[News] American Bulldog Kills Yorkie and Injures Girl

[R-Teddy]

Originally Posted by MeganS

In response to the bolded sentence: The dog may not have been trained properly. He wouldn't behave off leash if he didn't know the correct way to behave.

It makes me sad as well, when people only blame the dogs. This person should be punished as well. Pit bulls can be dangerous dogs, but they can also be very sweet if they are raised properly. and because they have the instinct to attack other animals and people, they should always be kept on a leash. I think the owner was more at fault than the dog here.

anyway, this is a very sad story. I'm sad for the girl, the yorkie, the family, and Cooper.

Pit bulls are not anymore aggressive then any other dog naturally. Again its how they are raised and trained. ALL DOGS can be aggressive and dangerous if not trained properly. Just the bigger the dog, and the more powerful the jaw then more damage it can do. Unfortunately, Pit bulls have a really bad rep because of what the JERK humans out there have trained them to do, like fighting. These Jerks ( I want to use another word but will keep it clean) get off on watching dogs fight and making money off it. When it all started they look around for the type of dog that would do best at such events. Sadly the Pit bull has all of the things they are looking for in size strength ect. They look at them and say, "that looks like a good fighting dog". they arent going to say look at a poodle and say" that looks like a good fighting dog. they are strong and powerful, and have the right look to. But there are alot of other dogs out there that are just as strong and just as powerful and if not properly trained could and are just as dangerous.

I work with a Pit bull rescue here in my city. In fact, I am presently fostering one of the rescues. he is the sweetest dog in the world and VERY VERY good with people, cats and my small dogs. He loves Athena ( my yorkie) to death and is extremely genital with her as he Recognizes the size difference and seems to understand he could easily hurt her if not careful. when he plays with other dogs, much bigger he will get much ruffer as they can handle it and do it back, but not with little Nina. when she comes near him he lays down and licks her and loves on her. He is the same way with my cats. and this is a dog that came from a home where he was being neglected and abused.

Yeah, such a furious dog

It is extremely heartbreaking what happen to that poor yorkie, but I blame the pit bulls OWNERS.

[yorkietalkjilly]

The bulldog was bred for aggression and utter fearlessness sufficient enough to bring down a full-grown, frightened or very determined 2,000 lb. bull on the run originally but more than that - they were bred to have a stubborn determination not to let go of their prey, no matter the pain or strain holding onto their prey involved, until it was down and on its knees. The dogs quickly found that the bull could be more easily accessed and controlled when attacking and holding onto his nose or area of the face, just about the only part of him the much smaller dog could access on the run and maintain a hold on, no matter what. Even after the handler moved in, the bully dogs would often require prying their mouths from the bull's flesh.

Once professional dogfighters learned of the bulldog's many traits that would make them excellent pit fighters for money/drugs, they began to breed them for their vicious traits as well - and the more vicious, the better. As ghastly as that sounds, it gets worse once one of these fighters is bred and not all of his puppies used for fighting but some given/sold as pets or breeders for people who want the breed.

For the public who like to have a powerful, even vicious dog that scares other people and dogs - and there are many of them - they further exacerbate the problem by breeding that vicious fighting dog or one of his pups back to a female who is especially aggressive, very tenacious and perhaps trending toward viciousness herself. The puppies, when born, are further dispersed to the public.

And before you know it, a man with children has bought one of those precious bully babies without knowing there is a likely a highly aggressive, tenacious, vicious genetic trait in his dog and he brings it home, where it can either become a wonderful pet if intelligently nurtured by a strong leader or, if the owner is just a regular pet owner who doesn't train his dog to obey him and who sets few boundaries, he could become a dog that one day might look at him or his children as prey. A dog from a line of fighting bullies can go either way, largely depending on how he was raised and treated.

Other bullies, who have by happenstance or on purpose been bred for their gentle, genial, less aggressive natures and to be human-and-animal friendly, tend to produce puppies that become lovely, mostly mellow, submissive pets who never cause any more problems than any other dog even with owners weak on leadership skills.

