I hate Pit Bulls!

[VoteDemocratic2004]

The nurses aid that is watching my Dad in his hospital room told me a horrible story and I can't get it out of my head.

My Dad's cat is a pure white cat with big green eyes. He can't stop talking about his kitty at home and the nurses aid told me about her Sisters cats.

Her Sister had two white Persians with blue eyes that were deaf and her brother hates cats. Her Sister was in the hospital a few months back and her brother took his pit bull over to his sisters house and his dog ate one of the cats and chewed off the other cats leg. The one cat is still alive and the brother refuses to put his Dog down.

I will never be able to get past this story and it makes me sick that people are so damn cruel.

What the heck did the two deaf cats do to deserve what happened to them.

I do know what I would do to that Pit Bull if he ate one of my cats and tore the other ones arm off. (I would take it to a shelter up in Michigan where all pit bulls are put to death)

[bigwillq]

1. The pit bull ATE the Cat?

Damn, that is terrible. She should've reported the dog and the owner and then I think they would've put it down.

[Beaverhausen]

2. Its not the dog it's the owner.

That woman's brother deserves to be put away if you ask me.

[VoteDemocratic2004]

4. Brother or no brother I would have pressed charges

She called the dog a red nose pit bull. I don't know what that means but I would get the police to bust his ass and then drive his dog up to Michigan.

I'm sorry I have owned dogs since I was a kid and once one kills another animal they need to be put down.

[Beaverhausen]

5. my point is that pit bulls aren't vicious to begin with

their owners have to train them to be that way.

Don't blame all pit bulls.

[VoteDemocratic2004]

12. They need to be cross bred with a docile breed

I use to work with animals and it's not the dog it's the owner but so many breeders have messed up pit bulls to make sure that killer instinct is in them. Something needs to be done to the blood line.

[RebelOne]

67. You are correct. I have owned a pit bull

and he was a very sweet dog. My brother tried to make him mean, but it just wasn't in that dog's nature. Unfortunately, though, the dog did kill three cats, but that was my brother's fault because he would sic Easy on cats to try to make him mean, so the dog didn't know any better.

[TX-RAT]

70. red nose pit bull

The red nose, seems to have the better fighting ability's, according to dog fighting aficionados.

[LynneSin]

82. I disagree, it's the owner and the nature of the dog

I had a friend who adopted a pit bull. She had 2 other dogs (lab/daschound mix & basset hound mix) and fell in love with a pit bull puppy at the pound where she volunteered. (Someone had dropped off several puppies, so there wasn't much training from the owner).

Her, her daughter and the 3 dogs lived a happy life for about a year until one weekend last summer she went on vacation for a week. Previous vacations she would kennel the 3 dogs but paid to have the pitbull in it's own cage. But this time she decided to put all 3 dogs in one cage. There was plenty of room for the dogs (the kennel had larger cages you could rent for multiple pets) and figured since her 3 dogs got along so well at home, they'd be ok kenneled together in the same cage.

She never knew until she got back from vacation that her lab mix had to be put down because of the severe injuries sustained from the pit bull. Something made the pit bull go ballistic and that dog just shread the poor lab mix. For some reason the basset mix was fine.

I watch my cats play and they will nip at each other, but their jaws aren't that powerful to do any serious damage to each other. Even dogs will use their jaws when playing with each other and no serious damage will be done.

But when a pit bull uses it's jaw that thing was designed to do serious damage. Maybe those 3 dogs shouldn't have been kenneled together. Maybe the lab & pit bull were just playing around and the pit bull got out of hand. But my friend had no choice (but it was her choice) but to put the pit bull to sleep. She was worried that next time it would be her daughter or one of her young nieces or nephews.

I'm not saying all pit bulls are bad. I know of one DU member who owns a pit bull and cats and she has had no problems whatsoever. But owning a pit bull is a crap shoot. Personally I think all Pit Bulls should be sterilized except for licensed breeders who track who they sell their pit bulls to.

[jeff30997]

3. Gee ! Those dogs should be illegal.

[DODI]

6. Don't condemn a whole breed due to the actions of some dogs.

I have a pit, she was abandonded at 3 weeks old so we took her in.She is a loving, wonderful dog who plays well with other animals and our children. Its not the breed, it is the way they are raised.

[VoteDemocratic2004]

8. It's not the breed it's the owners

But until they breed out the killer instinct that lies within pit bulls then they need to stop breeding them.

