Pit bull jumps 6-foot fence, attacks 9-year-old Birmingham boy - Polidicks

[QUOTE=karlosfandango;48787224]Can you read? In fact all of the other dog breeds combined do not kill half as many as pitbulls do![/QUOTE] I don't think you'll ever understand the stigma. I mean it's been explained in great detail yet people still don't get this? How the fuck [editline]29th September 2015[/editline] [QUOTE=OvB;48787952]Clearly not much.[/QUOTE] Most people in the pit bull threads don't have any idea

[QUOTE=Ganerumo;48788080]Pitbulls were bred for [I]two hundred years[/I] because they're exceptionally strong and brutal. Their name itself is a reference to the fact they were originally bred for [I]pit[/I]fighting, and it took far more than one generation of these to be bred before blood sports were banned - and even after they were banned, the dogs were still being bred (which included liberal use of inbreeding, by the way) in order to select and cultivate their strength and violence. Pits weren't just bred because of raw strength, they were bred because they had the temper to roll along with it. After two hundred years of constant breeding to only select the strong and violent dogs is [I]bound to create a breed of strong, violent dogs[/I]. You're the one who's being asinine by refusing the historical proof that pit bulls were ever since their first appearance in pit fighting bred to be killing machines. That's literally their sole reason to exist. Furthermore, the bulldogs upon which the pitbulls are based are not nearly as violent towards humans and temperamental, despite still being damn strong canine brickhouses. It's only when they started being bred to select the more violent offspring that, surprise, [I]the breed turned violent[/I]. Statistics are one hell of a backup on this situation but even without them you could just look at history and see that the fuckers have always been bred for violence. Two centuries of inbreeding and selective breeding is bound to lead to some defects which will worsen over time due to the way selective breeding works and how recklessly it's been done concerning pits, and when you breed an animal for its brutality, then these defects are bound to eventually be complete mental instability. A dog that wasn't bred for attacking and killing things that look at it funny won't randomly attack children.[/QUOTE] If you're talking about bull-baiting, that was a couple hundred years ago, and it's not even the same breed we have right now. This is the breed we're talking about: [quote=http://www.ukcdogs.com/Web.nsf/Breeds/Terrier/AmericanPitBullTerrier] The essential characteristics of the American Pit Bull Terrier are strength, confidence, and zest for life. This breed is eager to please and brimming over with enthusiasm. APBTs make excellent family companions and have always been noted for their love of children. Because most APBTs exhibit some level of dog aggression and because of its powerful physique, the APBT requires an owner who will carefully socialize and obedience train the dog. The breed’s natural agility makes it one of the most capable canine climbers so good fencing is a must for this breed. The APBT is not the best choice for a guard dog since they are extremely friendly, even with strangers. Aggressive behavior toward humans is uncharacteristic of the breed and highly undesirable. This breed does very well in performance events because of its high level of intelligence and its willingness to work.[/quote]

[QUOTE=Headhumpy;48787857]The answer to poor statistics isn't "all statistics are useless", it's "we need more, and better statistics".[/QUOTE] Scientific reports aren't 100% reading off of statistics, there is background information, detail as to the causes of those statistics and how they find those numbers. When the people in the thread say there is more to the fatalities than "it's a pit bull" it's because there is. A couple of posters have posted evidence showing that instinctively pit bulls are much more mild mannered and friendly than the average breed of dog, showing that despite the people spewing the same statistic as a response to everything that there is much more behind these incidents than simply the breed of the animals. As pointed out time and again l, by breathing and exacerbating the fear of these animals you only proliferate the violent training of them by those who would look for a pet to be used as a tool for fighting or protection or even street cred. You simply cannot ignore reasons for those statistics that have a deeper story just because you feel a number alone justifies persecution.

