YES THEY ARE WORTH IT!!! JUDGE THE DEED NOT THE BREED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would like to introduce myself. My name is Susan. I am married with three lovely children ages 23, 20 and 17. I am also an animal lover. I own dogs and cats. I work as a dog trainer in my spare time and work in the intensive care unit at a local hospital full time.
I love ALL breeds. As I was taught by my parents to love all and not be predijust . I had great parents. They taught me morals and to never be fake. I always tell the truth. I also was taught to speak my mind and that is what I intend on doing now.
I am writing this because am hopeful that people can become more educated about topic of "PIT BULLS"
First, Let me add that I do have extensive experience dealing with pit bulls/ American Staffordshire Terriers (Pure breeds as well as pit bull mixes)
I personally am around approximately 200-250 pit bulls per year. (Probably even more) I think that is more than the average person (not in the dog business)
I believe when a fatal attack happens involving dogs, 99.9 percent of the time It is the owners of the dogs and their stupidity that attributes to the horrific act. (Yes, VERY bad dogs either genetic or human taught maybe a little of both)?
Another problem with pit bulls is people with intent to breed these dogs and to become a wonderful back yard breeder making "tons of money on the dogs offspring too"!!! BACK YARD BREEDERS!!
Pit bulls are not breed to be aggressive towards people in the least.
http://www.austinlostpets.com/kidskorner/2October/pitbull.htm Actually in my home town of West Warwick RI and the city of Warwick, last year, the number one biter was a yellow lab and a golden retriever. (Mixes as well as pedigree)
Pit bull’s can and do exhibit animal aggression. That is something that is breed into them.
On the other hand, many of them do not have any issues other than being born with the name of "Pit bull".
I train shelter pit bulls (as well as other types of dogs but I do specialize in training shelter pit bulls) for the most part; I find them to be extremely intelligent, loving and funny personality dogs. I adore the breed and have been working with them for over 12 years now. So add up the number of pit bulls I have been around up to date and I can bet it is much more than most people will ever encounter in a life time.
I have never been bitten or even growled at by a "Pit bull". I have been severely bitten and put in the hospital by a "GOLDEN RETRIEVER/ YELLOW LAB though. Just last year. This dog was MY OWN!!! My bite cost me a hand that never will be 100 percent useful again. I spent two days in the hospital, A visit to a general surgeon, a plastic surgeon and multiple visits to an occupational therapist for one month as well as a cast and then a splint on my left hand. The attack was unprovoked, (I took him by the collar to lead him to another room)
He had a big issue with dominance aggression!!! So it goes to show, judge each dog individually. PLEASE!!! I still love Golden's and labs. I do not discriminate against that breed.
Just Today 6/20/05 I temperament tested a black lab for adoption at a local shelter and he FLUNKED badly. (Severe food posession)
Here is a recent pic of me featured in the Humane Society of the United States News letter. Yes, I am proud!!
http://www.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/NERO-1.pdf (Scroll down to the last page and you will find a pic of me and my rescue dog that was beaten severely from some loser in the city of Providence. The dogs name is "Annabelle)".
My other "Pit bull" named Ginger is a pet therapy dog. She was nothing more than a little pit bull sitting on death row with 0 training when I adopted her almost 4 years ago. She has her CGC and has done many public events to promote pit bulls in a positive image. Last year she was in a fashion show that was emceed by news channel 12's Karen Adams. There were over 300 invited guests. Ginger was awesome. Yes, my dogs are exposed to children too.
Ginger recently got married 5/29/05 at the Cranston Country Club RI (for a fund raiser to help shelter dogs and cats) and had over 100 invited guests as well as the media.
I work hard to promote this type of dog, as they should be a loving family pet.
Yes, they are strong dogs and when one goes bad, you better believe the bite will be bad. One must always remember something my behaviorist once told me. "Always think of ALL dogs as predators, they are canines and all have sharp teeth".
Lets face it; getting bit by a pit bull is not the same as getting bit by a poodle.
It the LOSERS that train their dogs to be killing machines and the dogs go bad because of the humane that raises them not the other way around.
I am not saying that all pit bulls are good. Just like I am not saying ANY other breed always makes a good dog either. And yes, when one exhibits bad behavior, yes, put the dog to sleep. Many shelters now do temperament testing on the dogs that come in.
I actually do temperament testing on shelter dogs.
