are all pitbulls aggressive?

As a young single mom I lived in an apartment that was sort of basement...you had to go down a short flight of stairs to get to it and the patio was below ground with a four or five foot retaining wall.  Standing in the hall one day chatting with my neighbor, the wife came in with their "trained guard dog" german shepherd, who lunged and attacked me without provocation.  I had to go to the ER, I had to have plastic surgery on my shoulder and STILL have the scars from that dog.  I was truely terrified of that dog.  I would NOT let my small children go into that common hallway.  When we went out, I lifted them out through the patio and braved the hall alone.  When we returned I did the same thing.  And the complex would NOT make the people get rid of that dog even after a SERIOUS injury from him.  I couldn't take living in that kind of terror and moved.
 
BUT, now I foster gsds, have 6 of my own and am active in rescue.  They aren't all mean monsters with owners who can't control them, and neither are the pitties.

The problem is with the people not the dogs

 
I so ditto that! And it is just not pit bull's or mixes, that goes for any breed of dog. period!

they get walked (or the owner gets walked, they pull the owner) wearing these big thick chains

 
Any dog who is walking ahead of its owner should be viewed with suspicion, as they do not respect their owner as leader. The leader always walks in front. Any dog walking in front does not view himself as under the owner's control, and any owner allowing their dog to walk in front either does not know how or has not bothered to assume the leader role.

Ummmm, that's a rather sweeping generalization.
 
My dogs walk where I allow them to walk.  They have no question who the leader is and when I ask them to heel, they do so, when I ask them to walk behind me, they do that, but when I say, "go ahead" they, well, go AHEAD.  It IS their walk, after all, not mine.  We practice leash manners and heeling randomly throughout the walk but by golly I don't need to keep them marching beside me like little soldiers the whole walk.

Any dog who is walking ahead of its owner should be viewed with suspicion, as they do not respect their owner as leader. The leader always walks in front. Any dog walking in front does not view himself as under the owner's control, and any owner allowing their dog to walk in front either does not know how or has not bothered to assume the leader role.

This statement is based on a theory of dog training called pack hierarchy that is rather outmoded, despite its (unfortunate) current popularity over on the National Geographic channel. While dogs do lead and follow, these leader/follower (or alpha/beta)relationships are fluid--they change all the time. To say that a dog should be viewed with suspicion because it is in front of the owner is, frankly, as simplistic as saying that all pitbulls are agressive.

Re: saying that all pitbulls are agressive...

It sounds like the poster with all the terrible attacks lives in a neighborhood where there are a lot of dogs bred and raised for "protection". Pit bulls are the popular dogs to breed for this purpose right now, but it's important to keep in mind that the "scary breed" changes. When I was a kid, it was dobermans (who are pretty freaking sweet dogs in general, but can be made really mean, like all dogs).

ORIGINAL: fisher6000

Any dog who is walking ahead of its owner should be viewed with suspicion, as they do not respect their owner as leader. The leader always walks in front. Any dog walking in front does not view himself as under the owner's control, and any owner allowing their dog to walk in front either does not know how or has not bothered to assume the leader role.

This statement is based on a theory of dog training called pack hierarchy that is rather outmoded, despite its (unfortunate) current popularity over on the National Geographic channel. While dogs do lead and follow, these leader/follower (or alpha/beta)relationships are fluid--they change all the time. To say that a dog should be viewed with suspicion because it is in front of the owner is, frankly, as simplistic as saying that all pitbulls are agressive.

Re: saying that all pitbulls are agressive...

It sounds like the poster with all the terrible attacks lives in a neighborhood where there are a lot of dogs bred and raised for "protection". Pit bulls are the popular dogs to breed for this purpose right now, but it's important to keep in mind that the "scary breed" changes. When I was a kid, it was dobermans (who are pretty freaking sweet dogs in general, but can be made really mean, like all dogs).

 
Thank You! I was trying to just view this post and not get invloved becuase I tend to get a lil heated but you wrapped up all my thoughts, thank you very much!
Re: Dog walking ahead......that guys response was outright laughable, if what he said were the case then there would be no need for the heel command and how do explain hunting dogs who walk ahead of their owner with their nose to the ground. I'll again repeat my number one motto when posting on piblic forums for all to read: While we respect your opinion and experiences PLEASE dont post your opinions as facts, hundreds of people read this and while they seek others input their is a difference between fact and opinion. Its fine for you to bleieve that but I'd rather trust the history of canine/human relations over one man's opinion.
For the original poster: I am a pit bull owner, I have one of the sweetest, gentle dogs you'll meet but I am not blind to her massive power or natural instincts. Train your dog to trust your command and it will be loyal to you until your dying day, dont doubt it already because your dog will never doubt you, show it the unconditional love it shows you, Pit Bull or not

Any dog who is walking ahead of its owner should be viewed with suspicion, as they do not respect their owner as leader. The leader always walks in front. Any dog walking in front does not view himself as under the owner's control, and any owner allowing their dog to walk in front either does not know how or has not bothered to assume the leader role.

 
Interesting.  So when my dog and I are walking and he's hunting squirrels...even though all I have to do is "Psst" and point in the direction I want him to go, and go he does...he's in charge?  This is getting good. 
 
Xerxes may not feel like he's being controlled all the time.  But I find that with a PH, the relationship is more like a partnership.  He's got to keep a bit of his independence and functionality.  This isn't a breed that is domesticated, rather they've more or less developed to be partners with humans.  It would be very easy to dominate him and force my will upon him.  That would only suck the soul and free-spirit away from him.  I'd much rather have him want to work with me, and want to work he does.  Even if he's walking in front of me on lead.

Just a sad side note--a coworker of mine lives in a town where pits or either banned or VERY severly restricted.  Her neighbor has a brand new rottweiler pup--chained up with a logger chain in his backyard, and she is very suspicious that he is planning on fighting him.....

I've only ever been bit by two dogs. One was a Jack Russell, and the other was my friend's dog, a it/catahoula mix. Both were my fault. The Jack Russell bit me because I was stupid and tried to pet it when it was growling at me, and the pit mix bite is a bit of a longer story, but still my fault. Both once I knew them were excellent dogs and I'm now not afraid of either of them. Bailey, the mix, has bitten after that incident but only to protect my friend. (Her dad is an abusive drunk a good percentage of the time.) Therefore he was "put down" (read as 'shot') by my friend's dad. Don't get me wrong I think pits are great dogs, and I'm not trying to say that all pits bite a lot, but that's just my personal experience with one of them. Anyway here's a picture of him:
 
 

I forgot to add that I've been attacked by more birds than I have dogs. Should we ban them?

Absolutely, ban the birds - don't you know you can never trust a pigeon?  I hear they have locking beaks.
[sm=rotfl.gif] 

What about Canada geese--you know when they turn 2 their brains grow too large for their heads, and they go crazy......

Be afraid.  Be very afraid.  Those Canada Geese are why I have an Aussie.  No goose poop on this paddock LOL.

As far as peoples' reactions to your posts--suck it up. When you post on a public board you open yourself up to public opinion.

 
Was that directed towards me? I have no problem with Pitts! Or any other breed for that matter...

ORIGINAL: HofmannGestalt

As far as peoples' reactions to your posts--suck it up. When you post on a public board you open yourself up to public opinion.

Was that directed towards me? I have no problem with Pitts! Or any other breed for that matter...

 
I don't think that was directed at you, it was directed at another poster on this thread.