[QUOTE=ghghop;48788241]Scientific reports aren't 100% reading off of statistics, there is background information, detail as to the causes of those statistics and how they find those numbers. When the people in the thread say there is more to the fatalities than "it's a pit bull" it's because there is. A couple of posters have posted evidence showing that instinctively pit bulls are much more mild mannered and friendly than the average breed of dog, showing that despite the people spewing the same statistic as a response to everything that there is much more behind these incidents than simply the breed of the animals. As pointed out time and again l, by breathing and exacerbating the fear of these animals you only proliferate the violent training of them by those who would look for a pet to be used as a tool for fighting or protection or even street cred. You simply cannot ignore reasons for those statistics that have a deeper story just because you feel a number alone justifies persecution.[/QUOTE] [url]http://140.122.143.143/yuyinghs/yuyinghsu/papers/DuffyHsuSerpell2008.pdf[/url] There, I found you a study on dog aggression that shows that pit bulls have higher levels of aggression towards other dogs, but lower levels of aggression towards strangers and owners. The study also stated that there is substantial variation between individuals of a single breed, so drawing conclusions based solely on breed is unwise. It's unfortunate that the study had to rely on surveys, however, because those have potential to be biased. What I want to see is a study on dogs of various breeds raised in a controlled environment. That should settle the question once and for all, instead of relying on population studies that are hard to control.

[QUOTE=ghghop;48788241]Scientific reports aren't 100% reading off of statistics, there is background information, detail as to the causes of those statistics and how they find those numbers. When the people in the thread say there is more to the fatalities than "it's a pit bull" it's because there is. A couple of posters have posted evidence showing that instinctively pit bulls are much more mild mannered and friendly than the average breed of dog, showing that despite the people spewing the same statistic as a response to everything that there is much more behind these incidents than simply the breed of the animals. As pointed out time and again l, by breathing and exacerbating the fear of these animals you only proliferate the violent training of them by those who would look for a pet to be used as a tool for fighting or protection or even street cred. You simply cannot ignore reasons for those statistics that have a deeper story just because you feel a number alone justifies persecution.[/QUOTE] Where is the evidence that they are mild mannered and friendly, it's opinion of dog owners, no more. You also seem to ignore the fact that they were bred for one purpose only, to fight so what do you expect their mentality to be. Emotional irrationality.

[QUOTE=karlosfandango;48788724]Where is the evidence that they are mild mannered and friendly, it's opinion of dog owners, no more. You also seem to ignore the fact that they were bred for one purpose only, to fight so what do you expect their mentality to be. Emotional irrationality.[/QUOTE] [url=http://www.ukcdogs.com/Web.nsf/Breeds/Terrier/AmericanPitBullTerrier]Did you read my post or are you ignoring anything that goes against your biases?[/url] It's the opinion of one of the largest registry of breed pedigree in the fucking world, I can't get you a better source than this for fuck sake. I'll quote once more to make sure you're not missing it: [quote=http://www.ukcdogs.com/Web.nsf/Breeds/Terrier/AmericanPitBullTerrier] The essential characteristics of the American Pit Bull Terrier are strength, confidence, and zest for life. This breed is eager to please and brimming over with enthusiasm. APBTs make excellent family companions and have always been noted for their love of children. Because most APBTs exhibit some level of dog aggression and because of its powerful physique, the APBT requires an owner who will carefully socialize and obedience train the dog. The breed’s natural agility makes it one of the most capable canine climbers so good fencing is a must for this breed. The APBT is not the best choice for a guard dog since they are extremely friendly, even with strangers. Aggressive behavior toward humans is uncharacteristic of the breed and highly undesirable. This breed does very well in performance events because of its high level of intelligence and its willingness to work.[/quote]

[QUOTE]APBTs make excellent family companions and have always been noted for their love of children[/QUOTE] Especially for their young, juicy and tender meat ;)

[QUOTE=Headhumpy;48788673][url]http://140.122.143.143/yuyinghs/yuyinghsu/papers/DuffyHsuSerpell2008.pdf[/url] There, I found you a study on dog aggression that shows that pit bulls have higher levels of aggression towards other dogs, but lower levels of aggression towards strangers and owners. The study also stated that there is substantial variation between individuals of a single breed, so drawing conclusions based solely on breed is unwise. It's unfortunate that the study had to rely on surveys, however, because those have potential to be biased. What I want to see is a study on dogs of various breeds raised in a controlled environment. That should settle the question once and for all, instead of relying on population studies that are hard to control.[/QUOTE] But higher aggression against dogs doesn't explain human fatalities concerning pit bull attacks. It shows they have a higher tendency to be territorial at most. I agree that there should be more studies done like the one you suggested, because it would be able to show the definitive answer as to whether or not they are inherently aggressive towards humans before training. What I meant though about the stories and background information about the recorded attacks in data you brought up before was that the many elements talked about in the thread that could lead a dog to act lethal towards people weren't present in those studies. They just stated a numerical fact that ~70% of those attacks are from pits. In how many of those cases was the animal mistreated, be it by the owner previous or the victim at the time, what was the training, etc etc. [editline]29th September 2015[/editline] Unfortunately they're relatively smart living things, and that makes the plethora of random variables that much harder to dismiss.

