Pit bull terriers

con1888

I understand these are illegal in the UK but can be lawfully owned with a license.

Before I go any further, I don't want one of these dogs just interested in all dogs and watching a programme at the moment which features pit bulls.

Why is it that they are banned ? Surely they aren't any more dangerous than say a Rottweiler. I am not saying that Rottweilers are dangerous - I like them and personally I think it's down to how the dog is raised not the type of breed.

I know someone who has a pit bull and it was a big softy so I just don't get it - what is it that makes these dogs illegal ?

Just looking for everyones views on the matter.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Basically, bad press looking for a breed or two to blame attacks on and a government ruled by what the papers decided was the suitable moral outrage for the season.

con1888

I was actually in tears at the programme there. Was one pit bull who hadn't bit anyone but was put down as it was deemed a dangerous dog. Poor dog was only a young thing, 6months I think.

Jay_Tee

They do have a bad press, but when you look at the US dog fatalities statistics Pit bulls (which are a lot more common there) do feature in a high percentage of the attacks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United_States

snookey

Any dog in the wrong hands can attack. Most of thease dogs have been abused in some way or other.

con1888

(To Jay)
I understand that but I think its to do with how they are brought up, not the dogs themselves. I guess these types of dogs will be the type mainly used in illegal dog fighting and a lot will be used as guard dogs or by 'gangsters' to scare people away, to me though it doesn't mean that the breed itself should be shot down.

It's a shame because I think they are lovely dogs and although I probably wouldn't get one (as if I ever got a dog it would be a GSD ) it's not great that I couldn't legally own one.

Person_one

Jay_Tee wrote: »

They do have a bad press, but when you look at the US dog fatalities statistics Pit bulls (which are a lot more common there) do feature in a high percentage of the attacks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United_States

That's to do with the humans who own the dogs though.

Banning breeds does no good, the same people just move on to another, huskies seem to be the latest 'status dog' round my area.

con1888

It was Japanese Akitas here for a while.

I have a scar on my hand I have had since I was about 7 years old, I got it from a small dog biting me, a friends neighbours, it was a yorkshire terrier type dog - should we ban them? I think not. I know bigger dogs are heavier and therefore can hold a person down and attack but this little thing was very vicious and used to try attack any children in the area - the owners let it out to run around assuming that all was fine as it was small and 'harmless'.

Sorry for ranting, I'm just pretty mad just now about that programme.

Jay_Tee

Whilst I can understand about the people that own and abuse them, and in a lot of cases the dogs are fine, I feel there is a problem with dogs of this type in that they attract the wrong sort of owners.

The combination of unsuitable owners and a very powerful dog is a recipe for disaster

Person_one

Jay_Tee wrote: »

Whilst I can understand about the people that own and abuse them, and in a lot of cases the dogs are fine, I feel there is a problem with dogs of this type in that they attract the wrong sort of owners.

The combination of unsuitable owners and a very powerful dog is a recipe for disaster

The banning of pitbulls hasn't stopped these owners acquiring powerful dogs that aren't pitbulls.

Sorry, but its a completely nonsensical approach.

GonzoAston

Ive seen (on tele) soft as s***e pit bulls, and verocious ones.

I agree it comes down to how they're brought up.

When I was 3, I had my ear torn off by an Olde English Sheep Dog (Dulux Dog).....has never put me off dogs. The dog was put down, and I still feel a bit guilty about it 29 years later tbh....but wouldnt judge anm entire breed on one dogs actions that hadnt been trained and socialised properly.