Woman attacked by SEVEN pit bulls

[MMike]

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/South/12/13/pitbull.attack.ap/index.html

Why are people allowed to have these dogs? A little girl in Seattle was recently mauled by one too...

[BurlyShirley]

Just go to the NRA website, and while reading, replace the word "Handgun" with "Pitbull".

[LordOpie]

Originally posted by BurlySurly
Just go to the NRA website, and while reading, replace the word "Handgun" with "Pitbull".
Well, the problem *is* the owners, not the dogs. And just like guns, I think people should be registered to own known breeds of potentially violent animals.

[CRUM]

What bothers me th most about this, was the statement made by someone close who said they did not blame the owner of the dogs, they blamed animal control. Certainly the local dog catchers may have been remiss in addressing the situation, but the fault ultimately is laid on the owner's shoulders. After the first nibble, he should have taken measures to ensure the second and subsequent mauling never had a chance to happen.

[looseunit]

Well, the problem *is* the owners, not the dogs. And just like guns, I think people should be registered to own known breeds of potentially violent animals.

Like regesting guns has stop around 30,000 poeple being shot each year in the USA. As for pit bull/bull terrior there were breed as fighting dogs/pig hunting dogs, so why anyone would want one as a pet to have a home is rather strange to me. You must ask your self what the appeal to owning a dog like that is.

[Damn True]

News flash:
All dogs are potentially violent. Golden Retrievers bite more people every year than any other breed yet there is no outcry to ban their ownership because they are cute and fuzzy.
The problem is the little-dicked owners who think that having a pit-bull along with an Oakland Raiders sticker in the back window of their Durango makes them some sort of Bad-Ass.

Take any dog and leave it chained and alone, unsocialized and unloved, and it will be a mean dog. Combine that with irresponsible breeders who intentionally breed dame & sire with poor temperment, high prey drive, and high protection instinct and you wind up with dogs that can be weapons.

The sad thing is that there are tons of pit-bulls that are wonderful loving little dogs. They get a bad rap becuase of the actions of a few reprehensible humans. Frequently they languish in pounds until they are euthanized because of the fear of this breed.

[-BB-]

Originally posted by Damn True
News flash:

The problem is the little-dicked owners who think that having a pit-bull along with an Oakland Raiders sticker in the back window of their Durango makes them some sort of Bad-Ass.


When all they really need is the Raiders sticker. ;)

[N8]

My family raised American Staffordshire Terriers for 20 years.

The American Kennel Club says:
Over the past 50 years, careful breeding has produced today's American Staffordshire Terrier who is affectionate, reliable, and an especially good dog for children.

The American Staffordshire Terrier is a happy, outgoing, stable, and confident dog who makes a wonderful family pet.


They are natually fond of people and I lived around them all of my childhood all with out incident. The sad fact is that many people get a bull dog and abuse it to make it mean but then just about any dog will if abused.

Bull dogs have become the SUV's and assault weapons of the canine world...

[MMike]

When did you become liberal all of a sudden? Weren't pit bulls specifically bred for fighting? They are nasty. Yes, owners, knowing that their dogs are a problem waiting to happen, should be extra careful with them. But no...pitbulls are not victims. They are like escaped mental patients who have worked their way out of their straight jackets.


Originally posted by Damn True
News flash:
All dogs are potentially violent. Golden Retrievers bite more people every year than any other breed yet there is no outcry to ban their ownership because they are cute and fuzzy.
The problem is the little-dicked owners who think that having a pit-bull along with an Oakland Raiders sticker in the back window of their Durango makes them some sort of Bad-Ass.

Take any dog and leave it chained and alone, unsocialized and unloved, and it will be a mean dog. Combine that with irresponsible breeders who intentionally breed dame & sire with poor temperment, high prey drive, and high protection instinct and you wind up with dogs that can be weapons.

The sad thing is that there are tons of pit-bulls that are wonderful loving little dogs. They get a bad rap becuase of the actions of a few reprehensible humans. Frequently they languish in pounds until they are euthanized because of the fear of this breed.

[ummbikes]

It used to be the Rottweilers, Dobermans and German Shepards that were the evil dogs. Now it's pitbulls.

Is the "pitbull" the same breed as the Staffordshire?

It's too bad the person was mauled by the dogs at any rate.

Should people who aggression train dogs who then kill people should be tried for murder?

[MMike]

Originally posted by ummbikes
It used to be the Rottweilers, Dobermans and German Shepards that were the evil dogs. Now it's pitbulls.

Is the "pitbull" the same breed as the Staffordshire?

It's too bad the person was mauled by the dogs at any rate.

