...Introduction: We’ve all heard the phrase, “a man’s best friend’ at least a few thousand times in our life time. When we say that, we are referring to the cutest most loyal animals of them all, the dog. For our group speech we decided that volunteering at a Pitbull shelter was just the right thing to do that fit us all perfectly. Saving Grace Pitbull Rescue has a history of helping dogs, what we did there was very influential and what they do for all those dogs is truly amazing. To start off with the breed “Pitbull” has a very bad reputation anywhere that they go. In the 1980s, the breed began to develop a terrible reputation. It's not clear where the cycle started, but at some point, Pit bulls became the dog breed of choice for the criminal element, or those looking for dogs to threaten, guard, intimidate and generally look scary. This led to many owners abusing their Pit bulls into becoming vicious, mean attack dogs (mom.me, 2014). One thing that I found that was very true was this quote from Cesar Millan, “Aggression is not a breed thing. It's a state of mind, and it comes from how the human is with the dog. There are four levels of energy, regardless of the breed: low, medium, high, very high. The idea is to get a dog in your same level or lower than you (BrainyQuote.com, 2015)”. In the next few moments you will learn the history of saving grace from Jonas, what we did such as the services we provided from Danny, and finally what they do, that being the services that they...
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...Pitbull Behavior Modification Jason M. Cox Ohio Christian University April 9th , 2016 Dog lovers and professional trainers alike often say there is no such thing as bad dogs, only bad dog owners. Today, the dog that gets the most attention on this topic is the Pit Bull. "The Pit Bull wasn't always synonymous with being a bad dog, by nature, they are in fact very smart, fun loving, and affectionate, thus make great family dogs". (Delise, 2007). But every decade has its ‘bad dog'. Back in the Seventies, the Doberman was the tough guy's dog of choice. In the Eighties, it was the Rottweiler. Since the Nineties, it's been the Pit Bull. The problem is that it's maintained this image a lot longer than other tough dog breeds because they have what behaviorists call ‘a soft temperament.' This means that they are easy to handle and look a lot meaner than they are. There are different reasons why people acquire dogs. Some want a companion or family pet. But there are also people who want guard dogs and a dog that appeals to their dangerous image. "You can train a dog to do anything, even to be nasty and vicious, the biggest problem currently facing Pit Bulls is when people with the wrong intentions get one, they don't know what they are really getting into and can't be bothered with any training. That's when bad situations arise. And as a result, the dog lands in a shelter" (O'Heare, 2014). According to O'Heare (2014), anyone who has a dog has to consider himself or herself the...
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...Todd Overstreet April 28, 2013 English 112 Leonard The Misunderstood Pit-bull The misconception of the pit-bull has always been controversial to most people. Most of the public refers to the breed as mean and vicious. It is unfair that they judge the breed based on rumors and hearsay rather than base it on hard facts. These rumors make it hard for current owners and potential owners to adopt or own this breed. The pit-bull has the same right to become a loving pet as any other animal does. The reason the breed is so disliked today is because of bad owners, bad experiences, or just rumors people have spewed out among the public. Most of the time, these breeds are linked to drug dealers or dog fighters. They use the breed to make them money by fighting, or for general protection. These bad owners are the ones that are responsible for the way people look at them today. Most of society’s bad experiences come from these types of pit-bulls. You can see it on the news most of the time. A child or a person in a bad neighborhood just happens to be walking through when a pit-bull attacks them. When this happens it is most likely a bad owner to be at fault, not the pit-bull.” Bad owners make bad pets,” (PBRC) and these specific situations are no different. “Identity, which is shaped by our own culture” (Latterell 9) is what has made the pit-bull into how people see the breed today. I can see why most people misunderstand the pit-bull and will not...
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...The Perfect Owner for the Popular Pit Bull I can still recall the graphic story my mother told me of how our family dog, a Jack Russell Terrier named Jack, was mauled and nearly killed by an American Pit Bull Terrier, or APBT. Its teeth pierced through Jack’s fragile neck missing the aorta by centimeters. After hearing that story, many people would say that pit bulls are ferocious and viscous. However, those same people do not know that the APBT’s owners were drug dealers and animal abusers, using their dog to fight for an underground drug ring. I strongly believe that if an owner trains his or her pit bull appropriately and effectively, it will not become the epitome of the public’s perception on the breed. There are a multitude of effective ingredients to training a pit bull. These include living in a proper environment with ample amounts of exercise, utilizing obedience techniques, and conducting appropriate socialization. Contrary to popular norms, one must not consider if a pit bull is the right dog for him or her, rather, the future owner must consider if he or she is the right owner for a pit bull. Environment is a key factor in deciding if a person is the perfect owner. Pit bulls need their space; therefore, if a potential owner lives in a small apartment, he or she might reconsider getting a pit bull. As a result of living in a small place, pit bulls will often feel overwhelmed and stressed. They will begin to destroy personal property, either by chewing on items...
