Wednesday, June 30, 2010

it's not the breed...

It’s not just a face a mother (or owner) could love.

It’s a face that constantly exudes abounding joy, uncompromising love,  and unending slobber…usually delivered all at the same time.

I was surfing the internet the other night, trolling some of my favorite blogs, catching up on some news and a posting caught my eye. On lovelakewood.com, an update was given on some of the latest happenings in my city.

Lovelakewood is a great source of local information. Linked to the police blotter, it can keep you updated on all the crime in the area. The blog side of this site highlights some of the goings on in non-police pdf. blotter form. It's interesting stuff that usually doesn't get picked up by the news. This particular post listed all those with outstanding property taxes listed (amazing!). A lawsuit against Calanni Auto Service because they have a tendency to not return your car to you (incredible!). Police notified about several buildings stripped of the copper plumbing (unbelieveable!). A building demolished after being considered a neighborhood nuisance (so sad!).

But then in two lines, the author of this blog (who is a Lakewood resident as well), in a tongue in cheek way, managed to upset me with his coy delivery of an news item. I'm sure it was unintentional, but still upset me nonetheless.

I quote ‘There was another report of an 'it’s-not-a-pit-bull-it’s-an-american-bulldog' situation. Sounds familiar.’

Last year I wrote a blog post about Otis. I posted the video (which is hard to watch…) where the police tasered this dog. Several times. The City of Lakewood demanded Otis to be removed from the City limits or they would destroy the dog. The owner provided results of  DNA testing showing that Otis was indeed not a pit bull. The City refused the findings. It made National headlines. People were riled up. The owner eventually made a deal with the city and moved away.

On March 19th, former Lakewood resident Lenard Shelton has brought a lawsuit against the city because he feels he was subjected to undue scrutiny and harassment from police when he would walk his dog. The police think it’s a pit bull. He claims it’s a Boston Terrier mix. He provided DNA testing to prove that his dog is not a pit and the city refused those results as well. He moved to a neighboring city. Why? Because of  continued harassment and visits by police to his home threatening Mr. Shelton with criminal charges if he allowed his dog Rosco to remain in the city limits. He seeks $475,000 in damages.

There have been council meetings where residents have brought up that perhaps City of Lakewood employees should be schooled so they can identify, correctly, different breeds of dogs. The public safety guy was not pleased.

Lakewood banned pit bulls two years ago. Unless you lived here before that time and own a pit bull, you cannot register a dog with pit bull blood in any mix in the city. If you DO own a pit, you are required to provide a photo of your dog, copy of your homeowners liability insurance policy of not less than $100,000, provide proof that your dog has been micro-chipped, proof that your dog has been neutered or spayed, your dog must always be confined at all times and must be muzzled if walked in public. Oh, and the extra $50 for registering the dog.

All this is for dogs that have never had any history of violence.

506.03 PIT BULL dogs or Canary Dogs.


(a) All pit bull dogs and canary dogs (Perro de PresaCanario) are deemed to be dangerous animals even in the absence of a hearing by the Director of Public Safety or his or her designee.
(b) As used in this section, “pit bull dog” means any Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier or American Staffordshire Terrier breed of dog, any dog of mixed breed which has the appearance or characteristics of being predominately of such breeds, any dog commonly known as a piut bull, pit bull dog, or pit bull terrier; or a combination of any of these breeds.
(c) As used in this section “canary dogs” pr “Perro de PresaCanario Dogs” also include any dog of mixed breed which ahs the appearance of characteristic of bring predominatnly of such breed.
(d) In the event of a dispute as to whether a dog or not a dog is a pit bull dog, a canary dog, or some other breed, the Director of Public Safety or his or her designee shall make the determination without a hearing, and the burden of proof that such dog is not a put bull dog or canary dog shall be upon the owner or custodian.


