Given the subject, this post will likely disappoint some, but hopefully, not the right someone....

Was looking up some KC permit info yesterday and noticed a sidebar section for waiver of pet adoption fees at KC Petfinders. For grins, I followed the link and found this beautiful red-nose female pit....

http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/19591536?photo_view=3&rvp=1

Their inherent stalwart and resolute nature that some have exploited in pit fighting similarly shines toward those that share a stable home with them.... I'd go take a look-see but I already have a rescue female that our family adores. I would be happy to support someone's interest in assessing Belle and possibly integrating her into the *right* home....

Full link....

http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/19591536?rvp=1

She is a beauty isn't she. I've met many friendly pit bulls, and I've had come across many scary ones too. In the right home with right people, they're good dogs.

Dangit though, I wish I didn't have that link. Makes me want another dog...

http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/19460611



Here's what I'm looking for but my wife has informed me not intill one of her ankle biters kicks the bucket.

I've got a picture around somewhere of me holding one of those while playing Santa. Wonderful dog. Plenty hefty, too!

They like short walks too..

From the same website, an article about adoption a pit. Glowing comments at the end of same--

http://www.petfinder.com/before-pet-adoption/pit-bull-adoption.html

I may go take Belle for a walk and proffer a report....

I just spent a weekend with a friends Pit Bull. It was a truly fun,loving dog. But it doesn't like water retrieves nor birds . . . .

I've known some good pits but I've also seen enough bad ones and seen a few seeming good ones slip.

Of all the amazing dog breeds out there, a pit is a bizarre choice.

No arguments to any of the above. Had a 110 pound Chesapeake that was built like Arnold in his prime, an amazing hunting pard and a family shadow too. Like most that have shared a blind and gone afield with a good working retriever, I have some amazing stories....

Fast forward to about four years ago.... My sister is a veterinary tech and the clinic where she was employed ended up with a pit after someone wanted to be like Michael Vick. The vet was going to put the dog down but all the techs that cared for her protested and launched a campaign to find her a home. My love & I agreed to foster the dog for 30 days until a suitable owner could be found to keep her from being euthanized. Yah, I know.

The dog was delivered by my sister and another vet tech with a care package that included a Dog Whisperer DVD on aggressive breeds (what did we get ourselves into???). As a result, I've researched the breed to gain a better understanding and had many Cesar Millan DVD evenings with my love. In due course, I watched both our dog and our family change for the better. At the time the dog arrived, #2 son was a HS freshman and had begun to implode. Witnessing my love calmly and assertively correct a pit and/or quell a snarling teen that outweighed her was well worth overcoming both stereotypes....

Accordingly, they are not for everyone. An unfortunate number are relegated to a compensatory role, or worse, by owners who either squander the breed's inherent stalwart and resolute nature or fail to recognize their true strengths. Perhaps, someone reading this would be willing to making a positive difference in the life of one dog...

... and in return, they would unconditionally do the same for you and yours....

You could say that.
I suppose it's because of the intent of the breed and the personal constitutions of some of the owners.
Many experienced with the breed say that they can be gentle and loyal companions.

I just saw one the other day....kind of a deadgrass color. The eyes and jaw reminded me of my Chesapeake.....supposedly the Pit was used in the development of the Chesapeake.
"A jaw large enough to hold a goose and the stamina to perform a rough water retrieve"

A pit bull attempted to kill my neighbor's mare in her pasture. The attack was completely unprovoked and likely would have resulted in the horse's death if the horse's owner and dog's owner had not intervened. The pit chased the horse until it could run no more, then it began leaping and biting the horse's flanks, inflicting serious wounds each time it bit. In a panic, the mare began circling and kicking. Although one kick connected, the dog was undeterred in its attack. At one point the pit locked its powerful jaws onto the front shoulder of the mare and hung suspended from her side. The mare began to buck and spin tightly in a futile attempt to dislodge the dog. Finally, completely exhausted and near collapse, the horse stopped struggling and stood motionless. The dog dropped from the horse's shoulder, went under the mare's neck and attempted several times to latch onto her throat.

