Two-year old girl savaged by pit bulls and left scarred for life

[Uoyredrum]

This is a small dog. Too small to do any real harm.

You saying a small dog couldn't kill a baby if it wanted to? I'd say you're full of shit.

No sorry, a dog was a wolf that man has altered over time to the dogs we have today. Breed to usually kill. We made dogs what they are, and only recently did we want them to be kind and gentle. But some are breed to be vicious attack dogs.

Humans aren't comparable to dogs, not even close. Also using your personal experience doesn't prove dogs aren't inherently dangerous. Just like saying we had a cold winter where I live doesn't disprove that global warming isn't a thing.

Thanks for agreeing with me. Dogs and guns aren't comparable, neither are humans and dogs. Humans raising dogs to fight or kill is very different than having a family dog that's gentle. Why are you even arguing with me again?

I think your using my judgment as if I have a personal hatred for dogs. I'm giving you data and you're giving me feels. I have a friend who owns a large pitbull who just can't wait to jump on me in a friendly way. But recently that dog has escaped from his home and has bitten people twice. Once more and the dog is going to be put down. He is certainly irresponsible but that doesn't change how dangerous that dog can be. I'm 6'4" so I'm not afraid of any dog. But where he lives recently a few children have been attacked by pitbulls and the neighborhood is watching his dog very carefully. To him the dog is the kindest being ever to walk the face of the Earth, but fact is it has bitten people. If it happens again that dog will be put to sleep.

I have a neighbor next to me with a sheep dog that is extremely friendly, but it's known to playfully bite children for whatever reason. And the dog is really good at jumping over a fairly large fence.

Yeah I'm sure the bolded part has nothing to do with it. I'm sure the fact that his dog keeps escaping is totally not in any way his fault. Just like when I said "it's the owner's responsibility". So what were the circumstances of people being bitten? Because a lot of the time it's because the dog feels scared or threatened in some way and there's a lot of idiots out there who don't know how to act around strange dogs. Keeping a tight leash on your dog isn't just for other people's protection, it's for the dog's protection. They don't know any better. Your friend needs to take more responsibility and make sure his dog can't escape, and that goes for a lot of people too.

And no you're not giving me data, you're giving me your own anecdotes like the one I just responded to.

And I wouldn't say "playfully biting" is something to be worried about unless it's acting overly aggressive and at that point I don't think it's really playful anymore.

[TirielWoW]

And I wouldn't say "playfully biting" is something to be worried about unless it's acting overly aggressive and at that point I don't think it's really playful anymore.

Actually, no. "Playfully biting" is bad, because it means the dog thinks it's okay to put his mouth on a person. Which can eventually lead to accidental bites, or fear bites. You should never, ever, ever allow your dog to be mouthy with anyone, or "playfully bite" anyone. It's a huge no-no with any sort of dog with the capability for aggression.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

yes he did, he was what he was meant to be. you just waited and then were surprised when he didnt understand swimming

you probably didnt take him swimming as a puppy so by the time you did he was apprehensive about it.
ive seen it many times with other water dogs
by the time you tried, he was so big that trying to coerce him into anything he didnt wanna do was a challenge.

doesnt change the fact that newfoundlands are strong swimmers....and its genetic

what part of we took him swimming his whole life did you not understand? we took him swimming constantly he knew how to swim he just hated it. there was no point from puppy to death that we did not take him swimming that didn't make him like it.

[Atrea]

The problem isn't pit bulls - at least, not directly. The problem is the kind of people who usually seek dogs like that.

Pit bulls are popular among less-savoury types (particularly white trash), because of their reputation for being vicious dogs that are capable of killing a human being. Whether or not this reputation is deserved is another question altogether, but the point remains, these kind of people don't get chihuahuas. It doesn't help that many pit bulls are bred to enhance those kind of traits.

It's guilt by association. Too many pit bulls are associated with bad owners; so people think all of them are dangerous, when in reality, it's just a very small fraction of a percent.

Again, it's not the dogs' fault; they are only products of their environment/breeding -- which are completely under the owners control.

I don't have any good solutions to the problem. I just think that we can't ignore the fact that a lot of bad people purposely seek this kind of breed - and not without cause.

[GrinnersGrin]

Highlighting a pitbull related crime is something a labrador-supremist would do.
Enough with this racism

#PitbullLivesMatter

[truckboattruck]

what part of we took him swimming his whole life did you not understand? we took him swimming constantly he knew how to swim he just hated it. there was no point from puppy to death that we did not take him swimming that didn't make him like it.

the part where thats too convenient

its like fat people who say they dont eat much

[Doctor Funkenstein]

Do we know if they are being bred to be 'killing machines'?

Present tense does not equal past tense. But nice try, kiddo.

They were bred for combat. It's built into their genetic instincts. You know, just like your instinct to fuck and eat were bred into you long, long ago.

- - - Updated - - -

The problem isn't pit bulls - at least, not directly.

