Pit bull coming at me, owner screaming "Vicious NO"

[Wayward Son]

I'd rather not tackle a pit bull with a knife. A 45 will do the job much easier.

 

[Cacia]

well, I get your point, but I am a profiler by nature and my kids went to a lot of houses that I did not know the dog.

But if I saw a Pit chained in the yard...I'd think "hmm, maybe not". With kids, you really don't have time to fully investigate everything they come in contact with..even though it sounds good. You become less concerned with being fair and more concerned with avoiding certain outcomes.

chihuahuas

uh..no, not the same. hey, I don't like cats, but yours is not a threat to my child. Jaw size, temperment, yes and even the types of people who want Pits all factor in. I am admitting it IS dog-racist, and that I don't have a problem being that way, they are not people. I am not looking to take away someone's rights to have one, just saying I wouldn't buy the house next door...and if they moved in, I'd probably want to leave.

Ask paramedics or cops in LA..or heck even the west side here how they feel about houses with Pit Bulls in the yard. They did not make this stuff up, many of those places have stolen property or meth labs going on inside. A lot of people get those dogs because they are scary and they don't want anybody poking around and finding bigger problems.

hey, Lisa, see if you can find what Cesar said about Pitt Bulls...he said they are bred to fight, I saw him talking about them on tv.

 

[MeiLing]

Ask paramedics or cops in LA..or heck even the west side here how they feel about houses with Pit Bulls in the yard. They did not make this stuff up, many of those places have stolen property or meth labs going on inside. A lot of people get those dogs because they are scary and they don't want anybody poking around and finding bigger problems.

hey, Lisa, see if you can find what Cesar said about Pitt Bulls...he said they are bred to fight, I saw him talking about them on tv.

And those are the kind of folks you wouldn't send your kid to have a play date with, even if they didn't have a dog. If you get a chance to see the episode with the dog with a mailman problem (very common dog problem and this wasn't a pit), for paramedics and cops I would think the same principle applies. Their energy in their approach is all wrong. It applies to some people too, like my husband.

The neighbor dog, who is a police dog washout due to temperment (fearful aggressive), always gets ballastic when my husband approaches when I am talking to the neighbor lady. He doesn't watch Cesar and whenever he approaches the dog, no matter how many times I tell him to ignore the dog and avoid eye contact, he sets him off. My husband's kind of high energy and when he comes into the situation he directs all his focus on the dog. The dog doesn't know either one of us any better either. If my husband ignores the dog, then the dog settles down.

In the case of a small child, even a small dog of the wrong temperment can do quite a bit of damage. As I was bit in the face by a dog as a child (two stitches and years of phobia to overcome), it's not really something I would want my child to endure.

And the mantra most used by Cesar right after. "Power of the Pack", is, "There are no bad dogs, only bad owners!"

 

[Blox]

There are no bad dogs

IMHO that is a generalization that is wrong (as most are) .

Dogs have different characters, just as humans do. There are mean, vicious dogs out there, that no amount of care or training by its owner will turn into a nice individual. Just like there are humans out there, that are just born with a mean character, and that no amount of education or therapy transforms into nice people.

Claiming that all dogs are essential alike (all good-natured) by default/by birth, is just naive.

 

[jeraldjcook]

But if I saw a Pit chained in the yard...I'd think "hmm, maybe not".

Those who have the dogs chained up outside are not seeking a pet or a companion, they are seeking a guard dog and have raised the dog as such. There is a BIG difference. Those people and their dogs should not be the standard by which the breed is judged.

Jaw size, temperment, yes and even the types of people who want Pits all factor in.

Surprisingly, not all of us pit bull owner run meth labs out of our house. My wife and I are both from upper middle class backgrounds. My wife is an attorney and I'm in graduate school. If it is easier for you to stigmatize all pit bull owners as drug pushers, gangsters, and general hooligans be my guest, but that's not the case. Take a look at Dogster: the dog lovers community to share pictures, stories, and information. (a facebook for dogs if you will) and search for pit bulls (of which there are over 10,000 registered). Take a look at the dogs and the owners and you will see we don't all have our dogs wearing huge chains trying to make them look tough.

Ask paramedics or cops in LA..or heck even the west side here how they feel about houses with Pit Bulls in the yard. They did not make this stuff up, many of those places have stolen property or meth labs going on inside. A lot of people get those dogs because they are scary and they don't want anybody poking around and finding bigger problems.

Great rationale. Drug dealers and thieves have pit bulls so they must be bad. Try focusing on the true problem (the drug peddling criminal) in that situation and not the dogs. They chose a pit bull for an entirely different purpose than the family who chose a Golden Retriever and raised (the key word here) it as such. Hopefully in a few years the cycle will move on to another breed as it does every ten years or so. Take a look at movies from the 80's and Doberman Pinchers where the "evil" dog. In the early 90's it was the Rottweiler. Now it's the pit bull's turn. Next it will be the Cane Corso, Presa Canario, or Tosa Inu.

Here's another link: American Pit Bull Terrier dog breeds

 

[Cacia]

Take a look at movies from the 80's and Doberman Pinchers where the "evil" dog.

I see what you are saying, but don't you think a lot of that has to do with the "trend" dogs?

because the people that go out and buy the *bad dog de jour* will often be people with some issues, wanting to make a statement, just like the guy that wants to buy a "bad looking" car. I know there are exceptions, good Pitts, good owners, I was trying to make the point that often you don't have time to investigate who is the exception. If I am walking down the road, I am more likely to cross over if a Pitt is on the other side, than I am if it is a Lab or an Aussie.

