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Dead Last's blog: "Inner Ramblings"

created on 06/29/2008  |  http://fubar.com/inner-ramblings/b227555

Granted, this is a tired subject.  As in, I'm tired of reading about it.  Though after enough trifling ignorance in the MD, VA area, I've deemed it necessary to put this forth in the off chance it travels to people that could use a wake up call. 

 

Recently a 20 year old man was killed in Leesburg, VA.  How? you ask.  Well, as no one was there to witness the event, the actions were deemed as such.  Two Pit bulls apparently attacked another dog in the home.  The guess is that the young man tried to break up the fight.

 

Tragic, though this is, I'd like to offer a break down to people, before the ignorant start pointing fingers at a breed. 

You NEVER, EVER step foot in a dog fight.  I don't care if you know the dogs, it's common sense to avoid the situation.  If you're outside, grab a hose and start aiming and hope it works.  If you're in a house, go to the kitchen, get two big pots or pans, walk back to the fight so as not to become an unwilling combatant, and you SLAM those pots over the  dogs heads.  Typically that snaps them out of it and you immediately give other commands to get them to pay attention.

This was a tragic event, but due to the breed of dog, this story will probably end up exploited to a further degree.

 

Rare, though it is, even our good natured pals such as Golden Retrievers and Labradors have been responsible for fatal attacks on humans. 

 

For this to make much sense, I'm going to have to make a roundabout story.  How often do we hear of German Shepherd attacks, outside of police use?  How about Akitas, Mastiffs, Chows, Rotties,  American Bulldogs, Dobies, Huskies, or Wolf Hybrids?

Rarely, right?  Sure, they make lists, but not to the extent of the Pit bull. 

 

Why?  Could it be the expensive price tag that these purebred dogs come with?  An average of 1500-3000 dollars a dog isn't uncalled for at all. 

Could it be that the breeders of these dogs are actual breeders?  When I say actual breeders, I mean those that are out to protect the image of the dog they so love.   They breed the specific traits in (yes, its proven it can be done) and do not breed undesireable ones.  They have questionaires and contracts to rest assured their dogs are going to responsible owners. 

 

 

Now...  Let's take Pit bulls.

What dog is portrayed in music videos, lunging at the end of its chain, barking viciously, foam flying, as if this makes an artist a more viable annoyance?

What dog is pulling on the end of a leash on the CD cover, the leash in the hand of said fad artist?

What dog is thrown in a ring to fight?  Then bred as their asinine owners think a fighting dog is good breeding stock, when in actuality, this is one of the traits that an actual breeder leaves out.

I already gave you the answer.  So let's do some thinking, shall we?

 

As Americans, and ignorant as we are, lawdy lawdy, we must have the latest jeans, the newest cup of crappacino from the coffee shop, or, saaaaay, that dog that was "so badass in that video, yeah, thats the kinda tough I want".

 

Now, lets take a good majority of quick buck americans again, that are willing to exploit either man or animal for an immediate dollar.   Oh, some famous star has this dog, you know us little people will want it too. 

So breeding standards have been forgotten, people that know nothing about the true traits of a breed of dog are creating mini puppy mills and selling these dogs at a ridiculously low price to any friggin idiot off the street with the money in hand. 

 

A Pit bull, like any of the aforementioned dogs, is a very dominant breed of dog.  They require boredom alleviation.  Or they become destructive or worst.  They need exercise.  And they all need LIFELONG TRAINING.  That does not mean "puppy sits on command and poopies outside, yay!"  That means, EVERY DAMN DAY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, you will tell that dog sit, stay, wait, no, etc, and you will praise the good behavior.  What becomes mundane and tedious to a human is nothing but interaction for the dog that strives to get that reward when it performs to its person's expectations. 

 

Side story.  I own a Wolf Hybrid.   Everyday of my life, and everyday of hers along with the rest of hers, is and will be spent with myself reciting the same mini speeches.  "Go potty come back".  Reward.  "Leave the squirrels alone".  Reward.  "Leave the bunny be".  Reward.  "Wait".  Reward.   If someone is walking past the house and she is in the front yard, I fully believe she does as she is supposed to.  She does not leave her porch, I always give her the "Stay" command anyways, its called reinforcement.  Occasionally she grumbles.  But her body language never reads threat.  She never rises.  She never leaves that porch.  When the pedestrian is gone, she is rewarded.  If they stop to ask if they can say hello, she is called from the porch.  She sniffs them, immediately gets bored and retires to her porch. 