506.10 Evidence
The Director of Public Safety or his or her designee may hear and consider relevant evidence offered by any person desiring to provide such evidence at a hearing to determine whether or not an impounded or confined animal is a dangerous animal or a vicious animal.
In making a determination as to whether or not such animal is a dangerous animal or a vicious animal, the following evidence may be considered:
Any previous history of the animal attacking, biting or causing injury to human beings or domestic animals
The nature and extent of all injuries inflicted and the number of victims involved
The place where the bite, attack or injury occurred
The presence of absence of any provocation for the bite, attack or injury
The extent to which clothing or other property was damaged or destroyed
Whether or not the animal exhibits any characteristic of aggressive or unpredictable temperament or behavior in the presence of human beings or domestic animals
The manner in which the animal has been trained, handled and maintained by its owner or custodian
Any other relevant evidence concerning the animal
Any other relevant evidence regarding the ability of the owner or custodian or the City to protect the public safety if the animal is permitted to remain in the City


506.04 Exception, Registration and Fee
Any owner of a dangerous animal as defined in Section 506.03 on the effective date of the ordinance who intends to keep such dangerous animal within the City of Lakewood shall have 90 days, from the effective date of this ordinance, to register such dangerous animal with the Director of Public Safety or his or her designee. The fee for such registration shall be $50.00. Registration shall take place annually thereafter. Registration shall include providing the name and contact information of the owner of the dangerous animal, the location where the dangerous animal shall be kept, and any other information deemed necessary to ensure the safety of the public by the Director of Public Safety or his or her designee. Registration shall be rejected and the dangerous animal shall be removed from the City of Lakewood if the owner fails to show proof annually of compliance with the following conditions:
**Summarized**


The dangerous animal must be implanted with a microchip, and the information contained on the microchip, must be maintained in a database by the Division of Animal Control along with a photograph of the animal
The animal must be spayed or neutered
The owner must obtain liability insurance for at least $100,000 for the entire period of registration
The animal, while on the premises of the owner or custodian, shall be confined indoors or in a securely enclosed pen or “dog run” with sides six feet high, imbedded at least one foot underground, and with a secured top
The animal, while off premises of its owner or custodian, shall be securely muzzled, leashed with a chain not longer than three feet (having tensile strength of not less than 300 pounds), under the control of a person eighteen years of age or older
Any government or utility company employee, and anyone else who comes on the property, shall be immediately informed of the animal’s dangerousness. The owner of the animal shall immediately notify the Director of Safety of any change made to the information on the registration


506.12 Disposition of Vicious Animals
Any animal designated by the Director of Public Safety or his or her designee, after a hearing, to be a vicious animal, if not already impounded by the City, shall be immediately surrendered to the Director of Public Safety or his or her designee, Animal Control Officer or a police officer.
Any animal declared by the Director of Public Safety or his or her designee, after a hearing, to be a vicious animal shall be humanely destroyed.
The Director of Public Safety or his or her designee shall issue an order authorizing the destruction of the vicious animal to take place not earlier than five days following the written decision by the Director of Public Safety or his or her designee designating the animal to be a vicious animal. If the owner or custodian of the vicious animal, within such period, files a notice of appeal of the Director of Public Safety or his or her designee’s decision with a court of competent jurisdiction, serves the Director of Public Safety or his or her designee with a copy of the notice of appeal and removes the animal from the City pending such appeal, the City shall stay the order of destruction, pending the appeal.


(Ord. 58-08. Passed 7-21-08.)

Lakewood is trying to become dog friendly. They recently have allowed people to walk their dogs in Lakewood Park. Lakewood Park is the main city park open to the public on the shores of Lake Erie. Since a council meeting back in 1973, dogs have not been allowed on park properties within the city limits. You can walk them on the sidewalks, but if you want to enjoy the park…leave your dog at home. No one has been able to determine why this was originally put into place. The council, when asked, would always support the ordinance because it was more cost effective for the city. It was “too expensive to put up signs and waste stations”.

Yet the city is in the process of a Clifton Boulevard revamp which will add a landscaped median (why?), improved lighting (no need), bus-coordinated traffic signalization (whoop de doo), new bus shelters (the ones there were put up 10 years ago and look fine), and a dedicated residential-side bus lane in each direction during rush hours. This is going to cost the city over $7-14 million dollars.

When asked about the need for medians, the answer was that would add a safety element to the roadway. It would give pedestrians a mid point to stop. No one I know has ever stopped halfway between a 7 lane thoroughfare. If you are crossing the street, you cross the street. Not stop in the middle for the next traffic light sequence! And if someone DID stop in the middle...don’t you think it would be distracting to drivers and create problems for the vehicles? Bah.

The most interesting part is that in each meeting about this beautifucation project, they stress over and over that ‘at this phase there is no expense for the City of Lakewood.’ Although if you go to see the budget planning, it shows that this study was indeed paid for already. To the tune of $765,000. Although again the refute the cost by saying it was from stimulus money. Really? We couldn’t do something else with three quarters of a million dollars except get a study to show us how to spend another 14 million?

