"Pit Bull Blues", by John Shipe

bluesbassdad · #1 03-15-2010, 04:32 PM

I decided this wasn't quite suitable for the Show and Tell forum. If the moderators disagree, I won't mind having it moved there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FV7aLCrgX0

The person who assembled the slide show used two photos of my Brewski wearing a patriotic bandanna. I "know" many of the other dogs through my membership in Pitbull-L, a Google Group.

random works · #2 03-15-2010, 09:37 PM

Well, I am a convert. My folks had a pit bull when I was growing up. I was the only one who played with him. Later, I saw the negative coverage on the media and felt a little timid about getting one. A mutual friend heard I was looking for a dog...now I have two of this breed, had the male for 5 years and the female for three. They are even tempered and the most tolerant dogs I have ever owned. They hang around our two cats with no problems. The video is great.
Lots of folks who meet my dogs and get to know them say they want one too.

Wadcutter · #3 03-15-2010, 09:43 PM

Funny video about a great breed. I have had several pits in my life and have one now. They are one of the finest breed of dogs imho. It's all about how they are raised. If raised properly they are gentle, loving, playful dogs. My three year old grandson rides my current pit like a little pony, and they both love it. They are absolutely great with kids regardless of the stories you see in the media. You can bet that whenever you see or hear a story about a pit hurting a child, that that pit was not raised properly, was more than likely abused, constantly tied up and not allowed to socialize with other dogs and humans.

bluesbassdad · #4 03-16-2010, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wadcutter

Funny video about a great breed. I have had several pits in my life and have one now. They are one of the finest breed of dogs imho. It's all about how they are raised. If raised properly they are gentle, loving, playful dogs. My three year old grandson rides my current pit like a little pony, and they both love it. They are absolutely great with kids regardless of the stories you see in the media. You can bet that whenever you see or hear a story about a pit hurting a child, that that pit was not raised properly, was more than likely abused, constantly tied up and not allowed to socialize with other dogs and humans.

I'm glad you enjoyed the slide show.

Most of what you say about the breed is absolutely true. However, there is an exception that every pibble owner should be aware of.

Aggression toward other dogs has been bred in for hundreds of generations. It sometimes shows up unexpectedly after years of peaceful coexistence.

The good news is that dog-aggression is in no way correlated with human-aggression.

For more information about the breed I highly recommend Pit Bull Rescue Central.

My friend Tia Maria Torres, operator of Villalobos Rescue Center, tells of two of her pit bulls who were good friends for years. Then one day both were approaching her, and they bumped shoulders. Instantly they were trying to kill each other, and it took experienced handlers with breaking sticks to separate them. They regarded each other warily from then on, and she never left them alone together again.

Riker36 · #5 03-16-2010, 04:02 PM

I guess I'm in the minority here. I say the world would be a better place without that breed. Unless you live isolated somewhere, 50 miles from the nearest kid.

bluesbassdad · #6 03-16-2010, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riker36

I guess I'm in the minority here. I say the world would be a better place without that breed. Unless you live isolated somewhere, 50 miles from the nearest kid.

I used to feel the same way -- until I met actual pit bulls in a shelter (daily volunteer, 1998-2004).

The image that is shown on the news and films is simply inaccurate. It feeds on and reinforces numerous myths: locking jaws, brains growing too fast for their skulls, taste of blood causing behavior changes, etc. The fact is that I've never encountered a more affectionate, more handler-soft breed.

Even in the days when pit fighting was legal there would be three people in the ring with the dogs: a referee and a handler for each dog. Before the fight each handler washed the opposing dog (to ensure no hazardous substance on the coat). During the fight there would be breaks, during which each handler tended to his dog and then ordered him to resume. A dog that bit a person would be killed, thus tending to remove human aggressive tendencies from the gene pool.

If you were my neighbor, I'd bet I could bring you around.

Cindy >> www.dogster.com/dogs/622395
Brewski >> www.dogster.com/dogs/620859

RHolmes · #7 03-16-2010, 07:01 PM

Have owned 3 pits over the years. I know many people are terrified of the breed. What it comes down to is this. If you are a GOOD parent, you will raise GOOD kids/dogs. If you can't control your kids/dogs, you will have problems with both. NO ONE should own a pitbull unless they are trained to listen & behave. The problem is not the dogs, it's the OWNER'S of the dogs. Too many people who have pits/ kids & have no idea how to be a responsible owner/ parent. As Cesar Millan (the Dog Whisperer) & the best dog trainer in the world says, " I train the owners & rehabilitate the dogs". Do not blame pitbulls or kids out of control for the problems you hear about. It all comes down to the parents/ owners of the kids & dogs. If you are raised the wrong way, your behavior will not be what our society expects. My favorite cousin Nancy (great mother & police dog trainer) told me when my first daughter was born, either you control them (kids/ dogs) or they control you. So true.

bluesbassdad · #8 03-16-2010, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RHolmes

[snip] As Cesar Millan (the Dog Whisperer) & the best dog trainer in the world says, " I train the owners & rehabilitate the dogs". [snip]

Perhaps you and I will have the opportunity in some other thread to debate Mr. Millan's qualifications and abilities. I take a very different view than you do.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...MGPHL9D1N1.DTL

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/31/op...derr.html?_r=2

http://www.esquire.com/features/ESQ1...21.FINAL.rev_1

Riker36 · #9 03-16-2010, 09:44 PM

Here's some pit bull myths for you to check out. And there's plenty of statistics to validate how dangerous these dogs can be.

http://www.dogsbite.org/dangerous-do...bull-myths.htm

patrickgm60 · #10 03-16-2010, 11:12 PM

Quote:

The problem is not the dogs, it's the OWNER'S of the dogs.