[DODI]

20. What about rotties and shepards and labs - yes labs.

All dogs can be and will be vicious given the reason and/or training. To condemn a whole breed due to a few is just wrong.

[VoteDemocratic2004]

25. It's the breeders

It's all about the mighty buck they don't care if they breed brother to sister or mother to son.

[wildeyed]

51. This is true.

German Shepards are satistically the most like to bite. I read somewhere that dogs named Rocky were also more likely to bite. So if you meet a pit bull named Rocky, RUN........

[MadHound]

81. Actually, the dog most likely to bite you is

The cocker spaniel. The reason cockers don't get more nortoriety for this is that they are small and have better PR. Pit bulls have gotten this nasty rep for being a vicious dog the past couple of decades, mainly because of a minority of bad owners raising the dogs to be vicious killers. Back in the thirties,forties and fifties pit bulls were known as a gentle loving dog who was good with children. Witness the Little Rascals, what kind of dog did they play with, a pit bull.

It isn't the breed of the dog, all dogs have the capability to become mean and vicious. It is how the dog is trained and socialized. People want to attach an unfair stigma to a breed and take it out on the animal, when it is the owner they should really be going after.

[TX-RAT]

83. Actually, the dog most likely to bite you is"The cocker spaniel

True, but the dog most likely to put you in the ER isn't. I've had to go to the ER many times to interview victims, none were victims of Cocker maulings. In the last 3 years we've had 3 funeral, 2 were small children, one an elderly woman. None were attacked by cocker's, all were attacked by pits.

[wildeyed]

87. Really, I had read German Shepard,

but it would not surprise me if it was the cocker spaniel. Actually the only dog that has ever bitten me was a cocker.

[ScreamingMeemie]

84. Agreed. Little thought about fact is that labs and rots come from the

same lineage.

[wildeyed]

7. I think the dog's owner is the who should

be put down, not the dogs.

Actually, I have know several pit bulls in my life and they have all been nice dogs. This is a seriously abused breed. Aggressive unbalanced people are attracted to the image of the breed, mistreat and neglect the animals and suddenly you have a vicious beast. It is true that pit bulls are a 'hot' breed that needs proper supervision from their owners, but they are not born bad.

[VoteDemocratic2004]

10. The dog ate a cat and tore the other ones arm off

It needs to be put down.

[wildeyed]

29. Probably, but the owner of the dogs is at fault, too.

He hated the cats and either encouraged the dogs to be violent or left them unsupervised with the cats.

[VoteDemocratic2004]

42. It was one crazy dog against two poor defenseless cats that were deaf

The owner should be arrested for taking the dog into his sisters apt. while she was in the hospital and the dog should be put down.

[wildeyed]

49. The owner should be arrested, yes.

He is responsible for his dogs actions. Probably right about putting the dogs down, too. But I have a friend who has dogs who hates cats and would probably kill them if given the chance. Nice dog, perfectly behaved with the children, just has a really high prey drive and thinks cats are prey. My friend is a responsible pet owner, he doesn't leave the dog alone with cats. Or off the leash at the park in case one wanders over.

[jmowreader]

13. Ones not carefully bred are definitely born bad

If you get a pit that has had its parentage carefully selected, and then you train the dog and pay a lot of attention to it, it's fine.

If you get a pit that was bred by waiting until the neighbor's dog jumped the fence, lock the dog in the back yard and never touch it, or worse hit on it when it does what untrained pits start doing (namely digging under the fence), you may as well hang a stopwatch on his collar 'cause you have a ticking time bomb on your hands.

[VoteDemocratic2004]

17. It's all about money when it comes to breeders

My family rescued a Rhodesian Ridgeback when she was 6 months old because she wasn't perfect and the breeder couldn't sell her so she tossed her into oncoming traffic on the expressway.

The breeder got busted and we got a family dog.

[wildeyed]

37. Breeding and early experiences are a factor

with any dog, not just pits.

I had a friend, very gifted with animals, who used to rescue 'aggressive' dogs. He had a pit bull he rescued out of the fight ring for awhile. The dog was seriously scary looking, no ears, I guess they got chewed off in a fight. But he ended up being great at obedience and was always perfectly behaved when I was around.

Also, he had a German Shepard who attacked his owner. But what really happened, this guy was beating his wife, who the dog was bonded to. One night the guy was smacking his wife around and the dog just couldn't take it any more and laid into him. The wife smuggled the animal to my friend to keep the husband from killing it. That dog was fine, too, never had another violent incident.

