McDonalds Pit Bull Ad is Pure Discrimination (Audio)

I think discrimination is the wrong term to use here.

I don't think it is the wrong term at all. Pit bulls are the subject of a lot of discrimination. People automatically assume negative things about pit bulls. If McDonalds had spoken of a specific race in the ad, it is discrimination. Breeds of dogs are the canine equivalent to races of people.

"Pit bulls are the subject of a lot of discrimination."

Again, wrong word here~misconception, falsely portrayed. I love pit bulls~I'm not arguing your premise, just how you say it. No matter how you want to spin it, dogs are not people!

I agree that dogs aren't people, but they can be discriminated against. Breed specific legislation is a form of discrimination.

And their owners ARE people, and they are routinely told they can't move into many rental homes and homeowners are often required to pay ridiculous amounts of money for insurance simply for having a pitbull, regardless of whether or not that dog has ever done anything wrong. That IS discrimination, toward people if that's what it takes to meet your own personal definition.

"That IS discrimination, toward people if that's what it takes to meet your own personal definition."

That is, but that's wasn't the topic of this post.

Discrimination isn't limited to only people. Here is the definition of discrimination:

dis·crim·i·na·tion/disˌkriməˈnāSHən/
Noun:

The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, esp. on the grounds of race, age, or sex.

Where'd ya get this def, from a comic book? You can't discriminate a "thing" based on race, age, or sex. I'm done here~I don't argue silliness!

What a stupid thing to say. Firstly how gets a definition out of a comic book. Where have you ever even seen a definition in a comic book. Secondly, you shoul notice that the definition says esp. which means especially, which means most of the time, not all the time. So yes you are correct that you can't discriminate a thing based on age or sex or race. But you can discriminate against fords because you had a bad mustang, or you can discriminate against Sony because you tv had a bad picture, and you can discriminate against pit bulls because poor owners raise dogs that lash out.

But sice you want to play that game hears dictionary.com's definition of discrimination

2. treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or THING based on the group, class, or CATEGORY to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit

So I'm done here~I don't argue stupidity

@August Lady. That definition is from the top of the Google search page. Link: https://www.google.com/search?hl=&q=discrimination+definition&sourceid=navclient-ff&rlz=1B7GGGL_enUS360US360&ie=UTF-8

You can also find a similar definition here: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/discrimination

Here is the legal definition of discrimination: http://definitions.uslegal.com/d/discrimination/

Just because you don't agree with an actual definition doesn't mean that it is silly.

@august lady - your profile states you are a good listener but right now you are not "listening." I can only imagine if we were having this conversation in real life. Would you storm out and state you won't discuss "silliness?" What DO YOU DO about BSL? Huh? What have you done to make difference who think pit bulls are dangerous? Most likely your answer is nothing because you think it's silly. I like to get the last word in because I don't argue with DUMB.

August Lady you seem to be making a case that animals made homeless and made without a family by humans are fair game when used as a device in an ad that suggests it is they who cannot be trusted.

Or do I misrepresent your views?

Or do I misrepresent your views?

Yeah, you do!

"I like to get the last word in because I don't argue with DUMB."

Neither do I!

Still trying to figure out how this isn't discrimination August Lady. It is bias against a particular breed of dog. They intentially used the pit bull breed and fed off the public fear of that breed. There is a reason they didn't use chihuahua or poodle, and that is because the public does not generally discriminate against those breeds.

You people get real~all the important stuff in this world & you take issue with a McDonald's ad~it not only displays your cluelessness (& lack of context of word usage!) , but your IQ as well!

And, Ms. Casey, you should be thanking me~if it wasn't for me getting this post started, well...I'm done, post all the BS you want~I've heard enough!

I may be mistaken, but I believe that I was the one who started this post by writing the article above. I would like to give some thanks here.

Thanks to Lori Richardson for bringing this matter to my attention.
Thanks to ABKC for standing behind our beloved breed.
Thanks to the American Bully community for supporting our breed.
Thanks to Chelsea Hoffman for letting me know about Gather.
Thanks to everyone on here who contributed tidbits of useful information.
Thanks to every pit bull or American Bully owner who practices responsible dog ownership in order to stand united against BSL and discrimination against our breed.

Ditzi, I started the thread~that's how most posts get commented here on Gather, because members see something they want to respond to, or they get their flunkie friends to comment like you did.

Bahahahahaha... I love how this woman is calling us dumb and attacking our intelligence yet does not even know the meaning of the word "discrimination" or how to use it properly.

August Lady, I understand that you want to take credit here, but how can you take credit for an article you don't understand? Personally, I think this article would have done just fine without you announcing to the world that you don't understand what discrimination means.

Danny, way off topic here, but the way you wrote your post, you remind me of my brother in law. He bahahahahahas a lot in response to posts on his FB page. =)

I've never gotten the runs from cuddling my dog.

I haven't either!

company's CEO Jim Skinner issues a real apology of more than 160 characters for that horrible McDonalds pit bull ad.
this is kiddish!

There are international organizations calling for much more than this. Some people want an apology and a donation to pit bull rescues. American Bully owners are very passionate about stopping the unfair classification of this breed.

A generic apology isn't good enough. McDonald's really should issue a formal apology that accepts responsibility for the ad. As it stands, they are blaming an outside ad company for the ad. They acknowledge that they paid for the ad, but claim they didn't approve the ad. Sounds fishy to me.

The American Bully community does support many causes. Donations have been made to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, which makes this ad a slap in the face to the American Bully community. McDonalds accepts money from us and then downs our dogs....that is just wrong!

Another big cause that we support is Make a Wish. We have kennel owners and show handlers working with Make a Wish to help children with cancer.

I stated that "some people" want a donation, and that is the truth. I have seen a lot of posts on my Facebook wall asking for McDonald's to make a donation to a pit bull rescue.

Wow Kara really? What dog is used in Dog Fighting? What is usually the bait dog? What dog is there an overabundance in shelters because idiots breed them? What dog in some states cannot be rescued without a 501c3 approved rescue to get them out? Define BSL. Kara look at this picture - if this doesn't affect you in some way, you really need more help than just supporting cancer. http://fortheloveofthedogblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/gas_dog.jpg BTW, your cancer orgs, more goes to the CEOs of them actually curing the disease - they WON"T cure it because then the orgs will go under. That's a fact.

Susan G. Komen only puts 24% of the money they raise toward research. Check out the breakdown on the organization's website....

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discrimination

quit paying so much attention to commercials.

Really!

(Quit trolling. Really!)

2010 Dog Bite Fatalities
33 U.S. fatal dog attacks occurred in 2010. Despite being regulated in Military Housing areas and over 650 U.S. cities, pit bulls led these attacks accounting for 67% (22). Pit bulls make up approximately 5% of the total U.S. dog population.3
In 2010, the combination of pit bulls (22) and rottweilers (4) accounted for 79% of all fatal attacks. In the 6-year period from 2005 to 2010, this same combination accounted for 71% (129) of the total recorded deaths (181).

The combined breakdown between the two breeds is substantial. From 2005 to 2010, pit bulls killed 104 Americans, about one citizen every 21 days, versus rottweilers, which killed 25 Americans, about one citizen every 88 days.
2010 data shows that 61% (20) of the attacks occurred to children (11 years and younger) and 39% occurred to adults. Of the children, 75% (15) occurred to ages 4 and younger. Within this same age group, males represented 60% of the victims.
2010 data also shows that 33% (11) of the fatal incidents involved multiple dogs.4 Nearly a third, 30% (10), involved breeding on the dog owner's property either actively or in the recent past, and 9% (3) involved chained dogs.
Dog ownership information for 2010 shows that family dogs comprised 73% (24) of the attacks that resulted in death; 88% (29) of these incidents occurred on the dog owner's property and 12% (4) occurred off the owner's property.
The state of California led fatalities in 2010 with 7 deaths; pit bulls contributed to 83% (6). Florida followed with 3 deaths and Georgia, Illinois, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas each had 2 deaths.

What about fatalities due to obesity? I bet those numbers are a lot larger.

I read not too long ago about a lab that attacked a 6 month old but it didnt get broadcasted over tv or radio. I love the fact that someone knows about the breed like you and doesnt speak from their ass like others not knowing anything about the breed.