[matese]

Originally Posted by R-Teddy

Pit bulls are not anymore aggressive then any other dog naturally. Again its how they are raised and trained. ALL DOGS can be aggressive and dangerous if not trained properly. Just the bigger the dog, and the more powerful the jaw then more damage it can do. Unfortunately, Pit bulls have a really bad rep because of what the JERK humans out there have trained them to do, like fighting. These Jerks ( I want to use another word but will keep it clean) get off on watching dogs fight and making money off it. When it all started they look around for the type of dog that would do best at such events. Sadly the Pit bull has all of the things they are looking for in size strength ect. They look at them and say, "that looks like a good fighting dog". they arent going to say look at a poodle and say" that looks like a good fighting dog. they are strong and powerful, and have the right look to. But there are alot of other dogs out there that are just as strong and just as powerful and if not properly trained could and are just as dangerous.

I work with a Pit bull rescue here in my city. In fact, I am presently fostering one of the rescues. he is the sweetest dog in the world and VERY VERY good with people, cats and my small dogs. He loves Athena ( my yorkie) to death and is extremely genital with her as he Recognizes the size difference and seems to understand he could easily hurt her if not careful. when he plays with other dogs, much bigger he will get much ruffer as they can handle it and do it back, but not with little Nina. when she comes near him he lays down and licks her and loves on her. He is the same way with my cats. and this is a dog that came from a home where he was being neglected and abused.

Yeah, such a furious dog

It is extremely heartbreaking what happen to that poor yorkie, but I blame the pit bulls OWNERS.

I LOVE yorkies, but, I also LOVE pit bulls, I have many friends that have the sweetest pits ever. If I wanted my back yard to look like Fort Apache I would have one. Because I choose to live where I do,which is a heavily wooded area, and I love the beauty of the woods and the wild animals that come with it, I will NOT put up a 6 foot high wooden fence. For this reason I passed up the offer of getting a beautiful pit bull. It's the owners to blame not the dog or the breed and yes they need to be trained properly.

[matese]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

The bulldog was bred for aggression and utter fearlessness sufficient enough to bring down a full-grown, frightened or very determined 2,000 lb. bull on the run originally but more than that - they were bred to have a stubborn determination not to let go of their prey, no matter the pain or strain holding onto their prey involved, until it was down and on its knees. The dogs quickly found that the bull could be more easily accessed and controlled when attacking and holding onto his nose or area of the face, just about the only part of him the much smaller dog could access on the run and maintain a hold on, no matter what. Even after the handler moved in, the bully dogs would often require prying their mouths from the bull's flesh.

Once professional dogfighters learned of the bulldog's many traits that would make them excellent pit fighters for money/drugs, they began to breed them for their vicious traits as well - and the more vicious, the better. As ghastly as that sounds, it gets worse once one of these fighters is bred and not all of his puppies used for fighting but some given/sold as pets or breeders for people who want the breed.

For the public who like to have a powerful, even vicious dog that scares other people and dogs - and there are many of them - they further exacerbate the problem by breeding that vicious fighting dog or one of his pups back to a female who is especially aggressive, very tenacious and perhaps trending toward viciousness herself. The puppies, when born, are further dispersed to the public.

And before you know it, a man with children has bought one of those precious bully babies without knowing there is a likely a highly aggressive, tenacious, vicious genetic trait in his dog and he brings it home, where it can either become a wonderful pet if intelligently nurtured by a strong leader or, if the owner is just a regular pet owner who doesn't train his dog to obey him and who sets few boundaries, he could become a dog that one day might look at him or his children as prey. A dog from a line of fighting bullies can go either way, largely depending on how he was raised and treated.

Other bullies, who have by happenstance or on purpose been bred for their gentle, genial, less aggressive natures and to be human-and-animal friendly, tend to produce puppies that become lovely, mostly mellow, submissive pets who never cause any more problems than any other dog even with owners weak on leadership skills.

Well said, thank you.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by R-Teddy

Pit bulls are not anymore aggressive then any other dog naturally. Again its how they are raised and trained. ALL DOGS can be aggressive and dangerous if not trained properly. Just the bigger the dog, and the more powerful the jaw then more damage it can do. Unfortunately, Pit bulls have a really bad rep because of what the JERK humans out there have trained them to do, like fighting. These Jerks ( I want to use another word but will keep it clean) get off on watching dogs fight and making money off it. When it all started they look around for the type of dog that would do best at such events. Sadly the Pit bull has all of the things they are looking for in size strength ect. They look at them and say, "that looks like a good fighting dog". they arent going to say look at a poodle and say" that looks like a good fighting dog. they are strong and powerful, and have the right look to. But there are alot of other dogs out there that are just as strong and just as powerful and if not properly trained could and are just as dangerous.