[DrWeird]

9. I love pit bulls.

They're great dogs. Good with kids too.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

39. O. M. F. G.

Tell me you don't have children. If you do, I wish I was religious so I'd pray for their safety.

Random attack stories (on owners, on owners' families, and strangers alike) abound in Brazil, and I see in the USA too. Invariably, after the fact, the owner says, "But it always was a WONDERFUL dog!!! Wouldn't hurt a fly!!!"

They're fucking time bombs.

[DrWeird]

41. "They're fucking time bombs"

Yeah, if they aren't treated right.

If treated properly they're great family dogs. They were the American family breed of choice for decades.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

43. Until they were bred into the dog version of Charles Manson

And let's not forget: the physiology of their jaws is different. They bite stronger, and can "lock" their jaws in a way that makes it extremely difficult to open their mouth if they're determined to tear your arm out.

[DrWeird]

53. Ah yes, the militant wing of the American Kennel Club...

has been secretly breeding a race of nazi superdogs.

All part of the final plan.

They did the same thing with marijuana. It will kill your children!

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

58. No conspiracy.

Just good old dumb market forces in action.

[NorthernSpy]

86. pit bull apologists endanger children...

... by spreading their 'gentle, loving pit bull' propaganda.

Children really do wind up mangled and killed because their parents were naive enough to believe stuff like this:

If treated properly they're great family dogs. They were the American family breed of choice for decades.

Advocacy has consequences. Usually for the wrong people.


Oh -- and the "American family breed of choice for decades" wasn't a pit bull, or any other specially bred kind of dog. Rather, the classic American pet dog used to be a good ol' random-bred mutt -- the kind that leash laws and neutering have largely gotten rid of. Hail progress.


:eyes:


Mary

[Maple]

11. Pit Bulls Are Now Bred For Sport

They are bred specifically for a dog fighting ring, not companionship or anything else.

They are meant to be overly aggressive.

It doesn't matter how much you 'socialize' them, they will attack.

It's not the 'owners', it's the dogs.

Lots of dogs to choose from, pick something else.

[VoteDemocratic2004]

14. Golden Retrievers are great dogs

Labs are nice dogs there are so many dogs to pick from that does not have the killer instinct in it.

They can also turn on their owners in a split second.

[DrWeird]

15. I once got bit by a golden retriever.

I say gas the whole breed.

[frylock]

16. a malamute nipped at me on the trail last week..

gas them too.

[DrWeird]

Actually, I'm quite serious.

I was a small kid and when to pet an old golden retriever who hadn't been trained to be around kids. I've still got a small scar on my wrist. It's rather obvious any dog can attack kids or kill cats if not trained properly.

This whole hatred against pit bulls is just doggie racism. As my aunt would say.

[Maple]

24. I'm sorry, but pit bulls are no longer pets

they have been 'overbred' into aggression.

And all the 'cute and cuddly' in the world will not prevent them from turning on their owners in an instant.

Anyone who has a pit bull around children, is kidding themselves into a tragedy.

[Maple]

31. Btw...

many dogs have now been 'overbred'

England is asking for a ban on British Bulldogs of all things...their national symbol!

But bulldogs have now been overbred to the point of not being able to breathe properly, not being able to have a natural birth, and needing more care than a newborn just to survive on a daily basis.

Like everything else, dog breeding has been taken to an extreme.

Until dogbreeding itself returns to something approaching reason, do NOT have a pit bull, a Rottweiler, or any other dog bred for extreme aggression.

It will kill your children.

[DrWeird]

34. Yes, they'll kill the children.

They'll also rape our white labs.

[frylock]

oh no you didn't..

I didn't have the balzac to make that analogy. It had to be said.

[DrWeird]

48. I have an enormouse balzac.

It's hard to fit it in my pants.

[AngryAmish]

59. No need to ban the British Bulldogs

Davy Boy Smith is dead and Kid Dynamite is crippled I heard.

[DrWeird]

32. The Little Rascals would disagree with you.

So would the AKC, for that matter.

[Maple]

33. The little rascals

were a long time ago.

Please don't live in the past with this.

It's dangerous.

[VoteDemocratic2004]

40. We all loved Pete

That was years ago and the dog still had good genes in it.

[TX-RAT]

73. Funny, we've had 3 funerals, and they didn't send a rep.

2 children and an adult.
Guess i just missed them.