She goes to PetSmart on a regular basis.  She goes on walks in the park.  She goes for multitudes of car rides to people laden places where everytime, the same reinforcement is issued.  It's a lifelong commitment that I have accepted. 

 

 

Now, how to quell the idiot fingers pointing at a dominant breed that garnishes poor reputation? 

Well, as mentioned before, despite there still being actual breeders out there, we have our morons out, charging far to little for a poorly bred puppy that is being sold to an ignorant owner that does not have a calm demeanor and doesn't know what they're getting into.  These puppies go to these homes where people treat them as if they've gotten the typical family friendly, neighborhood dog, like a retriever.  Wrong.  They have gotten a strong willed, hard headed, bully breed of a dog that requires just about as much of the owner's time as a roaming toddler and the constant reinforcement training throughout its entire life.  Bad blend.  So if someone is working in their unfenced yard without keeping an eye on their "good dog" on the porch, its no wonder they fail to notice the cat before their dog and issue the dog a warning to stay put.   Or they failed to be keeping an eye on their dog and it's body language.  Alert owners, as parents should be with their own children, should know where their dog is, no matter the breed, at ALL times.  (Aside from the dog locked in the house while everyone is away at work or the likes, let's not pick teeth here).

 

I do not know how to stop this epidemic for certain.  Unless the ASPCA and other groups are given the control to search internet ads, newspaper ads, and the likes, and find unregistered, ignorant breeders trying to sell puppies.  I believe they should be given control to take the puppies.  Then the parenting dogs should be fixed immediately.  Chances are, those people won't want the dog back.  They may get other dogs, but after so many times of them trying to sell poor bred puppies and being shut down, they might just get a real damn job and quit being morons.  Or they can be penalized, I don't care.

Offer training classes for breeders of dominant breeds.  Then, hell, do as they do with ferrets in MD.  The babies can only be sold at a certain age, and only after they themselves have been fixed.  No one can buy a breeding dog, no one can exploit the breed. 

A limited number of breeders offers a limited number of coveted dogs.  The price goes up, chances are, only more responsible people are going to step forth for that price tag.  I can say this as I'm in the works to get a dominant dog and THIS IS THE ACTUAL AGREEMENT.  The breeder offers a contract.  As they only have so many puppies a year, they can keep tabs quite efficiently with today's technological advances.  The contract I am looking at states I MUST attend at least two sessions of training classes with my puppy. To acclimate them to people and other dogs, and continue this training to avoid any unfortunate consequences.  If I don't?  I'm short 2500-3000 dollars and my dog.   Breach of contract.  End of story. 

Put standards on the breed again and people will respect it.  Not fear it or point the finger at it. 

 

 

For fun facts. 

A large macaw can tear a finger completely off a person without thinking twice.  Why don't they often?  They typically cost a minimum of 1000 dollars and go to people that are commiting themselves to a SIXTY YEAR LIFESPAN on these birds.

 

Bart the Bear could have easily removed his trainer's head, or any actor he worked with could have been mauled beyond comprehension.  Yet he was known as a gentle giant.  His "daddy" worked with him EVERY DAY.  EVERY DAMN DAY.  His training never ended, his training never went unrewarded, he learned as such.

 

A horse can easily kick, buck, or stomp a person that it decides it can take advantage of.  Why doesn't it?  A strong willed person with patience worked with that animal to respect it, train it, and reward it for behavioral changes.

 

Anything with a mouth can bite.  But anything with a brain can be trained. 

I'm not going to say there would never be another attack again.  There ARE bad dogs.  The saying that there aren't, only bad owners, is a falsified statement at best.  This is like people saying a kid was raised wrong, thus leading to their crime sprees or a murder later in life.  Some people DO snap.  Some dogs DO snap. 

But, it's known well, in the proper environment, with the proper training, and with the love, patience, time, and commitment of those that are willing to put forth the effort, the good traits shine through, the bahavior we want is shown in just about every case. 

 

But it's not going to change with the dogs.  It's going to have to change with the people.  Understanding, education, and responsibility.  Simple enough.  But then again, we are in America. 

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