I know, and I’m sure that everyone knows, no project is ever kept to budget. They started replacing pedestrian crosswalks with red brick. This was done at several stages. They would refinish the road with blacktop. Then come and cut the black top. They would then add the brick. Then the had to replace a sewer line and dug up both the brick and the pavement. They replaced the brick. They fixed the pavement. They are now adding these light poles which them damaged the brick and it has to be fixed again. When driving on the road it's uneven where it's been patched.

Does that make any sense?

Do the new Welcome to Lakewood signs really have to cost $10,000? Each? They want to replace all the current sandstone sidewalks. Granted, there are some that are in need a little repair…but it’s sandstone. It has character. It’s what all of Lakewood is about. Old with character. They are planning to remove and trash them all. Trust me, I once had an opportunity when they were diggin out some sandstone to do a repair I stopped to ask if I may have some that they were throwing away. They refused. He insisted that it HAD to be dumped into the dump truck, broken and trashed. ‘It was the policy.‘ he said. I’m sure that the city paid a pretty penny to have all that sandstone hauled out on a barge into Lake Erie and dumped as well. Why not let homeowners have their take at it and then dispose of the remainder? That would make sense.

But they would rather tear them all out and spend $810,000 (that's the estimate) to replace them with concrete. Supposedly this will help Lakewood remain in competition with it’s neighboring towns. Yes; Rocky River has a boulevard with a median. Yes; Bay Village has a median with plants. Yes; even Fairview Park has a median. Each of these cities had them in the first stages of city planning. They didn’t go to the expense of having this done after the fact. Especially during a recession. When unemployment still remains high, is it that necessary to spend $14 million of tax payers dollars? On a median and plants and new traffic lights and garbage cans and bus stops? On beautifucation?

If you go to the website, only 94 of the almost 55,000 people that live here commented in favor of this project.

But I’m on a tangent here. With all these project expenditures for the city, their excuse to not allow dogs into the park is “it’ll cost too much for signs”? Nonsense.

After the Otis incident, the council decided to do something to appease the upset pet owners in town. They did in fact put up signs and waste containers with bags for pet owners. It was never publicized. One day at the park I happened to see the sign. Prior to that viewing, I hadn’t a clue anything had changed.

“Hey Damian! I can NOW walk the dogs in the park!”

“Really? When did that change?”

“I haven’t any idea. But I saw the sign where I can leave the poo…if needed and took the pups in for a stroll. I DID get some nasty looks from others at the park. Apparently they don’t know you can walk your dogs here yet either.”

But it’s not just the cities view on dogs and dog breeds that has me again in an uproar. It’s the way people, like Mr. Davis, author of Lovelakewood.com present news that concerns dogs, dog owners and dog breeds. By putting ‘American Bulldog’ in the same negative connotation sentence with ‘Pit Bull’; people that don’t have knowledge of either breed first hand will automatically connect the two and thus think that an American Bulldog is vicious like a Pit.

Not all Pits are vicious. Nor are American Bulldogs.
It’s the Owners not the Breed that makes a dog vicious.

When buying or adopting a dog, people should be aware of the personalities of said dog they are bringing into their home. They should take into consideration their own personalities. If you are a couch potato and want a lap dog, do not get a working dog that needs extra exercise! If you want a dog to run and play Frisbee with, do not get a dog that is unable to physically carry out these tasks.

Dalmatian adoptions went sky-high when the Disney movie 101 Dalmatians was released in 1996. In 1997 and 1998 there was a dog pound glut of these dogs that their owners no longer wanted. In order to please their children, many people brought home these dogs not educated in how to care for a Dalmation. They abondonned them in shelters after becoming too big or too unruly. Sure the pups are adorable, but high energy and a bit skittish, they need lots of exercise and interaction. They didn’t think whether this breed would be a good fit for their household, they just liked the dogs ‘look’. When the movie 102 Dalmatians was released activists asked Disney to put a small statement at the beginning of the movie to discourage people from creating the same puppy glut that happened after 101 Dalmatians was in theaters.