There was an article in the paper up here about how a "pit bull" had attacked a child. When the dog was taken to the animal shelter for observation, the intake person noted the dog was a German Shepherd and not a pit bull at all. The owner went to the shelter to prove the dog had a rabies shot and it was a pure bred G.S. with AKC papers!

There also have been PLENTY of times where pit bulls have saved someones life and that is never published. The media for some reason wants to show these dogs as aggressive when they are just as loving and LOYAL as any other breed of dog. No one takes into consideration that it's the way that people train/raise pit bulls that cause them to be mean. And that goes for any dog as well...be it a doberman or a chihuahua, any dog can be mean if YOU make them that way.

The difference in breeds lies in the fact that there are dogs who do have a certain advantage of footpounds of pressure in their jaws. To this end, people are training them to do a particular thing. Fight, protect violently, etc. As a result of what people are training them to do, they are violent; absent that factor, they'd just be dogs, like any other dogs. As a result of their violence, they are being discriminated against. So, it's the humans. At the root of those statistics is humans. There are differences in rates of fatalities based upon one's race or gender, too, but there's a reason why those aren't cited: the stereotypes propagated by those statistics could be avoided by addressing the underlying issues: social or gender inequality, privilege, education level, nutrition, and being brought up around violence are certainly factors. Is it fair to say, however, that those groups are misrepresented by its violent members, which, in turn, have been failed by society. Be careful with what your statistics regarding pit bull attacks actually represent.

Being a Pit Bull Kennel owner and breeder, i have never had any kind of incident. I also have kids 5 and 1 and my "so called vicious pit bulls" are their best friends. This breed of dog is definately discriminated against in the wrong way and many times the "attacks" are muts that have Pit Bull in them. I can account for over 50 kennels that raise the breed and also have kids ranging in age and never have any of us had such accidents. Most of the time it is the dumb ass owners that know nothing about the breed or fight them that end up giving all the others out there like myself a bad rep for no reason. Pit Bulls are very special dogs and need alot of socializing, love, exercise, attention and care and I will no longer spend a dime at any mcdonalds until a national apology and some donations to Pit Bull rescues is made!!!

My kids are 9 months, 19 months, 3 years, 4 years and 15 years. I haven't ever had any problems at all. My kids tug on the dogs. They roll around with the dogs. They play with the dogs. In response, no dog has ever done anything that could be construed as aggressive in any way.

Of course, my dogs are all well trained, and we never leave any dog (American Bully or not) alone with the kids. Responsible dog ownership is important for every dog.

I'm not here to debate. Debating on the internet is a waste of time. I posted facts concerning this subject. Learn to deal with them.

I didn't mean to start a debate. I read your post and I know that the stats you posted are valid. I was asking a serious question. Sorry that it seemed like I wanted to debate you.

I have never denied that pit bulls can and will bite. That is true for any dog. The incidence of pit bull bites seems high when you look at those numbers; however, if you look at the number of pit bulls owned in this country compared to other dogs, a lower percentage of pits are responsible for bites than most other breeds.

In the wrong hands, any dog is dangerous. Because pit bulls are so powerful, responsible dog ownership is vital. Proper training and socialization should be required for pit bulls and every other powerful dog.

And actually Tim these stats differ by who actually takes them. So many breeds are lumped into the pit bull class that you can't actually believe even half of the stats. Not to mention the media just throwing it out there when they write or cover stories.

The number one dog reported for biting is the Lab. Did you know that? I was tore up by a lab when I was a kid.

That being said I have two pits a lab and an italian greyhound. They are dogs and any one of them could bite me. Do I worry about it? No because they are all good dogs. And have been raised to be so. That is the point that alot of us bully owners are trying to get across. Its not the dogs fault 95% of the time. It is the people that have raised them to be what they are.

You want facts? Look at the numbers. The American Temperament Testing Society tested 804 pit bulls in 2011 - only 109 failed for a pass rate of 86.4 percent compared to the average of ALL the other breeds at 77 percent.

That's a factual sampling of dogs presented for the survey - not a skewed statistical analysis of dogs that were already under the microscope.

Not only that but the reporting methods for breed related fatality are WAYYYY off. I've never met a dog warden who could distinguish a purebred Catahoula Bulldog from a pit before in my life - and they're the ones fueling the stats.

You want facts? Vet (no pun intended) your sources - the National Canine Research Council is the ONLY bite reporting agency that doesn't rely on media accounts for some of the statistics.

glad to hear it hope you continue to help the pit bull breed get praised for good things. check us out @ unleashedkennels.com

The fact a pit bull-type dogs pass the ATTS proves ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! Within the past few weeks, rescue pit bulls in Arkansas, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Tennessee attacked and badly injured four children and an 18-year-old woman. All five of these dogs had passed the ATTS with flying colors and been assessed by reputable (LOL!) pit bull rescue organizations as safe for adoption. Yet all five of these monsters attacked and attempted to kill someone.

And other breeds have bitten people as well. Remember the news reporter whose face was attacked? NOT a pit bull. In another event, a German shepherd attacked a woman. In yet another event, two Lab mixes tag teamed a child. It is all how the dog is raised and socialized. It isn't the breed. That is like saying that a certain race of people is dangerous just because of their race. Punish the deed not the breed for humans, dogs and other creatures.

Citations section documents each source used in our dog bite-related fatality research.

2011 statistics
31 U.S. fatal dog attacks occurred in 2011. Despite being regulated in Military Housing areas and over 650 U.S. cities, pit bulls led these attacks accounting for 71% (22). Pit bulls make up less than 5% of the total U.S. dog population.2
Notably in 2011, adult victims of fatal pit bull attacks more than doubled the number of child victims. Of the 22 total pit bull victims, 68% (15) fell between the ages of 32 to 76, and 32% (7) were ages 5 years and younger.
The year 2011 also marks an increase in pet pit bulls killing their owners. Of the 8 total instances this year in which a family dog inflicted fatal injury to its primary caretaker, the dog's owner, 88% (7) involved pet pit bulls.
Together, pit bulls (22) and rottweilers (4), the number two lethal dog breed, accounted for 84% of all fatal attacks in 2011. In the 7-year period from 2005 to 2011, this same combination accounted for 73% (156) of the total recorded deaths (213).
The breakdown between pit bulls and rottweilers is substantial over this 7-year period. From 2005 to 2011, pit bulls killed 127 Americans,3 about one citizen every 20 days, versus rottweilers, which killed 29; about one citizen every 88 days.
Annual data from 2011 shows that 58% (18) of the attacks occurred to adults (21 years and older) and 42% (13) occurred to children (11 years and younger). Of the children, 62% (8) occurred to ages 1 and younger.
2011 data also shows that 39% (12) of the fatal incidents involved more than one dog; 26% (8) involved breeding on the dog owner's property either actively or in the recent past, and 6% (2) involved tethered dogs, down from 9% in 2010 and 19% in 2009.
Dog ownership information for 2011 shows that family dogs comprised 65% (20) of the attacks that resulted in death; 74% (23) of all incidents occurred on the dog owner's property and 29% (9) resulted in criminal charges, up from 15% in 2010.
The states of California and Texas led fatalities in 2011, each with 4 deaths; pit bulls and their mixes contributed to 88% (7) of the 8 deaths. North Carolina, New Mexico, South Carolina and Virginia each incurred 2 deaths.

In 2011, one fatality involved dogs from up to four different dog breeds,4 thus producing a "death credit" total of 33 rather than 31. Up to seven dog breeds contributed to one death: Alaskan malamute, American bulldog, "bulldog" (American or English not specified), cane corso, doberman pinscher, German shepherd and Japanese akita.

How do they know it was a pit mix? Or do they just throw that out there for the extra attention for the media. Do they list what they were mixed with? Lab, Golden Retriever, Poodle. Why would they that wouldn't make the news. I hope that you see my point?