Yes, it is. Less-than-savory owners have other breeds of dogs, too. Relatively few of them are as dangerous (either by temperment, ability to harm, or both) as a pit bull because of the breed itself. They were bred to be vicious monsters. Training can help curb those natural instincts they possess, but they still possesses them above and beyond most other breeds. And worse, they have the size and power to make them dangerous, too.

Only a blindly ignorant fool would claim otherwise.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

the part where thats too convenient

its like fat people who say they dont eat much

we lived on a bloody lake he never wanted for a chance to swim from when we got him till he died.

[truckboattruck]

we lived on a bloody lake he never wanted for a chance to swim from when we got him till he died.

doesnt even matter if he refused to step 1 paw in the water, he is still from a breed that is good at swimming/
and theyre good at swimming because its genetic

[Lorgar Aurelian]

doesnt even matter if he refused to step 1 paw in the water, he is still from a breed that is good at swimming/
and theyre good at swimming because its genetic

i have no idea how you miss the point so hard. no where did i say he couldn't swim or wasn't a good swimmer he hated swimming sure he was good at it he still hated doing it.

lets recap so far first i said not all dogs are aggressive you come back with some crap that pitbulls are because its in there genes i compare that not all dogs grow into those genes. you for some reason think that means i never took my water dog to swim i clearly state we tried to get him to swim his whole life you come back with some crap that i think he cant swim even after i just said he can swim you come back with i didn't taking him swimming again after i said we did and then you go back to just saying its in his genes.

you have missed the point on every single post I've made and assumed a bunch of asinine crap. i really don't get how you could miss the point of every single post unless your reading only every other word.

[Uoyredrum]

Actually, no. "Playfully biting" is bad, because it means the dog thinks it's okay to put his mouth on a person. Which can eventually lead to accidental bites, or fear bites. You should never, ever, ever allow your dog to be mouthy with anyone, or "playfully bite" anyone. It's a huge no-no with any sort of dog with the capability for aggression.

While I would agree that dogs should be trained not to do it in general (especially bigger dogs), the reality is that it's a very common thing and is rarely a big issue if the dog is well mannered in general. Our dog does it (a small rescue dog) and she has literally never tried bite anyone, she just does it with us when playing. It's a normal, common behavior that occurs in most dogs. People should make an effort to minimize or stop it, but in some cases (rescue dogs especially) that can be hard to do.

[truckboattruck]

i have no idea how you miss the point so hard. no where did i say he couldn't swim or wasn't a good swimmer he hated swimming sure he was good at it he still hated doing it.

lets recap so far first i said not all dogs are aggressive you come back with some crap that pitbulls are because its in there genes i compare that not all dogs grow into those genes. you for some reason think that means i never took my water dog to swim i clearly state we tried to get him to swim his whole life you come back with some crap that i think he cant swim even after i just said he can swim you come back with i didn't taking him swimming again after i said we did and then you go back to just saying its in his genes.

you have missed the point on every single post I've made and assumed a bunch of asinine crap. i really don't get how you could miss the point of every single post unless your reading only every other word.

and not all bombs blow up.....im very happy for the people who make it from birth to the death of a pitbull and never trigger its crazy.
but that breed will always be the most prone to violence.

its in them whether or not you manage to find it

[TirielWoW]

While I would agree that dogs should be trained not to do it in general (especially bigger dogs), the reality is that it's a very common thing and is rarely a big issue if the dog is well mannered in general. Our dog does it (a small rescue dog) and she has literally never tried bite anyone, she just does it with us when playing. It's a normal, common behavior that occurs in most dogs. People should make an effort to minimize or stop it, but in some cases (rescue dogs especially) that can be hard to do.

It is normal, common behavior. That doesn't mean it's good behavior, though. Jumping on people is also normal, common behavior, but it's also behavior that needs to be modified.

[Uoyredrum]

It is normal, common behavior. That doesn't mean it's good behavior, though. Jumping on people is also normal, common behavior, but it's also behavior that needs to be modified.

That was my point.

[Lochton]

Present tense does not equal past tense. But nice try, kiddo.

They were bred for combat. It's built into their genetic instincts. You know, just like your instinct to fuck and eat were bred into you long, long ago.

Instincts aren't the same as breeding goals. Trust me. Since most dogs have an instinct to kill small animals, even small dogs would jump a rat. I was talking about breeding, as that was what was quoted for, if you could just have looked a bit further back. And as it sounds like, he wasn't breeding them for combat, pr. article. And we were talking about that hopefully there won't be an irrational fear for all dogs - but by you, there should be.

[Mormolyce]

Pitbulls bite at about the same rates as any other dog when neutered. The problem is that while many many dogs are neutered there seems to be a much higher chance for a pitbull to not have been. Also most pitbulls are free or low cost and gotten from a pound and their owners just often are not good owners. It is not the fault of the breed and dogs bite is basically a propaganda site...

There is no way that explains 5% of the dog population making up 90% of bites.