I short term adopted my brothers puppy after the death of his wife. Arrow was a Border Collie. Extremely smart. Border Collies are herding dogs, they like to make sure they know where everyone is. I already had two big dogs (a Bovier and a Canadian Golden Retriever) so I knew that this 3 dog thing wasn’t going to last long, but I wanted to find a good home for Arrow.

When my parents were on vacation I told them I’d check in on the house. I took Arrow and Cameron (the golden) with me that afternoon. Cameron was a great dog, but he was one like in Assops fables where he lost his bone in the stream trying to get the bone from the dog reflection IN the stream. I was on the phone in the upstairs hallway, sitting and chatting with a friend that had called knowing I was in town. Both dogs had big bones to keep them busy. Cameron would routinely stop chewing on his bone and go over, push aside Arrow (who was a ¼ his size) and take his bone. Arrow would patiently give his bone up and then go over, take the original bone Cameron had and start chewing. Cameron after a time would then go over and push aside Arrow, take his bone and lay down. This happened about three times when finally as Cameron approached Arrow, Arrow ran to the top of the stairs and tossed the bone down the staircase. Cameron went lumbering down after the fallen bone, Arrow turned and grabbed the other one and laid down happily chewing away.

Had I not seen the “FACE!” that Arrow gave the bigger, yet obviously less intelligent dog….I wouldn’t have believed it. “You want the bone, dummy? Go get it.” You could see it in Arrows eyes what he thought of this big dumb dog. It was priceless.

I want to protect MY American Bulldog. He is not a pit bull and I hate that people are prejudicing him.
Yes; he has a big head. Yes; he can be intimidating if you are afraid of dogs. Yes; he will slobber on you if you allow him too. But my cat is more ferocious than my dog. My dog can’t sleep at night if he isn’t tucked under the blankets just so. He’s a big baby, my American Bulldog. So I would appreciate it if people like Anthony Davis not use his name in a counterproductive way.

I couldn’t find any thing on the internet to substantiate the news of ‘it’s-not-a-pit-it’s-an-American-Bulldog‘. I’d like to know more. I e-mailed him with no reply as of yet.

In the meantime, I’m off for a walk with the pups. They have brought me their leashes and are ready. After my vent here….I’m ready as well.

Maybe we will stroll through Lakewood Park since we can. I dare anyone to stop and ask me if Stuey is a Pit Bull. Now would not be the time. I might fill their ears...

:-)





If you’d like to sign the petition to change the ban on certain breeds; you may do so here. And also here.
Remember: It’s not the breed…it’s the owners.


This is interesting! My friend Karl sent this to me...do you think YOU can identify a Pit Bull? Take this test. I dare you! :-)


Postscript: I just received further identifying information about the news bit Mr. Davis wrote about on his post in lovelakewood.com. From the police media log report:
(Page 37)
Animal - miscellaneous
6/16 at 4:48 p.m. at 15524 Detroit - Ross Deli
Out with two females who possibly have pit bulls.
Teresa A Gurthrie of 1249 Lakeland was walking two dogs that appear to be pit bulls. She claims
they are American Bulldogs. One is a 4-year-old male. It is white in color and is named Romeo. The
second is a 6-month-old female. It is white and brown and is named Ania. Animal warden notified for follow-up

I've met Romeo and his owner Teresa. Their street is just over from ours, so they regularly walk in front of our house. One time I walked out to meet them as Romeo looks very similar to Stuey. He's a bit smaller and not quite as handsome, but his eye patch is the same but on the other eye. He is very much an American Bulldog. As a owner of one, there are similarities that are quite glaring to be able to tell the difference. Ross's Deli is just walking distance from here. My daughter and her friends like to ride their bikes over and buy penny candy. Now knowing this information that Teresa was just out for a walk with her dogs not far from her home and was stopped and now has to prove to the animal warden her digs DNA? That troubles me even further! Do I ned to start carrying Stueys papers with me when we go out walking? Romeo is a very mild mannered dog. Lathargic actually when you approach him. So it's quite obvious to me that the officer wasn't responding to anything he/she saw aas a threat, just a random stop of a pedistrian with her dogs?

Bah.
Looks like I should stop all gardening and house projects and call a realtor instead...

