What Are Your Thoughts On Breed-Specific Profiling -- Particularly Dealing with Pit Bulls?

Question

My heart dropped when I read this story:

http://www.itchmo.com/dog-breed-profiling-results-in-pit-bulls-euthanized-at-texas-animal-shelter-2536

Apparently this is true for nearly every state in the country. Even stray dogs that remotely resemble a pit-bull (or have an iota of the breed in their blood line), are not allowed to be adopted, but instead are euthanized "for the public's best interest"

I think this is wrong! Do you believe that Pit Bulls are truly "vicious" by nature? Or only if trained by humans to be so?

Answer 1

Oh c**p like that makes me so mad...

I am so happy that where I live they do not do c**p like that.

You know Dachshunds are the number one most aggressive dog in the county right now and I don't see anyone putting them down. I hate stupid ignorant people.

Do they really think that c**p like this will stop with Pitt's? It's not going to. It will continue on to other breeds.

And NO Pit Bulls are NOT truly aggressive by nature. They are just like ALL other dogs. If they are placed in the hands of BAD OWNERS than you will have bad dogs.

My Pitt came from fighting lines. and she was severely abused before I got her. And you know what with the love and care that every animal deserves she has turned out to be a wonderful loving family pet. She holds titles in obedience and agility she is a therapy dog and a search and rescue dog.

I am a good responsible owner. If for some terrible reason my girl were to end up in a shelter. that shelter should not have the right to put her down. And I do not feel that any state or city should have the right to tell me what breed of dog I can or can not own in city limts. It is jsut plain wrong..

Answer 2

It's kind of like how guns are being banned. The good, law-abiding citizens can't have guns for protection while the bad people continue to do it illegally.

BSL doesn't help, just adds to the pain.  

Answer 3

I think that Pit Bulls, as a collective breed, are being ruined by bad breeding.  I don't agree with the idea that it is always the owner's who create vicious dogs.  Temperament, first and foremost, is genetic.  

Unfortunately, the number of badly bred dogs that are considered "Pit Bulls" leave very few other options.  

Answer 4

Ugh, that is disgusting! I do not think pit bulls are truly vicious by nature at all! Its when you have the dog in the wrong hands is the problem.

There should be a law before a person can adopt or buy any breed of dog they should have a background check done on that person so dogs cannot get in the wrong hands of sick people...  

Answer 5

I think it's ridiculous.  I had SUCH trouble finding a place to live because of my two pitbulls.  Even the people in the renting offices said things like 'your dogs are adorable but it's not my rules'.  Some even had pits themselves and had to live in different complexes to the ones they work at.

Do I think Pits are vicious by nature? no.  There's more of a percentage of vicious humans.  Are we vicious by nature?  should we be put down?

Isn't Breed Profiling the same as racial profiling?  same thing, different species.  The difference is that dogs don't grow up and move out, they don't have peer pressure, they don't 'fall in with the wrong crowd', anything done to dogs is done by US.

Answer 6

its bull c**p that a breed that looks like a pitt or is a pitt are put to sleep because of ignorant people they should put down the a******s that are caught fighting these poor dogs instead of the dogs  

Answer 7

Daym I live in Texas and had no idea about this place ... I went to thier website ... didn't find any pitts ... only a few dogs n cats ..... grrrrr... makes me madd ... = (

Answer 8

Pit bulls are not vicious..not anymore vicious then other dogs are, however, due to the breeding practices of the idiotic, moronic people who have no idea what a pit really is, we now have pits that will engage a human being.

Genetics are everything in dogs, training after!!! If a dog has the genetic potential to undergo bite training, it will, but, that potential must be there from birth!

People today do not know what a real pit bull is and what it was bred to do 50 years a go and as result they act ignorant and claim that they are all angels when that is not the truth.

A pit that showed aggression to a human 50 years a go would have been shot dead, right there, right then, period!

People confuse "game" with the dog's propensity to fight, that is also wrong.

A game dog is the safest dog to have around because it is most likely bred closest to the original standard!

When they raided that facility in Louisiana, the one owned by Floyd Beaudrex, they should have made him in charge of breeding true pits to introduce to the world. Dogs that are very animal aggressive, as they should be according to their standard, but, very human friendly!!

Hope I helped!!