Bite-related Fatalities in the United States



1988

1

Labrador Retriever (1) (100%)



2001

3

Presa canario (1) (33.33%)
Unknown Strays (1) (33.33%)

Pit Bull (1) (33.33%)



2002

2

German Shepherd (1) (50%) Rottweiler (1) (50%)



2003

8

Pit bull-type (4) (50%)



2004

8

3 Pit bull-type one Pit bull/Labrador Retriever mix (4) (50%)



2005

29

Pit Bull (12) (39%)

Rottweiler (6) (21%)



2006

29

Pit Bull (12) (40%)

Rottweiler (9) (31%)



2007

34

Pit Bull (15) (41%)

Rottweiler (4) (12%)



2008

23

Pit Bull (11) (43%)

Husky (3) (13%)



2009

30

Pit Bull (11) (32%)

Rottweiler (4) (13%)



2010

32

Pit Bull (18) (53%)

Rottweiler (4) (12%)



2011

12

Pit Bull or "Pit bull type" (7) (58%)

Rottweiler (2) (16.66%)

pit bull type doesnt count as a purebred pit bull therefore those stats dont count! a purebred pit bull is easy to distinguish from a mut

Also if you take note to where most of the deaths have occurred it is where the largest number of fighting rings are being found. These dogs have probably been damaged by their owners. See how they are treated and see how a human would become if they were treated the same way. Kind of like our soldiers that are messed up after being on the front lines in war. Until we get the owners under control these stats will never be accurate. Because of the strength and athletisism of the pits they are the dog of choice for the fighting ring. When trained to kill that is what they are going to do whether they want to or not.

Congratulations on owning a well behaved pit bull. Your breed of dog is still prone to aggression. I'm not sure when well researched statistics were no longer considered facts.

Please see this page about the temperament about the American Pit Bull Terrier. A higher percentage of APBTs passed the temperament test than Chihuahuas, Lhasa Apsos and many other breeds.

Any dog that isn't properly trained is dangerous.

10% of the entire dog population in the US is labeled as "pit bull"... if even the smallest percentage of them attack people its still going to look unbalanced compared to other breeds. True fact, based on population estimations - on a dog by dog basis you are more likely to be seriously bit by a chow

Maybe we should focus on the breeders/owners of the pit bulls who belong to these statistics and see how they raised their pets. I know many a pit bull and I have NEVER seen aggression towards humans. They have a high prey drive, but not bloodthirsty ways towards humans.

That is exactly what I see. I breed American Bullies. I have never had one of the puppies off my yard classified as dangerous. One of the puppies from my yard is used to help people with a fear of dogs to get over the fear. He is also used to show how nice dogs who are properly trained can be.

Our dogs are Canine Good Citizens. They are tested annually to ensure they meet or exceed the requirements. They get along with other dogs. The only exception to this is if we have a female in heat...then the boys get a little aggressive toward one another. Even then, we haven't ever had an attack.

If the breeder starts to socialize the dog with humans and other animals, that helps the dog out tremendously. If the owner keeps up that socialization, there really isn't a problem. The big problem here is backyard breeders. I wrote a blog post about the problem on one of my websites. Here is the link to that: http://www.americanbullyconnection.com/2012/01/in-last-post-i-wrote-about.html

well some of my comments were deleted. i guess ive been in this so long and i know so much about the breed that it makes others feel dumb when trying to discuss something they know nothing about unless they use some lame ass stats that were considered pit bulls and were mixed breeded muts! simply put i have the top 3rd dog in the nation right now for weightpulling so youve never seen strong until youve seen him. he is easily capable of pulling over 7k with no struggling involved and ive had over 15 at one time male and female together with out ever having any kind of incident. and as i said before ive got over 50 kennels right now that can say the same.

Colleen, I am the only one besides admin that can delete comments here. I haven't deleted any since the discussion started. If any were deleted, it would show that some were deleted at the top of the comments section. I think that there is a lag right now for comments because some of mine haven't showed up yet.

You have some great looking dogs. We are in the process of rebuilding our breeding program. Check us out http://www.bluestunnakennels.com.

Dog Bite Statistics



At our law firm, we believe that safety comes first. We’ve gathered together these dog bite stats to help you understand more about dangerous dog behavior and how to prevent dog bites. With over 60 million dogs in the United States, it’s it’s important to understand how nearly five million people in the US get bitten by dogs every year.

Unlike drunk driving statistics or other accident stats, there aren’t many regulated organizations in charge of gathering dog bite statistics and sharing them with the public. Our law firm has done our very best to collect the most accurate information on dog attacks, dog bite deaths, and more. However, the majority of these statistics have been gathered by individuals and private organizations, so understand that these figures are not always government certified or scientifically obtained.

Finally, it’s important to remember that dog bite prevention, first and foremost, comes down to the dog owner. Owners are the ones responsible for following leash laws and other legal restrictions that help keep people safe and stop dangerous dog attacks before they happen.

Dangerous Dog Breed Statistics

Analyzing a sampling of press accounts from Canada and the USA during 1982-2007, researchers pinpointed the dog breeds that are most likely to cause death or serious injury. This research study concluded that, unlike any other breed of dog, Pitbulls attacked adults almost as often as they attacked children. The researchers found that Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and Wolf-Dog Hybrids combined to account for:
• 77% of attacks that caused bodily harm to the injured dog bite victims.
• 73% of attacks that harmed children.
• 83% of attacks that injured adults.
• 70% of attacks that resulted in death.
• 77% of attacks that maimed the dog attack victims.

Another study looked at data obtained from incidents where victims were mauled by dogs during 1982-2006 and found that Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, Perro de Presa Canario, and their mixes caused 65% of the dog bite deaths during that time period in the United States.

Some sources claim that the six types of dogs commonly identified as the most dangerous or vicious dog breeds are Akitas, Chow-Chows, Doberman Pinschers, Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and Wolf-Dog Hybrids.

Another study looked at a selection of 88 dog attacks from 2006-2008 in the United States, with results ranging from recoverable injuries to death. Of those incidents, it was found that:
• Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and American Bulldogs were responsible for 77% of all deaths.
• Pit Bulls were responsible for 59% of all deaths.
• Pit Bulls killed more adults than children.

Dog Bite Victim Statistics
• Out of the almost five million people bitten by dogs every year in the United States, close to 900,000 require medical attention. Nearly 400,000 of those people are seriously injured by dog bites.
• Over 31,000 people underwent reconstructive surgery in 2006 due to dog attacks.
• People are most often harmed by dogs that they live with. As the number of dogs kept in the home increases, so does the risk of dog bites. Adults living with two or more dogs are five times more likely to be bitten by a dog than those without dogs at home.
• Adult males are more likely to be bitten by a dog than adult females.
• Some studies have found that, among all ages of children, the rate of dog bite accidents is highest for those between the ages of 5-9.
• Children are more likely than adults to require medical attention for their dog bite injuries.
• In the US, the most frequent victims of dog bite attacks are:
1. Children
2. The Elderly
3. Postal Service Carriers

• Dog bite victims account for as much as 5% of all emergency room visits in the United States.
• For older dog bite stats and more, please visit the dog bite statistics page on our Dog Bite Legal Center.

Large buckets and young children can be a deadly combination. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has received reports of over 275 young children who have drowned in buckets since 1984

So why aren't you posting stats on the evil of buckets

And if you don't want to debate on the internet, you want to what, post your point of view or statistics without having them addressed? Don't trot your high horse through here if you can't take a challenge.

Well here are a few more facts for you. For more facts and myths about the pit bull breed you can visit the American Humane Association's website.
In a professional study of overall temperament on over 100 breeds, Pit Bulls scored higher then some common family dogs such as poodles, beagles and collies.

I am a professional dog trainer and have worked with hundreds of stray dogs of many many breeds. I have never come across a dog that was just blatantly aggressive. Any issue can be traced back to the human involved and any bite can be avoided if you are properly educated about even simple dog behavior. Even if you are being charged by a stray dog (I get charged almost everyday when I walk my dogs through my neighborhood), I don't see any reason other than your wrong move as to why you may be bit. The only dog that I have ever come across in my years of working with dogs that couldn't be helped as far as his biting and aggression goes, was a rat terrier at the shelter I worked at. It ended up that the dog had a tumor in his throat that was very painful and was allowed to grow out of control.
I have seen more dogs from the sporting group (i.e. Retrievers and Spaniels) develope aggression issues since they are originally bred for very active/ high energy jobs and usually just end up as a backyard or house pet with limited exercise.
No breed is more aggressive then another and it is not a pit bulls fault that we bred them to be very strong and muscular dogs.
I am glad there are those that don't believe myths and everything they are told and read amd actually see for themselves. There is no point in arguing with some body who thinks Pit Bulls are aggressive as they will not change their mind until they know the breed personally.