Here is a Brief overall of what the testing entails:
Ideally, dogs should have at least three days to acclimate to the shelter prior to testing. Forms are used to chart the progression of the tests and to compile an adoption profile. In the beginning, the evaluator spends time observing the dog. This initial period allows the evaluator to see whether the dog is sexually mature and intact, whether it is cautious, and whether it his showing any signs of friendliness. Does the dog acknowledge the tester and/or solicit attention? This information determines if you proceed further.
Once it has been determined that the tests should continue, the evaluator begins stroking the dog in a neutral/non-threatening area first, then progresses to stroking the back, patting the side, patting the head, and finally initiating more affectionate interaction. The dog is rated on all of his responses. Personality traits are then determined: is the dog confident/timid, calm/frenetic, independent/dependent, people oriented/environment oriented, unflappable/reactive, etc. All of these traits have varying degrees of interpretation, so careful assessment is important. Many dogs fall within a continuum of the personality descriptions, and this gives way to further explanation on their evaluation forms. Physical control and restraint responses are tested. This is similar to a veterinary examination: the dog experiences physical restraint and his teeth, ears as well as the rest of his body are checked. Also, the play and prey response is checked. The evaluator attempts to engage the dog in physical play and takes notice of how quickly the play occurs, whether it escalates (i.e. does it become mouthing, grabbing, jumping). When the evaluator stops, he also takes notice of how long it takes before the dog calms down. Interest in toys is tested, too. Retrieving and tug games are applied to see what experience the dog has. A chase response is tested to determine whether the dog is aroused by quickly moving targets.
The evaluator looks at prior training: Does the dog have any? Without physical manipulation and without prompting with the leash or collar, verbal obedience cues and hand signals are given. Response to sit, down, shake/paw, come, etc. are tested. Rewards are given when the dog responds correctly. If no training is apparent, evaluators teach the "Sit!" command using a food lure. This is the beginning of the dog's in-shelter training. On-leash behavior is also observed. Food and object guarding are tested, as are the dog's reaction to visitors and strangers. Dogs are tested to determine compatibility with other dogs and cats.
This is a brief overview of the temperament tests administered at animal shelters. Shelters sometimes improvise by removing or adding additional tests to the routine. In reality, each test is performed in great depth. Each dog is evaluated as an individual and is not prejudged by breed or size. Care is taken when completing the written profile. This information is detailed and should reasonably suggest the type of home and environment preferred for each dog".
It is very involved but you can get a good indication overall on the dogs temperament. If the dog does not pass, the dog gets put to sleep. (Check out these ATTS stats on breed temperament) the American Pit bull terrier does rather well!!!
http://www.atts.org/stats1.html I also can personally tell people this: The pit bull is usually not the breed that flunks the temperament test.
I just wish society could understand it’s the morons that own these dogs that cause the problems.
Stop back yard breeding and enforce stricter animal cruelty laws. Ticket irresponsible dog owners. (Of all breeds) Every owner has a shared responsibility to care for their pets and be responsible owners. Teach children to be respectful of animals. Never leave children unattended with dogs and be a responsible parent.
I just love it when I go to the local parks and there are tons and tons of loose dogs running around. I get the dirty looks because I have the "OH my goodness she has a PIT BULL". My dog is always on a leash and doing nothing wrong. Then when their dog approaches mine (due to it being off leash) they will say something really stupid to me like "Is your pit bull going to kill my poor dog"??? "Oh how can you own such a monster"???
My reply??? "Duhh if you cared so much, why don't you get your dog on a leash and be a responsible dog owner and do your part as well" "Looks like you did a great job obedience training your dog".
Personally speaking from a dog training perspective. I still stand by the word individual. Judge each dog by his or her own behavioral acts and always keep an eye on your children. My husband and myself always had dogs while our children were young. We had a red Doberman /German shepherd mix. The dog was our children’s best friend. We also had a pit bull that was an awesome family pet. Our children were taught to respect the dog and vice/versa.
In the case of my golden retriever/ yellow lab dog attack last August (that did require an ambulance ride) if I were a child, I would have been dead ~~~ NO doubt.
They have a "general" reputation of being great with children.
I think no one with small children that is not willing to watch the children like a hawk and take responsibility should have a dog ANY dog. I have seen beagles with horrible food aggression that have had to be put to sleep. (That is one of the important things I look out for with dogs and young children (dogs with food aggression) that is why the temperament testing is so important.
I work at a community hospital and have worked there for 18 years now.