The commotion attracted the entire neighborhood to the pasture, including both animal owners. The horse owner had a rifle and was looking to get a clear shot at the dog. While stating emphatically she would cover all damages, the pit owner was frantically trying to get control of her animal. She managed to distract the pit from its attack, got a leash on it and led it out of the pasture. Extensive emergency veterinary treatment saved the horse. Within 48 hours, the pit bull was gone from our neighborhood. It was not put down.

All breeds can have "bad dogs" and "biters". Not many have the deadly potential of the pit bull.

It's very unfortunate how so many of these dogs end up in the wrong hands. I can't blame anyone for being prejudice towards this breed because there's a constant reinforcement to how dangerous they can be. These dogs weren't bred to retrieve, herd, swim, guard, etc. They were simply bred to fight other dogs. It's very sickening that man could do this to such a beautiful animal. It's been said on here already, "this breed isn't for everyone" and that's a fact. It's the handlers responsibility to lead the way.

.

People used to say the same thing (some probably still do) about Doberman's years ago. I have had them for 30 years and never had an issue (Dobies that is).
To me being breed prejudice is similar to being racist. Of the dogs that I have been bit by, the Afghan Hound and Cocker/English Spaniel have been the nastiest and most unpredictable. Just like with people, I judge them as individuals ... .

Driftin', good for you and your family for recognizing the potential in that Pit.

Without detracting too much from the original intent of this post, there were some valid points raised regarding dogs of different breeds and their associated behavioral characteristics. Because math is a universal language and easily applied to this discourse, let’s look at some statistical probabilities….. Pert near everything follows a statistical bell curve. For example, one would arrive at a bell curve for the number of days fished in a year if a reasonable sample of PP members were plotted. Guys like Bob, Vedder and stam would be at one end, and the usual cast of PP wind-ups would be at the other, with the bulk of us that actually wet a line rounding out the curve. The same logic could be applied to dog breeds that bite and of those that result in serious injury. The same could be extrapolated to people but we’ll stick with dogs. A simple search shows that the majority of serious bites are at the business end of a pit and not a Pomeranian…. Why is that? The same search yields some factors such as males are 6x more likely to bite than female, nearly 3x more bites from intact dogs vs spayed/neutered and the same for chained (no exercise/high stress) vs unchained. One could also look at the statistical sample itself. When ankle biters have a snit or draw blood, most are inclined to laugh it off for various reasons. When a large breed dog does so, it isn’t a laughing matter and the worst make the news.

When one takes ownership of anything, there are inherent responsibilities that are assumed to varying degrees that would also plot a bell curve. Sticking with canines and *their* perspective, one who owns an ankle-biter may elect to pay the mortgage but irresponsibly allow little Cuteness to run the household in a dominant/aggressive role. That behaviour is oft tolerated and supported by everyone involved. It is also likely the reason that most of us here lean toward working dogs and their partnership afield rather than their annoying brethren.

When a dog owner irresponsibly fails to assume and maintain the calm/assertive dominant role, and provide adequate exercise and discipline with a goodly dose of affection, it is a dishonoring of the gifts that a balanced dog of any breed will unconditionally bestow on that owner, their home and neighborhood. An ankle-biter will let an owner slide on such responsibilities. A pit will not afford one such a luxury but the rewards of such a willing partnership are manifold. It is in that spirit I proffered this post based on my experience with both pits and working dogs….

Some pixels of our pit....

One of her in attack mode.

Pits are usually such fine physical specimens. It's hard not to admire their looks. Yours is no exceptions. A spectacular beast. But a word of advice. Yours look about ready to attack.

good look'n pooch there drift.

Nice lookin pup Driftin". . .

Here is mine. ... ..

Onyx just shy of 10 months. . . .

I have yet to find a bad dog where there wasn't a bad owner (not necessarily bad by intent, but by action....or lack thereof). I was dismayed to make the aquaintance of a police chief who would just as soon shoot a dog as look at it.....something terribly wrong with that.