Oh, just a little ending note... remember the Mike Vick dog fighting kennel bust? Many of those dogs were rehabilitated and are living with families and are actually serving as therapy dogs.

Oh and you only listed percentages of those dogs that are being stereotyped against... What made up the rest of the percentages?

It has been accepted that dog bites have become too frequent and too violent to be ignored. The statistics support the view, first articulated by Attorney Kenneth Phillips in 1999, that there exists a "dog bite epidemic" in the United States. There are differences of opinion, however, as to which dogs are too dangerous, with some members of the public even refusing to accept that there is any such thing as a "dangerous dog." Upon close look, the debate often is about how to talk about and deal with dangerous dogs and their owners, and will remain inconclusive until basic agreement can be reached about the nature, quality and scope of information about dog attacks.

The most-cited nationwide survey of dog bites is now 15 years old. It established that in the mid-1990s there were approximately 4.7 million dog bites in the USA per year. Since that time, there is evidence that the number of bites has grown faster than the number of dogs. (Unless otherwise noted, see Statistics for details about all of the figures quoted in this section.)

For example, in the 1980s and 1990s there were about 17 fatalities in the USA per year, but the years 2006 through 2010 saw more than 30 per year. These incidents are referred to as "canine homicides," meaning deaths of humans that were inflicted by dogs. Although homicides are extremely rare, they are significant because they are investigated closely, and a good amount of detail often is reported, enabling experts to form opinions about a variety of issues pertaining to dog bites.

The most recent dog bite study was conducted by physicians and consisted of a review of 82 cases at a level 1 trauma center. Where the breed of dog was identified, the researchers concluded that attacks by pit bulls are associated with higher morbidity rates, higher hospital charges, and a higher risk of death than are attacks by other breeds of dogs. Bini, John K. MD; Cohn, Stephen M. MD; Acosta, Shirley M. RN, BSN; McFarland, Marilyn J. RN, MS; Muir, Mark T. MD; Michalek, Joel E. PhD; for the TRISAT Clinical Trials Group, Mortality, Mauling, and Maiming by Vicious Dogs, Annals of Surgery (April 2011, Vol. 253, Issue 4, pp. 791–797).

The website DogsBite.org is a thorough, up-to-date source of news and opinion about bite cases and death cases involving dogs. It's 3-year study of such incidents concluded that from 2006 to 2008, pit bull type dogs killed 52 Americans and accounted for 59% of all fatal attacks, and that pit bulls and rottweilers (combined) accounted for 73% of these deaths.

Along the same lines, a report by Animal People found that, of 264 canine homicides from 1982 to 2006 in the USA and Canada, a total of 65% of the deaths were caused by pit bulls, Rottweilers, Presa Canarios and their mixes. (Merritt Clifton, Dog Attack Deaths and Maimings, US and Canada, September 1982 to November 13, 2006, click here to download.) An older study published in the Journal of Pediatrics reported 109 fatalities from 1989 to 1994 in the US, with 37% inflicted by pit bulls and Rottweilers. (Sacks JJ, Lockwood R, Hornreich J, Sattin RW. Fatal dog attacks, 1989-1994. Pediatrics 1996; 97:891-5.)

The foregoing studies establish that pit bulls and Rottweilers clearly are dangerous if judged by the damage that they inflict when they attack people. (Footnote 1.) It should be noted, however, that an apparently exhaustive study of canine homicides arrived at entirely different conclusions, and made a strong case that "addressing the issue of severe and fatal dog attacks as a breed specific problem is akin to treating the symptom and not the disease." Karen Delise, Fatal Dog Attacks: The Stories Behind the Statistics, 2002, self published (apparently no longer available), and The Pit Bull Placebo.

Because of the perception that certain breeds are inherently dangerous, many Americans are of the opinion that these breeds need to be eliminated. That also has been the view of many segments of industry and other nations. The insurance industry and airline industry have attempted to exclude certain breeds because of their potential for harm, and a number of European nations have banned certain breeds of dog. (See Breed Specific Laws.) The courts have confirmed that certain breeds are inherently dangerous, although the legal result of having a dangerous dog is inconsistent from case to case and state to state. Many state legislatures have issued declarations that establish there is an epidemic but have not put the responsibility on any one breed. (Footnote 2.) There are many who even have begun to fear that dogs generally may someday be judged unfit to be our companions.

A close look at the dispute over dangerous dogs, however, leads to the conclusion that the disagreement often is about how we talk about them, what makes them dangerous, and how we should curtail the danger. Many believe that we should not talk about a dog as being dangerous, but rather the owner being dangerous. Others say that no breed is inherently dangerous, and that we should regard a dog as dangerous only if it has behaved in a dangerous manner. Many strongly resist any proposed solution that would involve any distinction whatsoever among the breeds. The approach advocated by Attorney Kenneth Phillips and most experts is multi-focal, in recognition of the fact that there are many causes of the dog bite epidemic, requiring many corrective measures. (See Preventing Dog Bites.)

The debate about dangerous dogs will not end until there is some agreement as to the nature, quality and scope of information about dog attacks. The diversity of opinion among the experts is based in great part upon disagreements about which studies, data collection methods, and other fundamentals are reliable. Until the basic facts are resolved, the conclusions will be different and the arguments will continue.













Last Updated on Sunday, August 14, 2011

your dogsbite.org site is pathetic... so is their research, I say that as a statistician not a dog owner. Their results all include an extremely visible bias, statistics shouldn't have a bias... and not in a single location do they mention overall population sizes which allows for an extremely skewed view, especially when you consider that the "pit bull" breed out numbers just about any other breed 5 to 1.

Timmy, do you need a hug? Clearly at this point you're just writing for the sake of writing. Have you ever had any interaction with a trained and loved pitt? They are incredibly affectionate. My pity was attacked by two off leash bulldogs and he didn't even nip or growl at them. His tail was wagging because he thought they were running up to play with him. Like any other dog, it's how they are raised. So throw around all the statistics s you want. You might think it makes you sound knowledgeable, but quite frankly, it makes you sound ignorant. I can provide you with a definition of that if you like....

Dog Attack Deaths and Maimings, U.S. & Canada, September 1982 to December 26, 2011

By compiling U.S. and Canadian press accounts between 1982 and 2011,1 Merritt Clifton, editor of Animal People, shows the breeds most responsible for serious injury and death.


Download Study
Download 30-Year Summary Report


Study highlights

The combination of pit bulls, rottweilers, their close mixes and wolf hybrids:
77% of attacks that induce bodily harm
73% of attacks to children
81% of attack to adults
68% of attacks that result in fatalities
76% that result in maiming

Discussion notes:
Even if the pit bull category was "split three ways," attacks by pit bulls and their closest relatives would still outnumber attacks by any other breed.
Pit bulls are noteworthy for attacking adults almost as frequently as children, a characteristic not shared by any other breed.
If a pit bull or rottweiler has a bad moment, instead of being bitten, often someone is maimed or killed; that has now created off-the-chart actuarial risk.

1982-2011 chart



Breed

Bodily harm

Child Victims

Adult Victims

Deaths

Maimings

% of dog population



Pit bull terrier

1970

826

687

207

1093

.033



Rottweiler

481

272

126

78

268

.003



Husky

66

41

4

22

18

.020



Wolf hybrid

84

69

5

19

48

.001



Bullmastiff (Presa canario)

76

30

28

11

44

.002



German shepherd

89

56

25

12

54

.014



German shepherd-mix

54

33

14

9

32




Pit bull-mix

130

56

31

8

74




Akita

65

42

19

8

47

.004



Chow

54

36

15

7

36

.007



Doberman

15

8

7

7

7

.007





*Chart ordered by number of deaths; includes only a portion of breeds listed in report.

Dog attack deaths and maimings, U.S. & Canada

*Chart ordered by number of deaths; includes only a portion of breeds listed in report.

