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From: hall@gold.DEC
Newsgroups: net.pets
Subject: Re: Pit Bull Terriers
Message-ID: <2847@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 24-Jun-85 10:01:09 EDT
Article-I.D.: decwrl.2847
Posted: Mon Jun 24 10:01:09 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 30-Jun-85 01:05:24 EDT
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Organization: DEC Engineering Network
Lines: 41

Having listened to the discussion on pit bull terriers for the past few 
days, I finally had to write and add my comments.

I worked for a veterinarian for ten years, and in regard to the vices 
and virtues of different breeds, I think that anyone who has been around
dogs long enough can relate stories about "lovable" dogs attacking 
owners, neighbors, children, and other dogs (for no apparent reason).

Now, I'm not singling out any one breed (I have two Weimaraners and a 
Lab myself, and have known some very lovable pit bulls, dobes, and 
shepards), but any breed of dog can turn on you given the right conditions.
A visit to the vet is one of the most stressful things a dog goes 
through and is therefore a place where the true dog can be seen.  Nurses
at our hospital have been bitten by labs, poodles, bull mastiffs, goldens,
dobermans, shepards, beagles, chihuahuas, ...you name it and someone can 
relate a story about being bitten by most any type of dog.

Now, a great deal of a dog's everday attitude is environment ("he 
wouldn't hurt anyone")...but take the dog under an environmentally 
stressful situation and what you see is the genetic, innate 
characteristics of the breed.  Granted there are certain bloodlines in 
every breed that have gentle qualities and are more adaptable to stress, 
but who is to say which breeds and bloodlines these are. I guess what 
I've been trying to say is that everyone trusts there own dog but that
most people only judge a dog by the stories they have heard about the 
breed in general. As a veterinary nurse, you have to treat each dog as 
an individual and not judge him by breed.  

You asked why pit bulls are not used by police as "attack dogs".  That 
is because dobes and shepards have been bred for police use...they give
a good scare but seldom attack unless told to do so, they can also be 
called back.   Pit bulls were originally bred to fight to the death, and 
in this case, once they attack I should think it would be very difficult 
to stop the attack with simple commands.

Now, I'm not trying to start a major influx of letters about the vices 
and virtues of specific breeds, I just wanted to add my general 
comments, given my experiences working with many different types of 
dogs.

Linda