Should people who aggression train dogs who then kill people should be tried for murder?

What would happen if a guy was cleaning his uzi and it slipped out of his hands, bouncd off the ground and it accidentally shot a bunch of people?

[ummbikes]

Originally posted by MMike
What would happen if a guy was cleaning his uzi and it slipped out of his hands, bouncd off the ground and it accidentally shot a bunch of people?

Who knows, maybe nothing?

Maybe a civil law suit.

Maybe criminal manslaughter charges.

I don't think the two examples are that similar, in that the Uzi cant jump out of a gun case and chase someone down and bust a cap in 'em.

[MMike]

Originally posted by ummbikes


I don't think the two examples are that similar, in that the Uzi cant jump out of a gun case and chase someone down and bust a cap in 'em.

Well that's sorta what I meant. I think letting your pit bull loose is almost worse than...."losing control" of your automatic weapon because the dog has a mind ...albeit defective, of its own....

[N8]

Originally posted by ummbikes


Is the "pitbull" the same breed as the Staffordshire?



Classed by AKC as "American Staffordshire Terrier" and by UKC as "American Pit Bull Terrier."

We raised what the UKC calls American Pit Bull Terriers but my family was associated with the AKC.

[MMike]

Originally posted by N8
Classed by AKC as "American Staffordshire Terrier" and by UKC as "American Pit Bull Terrier."

We raised what the UKC calls American Pit Bull Terriers but my family was associated with the AKC.

This is like watching "best in show"

"Go-od lo-oves a terrierrrrrrrrr"

Or Bruce McCullugh

"terrier's my favourite kind of breed"

[Arsbars]

I don't exactly understand how they feel, but I have a pitbull that lives 2 houses down. Still a pup, but large as hell-- and pure muscle. He of course isn't fixed, yet old enough. He seems to want a piece of my little Rubi.. BAD. She's only 5 months, so can't get fixed just yet. He is over everytime he gets a chance.. charging at my front/back door etc etc. I'm waiting for him to cause property damage so I can call animal control.

I'm not worried about myself too much, he has some manners. Don't know what he'll do to a 5 month old puppy though..

[LordOpie]

Originally posted by Damn True
All dogs are potentially violent.
Let's not play symantics. There's a huge difference between a tiny, yappy dog who snaps at your hand and can barely break your skin versus dogs that have been breed to kill, whether a person or a pheasant.

[N8]

Originally posted by MMike
This is like watching "best in show"


BBBWWAHAHAHA!

The same thought had occured to me...

[Damn True]

Originally posted by MMike
When did you become liberal all of a sudden? Weren't pit bulls specifically bred for fighting? They are nasty. Yes, owners, knowing that their dogs are a problem waiting to happen, should be extra careful with them. But no...pitbulls are not victims. They are like escaped mental patients who have worked their way out of their straight jackets.

Any dog can be "temperment" bred to enhance aggression. Yes, pitbulls were originally bred for pit fighting or baiting. Either against bulls, bears or other dogs. They are also often used in hunting wild boar. Most non-sporting breeds have been used similarly at one point or another in their lineage.

Mastiff or Molosser breeds ( http://www.moloss.com/ ) , which includes Staffodshire-Terrier, and Bull-Terrier (most don't know or don't care to know the difference) are descendants of dogs designed by the roman army as war-dogs what is now known as the Neopolitan Mastiff was used by Marco-Polo in his marches into Manchuria.

They have been bred to fight, bred to guard, bred to herd, bred to pull or haul, bred to hunt boar or vermin, and bred as companions.

They are NOT, moreso than other breeds, as many have been led to believe a ticking time bomb waiting to maul a child. Any ill-socialized dog can be. It is the unfair to the dog and to responsible owners and breeders to characterize them as such.

[llkoolkeg]

The owner of the dogs should be criminally charged as if he had committed the mauling himself. Keeping one proven-dangerous dog, much less seven, and not maintaining control of them is no less negligent then driving drunk, and the cause of a far more horrible death for the victim. The daughter is going to blame the state because THAT is who she will be able to sue for millions. Eventually, like LO suggests, the state will seek to protect itself from these mounting lawsuits by requiring special licenses to possess known dangerous breeds.

I could have gotten an incredible deal on a house in an adjacent town, but chose not to solely because when I went to inspect the back yard, the next door neighbor had a couple Rotweillers in a pen next door that were throwing themself into the chain link to get at me. It was really a nice house but I just know that it would have been the start of an ongoing fued with the neighbor. I promtly told the realtor that we were leaving at not to bother showing me any houses with dogs caged nearby.