I can tell MANY stories about dog bites and breeds as well. I also have many friends that are Animal Control Officers in the State of RI. In most cities and towns, Pit bulls are actually at the bottom of the list when it comes to human bites. They are however, high on the list of animal aggressive acts. Not people aggression.
As a general rule, I personally do not adopt out MOST breeds pit bulls or otherwise to families with small children. (Just because I don't trust the parents to keep an eye on their children and then turn around and then blame the dog)!!!
Those are my rules. Of course, there are exceptions and depending on the child and coupled with the temperament test results then I make my decision.
But I have to add just because a dog is strong does not make it vicious.
All pit bulls are not mean. Many are in fact service dogs.
It really depends on the individual family as well as the individual dog. I think most intellegent people would agree on that?
This article has some helpful hints about children and dogs:
http://www.leerburg.com/kidbites.htm another great one:
http://members.aol.com/radogz/find.html (Can you find the pit bull)?
And last but not least:
http://www.gopetsamerica.com/dogs/dogs-good-with-kids.aspx also a great book that I highly recommend is:
Fatal Dog Attacks ~ the stories behind the statistics. By Karen Delise. (Read below)
"FATAL DOG ATTACKS"
The Stories Behind the Statistics
An Investigative Study into the Circumstances Surrounding Dog-Bite Related Human Fatalities from 1965 through the Present.
By Karen Delise
"There is nothing to fear
except the persistent refusal to find out the truth,
the persistent refusal to analyze the causes of happenings."
Dorothy Thompson, (1894 - 1961)
Today’s media is filled with sensational headlines of dog attacks. Routinely quoted in these newspaper accounts are dated statistics from the Centers for Disease Control. The last CDC study released documented which breeds of dogs caused the most human fatalities from 1979 through 1998. While the CDC did an admirable job of studying fatal dog attacks, and went to great lengths to point out that irresponsible owners were the cause of most of these incidents, the media and lawmakers continue to use CDC statistics to substantiate claims that certain breeds of dogs are inherently more "vicious" than other breeds.
The result of sensationalizing individual incidents of severe or fatal dog attacks, included with the use of unexamined statistical "evidence" has created an unfortunate and inaccurate public and political perception as to the dangerousness and predictability of certain breeds of dogs. Despite enormous public and political interest in fatal dog attacks, there is no agency or organization that does investigative work (with the exception of this study) into each of the individual cases of fatal dog attacks and records the number and circumstances of fatal dog attacks on a continuous, yearly basis.
This study is conducted in an attempt to understand the human and canine behaviors that contribute to a fatal dog attack. Only in understanding the events and circumstances surrounding these incidents can we hope to prevent future tragedies.
STUDY FINDINGS:
After reviewing over 431 cases of fatal dog attacks it is apparent there is no single factor that translates in a lethal encounter between a person and a dog(s). A fatal dog attack is always the culmination of past and present events that include: inherited and learned behaviors, genetics, breeding, socialization, function of the dog, physical condition and size of the dog, reproductive status of dog, popularity of breed, individual temperament, environmental stresses, owner responsibility, victim behavior, victim size and physical condition, timing and misfortune.
While many circumstances may contribute to a fatal dog attack, the following three factors appear to play a critical role in the display of canine aggression towards humans;
Function of the dog - (Includes: dogs acquired for fighting, guarding/protection or image enhancement)
Owner responsibility - (Includes: dogs allowed to roam loose, chained dogs, dogs and/or children left unsupervised, dogs permitted or encouraged to behave aggressively, animal neglect and/or abuse)
Reproductive status of dog - (Includes: unaltered males dogs, ****es with puppies, children coming between male dog and female dog in estrus)
It is necessary to emphasize that a fatal dog attack is an exceptionally unusual event. Approximating 20 deaths per year in a dog population of 53 million yields an infinitesimal percent of the dog population (.0000004%) involved in a human fatality.
THE BREED FACTOR
Many communities and cities believe that the solution to prevent severe and fatal dog attacks is to label, restrict or ban certain breeds of dogs as potentially dangerous. If the breed of dog was the primary or sole determining factor in a fatal dog attack, it would necessarily stand to reason that since there are literally millions of Rottweilers, Pit Bulls and German Shepherd Dogs in the United States, there would have to be countless more than an approximate 20 human fatalities per year.
Since only an infinitesimal number of any breed is implicated in a human fatality, it is not only unreasonable to characterize this as a specific breed behavior by which judge an entire population of dogs, it also does little to prevent fatal or severe dog attacks as the real causes and events that contribute to a fatal attack are masked by the issue of breed and not seriously addressed.
