Girl killed by pit bull terrier

[Xenophon]

Some images may disturb, plus there is music on this

[DaveB]

. The 'Black/Chav favoured' Staffordshire Pit Bull terriers you see on council estates or rough inner city streets are not at all inherently dangerous to people even though they are often used in illegal dog fights and so mistakenly misidentified as =the 'dangerous pit bulls' which are from America and are large lofty dogs, not smallish tan coloured stocky dogs.

<rant>
They are not "Staffordshire Pit Bull Terriers", the are Staffordshire Bull Terriers. They are a purely English breed and are in no way related to the larger American Staffordshire Terrier or the Pit Bull Terrier.

Although they started life as fighting dogs intended to bull and bear baiting in the 18th and early 19th century that aspect of their breeding has long since gone. The only remanant of it being that they can be aggresive towards other dogs when not properly controlled i.e. Kept on a lead.

Otherwise the Staffie is renowned for its reliability as a family dog. They are extremely loving dogs, being loyal and devoted to their "family", with special emphasis on their reliability with children. The breed thrives in a family environment, and being a compact breed they do well in a "close" family environment. For these reasons, they are sometimes referred to as "nanny dogs".

I've owned Staffies for years and they are the only dog I would have no hesitation in recommending to a familty with children.
</rant>

[Xenophon]

<rant>
They are not "Staffordshire Pit Bull Terriers", the are Staffordshire Bull Terriers. They are a purely English breed and are in no way related to the larger American Staffordshire Terrier or the Pit Bull Terrier.

Although they started life as fighting dogs intended to bull and bear baiting in the 18th and early 19th century that aspect of their breeding has long since gone. The only remanant of it being that they can be aggresive towards other dogs when not properly controlled i.e. Kept on a lead.

Otherwise the Staffie is renowned for its reliability as a family dog. They are extremely loving dogs, being loyal and devoted to their "family", with special emphasis on their reliability with children. The breed thrives in a family environment, and being a compact breed they do well in a "close" family environment. For these reasons, they are sometimes referred to as "nanny dogs".

I've owned Staffies for years and they are the only dog I would have no hesitation in recommending to a familty with children.
</rant>

Well put Dave. I agree completely.

[Ardesco]

I wouldn't have a dog, been there and done that when I was younger. Too much hassle, they tulip everywhere when they are young, destroy everything when they are teething, cost a bloody fotune in vet and food bills and you can't go away without finding somebody to look after them. Worse than kids!!!

I woul say that I think the vast majority of the problem is that your average chav doesn't know how to train a dog properly and also like to wind thier dog up and get them snarling at snapping at people to intimidate them. This sort of behaviour just teaches the dog that savaging people is fine, and then everybody acts surprised when they do.....

[DaveB]

I wouldn't have a dog, been there and done that when I was younger. Too much hassle, they tulip everywhere when they are young, destroy everything when they are teething, cost a bloody fotune in vet and food bills and you can't go away without finding somebody to look after them. Worse than kids!!!

I woul say that I think the vast majority of the problem is that your average chav doesn't know how to train a dog properly and also like to wind thier dog up and get them snarling at snapping at people to intimidate them. This sort of behaviour just teaches the dog that savaging people is fine, and then everybody acts surprised when they do.....

Each to his own. I wouldn't be without a dog now and the benefits far out weigh the hassle for me. Good training and socialisation will cure 99% of all problems in almost any dog. I do agree with the idea that ignorance on the part of owners is the root of the problem with most aggresive/dangerous dogs.

[stackpole]

Good training and socialisation will cure 99% of all problems in almost any dog.

Does it stop them crapping? Or is sewing up their arse part of the training?

[DaveB]

Does it stop them crapping? Or is sewing up their arse part of the training?

No, but it does stop them crapping where and when the shouldn't. No need to check your slippers in the morning

[Ardesco]

Each to his own. I wouldn't be without a dog now and the benefits far out weigh the hassle for me. Good training and socialisation will cure 99% of all problems in almost any dog. I do agree with the idea that ignorance on the part of owners is the root of the problem with most aggresive/dangerous dogs.

I totally agree with the above, I just find that for me the hassle outweighs the benefits.

Reading the dog forum linked above does annoy me though. They have gone too far the other way and seem to be intent on proving that the dog is innocent and it must have been the little girls fault. We don't know any of the details but I would suspect that the dog had not been trained properly in the first place and violent tendancies probably encouraged to make people fear it.

[stackpole]

Reading the dog forum linked above does annoy me though. They have gone too far the other way and seem to be intent on proving that the dog is innocent and it must have been the little girls fault.

Agree, that is stupid. How do you expect a little girl to know? It's like leaving a loaded gun lying around the house.

[Denny]

<rant>
They are not "Staffordshire Pit Bull Terriers", the are Staffordshire Bull Terriers. They are a purely English breed and are in no way related to the larger American Staffordshire Terrier or the Pit Bull Terrier.

Although they started life as fighting dogs intended to bull and bear baiting in the 18th and early 19th century that aspect of their breeding has long since gone. The only remanant of it being that they can be aggresive towards other dogs when not properly controlled i.e. Kept on a lead.

Otherwise the Staffie is renowned for its reliability as a family dog. They are extremely loving dogs, being loyal and devoted to their "family", with special emphasis on their reliability with children. The breed thrives in a family environment, and being a compact breed they do well in a "close" family environment. For these reasons, they are sometimes referred to as "nanny dogs".

I've owned Staffies for years and they are the only dog I would have no hesitation in recommending to a familty with children.
</rant>

What's in a name. The point I made is still equally valid. Staffies are still mistaken for the Pit Bulls that are dangerous.

If you are going to make a point, make one. Don't split hairs.