01-28-2009, 11:00 AM
well Rachel, out of 238 dog attack fatalities between 1979 and 1998, 115 or more than 50% were due to Pitbulls and Rottweilers, and another 15 were crossbred Rottweiler or Pitbull type ...
so while other dogs were responsible and no breed is safe, those two breeds accounted for more than half of all deaths. Even if it's the owner, consider that these breeds make fantastic attack machines available legally for antisocial personalities.
But beyond the owners, there are more incidents of family pets not trained to be aggressive that have killed family members. The baby girl killed on Oahu last year was killed in her own home by her own dog, and IIRC she was sleeping, and they think it may have mistaken her for a chew toy doll. (seriously)
How can people discount breeding and genetics as a factor in dogs? Horses, dogs, cats, lifestock, all have histories of being bred for specific traits. Here's the history of the Pitbull, written by a Pitbull lover:
http://www.pitbull411.com/history.html
Even he says that the animals must be trained and socialized at a young age.
Dog owners here often put little energy into training their dogs.
How hard would it be to require all pitbull owners to put their puppies through formal training at their own expense? Difficult.
so while other dogs were responsible and no breed is safe, those two breeds accounted for more than half of all deaths. Even if it's the owner, consider that these breeds make fantastic attack machines available legally for antisocial personalities.
But beyond the owners, there are more incidents of family pets not trained to be aggressive that have killed family members. The baby girl killed on Oahu last year was killed in her own home by her own dog, and IIRC she was sleeping, and they think it may have mistaken her for a chew toy doll. (seriously)
How can people discount breeding and genetics as a factor in dogs? Horses, dogs, cats, lifestock, all have histories of being bred for specific traits. Here's the history of the Pitbull, written by a Pitbull lover:
http://www.pitbull411.com/history.html
Even he says that the animals must be trained and socialized at a young age.
Dog owners here often put little energy into training their dogs.
How hard would it be to require all pitbull owners to put their puppies through formal training at their own expense? Difficult.