Question:
And honestly not meant to be inflammatory:
why do pit bull owners seem like they want to breed their dog more often than other dog owners? In the South (and in the West too) there are a CRAP LOAD of pits/pit mixes in shelters that are going to end up being killed because, let's face it, no one wants these dogs. I wouldn't adopt a pitbull if it were the last dog in the shelter (and I have adopted several dogs). What's the deal? What makes your breed so special? Why not get them fixed? Not a lot of people want pits, seriously. Most lay people think they bite children and kill other dogs. I don't see bichon or lhaso apso owners breeding their dogs like wild fire (though, for some reason, Chi owners seem to want to propogate that tragic little breed, even though they have numerous behavioral problems). I would never dream of breeding my dog(s) because I have a conscience. I wonder what happens to everybody else?
[end rant]
Answer:
We're loaded with litters here !!! Most I think are for fighting or chaining up !! When they don't sell , the go to the HS , where hopefully they will find good owners like those here on Chaz. I saw an ad pinned on a Liquor Store building yesterday.....good breeder ??? Doubt it !!! They were $300 to $400, Sigh !
Answer:
We're loaded with litters here !!! Most I think are for fighting or chaining up !! When they don't sell , the go to the HS , where hopefully they will find good owners like those here on Chaz. I saw an ad pinned on a Liquor Store building yesterday.....good breeder ??? Doubt it !!! They were $300 to $400, Sigh !
::Giggles::
Answer:
And why wouldn't you ever adopt a pit?
I hope your reasons aren't some type of stero type :rolleyes:
I dont know how it is in the states, but where I live, pits aren't really any more abundant than any other breed. There are BYB's of every breed.
I assume people breed pits more because of the stero type that they are "tough" dogs. Just my guess, haven't really encountered it first hand.
I know in my town there were quite a few litters right before the pitbull ban went into effect, the whole supply and demand. But surprisingly its actually cooled off since. Rottweilers are the breed now in my city. I was offered a 6 month old rotty a few weeks ago. Long story...
Answer:
Aww don't say you wouldn't adopt a pit bull if it were the last dog in the shelter...there are some really great pits out there. If they are raised right I know they are great with children and protective over their family.
Answer:
Very good point. My little Hades is amazing with my niece and nephew. Puts up with them crowding him and constantly cuddling him and engaging him in play. NOT ONCE has he ever showed any type of negative respsonse including ignoring them! He lovingly plays with them and cuddles and puts up with them dressing him up!
The last word I would ever use to describe Hades would either be dominant or aggressive.
Answer:
Pits are available in great abunance here. I am one of the ones who would never choose to own a pit. Not because of reputation, its just not my breed. I love my cattle dogs. :)
I realize they do tend to have a reputation that follows them, and honestly, a lot of the people who I see owning those breeds are usually SCARED of dogs! I guess if they are scared of their own dog everyone else should be too? I dont know. But Im not kidding, people who are afraid to pet dogs in Petsmart, or who are scared to hand me my food at a drive thru because I have a well behaved dog in my backseat, who I know have dogs of their own chained out in their back yard. It just really puzzles me.
Just seems to me that there are 5 responsible pit owners for every 95 irresponsible ones out there. Im sure all of the responsible ones are here on chaz anyway :)
Answer:
I don't see bichon or lhaso apso owners breeding their dogs like wild fire
I completely disagree. There may be more homeless pits, but small breeds are bred ALOT more than pit bulls. Small breeds are the "thing" right now. How many puppy mill seizures do you hear of that involve pit bulls? Not alot. They all involve the small breeds -- bichons, yorkies, poms, chis, maltese, shih tzu, lhasas, havanese, cockers, poodles, etc.
What makes them so special? You can ask the same about ANY breed. There are alot of breeds that not alot of people want, including mine. so why do people breed Belgians? Once again, it could be asked of any breed. Pits are not the most common dog in shelters -- labs are. So what makes labs so special? They are the most commonly owned dog --- which means that they certainly aren't unwanted. I would assume pit bulls would be the same.
Answer:
I find it quite sad that you generalise so much on dogs, all badly bred dogs are tragic, not only Chi's.
Answer:
And why wouldn't you ever adopt a pit?
I hope your reasons aren't some type of stero type
i was just about to ask the same question
though, for some reason, Chi owners seem to want to propogate that tragic little breed, even though they have numerous behavioral problems).
since when did chihuahuas have behavioral problems???????
bichon or lhaso apso owners breeding their dogs like wild fire
actually with the new craze in "designer mutts" people are really overnbreeding these dogs
I completely disagree. There may be more homeless pits, but small breeds are bred ALOT more than pit bulls. Small breeds are the "thing" right now. How many puppy mill seizures do you hear of that involve pit bulls? Not alot. They all involve the small breeds -- bichons, yorkies, poms, chis, maltese, shih tzu, lhasas, havanese, cockers, poodles, etc.
i completely agree
I find it quite sad that you generalise so much on dogs, all badly bred dogs are tragic, not only Chi's.
i completely agree, i think you have generalised alot of breeds in your post, and most of them in a bad way
Answer:
In my subdivision I would say 65% of the homes have dogs. I would day that at least half of these dogs if not more are pits or pit mixes.
