# Pit Bull Attacks Go On? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 11, 2012, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bull-attacks-go-on/609188 "2012-01-11T18:35:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bull-attacks-go-on/609188/1 "2012-01-11T18:35:13Z")
How bad are pit bull attacks now? > **[Jogger In Critical Condition After Being Attacked By Pit Bulls](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/pit-bulls-attack-jogger_n_1179738)** > > Jogger In Critical Condition After Being Attacked By Pit Bulls > **[Pit Bull Kills Pregnant Owner in California Home](https://abcnews.go.com/US/pet-pit-bull-kills-pregnant-woman-pacifica-california/story?id=14289961#.Tw3RuxzUYS4)** > > A pit bull attacked and killed his pregnant owner in a Pacifica, Calif. home. Darla Napora, 32, was attacked by she and her husband's unneutered, two-year-old male pit bull Thursday. Her husband, Greg Napora, found her bloody body in the couple's... I figure “pit bull” belongs in the pit… ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bull-attacks-go-on/609188/2 "2012-01-11T18:48:37Z")
_sigh_ This again? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bull-attacks-go-on/609188/3 "2012-01-11T18:50:27Z")
HEADLINE: Circumcised pit bull (based on visual identification only) wore doggie-shoes in house while its owners were out having their cat de-clawed at a combination veterinary hospital and assault-weapon shop: Horrified neighbors rushed in to adjust the toilet paper to the proper direction. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bull-attacks-go-on/609188/4 "2012-01-11T18:51:48Z")
There is no such thing as a pit bull, pit bulls never attack, and when they attack they are no more dangerous than a miniature poodle. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bull-attacks-go-on/609188/5 "2012-01-11T18:55:14Z")
From the second link - > [@](#): > > Darla Napora, 32, was attacked by she and her husband’s unneutered, two-year-old male Pitbull on Aug. 11, 2011 in Pacifica, Cali. Someone from ABC News is writing that badly? What? Sorry, distracted by the glaring error. I walk a lot in my neighbourhood, and I carry a canister of dog repellent wherever I go because people in my neighbourhood let all kinds of dogs run free, including pit bulls. I’m not sure whether pit bulls are more likely to attack than other dogs that are owned by idiots and assholes, but I’m not sure they’re not, either. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bull-attacks-go-on/609188/6 "2012-01-11T18:58:36Z")
> [@brittekland](#): > > How bad are pit bull attacks now? > > [Pit Bull Attack Leaves Chicago Jogger In Critical Condition (VIDEO) | HuffPost Chicago](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/02/pit-bulls-attack-jogger_n_1179738.html) > > [Pit Bull Kills Pregnant Owner in California Home - ABC News](http://abcnews.go.com/US/pet-pit-bull-kills-pregnant-woman-pacifica-california/story?id=14289961#.Tw3RuxzUYS4) > > I figure “pit bull” belongs in the pit… That second story [reminds me of something](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Guinefort). I don’t mean to be flippant, but that’s weird. I’ve honestly never heard a story like it. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bull-attacks-go-on/609188/7 "2012-01-11T18:59:21Z")
All dogs are liable to attack. The problem with Pit-bulls, and Rottweillers, and other breeds that are bred for aggressiveness, it that if you don’t train them not to attack – they’re going to fucking kill someone. If you a have a poorly trained Shitzu, well, who cares (besides the person who replaces your rugs); if you have a poorly trained Pit-bull, you and it, are liablities. And that all said, it seems to me that most dogs in this country, regardless of breed, aren’t trained particularly well. ---
**Author:** ![Terraplane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Terraplane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terraplane)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bull-attacks-go-on/609188/8 "2012-01-11T19:33:36Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > All dogs are liable to attack. The problem with Pit-bulls, and Rottweillers, and other breeds that are bred for aggressiveness, it that if you don’t train them not to attack – they’re going to fucking kill someone. I don’t know how true this is, but I’ve read that purebred pit bulls aren’t aggressive toward people at all. It’s the other way around actually, they’re bred to be so non-aggressive towards people that they can be pulled apart when the dog fight is over. Even if this is true though, I’m guessing most ‘pit bulls’ aren’t purebred pit bulls, and are likely mixed with dogs that _are_ aggressive toward people, so you get the worst of both worlds. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bull-attacks-go-on/609188/9 "2012-01-11T19:40:38Z")
I refer you back to my first sentence, though: “all dogs are liable to attack.” And they attack viciously. Now, I ask you. Would you rather suffer a vicious attack from a chihuahua or pit-bull? That’s my main point. No, I don’t think that pit-bulls are predisposed killing people, but there’s a reason why when you read a headline that says, “Dog Kills Old Lady” you can put better than even-money down that it wasn’t a poodle that did the deed. Because when huge, aggressive, ill-trained dogs want to kill you … they will. ---
**Author:** ![Terraplane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Terraplane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terraplane)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bull-attacks-go-on/609188/10 "2012-01-11T19:48:38Z")
I agree with your main point, it was just an aside that I thought was interesting (if it’s true). ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bull-attacks-go-on/609188/11 "2012-01-11T19:49:07Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > That’s my main point. No, I don’t think that pit-bulls are predisposed killing people, but there’s a reason why when you read a headline that says, “Dog Kills Old Lady” you can put better than even-money down that it wasn’t a poodle that did the deed. Because when huge, aggressive, ill-trained dogs want to kill you … they will. Standard poodles actually can be very dangerous. I’ve heard trainers lament that some standards would make good guard dogs, but the intimidation factor is obviously not there. More’s the point, when a dog that is not a bully breed kills someone, it usually does not make the papers. Instead, it’s put down as a tragic accident, the family grieves, and the world goes on. When a dog that looks anything like a pit bull kills someone, then you’ve got a news story about the inherently vicious animals in our midst. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bull-attacks-go-on/609188/12 "2012-01-11T20:09:28Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I walk a lot in my neighbourhood, and I carry a canister of dog repellent wherever I go because people in my neighbourhood let all kinds of dogs run free, including pit bulls. Have you ever had to use it? How’d it work? We’re now bumpkins and it seems there’s a whole different attitude towards dogs than in the City. BOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRNNNNNNNNN FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE… So there are often four or five territorial, meaty pooches (no idea of the breeds, they all look like variations on the kind of dog that would be called a pit bull by the same kind of people who would call any scary-looking gun an assault rifle) roaming this desolate country road. Big, meaty territorial pooches. Nothing’s happened yet, but particularly with the Dudeling we’re a touch nervous. First off, do sprays work or is more likely to piss them off as they keep chewing? Second, what happens the next time we see the same dog? Which is more likely: A) Dog thinks “holy shit, it’s that dude again that kicked my ass–I better get out of here!” B) Dog thinks “holy shit, it’s that dude again that kicked my ass–I better eat him!” C) Dog thinks “blah blah blah Ginger blah blah blah blah Ginger blah blah blah blah blah blah Ginger blah blah blah Ginger blah.” ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bull-attacks-go-on/609188/13 "2012-01-11T20:14:12Z")
> [@StusBlues](#): > > Standard poodles actually can be very dangerous. I’ve heard trainers lament that some standards would make good guard dogs, but the intimidation factor is obviously not there. > > More’s the point, when a dog that is not a bully breed kills someone, it usually does not make the papers. Instead, it’s put down as a tragic accident, the family grieves, and the world goes on. When a dog that looks anything like a pit bull kills someone, then you’ve got a news story about the inherently vicious animals in our midst. Exactly. Nobody wants to hear about the labrador retriever that killed a kid. Personally, I’m way more afraid of, for example, a chow chow than a pitbull, on average. Plus, 'pitbull kills!!!" stories are often based on no standard at all – any muscular, short-haired dog is at risk of being labeled a pitbull if it attacks. The only thing that makes pitbulls risky is the kind of people who get pitbulls are sometimes the kind of people who want a vicious, intimidating dog, so they train it to act that way. Self-fulfilling prophecy, that. If we banned pitbulls (or anything that remotely resembled pitbulls and didn’t have breeding papers, more likely), those people would just move on to dogs like German Shepherds and we’d be right back where we started. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bull-attacks-go-on/609188/14 "2012-01-11T20:22:23Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I refer you back to my first sentence, though: “all dogs are liable to attack.” And they attack viciously. > > Now, I ask you. Would you rather suffer a vicious attack from a chihuahua or pit-bull? > > That’s my main point. No, I don’t think that pit-bulls are predisposed killing people, but there’s a reason why when you read a headline that says, “Dog Kills Old Lady” you can put better than even-money down that it wasn’t a poodle that did the deed. Because when huge, aggressive, ill-trained dogs want to kill you … they will. Um, huge? You’re under the impression that pit bulls are huge dogs? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bull-attacks-go-on/609188/15 "2012-01-11T20:23:19Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Now, I ask you. Would you rather suffer a vicious attack from a chihuahua or pit-bull? True pit bulls (from what I understand) are in the 30-50 lb range and were breed for non-aggressiveness towards humans but are very sturdy dogs. There are many larger dogs that should be significantly more dangerous when they attack. With larger cross breeds you gain the worst of both worlds, combined with owners who are looking for aggressive dogs and don’t know how to train them. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bull-attacks-go-on/609188/16 "2012-01-11T20:25:07Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Um, huge? You’re under the impression that pit bulls are huge dogs? Huge enough to kill me. But throw a “powerful” in there too if it smoothes the road. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bull-attacks-go-on/609188/17 "2012-01-11T20:26:57Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > That’s my main point. No, I don’t think that pit-bulls are predisposed killing people, but there’s a reason why when you read a headline that says, “Dog Kills Old Lady” you can put better than even-money down that it wasn’t a poodle that did the deed. Because when huge, aggressive, ill-trained dogs want to kill you … they will. You are aware that a standard poodle is much larger than a pit bull, right? ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bull-attacks-go-on/609188/18 "2012-01-11T20:29:59Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Huge enough to kill me. But throw a “powerful” in there too if it smoothes the road. Lamest answer ever. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bull-attacks-go-on/609188/19 "2012-01-11T20:30:28Z")
> [@StusBlues](#): > > More’s the point, when a dog that is not a bully breed kills someone, it usually does not make the papers. Instead, it’s put down as a tragic accident, the family grieves, and the world goes on. When a dog that looks anything like a pit bull kills someone, then you’ve got a news story about the inherently vicious animals in our midst. Sorry, dogs killing people makes the papers regardless of breed. Why would you make such a ridiculous statement? [http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20100607/dog-mauls-newborn-100608/](http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20100607/dog-mauls-newborn-100608/) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bull-attacks-go-on/609188/20 "2012-01-11T20:31:08Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > You are aware that a standard poodle is much larger than a pit bull, right? You are aware that when most people refer to poodles as a size comparison they are usually referring to _miniature_ poodles, much the same way as I did in my earlier post, right? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bull-attacks-go-on/609188.md?page=2)