You really can tell a lot about a person by their choice of dog breed.

[ummbikes]

God loves a terrier, yes he does. God loves a terrier. That's because, brown sturdy bright and true, they give their hearts to you. God didn't miss a stitch, be it dog or be it bitch, when he made the Norwich merrier with his cute little 'derrier'. Yes God loves a terrier!

Best of Show is so damn funny. I got the DVD last year and there are some cool outakes and deleted scenes that are classic.

[LordOpie]

Originally posted by llkoolkeg
The owner of the dogs should be criminally charged as if he had committed the mauling himself.
He's not going to be charged?

[llkoolkeg]

Originally posted by LordOpie
He's not going to be charged?

Broom was found by the dogs' owner, Robert Freeman, 67. He said the dogs were attacking the woman when he arrived, and speculated that the attack had gone on for at least 10 minutes.

The dogs were seized by county animal control officials. Freeman, who was not immediately charged with a crime, said he told county officers to destroy the dogs.

Broom's daughter Mary Alice Smothers said Freeman's neighbors had called animal control officials several times in recent months about the dogs, who had been involved in at least two other biting incidents.

"I can't blame (Freeman). I blame animal control," Smothers told the Star-Banner.

Marion County sheriff's officials said Friday night that an investigation is continuing.

Citra is north of Ocala and about 80 miles northwest of Orlando.

[MMike]

"This is ALSO Phantom Hill....of course again it's not really a hill perse...."

Originally posted by ummbikes
God loves a terrier, yes he does. God loves a terrier. That's because, brown sturdy bright and true, they give their hearts to you. God didn't miss a stitch, be it dog or be it bitch, when he made the Norwich merrier with his cute little 'derrier'. Yes God loves a terrier!

Best of Show is so damn funny. I got the DVD last year and there are some cool outakes and deleted scenes that are classic.

[CRUM]

Originally posted by Damn True
News flash:
All dogs are potentially violent. Golden Retrievers bite more people every year than any other breed yet there is no outcry to ban their ownership because they are cute and fuzzy.
The problem is the little-dicked owners who think that having a pit-bull along with an Oakland Raiders sticker in the back window of their Durango makes them some sort of Bad-Ass.

Take any dog and leave it chained and alone, unsocialized and unloved, and it will be a mean dog. Combine that with irresponsible breeders who intentionally breed dame & sire with poor temperment, high prey drive, and high protection instinct and you wind up with dogs that can be weapons.

The sad thing is that there are tons of pit-bulls that are wonderful loving little dogs. They get a bad rap becuase of the actions of a few reprehensible humans. Frequently they languish in pounds until they are euthanized because of the fear of this breed.

Well said. We just got a puppy who is (as far as we can tell) part some kind of shepherd, part pit bull, part Lab and something else. Judging by how odd she looks now, maybe a lot of something else. She is a sweetheart. But she has a massive head and when full grown, will definitely be intimidating. If we do our job right, she'll end up like Bernie, our other dog. When the theives come, she'll hold the door for them. I won't have a vicious dog in my house. I don't share living space with them for the protection. I share myself with them because I like animals.

If anyone is truly a victim besides the poor woman who was mauled, it is the dogs.

[CRUM]

Originally posted by MMike
What would happen if a guy was cleaning his uzi and it slipped out of his hands, bouncd off the ground and it accidentally shot a bunch of people?

If he's cleaning his uzi while it's loaded, then for sure he ought to be prosecuted. For stupidity, if nothing else.

[fluff]

Originally posted by LordOpie
Let's not play symantics. There's a huge difference between a tiny, yappy dog who snaps at your hand and can barely break your skin versus dogs that have been breed to kill, whether a person or a pheasant.

Golden Retrievers are hardly tiny, yappy dogs.

A breed's physical characteristics and temperament are not inextricably linked. I have known many dogs from Dobermans, Rottweilers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, German Shephards (once public enemy no 1) to Poodles and Chihuahuas. It is only one example of each of the latter two breeds that have ever bitten me.

And the only dog I was truly wary of was a Border Collie - complete psycho hound.

(My cat once helped me chase a Rottweiler, but that's another story.)

Pitbulls could be bred to be affectionate and gentle and many probably are. How aggressive a dog is also depends on how it is treated. Many aggressive dogs are that way because they have been mistreated and are in fact scared of people.

