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alicat · 09-06-2004, 07:00 PM

First off, I had a Rottweiler next door from me for three years that was kept in a 10' x 8' pen year round (and we're in Michigan which can have some pretty harsh winters). She had basically no human contact except for feeding time. When she'd occationally slip out of her owners grasp and run into our yard, she'd come right in my back door landing and wag/drool/lick me to death. She was one of the "vicious" breeds that had every right due to her care to attack humans and yet was so exubrently happy for affection that all she did was kiss you to death.

On the other end of the spectrum, and I have to say that although this might sound racist, I myself am not at all racist and realize that this was a truth for us even though it might seem like stereotyping to others. DH and I lived most of our lives in and around Detroit. We are both white and he worked at a Ford plant with alot of black people. He was really good friends with 3 black men on his line and all of them had Rottweilers. All of the three's dogs were trained to be attack dogs. It seemed to be the norm that those that lived in and around the Detroit area routinely trained their dogs to protect the home and family. It is not a dogs fault if the humans that own it train it to attack anyone who isin't in the family/friend "circle".

On the same track, the show "Animal Cops" (I think) on the Animal Network is set in Detroit and constantly pisses me off. In the city of Detroit, dog fighting is such a huge problem that they have a law that says that any Pitt Bull confiscated is automatically put to sleep (isin't that a nice sugar-coated term?!). The poor dog could be the most docile pet in the world and never have seen the inside of a fighting ring, but based solely on it's genetics, it's doomed to death. Again, see above for the "I'm not racist" statement, but, it seems like everytime they bust up dog fighting rings or even respond to people's concerned calls about dog fighting, it's mainly young black boys/men that are involved. I just don't understand why breeding/training dogs for fighting is so big to inner-city black people. I myself grew up just above the poverty line (and at times my parents had to rely on government aid) and yet this kind of thing never even entered the picture (and I was born in 1971, not Ward and June Cleaver days). Pets were part of the family not a security measure or money making tool.

If I recall correctly, Pitt Bulls were one of the number one family pets In the first half of the 1900's (think Golden Retreiver's, Spaniels or Labs these days). Again, if I'm correct, I think "Petey" from the "Our Gang" or "Little Rascels" shows/shorts was a Pitt Bull (please correct me anyone if I'm wrong on that!).

It all comes down to the nature vs. nurture argument and I myself lean towords the nurture. Dogs might never have become domesticated if it was inherent in their behaviour to be vicous and distrust/attack humans, or at the very least it would have taken much longer in the grand scheme of things for us to tame them, IMHO.

Ali

Edited to add: If anyone should be against vicious dogs, I fit the bill. I was out one night to give the aforementioned Rotty a few treats, when a loose dog out-of-the-blue came around the Rottie's cage and up to me. She was sweet as until I attemped (stupid!) to hold her and read her tag (my fault). She bit me on the face and I had to go through a set of 8 shots at one time and four more once a week for the next month. I still don't blame her for my stupidity and her natural reaction.

09-06-2004, 07:00 PM	#29 (permalink)
alicat Baffled Location: West Michigan	First off, I had a Rottweiler next door from me for three years that was kept in a 10' x 8' pen year round (and we're in Michigan which can have some pretty harsh winters). She had basically no human contact except for feeding time. When she'd occationally slip out of her owners grasp and run into our yard, she'd come right in my back door landing and wag/drool/lick me to death. She was one of the "vicious" breeds that had every right due to her care to attack humans and yet was so exubrently happy for affection that all she did was kiss you to death. On the other end of the spectrum, and I have to say that although this might sound racist, I myself am not at all racist and realize that this was a truth for us even though it might seem like stereotyping to others. DH and I lived most of our lives in and around Detroit. We are both white and he worked at a Ford plant with alot of black people. He was really good friends with 3 black men on his line and all of them had Rottweilers. All of the three's dogs were trained to be attack dogs. It seemed to be the norm that those that lived in and around the Detroit area routinely trained their dogs to protect the home and family. It is not a dogs fault if the humans that own it train it to attack anyone who isin't in the family/friend "circle". On the same track, the show "Animal Cops" (I think) on the Animal Network is set in Detroit and constantly pisses me off. In the city of Detroit, dog fighting is such a huge problem that they have a law that says that any Pitt Bull confiscated is automatically put to sleep (isin't that a nice sugar-coated term?!). The poor dog could be the most docile pet in the world and never have seen the inside of a fighting ring, but based solely on it's genetics, it's doomed to death. Again, see above for the "I'm not racist" statement, but, it seems like everytime they bust up dog fighting rings or even respond to people's concerned calls about dog fighting, it's mainly young black boys/men that are involved. I just don't understand why breeding/training dogs for fighting is so big to inner-city black people. I myself grew up just above the poverty line (and at times my parents had to rely on government aid) and yet this kind of thing never even entered the picture (and I was born in 1971, not Ward and June Cleaver days). Pets were part of the family not a security measure or money making tool. If I recall correctly, Pitt Bulls were one of the number one family pets In the first half of the 1900's (think Golden Retreiver's, Spaniels or Labs these days). Again, if I'm correct, I think "Petey" from the "Our Gang" or "Little Rascels" shows/shorts was a Pitt Bull (please correct me anyone if I'm wrong on that!). It all comes down to the nature vs. nurture argument and I myself lean towords the nurture. Dogs might never have become domesticated if it was inherent in their behaviour to be vicous and distrust/attack humans, or at the very least it would have taken much longer in the grand scheme of things for us to tame them, IMHO. Ali Edited to add: If anyone should be against vicious dogs, I fit the bill. I was out one night to give the aforementioned Rotty a few treats, when a loose dog out-of-the-blue came around the Rottie's cage and up to me. She was sweet as until I attemped (stupid!) to hold her and read her tag (my fault). She bit me on the face and I had to go through a set of 8 shots at one time and four more once a week for the next month. I still don't blame her for my stupidity and her natural reaction. __________________ 'Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun, The frumious Bandersnatch!'--Jabberwocky, Lewis Carroll "You cannot do a kindness too soon because you never know how soon it will be too late."--Ralph Waldo Emerson Last edited by alicat; 09-06-2004 at 07:11 PM..