roam should be shot.

The thing you have to know about pit bulls is they are BIG terriers.

Terriers are mean ass dogs, and even the most tiny ones are bred to kill. I have a Parson Russell and she chomps her teeth when she's playing, when she's nervous..snap, snap, snap.

Pit bulls are also terriers, only they weigh 50-80 lbs and a lot of stupid asswads have them.

I wouldn't leave a baby with a Malamute OR a pitbull. Actually, I wouldn't leave a baby in a room alone with any dog. It's stupid and dangerous.

Don't let your dogs run. That's the long and short of it. And if you have dogs running in your neighborhood and the cops won't do anything about it, shoot them. I'd take the fine and the hassle. You probably won't get caught, and you might save somebody's life.

If my dog was 80 lbs, she'd be a flipping menace. She's about 10 lbs and I keep her in my yard or on a leash.

I know somebody who had 2 pits in the country...they got out and ran for three days then came back exhausted. I don't know what the hell she was thinking those dogs do when they're loose, but it isn't smelling flowers. they chase and kill things.

The people who own the pits should go to prison, and be prohibited from having dogs again. Any dogs.

 

[AllieBaba]

My son got his pitbull when my kids were very young; he's been raised around little kids. We have many adorable pictures of the kids and him; he lays in the living room and they climb on him, sit on him, sleep next to him..he likes my granddaughter's little play tent and the big tube thing that goes with it (a crawl tube). He's a part of our family and we love him. But we are careful to let him in on what's going on...nobody gets to sneak up on him. My son watches him very carefully and is always teaching him new things...he rolls over on command now (it's actually very funny; he's a big rednose, fawn brindle). My son takes him to the school shop with him, and Snoop gets to hang in the truck in the shop and lots of people come to see and love him him. He's been socialized from puppyhood with other dogs, with people and all sorts of situations.

It's taken a lot of work. He's never, NEVER allowed to run.

 

[strollingbones]

I have know many a pitbull that were complete sweathearts I would allow any child to play with.

then you are a fool....i would never allow any child to play with any dog unsupervised...regardless of size or breed.....

i have a wonderful doberman.....just a big old baby....i still would not allow a child around him unsupervised...you see all kinds of utube videos with dogs and kids...but they are always adults in the room near them...note that...

one horror story: a friend had a full on male great dane...his daughter was about 3 and was walking behind the dog..she reached up and gave his balls a yank.....dog bite her ...now do you fault the dog...or do you fault the stupid owner for having a full male around a small child?

 

[strollingbones]

o sorry didnt see allie's post....but she is so correct

 

[Bfgrn]

Pit bulls are just dogs.

Any dog that is trained to become aggresive will be dangerous.

Its not the breed folks

Pit bulls are not just dogs. It is the breed.

http://www.dogbitelaw.com/Dog%20Attacks%201982%20to%202006%20Clifton.pdf

Dog attack deaths and maimings, U.S. & Canada
September 1982 to November 13, 2006

Of the breeds most often involved in incidents of sufficient severity
to be listed, pit bull terriers are noteworthy for attacking adults almost
as frequently as children. This is a very rare pattern: children are
normally at greatest risk from dogbite because they play with dogs more
often, have less experience in reading dog behavior, are more likely to
engage in activity that alarms or stimulates a dog, and are less able to
defend themselves when a dog becomes aggressive. Pit bulls seem to differ
behaviorally from other dogs in having far less inhibition about attacking
people who are larger than they are. They are also notorious for attacking
seemingly without warning, a tendency exacerbated by the custom of docking
pit bulls' tails so that warning signals are not easily recognized. Thus
the adult victim of a pit bull attack may have had little or no opportunity
to read the warning signals that would avert an attack from any other dog.