Next it will be the Cane Corso, Presa Canario, or Tosa Inu.

but there are certain breeds that will not ever be on that list, for a reason.

 

[northen diver]

My yellow lab Katie and I were on the local bike path, I was rollerblading and she was running along on her leash. The bike path isn't terribly long in that area so Katie and I go back and forth a few times until she's tired. We were coming back from the far end and I said "On your right" as we passed two teenage girls and their Pit Bull. The dog started snarling and lunging and I saw out of the corner of my eye that they were having trouble controlling it as it tried to come after Katie and I. We passed my husband and our old dog Amber and continued to the parking area. I didn't want to run into that pit bull again so we hung around the parking area for a while before heading back down the trail. I was hoping the girls were local and had turned and gone back the way they had come since I had not passed them on the first 3 trips down the path. Unfortunately I was wrong and after slowing for a blind curve came upon them again and the dog went crazy but this time it got loose. The girls were screaming "VICIOUS! NO!, VICIOUS! NO!" and I'm wondering if that's the dogs name (stupid name for a Pit Bull if you want to keep it) or if they are trying to warn me about his temperament as I stopped to deal with their attacking dog. I ran off into the mud to stop as the pit bull (an intact male and maybe 60 pounds) jumped on Katie. He wasn't biting her, yet, and I was reeling in the leash to bring them to me since I couldn't safely leave the mud and deal with the dog without falling. He was clearly trying to dominate her by mounting and after the third attempt she told him in no uncertain terms who the dominant dog was and he gave up on her and came for me. I assumed a position that would allow me to keep my feet and subdue the dog when he got to me (the wrist guards were going to be tested) but luckily the owner tackled him about a foot from me. She didn't have the leash or collar, the other girl was holding that and running toward us, but the owner sat on the dog and covered his eyes and yelled, "Go, just go NOW PLEASE!" I was ticked but didn't see any reason to risk getting my dog hurt so we went on our way. I met my husband down the trail and we stayed at our old dog's pace as we headed toward the truck. Luckily the girls had gone on their way before we arrived at the parking lot.

I was pretty ticked off, what kind of an idiot takes a dog like that out in public? I'm not afraid of dogs and this one certainly didn't scare me but I was concerned for my dog's safety. I suspect if Katie had been male the pit bull would have been more inclined to use his teeth. I certainly didn't appreciate him coming after me and that girl was fixing to be minus a dog. I never even thought to call the cops even though I had my phone. I doubt they could have gotten there fast enough to take possession of the dog, the girls would have been long gone if they knew I had called. This dog had serious issues, I've met a number of Pit Bulls that were great dogs but this wasn't one of them.
End Rant.
Ber :lilbunny:

I didnt read all 57 pages of this, but Ohio has a vicious dog law. In the ORC 955 (Ohio Revised Code) it states that just having a pit bull breed classifies it as a vicious dog and the owner has to have $100,000 insurance.

You really should have called the cops and had a report made out. Each incident is tracked through the counties and you could have found out if this animals owner had the $100,000 insurance. Also, by reporting this incident, it would have a "strike" against it.


Lawriter - ORC - 955.99 Penalty.






955.11 Transfer of ownership certificate.

(A) As used in this section:
(1)(a) “Dangerous dog” means a dog that, without provocation, and subject to division (A)(1)(b) of this section, has chased or approached in either a menacing fashion or an apparent attitude of attack, or has attempted to bite or otherwise endanger any person, while that dog is off the premises of its owner, keeper, or harborer and not under the reasonable control of its owner, keeper, harborer, or some other responsible person, or not physically restrained or confined in a locked pen which has a top, locked fenced yard, or other locked enclosure which has a top.
(b) “Dangerous dog” does not include a police dog that has chased or approached in either a menacing fashion or an apparent attitude of attack, or has attempted to bite or otherwise endanger any person while the police dog is being used to assist one or more law enforcement officers in the performance of their official duties.
(2) “Menacing fashion” means that a dog would cause any person being chased or approached to reasonably believe that the dog will cause physical injury to that person.
(3) “Police dog” means a dog that has been trained, and may be used, to assist one or more law enforcement officers in the performance of their official duties.
(4)(a) “Vicious dog” means a dog that, without provocation and subject to division (A)(4)(b) of this section, meets any of the following:
(i) Has killed or caused serious injury to any person;
(ii) Has caused injury, other than killing or serious injury, to any person, or has killed another dog.
(iii) Belongs to a breed that is commonly known as a pit bull dog. The ownership, keeping, or harboring of such a breed of dog shall be prima-facie evidence of the ownership, keeping, or harboring of a vicious dog.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I didnt read all 57 pages of this, but Ohio has a vicious dog law. In the ORC 955 (Ohio Revised Code) it states that just having a pit bull breed classifies it as a vicious dog and the owner has to have $100,000 insurance.

You really should have called the cops and had a report made out. Each incident is tracked through the counties and you could have found out if this animals owner had the $100,000 insurance. Also, by reporting this incident, it would have a "strike" against it.

Unfortunately we were on the bike path in Richmond, Indiana and it was more than likely a local Indiana dog. There was no way that girl was going to be able to control that dog long enough for me to call the cops and I couldn't risk falling down wearing the roller blades. I'm not coordinated enough in roller blades to manage my dog AND talk on the phone.
Ber :lilbunny: