Let's stay with Pyrs. All of the major Pyr sites, books and breeders
will tell you not to walk your Pyr off-leash.


Most responsible sources will tell you never to talk _any_ medium to large
size breed off a leash.


Then they're guilty of the same type of hysteria that you've been
arguing against in this thread. I'd like to see how one goes hunting
with one's dog on a leash.

In any case, you're ignoring the main issue which is different breeds
have different behavioral traits, some of which are aggressive in
character, and which can only be mitigated by training. Since that's
true, then some dogs are inherently more dangerous than others. Given
the characteristics that the American Pit Bull Terrier FAQ ascribes to
pit bulls, it follows that they are a more dangerous breed than most
others. So are mastifs, rottweilers, ... This doesn't mean that people
shouldn't own them, or that they don't make good dogs under the
appropriate circumstances.

I will add that there are a number pit bulls that come to our dog park.
When certain of them show up, everyone leaves. Why? Because these
specific dogs have demonstrated their aggressiveness. Sure the owners
are idiots. But a cocker spanial in the hands of a poor dog owner is
less dangerous than a pit bull owned by a similar person, maybe not
always, but certainly on average.

-Peter De Smidt