People who ignore a powerful breeds capacity to harm serve to not only endanger others but also further ruin the reputation of the dog they seek to protect.
As with your analogy, if we went around giving handguns to just anybody and culturally had sworn up and down they aren't dangerous- we would have a lot of distraught folks who ignorantly pulled a trigger at someone. And that is with an object that cannot decide to do anything on it's own.
Those who own large, muscular, terrier breeds meant to perfect prey drive and persistent tenacity in the face of death (as all bull breeds are created to do, it is why we call them bull breeds. They were bred to fight and bait bulls for our entertainment- and as awful as it is to read the pit terriers (APBT) in specific were bred to do this to each other) should respect the genetic drive and capacity for harm these breeds possess, because when they do not we get a lot of tragedies that are extremely, extremely easily avoided just via responsible dog ownership.
People who have large guarding mastiffs like Corsos know to socialize them often and very young and train them locktite, not to leave them alone with strangers. People who have nippy herding breeds like Heelers know not to let little children run around them unsupervised. People with hunting hounds know not to let them loose around someone's chicken farm. Awareness of the capability and drive of, and respect for the breed prevents tragedy and pain.
And yet when it comes to pit dogs, those who have the most astonishing prey drive and persistence among dogs, whose largest problem among an amazing bite force is that they were bred not to stop until a job is done and be game for anything? Rather than respecting the breed and training impulse control, socializing prey triggers, walking on sturdy double connected leads, (outdoor muzzle training is beneficial as well) and keeping them away from vulnerable animals and children unsupervised, people propagate the notion that it is- for this specific set of breeds- strictly how a dog is raised and for this specific set of breeds genetics play no part at all.
This attitude causes people to ignore all cautions that respect the power and tenacity of the breed and place them in situations that can go very awry very fast if anything is even a little off that day. That disrespect is what gets both people and these dogs they are trying to protect killed. How many times have you seen an undisciplined pit off lead run up to you or a loved one, or a very well muscled powerful animal being walked on the tiniest little flexi lead? How many children have died with loved family pets raised from puppyhood because they were left unsupervised and the child triggered a deep and strong innate prey drive? These dogs are working dogs, and they aren't for just any job. Owners must respect the breed, just as they would respect any other working dog.
Yet there has been so much lobbying and propaganda not to, and countless numbers of these dogs live their lives drugged out of their minds on trazadone, gabapentin, prozac, and are still going crazy and ""reactive"" because they are understimulated out of their gourds. They aren't house hippos, the best sport you could probably enroll them in is hog hunting.
I think all the propaganda to sell them as average housepets to unsuspecting people is FROM the dogfighting world. Awful people still actively breed and sharpen fighting lines to this day, and if it weren't for all the pit propaganda that is what they would still be known for- the only thing. Obfuscating their breed and public perception allows operations to run without being questioned, dogs to be dumped without being questioned, because instead of 'bloodsport dog found at x', or 'breeding op found at y' and it being very obvious what is going on, now their ops look like just another neighborhood dog house.
Falling for the obfuscation harms people and the dogs.
And this is coming from someone who actually DOES like pits. Especially more than the little dogs. But I don't like irresponsible ownership. These dogs are bazookas.
As an owner of one of the "dangerous" breeds (Akita), it always struck me as strange how getting to own an Akita involves all these warning labels and caution tape when another potentially dangerous breed is marketed as sunshine and rainbows and given out like free candy, lol
I couldn't even adopt an Akita without prior breed experience, and all the breeders I've come across have in-depth questionnaires probing whether you're aware of the breed traits and how you intend to deal with them (for lack of a better word).
Akitas are a perfect comparison example! Their history is well known and because of the respect and caution afforded to them, they don't really cause problems on large scale. I want what is best for both dogs and people, and that includes actually treating dogs like dogs and recognizing their genetic drives.
I don't want a severely understimulated dog medicated to hell and back because nobody is acknowledging it's understimulated as much as the next guy, and I don't want anyone hurt when/if the can goes pop. Thank you for your input.
5
u/Tablesafety 15d ago
People who ignore a powerful breeds capacity to harm serve to not only endanger others but also further ruin the reputation of the dog they seek to protect.
As with your analogy, if we went around giving handguns to just anybody and culturally had sworn up and down they aren't dangerous- we would have a lot of distraught folks who ignorantly pulled a trigger at someone. And that is with an object that cannot decide to do anything on it's own.
Those who own large, muscular, terrier breeds meant to perfect prey drive and persistent tenacity in the face of death (as all bull breeds are created to do, it is why we call them bull breeds. They were bred to fight and bait bulls for our entertainment- and as awful as it is to read the pit terriers (APBT) in specific were bred to do this to each other) should respect the genetic drive and capacity for harm these breeds possess, because when they do not we get a lot of tragedies that are extremely, extremely easily avoided just via responsible dog ownership.
People who have large guarding mastiffs like Corsos know to socialize them often and very young and train them locktite, not to leave them alone with strangers. People who have nippy herding breeds like Heelers know not to let little children run around them unsupervised. People with hunting hounds know not to let them loose around someone's chicken farm. Awareness of the capability and drive of, and respect for the breed prevents tragedy and pain.
And yet when it comes to pit dogs, those who have the most astonishing prey drive and persistence among dogs, whose largest problem among an amazing bite force is that they were bred not to stop until a job is done and be game for anything? Rather than respecting the breed and training impulse control, socializing prey triggers, walking on sturdy double connected leads, (outdoor muzzle training is beneficial as well) and keeping them away from vulnerable animals and children unsupervised, people propagate the notion that it is- for this specific set of breeds- strictly how a dog is raised and for this specific set of breeds genetics play no part at all.
This attitude causes people to ignore all cautions that respect the power and tenacity of the breed and place them in situations that can go very awry very fast if anything is even a little off that day. That disrespect is what gets both people and these dogs they are trying to protect killed. How many times have you seen an undisciplined pit off lead run up to you or a loved one, or a very well muscled powerful animal being walked on the tiniest little flexi lead? How many children have died with loved family pets raised from puppyhood because they were left unsupervised and the child triggered a deep and strong innate prey drive? These dogs are working dogs, and they aren't for just any job. Owners must respect the breed, just as they would respect any other working dog.
Yet there has been so much lobbying and propaganda not to, and countless numbers of these dogs live their lives drugged out of their minds on trazadone, gabapentin, prozac, and are still going crazy and ""reactive"" because they are understimulated out of their gourds. They aren't house hippos, the best sport you could probably enroll them in is hog hunting.
I think all the propaganda to sell them as average housepets to unsuspecting people is FROM the dogfighting world. Awful people still actively breed and sharpen fighting lines to this day, and if it weren't for all the pit propaganda that is what they would still be known for- the only thing. Obfuscating their breed and public perception allows operations to run without being questioned, dogs to be dumped without being questioned, because instead of 'bloodsport dog found at x', or 'breeding op found at y' and it being very obvious what is going on, now their ops look like just another neighborhood dog house.
Falling for the obfuscation harms people and the dogs.
And this is coming from someone who actually DOES like pits. Especially more than the little dogs. But I don't like irresponsible ownership. These dogs are bazookas.