While national statistics show at least 30 breeds have attacked humans, 10 dog breeds are on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s most dangerous list, meaning they tend to bite the most frequently. They are:

Pit bulls
Rottweilers
German Shepherds
Huskies
Alaskan Malamutes
Doberman Pinschers
Chow Chows
Great Danes
St. Bernards
Akitas

The breeds considered most likely to kill are pit bulls and rottweilers, and the CDC says that a chained dog is more likely to bite than an unchained dog.

The CDC also says the majority of dog attacks happen at home or in a familiar place, which is why choosing the right dog for your family is crucial.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1058122/posts

Stop posting your 'facts'. We get it. We know these things. Look beyond your facts - at the real world, where good pit bulls find homes with families and are -OMG - actually nice dogs.

these cumulation numbers are misleading. Pits may have the most overall attacks but its because of their vastly larger population.

Fatal attacks by these breeds of dogs (1979-1998):

Pit Bulls: 66

Rottweilers: 39

German Shepherds: 17

Chows: 8

dog populations (United States):

(estimation) Pit Bulls: 5,256,000

(estimation) Rottweilers: 900,000

(estimation) German Shepherds: 780,000

(estimation) Chows: 240,000

When we divide the population by the fatal attacks, we can get a percentage based on the dogs probability of fatally attacking a human.

Pit Bulls: .00125 %

Rottweilers: .00433 %

German Shepherds: .00217%

Chow: .00333%

... on an individual dog by dog basis you are more likely to get attacked by a chow.

> When we divide the population by the fatal attacks,
> we can get a percentage based on the dogs probability
> of fatally attacking a human.

So, a dog has to kill someone before he registers as dangerous?
What about all the bites and attacks. What about all the times
these dogs make people uncomfortable and intimidated in
their own neighborhoods? What about the unreported attacks,
etc.

When someone has an axe to grind like this is where they try
to make statistics lie.

I am an experienced Veterinary Technician and I have been bit by more chihuahuas than any other breed I've handled. Their mouths and teeth are almost always too small to do much damage, so you don't see many actual reports of dog bites by these little nippers.

As far as Pit Bulls and Rottweilers (and mixes) - the shape of their jaws and mouths and skulls combined make any bite, even a play bite, potentially damaging. It's a characteristic of their breed. This also encourages people to train them to be attack dogs and more often (and quite sadly) train them to fight illegally.
The dogs that are raised to be aggressive like this are often ones that are abandoned or fenced improperly, thus the large number of them on the streets.
It says nothing whatsoever for the actual breed tendencies to bite and/or kill people or animals, it's simply because of their physical characteristics that they've been doomed to a life of maltreatment.
It's so sad. However, I have never once been bit by a Pit bull, Rott, or mix. We even have a Rott of our own - and she will guard the children and our home as they grow. I have been bit by labs, chow chows, huskies, filas, and many many small 'fear biting' dogs. I'm more against those little guys than any big dog any day.
I'm not too upset about this ad - it's just an ad. It sure would be nice of McDonald's to show how sorry they are by possibly donating to a Pit Rescue.....
I'm just upset at some people. Don't just believe numbers on a piece of paper. Look at the hard physical evidence of good Pitbulls and Rottweilers living in good homes every day their whole lives. It's not the breed. It's what they're used and abused for.

Gather needs a LIKE button! I see quite a few posts on here I would love to 'Like'. OK, I am off to bed for the night. Everyone play nice. I will check comments in the morning.

What Are the Ten Most Dangerous Dog Breeds? Legal Rights of the Dog Bite Victim in Florida


All dogs have the potential to be dangerous; however, some breeds are believed to be more dangerous than others. Certain breeds of canines are extremely large and can be stronger than the average person. Proper care and training can significantly impact a dog's personality, but some dogs are inherently more aggressive than others. After extensive research and analysis by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the CDC, and the Humane Society of the United States, a top-ten most dangerous dog breeds has been compiled.

Below is this list from least to most dangerous breeds:

10. Dalmatian. - These dogs are extremely protective and can be very aggressive towards humans.
9. Boxer. - Boxers are not aggressive by nature, but they are very headstrong and, therefore, can be difficult to train.
8. Presa Canario. - These dogs were originally bred to herd and fight with cattle. Attacks by these dogs have been described as hopeless for their victims. These guardian-breed dogs have man-stopping ability and a complete lack of fear.
7. Chow Chow. - If poorly bred, these dogs can be highly aggressive - they need constant reinforcement.
6. Doberman Pinschers. - These dogs are great guard dogs; however, if provoked they can be extremely aggressive. A doberman will typically attack if it believes that its property or family is in danger.
5. Alaskan Malamutes. - Very energetic and active by nature, this breed needs a lot of exercise to avoid becoming destructive.
4. Huskies. - A 2000 study of fatal dog bites revealed that 15 of these bites were caused by the Huskey-type canine.
3. German Shepherds. These dogs are known for their fearlessness and confidence.
2. Rottweilers. The territorial instincts of this breed makes them very aggressive dogs.
1. Pit Bulls. - Pit bulls are fearless breeds. Their attacking tactic is to lock their jaws until their opponent is dead. This breed is highly sought for dog fighting and are known for mauling people to death.

Although dogs can make great pets, it is important to know a dog's inherent nature and how to deal with them - especially if they are going to be around children. If you would like more information on these canines please see Top ten dangerous dog breeds.




Posted by David A. Wolf | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Dogs / Dog Bites / Animals / Pets

Learn about the most dangerous breeds of dogs, which are comprised of pit bull terriers, the fighting breed derivatives and ancestors of pit bull terriers, rottweilers and wolf hybrids.













Pit bull terrier

Pit bull terrier

Pit bull terrier

Rottweiler


Which breeds are they?

Pictured are the two most deadly dog breeds in America: pit bull terriers and rottweilers. Research from DogsBite.org shows that during the 7-year period from 2005 to 2011, these two breeds accounted for 73% of the total recorded fatal attacks.1 By compiling U.S. and Canadian press accounts between 1982 and 2011, a report by Animal People shows that pit bulls (215) and rottweilers (81) and their mixes accounted for 64% of the total recorded fatal attacks (466).2

It is important to point out that fatal dog attacks committed by pit bulls and their mixes more than doubles the attacks inflicted by rottweilers. It is well documented by experts3 and humane groups4 that pit bulls pose a substantial danger due to their selective breeding for dogfighting. Unlike other dog breeds, pit bulls frequently fail to communicate intention prior to an attack (surprise attacks); possess a lethal bite style (hold and shake) and a ruinous manner of attack (gameness).

Additional materials

http://www.pluspets.net/top-10-dangerous-dog-breeds/

Number of deaths for leading causes of death

Heart disease: 599,413
Cancer: 567,628
Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 137,353
Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 128,842
Accidents (unintentional injuries): 118,021
Alzheimer's disease: 79,003
Diabetes: 68,705
Influenza and Pneumonia: 53,692
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 48,935
Intentional self-harm (suicide): 36,909


That's the top ten. Since you have the facts on your side, where do Pits fall under these? as opposed to, let's say, being struck by lightning?

That is a good point! Let's look at the list. McDonald's chicken bits are fried. Fried foods can lead to obesity, high cholesterol and other health problems, which can lead to heart disease....#1 on this list. Obesity can also cause strokes, diabetes, accidents due to a decrease in coordination, and depression that can lead to suicide.

So because pit bull attacks are not leading cause of death they are unimportant … I now see the kind of irrational reasoning that makes pit bull owners so anti-social. How silly and misguided.

I don't think that they are unimportant at all. I advocate responsible dog ownership for every breed. I also advocate educating the public about dealing with any dog.

I am not anti-social at all. I am a very laid back person who is willing to consider anyone's opinion of any issue. I just happen to like a breed of dog that is very controversial. I like to root for the underdog sometimes. =)

You DO realize that Twitter is one of the easiest ways to target a huge audience, right? And really, what more should they say? You expect him to go into a huge diatribe on how bad he was, and beg forgiveness? Be glad they apologized at all!

I can honestly say, an apology is not good enough for such ignorance and over 65 kennels i know have now stopped eating at mcdonalds bc of the stupid ad giving pit bulls a bad rep when we are trying to keep them in the good. the breed is more than just that it is a true loving, loyal, energetic, intelligent dog that isnt given a chance by many ignorant people such as some of you posting on here. come to my next weightpull competition to see true working dogs that are beyond powerful but also big teddy bears

It seems ignorance is running amok in our country. If the saying "ignorance is bliss" is true, there are a lot of happy people around here. LOL!