35 comments:

  1. I so agree with you on the "it's not the dog, it's the owner". We have exactly the same situation here in the UK where people just don't get the responsibility of being a dog owner. All dogs start out good, and love you so much in return. My wonderful brown eyes lab is now so protective of me and offers me the unwavering love of someone who is always there. Well said Nancy.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I get your point Nancy, and I agree with you to some extent, but when you see the horrific attacks on kids, it's hard not to say "those are vicious animals." I guess the problem is that a majority of pit bull owners DO get them for that specific purpose (not attacking KIDS, but you know what I mean) so those of you who own them and don't train them to kill are kind of the exception. I guess it's easier to ban the dog than try to prosecute the owners when their pit bull ravages a neighbor.

    And, I'm sorry, but those are some ugly dogs.

    ReplyDelete
  3. @Chris - True...I don't defend ANY dog, no matter what it's breed, when it attacks. Any vicious dog SHOULD be destroyed.

    BUT it becomes a slippery slope when you ban an entire breed because of an attack. Which breed would be next? If that law can stand, why not add to it?

    Besides the fact that many times the attack reported is wrong in identifying the dog as a PIT when it isn't a pit. It's just easier for the newscaster to say "pit". That creates a bad mojo fromthe get-go. Check it out, there are umteen instances of this in the news.

    And not all dogs are cute. Some are ugly, I agree. Maybe not to everyone. I've seen some pretty ugly people, but wouldn't ban the entire human race!

    Thanks for your imput!
    :-)

    Nancy

    ReplyDelete
  4. This kind of governmental stupidity needs to somehow be stopped. I don't know how though. We might begin by having all the dogs of the country trained to piss solely on Politician's legs and shoes. God knows we have more than enough of them - they probably out number fire hydrants to boot.

    The petition is closed - they have reached their goal of signatures.

    ReplyDelete
  5. As someone that adores rottweilers, pitbulls, dobermans, and bulldogs - I have always said that it is not the breed, it is the owner. The only thing that gets these dogs a bad rap is that when things do go bad, it is far worse that what a smaller, weaker dog could do. But in my experience, they are some of the sweetest, most loyal, and most loving dogs you can find.... It is a proven fact that the most aggressive dog is a cocker spaniel - because they are less intelligent.

    ReplyDelete
  6. it is a shame how breeds can be misunderstood. my brother breed and trained Doberman Pinschers for some time and dealt with both laws and people that were prejudicial. Even animated films portray them as evil (complete with German accents - another stereotype).

    Thanks for raising awareness here.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I, for one, am very fond of pit bulls. They're a misunderstood breed-especially in AZ. They're the perfect build for fighting, so people train them for that specifically (which is DISGUSTING and INHUMANE), and that's why people are afraid of them. Because their owners trained them that way.

    I also like American Bulldogs. I think they're adorable.

    No breed should be discriminated against, just because they've been trained to do something.

    ReplyDelete
  8. To play Devil's advocate- some breeds are more prone to violence. I have seen news reports of a well behaved pit bite a child's head and not let go. This was a pit not trained to do violence. Just like some breeds are more yippy (chihuahuas) or hyper (jack russels). Though, every american bulldog I have met is a big scaredy-cat.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I think people often tend to get dogs because they're "cute" when they're puppies, not realizing the amount of work and training that goes into keeping them in a "cute" temperament. Before I got the Wonder Dog, I did lots of research on temperaments of particular breeds, as well as learning about training him. It's paid off a hundred fold. For those contemplating adding a canine to the family, I highly recommend the books by The Monks of New Skete. Sadly, many pit bull owners buy them specifically because they're NOT cute, but have a reputation of being fierce... living in the inner city, I often see these dogs being walked on monster choke collars... scary.

    That said, any breed can turn nasty without love and care. My sister in law's family had a Sharpei that we didn't see for years because it was locked behind a door, jumping at it and barking each time we visited. When we finally met the dog, we were at dinner and my sister in law advised us not to hang our hands by the side of our chairs. No, thank you! And they still thought the dog was adorable!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm still sitting here dumbfounded that a city can outlaw a breed of dog. The city law makers need to watch an episode of the Dog Whisperer with Big Daddy.

    ReplyDelete
  11. @Intense Guy - what a grand idea! LOVE it!

    @Oddyoddyo - I totally agree with you on the training aspect. It really IS a shame. :-(
    And Stuey says thanks for thinking he and his breed are adorable!

    @K - Yes, American Bulldogs are intimidating, but when it comes down to it...my cat is more ferocious. (and knows it) Stuey can't sleep at night unless he's tucked in with his blanket to chew on. It's funny.