[Jr_Bullit]

While I agree with what True is saying, that all dogs have it in them to be violent (I had a golden retriever once who bit a boy who was bullying me...I swear he was protecting me, but mom still had him put down)...my folks have a dalmation now, another dog highly known for their instinct to snap...because they're a nervous breed who don't like hands in their faces...and how many people send their kids up to talk to Perdy and Pongo?

ugh...disney :rolleyes:

But - on the flipside of that coin, there are breeds bred to kill, maim hurt, and not stop. If Gateway (yes we named the Dal gateway) ever did snap, she'd feel immediately remorseful and would respond to a sharply raised voice...

Pitts however don't let go...they're jaw muscles are developed to the point that once locked they don't come loose....We got to see first hand at a race, I believe last season, a gentleman who had his pit with him and the pitt went after another person's pet....they ended up beating the dog by kicking and hitting trying to knock it out so they could pry it's jaws off of her dog. When I was a kid, another kid I played kickball with went in the backyard of a neighbors house, not knowing the types of dogs they kept in the back...looking for our ball. He nearly had his kneecap ripped off by a pitt...I had to get my mom who took a baseball bat to the damned dog. For all I know she killed it, but she grabbed my friend and took him to the hospital immediately.

If you own an animal that has had any kind of breeding to the point where their musculature and stregth are developed in a manner most efficient for killing, you have to be aware of how you raise it. The owners are more at fault than any other...just like the parents of a kid who goes berzerk and borrows daddies gun and goes to school...

I hate that people refuse to take responsibility for themselves and their actions. You don't love a dog like that, and there's potential for problems...grrrrrrrrrr

sorry...end of rant - probably didn't make much sense

[DRB]

Originally posted by Damn True
News flash:
All dogs are potentially violent. Golden Retrievers bite more people every year than any other breed yet there is no outcry to ban their ownership because they are cute and fuzzy.


You are right that any dog is potentially violent and for the most part will bite if provoked. But how often beyond the initial bite does the attack go in the case of a golden retriever? Not very often as the typical retriever is going to beat a hasty retreat. However, most of the time in attacks with Pit Bulls those initial bites do evove into full blown attacks. And due to their size and strength it is hard to stop.

However, as you pointed out it isn't the breed so much as it is the owners. And in this case the owners are responsible and should be held accountable for the actions of their dogs.

[MMike]

Well there seem to be more reports of pit bull maulings than toy poodle maulings. Maybe it's a liberal media cover-up.

As near as I can tell, the only reason I can see to own a dangerous animal like that is to make yourself look cool because of the stigma attached to them. "Yeah....we can put him next to the scorpions!"

I don't know if this is true or not. I have heard it on a few occasions. But for all I know it's bunk. But I have heard that they are so in-bred (which is cruel in itself), that as they grow, their brains somehow outgrow their skulls. And the pressure builds in their noggins and they go all mental-loco.

Could be crap. I dunno...

[goosemagoo]

Just in case you ever need to know:

A knee to a dog's ribs just behind the shoulder will more than likely explode the dog's heart rendering him dead in a few seconds. This is best accomplished if the dog is on the ground.

If a pitbull attacked my dog no one would have to decide if they were going to put the dog to sleep or not. They could just drag him away:dead:

[llkoolkeg]

Originally posted by goosemagoo
Just in case you ever need to know:

A knee to a dog's ribs just behind the shoulder will more than likely explode the dog's heart rendering him dead in a few seconds. This is best accomplished if the dog is on the ground.

If a pitbull attacked my dog no one would have to decide if they were going to put the dog to sleep or not. They could just drag him away:dead:

Goosie, where on earth did you hear that? From the same person who said that a palm strike to the bridge of the nose sends shards into the brain rendering instant death? :D

I have seen pit bulls bite the $hit out of people all the while getting beat on with a baseball bat. Pits are fast, durable, powerful and next to fearless. It's hard to knee one in the ribs while it's dragging you around by the hand or has a hold of your scalp. I would not feel safe going against one with anything less than a shotgun.

[MMike]

i would use the vulcan shoulder death grip....


Originally posted by llkoolkeg
Goosie, where on earth did you hear that? From the same person who said that a palm strike to the bridge of the nose sends shards into the brain rendering instant death? :D

I have seen pit bulls bite the $hit out of people all the while getting beat on with a baseball bat. Pits are fast, durable, powerful and next to fearless. It's hard to knee one in the ribs while it's dragging you around by the hand or has a hold of your scalp. I would not feel safe going against one with anything less than a shotgun.

[N8]

Bull dogs do not feel pain when they are fighting.

We used 2 methods to get them to release their bite; choking them off, and by using a pry stick to pry open their jaws.

I have seen cola poured in their nose and that works too.

[RhinofromWA]

Gorwing up my nieghbor had a Pitbull named Mumphord. He was always fenced and I grew up with it. Handsome dog and nice as could be, but you couldn't pay me enough money to step into that back yard without the owner present.