[QUOTE=EcksDee;48780785]But even so you wouldn't end up with the numbers that we do actually see. Like I said, even if you ignore 75% of all pitbull attacks, they would still be overrepresented in dog bite statistics.[/QUOTE] Because in terms of actual damage, pitts are nasty. get bitten by a Dachshund? A chihuaha or some other pointer? It will often not leave any kind of real mark. Couple that with their badass image, which brings certain people towards them. (before it was pitts, the most common target was a rottweiler, before those dobrmans) and you get a dog breed that is seen as monstrous. A decade from now, I guarantee you, the focus will shift to a different breed.

[B]Closed the other thread[/B] [QUOTE=Dr. Kyuros;48781684][URL="http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/local/northern-ky/2015/09/24/man-accused-setting-dog-loose-woman-scalping-domestic-violence/72749060/"]http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/local/northern-ky/2015/09/24/man-accused-setting-dog-loose-woman-scalping-domestic-violence/72749060/[/URL] [QUOTE]Marilyn Stanley was partially scalped earlier this month, police say, when her ex-boyfriend directed his pit bull to attack the 26-year-old woman in his Boone County home. The animal succeeded in ripping more than 80 percent of Stanley’s scalp away from her head, tearing off part of one ear and leaving her eyes swollen “the size of baseballs,” according to deputies, and her face and throat tattered. Ten days after the attack, she is still at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, still in need of multiple surgeries. A friend has set up a GoFundMe account on her behalf. The ex-boyfriend, Zachary Allen Gross, is in Boone County jail facing charges of second-degree assault, domestic violence and harboring a vicious animal.[/QUOTE] :disgust: [editline]September 28, 2015[/editline] [URL="https://www.gofundme.com/my4tq4m6"]Her GoFundMe page[/URL] if anyone wants to help.[/QUOTE] [url]https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1487501&page=4[/url] Carry on.

[QUOTE=wraithcat;48789200] A decade from now, I guarantee you, the focus will shift to a different breed.[/QUOTE] And due to this I think ultimately as a society we need to focus less on persecuting different breeds and encouraging more responsible dog ownership. No more taking your kid to the shelter and picking the first cute dog they want, or no wanting a dog just because he looks badass. It's a ~15 year investment of time, money, and energy, and you need to be absolutely 100% certain that in most cases you can provide that for the dog.

[QUOTE=ghghop;48787253]Extinction is extinction no matter how you phrase it[/QUOTE] It's a dog breed, not a goddamn species. Something artificial created by humans for a specific purpose which 1) doesn't exist anymore, and 2) wasn't a good purpose in the first place. Individual dog breeds have roughly the same value as different strains of lab rats.

[QUOTE=AlexConnor;48789828]It's a dog breed, not a goddamn species. Something artificial created by humans for a specific purpose which 1) doesn't exist anymore, and 2) wasn't a good purpose in the first place. Individual dog breeds have roughly the same value as different strains of lab rats.[/QUOTE] I don't see how this is supposed to devalue the lives of dogs. [editline]29th September 2015[/editline] Domesticated dogs are produced through thousands of years of selective breeding too, and their primary reason for that is almost completely useless nowadays. Who needs em right?

[QUOTE=karlosfandango;48788724]Where is the evidence that they are mild mannered and friendly, it's opinion of dog owners, no more. You also seem to ignore the fact that they were bred for one purpose only, to fight so what do you expect their mentality to be. Emotional irrationality.[/QUOTE] Basing our views on real world experience with the dogs versus horror stories makes us emotionally irrational? No sir. You are exercising faulty logic.

I wouldn't let my dog near any Pit Bull in the park and he's a big dog over 50kg. There was an attack back on another by one a few months back in the park (I know the owner of the other dog) - Dog walker couldn't control it, lead snapped and even with two full grown built men going at the dog they couldn't separate it for a few minutes. Heck they even broke two plastic tennis ball throwers on it they were hitting it that hard. -- EDIT Not sure if anyone's heard/done this but apparently a finger up their ass is a good way to stop a fight :P

Honestly, if the world listened to some of you people, no one would be able to own anything larger than a schitzu because of how many breeds of dogs exist specifically to kill something, or other.