    Although I would challenge anyone to mess with me while he's around. He's protective of me that way...which is what as a dog, he's supposed to do. Best alarm system I've ever had.
    :-)

    @CatLady - you know...since Stueys skin is SO THICK ast his neck, I bought one of those clawed choke chains when I walk him...but I HATE that it looks like he must be ferocious because I had to get this big chain. But it's not that at all...it's just that he can't FEEL the little chains and the big one keeps his attention.

    I now tie a bandana around it. People now think that he's handsome with his scarf. They have no idea what it hides!

    :-)

    Nancy

    ReplyDelete
  12. The best dog I ever owned was a pit bull/lab mix. He was a big love dog but he scared the dickens out of people. You are so right - it is not the dog it's the owner!

    ReplyDelete
  13. This is so sad. I've never heard of a city putting restrictions on a dog breed! What if they started putting them on us because of how we look? BTW, I failed the pit bull identity test!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I just saw on the NYC news that one town on LI is banning pitbulls and rottweilers from their town. In fact, if you have one in your yard, your dog can be taken away.

    My friend has had rottweilers for years and she has small children. Her latest one is the most mellow dog EVER. You're absolutely right that it is the owner and not the dog.

    ReplyDelete
  15. @ Little Miss and SuziCate - When a ban starts and is passed...where does it end? Add another breed that someone on the board doesn't like? Or maybe banning books? Or redheads? Or Methodists?

    Slippery...very, very slippery.


    @Mendid - I'm GLAD Stuey intimidates people (sometimes)...it makes me feel safe.
    And of course, people either run up to him because he's so cute, or they keep their distance..which is fine as well. But sometimes I think they keep the distance from ME, not him. Because of the drool. They aren't sure who the drool is from...
    :-)

    Nancy

    ReplyDelete
  16. Insurance companies can refuse to insure you if you have certain breeds of dogs - I know for at least one company those breeds were pit bulls and rottweilers. The problem dog in our neighborhood is neither of those. But he cannot be trusted. The 6 year old boy next door (who is very large for his age) came over while we were gone one day and completely destroyed our pond. So maybe all 6 year old boys should be banned.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Our neighboring county has an outlaw on Pitbulls so I'm well aware of the prejudice. ANY DOG can turn on an owner or other people if the dog is of that temperment. If the owners do not encourage aggressive behavior, the dogs are usually fine.

    However, some people may want to rescue Pitbulls from shelters, having no idea where they came from and what their past is. A dog that is fearful and scared can lash out at humans anytime.

    I have my own Roscoe (with an e!) who is a Labradoodle. He is basically the first dog I've ever owned. I know my BF and I would absolutely move before we ever gave him up.

    There has to be some sort of middle ground here, but I'm not sure what it is. You absolutely CANNOT generalize a breed in it's entirety. I don't agree with the commenter Chris above about pitbull owners who don't train to kill being the exception, however, I do understand what he's saying from a legislative/law point of view. You can't check out every dog owner individually and observe their animals. I guess it's easier just to outlaw the breed entirely.

    I hope an agreement is found in your town.

    ReplyDelete
  18. This is certainly an interesting issue. there is plenty of scope for arguement each way. i have seen some poorly trained dogs of many breeds who become troublesome and it is definately the owners who are the problem. I have also known of a previously decent dog which 'snapped' and attacked a child causing terrible injuries. I am sure there was more to it than was explained, but the dog was put down and the owners very distressed.
    i have owned a couple of large dogs (german sheppherd and lab x ridgeback) both have been well trained and were/are lovely animals. both were scary simply by the look of them. the shepherd for obvious reasons - but she was a sweetie.
    we adopted our current dog from a family who couldn't handle him. ??? he needed training and they hadn't bothered so as he bacmae bigger he was too much. we were told he was a lab x staffy. he was loving but big and was only half grown. he kept growing and is very broad in the chest and jaw. he is about the size of a lab + a staffy. apart from his wideness he looks like a Lab. It wasn't until the dog washer told us he was a ridgeback x that we discovered his true identity. initially i was upset as I wouldn't have adopted him had I known his true identity as I knew nothing about the breed. I looked it up and discovered they are not at all like their reputation. it seems ridgebacks are yet another maligned breed. We have a lovely large dog who is the biggest loyal sook ever, and a bit too smart for such a boof. He wouldn't hurt anyone, but his big deep bark is intimidating. he has deterred some local youth who were using our yard as a short-cut at the time and his presence was enough to put a stop to the trespassing.