You make some good points, Colleen. The last time I checked, the page that Lori Richardson started had over 450 Likes.

You never countered my position Casey. Twitter is perhaps the biggest, most accessible source for personal and professional opinions in the world. How much more of an apology do you want? What would it change? The fact that they even acknowledged it publicly, and apologized at that, on such a huge forum should be more than enough.

I would like more than just a nameless tweet. A formal apology....

Alligators usually don't take kindly to hand petting either. (Nor are they much on Big Macs!) That sorta evens things out don't it?
Ya gotta kinda use common sense around these things! One will bite the crap out of you, while the other...

I think one of the biggest problems here is that McDonald's has accepted donations from the American Bully community and then turn around and speak ill of the very dogs that enabled those donations. In my opinion, that is a slap in my face. My donations will be funneled elsewhere until McDonald's accepts responsibility for the ad and issues a formal apology.

Your comment wasn't productive at all, Kara K. I have personally donated more than $5 to the Ronald McDonald House Charities on behalf of my kennel. Just because you can only afford a $5 donation doesn't mean that is all the American Bully community can afford.

A few months ago, the American Bully community here held a benefit BBQ and made a hefty donation to the RMHC. We had another planned for March, but after this ad, those of us who run the benefit have opted to donate the proceeds to a charity that helps the families of hospitalized children with any need they may have from gas cards to lodging and help paying bills.

@Kara: I'll bet you do your walk for Susan Komen, and are the first on the list for the Mattel Bald Barbie (I think I saw your name on that page) because you think that it will cure cancer. That's a good one. This is NOT Trivial. What they did was wrong and adds to the misconception that Pit Bulls are killers. Kind of like how the book jaws called GWS man eaters (YOu know jaws was a book before a movie right?). The pit bulls don't have a an org like "Susan G Komen" to educate the public (which is all they do and the initial reason of why it was set up). BTW, that's ALL that org does. Nothing more.

Why has there not been one mention of the rise in popularity of Pits among a certain culture (not race, CULTURE)? Over the last 15 years Pit Bulls have been touted by rap artists as the "cool" breed to have and raise as tough fighting dogs (Michael Vick anyone?). This has led to a huge increase in the overall Pit population, and thereby an increase in the number of attacks. So, as has been stated on this thread numerous times, it's about raising ANY breed responsibly.
Just thought this worth mentioning.

Exactly! I know a 5-lb dog named King that has more of an aggressive behavior than my 105-lb male American Bully. Why? The owner of the dog doesn't socialize the dog and hasn't trained the dog at all. Responsible dog ownership is what is necessary.

Had the ad said "a stray dog" it probably wouldn't have been that big of a deal. Strays are sometimes nippy due to an uncertainty about humans and being hungry. In some cases, a stray is injured and scared, so those will usually be aggressive. There wasn't any need to single out one breed of dog.

> Casey Holley Feb 4, 2012, 12:50pm EST
> Exactly! I know a 5-lb dog named King that has more
> of an aggressive behavior than my 105-lb male American Bully.

That's a little like claiming a squirt gun is more dangerous than a real gun because it gets used more. Nippy is not ripping someone's face off and killing them.

That is a good point. Let's try this one. Last week, a German Shepherd seriously injured a child in Florida. The child is still in ICU. It didn't make mainstream media, probably because it wasn't a pit bull. I bring this up because back before pits and rotts were under fire, German Shepherds were the bad dog. Now, those dogs are used as police dogs.

When police departments first started using the GS as a police dog, they had a lot of resistance from the public. They soon proved that with the proper training and in the proper hands, the dogs are fine.

I understand that you, like Timothy, feel strongly about this issue. As I said to him, I admire your conviction. I think we should just agree to disagree about this and move on to other topics of conversation around Gather. =)

Think of the part of dogs that we would think of as being a threat as being made up of several parts, the attitude, temperament and physical power.

If you created a chart you could find areas of the graph where there is risk that you can do something about, and that is needless, and there is risk that cannot be avoided, for example banning all dogs is not going to happen no matter what one dog does.

The thing is a non-linear and randomly noisy generator in Pit Bulls. At any time their power gives them the abilty to cause fatal damage. Also given their genetic unstability, which may be relatively small but it is high in comparison to other dogs and it is unpredictable and people's lives are dependent on them.

I'm just trying to explain why I think the two factors in a Pit Bull's make-up combine in a non-additive way to make the more unpredictable and how combined with that unpredictability the power behind a Pit Bull when it is misdirected is something very important to consider. What are the risks to people from Pit Bulls, what the effects of having them around, and what is the reason everyone else should have to put up with them when there are all kinds of other dogs around that do not have this issue.

I just rescued two pits from death at the NYC shelter on Tuesday and they are the most loving, loyal and sweet dogs you've ever seen. I owned a pit before but she died and I decided to rescue these two. One is perfectly trained and loves to give kisses and loves everybody.

In the right hands, a pitbull makes an excellent dog. This ad really disturbs me because these dogs are being shown to be aggressive killers, when they're not. In fact, I'm almost positive that the other one I rescued was a bait dog. She's shy and timid and not at all aggressive even though she's been through hell! So that just goes to show how forgiving these dogs can be. They are not mean or out to kill or bite people. They are really good dogs with a lot of love to give!

Glad to hear such a positive pit bull rescue story! I know how loving these dogs are. =)

Yes, I am SO glad I saved them -- just hours before they were to be killed. They are perfect and have so much love to give!

to help the one that is shy, take her around people as much as possible and give her tons of praise when she lets them pet her. even if you have to start out with treats and slowly wing her off of them the more comfortable she gets around people

Casey, I am officially following you on your blog now. I'm Michelle K. I completely respect you (and also agree with you), this post, the points you made and what you said on your blog.

Thanks for the feedback, Michelle! I got really tired of people trying to spread a lot of bad information about this breed. I spoke to my husband and he agreed that the A.B.C. was a good idea. We are going to open it up to other kennels soon. We have some in the U.S. as well as Thailand and a few other countries interested in joining.

If you ever have a topic you would like covered on the blog, just leave a message there or email me at webmaster@bluestunnakennels.com. =)

Thanks, Casey.

I have a friend who has a pit bull mix. The dog is the NICEST and most loyal dog. I have a chihuahua/ toy fox terrier mix, and I thought it might be fun to take the dogs on a walk together when I first got her. His pit bull mix was TERRIFIED of my 15 lb dog because she GROWLED at the pit. I couldn't get the dogs together much after that and finally gave up because my dog kept scaring the pit.

And I don't understand why some people are so offended that some of us want to boycott McDonalds because of this ad and the limited responsibility they take for it. I have boycotted Petland and have encouraged my friends to do so for years because of their sales of puppy mill dogs. It's my choice. Is Petland still doing fine without me? Yup. Do I feel better because I don't contribute to the horrors of puppy mills? Yup. Same goes for McDonalds. They'll do fine without me. Do I feel better because I don't contribute money to an organization that has betrayed one of their donors? Yup. I also feel better because I am not contributing to the perpetuation of a stereotype of a breed of dog. I'm not saying everyone has to agree with me. If the ad didn't bother them, they should feel free to eat at McDonalds. If puppy mills don't bother people, they should continue to purchase at Petland. I choose to boycott organizations that perpetuate behaviors and stereotypes I don't want to perpetuate. I would expect others to do the same with whatever issues they feel strongly about.

Very hot topic here. Lots of anger to go around. Why so passionate? You love 'em or you hate 'em. I don't hate the dog. It is not their fault, but they are vicious and it is a proven fact.

Carol, statements like yours are exactly the type of thing people are trying to prevent. "They are vicious"? Is every Pit Bull vicious? No. It's called stereotyping, we shouldn't do it with humans or animals.
And please, where are these proven facts you speak of?

When dogs were first domesticated thousands of years ago, they were barely different from their wolf cousins that roamed free in the wild. Early peoples seized on the aggressive and predatory nature of dogs and created the first guard dogs. These dogs evolved into the hundreds of different breeds that exist today, but even the most passive and well-adjusted canine retains the instincts of their primitive ancestors.

Some modern dogs were specifically bred to combine their aggressive tendencies with powerful muscular structures inherent in many canines. Dogs such as mastiffs, pit bulls, rottweilers, and bull dogs were bred for hunting, war, protection, livestock defense, and fighting, and these breeds remain popular to this day. Many people want a dog for personal protection, but unfortunately they do not take the proper care to train and discipline their dog for this purpose, erroneously believing the dog is simply a natural anti-theft system.

The five most popular vicious guard dogs in America are:

Doberman Pinscher: Bred as guard dogs in Germany, these dogs are common in the hands of police departments and protection units.

German Shepard: These extremely popular working dogs are used by police and security departments around the world.

Rottweiler: This ancient breed, first developed during the Roman Empire, was used to herd and protect cattle and other livestock as the legions marched.

Bull Mastiff: This canine is extremely powerful and vicious, and does not get along well with other breeds or people it does not know.

American Pit Bull: This notoriously vicious dog is responsible for the most human deaths of any other dog in America.
It is important to note that four of the top 10 deadliest breeds – Pit Bulls (1), Rottweilers (2), German Shepards (3), and Dobermans (7) – are popular guard dogs as well.

Vicious dogs are a danger to human safety and owners have a responsibility to keep their pets from inflicting pain and suffering upon others. If you or someone you know was attacked by a vicious dog you need to consult a dog bite attorney immediately. You may be entitled to financial compensation for your traumatic experience, but if you hesitate the statute of limitations in your area could end your case before it has a chance to begin. Let a dedicated and compassionate dog bite attorney help you get the answers and the restitution you deserve today.

http://www.pluspets.net/top-10-dangerous-dog-breeds/

The most dangerous dogs in the world can still be domesticated but you need a real dog lover to do that. Very stringent training is required to train dogs from such dangerous breeds. If trained improperly they become aggressive, unruly and down right dangerous. It is not like any average pet dog cannot become disobedient and indisciplined. However it is also a fact that some dog breeds are aggressive by nature and if handled badly can be life threatening.

Here is a list of the 5 most dangerous dog breeds in the world so that you choose your pet with caution.

Top 5 Most Dangerous Dogs In The World:

1. Pitt Bull: Guess who the parents of this hybrid dog are? A Pitt Bull is new dangerous breed of dogs created by cross breeding bull dogs with some of the bigger terriers. So do you expect it to be a sober friendly dog? Of course not. There is aggression in its genes and if it is not channelised properly, it can make the dog ferocious. There aggression also come out of the fact that they were the original dog fighters and it is their first instinct to attack. Only experienced dog breeders should take their chances with a Pitt Bull.

2. Rottweiler: They are basically from the German region of Rottweil and these strong dogs have traditionally been called 'butcher dogs'. Do not be mistaken, they were not use to butcher but used by butchers to pull carts of meat to the village markets. Although Rottweilers are listed in the most dangerous dogs list by many countries, they are actually very loyal dogs and most accidents happen due to improper handling.

3. German Shepherds: They are without a scope for doubt the most feared dangerous dog breeds in the world. They are usually used as sniffer dogs by the police and military forces making use of their original herding instincts. These dogs are most in demand because they are easily the most intelligent dogs around and rather expensive to breed.

4. Husky: This a Siberian snow dog that is sturdy and strong. They were originally used to pull sledges, so how well they have adapted to their new role as domestic pets is questionable. Thus their name figures in the name of aggressive dog breeds.

5. Chow Chow: A dog that looks like miniature lion can hardly be expected to be submissive. Chow Chow is a dog that is labeled unfriendly even by dog lovers because of its distant nature. They like to maintain distance with outsiders, other animals and even the family to a certain extent. This unsocial nature sometimes provokes them into aggression that can be controlled by an early dose of socialising. You need to let your Chow Chow pup mingle with other more friendly dogs.

These dogs have been described as the most dangerous dogs by world government bodies. However with proper pet training no dog is really dangerous.

> However with proper pet training no dog is really dangerous.

This is just not true. There are complexes of genes that can control dogs' bahavior and no matter how much you train them or socialize them if they have certain genetic traits they will be unpredictable and dangerous. If they are big and strong or have the wide poweful jaws of a Pit Bull they can be unpredictable, dangerous and deadly. The story so often told is that a Pit Bull had never done anything before to alert people to their danger, they never thought or expected their perfectly wonderful dog to do anything bad.

There is a very interesting documentary called "Dogs Decoded" where they talk abut the genetic traits of animals and wild animals and how certain genes influence a dogs behavior. For example, a wolf just cannot be domesticated, no matter how many movies you see about dogs, the reality is that most dogs have been bred for centuries if not millenia to be around humans. To get the kind of agression they want for fighting they must emphasize traits that create unpredictability and mental instability.

These are all good points your were able to cut and paste, but there are still many blanket statements made here. The whole point of this thread is to bring to light the broad stroke stereotyping as it relates to Pit Bulls. Pits can be dangerous, as can Chows, as can Poodles, as can Lassie, you see my point. Why didn't the McDonald's ad just say "stray dog"? No need to single out Pit Bull.
So thanks for the internet research you so diligently found, but it still does not address the problem.

As I ststed earlier in this thread, I'm not here to debate this issue. I've posted facts from numerous sources showing beyond any doubt that the pit bull is the most dangerous and vicious dog breed in the United States. There is no debating this fact.

Timothy,

Your posts on here are reading like spam now. People have asked you questions and you just ignore them. You don't want to have to defend your "statistics" or "sources" but you expect everyone to just continue to read all this stuff you are posting.

Instead of simply posting the same "facts" numerous times, why don't try having a conversation with the people on here. Yes, pit bulls in the wrong hands can be dangerous, but that is true of any dog. I don't think anyone will disagree with that.

There have been numerous documented cases in which the media has blamed pit bulls or pit bull like dogs for attacks when the dog that attacked had no pit bull in it. Recently there was a case in CA where a farmer said a pit bull attacked him and some of his livestock. When an investigation was done, the attacker was a coyote, not a pit bull.

I understand that you feel strongly about your stance on the matter of pit bulls and attacks. While I can admire that, I can't admire your unwillingness to consider that you don't know everything. There are numerous sources that show pit bulls aren't as dangerous as you think. Here is the link to one such study that shows that a pit bull actually has a much nicer temperament than some small dogs like Lhaso Apsos and Chihuahuas: http://atts.org/breed-statistics/statistics-page1/.

The chances of getting bit by a pitbull, or any other breed of dog, are about a zillion to one.
Timothy evidently nobody wants to hear what all of these factoids. It's ignorance such as yours that got pitbulls banned in Ontario.

The pit bull is the most dangerous and vicious dog breed in America. That is a solid, well documented and undisputable fact. Learn to deal withit.

From Dog Bite.org.......

In the 3-year period from 2006 to 2008, pit bull type dogs killed 52 Americans and accounted for 59% of all fatal attacks. Combined, pit bulls and rottweilers accounted for 73% of these deaths.

Pit bulls make up approximately 5% of the U.S. dog population, yet they accounted for 59% of fatal dog attacks in the above named period.

DogsBite.org - Animal control departments in at least 23 U.S. states report that pit bulls are biting more than all other dog breeds. These states include: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin. The oft-quoted myth by pro-pit bull groups that pit bulls "do not bite more than other breeds" is categorically false. In addition to leading bite counts, the pit bull bite is also the most damaging, inflicting permanent and disfiguring injury.

DogBite.org isn't reputable at all. Check this link to find out about a pit bull's temperament: http://atts.org/breed-statistics/statistics-page1/

Timothy, being the statistician that you are, even you should know that statistical data can be skewed in an attempt to bolster an argument. Statistics can also have more holes than Swiss cheese. For example, none of the statistical data you provided account for situations where the human is the aggressor. It also does not provide for unreported dog bites. While Pit Bulls may have a more damaging bite, as stated above, a person is less likely to report a bite from a smaller dog. So since we are already down the path of semantics, how many dog bites ACTUALLY take place in America and how many are ACTUALLY reported?

