OK, but what breed were those pit bulls? My money’s on chows.
From the article:
Investigators discovered that the dogs belonged to Johnny Dale Lankford, who was being held in the Bell County Detention Center on charges of second-degree assault, domestic violence and second-degree unlawful imprisonment from December 22.
I’m thinking any large powerful dog would be dangerous in his care.
Indeed, horrendous dog attacks can be triggered in the most innocent-seeming circumstances.
This encounter could easily have led to tragedy.
The ‘pit bull’ debate always tends to come back around to what I guess the point is supposed to be here. Obviously relatively small weak dogs are less capable (not incapable, especially with little kids) of inflicting harm on people than big strong dogs. But there’s just no scientific evidence of a systematic variation in dog aggressiveness toward people based on breed, definitely not based on a pseudo-breed designated by general appearance to laymen, as in ‘pit bull’.
That statement applies also BTW to claims earlier in the thread that certain small breeds are more likely to bite people, with the breed as cause. I think the impression of most people who actually know dogs is some small breeds do seem to have more fussy irritable personalities toward people compared to a lot of larger dogs. But anyone asked to come up with solid cites for the claim that any breed correlates more with biting people, as a causal factor itself, will have a tough time.
I’m too worn out to find the cites, but I would wager most bites of familiar people, especially children, is the result of fear. Which breed is more likely to be afraid of things bigger than itself, a Chihuahua or a Great Dane? Add in the fact that most smaller breeds, like the aforementioned Chihuahuas, Dachschunds, and the like, were bred specifically for hunting other small, yet sometimes vicious, animals. When chasing a badger into it’s burrow, you bite first and ask questions of the corpse. There was a certain amount of aggression bred into the lines, for reasons just like that. Whether those traits are still present, I don’t know. But when it comes down to it, unless it’s a small child, those dogs simply aren’t going to do any serious damage, so it’s often considered cute, and not corrected, which leads to a shitty little dog.
Bulldogs used to be bred to be mean fuckers, too; now, most people, upon seeing a big ol’ English bully, are gonna go, “Awwwww,” not, “AHHHH!” 30 years ago, GSDs were the baddies. Then Dobermans, then Rottweilers, and now Pits. In 15 years working with shelter dogs, I’ve never had, seen, or heard of a single issue from any of those breeds, either in the shelter or from adopters, with the exception of those coming from abusive backgrounds. That’s not the fault of the breed, that’s what shitty owners can do to wonderful dogs. Fortunately, some times it only takes a loving home and an owner that knows exactly what he’s getting into to turn it around. Unfortunately, sometimes you can’t find one of those angels.
This got me thinking about two dogs Mrs. J. and I occasionally encounter in walks around the neighborhood.
One is an unrestrained black cocker spaniel that yaps at us from the safety of its front lawn. The other is a pit bull that races after us along its chain-link fence line, making no sounds other than huffing with the exertion.
I like dogs (and have had multiple dogs, including one cocker). I would hesitate to approach a cocker out in public with its owner, seeing as how overbreeding and disposition problems have made many cockers unstable and nippy. I’d have little hesitation making friends with a calm-appearing pit bull out with its owner (and I’ve done this).
On their own territory it’s a different story. That pit who soundlessly but intensely races around its yard perimeter after us (and is only half again as large as the cocker) is worrisome, and Mrs. J. (rightfully in my opinion) will not walk past its yard alone over concern that it could get out and wreak harm. Bad owner? Overreaction? Maybe, but we’re still left with odd behavior in a dog whose breeding favored aggression.
As for the black cocker, I’m confident I could boot it into next week if it decided to get feisty.
So it’s not just size, or owner characteristics, or allegedly sensationalistic media coverage. But there are certain realities you can’t get dogged pit fans to acknowledge.
So it goes.
There is no scientific basis to believe breed is a causal factor in aggression toward humans by dogs, let alone general appearance, which is all ‘pit bull’ is as the term is commonly used. That’s the simply reality, though you and a lot other people think they ‘know’ differently. But yes, so it goes.
Dogs also bite on the face as a sign of dominance. My sister had a problematic german shepherd, which had been abused before she adopted it. It nearly killed one of her cats in a dominance display. It also bit my brother, I think due to fear.
My sister and BIL worked a LOT with the dog, and it eventually became safe with guests and with their cats. But it was never an easy dog. It’s hard to overcome a bad upbringing.
if you ask me, I would pay extra for a flight seated between 2 Pitbulls, no bitching, no moaning, no hogging the armrest. that sounds like flying in style to me.
And a nice cuteness overload. 
Bumping this because of the following story:
A quote from the article which shows how difficult identifying breeds can be even among professionals:
It’s always a fucking Pit Bull, even when it isn’t. 
Technically, the full name for pitties and amstaffs is pit bull terrier and American Staffordshire terrier.
Generally not what I think of when you say daschund mix, however.
again, why the futz do we need dogs at all?
I’d make exceptions for police and sheep herders, yellow labs for service dogs…rabbit hunters and ratcatchers, but, wtf, pitbulls? Dobermans?, etc, etc.
You revived this thread just to say that?
You’ve never had a dog for companionship? Just taking care of a dog gives some of us a reason to get up in the morning and get through the day, knowing another living being depends upon you for its comfort and survival, and they reward you with unparalleled devotion and loyalty. If you treat a dog right, they will never abandon you. And even a well-socialized pit bull or Doberman can be as gentle and docile as a Lab.
I had the same experience with my old pit, Fred. The only thing he ever attacked was his food.
So then don’t get one. Other than that, it’s none of your business.