Peter De Smidt wrote:
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.
Obviously there are exceptions. But the rule is well-nigh universal. Keep any
medium to large dog leashed.
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.
Actually I spent most of my message to you responding to exactly this point. To
recap:
1) Dog bite statistics show no correlation between breed of dog an aggression.
2) The Alabama Supreme Court found no evidence that some breeds are inherently
dangerous.
3) There is apparently no factual basis for your argument that pit bulls as a
breed are more aggressive.
4) While different breeds have different characteristics, I think the evidence
shows the differences are much, much less than you seem to believe and are in
any case not determinative.
5) All that said, pit bulls are large, strong dogs that are quite capable of
doing a lot of damage. That means that their owners have a special
responsibility to make sure their dog is properly trained, well-socialized and
properly restrained. This is true of Rottweilers, German Shepherds and many
other breeds of large dogs.
Since that's true, then some dogs are inherently more dangerous than others.
Some dogs are much more dangerous than others. But this owes much more to the
training, socialization and temperament of the individual dog that it does to
the breed.
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.
Actually cocker spaniels have a reputation as biters as well. But no, a 20-pound
cocker isn't as big or as strong as a 40-pound pit bull and probably won't do as
much damage if it does attack. But again, that doesn't go to the inherent
aggressiveness of the breed.
And keep in mind that pit bulls are enormously strong dogs for their size. They
are commonly used in pulling contests and it's not unusual to have a single pit
bull pull over 1000 pounds. It's kind of funny to watch a pit bull trying to
swim. They have so much muscle they're very dense dogs and they have to paddle
frantically just to stay afloat.
--RC
-Peter De Smidt
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