[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;48790000]Honestly, if the world listened to some of you people, no one would be able to own anything larger than a schitzu because of how many breeds of dogs exist specifically to kill something, or other.[/QUOTE] Chihuahuas were bred to kill rodents, we can't trust them. Euthanize all chihuahuas.

[QUOTE=ghghop;48789853]I don't see how this is supposed to devalue the lives of dogs. [editline]29th September 2015[/editline] Domesticated dogs are produced through thousands of years of selective breeding too, and their primary reason for that is almost completely useless nowadays. Who needs em right?[/QUOTE] You're getting "let the breed die out" mixed up with "kill all the pit bulls". I don't want existing pit bulls destroyed unless they individually and demonstrably pose a danger to humans, but for the love of god stop breeding more of them. There are far more dogs around than can be found decent homes already, and any number of dog types that make better and less dangerous pets. There is absolutely no need for more pitbulls, and no loss if the type disappears after the current generation.

[QUOTE=Jonzky;48789998]Heck they even broke two plastic tennis ball throwers on it they were hitting it that hard. Not sure if anyone's heard/done this but apparently a finger up their ass is a good way to stop a fight :P[/QUOTE] Hitting them is not going to solve anything(after all, in the other thread, they shot the dog twice to no avail). You need to grab their collar/neck and choke them. [media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ebR37K8hDg[/media] Choking sounds rough but hitting them only makes them more aggressive, and pulling them apart risks damage to tissues. A built man should have no trouble with proper knowledge. [editline]29th September 2015[/editline] (this goes for all dogs) [editline]29th September 2015[/editline] If it's two dogs fighting, you're obviously going to need two people... or else one will tear into the one that you're restraining. [editline]29th September 2015[/editline] Just in case you were wondering: [QUOTE=OvB;48787286]Lets play a game: This is the description of a Pit Bull (American bull Terrier), Pomeranian, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, and Chihuahua in no particular order. [quote][B]Pomeranians[/B] are typically a very friendly, playful and lively breed of dog, but are often aggressive to other dogs[9][10] They love to be around their owners and are known to be protective of them.[11] **** are alert and aware of changes in their environment and barking at new stimuli can develop into a habit of barking excessively in any situation. They are somewhat defensive of their territory and will thus bark a lot when they encounter any outside noises.[12] **** are intelligent dogs, respond well to training, and can be very successful in getting what they want from their owners.[11] They are extroverted and enjoy being the center of attention but can become quite aggressive and dominant if not well trained.[11] The use of toys can be an effective tool in encouraging **** to spend time alone.[/quote] [quote]The essential characteristics of the [B]American bull Terrier[/B] are strength, confidence, and zest for life. This breed is eager to please and brimming over with enthusiasm. **** make excellent family companions and have always been noted for their love of children. Because most **** exhibit some level of dog aggression and because of its powerful physique, the **** requires an owner who will carefully socialize and obedience train the dog. The breed’s natural agility makes it one of the most capable canine climbers so good fencing is a must for this breed. The **** is not the best choice for a guard dog since they are extremely friendly, even with strangers. Aggressive behavior toward humans is uncharacteristic of the breed and highly undesirable. This breed does very well in performance events because of its high level of intelligence and its willingness to work.[18][/quote] [quote]The temperament of the [B]Golden Retriever[/B] is a hallmark of the breed, and is described in the standard as "kindly, friendly and confident".[10] **** make good family pets, particularly as they are patient with children.[2] They are not "one-man dogs" and are generally equally amiable with both strangers and those familiar to them.[16] Their trusting, gentle disposition makes them a poor guard dog.[17] Any form of unprovoked aggression or hostility towards either people, dogs or other animals, whether in the show ring or community, is considered unacceptable in a **** and is not in keeping with the character of the breed, nor should a **** be unduly timid or nervous.[13][16] The typical **** is calm, naturally intelligent and biddable, and with an exceptional eagerness to please.[/quote] [quote]The temperament of its owner can make a difference in the temperament of the pup. Tempered [B]Chihuahuas[/B] can be easily provoked to attack, and are therefore generally unsuitable for homes with small children.[18] The breed tends to be fiercely loyal to one particular person and in some cases may become over protective of the person, especially around other people or animals. If properly managed by older children, 13 and up, they can adapt to this kind of living with a dedicated owner. They do not always get along with other breeds,[18] and tend to have a "clannish" nature, often preferring the companionship of other **** or **** mixes over other dogs.[19] These traits generally make them unsuitable for households with children who are not patient and calm.[15] **** love their dens and will often burrow themselves in pillows, clothes hampers, and blankets. They are often found under the covers or at the bottom of the bed, deep in the dark and safety of what they perceive as their den.[/quote] [quote][B]German Shepherds[/B] are highly active dogs and described in breed standards as self-assured.[10] The breed is marked by a willingness to learn and an eagerness to have a purpose. They are curious, which makes them excellent guard dogs and suitable for search missions. They can become over-protective of their family and territory, especially if not socialized correctly. They are not inclined to become immediate friends with strangers.[17] **** are highly intelligent and obedient[/quote] Which one is the pit bull?