Wow. Did you conclude this from the fact that your PB hasn't unexpectedly attacked someone? The same could be stated by the owner of a bengal tiger, but that doesn't negate the huge body of facts that state otherwise.

Tuffythepug · #11 03-16-2010, 11:50 PM

In my lifetime I have witnessed two savage attacks on dogs which were on leashes and being walked by their owners in public areas. Both of these were attacks by pit bulls on other dogs. Both times the owners lost control of their dog when it lunged and broke chains or leather leashes. Another time a good friend had their dog killed when a neighbor let his pit bull run free in the neighborhood and it broke down a fence to get to his chocolate lab.
While walking my pug a pit bull who had been tied to a tree broke free and made a beeline for me an my dog. I yanked my pug up off the sidewalk by his leash and grabbed a 2x4 that was nearby and had to beat the dog off me. The owner came out of his house and just laughed.

Sorry. I don't buy any of the "Oh, they're good dogs who are just misunderstood" rhetoric. Most of the time it appears to me that pit bull owners just want to look macho. Yes, I know that they can be loving and gentle and be just fine around kids....most of the time. But when they turn the results are always tragic. Why take that kind of chance ? Out of all the breeds that a person can choose for a pet, why choose the one breed that has been shown to be dangerous around humans and other dogs ? It seems to me that when you place a dogs life above the safety of your own family and others around you something is wrong.

This isn't a popular opinion here, I'm sure. I've just seen more than enough to convince me I don't want to be anywhere around one.

bluesbassdad · #12 03-17-2010, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuffythepug

In my lifetime I have witnessed two savage attacks on dogs which were on leashes and being walked by their owners in public areas. Both of these were attacks by pit bulls on other dogs. Both times the owners lost control of their dog when it lunged and broke chains or leather leashes. Another time a good friend had their dog killed when a neighbor let his pit bull run free in the neighborhood and it broke down a fence to get to his chocolate lab.
While walking my pug a pit bull who had been tied to a tree broke free and made a beeline for me an my dog. I yanked my pug up off the sidewalk by his leash and grabbed a 2x4 that was nearby and had to beat the dog off me. The owner came out of his house and just laughed.

Sorry. I don't buy any of the "Oh, they're good dogs who are just misunderstood" rhetoric. Most of the time it appears to me that pit bull owners just want to look macho. Yes, I know that they can be loving and gentle and be just fine around kids....most of the time. But when they turn the results are always tragic. Why take that kind of chance ? Out of all the breeds that a person can choose for a pet, why choose the one breed that has been shown to be dangerous around humans and other dogs ? It seems to me that when you place a dogs life above the safety of your own family and others around you something is wrong.

This isn't a popular opinion here, I'm sure. I've just seen more than enough to convince me I don't want to be anywhere around one.

I know people who apply the same reasoning in regard to racial and ethnic groups. It's invalid wherever applied.

bluesbassdad · #13 03-17-2010, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riker36

Here's some pit bull myths for you to check out. And there's plenty of statistics to validate how dangerous these dogs can be.

http://www.dogsbite.org/dangerous-do...bull-myths.htm

I'm familiar with the owner of that website. I hope you will examine the sources of the statistics posted there.

Tuffythepug · #14 03-17-2010, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluesbassdad

I know people who apply the same reasoning in regard to racial and ethnic groups. It's invalid wherever applied.

Let's just face facts here. Nobody will ever convince you that pit bulls are dangerous. In the case I cited in my post where the dog broke down a fence to kill a lab the pit bull owner still maintains that his dog was safe and harmless.

I have no further comment on this issue other than to say that I sincerely hope your dog doesn't hurt you, someone you love, or another animal.

bluesbassdad · #15 03-17-2010, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuffythepug

Let's just face facts here. Nobody will ever convince you that pit bulls are dangerous.

You are correct. No person will convince me of that. After meeting about a hundred pit bulls during my six years as a daily volunteer at a shelter I will rely on my direct experience, subject to change based on new experience in the future.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuffythepug

In the case I cited in my post where the dog broke down a fence to kill a lab the pit bull owner still maintains that his dog was safe and harmless.

I am as horrified as you that such an event occurred. However, generalizing about an entire breed based on anecdotal evidence is unfair.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuffythepug

I have no further comment on this issue other than to say that I sincerely hope your dog doesn't hurt you, someone you love, or another animal.

Thank you for your good wishes. I would offer the same wish to every dog owner, regardless of the dog's breed.