Pit bulls are to be considered dangerous dogs, rules Maryland's highest court

[Acer]

I've got an anecdote, too, from my in-aws. Their 12 pound Pomeranian mix, tied up in her own back yard for the 500th time in her life, was mauled by a loose pit. The owner was cited and helped pay for the extensive sew-up.

You can own one if you want, they are not inherently evil (pits, I mean, jury still out on Pomeranians ), but for most people they are not a practical item, they are a symbol of owner's hubris.

[Surfrider]

"Pit bulls are wonderful dogs that attract terrible owners. its disappointing that their mean reputation is such wonderful fodder for the media and government."

I agree.

I've had both very good and very bad experiences with pit bulls.

The bad: Our idiot neighbors pit bull attacked out Lab a couple of times, finally my wife's pleading with the police got them to take the dog. The owner was totally clueless, made for a very dicey situation.

The good/great: We have a pitbull/lab mix from the shelter. We got him as a 9 month old. Someone found him thrown away in a dumpster...in December!
We brought him home, he and our lab sorted things out with a couple of serious barking matches, now everything is cool. He's a smart, loving dog. He doesn't tolerate squirrels or cats walking on our street but if we have company, he's fine (not cat or squirrel company!).

He has reverse brindle coloring tan, brown and black stripes, he looks like a little tiger, very cool.

That said, if you train them to fight/kill, they will. If you train them to be nice, they will. They're protective of their family, but all good dogs are. They won't randomly attack.

[Lemon Drop]

Looking at detailed stats on which dogs injure and kill, I simply would not have a pit bull or a rottweiler at home. Not worth the risk when there are so many other wonderful dogs. And "responsible owner" or no prior reports of aggression does not seem to mitigate that risk very much, looking at the individual cases

"Dog bite statistics ::

Each day, about 1,000 U.S. citizens require emergency care treatment for dog bite injury.1 The following studies examine injury occurrence and the dog breeds most likely to bite.
Dog Attack Deaths and Maimings, U.S. & Canada,
September 1982 to December 26, 2011

By compiling U.S. and Canadian press accounts between 1982 and 2011, Merritt Clifton, editor of Animal People, shows the breeds most responsible for serious injury and death.
The combination of pit bulls, rottweilers, their close mixes and wolf hybrids:

77% of attacks that induce bodily harm
73% of attacks to children
81% of attack to adults
68% of attacks that result in fatalities
76% that result in maiming

(compare that with their prevalence in the canine population - yikes!)

http://www.dogsbite.org/dog-bite-statistics.php

[RgrF]

Acer wrote:
... but for most people they are not a practical item, they are a symbol of owner's hubris.

Agreed. I tend to think the same of Hummer owners, but that's most likely just my Volvo orientation bleeding through.

addedum as to breeds:

Over the years, mongrels aside we've owned/kept the likes of a full bloded Siberian Husky, St. Bernard, Afghan Hound, Collie, Irish Setter and Labrador. The all time family champ and favorite was the Lab - absolutely the best tempered of all.

In our dotage we have a needy, neurotic Dachsund/mix rescue dog. Christ I'm starting to sound like Gene.

[swampy]

Obviously the members of th court ane not Ceasar Milan fans.

[cbelt3]

There are no bad dogs. There are only bad owners.

The real problem is people who get a dog that looks 'badass' because they want to be a 'badass'. And don't care for the dog and give the dog the kind of affection and attention that any pack animal needs.

Back when I was a teen I worked summers as a maintenance man in an apartment building. There was a young lady who was DAMN attractive, who would sunbathe in one of those late 70's string bikini things outside her apartment. She was married, hubby was away a lot. And hubby had gotten her a big Doberman... we suspect as man repellent. So I made a point of packing dog treats just so I could pet the dog, chat her up, and dream about petting... well, her ! Big Bad Doggie was a big 'ol softie.

[Spock]

cbelt3 wrote:
There was a young lady who was DAMN attractive, who would sunbathe in one of those late 70's string bikini things outside her apartment. Big Bad Doggie was a big 'ol softie.

A big 'ol softie is not what you need when dealing with a young lady in a string bikini.:wink:

[OWC Jamie]

Given the number of alternatives, we really don't need pit bulls and rotties.
Just as we could do without liberal fascists.

[Uncle Wig]

Pit bulls are a form of terrier which has been bred over many generations to attack and kill. That's their job, that's their instinct. It isn't a matter of "good dog/bad owner." That's just a meaningless platitude. It doesn't mean they can't be sweet and friendly, but it will always be a part of their nature, somewhere down inside. Deeper inside, I guess, if the dog is a pit mix. It's exactly the same as a border collie's nature is to herd. Have any of you tried training a border collie NOT to herd? Can't do it.

[$tevie]

The two worst maulings I've ever known of in our dog park were: a husky attacked a mixed breed and actually ripped part of its face so it was kind of hanging off. Thank god I missed the attack but I stumbled upon the scene after the attack as they were taking it to the vet, and it was appalling, not just the face but the neck and shoulders looked like there'd been a knife attack. Thank God the dog recovered. The other one, which I missed again thank God, was when two Italian mastiffs attacked a child and hurt it pretty badly. And a friend's Lhasa Apso bites everyone, I'm very scared of it, and she's on notice that the next time it bites the city is going to destroy it.

The dogs I am most afraid are Akitas and Chows: and I think because they sense that, Akitas and Chows always give me a hairy eyeball. I wonder if sometimes Pits aren't reacting to a palpable fear emanating from the person they go for. Dogs can pick up on the slightest clues: My Lab attacked a Chow once, and since he was not in the habit of attacking dogs I really think he felt my fear and thought he had to protect me.

My co-worker has a Lab/Pit mix and it's a sweetie, as is his English Bulldog/Pit mix. I once knew a Staffordshire terrier who was very friendly.

I am as nervous about Pit Bulls as the next person, but I honestly believe that if you could euthanize the owners instead of the dogs eventually we'd be rid of the sickos, the dogs who have been perverted will be rescued, and the Pittie could go back to being known as a child's best friend.