8 Ways to be a Responsible Pit Bull Owner

I am a little concerned that you have two dogs that need socialization and you are letting OTHERS make you kowtow to their 'anti-pitbull' hysteria. Specifically, You don't take your dogs to the park because people give you dirty looks and leave.
What did you do wrong? Breathing.
Its a public place and so long as your dogs are acting in a socially acceptable manner, (forgive the term) "Screw the whiners", press on with treating yourselves and your dogs to the world.

Continually visiting that park and your dogs being pleasant will win them over if they have any degree of compassion and common sense. My AmStaff Chesty won over my parents who were rabidly anti Bully and German Shepherd. It took time, consistency and discipline which broke the door wide open for Flash (APBT) and Ranger (GSD).

Never go quietly into that good night!

WELL I ALWAYS WATCH MY DOGS AND THEY HAVE TO WEAR A MUZZLE WHILE IN THE DOG PARK, PLUS MY DOGS ARE GET ALONG WIT OTHER DOGS,PLUS ALL DOGS ARE REQUIRED TO BE UP TO DATE WIT THE DOGS SHOTS AND NO FEMALE IS ALLOWED IN THE PARK THAT IS IN SEASON SO THERE WON'T BE ANY PROBLEMS THAT MEANS ALL DOGS.ONLY PITS HAVE TO WEAR MUZZLES,BUT THAT IS OK BECAUSE WHEN I TAKE HER FOR HER WALKS SHE ALWAYS HAS HERS ON SO DOES HER PUP CHULA NEVER LEAVE THE HOUSE WITOUT THEM WEARING IT THE POLICE WILL TAKE OUR DOGS OR SHOOT OUR DOGS IF THEY ARE NOT WEARING ONE!!!! SO I AM ALWAYS CAUTION AROUND OTHER DOGS NOW, MY BULLY WAS ATTACKED BY A PIT WHO WASN'T ON A LEASE AND WASN'T WEARING A MUZZLE, THE OWNER COULDN'T CONTROL HIS DOG AND I GOT HURT NOT MY BULLY I DID, BECAUSE I PUT MYSELF IN BETWEEN THEM!!! I NEVER LET MY BULLY OFF THE LEASE UNLESS IN THE PARK. PLUS OTHER DOG OWNERS NO HER AND HER PUP AND THEY LIKE HER, NO PROBLEMS WIT HER. BUT I UNDERSTAND WHERE U R COMING FROM.

i live in boston mass,but it isn't all law in forcements. just some of them feel the way they do,just one's who are the danger to our bullies here,because they hate the breed an don't care what you have to say about how kind they are and caring,they are nanny dogs,loyaly to you,loving and alot of licking and stealing of your side of the bed.your best friend for life, you treat them rite ,they will do the same, mines is spoiled an so is her pup to,love them both,won't let no one hurt them not even a cop who is bias,i tell them learn more about the breed then talk to me an leave ,stop talkin to them or him/her!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sorry to hear about your dog, and I would be extremely upset and devastated if anything attacked a companion of mine like that.

I do wonder, though, where this pit's owner(s) was/were, and why the dog wasn't on a leash of some sort. I think pit owners should have to do a lot of research on the breed before choosing such a pet, honestly. It's true that these dogs can be a little more on the aggressive side. I have to say, though, with the experience I've had having other dogs in my household (speaking of when I was a kid; we've had shepherds, labs), never once has my pit shown aggression toward me or those around me. I can walk up to him, grab his food/toys, and he doesn't so much as bat an eye, but if I tried that with my grandma's lab, boy oh boy... This particular lab even bit my hand when I had tried to pet him once.

That being said, I won't deny the pit's capabilities and strength. I am sorry, again, for what has happened to your dog. Had your dogs ever met before, like through the fence or while on a walk?

I'm sorry for what happened to your dog, but that is no excuse for your ignorance.

I hate reading about any animal attacks, because people are so blind and ignorant that they continually blame the animal. As if animals think and act the same exact way that people do: here is a new flash, they don't.

Here is who you SHOULD be blaming: the owners of the dogs. I'd hazard to say that well over half, probably nearly ALL dog attacks could have been prevented if PEOPLE had cared for the animal PROPERLY. Did you even stop to consider what the PEOPLE did wrong in this situation that caused that dog to attack? Leaving a dog unattended in a clearly not secure area. If that dog had been on a leash, had been inside the house or inside of a secure enclosure, the dog would've never been able to attack your dog, period.