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...many years until people started to inherently misjudge them. Many of their characteristics that people are afraid of are made up and extremely incorrect, some are even impossible for any dog to possess. They are discriminated against without any basis other than skewed opinionated news stories and biased articles. Pit bulls are even an abundantly common household family pet, bought even for children. They are usually only aggressive when they have been raised by bad owners who abuse them, and they have even been proven to be less aggressive than many other dog breeds. Pit bulls are treated differently than other breeds; however, no dog should be discriminated against. There is a wonderful story of a heroic pitbull saving the life its loving owner. Lilly was a female pitbull who was owned by an elderly woman, whose name was Christine, to help her with her drinking problem. One day, Lilly and Christine were walking home from a friends’ house when Christine suddenly collapsed while crossing a set of railroad tracks. A train was coming towards her when the engineer finally saw her lying on the tracks. He frantically tried to slow the train but was unable to stop it completely and would have seriously injured killed her at the...
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...Since the breeds developed, pitbulls have been used as many things such as: bull-baiters, fighting dogs, farm dogs, family dogs, military mascots, and companions to all households. Bull-baiting was outlawed in England in 1835, so its promoters began to look for new means of profit, they decided to fight the dogs (“A Brief History of the American Pit Bull Terrier”). From this, the breeding process became very selective, the dogs had to have a fierce prey drive, but had to be people-friendly, as well. According to “A Brief History of the American Pit Bull Terrier”, “Dogs that showed aggression toward humans, even in the middle of a fight, were usually killed and never bred.” (1.) Although promoters of bull-baiting in England turned towards dog fighting, most pit bulls were not...
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...clubs. According to the (UKC,2010), These dogs were never designed to be fought against each other. That is unfortunately something that happened because people were inhumane. The American Staffordshire terrier and American Pit Bull Terrier have a debatable rich history, the beauty of what the two breeds look like and the interesting health problems that these two dog breeds have. Interestingly enough without being educated most people mistake the two breeds for each other. These two breeds are very similar, but are not the same dog. The history of origin for both the American Staffordshire and American Pitbull Terrier has been and still is debated today by historians. American Staffordshire Terriers date back to 1870; however, the breed was known as English Staffordshire terrier since the breed had only spread across the English Isles. They were bred from a bulldog and a Pitbull in Staffordshire, England according to (AKC, 2013). English Staffordshire terriers are easily trained to for hunting, farming and herding dogs. English Staffordshire terriers were also bred because these dogs were stable in behavior it made them very good companion animals. In the 1890s the English Staffordshire terrier started to cross the Atlantic Ocean and come to the New...
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...Pitbull. When you hear that, you probably are thinking of an aggressive dog with big teeth, and locking jaws. This however is just a picture that got put into your mind about them. The media has been putting out lies about Pitbulls all over the world. These dogs are actually very loving, caring, and loyal dogs. As people start to believe these lies however, breed specific bans on pit bulls have been established. This is killing many innocent dogs and tearing families apart. So, is it really worth it to put bans on this friendly loving dog? No. The American Pitbull Terrier has been seen for many years as an aggressive and attacking dog. You may have even heard of Pitbulls attacking people. While this may be true, these dogs are actually being...
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...Pitbulls Pitbulls were used on recruitment posters for wars one and two, they were one of America's most popular family dogs. In the 19th century pitbulls were used on farms to help protect and herd cattle. People used them for other things as well. They used to call it “Bull baiting” or dog fighting. When a dog was being used for bull baiting they were trained to be put into a pit and they would attack bulls that were tied up. Dog fighting is also a common sport that pitbulls have been used for. In dog fighting the dogs are trained in a ring and they go after another dog, people place bets and earn money from it. All of these activities are illegal in most parts of the world today although, some people continue doing it. Pitbulls actually used to be America's most popular family dog because they have excellent temperament and are easily trained. Because of the past with fighting and aggressiveness some people are pushed to believe that pitbulls are dangerous...
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...Some people think pitbulls are monsters. 50% of all pitbulls are misidentified every year (Dog Bite-Related Statistics). The way people see these passive dogs are as aggressive, dangerous, killing machines. However, There is much evidence that states otherwise. Pitbulls used to bred to be “nanny dogs,” which are dogs that look after and protect children from danger. This trait was taken advantage of. In the way that they protect and can become very defensive towards others that try to hurt them or their owners. They are also taken advantage of because of the way they are structured physically. Pitbulls are equipped with naturally huge strong muscles and a strong jaw that can lock so they won't let go. This is why people use them for intense...
