Child dies, two others hurt after pit bulls attack kids on way to school in Atlanta - CBS/AP

[TomSea]

Child dies, two others hurt after pit bulls attack kids on way to school in Atlanta

ATLANTA - Police say a child has died and two others were seriously injured after two pit bulls attacked them in southwest Atlanta.

Atlanta police Sgt. Warren Pickard tells local news media the attack occurred around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday while the children were walking to elementary school. Pickard says the pit bulls have been contained as one of the animals was shot by officers.

Continued: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/child-dies-two-others-hurt-pit-bulls-attack-kids-on-way-to-school-atlanta/

[GtHawk]

Sad that a child died, that children were injured, that stupid animals must die, while the freak that bred those animals to that level of aggressiveness and allowed then to roam free continues to live. Prayers for the children and their families.

[Sanguine]

This is terrible!

[TomSea]

@GtHawk

Although I wouldn't go as far as what I heard one dog trainer said, he would say.

"There aren't bad dogs, just bad dog owners."

[Suppressed]

@GtHawk

Although I wouldn't go as far as what I heard one dog trainer said, he would say.

"There aren't bad dogs, just bad dog owners."

The trouble with that philosophy is that it ignores the fact that creatures can become sick and "malfunction".  I've seen wonderful dogs snap...and when a pitbull breed does it, it's a lot different from a soft Golden Retriever mouth.

[Smokin Joe]

The trouble with that philosophy is that it ignores the fact that creatures can become sick and "malfunction".  I've seen wonderful dogs snap...and when a pitbull breed does it, it's a lot different from a soft Golden Retriever mouth.

If a Golden Retriever has a serious malfunction, that soft mouth won't be. Teeth are teeth, even if the jaws aren't quite as strong.

The sad part is that the breed appeals to the sort of assh*les who shouldn't have a dog, sort of a 'bada$$' status symbol.

[GtHawk]

The trouble with that philosophy is that it ignores the fact that creatures can become sick and "malfunction".  I've seen wonderful dogs snap...and when a pitbull breed does it, it's a lot different from a soft Golden Retriever mouth.

Ahem, ask anyone that has been bit by a Golden, and I have seen it happen more than once, and they will tell you their moth is anything but soft. All dogs have the same type of teeth, and all larger dogs can inflict horrendous damage with their bytes. Over the years many breeds have been damaged by gangbangers and lowlife dogfight promoters, German Shepherds, Dobies, Rotties, Boxers, Mastiffs and the latest the Pit Bull which was the American family dog at one time. You want to talk about a scary dog? The Belgian Malinois, not even their Police handlers can keep them under control. There are animals that are just born messed up, but almost all of the Pits like this are bred bad and I agree that those dogs must be put down, it's just that I believe the people that bred and trained them should be put down too. I spent many hours at the dog park due to being disabled and almost never did I see an aggressive Pit unless a banger brought it in, I did however many time see other dogs be quite aggressive........little paranoid mutts that do almost all the biting. Ask a vet who he is more concerned about being bit by, a Pit or a small dog.
@Suppressed

[TomSea]

Logan Braatz, 6, was killed and Syria Sanders, 5, was critically injured after being attacked by dogs as they walked to the school bus stop. Source: Family
Read more: http://www.cbs46.com/story/34274830/dogs-attack-kill-atlanta-child-critically-wound-another-as-kids-walked-to-bus-stop#ixzz4W3bkMTK0
"A third child sustained minor injuries in the attack, police said."

[Sanguine]

If a Golden Retriever has a serious malfunction, that soft mouth won't be. Teeth are teeth, even if the jaws aren't quite as strong.

The sad part is that the breed appeals to the sort of assh*les who shouldn't have a dog, sort of a 'bada$$' status symbol.

If a Goldie has a malfunction, it's highly unusual.  They don't go into that red zone like pits do.

[Smokin Joe]

If a Goldie has a malfunction, it's highly unusual.  They don't go into that red zone like pits do.

True enough, but they haven't been bred to fight or be mean junkyard type dogs, either. Unfortunately, that's what the gangbanger culture has done to some of the breed with bulldogs and other breeds as well. When things go seriously wrong, though, any dog can be nasty to deal with (and I'm a dog lover).

