Vicious Pit Bulls and Kitties don't mix...

[Kaneman]

Originally Posted by Kerry_129

I completely agree that the dangers posed by potentially dangerous breeds (all of them, really) are greatly aggravated by the actions/neglect/failure to discipline by their human owners. BUT, I can't help to conclude that that for whatever combination of factors, there's simply no denying that a few breed 'types' are responsible for the vast majority of fatalities. I think it's reasonable to assume a similar correlation with cases of serious injury. Based on the raw fatality stat's, Pits and Rotts are by far the leading breeds in dog-attack deaths, alond with a few others (and yes, I know a lot of bully dogs that aren't APBTs get lumped together as 'pit-bulls', but so what? - we're not debating pedigree, and by that same token lots of Rott-mixes are classified just the same as pure-breds). Of course, the figures aren't correlated to the total # of dogs of a particular type - but it's hard to argue with the raw #'s showing a very strong trend in the types of dogs that attack/kill humans.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/duip/dogbreeds.pdf

http://www.dogexpert.com/FatalDogAtt...ttackhome.html


I asked my brother to refresh my memory about his good friend, Dominique, who was the guy I knew that was bitten badly - 3rd hand account, but a reliable source (to me) with no reason to lie about it. It was actually his girlfriend's family dog, which was kept as an indoor 'pet' (I know, they're not pets, blah, blah - but that's the reality of how many if not the majority of dogs are kept in this country). He was visiting for X-mas dinner & eating a plate of food while sitting on the hearth, and the dog was pestering him by nosing at his plate while he ate (unacceptable behavior, but the dog was simply being a pest & not 'visciously' aggressive). After pushing him away a couple of times, it snapped onto his face twice & laid him open from the top of his cheekbone to his chin. Was it precipitated by ignorance/negligence on the part of the owners and perhaps an improper/careless reaction from the 'victim'? Sure - but it sure as hell wasn't some chained-up grossly-mistreated curr being unduly provoked by someone blatantly taunting or abusing it.

I'm not at all saying that pit-bulls or Rotts or any other 'dangerous' breed are automatically 'bad' or 'evil'. I think that the vast majority that have good owners & proper treatment/training can be loyal, loving, trusted family-members, and I totally accept that the biggest factor in their propensity to attack is how they are raised, socialized & disciplined. BUT, I also think that without a proper upbringing they (dogs in general, larger/stronger dogs particularly, and a handful of breeds specifically) can be very much like having a loaded gun laying around.

You haven't been keeping up have you?

[z06boy]

I've owned two Rotties and several Pits that never bit anyone and own guns that have never shot anyone...wow what a boring life.

Sucks being responsible.

I don't own Pits or Rotties currently...just a little Shiba Inu and he's just an early warning system...I've still got the guns.

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by z06boy

I've owned two Rotties and several Pits that never bit anyone and own guns that have never shot anyone...wow what a boring life.

Sucks being responsible.

I don't own Pits or Rotties currently...just a little Shiba Inu and he's just an early warning system...I've still got the guns.

Geesh, paranoid much? Just kidding!!!! No gun arguments for me for a while!!!

[z06boy]

Originally Posted by TIGGER

Geesh, paranoid much? Just kidding!!!! No gun arguments for me for a while!!!

[Kerry_129]

Originally Posted by z06boy

I've owned two Rotties and several Pits that never bit anyone and own guns that have never shot anyone...wow what a boring life.
Sucks being responsible.

Damn - I was hoping someone would bite harder than that!


Kaneman - guilty as charged. I see what you're saying re: many pits/rotts 'trained to hate humans', and while I agree that it's part of the issue, my feeling is that it doesn't explain away the numbers being skewed so highly towards those two types in particular. Just an opinion that can't be proven/disproven by lies, statistics and more lies though. And I'd still be far more worried about dangers presented the 'scumbag'-owner element than any of their 'viscious' dogs.


One thing that jumped out at me doing a little reading though - supposedly 1/3 of homeowners' insurance claims result from dog-related claims? Wow - seems hard to believe it could be that high. Does your ins. company ask if you own dogs (or specific breeds) & jack your rates?

[MILK]

Originally Posted by Kerry_129

Damn - I was hoping someone would bite harder than that!


One thing that jumped out at me doing a little reading though - supposedly 1/3 of homeowners' insurance claims result from dog-related claims? Wow - seems hard to believe it could be that high. Does your ins. company ask if you own dogs (or specific breeds) & jack your rates?

Kerry my insurance company did a 'drive by' and asked that we sign a waiver on our Rotteweiler so we can't make claims on him. They didn't ask for a waiver on my two parrots though and they've bitten plenty of people!

[Ninjakel]

Our homeowners insurance here in Florida is well aware that we have an APBT and a Boxer. No special rider or upping the policy.

[Quick281]

Tigger, what ever happened to the tank pack sized dog you used to have in your avatar?

[askmrjesus]

Originally Posted by Quick281

Tigger, what ever happened to the tank pack sized dog you used to have in your avatar?

It was eaten by a Pit Bull, and he hasn't been the same since.

JC

[z06boy]

Originally Posted by askmrjesus

It was eaten by a Pit Bull, and he hasn't been the same since.

JC

It wasn't even a Pit, it was a mixed breed that they couldn't identify so they reported it as a Pit for statistical purposes.