[/QUOTE] I can do better though with a touch of cherry picking: [quote]The essential characteristics of the American bull Terrier are strength, confidence, and zest for life. This breed is eager to please and brimming over with enthusiasm. American bull Terriers make excellent family companions and have always been noted for their love of children. the American bull Terrier requires an owner who will carefully socialize and obedience train the dog. The American bull Terrier is not the best choice for a guard dog since they are extremely friendly, even with strangers. Aggressive behavior toward humans is uncharacteristic of the breed and highly undesirable. This breed does very well in performance events because of its high level of intelligence and its willingness to work.[18][/quote] [quote]Tempered Chihuahuas can be easily provoked to attack, and are therefore generally unsuitable for homes with small children.[18] The breed tends to be fiercely loyal to one particular person and in some cases may become over protective of the person, especially around other people or animals. They do not always get along with other breeds,[18] and tend to have a "clannish" nature, often preferring the companionship of other Chihuahuas or Chihuahuas mixes over other dogs.[19] These traits generally make them unsuitable for households with children who are not patient and calm.[/quote] Little shits... That's not even making things up. That's just listening to the facts that I want to listen to and ignoring the rest. I'm going to quit posting in this thread because I feel like I've made my points. I'll close by saying I was fortunate enough to be born into a home that welcomes animals as family. When we lose an animal we mourn and have them cremated. Dogs have been a part of my family for decades. This stems frm my father being a retired dog trainer/handler for the USAF and US Customs. (He was that guy you see walking the German Shepherd past all your luggage or the cars at the border). He continues training dogs with a contractor past retirement. Except he's doing it for foreign National police programs and he's writing the instructions. Since I was a baby and before I was born, we've had dogs [I]trained[/I] to be threatening living with us and being loving companions. I can't count the dogs we've had during my infancy/before I was born. I was lucky enough to be around that kind of proficiency and perhaps that's why I don't seem to agree with some of you. Dogs come in many shapes and sizes and temperaments. [I]All dogs[/I] want to love. They don't hate. They get scared. They would defend [I]you[/I] to the death if they had to, and the last thing they would think before they died would be if they did good enough. Humans have been around dogs for thousands of years. We call them mans best friend for a reason. It's a mutualistic relationship at its finest. You don't train dogs by yelling or hitting them, you train them through positive reinforcement and repetition. When a dog does good, they get a reward every time. This is how drug/bomb dogs work. [I]The dog thinks its playing.[/I] It's thinking, [I]"Oh, if I find the toy, my friend will give me a snack!"[/I] It doesn't know or care if it's an IED or 6 tons of cocaine packed in a truck. Trained attack dogs work in the same way. Police dogs strike thinking they'll get a reward for it. And they do. It's a game to them. When you train a dog to harm you're teaching the dog that it's a game and that it's acceptable behavior. Then, on top of that you have the abuse, fighting, and lack of socializing. You've created what can easily be labeled as a monster. In reality it's a sad, scared, confused, and abused animal. As I said before, even a well intentioned family can improperly raise a dog. If you strike a dog or yell, it's learning from those experiences. If you give a dog a command and give no reward, it learns to distrust. Dogs [I]want[/I] to be obedient. Disobedience is the fault of the trainer. There's also a huge issue with people discarding dogs on the streets. A dog that's been outside most of its life is going to be scared of everything. We have a dog that we rescued from a shelter just days before she was due to be put to sleep. When a male tried to pet her, she would wince and roll over in submission. She's grown to be an extremely loving dog, and is forever grateful for us to take her in. Like all dogs, she just wants to be loved. However, she's still protective of us and wary of other dogs (she's gotten into fights with my brothers German Shepherd (she instigated)) so the road to rehabilitation is long and takes commitment. The best part about that is they live and let live. Once the situation is over, the two dogs are fine together. (This isn't always the case for dogs, it depends on the circumstances) Again, they just want to love and be happy. When our rescue mutt perceived the larger, energetic German Shepherd as a threat all she's concerned about is protecting us. It's our responsibility as the master to calm the situation and let the dogs know that we're all friends here and it's okay to welcome a new dog into her territory. Pit bulls are large, powerful dogs bred to be fighters. That's undeniable. What is fact however, is that they still want to be loved, they're still great companions, and with a good owner, they will make a wonderful family dog. No dog is born with hate in its eyes. The behavior of a dog is a function of its circumstances. Pit bulls have drawn a short straw to no fault of their own. They're abused and mistreated and then stigmatized and threatened with euthanasia. Legislation [I]against[/I] pit bulls will make that stigma worse, and thus make the situation worse. From a legislative prospective we need more strict crackdowns on puppy mills, illegal breeders, fighting rings, and general animal cruelty. I mean [I]strict.[/I] The rest is up to education, and teaching people that Pit bulls make bad guard dogs because they're very loving. Teaching people how pit bulls are misunderstood and the fear of them illogical, so on and so fourth. If you want to buy a dog, spend [I]months[/I] researching the breed. Learn everything. Become proficient. It's a commitment to a relationship more than it is a pet. It's you're responsibility to make sure that dog gets the best care it can, and to make sure it's well trained and socialized. If you decide to buy a rescue dog, you're a brave soul. Just understand that you will have no idea what that dogs life has been like or what you might be getting yourself into. If you can't handle a 24/7 responsibility that comes along with taking care of a highly intelligent life form, please for the love of Dog don't get a dog. (don't have kids, either) If you find yourself in over your head, take the dog to a shelter and don't let them loose on the streets. Dogs just want to be loved. [img]http://i.imgur.com/ZwaHzha.jpg[/img] [I](awww'whosagood'boy? yesheisss yesh'he'ishh)[/I] Get some compassion in your life, yo