[Sanguine]

True enough, but they haven't been bred to fight or be mean junkyard type dogs, either. Unfortunately, that's what the gangbanger culture has done to some of the breed with bulldogs and other breeds as well. When things go seriously wrong, though, any dog can be nasty to deal with (and I'm a dog lover).

I don't buy it.  Different types of dogs have different characteristics, like herding, or pointing, or retrieving, or whatever and don't have to be taught those behaviors. They do them whether you want your kids herded, your ducks pointed at, or your shoes repeatedly retrieved. Try training herding out of a border collie. 

Likewise pits.  Unfortunately, they've been bred to bite and fight.  And, they do.  And, while they don't have the strongest bite of all dogs, they do disproportionately cause fatalities. 

[Suppressed]

Ahem, ask anyone that has been bit by a Golden, and I have seen it happen more than once, and they will tell you their moth is anything but soft. All dogs have the same type of teeth, and all larger dogs can inflict horrendous damage with their bytes. Over the years many breeds have been damaged by gangbangers and lowlife dogfight promoters, German Shepherds, Dobies, Rotties, Boxers, Mastiffs and the latest the Pit Bull which was the American family dog at one time. You want to talk about a scary dog? The Belgian Malinois, not even their Police handlers can keep them under control. There are animals that are just born messed up, but almost all of the Pits like this are bred bad and I agree that those dogs must be put down, it's just that I believe the people that bred and trained them should be put down too. I spent many hours at the dog park due to being disabled and almost never did I see an aggressive Pit unless a banger brought it in, I did however many time see other dogs be quite aggressive........little paranoid mutts that do almost all the biting. Ask a vet who he is more concerned about being bit by, a Pit or a small dog.
@Suppressed

I've been bitten by Goldens, a Bassett Hound, and a pit bull.  I still have scars on my face from the Bassett, but I'd take the former two over the latter any day...though I hope for no further stitches from any breed!

[Smokin Joe]

I don't buy it.  Different types of dogs have different characteristics, like herding, or pointing, or retrieving, or whatever and don't have to be taught those behaviors. They do them whether you want your kids herded, your ducks pointed at, or your shoes repeatedly retrieved. Try training herding out of a border collie. 

Likewise pits.  Unfortunately, they've been bred to bite and fight.  And, they do.  And, while they don't have the strongest bite of all dogs, they do disproportionately cause fatalities.

Part of the problem are the jerks these dogs are owned by. A big part. Those bred to fight and bite were bred that way because of the demand for such, and that's right back to the gangbangers and hoodrats who see such a dog as a status symbol. Almost any dog can be vicious with the right encouragement, at least insofar as they are capable. It isn't training the herding out of the border collie, or any other breed from dobies to rotties to pits, it's training the mean in that is the problem.

[Sanguine]

Part of the problem are the jerks these dogs are owned by. A big part. Those bred to fight and bite were bred that way because of the demand for such, and that's right back to the gangbangers and hoodrats who see such a dog as a status symbol. Almost any dog can be vicious with the right encouragement, at least insofar as they are capable. It isn't training the herding out of the border collie, or any other breed from dobies to rotties to pits, it's training the mean in that is the problem.

We'll just have to disagree.

[GtHawk]

I don't buy it.  Different types of dogs have different characteristics, like herding, or pointing, or retrieving, or whatever and don't have to be taught those behaviors. They do them whether you want your kids herded, your ducks pointed at, or your shoes repeatedly retrieved. Try training herding out of a border collie. 

Likewise pits.  Unfortunately, they've been bred to bite and fight.  And, they do.  And, while they don't have the strongest bite of all dogs, they do disproportionately cause fatalities.

http://stories.barkpost.com/pit-bulls-history-of-americas-dog/
@Sanguine
I have been around a lot of Pits, yeah there are some that made me feel uncomfortable even scared, gangbanger and trashes dogs. But the vast majority have been sweet well tempered animals, my grandson has one and he is his best friend and buddy, I trust that animal to defend him with his life and I know he will. Boomer came from a reputable, legitimate breeder, so his lineage and history are known. I understand though that the breed has been so damaged and maligned that some people will never accept them. I remember a few years back when those two Presa Canarios and there was a demand that those big scary dogs be banned, the dogs always suffer because of sick people, sadly there are usually children that suffer because of the actions of these sick people take against the dogs and no one wins.