Breed Attacks doing Child Adult Deaths Maimings Notes
bodily harm victims victims
[dogs X victims] [--------Individuals---------]
Akita 48 32 14 1 39
Akita mix (inspecific) 1 1 0 0 1
Akita/Chow mix 3 3 0 0 3
Akita/Lab mix 1 1 0 0 1
Akita/terrier mix 2 1 0 0 1
Airedale/boxer 1 1 0 1 0 #
Airedale 1 1 0 1 0
Australian blue heeler 3 1 1 0 2
Australian cattle dog 1 1 0 0 1
Australian shepherd 6 4 0 0 1
Basset/GSD mix 1 1 0 1 0
Beagle 2 2 0 1 1 #
Belgian shepherd 4 1 3 0 1
Blue heeler 2 0 1 0 1
Border collie 1 0 1 1 1 #
Briard 2 0 1 1 0
Brittany spaniel 4 1 0 0 1
Bulldog (American 4 0 3 2 2
Bulldog (English) 16 8 3 1 9
Bull mastiff (Presa Canario) 30 10 13 6 16
Bull mastiff/German shepherd 2 1 0 1 0
Buff mastiff/Rottweiler 1 1 0 0 1
Boxer 31 6 12 2 12 #
Boxer mix 1 1 0 1 0
Cane Corso 4 1 2 1 3
Catahoula 3 0 1 0 1
Chow 49 34 12 6 32
Chow/husky mix 2 2 0 1 1
Chow/Labrador mix 4 4 0 0 3
Chox mix (other) 2 2 0 0 2
Cocker spaniel 1 1 0 0 1
Collie 3 3 0 0 3
Collie/retriever mix 1 1 0 0 1
Coonhound 1 1 0 0 0
Page 2 of 7
Dalmatian 3 3 0 0 3
Dalmatian/Akita mix 1 1 0 0 1
Dauschund 2 1 1 1 2 #
Doberman 11 7 4 3 7 #
Doge de Bordeaux 2 1 0 0 1
East Highland terrier 1 0 1 1 0 #
Fila Brasiero 1 1 0 0 1
German shepherd 63 42 17 7 38
German shepherd mix 31 21 7 6 19 #
German shepherd/husky mix 4 3 1 1 2
Golden retriever 6 6 0 1 4 #
Great Dane 24 5 4 2 9
Great Pyranees 1 0 1 1 0
Greyhound 1 1 0 0 1
Husky 39 23 4 13 8
Husky/Malamute mix 2 2 0 0 2
Husky/Labrador mix 1 0 1 0 1
Jack Russell terrier 2 1 1 1 0 #
Labrador 26 18 9 2 20 #
Labrador mix 10 9 1 0 9 #
Labrador/boxer mix 1 0 1 0 0
Lab-Doberman 1 1 0 0 1
Lab-St. Bernard 1 1 0 0 1
Malamute 8 7 1 3 3
Mastiff 16 11 4 4 9
Norwegian elkhound 1 0 1 0 1 #
Pit bull terrier 1110 495 397 104 608 #
Pit bull boxer mix 5 1 2 0 2
Pit bull/chow mix 5 2 3 1 3
Pit bull/Doberman/GSD/Lab 2 2 0 0 2
Pit bull/GSD mix 1 1 0 0 1
Pit bull/Lab mix 15 10 4 3 8 #
Pit bull/Rott. mix 39 7 3 2 8
Pit bull/Sheltie mix 1 1 0 0 1
Pit bull/Weimaraner mix 1 0 1 0 1
Pit mix unknown 3 2 0 0 2
Pointer mix 1 0 1 0 0 #
Pomeranian 1 1 0 1 0
Poodle 2 1 1 0 2 #
Pug 1 1 0 0 1
Pug/Rottweiler mix 2 1 0 1 0
Queensland heeler 3 0 1 0 1
Rottweiler 409 231 109 58 223 #
Rottweiler/chow mix 1 1 0 0 1
Rottweiler/GSD mix 13 7 5 2 10
Rottweiler/Labrador 7 6 1 0 7
Russian terrier 1 0 1 0 1
Saint Bernard 6 3 0 1 1
Sharpei 4 4 0 0 4
Sharpei/Rottweiler 2 1 0 0 1
Sharpei/unknown mix 1 1 0 0 1
Sharpei/Labrador 1 1 0 0 1
Springer spaniel 3 4 0 0 4
Tosa 1 1 0 0 1
Weimaeaner 1 1 0 0 1
Wheaten terrier 2 1 0 0 1
Wolf hybrid 71 65 3 18 43 #
Total: 2209 1142 658 264 1323 (Attacks by all breeds September 1982 to November 13, 2006)
Total: 1519 726 506 162 831 (Pit bull terrier and Rottweiler)
Total: 69% 64% 77% 61% 63% (Percentage of attacks by Pit bull terrier and Rottweiler breed)


Truthfully speaking, I do not know how an effective, fair,
enforceable, humane dangerous dog law could be constructed. Any law strong
enough and directed enough to prevent the majority of life-threatening dog
attacks must discriminate heavily against pit bulls, Rottweilers, wolf
hybrids, and perhaps Akitas and chows, who are not common breeds but do
seem to be involved in disproportionate numbers of life-threatening attacks.
Such discrimination will never be popular with the owners of these breeds,
especially those who believe their dogs are neither dangerous nor likely to
turn dangerous without strong provocation. Neither will breed
discrimination ever be acceptable to those who hold out for an
interpretation of animal rights philosophy which holds that all breeds are
created equal. One might hope that educating the public against the
acquisition of dangerous dogs would help; but the very traits that make
certain breeds dangerous also appeal to a certain class of dog owner. Thus
publicizing their potentially hazardous nature has tended to increase these
breeds' popularity.

Meanwhile, because the humane community has demonstrated a profound
unwillingness to recognize, accept, and respond to the need for some sort
of strong breed-specific regulation to deal with pit bulls and Rottweilers,
the insurance industry is doing the regulating instead, by means which
include refusing to insure new shelters which accept and place pit bulls.
That means a mandatory death sentence for most pit bulls, regardless of
why they come to shelters.

The humane community does not try to encourage the adoption of pumas in
the same manner that we encourage the adoption of felis catus, because even
though a puma can also be box-trained and otherwise exhibits much the same
indoor behavior, it is clearly understood that accidents with a puma are
frequently fatal.

For the same reason, it is sheer foolishness to encourage people to
regard pit bull terriers and Rottweilers as just dogs like any other, no
matter how much they may behave like other dogs under ordinary
circumstances.

Temperament is not the issue, nor is it even relevant. What is
relevant is actuarial risk. If almost any other dog has a bad moment,
someone may get bitten, but will not be maimed for life or killed, and the
actuarial risk is accordingly reasonable. If a pit bull terrier or a
Rottweiler has a bad moment, often someone is maimed or killed--and that
has now created off-the-chart actuarial risk, for which the dogs as well as
their victims are paying the price.

Pit bulls and Rottweilers are accordingly dogs who not only must be
handled with special precautions, but also must be regulated with special
requirements appropriate to the risk they may pose to the public and other
animals, if they are to be kept at all.