Bully Breed Owners – YOU FAILED YOUR DOGS

Egor -- do both of us a favor ... take a deep breath, settle down and realize that what you wrote is totally unrealistic, inflammatory and so written out of emotion that no one *could* really respond to you and have any sort of positive impact on the topic.

One of the best dogs my husband and I ever had the joy of owning was a boxer-pit mix.  

She was 10 1/2 in that picture --   literally amost dead from advanced heartworm infestation.  Her heart was the size of two grapefruits and she had holes in her lungs the size of ping pong balls.

But she loved people, other dogs, CHILDREN ... and ... cats (in particular, if you were a cat you were preferred to all other living things!)

She literally was dumped on us ... "give her just a month in your kitchen -- she won't live that long probaqbly".  Except we treated the lung infection, treated the heart worm infestation the "slow" way and I got a clear occult on her ... a YEAR later. 

The meds for her heart, the damage to the heart/lungs -- took a big toll but she was happy ... and happiest when she was doing pet therapy.

Socks became a card-carrying fully certified pet therapy dog -- she visited sick children, and Alzheimer's patients and other elderly people.  She lived six and a half more years with us --- "giving back" in pet therapy the rest of her life.

Now ... Socks was half pit and half boxer.  Both dogs are considered "dangerous breeds". 

How do you ban a breed?  Do you go by looks?  That IS part of the problem you know ... you can only "ban" a breed if all the dogs are purebreds. 

"breed it out" you say??   Well, you know what -- as a responsible dog owner and NOT one who shows or breeds dogs -- **ALL** our dogs are always spayed/neutered.  We train them.   Unceasingly.

If you were honest with yourself and with others, your problem is dogs running loose where they shouldn't be.  Dogs that are not only untrained, but who are allowed to run loose even though they are dog aggressive.

**THAT** is the problem.  That *is* a problem we can all work on.

Tell me -- when you were on that walk and you were so frightened and concerned about the big bad pit -- what did YOU do?

1.  Did you reach for your cell phone and call the politce?  To report this dog and to get help for you and your dog?   So that a police officer could come to the scene and make a report -- and so that SOMEONE might be able to find that owner and hold them accountable?

2.  What about your physical reactions??  Did you holler and yell?   Did you yank your dog up into your arms, or did you calmly pick the dog up, and in a calm manner simply stand there (you do realize running away from any kind of predator -- dog or bear -- is the worst possible thing to do? They WILL chase you!).

The problem is when breed-specific legislation is enacted there's no follow-through.  Typically it's legislation passed by people who don't know anything about dogs and there's no thought whatsoever to what to do with mixes of that breed.

Mixes -- who like Socks -- may have the potential for incredible love and  may be incredibly well trained.

People who ARE responsible **ARE** already breeding for the kinds of traits you're saying.  But do you realize how long that takes?      Do you realize how intensive that type of breeding is?  You say "do it" like it's simply a matter of turning around and making it happen.

But guess what -- it won't solve the problem.

Because the problem is ownership.  The problem is those people who let their dogs run no matter what breed they are.  Those people who don't train their dogs to any sort of obedience -- or may, in fact,  actually train the dogs to be aggressive.  But that's rare.  What isn't is the fact that most people who have problem dogs don't care.  Because if that dog gets picked up by animal control they'll just get a free puppy elsewhere.  Who cares.

It's those people who are at fault. 

But you .... reporting a crime like that is part of what's important.  Because if you don't report an animal running at large, then there's no way the authorities will ever pursue or prosecute those owners.

So ask around -- make notices and stick it on people's doors asking if THEY know where that dog came from.  Do they know who owns it?  

In short -- DO something constructive, rather than just venting about a breed. 

Honestly, just making an inflammatory post 'blaming' a breed?  It's not going to do much other than make people dismiss what you say as just another "flamer" to tries to stir up trouble.

But I can tell you one thing!  People who own dogs like these don't hang out of dog messageboards.  It takes too much effort -- people who just let their dogs run don't care about health and behavior issues.  Nor are they spending money on good quality food for their dogs nor even money to vet the dogs (because then they'd probably be spayed/neutered).  

So you are venting in the wrong place to have your concerns heard.  On here you're only going to upset the responsible people who are already trying to do what you are yelling about. 

Now I will say "Welcome" Egor.  Welcome to a good place to learn about dogs.  Your dog.  My dogs.  How to train your dog.  How to feed your dog well.  and how to go about actually responsibly dealing with a situation like you describe and actually accomplish something.

Lets just go ahead and ban every breed of dog who has a reputation as aggressive.  All the terriers, Rottweilers, Dobermans, German Shepherd Dogs, Akitas, Chow Chows to name a few.  

You're ignorance is showing if you think very few of the so called Bully breeds are good with other dogs.  Same with all the breeds above.

Any breed can be dog aggressive and banning them is not the answer nor is your idea of selective breeding.

I've seen Labs with poor temperaments and some don't even retrieve. Retrieving is not genetic.  I trained and owned Labs for many years. You really need to educate yourself more on dogs and dog behavior.

Callie is being very diplomatic but your inflammatory post doesn't deserve such delicacy in my opinion.  