[THUNDER HANDS]

18. I think that pit bull should meet this cat...

[VoteDemocratic2004]

19. That would be a grand idea

Toss it over into the kitty's cage for a few Min's and let the pit bull feel what it is like to be eaten and torn apart.

[DrWeird]

28. Those lions are horrible creatures.

Look at what they're doing to this poor zebra.



Those animals!

I say drive them to extinction.

[Mick Knox]

21. I also hate them

ban them, destroy them.

[southpaw]

74. Uuuummm... it is illegal to own lions, tigers, cougars etc. as pets

A clear case of apples and oranges here.

[TX-RAT]

75. People tend to do that, when they have no argument.

[AngryAmish]

22. Dangerous breed

Individuals can be docile, but the damage that a pit can cause is immense. I have dealt with people (mostly young kids) with permanent facial scarring from pits. One pit bit a five year old girl on the chest. She has already had two plastic surgeries, will definitely get one more after she develops and probably will need one or two others. One kid bit on the arm (after he fell) and he needed 145 stitches - plus a dislocated elbow. Each of these attacks were unprovoked.

Any fool who wants that breed does not like humans - your dog could really hurt someone. The biting power is that immense.

Everyone like to think their dog is different. And it may be. However, some dogs just snap. Imagine the kid down the block who will never get a date the rest of his life because your dog snapped one day and decide to treat his face as a chew toy. And then tell his parents that you are not a selfish bastard.

[VoteDemocratic2004]

44. What happened to that little girl who got her scalp ripped off?

First they said that she died and then she was alive and I never heard anything about her again.

Her brains were out of her head and it was the family pet.

[wildeyed]

45. It is true that the damage a pit bull can do is immense.

This is something to consider before you get one. It is a lot of responsibility to have an animal with that capability. The pit bulls instinct when it bites is to clamp down and hold. So what would be a nip with another breed can be quite serious with a pit bull.

BUT, I have know many pits who are good loyal dogs and never once have actually know anyone who's pit bull turned on them for no reason. Not one.

[skygazer]

23. Not fair

It's breeding. You can breed for agression and you can breed for good temperament. It's not the fault of an entire breed of dog that this happened - it's stupid people who exploit animals for their sick pleasure. The dog is as much a victim as anyone else.

I've known a number of Pits who were lovely, well behaved, well socialized family dogs. If you continue to breed those qualities in a responsible way, you'll get good dogs.

I got thrown off an Arabian horse and broke my back but I don't blame all Arabian horses for it.

[AngryAmish]

26. Bad analogy

The horse did not run up on you in the street and break your back. Pit bulls do attack random strangers.

[skygazer]

30. Not all pit bulls

Just like not all Arabian horses are maniacs. I hate this generalisation crap. It's just wrong. People get attacked by Rottweilers and Dobermans and German Shepherds and Beagles and every other damn kind of dog out there but Pit Bulls get a bad rap because idiot gang bangers out there want to look tough by having a mean dog. How can you blame the dog for stupid people's actions?

[VoteDemocratic2004]

36. You can't compare a horse to a dog

Pit Bulls kill and they are not like any other breed.

[skygazer]

79. That's a brilliant response.

Sounds a lot like the Bush administration when they talk about "pure evil".

[AngryAmish]

38. Because they can do so much damage

I got bit by dogs just like everyone else as a kid. Very rarely did they draw blood and I have no scars. The biting power of pits is many multiples of a golden retriever or such breed. What would be a small bite from another breed creates huge problems to human flesh when done by a pit.

The % of serious injury and death attributable to pits (and a few other breeds) compared to their % of the doggie population make them a breed that is too dangerous to have around. Humans created the pit bull and responsible adult people should end the breed.

[TX-RAT]

72. Texas rancher had his left leg bitten off by a stud horse.

Got to close to some mares he was tending, also injured the horse he was riding.

[LiberalManiacfromOC]

27. I hate rotweilers.....

both of my dogs and I have been attacked by rotweilers. I know there's nothing wrong with the breed but I've just had some bad experiences.

[name not needed]

35. My friend's rotweiler has a funny habit of chasing me down the street.

[LiberalManiacfromOC]

57. ugh.....

sorry, but rotweilers scare the hell out of me

[shanti]

63. yes

AND pit bulls too. i will cross the street if i see either of these dogs coming in my direction. i won't do that with most any other dog. their well deserved reputation precedes them.