[Fishrrman]

Sanguine wrote:
"Likewise pits.  Unfortunately, they've been bred to bite and fight.  And, they do.  And, while they don't have the strongest bite of all dogs, they do disproportionately cause fatalities."

Agreed.

Pit bulls:
The dogs of peace.

I believe the breed should be "non-bred out of existence".

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

Part of the problem are the jerks these dogs are owned by. A big part. Those bred to fight and bite were bred that way because of the demand for such, and that's right back to the gangbangers and hoodrats who see such a dog as a status symbol. Almost any dog can be vicious with the right encouragement, at least insofar as they are capable. It isn't training the herding out of the border collie, or any other breed from dobies to rotties to pits, it's training the mean in that is the problem.

I (more than) tend to agree with you.  However, I met a wonderful pit awhile back at the dog park.  Nice owner.  Ten minutes later, my two dogs were playing tug over an old scrap of a stuffed toy.  The pit came running up, presumedly wanting to play.  Quicker than I could see, he had my girl dog pinned down and she was squealing in pain/fear.  I've broken up a number of dog
"fights" over the years, a simple matter of picking each up by the scruff, turning them away from each other, and waiting until things calm down.  I put quotes around the word fights, because it's almost always a big show.  In this case, when I went to lift the pit, he started throwing his head around in the neck breaking motion.  I couldn't see at the time whether he had my dog by the neck or head, but this wasn't a "fight", he was trying to kill her.  I ended up pining his head to the ground with my shoulder so that he couldn't accomplish his mission.

My girl dog has never much cared for other dogs, and she doesn't like other dogs interrupting while she is playing with "her" dog.  I spent a lot of time working with her in training on this.  While it all happened so fast that I didn't see the trigger, I'll admit that she may have started it by growling or otherwise flipping the pit the bird.  However, IMO, that does not excuse the pit taking it to the level of attempted murder.

The next time I saw that dog come in, I made haste to simply get out.  Didn't make it.  He came running up to us and stopped for a few seconds, but it was clear what was coming.  He attacked, completely unprovoked this time.  My dog ended up with a couple of 1" deep puncture wounds in her leg (one right into the knee -- ick).  I'll probably never regain complete use of one of my fingers, though I'm glad the SOB didn't bite it off completely.

So, I agree, most of the problem is the people who raise them.  But even when raised right, it seems to me that these dogs have an inbreed behaviour to kill instead of just "fight" when push comes to shove.  And IMO, we should breed that behaviour out.  I know if I ever see one particular dog again I'll do my part.

[Suppressed]

So, I agree, most of the problem is the people who raise them.  But even when raised right, it seems to me that these dogs have an inbreed behaviour to kill instead of just "fight" when push comes to shove.  And IMO, we should breed that behaviour out.  I know if I ever see one particular dog again I'll do my part.

Excellent summary.

Or, perhaps, we could leave that in...but keep the breed for only specific security uses with safeguards against escape.    We wouldn't conscience having firearms that had minds of their own, that could just run off and go off if "triggered" (pun intended).  Even the sweetest pit (and they can act VERY sweet) can have that killer instinct kick in.

[verga]

True enough, but they haven't been bred to fight or be mean junkyard type dogs, either. Unfortunately, that's what the gangbanger culture has done to some of the breed with bulldogs and other breeds as well. When things go seriously wrong, though, any dog can be nasty to deal with (and I'm a dog lover).

15 years ago we had a Cocker Spaniel that had been beaten into submission by a previous owner. Spent a lot of hours getting him to near normal. One day this Huskey came on my property and went after my wife. Cody went after him like a 20 lb tan missile. He hit that dog full on in the chest and knocked him right over, then chased him right to the property line. It was the first and last time I saw him be aggressive, it was the only time he needed to be. But if the need had ever arose again I am certain he could do it. We had to put him down about 6 years ago. I still miss him. 

[TomSea]

http://www.wyff4.com/article/charges-upgraded-against-owner-of-pit-bull-that-killed-child-report-says/8611472

Owner arrested, see more here. Charges of involuntary manslaughter,  arraigned in court.

If one had a stereotype as to whom owned the dog; you may not be disappointed.