It's sad as I see quite a few people out walking their dogs when I am walking Wrigley--however I have NEVER (except for one very nice family who has 3 pit mixes) seen any of the pit owners walking their dogs.
I think it is seen as "tough" and "gangster" like to own a Pit--which makes me even more sad.....
Answer:
People breed their little dogs as much, they just get adopted faster because they are little. And yes, lots of people won't risk adopting a pit... I wouldn't either, but because I'm not a good enough trainer for one.
Answer:
I'm afraid that I wouldn't either . Not knowing the background would bother me as to safety issues with children. I know they are great dogs .....
Answer:
I would adopt a pit!
There are many that are just surrendered due to high cost (insurance bills).
Many of these are well brought up and affectionate.
~Tucker
Answer:
Admit ....it depends on why surrendered ,
Answer:
Bubbatd,
If the dog was surrendered for financial reasons, and nothing else... Then would you consider :D? (This happens quite often too!)
~Tucker
Answer:
I wouldn't adopt a pitbull if it were the last dog in the shelter
I don't know the answers to your questions.........we don't have PBT here in the UK.
I just wanted to ask why you wouldn't adopt one??
Answer:
Bubbatd,
If the dog was surrendered for financial reasons, and nothing else... Then would you consider :D? (This happens quite often too!)
~Tucker
Yes, but you still have to wonder, why did these people not think of this before. All homeowners insurance policies are suppossed to be read before you agree to buy right? If they agreed to pay a higher premium or be dropped or whatever for owning a specific breed, why get the dog in the first place? Or why not switch insurance companies. It shows a lack of responsibility regardless, and that lack of responsibility may have also been implemented in the way the pup was raised.
Answer:
And honestly not meant to be inflammatory:
If this is true, you must be a complete newcomer to the dog world, where anything to do with pit bulls/scary breeds/molossers/etc. becomes a screaming hissy fit in about six seconds. Welcome.
why do pit bull owners seem like they want to breed their dog more often than other dog owners? In the South (and in the West too) there are a CRAP LOAD of pits/pit mixes in shelters that are going to end up being killed because, let's face it, no one wants these dogs...I would never dream of breeding my dog(s) because I have a conscience. I wonder what happens to everybody else? [end rant]
Short answer - their popularity is highest in populations that put the least value on spay/neuter, licensing, vet care, etc.
Longer answer - the 'impressive' breeds, which include pit bulls, (you know how, when people want to gush over certain breeds, they always use the word 'impressive' to convey their approval), are, in the eyes many of their fans, enhanced by their intact state. The appeal of a setter or collie or toy breed isn't particularly changed by its reproductive status. That 'big, powerful, masculine beast' thing that appeals to many people is, on the other hand, hugely enhanced by the dog being intact.
It is true that not too many people want these dogs. In the urban northeast, where they've also become a huge percentage of the shelter population, shelters have started importing dogs from rural shelters to give adopters a better choice. It sounds harsh, but an average family looking for a pet will be better off with a beagle mix from Kentucky than a pit bull off the streets of Newark.
Answer:
Woah, glad I came back for this one lol. I own an American Staffordshire Terrier AND Chihuahuas.
I would like to say that I would like to agree with those people that said that it is the small breeds that are in demand right now. There are BYB's that breed every breed but there IS quite a problem with bad breeders breeding small breeds.
Im not quite sure how the OP figures that chihuahuas have behavioral problems. Any chihuahua with a behavioral problem is because the owners think it is cute to have their little ones on their lap protecting them and make them that way. It has nothing to do with the breed and everything to do with the owner.
I would also like to know why you would never adopt a pit bull?
Also why do you think that we think "our" breed is sooooo special. I think all breeds are special. No one more than another. I don't go around bragging about my Amstaff any more than I brag about my chihuahuas or pomeranians (who by the ways are all extremely well behaved, and have NO behavioral problems)
Im sorry but being an owner of the breeds you spoke about in your post I am a bit shocked.
I would also like to say that here our problem is not so much with the toy breeds or pit bulls or rottweilers but with mixes between collies, labs, GSD's and retrievers. The shelter is always full of them.