When I look into a Pitbull's eyes I see a light switch. They are tame as can be, but when that switch clicks over to fight mode......I don't want to be near them.

Am I paranoid? Maybe.

Do I trust labs, shepards, etc more than Pitbulls? Yes...but I need to know the owners and like to have them there with me. I dislike dobermans....always have. Rotewilers are mixed for me....again like to know the owner.

All these animals mentioned above seemed to have something in behind their eyes except the Pitbull. Mumphord was one of the nicest dogs you ever met......I just didn't want to be on his bad side.

[goosemagoo]

Yeah, it would be tough to do if the dog was hanging from your ear or arm but you could help another dog or person if a weapon wasn't handy. A shotgun would work much better though.

BTW - Re: Knee to the ribs technique - I used to trap furry little creatures back in high school for a little extra spending money. That is a way to quickly dispatch a fox, coyote, etc. when a bullet would ruin the pelt. There is little muscle in that area of canines so the only protection is the strength of the rib bones themselves and a mean dog with strong jaws does not equal stronger bones or stronger internal organs. You'll find that dog's rib cages compress quite easily when pressed from the sides allowing the rib bones to compress and/or break into the chest cavity rendering the vicious pooch :dead:

[HippieKai]

Originally posted by RhinofromWA
Mumphord was one of the nicest dogs you ever met......I just didn't want to be on his bad side.

hmmm.....sounds like a certain guy on the team....who could it be.........i think his name starts with an S and ends in a T....?









As for dog's i love Pit Bulls. My friends had one that was sooo nice. It didn't matter who you were you could just walk right up and pet him or play hard with him the most he would do was kinda gum your arm gently even if he was all riled up and you pulled away a bunch!
I had a bull dog myself that was the same way.

It just depends on the dog's personality i guess, and how the owner treat it.

[Jeremy R]

A few years back, I got a puppy from the shelter. A couple of people commented on how it looked like a Pit. So I started to do a whole bunch of research on these animals.
As it turns out, They are awesome and amazing animals that some very evil humans are trying to ruin.
Back in the old days, pits were used for fighting back when it was legal. The HAD to be bred to have an awesome temperment.
The reason why is because their handlers could not be bitten while they were handling the dog. The same way that a Lab should not bite you when you take a bird out of its mouth.
Once dogfighting was outlawed this dog was out of a job.
But people started realizing these dogs had a great disposition as family pets. One of the reasons why is because of its high tolerance of pain (a child can pull its tail and the dog could care less) Some child pulls the tail of my parents wussy Lhaso Apso and an azzwhooping will ensue.:p
Anyway, it was not until shady human douchebags started breeding these dogs, that problems started to develop.
These morans thought for a dog to be tough, it had to act mean,
and these people were actually breeding pits with bad temperments to one another. Bad stuff.
So basically, Human Beings are $hitty, dogs are good.;)

As much as I love these dogs, I still don't own one because of all the added responsiblity that you have. Oh yeah, my dog turned out to be a Lab/Sharpei mix that is a TOTAL crackhead. She rules though.
My favorite dog on earth is the Staffordshire Bull Terrier from England. These dogs are smaller than Pits or Amstaffs and are
also more removed from the fighting lines than Pits.
A full grown female only weighs between 26 and 31 pounds.
I want one of these bad. If you have seen the movie Snatch,
that dog was one.

I do agree that the owners of these dogs should be held 100% accountable for what happened above. It is the owners responsibility, and they should be punished severely.
Anytime you see these people owning 7 Pit bulls, something shady is normally going on anyway.

[Damn True]

Originally posted by Jr_Bullit


Pitts however don't let go...they're jaw muscles are developed to the point that once locked they don't come loose....We got to see first hand at a race, I believe last season, a gentleman who had his pit with him and the pitt went after another person's pet....they ended up beating the dog by kicking and hitting trying to knock it out so they could pry it's jaws off of her dog. When I was a kid, another kid I played kickball with went in the backyard of a neighbors house, not knowing the types of dogs they kept in the back...looking for our ball. He nearly had his kneecap ripped off by a pitt...I had to get my mom who took a baseball bat to the damned dog. For all I know she killed it, but she grabbed my friend and took him to the hospital immediately.



Just wanted to dispell a common misconception. There is no "lock" in a pit-bulls jaw mechanical or otherwise that prevents the opening. This is an urban legend.
They are however, pound for pound, one of the strongest dogs in existance. As such, they are able to hang on rather well when they choose to do so.

The thing is, pretty much any dog over roughly 45lbs is going to have a jaw strong enough to prevent removing something from it's mouth that it dosen't wish to have removed.