It's not about "deserving" -- no, Egor doesn't "deserve" a gentle response.  But typically it's easier to catch flies with honey rather than vinegar and I'd love to have at least **something** positive come out of such vitriol.  IN honesty if I only talked with, worked with and answered those who "deserved" my time -- *rolling eyes* -- it would be a short list and I'd never get anything accomplished.  I work for an attorney -- I'm always having to try to turn anger into something productive.  But if I start using the 2X4 this early on a Monday, I won't get anything done by Friday   

Hi all,

Egor - you sound very upset and I get how scary it is to feel like your dog is at risk or in danger (I think that is  one part of what you are saying). I like that we can all discuss and learn from each other so don't want to stop anyone from saying how they feel ... and so here's how I feel .... I really agree with what calliecritturs is saying here and JackieG here.

and ps Calliecritturs that photo of Socks breaks my heart. I am glad you posted. She sounds like a true angel.

It did ours -- to be totally honest, I wasn't thrilled to take her initially -- but neither could I say no to a dog who didn't deserve what she got in life.  Her original "owner" was a woman who went into a spouse abuse program and left her at a kennel.  She never returned for her.

but Sock's canine teeth had been filed flat -- AND she terrified of the bathroom.  Lord only knows what happened in "a bathroom" (she would visibly quake with terror).  The story we eventually pieced together was likely that when the husband beat his wife he locked the dog in the bathroom because HE was afraid of her.  

Training?  Oh yes -- in fact, to this day the 'water bowl' in my house is in the bathroom off the living room -- it was how we "trained" Socks to not shake apart in the bathroom.  She had to stick her head in the dreaded room to get a drink (took me weeks to inch it inside the door).  Training.

Are we getting a picture of what I'm saying???   This man who was the "original owner" was exactly the type of "owner" we're all talking about.  Did he want to train this dog?  no.  Did he care about making sure she was "safe"?  Only insofar as he filed her canine teeth FLAT so she couldn't bite *him*.  (anyone else saying in their head "too bad"?) -- except THEN she would have had a bite on her record.  No-- this dog didn't need to be labeled "bite risk".

But honestly -- yeah -- she would have broken your heart to have seen her -- and she is the epitomy of what we're talking about.  Your typical dangerous dog "mix" ... whose life *began* at 10 1/2.

Talking about a dog who ... wasn't. .... dangerous, I mean.  

Even when someone as "hot" as Egor posts -- I think we can still have a beneficial, sane discussion --

I have little patience with hotheads -- particularly if they post once and walk away.  Or if they are idiots who beat their wives (and probably the dog) for whom the term "responsible owner" probably will never apply.

Breed-banning is always a hot hot hot topic.  But it's just one that holds no logic -- because any breed of dog can be dangerous.  

And pretty much - that depends on the owner.

PS - Elizabeth -- I'd love to have you email me.  Originally I'm from Olean/Wellsville and my folks are in Jamestown -- I clicked on a friend request. *smile*

Guys and gals - I am saying it is the OWNERS faults. It is no tthe dogs fault. The OWNERS and those who love the dogs and arent on top of these issues.

Again Egor -- I don't think you have  looked at ALL into what sort of work has been done with regard to breed-banning legislation.  It's become law in many areas of the US and the World -- but it doesn't stop **at all** owners allowing their dogs to simply run loose.  

You paint falsely with a broad brush -- and simply banning a breed or saying "that shouldn't be a part of a breed's temperament" is no answer for holding irresponsible owner's accountable.  

Because, trust me -- there are irresponsible owners out there for every single breed imaginable.  

And what the heck is "on top of these issues" supposed to mean anyway?  You're merely ranting and with no discernible effort to intelligent dialogue.

In your first post you were all about breed-banning and changing breed traits through genetic manipulation as though it were a 10 minute effort?   How about a little realism here?

Egor,

I understand your concern about bulky breeds. They are powerful dogs, and they can do damage. My issue is that you are on a website about dog lovers. We are the bully owners who take very good care and know how to train our animals. Also, I have the exact opposite problem in my neighborhood. My dog was adopted as a senior pittie. Unfortunately, she was mistreated prior to our adoption of her and was never properly socialized with other animal. Since we can only have one dog in our community, that didn't seem like an issue. When we take her out she is always leashed. We Train every person that walks her so they understand her strength. Like I said, we are very responsible owners, with a well trained dog. My neighbor has a min pin. The neighbor doesn't leash his dog. On many occasions his dog has run up and tried to attack my dog. Since my dog always wears a training collar when she is walked, I have saved his dog on many occasions, one time was actually in my garage during a party. If my dog does get a piece of this other dog one day, what do u think will happen to my dog? Which is the irresponsible owner me with the trained, leashed dog, or my neighbor? Should I add the number of scratches I have received trying to stop a fight before it starts? Blame the dog fighters and the drug dealers, not the responsible owners. My dog may come from a misunderstood and abused breed, but she has never done anything to deserve that reputation.

I have spoken with folks who are big advocates for the true American Pit Bull Terrier and every single one of those folks will tell you that those dogs will be dog aggressive no matter how much they are socialized.  Whether that is true or not I have no idea. I have looked into some true American Pit Bull breeders who have lots of dogs who go on hog hunts together. Regardless, having a dog aggressive dog is not irresponsible. What is irresponsible is how those dogs are handled. Taking a dog aggressive dog to a dog park and even turning that dog off leash is irresponsible. I have an American Bulldog (rescue) who I socialized as a puppy. He is not aggressive, but is reactive towards most other dogs; however, he gets along great with my other two dogs, my sisters cats and my pet rabbit (go figure). Whatever his issue is I have no clue and my guess is he is genetically predisposed to be this way. With that said,  I am a responsible owner and I do not take him to dog parks. In the end, I would much rather have a dog aggressive dog than a human aggressive one.