Answer:
And honestly not meant to be inflammatory:
why do pit bull owners seem like they want to breed their dog more often than other dog owners? In the South (and in the West too) there are a CRAP LOAD of pits/pit mixes in shelters that are going to end up being killed because, let's face it, no one wants these dogs. I wouldn't adopt a pitbull if it were the last dog in the shelter (and I have adopted several dogs). What's the deal? What makes your breed so special? Why not get them fixed? Not a lot of people want pits, seriously. Most lay people think they bite children and kill other dogs. I don't see bichon or lhaso apso owners breeding their dogs like wild fire (though, for some reason, Chi owners seem to want to propogate that tragic little breed, even though they have numerous behavioral problems). I would never dream of breeding my dog(s) because I have a conscience. I wonder what happens to everybody else?
[end rant]
I have to say that I agree 100% with what you are saying! Most pitbull owners and I say "most" not all *wink*are usually unfixed, intact, not N/S whenever I come across a pitbull owner. They want to breed them or keep them intact just because. Especially the male owners I come across. We are overloaded with pitbull and pitbull mixes in Boston and some of these dogs get fought in underground basements. You don't see many middle and upper class familys owning them either for they are usually what I refer to as the "ghetto dog" unfortunately. It is a shame and the ones I do see owned by middle to upper class familys are S/N ,well socialized, wonderful temperaments, and well taken care of. I'm not saying that to get flamed because I am from a middle class family and we have had pitbulls in the past rescued out of the MSPCA. Pitbulls are wonderful dogs and deserve a better reputation. These dogs suffer enough by the hands of neglectful and negligent owners and when it comes time for another dog a pitbull is high on the top of my list to rescue!
Answer:
And honestly not meant to be inflammatory:
why do pit bull owners seem like they want to breed their dog more often than other dog owners? In the South (and in the West too) there are a CRAP LOAD of pits/pit mixes in shelters that are going to end up being killed because, let's face it, no one wants these dogs. I wouldn't adopt a pitbull if it were the last dog in the shelter (and I have adopted several dogs). What's the deal? What makes your breed so special? Why not get them fixed? Not a lot of people want pits, seriously. Most lay people think they bite children and kill other dogs. I don't see bichon or lhaso apso owners breeding their dogs like wild fire (though, for some reason, Chi owners seem to want to propogate that tragic little breed, even though they have numerous behavioral problems). I would never dream of breeding my dog(s) because I have a conscience. I wonder what happens to everybody else?
[end rant]
Nice, with the "tragic little breed." My breed is a phenomenal one which is unfortunately being ruined by people breeding for profit--just like literally every other popular breed out there. Keep your breed prejudices to yourself.
Plenty of dog owners with EVERY breed and mix breed their dogs irresponsibly--it's just hard to notice, because breeds which are in demand get adopted quickly, and breeds with bad reputations (like the ones you're damning, with no knowledge of them at all) get euthanized quickly.
Answer:
I completely agree what Red ACD said about there being a huge problem with people having Pit Bulls for the wrong reasons and having them just to breed and look mean. I think that is a horrible situation. And you are right, it is the middle class people (when they own these dogs) that do the best for them. Not saying that all middle class people will treat a dog right but for the majority of middle class pit bull families, their dogs are N/S and have wonderful temperments.
I am still wondering why the OP said she would never adopt one if it was the last dog in the shelter. That saddens me a bit. A well tempered Pit would be the first dog I brought home with me from a shelter.
Answer:
Pit bulls are in shelters in abundance because people breed irresponsibly in other cases, and think they can take care of them but can't. A lot of them are in the same reason as the goldens and other popular breeds for regular reasons, financial, etc.
I am really curious as to why you would never own a pit bull even if it was the last breed?
I've never owned a pitbull. Would I? Definitely. I know they make wonderful pets, as wonderful as any other breed, if they are bred/raised right.
Yes, i do admit that pits are more susceptible to dog aggression, dominance, etc, and that's not the breed's fault. it's because that was the purpose of them when the breed was originated. Some people have a steriotype about pit bulls and think it makes them look intimidating or powerful. Then they breed them and sell them to friends. These dogs are unstable temperament-wise, and then they end up in shelters
it's peoples' fault that pits are so misrepresented.
BUT pit bulls need a great deal of training and a firm, kind hand. Not everybody has this combination and should therefore not own pits.
I also doubt that pit bulls are any more likely to bite than other small breeds that are badly bred. They just do a lot more damage.
As to your assumption about chihuahuas, why do you think that? That's not in their disposition. Just like other breeds, they are overbred. Some people think they don't need training just because they're small. There we go again. The fault of humans. i definitely don't think Pits are bred more than small dogs, either. I just think they find home more easily because they're more "appealing.":(
Answer:
Our Animal Control is always swimming in Pits and Pit mixes. Unfortunalty the area is also swimming in dog fighters.
Answer:
My friend has two pit bulls, one rescued from our Humane Society, and they are wonderful dogs. It all depends on the way they are raised.