FR, Use software that has a resize feature and keep the file size to a maximum dimension of 550 pixels to stay under the file size limit. Going up in file size loses its sharpness....

I grew up with a cropped/docked female dobie next door. When I'd visit, I'd sit in one of their Lazy Boy recliners and the dog would put her paws on either side of my head, push back and lick me up but good! She was sweet to everyone in the neighborhood, except a door-2-door salesman that put his foot in their door after being told "not interested."

The primary problem for both of us is that dog don't hunt!

Make a pair of shoes out of its hide.

Fish on...

Todd

Fine looking pooch. How about a play date with Tye? They are much more evenly matched now.

Stam,

How much you pricing a chicken at. Tye could use some fun and I have a few bucks in my pocket.

That would rile up anyone, regardless of breed, with the requisite desire to fully throttle both man and beast. How does one invoice for the loss of time, feed, eggs and swallowing said desire to satisfactorily instill some sense of responsibility in that dog's owner?

I have a pit and a dozen Wyandotte hens. On day one that the pullets went outside, I made sure that our pit was also introduced to the 8,000 volts in the poultry fence with a perfectly timed correction from me. Her curiosity and wet nose combined for the full effect that still makes me grin. She knows that those birds are mine, and has never expressed any interest in a repeat experience. She also never leaves our property without being on a lead.

Hopin' that either your neighbor steps up to the plate or there's a fresh mound of dirt in your back 40....

When I was a kid one of my grandpas dogs killed one of his cats. He had about 50 wild cats that would keep the mice and such in check. He grabbed that cat by the tail and beat the crap out of the dog with it and the dog never made an attempt at a cat again. So that might be fun.

We used to tie the dead chicken round the dogs neck to make him tired of dead chickens. Can't remember if it actually worked . . .

Having to assume the responsibilities that others are too lazy and/or stupid to shoulder on their own account should be proportionally expensive, and painful. 'Specially when they provide a lame ass excuse for both their own and their dog's culpability....

Just frosts my pumpkin when the damn dog has to pay the ultimate price for their owner's ineptitude rather than t'other way 'round....

Again, my condolences....

Just frosts my pumpkin when the damn dog has to pay the ultimate price for their owner's ineptitude rather than t'other way 'round....

Again, my condolences.... [/quote]


+1

Sucks when dogs do what their owner let them and then pay the price, the owner should be wearing the chicken, however, around the neck would not be my first placement .. .. .. . I guess that would be the chicken wearing him then. . . . .


I'd say call me if you need bail, however I will be on Whidbey for a memorial, so call Uncle Dave. . . . . . . . .

We adopted a pit/heeler mix last summer. So far he's an awesome dog. Came crate trained at 3 mos., and he was house broken after about a week.

Smart little guy. It's almost like he understands English, except when he grabs something he wants to chew up and he's headed for the back door.

Hello? Stam?

Did you leave em a dead chicken in the mail slot as a calling card ??

Again, the difference between a marauding killer and a family pet is the owner. On one hand you have responsible owners that keep their dog contained, trained, clean and fed.

OTOH, you have lazy POS trash that takes an animal (or kids sometimes) and lets them run wild over the countryside and doesn't give two shits what or who they kill. When I was a 10 year old kid, I had half my face torn off by a german shepherd that was allowed to roam loose by its dickhead owner. If it wasn't for a yappy little anklebiter it wanted to eat instead, it would have continued to chew on the back of my head and neck...but I digress...

My favorite are the hippie chicks that think their dogs are people and their method of training begins and ends with a firm talking to.

Anyway, It's my belief the owners of dogs should be held responsible for any damage they do as if the owner did it with their own hand. Because by proxy, through irresponsibility and negligence, they are to blame. If you raise your dog to be agro, and it gets out and maims someone, your ass should go to prison.

Cedar might be a spaz around people, but he's great around turkeys and chickens. Starlings, ducks, and pheasants is another story.

Keep in mind......ALWAYS rule with a firm hand! ALWAYS!
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Well, almost always