Ever tried to take a tennis ball away from a lab that has not been trained to drop on command? If he dosen't want to give it up, you wont get it.

By the way, I am not making a blanket advocation of this breed. It is not for everyone, nor is a border collie for everyone (spastic high energy dogs). Every type of dog has a place and a person.

Just a couple of examples.
Pointers are rather aloof in regard to people, so if your desire is for a lap dog they are not a good choice.

Herding breeds (border collie, aussie shepards, german shepards) are high energy and very smart. They need a situation in which they almost always have a job to do or they can become bored and destructive. They are also prone to separation anxiety and sometimes are not good around groups of children.

Many mastiffs (English, Bullmastiff, Douge DeBordeaux) are tractable, but stubborn if not given new challenges. Also due to these dogs strength and power their owners must be dedicated to good control training.

Sight hounds need tons of room to run and have extremely high prey drives. Cat owners need not apply as most are difficult if not impossible to train out of their desire to chase and catch small fuzzy things. Introduced as puppies there is a chance, but once established it is very tough to break.

The point is that dogs arent bad. But sometimes, people are. And sometimes even good people (depending on circumstance) can be bad for dogs.

[Silver]

Interesting note:

When I was shopping around for homeowner's insurance, everyone asked if I had pets. When I said "two cats" you could hear relief on the other end of the line.

One agent I was talking to said that a lot of companies won't write a policy if you own certain "attack" breeds of dog.

In other news, the guy that drops our Fedex off at work is just back from a 6 week layoff. He had gotten hamstrung by a pitbull. Ugly stuff, man...

[fluff]

Originally posted by Damn True
Just wanted to dispell a common misconception. There is no "lock" in a pit-bulls jaw mechanical or otherwise that prevents the opening. This is an urban legend.
They are however, pound for pound, one of the strongest dogs in existance. As such, they are able to hang on rather well when they choose to do so.

The thing is, pretty much any dog over roughly 45lbs is going to have a jaw strong enough to prevent removing something from it's mouth that it dosen't wish to have removed.

Ever tried to take a tennis ball away from a lab that has not been trained to drop on command? If he dosen't want to give it up, you wont get it.

By the way, I am not making a blanket advocation of this breed. It is not for everyone, nor is a border collie for everyone (spastic high energy dogs). Every type of dog has a place and a person.

Just a couple of examples.
Pointers are rather aloof in regard to people, so if your desire is for a lap dog they are not a good choice.

Herding breeds (border collie, aussie shepards, german shepards) are high energy and very smart. They need a situation in which they almost always have a job to do or they can become bored and destructive. They are also prone to separation anxiety and sometimes are not good around groups of children.

Many mastiffs (English, Bullmastiff, Douge DeBordeaux) are tractable, but stubborn if not given new challenges. Also due to these dogs strength and power their owners must be dedicated to good control training.

Sight hounds need tons of room to run and have extremely high prey drives. Cat owners need not apply as most are difficult if not impossible to train out of their desire to chase and catch small fuzzy things. Introduced as puppies there is a chance, but once established it is very tough to break.

The point is that dogs arent bad. But sometimes, people are. And sometimes even good people (depending on circumstance) can be bad for dogs.

I'd say that's pretty much spot on.

Sounds like you've had a few dogs in your time..

[valve bouncer]

Originally posted by Damn True




Herding breeds (border collie, aussie shepards, german shepards) are high energy and very smart. They need a situation in which they almost always have a job to do or they can become bored and destructive. They are also prone to separation anxiety and sometimes are not good around groups of children.


True WTF is a Aussie shephard? Do you mean a kelpie? Those farm dogs are no good for town, they gotta run.

[Damn True]

Originally posted by valve bouncer
True WTF is a Aussie shephard? Do you mean a kelpie? Those farm dogs are no good for town, they gotta run.

General term for two distinct but very cool breeds from Australia.

Australian Cattle Dog (http://www.akc.org/breeds/recbreeds/auscat.cfm)

and

Australian Shephard (http://www.akc.org/breeds/recbreeds/ausshep.cfm)

...and your are correct. These dogs need room, and something to do at all times. Sadly there are a lot of unhappy owners and unhappy dogs in the US becuase people have made purchases based on what is cute, or trendy without doing research into what the breed is like and what their needs are. Again, this speaks to the issue of irresponsible breeders and owners.

[Damn True]

Originally posted by Silver
Interesting note:

When I was shopping around for homeowner's insurance, everyone asked if I had pets. When I said "two cats" you could hear relief on the other end of the line.

