Maryellen wrote:i agree with babyreba,i couldnt have said it better then her.. and, another scary part, what if the losers see these dogs doing this type of work, and decide to try to train their pit bulls to do it?? they saw how the dogs used to fight in a pit, and started having their own ideas of pit fighting.... while i understand that it takes a special dog to to this type of work, i truly feel that the pit bull shouldnt be doing it ... any other breed, fine. no problem. but a pit bull? no. i dont like the idea of them doing it, and especially i dont like the idea of average owners now wanting to get into it with their pit bull..
mnp13 wrote:Unfortunately the losers will abuse ANY breed of dog in the name of making it a 'protection' dog. It only takes a few minutes of searching the web to see that.
and it scares the crap out of me to think about PP or bitework as becoming popular enough that people out there in the world--my neighbors, your neighbors--will see pit bulls doing it and think of them as dangerous dogs.
Red wrote:AMEN. What's the point of having a pit bull protection trained anyway? Does it make someone feel "cool", in control..what?Is it so cool to have a dog of this breed who won't hesitate to bite human beings?
There are breeds that are made for this sport, leave it at them.They don't suffer what this breed is suffering.Nobody asks for a ban on Malinois or GSDs and they do bite people.
A pit bull doing agility, obedience, search and rescue , even the silly parade in a local town, and a protection trained pit bull in a trial...which one leave the more positive impression? To the general public anyway.
I was at a pet store last saturday and a lady asked to pet one of my fosters because she felt comfortable around this breed, her kids were only allowed to pet Jack while they knew not to touch other dogs in the store.It was almost a miracle to hear that but this is what I like people to think.If I had told her that the dog was trained to bite people I am quite sure she would have stayed away.
What scares me also, actually disappoint me, is to see folks who are in the position to guide others into seeing what this breed is about and spit on this opportunity.
mnp13 wrote:Unfortunately the losers will abuse ANY breed of dog in the name of making it a 'protection' dog. It only takes a few minutes of searching the web to see that.
Red wrote:There are breeds that are made for this sport, leave it at them.They don't suffer what this breed is suffering.Nobody asks for a ban on Malinois or GSDs and they do bite people.
Red wrote:If I had told her that the dog was trained to bite people I am quite sure she would have stayed away.No matter how well behaved the dog was, nobody likes to be near a dog who can cripple them for life and has no problem doing it.
Personal protection work is just high-level obedience.
dogcrazyjen wrote:OK, I do not think pit bulls should be used for bitework. These are my reasons.
1) Image. The average non-dog sport person ie over 95% of people out there, do not understand bitework and have no interest in understanding it. You cannot convince them, because they do not care to change their opinions. However, they do have an opinion on dogs trained in it, and that is that they are man stoppers. Every average person who sees a pit bull doing bitework is likely a person who has just been reinforced that pit bulls are man stoppers.
This has nothing to do with training or personal talent, or responsibility to good training, or solidness of temperment; it has to do with the average Joe Head-up-his-a$$ and how that voting citizen will view these dogs.
2) This breed has been trained and bred from day one to NEVER bite people. There is just something I dislike about seeing that one extremely positive trait weeded out of bloodlines. It may not happen right away, but you are going to be selecting for dogs who do not see that as a line never to cross. I realize that the bite suit is what they are going after, and that it is the equivilant of a giant tug toy, but I have a hard time believing that there is not some line crossed for the dog. Especially since part of the play acting for the decoys is yelling, and swatting the dog defensively. There is a desensitization process going on there, however subtle.
3)*My main reason!* I think as reba said, the inclination of inexperienced dog owners to try new trends is a real danger. There are people out there who will train their dogs to do bitework without having the solid obedience or checking for temperment.
Now if those dogs are GSDs, or Mals, quite frankly that is not my problem, as I do not own them nor plan on it. I will leave it for those afficinados to handle. However, when those dogs are pits or other bull breeds, it IS my problem. I could lose my dogs. As it is we officially have a lab/boxer cross because our insurance would not cover a pit bull.
Second, the pits (and other bull/terrier breeds) do have a switch in them that they do not stop for pain, or noise, or anything. A pit could do a huge amount of damage to someone, and then to anyone trying to break up the attack if it has no human bite inhibition. I realize any dog could be like this, but bull and terrier breeds are different than working breeds. The combination of traits that makes us love them so is what also can make them so dangerous. We in fact DO love them BECAUSE despite their ability, stubborness, gameness and drive, that they are such lovemonkeys and so solid with people.
Add in that these same people will breed dogs for 'temperment', which at that point will mean no bite inhibition.
The average Joe Head- up -his -a$$ will not understand or care that the pit who mauls the local child or old lady was bred by an idiot who has no knowledge nor acceptance into serious breeding programs. Joe Head up his a$$ will only care that it was a pit, and in keeping his missus Judy Head -up -his -a$$ and the little Heads -up -his- a$$ safe from harm.
Before I get lynched, let me say that the last paragraph is talking about inexpirienced people training and breeding, NOT ones like Chris who are obviously very responsible. The problem is that not everyone IS like Chris, and those are the ones who will screw the breed over. Anyhoo, that is my 2 cents worth.
Jen
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