It is NOT the dogs fault and honestly, how do you even figure that breed even factors into this? Do some research- EVERY DOG BREED ATTACKS! Here, I'll even do the research for you: http://www.understand-a-bull.com/Articles/OtherBreedBites/AllDogsBite.htm
Even small dogs, like Greyhounds and Whippets can cause CONSIDERABLE, even DEADLY damage when NOT PROPERLY CARED FOR. The dog breed honestly has nothing to do with anything in an attack, that is where people make a huge mistake. It's so funny that when a horse kills somebody, they never specify breed, even though there's just as many, if not more breeds of horses than dogs. And it's equally ironic that the public has NO idea that horse related activities, ie, any activity that includes a horse, whether you're grooming it, riding it, or leading it someplace- are MORE DANGEROUS than riding a motorcycle. Based on your logic, we should ban horses too, because I'm willing to bet more people die from horse injuries or attacks than dog attacks- considering that a horse weighs 1000lbs and a dog, at most, weights 200lbs.

We aren't in denial. You, however, are in a state of ignorant bliss that refuses to see facts. You're blurred by your own emotions. When I was younger, I was bit by a ChowChow. She nearly took off my arm, but I still would NEVER find it acceptable to ban a breed. No matter the animal, the breed, or whatever you want to classify it as, there will ALWAYS be uneducated, irresponsible people, and THOSE are the people who should be charged and dealt with when an animal attacks. Every dog processes the ability to kill. Size and strength have nothing to do with it. A pitbull bite is NO more severe then a lab, a golden retriever, a greyhound, a whippet, an aussie shepherd- any of the common "family dogs". All of them can, will, and have caused sever injuries when biting.

I wonder if you're just as bluntly ignorant with other races of people. Do you see a black man walking down your street and cross the side walk to get away from him? Let's forget that he could be a lawyer, a doctor, a heroic police officer, firefighter. I'm sure you probably just think he's going to rape and murder you. And if you are African American, do you appreciate it when people walk in the opposite direction or cross the street to get away from you, in fear? Sensational media can make anybody, any animal appear dangerous. That's the magic of propaganda. Let's forget about printing the story of a pit bull saving somebody's life. Let's forget about printing the story of pit bull service dogs, guiding the disabled every day. Let's forget about the heroic war dog during World War I, who was a decorated Sergeant, who happened to be a pit bull. Let's forgot about printing the stories of the thousands, upon thousands of pit bull that live happy, full lives without ever once biting or attacking somebody. No no, I think we should print the stories of the misidentified dog that attack a person walking down the street (which, why was a dog lose on the street anyway? Nah, it can't possibly be because of irresponsible ownership. That dog OBVIOUSLY had a vengeance for all HUMANS!). Oh, and by the way, are you even sure that that dog WAS a pit bull? Because dogs are often, and in fact, VERY often, misidentified in biting incidents. Even experts, such as vets, can't always correctly ID a dog breed.

If you were ever robbed or attacked by somebody of a different race, going with my first example, let's say black, would you find it appropriate to always assume EVERY black man or women has "the worst of intentions" when they're walking down the street toward you? Isn't that racial profiling, which is illegal? To assume "every dog is dangerous" is just as ignorant and stupid as it would be to assume every black, or hispanic or asian or white person is dangerous, even though a few are. Dogs have unique personalities. Every dog is different- to blanket an entire breed because of one incident is ignorant. You know that old saying, right? "To assume is to make an ass out of you and me?" Pretty much applies to this. Assuming all dogs are dangerous, especially all dogs of a particular breed, is like assuming all black people want to rape and murder you because a few have done so in the past. Sounds pretty ridiculous, right?

I also find it pretty ironic that you chose to post your comment on the article called "how to be a responsible pit bull owner" but yet never make any mention in your post that irresponsible ownership is what caused this incident to happen.

What exactly possessed you to come to a Pit Bull site and post this comment among people who love the breed? Maybe its just me, but sounds like you are trying to stir up trouble.
And since its ok to put blame where is doesn't belong, I'll take a shot.
Why was YOUR dog left tethered outside unattended? Maybe if she had an opportunity to run things would have been different, but because she was tethered to one area, YOU made escape for her impossible. But, we wont get into that.
And how do you know that dog was even a pit bull? There are so many breeds commonly mistaken for pit bulls its ridiculous. Cane Corso, Presa Canario, American Bull Dogs, even boxers just to name a few.
Take the time to visit this site http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html

I am sorry your pup was hurt. Any dog bite can be deadly. Including one from yours. It is sad that this dog was not properly confined or controlled by responsible owners. A Pit, as with any dog,should never be left unattended with a fence so short.I am a trainer and behaviorist and deal with all kinds of dogs, all day everyday. I deal with more aggressive nasty small dogs than I ever do with larger ones. Especially Pits. And unfortuatley, schaunsers are one of the most bite-capable dogs I have ever encountered. I would take a Pit anyday over a small barky ankle biter