Friday, September 10, 2004
Yet Another Dog Attack:
So this time a teenage girl in Chatham, another pitbull involved, politicos all scheming on what to do about it, talks of banning different breeds, etc. Big Tip, it's not the breed! I have had dogs pretty much every minute of my life, including a pitbull that I adored and eventually put down. This particular dog was just about the sweetest thing you could imagine, with me! The problem was with everyone else, including kids, squirrels, cats, other dogs, and just about anything else he saw. This is not to say that he was mean, he wasn't. It's just that he loved to show his dominance, and fighting over it was just about his favorite thing in the world to do. I've known a few people like that too. I've known someone who had another pitbull and this dog was the exact opposite. His 2 year old daughter would drive her little plastic bike over it repeatedly and the dog would lap it up. This pitbull was only 38 lbs. full grown and was purchased from a blue ribbon line in the U.S. When looking at mine and his at the same time it was hard to imagine that they were the same breed. So what was the difference? Breeding! I would also add, training and attitude of the owner. First and foremost, though, is breeding. Many people intentionally seek out an aggressive dog for several reasons, security and confidence not the least. I must admit it gave me a bit of a charge knowing my dog would easily take just about anything on two or four legs. I didn't have any trouble sleeping at night knowing he was there. His dominant trait was universal except with me. I understand this trait extends to almost all pitbulls in that they are never any threat to their owners. The problem is that many owners can't see past this and look through the eyes of the person or child on the other side of it. They refuse to admit that the dog they love and who loves them is a threat to everyone else. Short of living as a hermit, it will always be a threat. There is really only one responsible choice, and that is to put them down, preferably before they attack someone who doesn't immediately lay down and show their throat. This decision must be made as soon as the dog demonstrates anti-social behavior. For the pitbulls at least, I can't imagine someone being able to train this trait out of them. With proper breeding at the start, it will never be a problem to begin with so long as the owners look after the training and their own attitudes. Many large dogs are being bred to be aggressive and good fighters. So long as there are people who will pay for these dogs, it will continue. So in the end, it all comes back to the owners. I've known good and bad dogs of all breeds, but it is us, one way or another, who makes them that way.
So this time a teenage girl in Chatham, another pitbull involved, politicos all scheming on what to do about it, talks of banning different breeds, etc. Big Tip, it's not the breed! I have had dogs pretty much every minute of my life, including a pitbull that I adored and eventually put down. This particular dog was just about the sweetest thing you could imagine, with me! The problem was with everyone else, including kids, squirrels, cats, other dogs, and just about anything else he saw. This is not to say that he was mean, he wasn't. It's just that he loved to show his dominance, and fighting over it was just about his favorite thing in the world to do. I've known a few people like that too. I've known someone who had another pitbull and this dog was the exact opposite. His 2 year old daughter would drive her little plastic bike over it repeatedly and the dog would lap it up. This pitbull was only 38 lbs. full grown and was purchased from a blue ribbon line in the U.S. When looking at mine and his at the same time it was hard to imagine that they were the same breed. So what was the difference? Breeding! I would also add, training and attitude of the owner. First and foremost, though, is breeding. Many people intentionally seek out an aggressive dog for several reasons, security and confidence not the least. I must admit it gave me a bit of a charge knowing my dog would easily take just about anything on two or four legs. I didn't have any trouble sleeping at night knowing he was there. His dominant trait was universal except with me. I understand this trait extends to almost all pitbulls in that they are never any threat to their owners. The problem is that many owners can't see past this and look through the eyes of the person or child on the other side of it. They refuse to admit that the dog they love and who loves them is a threat to everyone else. Short of living as a hermit, it will always be a threat. There is really only one responsible choice, and that is to put them down, preferably before they attack someone who doesn't immediately lay down and show their throat. This decision must be made as soon as the dog demonstrates anti-social behavior. For the pitbulls at least, I can't imagine someone being able to train this trait out of them. With proper breeding at the start, it will never be a problem to begin with so long as the owners look after the training and their own attitudes. Many large dogs are being bred to be aggressive and good fighters. So long as there are people who will pay for these dogs, it will continue. So in the end, it all comes back to the owners. I've known good and bad dogs of all breeds, but it is us, one way or another, who makes them that way.
# posted by Wil Smith : 3:40 p.m.