I work with a Pit bull rescue here in my city. In fact, I am presently fostering one of the rescues. he is the sweetest dog in the world and VERY VERY good with people, cats and my small dogs. He loves Athena ( my yorkie) to death and is extremely genital with her as he Recognizes the size difference and seems to understand he could easily hurt her if not careful. when he plays with other dogs, much bigger he will get much ruffer as they can handle it and do it back, but not with little Nina. when she comes near him he lays down and licks her and loves on her. He is the same way with my cats. and this is a dog that came from a home where he was being neglected and abused.

Yeah, such a furious dog

It is extremely heartbreaking what happen to that poor yorkie, but I blame the pit bulls OWNERS.

Oh, my golly, Robin(R-Teddy), I was having a lot of neck pain last night while I was posting and intended to end my post by thanking you from the bottom of my heart for all you are doing to help the beleaguered Pitbull breed/bully-type dogs!!! But I was so desperate to get done and lie down with the heating pad, I forgot! I know what a difficult, exhausting, exacting, frustrating, gut-wrenching, heartbreaking and super joyful job you and those you work with are doing working with these big guys, operating with great love and infinite patience in your heart. You guys handle some of the sweetest, most loving and gentle and also some of most dangerous dogs in the world and yet you willingly do it and do all that you can to save and help these big babies who have been so badly used and treated by mankind. My hat is off to you and I wanted to offer you a big "thank-you" for caring for these wonderful dogs. God bless you for all you do for them.

[matese]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

Oh, my golly, Robin(R-Teddy), I was having a lot of neck pain last night while I was posting and intended to end my post by thanking you from the bottom of my heart for all you are doing to help the beleaguered Pitbull breed/bully-type dogs!!! But I was so desperate to get done and lie down with the heating pad, I forgot! I know what a difficult, exhausting, exacting, frustrating, gut-wrenching, heartbreaking and super joyful job you and those you work with are doing working with these big guys, operating with great love and infinite patience in your heart. You guys handle some of the sweetest, most loving and gentle and also some of most dangerous dogs in the world and yet you willingly do it and do all that you can to save and help these big babies who have been so badly used and treated by mankind. My hat is off to you and I wanted to offer you a big "thank-you" for caring for these wonderful dogs. God bless you for all you do for them.

[rubymoon2072]

I can tell you I walk with caution everyday time we go to walk outside of our yard. I fear this ever happening especially walking two and carrying one in a pack..I would have no reaction time or the hands to do so. May that baby RIP and prayers to his family. So sad.

[Oddsock]

Originally Posted by BaxtersMommy

I have a friend and she had a pit. She treated him like a baby, he went everywhere with her. No one could have been a better owner to him. He was the sweetest thing, he would sleep with her and when I would visit, he was crazy about me and always found his way to my bed. That was before he turned 4 years old. Something snapped in him & he got really aggressive bit a couple family members, so they asked the Vet what to do. They tried a trainer and nothing helped. They put him down because they didnt want him to get out and hurt anyone. They were all heartbroken. They had birthday and christmas presents for this dog. I will never forget how terrible it was. But, they didnt want something like this to happen. I dont think they are bad people for doing what they did. I happen to believe that something can happen with this dogs to make them snap. I know some people disagree, but look at their track record. All these owners can't be ALL bad. If so, its kinda strange that the "bad owners" would mostly own pits/bulldogs. ???


www.healthyhappypets.biz

We had the same thing happen with one of our dogs, years ago. A 5 year old border collie (we'd had as a puppy), highly trained, still going to training classes weekly. Trained twice a day (he knew so many tricks and did wonders with obedience training) Walked and run twice a day. He did everything with me, and 'helped' with chores...ie opened/closed doors, switched lights on, picked up items.Loved our kids, the neighhood kids would knock on the door to play with him (supervised)
One day when out, heeling at my side on a leash a small kid came up behind him and stroked him. He jumped and bite the child, something changed.. and on the way home, he tried to attack every child/teen that came near him. Complete change of personality. We had him put to sleep that weekend.

