Letters to the Editor
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@ Alvador
While it is true that "pits" jaws don't lock, nor are their jaws even as powerful as a German Shepherds (pounds of pressure per square inch), it is absolutely true that dog fighters breed their pits not to have that "safety catch." Often they let them fight to the death and they will kill any dog that stops fighting. As the result of that culling, they are breeding into their fighting dogs a lack of normal restraint. To think otherwise is just naive.
It is almost as naive as letting your child kiss strange dogs.
Folks, do you never do any research?
The "pit" that many people use for fighting may not be a registered dog at all. They are not as closely related to the Stratfordshire as they are to the the American Pit Bull, which is not registered with the AKC but with the UK. There are very pricey dogfights and very cheap dogfights. In the cheaper dogfights, any dog that will fight is acceptable. It is the fight that counts and this is secondary to bloodlines.
Here is a short list of dogs bred for fighting that are currently fought:
Ca De Bou
Dogo Argentino
Cane Corso (sometimes called Corso Cano)
Presa Carnio
American Pit Bull
Bull Mastiff
American Bull Dog
Alano Espanol
Fila Brasileiro
Alaphpha
Dogue de Bordeau
and many more
Did you know that the little Boston Bull Terrier was originally bred for fighting? And that the Pug and the Boston Bull Terrier may have a close relationship? And that many Pugs can't even give birth normally because of a small birth canal and a big head. There is more than one way to abuse dogs.
There are also many ways to abuse or skirt the law. Designer dogs are all the rage now. Well, dogfighters have been making designer dogs for years now and the pit your neighbor has may have no close relationship at all to these designer fighting dogs.
Whatever the problems with the dogs of various breeds, it's the people that are the problem. Your chances of encountering a genuine dangerous fighting dog are pretty slim. Your chances of encountering an ill-trained off-leash sharp shy dog of any breed are much more likely. Dogs are not as likely to hunt you down and eat your liver as they are to nip out of fear when you approach them without using common sense. All that Breed Specific Laws will mean is that people will send good animals to the pound or hide their dogs. The most likely result will be a bunch of little kids crying because they can't have their beloved dog anymore.
Best way to be safe outdoors: Avoid SUVs during peak traffic times and wear your seatbelt.
All this other stuff is just a tempest brewing in a teapot.
Canine with the most bite of pressure per square inch: Wolf -- and they are nothing compared to crocodiles.
Kill all the crocodiles. While we are at it, let's just rid of every living thing that scares us or inconveniences us. No more fear, no more poop, no more nature, no more people!
Oh yes -- one more thing -- the predator most likely to attack your child is a relative.
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The Punchline is - And it wasn't a Pit Bull!
The point is not that other dogs attack and cause injury - the point is that pit bulls and pit bull crosses attack without provocation and cause catastrophic injury due to their genetic makeup and physical size and strength. A beagle will not kill you - a pit bull will. I found myself softened momentarily by the stories of how sweet these dogs can be with their owners - but then the picture swam before my eyes of a little seven year old girl I knew several years ago, who had half of her face torn to pieces by the pit bull owned by some family friends, on a Christmas afternoon as she sat quietly talking with her mother at the dining room table while the other family's children ran around playing with their dog. She wasn't even looking at the dog when it jumped up and clamped on the side of her face without warning. This happened about 10 years ago and she's still not done with the plastic surgery needed to repair the damage that dog did. Pit bulls are erratic in their temperament and exert more force per square inch in their jaws when they bite than any other breed. This is incontrovertible fact and it makes them too dangerous to be allowed to remain in society - not through any fault of their own, but through the fault of irresponsible human behaviour, for continuing to breed an animal not fit or safe for interaction with humans and other animals.
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"I just meant to say that kids should feel comfortable going up to domestic animals, "
@ Hans B:
No they should not! I don't want little children running up to my Shepherd. He has never bitten anyone and I surely don't want him to. Please parents, don't let your children do this. Teach your children that they are not to pet any dog without YOU there and without YOUR permission and without the permission of the owner.
When children approach my dog, I put him in a down position. Then he knows to act submissive. If he seems calm enough, I let children pet him. However, I don't go out my way for this. My dog is 8 years old. He was not raised around small children and he has a high prey drive (like many herding and guarding breeds). Needless to say, I never allow him to run loose, he is never off lead, and I walk him every evening that it isn't pouring rain or 100 degrees. Older dogs often get where they don't like children. Many dogs have never been socialized to children. Also children should never come at a dog's head palm down. This is a hitting gesture.
All children below the age of 10 should be taught how and when they may approach strange animals. After age 10, children acquire some sense about these things. After age 13 they lose all sense about other things -- but that is a whole nother thread.