[RebelOne]

66. I love Rottweilers. And just like pit bulls, it is not the dog,

it is the owner who is at fault. I have a Rottie and she is the sweetest dog ever. She is the second one I have owned and I don't think I would have any other breed.

[NightTrain]

46. So, the actions of ONE pit bull make you hate the entire breed?

If you felt that way about a race of people, it would be called "bigotry."

[frylock]

47. ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!!

Please collect your prize.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

50. OK, a couple of things.

Unlike humans, dogs don't have a ultra-developed neocortex, so they don't reason. Nearly all their behavior is determined by instinct, which in turn is determined by genes. So yes, there CAN be a breed of dog that's genetically more aggressive than the other, whereas there CANNOT be a human subgroup that diverges in the same way.

Also, pit bulls have another thing going agaist them -- the mechanics of their bite, which causes MUCH more damage than the average dog's bite. Even if chihuahuas (sp?) were exactly as aggressive as a pit bull, it would hardly be a public safety concern.

[NightTrain]

54. My roomate's dog is a pit bull.

Patrick adopted Mystique when she was just a couple of weeks old. He raised her to be a loving, gentle house pet, which is exactly what Mystique is. The only time I ever saw her become violent was at the sight of a neighbor's dog, which had previously bitten Mystique.

As previous posters have noted, the problem is not so much the dogs themselves, but how their owners raise them.

[djinna]

60. http://www.pitbullsoforegon.com/faqs.html

Alright, this is what finally brings me out of lurkdom.

Unfortunately, many pits are mistrained and mistreated, having been bought only for the "image" they represent. They are NOT any more violent by nature than any other dog! Every pit I've had the pleasure of dealing with has been gentle and intelligent. They're great, loyal dogs.

I would think that if you're dealing with a violent pit, it would be much more likely for that violence to be directed towards animals. Keep in mind that in many circles, pits are trained to fight other dogs. If a pit cannot be reliably handled by its owner, it can't be taken to a fight. Often, these dogs are destroyed. Pits are in this way trained to be extremely respondant to humans.

[alphafemale]

61. LOL! What a place to jump in!!! Welcome to DU. + my .02

:hi:

All the Pit Bulls I've met raised by people I known have been wonderful.

I've also some freaky, lunatic Pit in yards.

And I never go anywhere near a Pit if I didn't know its owner.

[VoteDemocratic2004]

52. I hate pit bull breeders

Hell, I hate breeders that are making a living off of dogs and cats and they don't care about them all they care about is the mighty $$.

[DrWeird]

55. I hate cat owners.

The let those little monsters run around killing poor innocent birds.

[VoteDemocratic2004]

56. You owed me that one

We are even now.

[shanti]

64. so sorry

but people and dogs are TWO entirely different things!

[guitar man]

62. The facts

The American Pit Bull Terrier and its AKC cousins had a well- deserved reputation as a loyal and trustworthy family pet in the early years of this century, but of late has been severely castigated as a vicious, man-killing beast, worthy of banishment from the cities, considered guilty with no chance of proving innocence in any case.

"Pit bull" is a generic and derogatory term that encompasses any of several breeds of dogs or crosses on those breeds. Pit Bull fanciers can be divided into several camps: conscientious breeders of the AKC-registered duo who often deny kinship of their dogs with the APBT; ethical breeders of the APBT who face squarely the slander heaped upon them by ignorant neighbors; and unethical breeders of all three breeds who still indulge in dog fighting or promote aggressive temperaments for illegal purposes. Dog fighting rings still exist--it's only been a few years since a ring with national ties was busted in New Richmond and Blanchester, Ohio--and inner city drug dealers often use the dogs to guard their drug supplies and cash.

To further complicate matters, those who still breed for fighting are not as careful to preserve the dog's strong instinct to bond with humans as the early breeders did. So, today "pit bull" is a pejorative term that strikes fear in the hearts of many and leads to the spreading of urban legends about dogs with locking jaws that exert 20 thousand pounds of pressure, unstable breed temperament, and overwhelming human aggression


the rest:

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/amerpit.html#Std

In reality, there are more urban legends relating to "pit bulls" than there are floating around FR.