Would it be incorrect to assume the Pit bull exhibits a shorter temper than something like a Golden Retriever? They may very well be damn good dogs with caring owners but the statistics [although skewed a bit by the type of people who ultimately end up saying "[B]MAAARTHA! I WAAAANNAA GET A PIETBULL FOR AR YAARD[/B]!"] are comparatively bad. Frankly it's stupid to say all Pit bulls are a couple steps from being cold blooded killers, but its also [at least in my opinion] not incorrect to say they have more aggressive habits due to their breed. It doesn't help when every hillbilly from coast to coast said "my trailer park needs a watchdog". The CDC had a study on fatal dog attacks and a lot of different breeds were on the list, including German Shepard's. Rottweilers and Pit Bulls were the top two, though.

[QUOTE=Incoming.;48796317]Would it be incorrect to assume the Pit bull exhibits a shorter temper than something like a Golden Retriever? They may very well be damn good dogs with caring owners but the statistics [although skewed a bit by the type of people who ultimately end up saying "[B]MAAARTHA! I WAAAANNAA GET A PIETBULL FOR AR YAARD[/B]!"] are comparatively bad. Frankly it's stupid to say all Pit bulls are a couple steps from being cold blooded killers, but its also [at least in my opinion] not incorrect to say they have more aggressive habits due to their breed. It doesn't [B]help when every hillbilly from coast to coast said "my trailer park needs a watchdog".[/B] The CDC had a study on fatal dog attacks and a lot of different breeds were on the list, including German Shepard's. Rottweilers and Pit Bulls were the top two, though.[/QUOTE] That's exactly the reason the statistics are the way they are. They've been painted as blood thirsty monsters so anyone who wants one, gets one. Self fulfilling prophecy. I don't get why that's quite so hard for so much of this thread to understand.

