3-day old Sebastian Caban of San Diego is the 150th child killed by a pit bull since 1998

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

http://www.fatalpitbullattacks.com/children-killed-by-pit-bulls.php

[Relic]

I'm no expert, but I don't believe it's the breed. It's the handling.

Any powerful dog can be turned into a killing machine, and the urban culture favors using pit bulls.

[Fishrrman]

Nope, Relic.

I believe it's "in the breed".
Just as some dogs are bred to herd, some bred to retrieve, etc.

There's something inherently violent in pit bulls, lurking beneath the surface.
I wouldn't trust one as far as I could throw it.

It's perhaps the only breed I'd like to see banned and gradually eased out of existence.

But hey -- even with humans, I believe what we are is much more a "product of what's in our genes" than most others believe.

Or -- as the Amish would say about other Amish who act strange -- it's "in der blut" ...

[Kaslin]

I'm no expert, but I don't believe it's the breed. It's the handling.

Any powerful dog can be turned into a killing machine, and the urban culture favors using pit bulls.

You are correct, it is the handling. My son and his first wife used to have a Pit bull which they called Jersey because she looked like a Jersey cow. She was the gentlest you can imagine. 

[Sanguine]

I believe it's the breed AND the handling, but mostly the breed.  Just doesn't make sense that the vast majority of people killed by dogs would be pits if it weren't the breed, even taking into account the popularity of the breed among people who shouldn't own dogs.

[HootOwl]

  Most dogs tend to get jealous when a new baby arrives.  My mother told me if you are planning to have a dog, make sure you are finished having kids.  Why in heaven's name would they leave the dog in an area where it could get to the baby.  Also,  kitties love new babies  and often jump into the crib with them and cuddle, but they can smother them,  if the baby is too young to move away.

[Relic]

You are correct, it is the handling. My son and his first wife used to have a Pit bull which they called Jersey because she looked like a Jersey cow. She was the gentlest you can imagine.

Pitbulls were bred to be fighters, there is no denying that. A Pitbull is a mix of an English Bulldog, (for strength), and a Rat Terrier, (for tenacity).

However, in the early 1900s, the Pitbull was also called the nanny dog, or the nurse dog, because of it's reputation for being so good with kids. Petey, the dog in the Little Rascals, was a Pitbull.

There are mean dogs, it happens. But I think most of the time it's handling. I'd own a Pitbull.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

I suppose there are peaceful pitbulls, but pitbull owners always invariably seem to be either degenerate rednecks or ghetto thugs.

[Relic]

I suppose there are peaceful pitbulls, but pitbull owners always invariably seem to be either degenerate rednecks or ghetto thugs.

That seems to be the case. If you go to a local dog shelter, most of the dogs are some mix of pitbull. The people you mention get a dog, then let it run wild.

[flowers]

My poochie is part pit. He is the most happy and gentle dog. Yet I have a neighbor down the way that has 3 heinz 57 type dogs. They are mean really mean. They even chased my truck down the road one day when I was coming back to town minding my own business on the public road.

Heck last winter was just riding my 4 wheeler with my pooch. Next thing I know 3 dogs are trying to kill mine.

That neighbors dogs  came after my lab when she was alive. She was just sitting next to me and boom....3 dogs on her. 2 are newer ones for that owner. It is the way a person raises most dogs that make them violent.