I'm against pit bulls and not ashamed of it. They can be adorable dogs, but it's like having a lion on a leash, they are just so strong and powerful, that if anything goes wrong, they win. For me they are just too powerful for the general public.

As someone has said on here, they have an aggressive Yorkie. I assume it's not due to bad training but the dogs personality. The problem is when a pit bull or other powerful breed has a faulty personality or a bad owner or both, someone can be maimed or killed.

That poor Yorkie should not have died. A child shouldn't be in charge of a Yorkie either, small dogs, need to be protected from so many dangers, that a child can't foresee.

[BobbiB]

Originally Posted by becasherwood

All in all, no dog is to blame in any case. People can be very irresponsible and don't take time to handle their dogs properly. Like I have said, anyone who blames a dog for it's actions shouldn't have a dog. Sorry for those who lose a pet to accidents like such as this one, that doesn't give you the right to target a specific breed or group of people for that matter. The owner/s and the owner/s solely is the responsible party/s for a dogs' actions.

I agree 100%. Part of being a responsible owner is KNOWING your dog, too, imo. Yes, you may have a well-trained dog, but if you know that you have a naturally nervous dog, or a dog that it prone to any aggression at all, it is the owners job to take note of those things and take necessary measures to prevent problems. I had a big baby of a pit bull for 13 years and she was very, very sweet and never showed aggression, but she was a bit nervous. I made sure that she was always properly restrained. I wasn't taking any chances.

[BobbiB]

And in case no one has pointed it out, an American Bulldog is NOT a Pit Bull. It is a bully breed.

The only reason I will never own another APBT is because of people, not the breed. My Pearl was absolutely the single best dog I have EVER had (Sorry, Sheldon!)

[yorkietalkjilly]

I've always thought bully-type dogs are like shepherds, terriers and retrievers, etc. - their basic breed instincts, fixed action patterns and behaviors that have been genetically programmed and reinforced by generations of selective breeding, are very present factors in dog behavior but that recent breeding tendencies and nurture/environment probably play just as big a role in how each dog, whatever his breed type, lives his life.

[BobbiB]

Originally Posted by Oddsock

We had the same thing happen with one of our dogs, years ago. A 5 year old border collie (we'd had as a puppy), highly trained, still going to training classes weekly. Trained twice a day (he knew so many tricks and did wonders with obedience training) Walked and run twice a day. He did everything with me, and 'helped' with chores...ie opened/closed doors, switched lights on, picked up items.Loved our kids, the neighhood kids would knock on the door to play with him (supervised)
One day when out, heeling at my side on a leash a small kid came up behind him and stroked him. He jumped and bite the child, something changed.. and on the way home, he tried to attack every child/teen that came near him. Complete change of personality. We had him put to sleep that weekend.

I'm against pit bulls and not ashamed of it. They can be adorable dogs, but it's like having a lion on a leash, they are just so strong and powerful, that if anything goes wrong, they win. For me they are just too powerful for the general public.

As someone has said on here, they have an aggressive Yorkie. I assume it's not due to bad training but the dogs personality. The problem is when a pit bull or other powerful breed has a faulty personality or a bad owner or both, someone can be maimed or killed.

That poor Yorkie should not have died. A child shouldn't be in charge of a Yorkie either, small dogs, need to be protected from so many dangers, that a child can't foresee.

That is a very valid point...but shouldn't the blame be put on the person responsible for the dog and not the dog itself? Too many people blame the dog for something they can't control...breed tendencies (which, if people do their homework, pit bulls were never bred for human aggression. In the early days of the breed, a human aggressive dog would be immediately culled because they had to be able to be human led in the pit or for baiting. They were bred for animal aggression). Again, I must say...people need to know their own dogs.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Whatever bulldogs or pitbulls or bully-types were originally bred to do, a dog from a line of dogs who have been bred for dog-fighting and extra-viciousness, tenacity and heavy attack/fighting skills sufficient to provide his master with drugs/money/stutus - when that dog or his progeny are taken out of the extreme living conditions that most fighting dogs are usually kept in - that of being housed in compounds with mostly professional handlers or very dominant human leaders, 24 hour chaining, always heavily leashed, caged and kept separate from other dogs and people - the dogs can react differently. Even with the few fighting dogs who don't live in compounds but live with their guardians, they usually live with humans who completely dominate them and have almost total control of them, aware that they have a dangerous tool.