Answer 9

my profile and screen name says it all for me.  thankfully where i live the shelters take ALL dogs, unless they've been proven vicious.  i try hard every day to state facts about pits but so many people have formed their opinions on media stories mostly.  most cases of the media say pit bull and it actually isn't a pit!  i believe any dog can be vicious for various reasons.  to single out by breed is just plain wrong!  

Answer 10

It is pretty sad.

The truth is, the majority of pit bulls are not even real pit bulls! there are several dogs resembling pits and people often mistake them as pits.

Such as: Dogo Argentino,Cordoba Fighting Dog, Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog, American Bulldog, Valley Bulldog,Renascence Bulldogge,Banter Bulldogge and some others.

Pits are known to be people lovers and some are naturally dog aggressive.It's always good to socialize pups from a young age to be social because ANY dog could be dog/people aggressive.

Answer 11

Know what's sad - on that Animal Planet documentary - they said that people who breed Pitties to fight said they are lucky to get one out of a litter that is willing to fight. Plus Pitties are people pleasers and if their "so-called human" is  telling them "Good Boy" while they are fighting - they think they did something right.

I think it is wrong to automatically euthanize a breed just because of its reputation. Look at all the dogs seized from Michael Vick's house that were given a chance- only two were euthanized (one because of medical reasons and the other because he was vicious). One even became a therapy dog going to nursing homes (btw - he was so cute - looked like he had a great big bully smile on his face - he was loving the attention too) and a lot of the others went to home with families. So if a dog that has gone thru heck like some of those did can be adopted out or become a therapy dog - I think they should be evaluated just like any other dog, on a case to case basis. I think they just didn't want to pay for someone to properly evaluate their dogs. I don't think the Pit Bull is vicious by nature - I think it is trained.

I'm sure some people will cite cases where the family Pit Bull went crazy and attacked a family member. The family will say " those dogs were treated like kids" - but who knows what went on behind closed doors/just like people, dogs can suffer abuse and lash out.Or they were'nt properly trained to recognize the pack leader and pretty much do what they want - this can affect if a dog will bite.  I do believe that dogs can suffer from Mental Illness just like people do - but these things can happen to any dog. I've met too many well-adjusted friendly Pit Bulls and Rottweilers to think that any dog is viciious by nature - it is a case of nuture. Look at how many neurotic ankle-biting dogs bite (imagine if they were Pit Bull Size and that neurotic) - but also, I have met sweet well-trained small dogs as well - my aunt has a mini poodle that is a sweet lovable dog because she was trained and sociialized  (I think some people just don't know how to handle dogs - they think things are cute until the dog is grown and a holy terror because he/she was never properly trained).

I have grown up with German Shepherds and have seen some vicious examples of the breed - but they were trained to be that way. Our dogs were always socialized and friendly as a result.. I have also seen stellar versions of the breed - a friend of ours was a canine cop and when he and his dog were on duty you better not touch the car he was in, but once he was home - anyone could play with him. He knew his job and when he could be himself. So I believe viciousness comes from either training (to be vicious) or a lack of training not what breed a dog is.  Right now I own a German Shepherd mix and a Bluetick coonhound - I have yet to have a Pit Bull, but being I love any kind of dog - I'm sure the day will come when I get one.  

Answer 12

Pit Bulls are definitely trained to be "vicious". So, it all depends on how knowledgable people are of that breed, and how they train their pitts to be. There are many ignorant people who have no idea how to take control of a very dominant (bully) breed like that, and that is where we hear tons of stories of pit bulls attacks.

Pit Bulls need alot of exercise and mental stimulation, if they don't have that every day (which most dogs that attack don't have that) then they take their negative energy out on people and other animals. Watch Cesar Milan on National Geographic Channel, and he has several pitts that have plenty of excercise each day with him being the pack leader. When dogs realize that we aren't acting like their pack leader, then they take over the position and thats where we hear of all the attacks.

Also, I have worked at a large pet hotel/doggie daycare for the past 2 years. Pit Bulls can't have any dog interaction while in the pet hotel because some are very dominering in their play which can lead very quickly to nasty fights. I've seen many pitts come in, and only 1 was a pit mix that was aggressive towards us but never bit anyone. From my experience with them besides that one, they have been very sweet and energetic dogs.