Pit Bulls in particular have been in a firestorm of bad publicity, and throughout the country Pit Bulls often bear the brunt of breed specific legislation. One severe or fatal attack can result in either restrictions or outright banning of this breed (and other breeds) in a community. While any severe or fatal attack on a person is tragic, there is often a tragic loss of perspective as to degree of dangerousness associated with this breed in reaction to a fatality. Virtually any breed of dog can be implicated in a human fatality.
From 1965 - 2001, there have been at least 36 different breeds/types of dog that have been involved in a fatal attack in the United States. (This number rises to at least 52 breeds/types when surveying fatal attacks worldwide). We are increasingly becoming a society that has less and less tolerance and understanding of natural canine behaviors. Breed specific behaviors that have been respected and selected for over the centuries are now often viewed as unnatural or dangerous. Dogs have throughout the centuries served as protectors and guardians of our property, possessions and families. Dogs have also been used for thousands of years to track, chase and hunt both large and small animals. These natural and selected-for canine behaviors seem to now eliciting fear, shock and a sense of distrust among many people.
There seems to be an ever-growing expectation of a "behaviorally homogenized" dog - "Benji" in the shape of a Rottweiler. Breeds of dogs with greater protection instincts or an elevated prey-drive are often unfairly viewed as "aggressive or dangerous". No breed of dog is inherently vicious, as all breeds of dogs were created and are maintained exclusively to serve and co-exist with humans. The problem exists not within the breed of dog, but rather within the owners that fail to control, supervise, maintain and properly train the breed of dog they choose to keep.
CANINE AGGRESSION - AN OVERVIEW
it is important to emphasize that dogs bite today for the same reasons that they did one hundred or one thousand years ago. Dogs are no more dangerous today than they were a century or millennium ago. They only difference is a shift in human perception of what is and is not natural canine behavior and/or aggression and the breed of dog involved.
Examination of newspaper archival records dating back to the 1950’s and 1960’s reveal the same types of severe and fatal attacks occurring then as today. The only difference is the breed of dog responsible for these events. A random study of 74 severe and fatal attacks reported in the Evening Bulletin (Philadelphia, PA) from 1964-1968, show no severe or fatal attacks by Rottweilers and only one attack attributed to a Pit-Bull-type dog. The dogs involved in most of these incidents were the breeds that were popular at the time.
Over two thousand years ago, Plato extolled a basic understanding of canine behavior when he wrote, "the disposition of noble dogs is to be gentle with people they know and the opposite with those they don’t know...." Recently, this fundamental principal of canine behavior seems to elude many people as parents allow their children to be unsupervised with unfamiliar dogs and lawmakers clamor to declare certain dogs as dangerous in response to an attack.
Any dog, regardless of breed, is only as dangerous as his/her owner allows it to be.
Addressing the issue of severe and fatal dog attacks as a breed specific problem is akin to treating the symptom and not the disease. Severe and fatal attacks will continue until we come to the realization that allowing a toddler to wander off to a chained dog is more of a critical factor in a fatal dog attack than which breed of dog is at the end of the chain.
Only when we become more knowledgeable, humane and responsible in our treatment of dogs can we hope to prevent future tragedies.
"Fatal Dog Attacks" explores and discusses the truth behind fatal dog attacks; including:
Where and under what circumstances do many of these attacks occur?
Why are certain breeds of dog implicated in more fatal attacks than other breeds?
Who is most likely to be a victim of a fatal dog attack?
What are the REAL causes of a fatal dog attack?
Who is ultimately responsible for these incidents?
What can be done to prevent these types of attacks"?
I highly suggest people purchase this book TODAY!
http://www.theanimalprint.com/JuJuWeb.pdf Above is a link to The Animal Print's recent magazine that just came out on stands.
Scroll down to almost the end (page 23) and you and you can see pics of my husband, my pet “Pit Bull” bride and myself on her wedding day fundraiser that was held May 29th. 2005.
Yes, children were there too!!
Please judge the DEED, NOT THE BREED.
Sorry to ramble, but after I read a post that was posted on 5/19 about pit bulls in general, I felt like I really needed to post my side.
There are many great dog owners that do love and cherish their pit bulls and take great care of them. They also take pride in the breed. I happen to be one of those people.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Susan Parker
http://www.1-800-save-a-pet.com
Topics 