One agent I was talking to said that a lot of companies won't write a policy if you own certain "attack" breeds of dog.

In other news, the guy that drops our Fedex off at work is just back from a 6 week layoff. He had gotten hamstrung by a pitbull. Ugly stuff, man...

Something I hadn't thought much about. Thanks for the info. I wonder what other breeds are on that list.

[valve bouncer]

Originally posted by Damn True
General term for two distinct but very cool breeds from Australia.

Australian Cattle Dog (http://www.akc.org/breeds/recbreeds/auscat.cfm)

and

Australian Shephard (http://www.akc.org/breeds/recbreeds/ausshep.cfm)

...and your are correct. These dogs need room, and something to do at all times. Sadly there are a lot of unhappy owners and unhappy dogs in the US becuase people have made purchases based on what is cute, or trendy without doing research into what the breed is like and what their needs are. Again, this speaks to the issue of irresponsible breeders and owners.
Wow never seen or heard of that breed before...learn something new everyday. Blue Heelers are beautiful dogs, Red Heelers are even nicer but keeping them in town should be a crime. When i was a tacker, the guy next door to us had a blue heeler (he was a shearer but lived in town) that was a bit highly strung. It bit me twice, once below the eye and once just above, nothing really viscous but enough to scare the sh*t out of a 8 year old. It wasn't until I was older and met a few proper farm blue heelers that I realized just what beautiful dogs they are.
On a side note DT, make you cry to see the life some dogs lead here in Japan:(

[Damn True]

Both of those breeds have been refered to as "blues" and or "heelers". You wacky Aussies. What is a red heeler?

The biting is common with many of the herding breeds. They are bred to keep the herd in check by nipping at the heels (hence the name "heeler") of the cattle or sheep to drive them back to the herd. That's fine if you are working with a bunch of sheep. Not so hot if it's a bunch of 8 year old kids in the park or front yard.

[Silver]

FYI-Dog and Insurance Info (http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/insurance/bad-dog-list1.asp)

[Damn True]

Originally posted by Silver
FYI-Dog and Insurance Info (http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/insurance/bad-dog-list1.asp)

Thanks, thats some good info. Glad to know that Roxy, my new Bullmastiff is not on the list.

I dunno about the dobie, every one I've ever met has been a complete marshmallow.

[ummbikes]

The list has Rotts' which can look menacing but all the ones I have had must have has issues because they were the biggest babies in the world. They wanted to be lap dogs. 120lb lap dogs just don't work.

[Silver]

Originally posted by Damn True
Thanks, thats some good info. Glad to know that Roxy, my new Bullmastiff is not on the list.

I dunno about the dobie, every one I've ever met has been a complete marshmallow.

Tell me you didn't name your dog after a line of surfer girl clothes.....:D

What's your address, I'll send you a sticker :devil:

I dunno crap about dogs, I've been scared of them ever since I was a little kid. I was like 4 years old and this big German Shepard barked at me. I'm a wuss to this day.

[llkoolkeg]

There are two huge bull mastiffs that run around free guarding the property of one of the homeowners near my favorite local trail. One day while exploring near the property line, they came running up to me barking and menacing. I had a Glock in my pack, fortunately, but decided to try and think my way out of trouble. I dismounted my bike keeping it between me and one of the dogs and slowly walked back to my truck, talking playfully with the dogs the whole way. One kept circling behind me, which I found quite unnerving, but I eventually made it back with them barking the whole way. I really didn't want to lift the bike to put it back in my truck, but finally did so without provoking an attack. I'm not sure I could have drawn my Model-20 quickly enough to prevent a mauling, anyways, they were THAT close. I have only seen them once since that day and have taken to calling them "Zeus" and "Apollo" after Magnum's favorite pooches.

[Spud]

My dog was attacked by some a-hole’s pitbull. I dumped 4 ounces of OC bear spray into the dog’s face from 2 feet. Took about 20 seconds for the pit to let loose. I should have used the last 2 ounces on the owner. They are impressive dogs and no doubt can be awesome pets. But let’s face it, they were bred to fight/attack. I’ve been going to public dog parks and have seen plenty of dog fights that are nothing but posturing with minor injuries. Not the case with this pit.

We adopted a dog last week from the humane society. Two dumbf^cks were also adopting and all they wanted was a pitbull or rotweiller. Overhearing them, I’m confident they weren’t just fanciers of a maligned breed. Felt sorry for the dogs.

[Damn True]

Originally posted by Silver
Tell me you didn't name your dog after a line of surfer girl clothes.....:D

What's your address, I'll send you a sticker :devil:

I dunno crap about dogs, I've been scared of them ever since I was a little kid. I was like 4 years old and this big German Shepard barked at me. I'm a wuss to this day.

