Letters to the Editor
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We don't want to ban pits - we want to ban "street dogs"
I do own two staffordshire bull terriers. They are NOT pit bulls but are usually defined as pit bulls in breed specific legislation. So they are pit bulls, in the eyes of the law.
Also, many dogs become pit bulls in the BSL scenario -- Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, American Pit Bull Terriers, and Bull Terriers (Spuds).
(Also, if you own an AmStaff you can register them as APBTs with the UKC -- so yes, they can "become" pit bulls.)
Keep in mind the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is one of the few (2 or 3) breeds whose standard declares it "exceptionally good with children." (Any SBT not meeting the standard should not be bred and a hard nosed breeder would cull (yes, kill) any pups that did not meet the standard.)
But having been a "pit bull" owner for 9 years now, I am realizing that it is not my dogs, or any other dogs that are registered with a breed registry, that get regular health checks and go to lots of training that cause problems -- it's the backyard dogs that are unloved and uncared for and untrained.
These backyard dogs are what I call street dogs. I don't even think most of them are full breed American Pit Bull Terriers. They certainly aren't registerd with a breed registry to prove it!
Street dogs are the dogs we are worried about that cause so many problems. They are untrained, unsocialized, and very very poorly bred.
One thing to remember about pit bulls is the TRUE BREED STANDARD OF AN APBT DOES NOT INCLUDE AGGRESSION TO HUMANS. Any good pit bull breeder would cull any dogs that showed aggression to a human. Yes, cull means killing puppies/dogs with the wrong temperment. The pit bull does have a measure of "gameness" -- many breeders will describe this in many ways but it does have to do with one of the animal's jobs -- to continue to fight another animal, never a human, in the face of death. Different lines have different levels of gameness. Most backyard breeders wouldn't know how to selectively breed for this trait (or any other trait...).
Dog aggression in dogs is a very different behavior than people aggression in dogs. Most dog aggressive dogs are very good with people.
If we ban the pit bull the street dog of choice will just become another breed ... the doberman, the rottie, whatever is the flavor of the month. Imagine the Great Dane or Mastiff as the next street dog! You think pits are big and powerful? How about a 140 pound dog! It is entirely possible.
The pit bull has become the great underclass of all dogs. They are so lowly valued most shelters automatically euthanize them. It's very tragic as anyone who has owned them recognize them as the ultimate dog. Dynamic and able to perform any task with precision and confidence.
If they were magically eradicated, a new underclass of dogs would be found. I have no doubt.
For the record, I am afraid of dogs. That's why I got my pit bulls -- they are very very good with people. It's the street dogs that are the problem.
If we're banning dogs, I'd like to see cocker spaniels banned. Most vicious breed I have ever seen. Maybe add huskys to the list as well. I'm quite afraid of cockers and huskies, but never pits. Yes, dog banning is completely ridiculous.
Yes, Watney and Jinx are my baby pit bulls.