Having read so much about fighting dogs and the horrible conditions they are bred , live and train in, I've come to think when any dog from that line of fighting dogs somehow gets out into the general public and is left to his own devices out in the world w/out the usual job of fighting he was bred for or any other hard work to allay all his energies and tensions and usually without the very strong "leadership" a fighting dog usually has in his daily life - he or any of his line shouldn't be expected to behave as a pet dog would, as apparently they can be incapable of behaving the same as a heavily-constrained fighting dog and occasionally step out of their usual fixed action patterns and attack humans or anything that becomes prey to them. And really none of it is the dog's fault - he's merely reacting to his genetics and environment.

[BobbiB]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

Whatever bulldogs or pitbulls or bully-types were originally bred to do, a dog from a line of dogs who have been bred for dog-fighting and extra-viciousness, tenacity and heavy attack/fighting skills sufficient to provide his master with drugs/money/stutus - when that dog or his progeny are taken out of the extreme living conditions that most fighting dogs are usually kept in - that of being housed in compounds with mostly professional handlers or very dominant human leaders, 24 hour chaining, always heavily leashed, caged and kept separate from other dogs and people - the dogs can react differently. Even with the few fighting dogs who don't live in compounds but live with their guardians, they usually live with humans who completely dominate them and have almost total control of them, aware that they have a dangerous tool.

Having read so much about fighting dogs and the horrible conditions they are bred , live and train in, I've come to think when any dog from that line of fighting dogs somehow gets out into the general public and is left to his own devices out in the world w/out the usual job of fighting he was bred for or any other hard work to allay all his energies and tensions and usually without the very strong "leadership" a fighting dog usually has in his daily life - he or any of his line shouldn't be expected to behave as a pet dog would, as apparently they can be incapable of behaving the same as a heavily-constrained fighting dog and occasionally step out of their usual fixed action patterns and attack humans or anything that becomes prey to them. And really none of it is the dog's fault - he's merely reacting to his genetics and environment.

Wow, what an extremely skewed and narrow view of Pit Bull owners. I honestly have no reply to this except for findinga reputable breeder is rule number one to finding any purebred dog, just like you people spout off like a script here. There are places to get pit bulls that are bred from lines that have kept with breed standard, which is NO human aggression. Many, many pit bull owners are very day people with jobs and children and have no alterior motive for owning one (drugs, money, status, really? quite insulting) other than liking breed characteristics. Truth be told, as a previous long-time pit owner, my Biewer has many of the same traits as my well-bred pits did. It is one of the reasons I stuck with a terrier breed when I decided to get a small dog. Loyalty and tenacity are a HUGE part of any terrier breed.

After I read this, it seemed harsher than I realized. I'm just saying that it seems you only hit on the "bad dogs" of the group, and that can be frustrating for those of us who advocate for this breed. These dogs have many talents and skills, are loyal. It does suck that they fall into the wrong hands. When they fall into the right hands though...therapy, police work, drug dogs, agility, weight pulling, and they even have programs using pits to help rehabilitate felons. My fear is that this wonderful breed is going to eventually snuffed out due to ignorance and stereotype.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by BobbiB

Wow, what an extremely skewed and narrow view of Pit Bull owners. I honestly have no reply to this except for findinga reputable breeder is rule number one to finding any purebred dog, just like you people spout off like a script here. There are places to get pit bulls that are bred from lines that have kept with breed standard, which is NO human aggression. Many, many pit bull owners are very day people with jobs and children and have no alterior motive for owning one (drugs, money, status, really? quite insulting) other than liking breed characteristics. Truth be told, as a previous long-time pit owner, my Biewer has many of the same traits as my well-bred pits did. It is one of the reasons I stuck with a terrier breed when I decided to get a small dog. Loyalty and tenacity are a HUGE part of any terrier breed.

