You're right about some people who shouldn't have pets.

Dogs are frequently bought as impulse items, like candy or checkout aisle toys. No thought is made to what the pet needs, only what the new owner wants. And they think the pet should automatically know (by ESP?) what the owner wants them to do, or not do.

They buy from puppymillers who only ask one question: "Cash, check or card?" The trash breeders are only interested in the money, not the dogs. They use poor-quality (maybe even not purebred) dogs with health and genetic problems, no OFA evaluations of hips and elbows, no DNA testing, no CERF eye exams. They feed the cheapest food they can find. The pups/dogs often aren't socialized or trained for even the very basics.

Buy from a pet shop? They come from puppy mills, every single pup. Ask, and they'll say they come from local, responsible breeders, and that is a 100% lie. Good breeders don't breed for impulse-buying pet shop buyers!!! Ask for the breeder contact info, just for laughs -- they'll refuse to give it to you.

By the time the pups pass the cute stage, they're often totally untrained, uncontrolled and boisterous, so they're relegated to the back yard or a chain. Esp when chained, they're often teased by kids and adults, frequently creating a vicious biter.

Spayed or neutered? Of course not! They chain the girl in the yard and 63 days after mid-heat she has puppies, which are either killed or dumped at the local shelter, or abandoned alongside a road in the country.

Just like people, they're often victims of their growing years. Sometimes they can be socialized and trained, but often not. Taking on an abandoned dog is a real crap shoot. I did it once, and will never do it again. And it wasn't the dog's fault. I lay all her faults on the idiot owner who got tired of her and turned her loose.

I only buy from a good, responsible, stable breeder, which is harder to find than you might think (last time took 2 yrs).

Look at the dogs for sale on your local Craigslist. Our economy is tanking, but the junk backyard breeders and 'designer dog' (*gag*) breeders are still breeding. And the morons are still buying.

And Animal Control is putting them to sleep almost as fast as they come in.

Sue

and here's another -- Pit Bull Tears Off Part Of Bridgewater Grandmother’s Face.

ALL dogs need to be controlled at all times. Training, Socialization, Training, Socialization, Training, Socialization. Huge fail on the grandson's part.

MINOR BITING INCIDENTS?????

Some people are obviously attempting to redefine the word 'stupid'.

Sue

I also found that interesting. Two bites meant the Pit Bulls normal inhibition to biting people (one facet of the breed standard) had been overcome. As I understand, Pit Bulls were bred to fight in a ring and handlers were also in the ring. Pit bulls that exhibited aggression to a person were removed from the gene pool. IMO there were serious problems with this PBT before it came to grandma's house.

A few stats for you to think about...

You are more likely to get bitten in the US by a Miniature Dachshund than a Pit Bull.

I know someone who runs a shelter in the US and more Golden Retrievers fail his aggression tests that Pit Bulls. GRs are about the most popular breed in the US and are extensively puppy farmed as a result.

Here in Australia you are more likely to get bitten by a Maltese Terrier or a MT cross breed. They are also the most popular breed(s) sold in pet shops and extensively puppy farmed.

Pit Bulls were originally bred to fight other dogs, but to be friendly to humans. Its not in their historical breeding to be aggressive to humans, quite the opposite.

Lots of breeds have a history of being bred for agression to other animals. Pretty much all terrier breeds for example. Jack Russells were bred for killing rats. Dachshunds for killing badgers. All these breeds are more than capable of biting humans.

Many 'pit bull attacks' aren't actually committed by Pit Bulls. One case over here, where a couple of Pit Bulls were identified as the breed of dog responsible for a bad attack, turned out they were labradors. Most people can't identify a pit bull from photos. The media has whipped up a frenzy against a particular breed, as it sells newspapers. Politicians go ahead with breed bans as it pacifies the uneducated public and its cheaper than fixing the actual causes of the issues.

Since they banned Pit Bulls in the UK in the early 90s, the RSPCA estimate that there is now 4x the PB population. Ban something and the wrong type of people want it.

The major problems with dogs in the western world comes from the way we raise them. Puppy Farms produce badly socialised dogs, and badly socialised dogs are ill equipped to deal with our way of life and therefore are much more likely to become aggressive.

If you want a well balanced dog;
- choose a breed that will suit your lifestyle. Getting a border collie without having the time to properly exercise it (body and brain) is only asking for trouble, for example.
- Find a reputable breeder. Meet both the pups parents and decide if they are dogs you like. Talk to other dog owners who have a dog from this breeder. Are they registered with the right kennel club? They should be.
- Never take a dog at less than 8 weeks old. If the breeder offers you the dog at 6 weeks old, they aren't a reputable breeder
- Don't choose the puppy that comes straight up to you, its likely to be dominant. Don't pick the pup cowering in the corner, its likely to be timid. Pick a pup that stays in the midle of the room with the other pups when you go in, but is happy to be picked up and will play with you when you approach it. This pup is likely to be well balanced
- Socialise your puppy! It should meet 100 people and 50 dogs by the time it is 16 weeks old. This is critical!!! Unsocialised dogs are ill equipped to deal with our way of life and this can frequently lead to aggression.

So if I am going on off topic, this is a subject very close to my heart (I work with dogs daily and see the issues first hand. It can be very rewarding but also heart breaking).

Mdinana - your dog sounds like mine. Its partly in the breed, German Shepherds can be bad with other dogs (a lot of solo sheep herding dogs can, animals outside their flock are a potential threat) but I bet its fear based due to poor socialisation. My boy is a rescue Rottweiler X German Shepherd who is beautiful with people / children but a nightmare with other dogs because he has never met them, he sees them as a threat, and because he is usually on a leash outside the house his 'fight or flight' response choice has been reduced to 'fight'. Once he is off leash with other dogs (in a controlled environment) he cowers away. If its causing you issues get in a properly qualified dog behaviorist.

Very interesting information. What is your opinion of mixed breeds from the Humane Society or similar organizations? I ask because that has worked for me rather well - and extremely reasonably priced.

Thanks, Ken, for that post. A very small dog is certainly capable of horrific injuries, and many infants and young children have suffered as a result. A "toy" dog is certainly not a harmless toy, just as not all pit bulls are vicious biters. (Well, to be accurate, I guess it's fair to say that all dogs are capable of being vicious biters, under certain circumstances).

You have to differentiate between killings/maulings and relatively simple bites, as there is a world of difference.

Some dogs will bite in fear or warning, and then back off. Others continue the attack to the death. Pits and Rotts fall into the second category, to the tune of two-thirds of the fatal U.S. incidents.

But most of the problem falls back on the irresponsible breeders and owners.

Sue