[Rhiannon12866]

65. I am so sorry

As I well know, too many pet owners are irresponsible. All of mine have been rescue, lovely animals who have sometimes been an hour from euthanasia, before they were rescued. I am familiar with the deaf white Persians. The manager of the PetsMart, where I take my animals to the vet, has two. She said that they should never have been born, but loves them dearly. The male is a real lap cat. I would suggest that you bring your Dad his cat, to visit, on a regular basis. Animals can be a great help to both older people and children, while they are in any sort of clinical setting. My friend brings her dog into hospitals for just this purpose. She is a "therapy dog." When my grandmother was in this sort of place, five years ago, they had two dogs who lived there, plus, she was allowed a bird of her own. She really enjoyed them and they kept her engaged. Of course, I was there with dog biscuits, so the dogs never left, LOL! I ended up losing my grandmother, but went back to visit the dogs. I think that they missed her.;(

[franmarz]

68. you hate pit bulls--? why?

I know 2 lovely pit bulls that were raised from puppies. They guard the house and bark-yes, but they are the most gentle animals I have ever played with. Shame on anyone who hates an animal because they have been taught bad habits by people.

[bearfan454]

80. Pebbles and Jasmine

are sweeties.

[wackywill]

69. It's not the dog

It's the owner. He should be "put down", I would be glad to volunteer.

[TX-RAT]

71. Sounds like a felony arrest is in order.

Please let me do it, please.

[skypilot]

76. I've read through most of this thread....

...and here is what I don't understand. There are people here that defend the breed saying that it is bad owners or bad breeding that produce a dog that is likely to attack someone. People say that they are great dogs, friendly and loyal. But there are lots of dog breeds--and even mutts--that are friendly and loyal. Why take a chance with a dog that is known for sometimes unpredictable agressive behavior and a powerful bite--especially if you have children. If you get a pit bull as a watch dog then you might want a certain amount of aggressive behavior but if you're just getting one as a family pet why take the chance? I've read posts on this thread that blame the owners but I've also seen quite a few that blame something in the bloodline (a couple blamed the owner AND the bloodline in the SAME post). If there is the possibility that something ugly in this dogs lineage is going to surface around your kids why do it? There are lots of other dogs.

[TX-RAT]

77. Well said.

We've had a big problem with pits here. Just recently our city council voted, yes on a no tether ordinance. This really only affects those who fight their dogs, no more staking dogs out on chains. Must have a fence, with a minimum of 100sq-ft, must be tall enough that the dog can't get out, or have a roof.

[skygazer]

78. You know what's really cruel?

For a nurse to tell a guy who's in the hospital and thinking about his pretty white cat a horror story like this.

You're right - it's horrible that people can be so cruel. What did your dad do to deserve that?

[DemWitch]

85. I am so sick of people blaming the breed...

I have a 5 year old PitMix. Mom was full blood Pit, Dad was Pit/Boxer Mix. Other than her Boxer butt, she looks full Pit. I got her at 7 weeks old from the SPCA, and talked with a trainer on how to train her. This is important with Pits, as they do have a reaction to agression. At the time I had a cat named Ciera. Kyra, my pit and Ciera became fast and close friends. My next door neighbor had a Pit that was a maniac, and was left chained 24/7 unless he chewed through and went wandering, which he did often. One day his Pit got loose and attacked and killed Ciera on my back porch. Kyra went into a serious depression over it. She lost 12 pounds, refusing to eat and would pace and whine constantly. After a week and a half, my vet suggested getting her a kitten. I did. Now picture this... a 90 pound pit bull nursing a 5 week old kitten. She raised Enki as his own mother, and they are inseparable. A year later a stray kitten showed up at my door, and Kyra did the same with Xander as she did with Enki.

The ONLY time Kyra ever showed any signs of agression is with my Mom. She was playing with Enki, and being the whine ass he is was growling (Enki and Xander act more like dogs than a cats because of thier being mothered by Kyra) while Mom was playing with him. Kyra "butted" her twice with her head. The third time she picked Enki up by the scruff and took him away from my Mom. When she got Enki far enough away she turned and growled at my Mom. 2 minutes later my Mom and Kyra were playing with her tennis balls. That's it for agression... one growl in 5 years while she was protecting her "baby".

Are Pits genetically inclined to be more agressive? Yeah. But so are Shepherds, Rottie's, Chow's, Dobbie's and a dozen or so other dogs. It IS all about the training and owners being responsible care takers. An earlier posting mentioned Pits were time bombs waiting to go off... ALL animals are. All animals run by instinct. It's the owners responsibility, no matter what breed they own, to train thier pets. A viscious Lab is no different than a viscious Pit. It's the public perception, and it's very easy to say the problem is with the animal, and not with a careless owner.