After I read this, it seemed harsher than I realized. I'm just saying that it seems you only hit on the "bad dogs" of the group, and that can be frustrating for those of us who advocate for this breed. These dogs have many talents and skills, are loyal. It does suck that they fall into the wrong hands. When they fall into the right hands though...therapy, police work, drug dogs, agility, weight pulling, and they even have programs using pits to help rehabilitate felons. My fear is that this wonderful breed is going to eventually snuffed out due to ignorance and stereotype.

No, no. If you'll re-read my words, you will see I'm referring only to dog-fighting owners and those who own pitbulls for the power and scare-factor they represent only or who cannot manage their dog's spirit or power - they are the bad apples who have ruined a segment of this breed and as a whole, its overall reputation - which is not my fault or the world's. And it's surely not my ignorance of the fighting dogs or bully breeds speaking - I've done years of research into the heinous abuse of this type dog. I'll match my research into the subject with anyone's, including researching the European and Central-European wings/clans and American/European gang involvement in this sick world. Those lifestyles of those dogs is truly sickening! They live in hell. And if you had read them, I further acknowledged in my recent posts that when bred for gentleness and mellow attitude, this type dog can be a lovely pet - as can even a fighting dog and its line when living with a strong, gentle leader who has undertaken to rehabilitate the dog. You totally misunderstood some my posts, it seems.

Some can rail against people like me who point the fingers at those at fault if they want for stereotyping but I say keep pointing to the dog-owners who exploit the bully-type dogs - not just pitties - but all of the dogs with "bull" in the name or cross-breeds of same - those who have essentially created a monster that most will have to agree, is largely feared by the world in some way or another these days when we all keep reading and hearing stories of bulldogs, pitbulls and bullmastifs or any derivatives of them - and sadly, any dog that favors them, attacking humans, our children or our pets.

I believe that too many of the owners of bully-type dogs don't have very good control of their bully-type dogs or we wouldn't have as many reports of bully attacks, maimings and deaths as we have. Did I say "all" are? No! Of course not! I said too many are - and apparently enough to raise the dogs' profiles of fear to that of the frightening.

And the reports we hear are not just of a simple bite from the bully-type dogs. No, they involved a sustained, ongoing onslaught by the dog of considerable time on his victim that usually results in sickeningly multiple bites, maimings or death of the victim. We hear of far more reports of this type of sustained aggression related to bully-type dogs, in my opinion and once more for the record, because of the element of pit-fighting dog genes in puppies of those dogs getting into the public domain as "pets" and too many bully-type dog-owners being irresponsible owners, apparently unable to control their large, powerful dogs.

If you don't believe they make up the largest group of unmanageable dog breed types abandoned or surrendered to the local pounds and rescues, call you local animal shelters/rescues and find out which type breed they house and kill the most. The bully breeds!

Did I say this bully-type breed was a dangerous breed? No, I said that a fighting dog in the hands of his pit-fighting-involved owner is a dangerous tool and believe you me - they truly are dangerous animals if you've ever seen one of them when aroused to attack and I have. It's blood-chilling. And dogs with pit-fighting genes in the DNA can be dangerous in the hands of weak, uninvolved owners. But I also acknowledged more than once that there are others who are wonderful dogs and make great pets. Just re-read all of my posts and get the whole picture - not just part of it. It's clear you love this breed or bully-type of dog and I do, too. I love the breed and bully type and have loved a wonderful if dangerous pitbull, as it was child-aggressive but so sweet and otherwise totally gentle and loving.

But I am sick and tired of people buying them for a "power trip", to improve their own status in their neighborhood or friends' eyes, exploiting them for their power and fear-factor and allowing them to scare people of the entire breed.

Still, the outcry from people the world over for these horrible attacks to stop is sufficient that some have (as others are thinking of it) legislated this wonderful breed from their state or county or country! Made the entire bully-type dog illegal to own or house! Though, really, only sending the owners of out-of-control dogs who damage or kill the innocent to jail - real jail with several years of real time and with no "get out-of-jail"-early card - will ever stop them from happily continuing to ruin the wonderful bully-type dogs in the minds of the world.