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...old man.” Well the truth of the matter is pit bulls aren't killers and people should be allowed to keep them. In fact pit bulls are great family dogs,not fighter dogs, and are not vicious in the slightest. Pit bulls are a family oriented breed that just want to be loved. They are super loyal. Pit bulls are affectionate towards kids and adults. In fact, in the early 19th century pit bull were called “nanny dogs” because of their kindness and protection of children. They love to be cuddled and petted. A Pit Bull will do almost anything his favorite people ask of him, just to hear their praise. These dogs crave our attention and approval, and are very social with humans. A bad person could use this to their advantage. They can use the pitbulls eagerness to get it to do what they want. (10 Reason Why Pit bulls Rule)...
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...The debatable question is should pit bulls be killed given their aggression? Pitbulls are affected by this issue, humans are affected by this issue, and animals are affected by this issue. Pitbulls are affected by this issue because they normally get taken away from their families, killed in many ways, or put in a shelter. They are labeled as “the most aggressive dog breeds” and they get discriminated against. Humans are affected by this issue because they can get brutally attacked, get their dog taken away, or have one of their pets attacked by a pit bull. Animals are affected by this issue because they sometimes get attacked by pit bulls and get badly hurt. This topic addresses the two different sides of what to do with aggressive pitbulls after attacks, as well as...
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...The Truth about Pitbulls Ryan K. Smith University of Phoenix The Pit Bull breed of dog has a very bad reputation. This is because Pit Bulls are used as fighting dogs for some people’s amusement. Little do people know Pit Bulls are very good family dogs, and often called “The Nanny Dog”. I personally own three Pit Bulls, and have interviewed someone who does not own a pit bull. I have found a lot of information about this breed of dogs and everything points to one question. Although some individuals perceive pit bull dogs to have a bad reputation, many have found these animals to be wonderful house pets when treated with kindness and love. The stereotype of a pit bull is not good at all, but why does this stop people from owning them? I asked a non pitbull owner why she will not own a pitbull. “I personally got bit by a pit bull, so I have seen what they are capable of and this scares me. These dogs have a very powerful jaw and it makes being bit worse. I’m just personally scared of this breed of dog. Being scared of this breed of dog because of being bit by one, makes me weary of going to other people’s homes that own this breed because I’m scared of being bit again.” (Cassie Bailey’s personal interview). I also interviewed a pitbull owner as well. “By owning the pit bull breed for most of my life I have never had a problem out of any of the dogs I have had. The pit bull breed has a bad name, but my dogs have never bit or attacked anyone. My dogs are very...
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...Dog Owners Should Be Held Responsible For Their Dogs Violent Actions In nearly all instances of serious and fatal dog attacks, the owners, and in some cases, authorities blame the attack on the environment or the actions of the victim. (“Pitbull Owners- Dangerous Dogs”) In the article “Pitbull Owners- Dangerous Dogs” it talks about the environment and the victim being one of the key factors in a dog attack, yet they do not talk about how the owner is involved in the attack. Although dogs have their own set of animal instincts and are sometimes considered wild animals, the owner(s) of a violent dog should be held legally responsible for their dog’s violent actions. The history of pit bulls is a very two sided topic. Some say in the past pit...
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... Current controversy continues to swirl around the subject of the pit bull and the nature of the breed. However, many will argue that society and environment are to blame for the excessive attacks that the generalized bull breed has been convicted of. Society gets to dictate how these dogs are used and the training they will receive against humanity, but not all pit bulls should be classified as dangerous. Pit bulls are in our headlines constantly, from strays to abuse, and sometimes unimaginable mauling’s. The crime scenes are described as bloody and brutal leaving victims clinging for their lives or worse, death. Death caused by pit bulls accounts for over 60% more than any other breed. Most times the dogs are familiar with the victims in their attacks, which are often the elderly, infants and toddlers (dogsbite.org). These attacks usually happen with little or no warning. One veterinary’s office involved, says that pit bulls, German shepherds and Rottweilers, sometimes “freeze” before they attack but disagreements on whether or not pit bulls are any more fatal than other dogs is up for discussion (Johnson) The truth is any dog can turn against mankind. A dachshund is also on record for a fatal dog attack on an elderly woman hooked to an oxygen tank. The family pets, which had later proven to be a Labrador and a dachshund were responsible for the attack that took the life of the woman (sandra-sanchez). Pit bulls and many breeds that just look aggressive are often...
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