[QUOTE=Incoming.;48796317]Would it be incorrect to assume the Pit bull exhibits a shorter temper than something like a Golden Retriever? They may very well be damn good dogs with caring owners but the statistics [although skewed a bit by the type of people who ultimately end up saying "[B]MAAARTHA! I WAAAANNAA GET A PIETBULL FOR AR YAARD[/B]!"] are comparatively bad. Frankly it's stupid to say all Pit bulls are a couple steps from being cold blooded killers, but its also [at least in my opinion] not incorrect to say they have more aggressive habits due to their breed. It doesn't help when every hillbilly from coast to coast said "my trailer park needs a watchdog". The CDC had a study on fatal dog attacks and a lot of different breeds were on the list, including German Shepard's. Rottweilers and Pit Bulls were the top two, though.[/QUOTE] The sources throughout the thread about the behaviour and general demeanor of pit bulls would suggest that they are [B]less [/B] likely to be aggressive. Like HumanAbyss says, the "self-fulfilling prophecy" results in a preset attitude by the general public towards a dog that is an inappropriate response to say the least.

[img]http://gifs.gifbin.com/122011/1327430354_german_shephed_obstacle_jump.gif[/img]

[QUOTE=catchall;48797311][img]http://gifs.gifbin.com/122011/1327430354_german_shephed_obstacle_jump.gif[/img][/QUOTE] Dog got a significant boost from the guy standing up just as it jumped off his back though.

[QUOTE=ghghop;48796872]The sources throughout the thread about the behaviour and general demeanor of pit bulls would suggest that they are [B]less [/B] likely to be aggressive. Like HumanAbyss says, the "self-fulfilling prophecy" results in a preset attitude by the general public towards a dog that is an inappropriate response to say the least.[/QUOTE] Well, this self-fulfilling prophecy is killing people so I wouldn't object to a toughening of breeding and mandatory "how not to raise a dog 101", since it wouldn't steer dedicated owners away but would most likely make people who don't want to invest time in owning a notoriously strong dog give up earlier. This should probably apply to all medium-large dogs.

With that logic, are you guys saying that if a tiger is properly trained and cared for, it won't kill anyone?

[QUOTE=GURREN LAGANN;48797448]With that logic, are you guys saying that if a tiger is properly trained and cared for, it won't kill anyone?[/QUOTE] You can definitely train/tame tigers. They've been training them in circuses for years. However, the bigger the animal the bigger the risk. Accidents do happen.

are you seriously saying that a tiger starts on the same level of dangerousness as a dog (modulo size) or

Attacking isn't a thing animals do for the hell of it. There has to be a reason. The animal has to feel threatened. If something doesn't pose a threat, it's not worth the energy and health risk wasted to attack it. You have to determine what's threatening to the animal and what isn't. Body language is a big deal. If the animal is distressed that's also a big deal. Not all animals are trainable, and some respond better than others. Animal behavior [I]is[/I] a science. [editline]30th September 2015[/editline] [QUOTE=catchall;48797631]are you seriously saying that a tiger starts on the same level of dangerousness as a dog (modulo size) or[/QUOTE] Not sure who you're talking to. But all animals have different temperaments. A tiger [I]isn't[/I] a dog. Obviously. But if a skilled trainer has access to one from birth, they're definitely trainable. Adult, wild ones are harder, for obvious reasons. (a lifetime of experience being the main one)

[QUOTE=OvB;48797651]Attacking isn't a thing animals do for the hell of it. There has to be a reason. The animal has to feel threatened. If something doesn't pose a threat, it's not worth the energy and health risk wasted to attack it. You have to determine what's threatening to the animal and what isn't. Body language is a big deal. If the animal is distressed that's also a big deal. Not all animals are trainable, and some respond better than others. Animal behavior [I]is[/I] a science. [editline]30th September 2015[/editline] Not sure who you're talking to. But all animals have different temperaments. A tiger [I]isn't[/I] a dog. Obviously. But if a skilled trainer has access to one from birth, they're definitely trainable. Adult, wild ones are harder, for obvious reasons. (a lifetime of experience being the main one)[/QUOTE] This is pure curiosity, but what is your opinion on pet wolves? A woman had a whole pack of them and got mauled to death, but if a person were to have one from being a wolf pup, is the risk diminished?