Her AKC registry name is Dame Roxanne of some-pretentious-bullsheite. Roxy seems easier.

Still amazed and sadend that someone abandoned her.

[Damn True]

Originally posted by llkoolkeg
There are two huge bull mastiffs that run around free guarding the property of one of the homeowners near my favorite local trail. One day while exploring near the property line, they came running up to me barking and menacing. I had a Glock in my pack, fortunately, but decided to try and think my way out of trouble. I dismounted my bike keeping it between me and one of the dogs and slowly walked back to my truck, talking playfully with the dogs the whole way. One kept circling behind me, which I found quite unnerving, but I eventually made it back with them barking the whole way. I really didn't want to lift the bike to put it back in my truck, but finally did so without provoking an attack. I'm not sure I could have drawn my Model-20 quickly enough to prevent a mauling, anyways, they were THAT close. I have only seen them once since that day and have taken to calling them "Zeus" and "Apollo" after Magnum's favorite pooches.

They were behaving as bred. They most likely would not have bitten. Bullies tend place themselves between an offender and what they are protecting and if challenged they tend to tackle and hold intruders rather than bite.

Damned irresponsible for the land owner to let them run like that w/o a fence. Unless of course you were tresspassing, then it's on you and good doggy.

The playful voice was a good move. Ive never seen nor heard of a dog attacking while being told "good-boy" in a high pitched praising type voice. As a hasher, I have tresspassed quite a bit....shhhhh.

[Damn True]

Originally posted by Spud
My dog was attacked by some a-hole’s pitbull. I dumped 4 ounces of OC bear spray into the dog’s face from 2 feet. Took about 20 seconds for the pit to let loose. I should have used the last 2 ounces on the owner. They are impressive dogs and no doubt can be awesome pets. But let’s face it, they were bred to fight/attack. I’ve been going to public dog parks and have seen plenty of dog fights that are nothing but posturing with minor injuries. Not the case with this pit.

We adopted a dog last week from the humane society. Two dumbf^cks were also adopting and all they wanted was a pitbull or rotweiller. Overhearing them, I’m confident they weren’t just fanciers of a maligned breed. Felt sorry for the dogs.


Yeah, that kind of thing fries me. Irresponsible owners, breeders and in some cases, adoption agencies are making for the runiation of a breed. Thankfully most agencies will not allow an intact dog to be adopted. Most require obediance classes though some still do not and even fewer have any means of enforcement.

[valve bouncer]

Originally posted by Damn True
Both of those breeds have been refered to as "blues" and or "heelers". You wacky Aussies. What is a red heeler?

They are exactly like blue heelers except they are red:D :D
Have a look here True
http://www.olywa.net/shelter/breed.htm

[stevew]

Originally posted by valve bouncer
They are exactly like blue heelers except they are red:D :D
Have a look here True
http://www.olywa.net/shelter/breed.htm

Since you are in Japan, do you see many Tosa Inu's?

steve

[valve bouncer]

Originally posted by stevew
Since you are in Japan, do you see many Tosa Inu's?

steve
Tosa is the old name for Kochi prefecture. I live in the next prefecture to Kochi and have been there many times. I did see this guy walking 2 Tosa Inu (inu is the Japanese word for dog for those who don't know) one day when I was down there. They were f*cking enormous, biggest dogs I've ever seen, more like a shetland pony than a dog.

[Damn True]

Tosa-Inu are amazing animals. I have wanted one for years. The size of an English Mastiff, but the agility of a dog 1/2 the size.

They were originally bred as fighting dogs. The thing about them is the way they fight. I was shown a video of a fight once. They don't bite, snarl, bark, yelp or in any way act like a "normal" dog. They wrestle in a manner similar to Sumo. Amazing to watch. The dogs walk away unharmed. Except for the occasional joint injury.

As companion dogs they are very docile and well mannered, extremely rarely dog aggressive (if you allow the dog to become so, it will) and not at all prey driven. It's almost like a really large powerfull man knowing he is the baddest mo-fo in the room and that he has nothing to prove.

[looseunit]

The biting is common with many of the herding breeds. They are bred to keep the herd in check by nipping at the heels (hence the name "heeler") of the cattle or sheep to drive them back to the herd. That's fine if you are working with a bunch of sheep. Not so hot if it's a bunch of 8 year old kids in the park or front yard.

More people are bitten in Australian, by blue and red healers than any other dog breed. It is really only cattle dogs that nip, sheep dogs like kelpies and border collies don't have that problem.