[Atrea]

Yes, it is. Less-than-savory owners have other breeds of dogs, too. Relatively few of them are as dangerous (either by temperment, ability to harm, or both) as a pit bull because of the breed itself. They were bred to be vicious monsters. Training can help curb those natural instincts they possess, but they still possesses them above and beyond most other breeds. And worse, they have the size and power to make them dangerous, too.

Only a blindly ignorant fool would claim otherwise.

False.

The first and foremost thing that merits attention is the fact that "pit bull" is not a breed of dog. Instead, it is a group of breeds, all with different characteristics and temperaments. When you talk about "pit bulls" being "bred to be vicious monsters", all you're really doing is illustrating how incomplete your knowledge on the subject really is. Do you always engage in conversations about things you don't know much about? Do you initiate those conversations using improper terminology, like you did here? Is this typically well-received by those with whom you engage? Or are you oblivious to their reactions?

While it is true that among some 'breeders' (if you'd like to call them that), animals displaying those attributes are selected for breeding, for the most part this is not the case. Domesticated animals have few "natural instincts"; that is why they are called domesticated animals. Those instincts tend to be more in tune with things like eating and mating, rather than aggressive behaviour. And while it is true that

Considering that the number of these breeds who do not attack human beings vastly outnumbers those who do (by a few orders of magnitude), I submit that your opinion has no basis in reality, and is instead predicated upon supposition that lacks real-world experience, as well as empirical data.

In essence, you believe something that you want to believe because you feel it is true - not because it really is. And no amount of data will convince you otherwise - because it wasn't data that lead you to that conclusion. It was your feels.

Let me say that again: no data supports your belief, and there is mountains of data to contradict it.

Only a blindly ignorant fool would claim otherwise.

[gamingmuscle]

what doesnt change are the breeds that continually attack, and pitsbulls are miles ahead in that category.
dogs are not blank slates anymore than humans, their potential is dictated by their genes.

Nope. Normalize the stats over population size and pit bulls aren't #1. They have big numbers because they have a significantly larger population when compared to other large breeds.

Any tendency for significant aggression towards people would have been bred out of any breed of dog. It's not a useful trait.

As it stands, even the worst offending breeds by the stats are significantly less dangerous to be around than other people.

[Doctor Funkenstein]

Instincts aren't the same as breeding goals.

Those goals are to bring out certain instincts and traits. So yes, it is effectively the same thing.

And we were talking about that hopefully there won't be an irrational fear for all dogs - but by you, there should be.

Wrong, because those dangerous traits are bred out of (or at least greatly bred down from) most breeds. I don't even know how people can you come up with "logic" (and I'm using that word quite wrongly) like that.

False.

Wrong.

Hey, I can do that, too.

The first and foremost thing that merits attention is the fact that "pit bull" is not a breed of dog. Instead, it is a group of breeds, all with different characteristics and temperaments.

<rolls eyes> Do you know what this sort of "argument" (again, using the word very, very wrongly) is? Pedantic and pathetic. "Oh, the word is actually legume, ergo O.J. Simpson is innocent! HERP A DERRRRRRRRRRRRP!"

Domesticated animals have few "natural instincts"; that is why they are called domesticated animals. Those instincts tend to be more in tune with things like eating and mating, rather than aggressive behaviour.

And see, here you are going down that idiotic rabbit hole again. "Now see, since Chewbacca isn't from Endor, you must acquit!" Yeah, thanks Einstein, I had no idea how domestication worked. So. Fucking. What. That doesn't mean that pit bulls -- and yes, most of the prominent breeds within that category if that makes your dick harder -- haven't been bred to bring those traits BACK INTO the fucking species, or at least emphasize them more than in other breeds.

Seriously, your entire argument is so incredibly stupid. "Well, sheep had their aggressive traits bred out from rams, ergo that somehow qualifies as a valid argument in my head. Herp a derp a DERRRRRRRRRRRPPPPP!"

Considering that the number of these breeds who do not attack human beings vastly outnumbers those who do (by a few orders of magnitude), I submit that your opinion has no basis in reality, and is instead predicated upon supposition that lacks real-world experience, as well as empirical data.

"Most great white sharks have never attacked a human. Ergo, they aren't dangerous animals! HERP UH DURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRP!"

In essence, you believe something that you want to believe because you feel it is true - not because it really is.

No, that would be you. 100% you. "Well mah pet tiger is a pussy cat, so no, tigers aren't dangerous predators who could snap at any moment. Just ask Sigmund and Roy! DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP P!"

[Themius]

There is no way that explains 5% of the dog population making up 90% of bites.

There are multiple things at play. Most dogs are fixed. Unfixed dogs bite more often. Pit bulls are more likely to jot be fixed leading to more bites period. Many dogs look like pits and they are often called pits and bites reported as such even when it is not. There was once even a husky who bit someone yet papers reported it as a pit bull yet ran it along side with images of the husky in question.