But in an attempt to spur on conversation instead of statistical vitriol, may I ask, do you have any dogs? If so what breed/s?

Good questions! I would like to see the answers to those. I was also wondering if Timothy or someone he knows was bitten by a pit bull....

It is clear why people who have a dog, even a dog that has bitten or been unstable would defend their dogs … sad, but clear. It doesn't matter to me, but there are some number of Pit Bull owners that will come home one day to a dead or wounded kid or spouse or a neighbors dog or cat because the dog they thought they understood was a Pit Bull and something triggered its genetic behavior and nothing could stop its vicious strength and tenacity in an attack. Those victims are the ones I feel sorry for, because they are the ones that pay for Pit Bull owner's selfish ignorance and denial.

Here is a recent story that I think should be shared. In the initial report, it was stated the grandfather owned pit bulls. In truth, the dogs were Boxers. Check out the link: http://www.ketknbc.com/news/talkback/ban-on-pit-bulls

Never been bitten by a pit bull. However I am more than intelligent enough to know that the breed is THE MOST DANGEROUS AND VICIOUS dog breed in America....and of course there is more than plenty of evidence available to prove it.....and I posted more than DogBite.org

Learn to deal with the facts people.

Like I have said numerous times. I don't dispute the fact that pit bulls can be dangerous...just like any other dog. Because there are so many more pit bulls and pit bull like dogs in the United States and because pit bulls are so strong, the incidences of dog bites where pits are involved get mainstream media attention. Like the link I posted above, there are times when pits are falsely blamed for attacks.

Thank you for all of your statistics, Timothy. I am sure that someone on here found them useful. I read them and did some research of my own about this issue. You gave me a good starting point for a new blog post on my website devoted to giving people reliable information on this breed.

Pit Bulls are not dangerous in the way many other dogs are, Pit Bulls are in a class by themselves, or at least with very few peers. It is their "strength", their "temperament" and their genetics that makes them dangerously unpredictable and in a class alone. Claiming that Pit Bulls are falsely blamed for attacks in any significant way is just denial. I wish they would just ban them and put them all to sleep, or neuter them so that they die out. I don't like the dogs or the owners who use them to intimidate others, they both have mental problems.

For once Bruce, I agree with you. I didn't think that would ever happen! ha ha

Bruce, I can agree with you about the pit bull owners who use them to intimidate people. I own American Bullies that are show dogs. Most of the time, my dogs don't even bark when someone comes to the house. I think there should be laws about having to train and socialize dogs properly...that would curtail a lot of pit bull related dog bites, as well as dog bites from other dogs.

Casey, I will grant you that - in my opinion - next to there not being Pit Bulls in the world, the best situation is the Pit Bull ower that is 100% responsible and considerate to other people - but so many are not, and when people are in some public they never had any idea of what they are facing, in terms of dogs, or even in terms of people these days.

Haha! I skimmed through this mile-long list of comments that have appeared in 3 short days. You, Casey, are the most patient person on the internet I have seen for a long time. Kudos and keep fighting the good fight.

Thanks, Alex. Getting rude or obnoxious won't help anything. As a Christian woman who happens to own an American Bully kennel, I try to show the good side of my faith, as well as the good side of my dogs. =)

When 5 % of the U.S. dog population commits around 50 % of dog bites, that ought to go to show you something. I really don't understand why you people aren't grasping at least that one simple fact.

New York City, with a million dogs, conforms to these national trends. In 1997, the Department of Health reported 7,075 dog bites in the city and some 1,000 complaints about frightening dogs. Gotham police and other authorities had to round up 892 biting dogs in 1997, 200 more than the year before. Of these, 294—33 percent—were pit bulls or pit-bull mixes, though they make up only an estimated 15 percent of the city's dogs

We get it. All the figures you posted here are 100% accurate with no fallacies at all. Your point is valid and well received.
Timothy, again, do you have any dogs and if so what breed/s?

No, I don't have any dogs......but let's get back to some more facts. This is from The Real Owner.com.......



American Pit Bull Terriers

I know there are a lot of people who own, and love Pit Bull Terriers, but these dogs are on this list for two good reasons, the first being the fact that these dogs were bred for a purpose, to fight (other Bull Terriers were bred to hunt and kill, these were selected and bred to create the American Pit Bull Terrier). American Pit Bulls were bred for generations to be tenacious, aggressive, and to have a killer bite, a jaw that can hold very strongly. The other reason is that their very name elicits fear, making this dog a choice of criminals or people who want to appear “tough“. This is not the right reason to get a dog. These people often mishandle the dog intentionally to make it mean or aggressive, or they get a dog to be “cool” and are not properly familiar with how to correctly train and discipline such a dog. A dog raised like this is a dangerous thing. While Pit Bull Terriers may make wonderful pets when owned by a knowledgeable person, and handled correctly, this is one dog that if a person makes mistakes, they can cause serious problems.


Read more: http://therealowner.com/dogs/the-six-most-dangerous-dogs/#ixzz1lWhDM42Y

From ehow.com.......


While small breed dogs such as dachshunds and Pekingese can be aggressive, particularly around children, these dogs are usually small enough that adults can fight off an attack rather quickly. According to PetsDo.com, breeds that have an aggressive nature and are larger and stronger than average humans can be much more dangerous than smaller breeds. The top 10 most dangerous breeds include Dalmatians, boxers, Presa Canarios, chows, Doberman pinschers, Alaskan malamutes, Siberian huskies, German shepherds, Rottweilers and pit bulls. According to PetPlace.com, Rottweilers and pit bulls account for two-thirds of human fatalities resulting from dog attacks

Read more: 10 Most Aggressive Dog Breeds | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_6189202_10-aggressive-dog-breeds.html#ixzz1lWjJl4HJ

That was a good ehow article. I don't usually read ehow articles, but Mike Parker did a nice job with that one. I don't think anyone here is disputing that pit bulls can and will attack in some circumstances. Heck, there was a pit bull attack down the street from me. The dog's owner was a drug dealer and had already been charged with dog fighting before the attack. When police got the call about the attack, they came to my house to verify that all of my dogs were secured. They were and always are. Part of being a responsible dog owner is to keep the dogs out of situations where they may be provoked. No, I am not saying that all dog attacks are due to someone provoking the dog. I know that some attacks are unprovoked. In that case, the owner of the dog or the most recent owner in the case of a stray didn't train the dog properly.

I have seen some cases where irresponsible breeding leads to pit bulls with an aggression problem. In a case where the dog can't be rehabilitated, it should be put down. I think that is true for any dog breed.

As a matter of fact Timothy I have owned other breeds of dogs and believe me it's the smaller breeds of dogs that are more dangerous than pitbulls are.
My Heidi would pick fights with dogs that were three times as big as she was and she would head straight for the nose. And this ad that McDonalds put out doesn't help our cause.

I came across something interesting today. Here is what it said:

Did you know....

1.) About 40 people (children) per year die by drowning in 5-gallon water pails. A person, during their lifetime, is 16 times more likely to drown in a 5-gallon water pail than to be killed by a Pit Bull.

2.) Approximately 50 children in the US are killed every year by their cribs - 25 times the number of children and adults killed by Pit Bulls.
...
3.) Approximately 150 people are killed every year by falling coconuts. Therefore, you are more than 60 TIMES MORE LIKELY to be killed by a PALM TREE than a Pit Bull.

4.) Each year, 350 people drown in their bathtubs. You are 151 times more likely to be killed by your bathtub than you are by a Pit Bull.

5) Every year, more than 2,000 children in the U.S. are killed by their parents or guardians either through abuse or neglect. A child is more than 800 times more likely to be killed by their caretaker than by a Pit Bull.

6) It can be estimated that for every Pit Bull who kills, there are 10.5 MILLION that DON'T!


IMO, #5 makes the biggest impact!

Yeah, but you have to notice how the logic of every one of those points is based on trying to say that the risk is small of you or me getting attacked by a Pit Bull. Not a single point about what is the dubious benefit of having such dogs, and why should the public have to take any chance at all of attack from dogs that would not even exist in nature.

The question is of cost and benefit, I see very litte benefit to allowing some people to breed these risks in the midst of everyone else and push a risk of danger on people when there is no benefit and very little responsiblity asked of Pit Bull owners either.