    ReplyDelete
  19. So glad to see you writing about this issue. About 12 years ago, I was just a dog lover in general. And then I found a pit bull on the street. My parents and everyone else I knew begged me not to take it. Today I still have Flanders and she is the most intelligent, gentle, loyal dog I've ever had or known of. She had obviously been abused when I found her, so guess what--I've always been VERY cautious about exposing her to strangers outside of my home. I walk her on a leash, and don't take any chances.

    Cities that ban breeds just don't get it. How about banning the Nazis that fight dogs? Making some real enforcement and investigation to find them and do something about it.

    It's fine if people are cautious about "bully breeds" but let's get to the root of the problem, not the dogs themselves.

    ReplyDelete
  20. dEAREST nANCY ~ I have owned Two of the big three: (doberman, rottweiler & Pitt bull) All three are horribly prejudiced....and it's so unfair because honestly, my doberman Sonny and my two rotts "cosmo & Kramer" were three of the biggest babies you've ever met in your life. NEVER bit anyone, NEVER attacked other dogs....Slept with me every night....snored like banshees, but as harmless as lambs. My bf's currently taking care of a pitt for his ex, and she's a lovely dog.....nice and sweet and playful and loving.....I haven't seen an ounce of aggression in her. She does like to run off....but otherwise, she's a great dog. It saddens me when people target a breed because some DUMB HUMAN misused their animals and made headlines. STUPID HUMANS make headlines all the time, however they've not OUTLAWED STUPID HUMANS! What if it was against the law to be stupid, and they made us get 1 million dollar insurance policies to ensure our own stupidity would be covered?

    How about rats....they once were associated with the plague, perhaps we should outlaw them! DEATH TO ALL PET RATS!

    BLACK CATS: Bad Luck...lets kill them too!

    SPARROWS are notorious nest robbers....DIE SPARROWS DIE!

    MUSKRATS: they burrow and cause erosion of banks....euthanize them all!

    Raccoons: Like and often times steal shiny objects, start constructing Raccoon Prison for these criminals!

    THEY ARE ANIMALS, PEOPLE!!! NOT HUMANS!!!

    A dog is a product of their training and socialization....two things HUMANS are responsible as dog owners.

    I read a study done a few years back which said that statistically, the dog who had bit THE MOST was a dachshund. Now, the dachshund BIT more people...and yes, the dog's smaller and causes less damage, but it's still an aggressive dog, why don't they outlaw them for being biters?

    the point is, dogs are dogs, but if pet owners would educate themselves about the breed of dog they are buying/adopting, and get a dog not only right for their lifestyle, like you mentioned above nancy, but also admit that maybe they shouldn't even HAVE a dog, due to inability to train/control/love....we'd have a lot less dog problems in this country....not everyone should have kids....(you've met those parents) and not everyone should be allowed to have a dog either! Just my opinion of course.

    xoxo
    ~hl~

    ReplyDelete
  21. dEAREST nANCY ~ I have owned Two of the big three: (doberman, rottweiler & Pitt bull) All three are horribly prejudiced....and it's so unfair because honestly, my doberman Sonny and my two rotts "cosmo & Kramer" were three of the biggest babies you've ever met in your life. NEVER bit anyone, NEVER attacked other dogs....Slept with me every night....snored like banshees, but as harmless as lambs. My bf's currently taking care of a pitt for his ex, and she's a lovely dog.....nice and sweet and playful and loving.....I haven't seen an ounce of aggression in her. She does like to run off....but otherwise, she's a great dog. It saddens me when people target a breed because some DUMB HUMAN misused their animals and made headlines. STUPID HUMANS make headlines all the time, however they've not OUTLAWED STUPID HUMANS! What if it was against the law to be stupid, and they made us get 1 million dollar insurance policies to ensure our own stupidity would be covered?

    How about rats....they once were associated with the plague, perhaps we should outlaw them! DEATH TO ALL PET RATS!

    BLACK CATS: Bad Luck...lets kill them too!

    SPARROWS are notorious nest robbers....DIE SPARROWS DIE!

    MUSKRATS: they burrow and cause erosion of banks....euthanize them all!

    Raccoons: Like and often times steal shiny objects, start constructing Raccoon Prison for these criminals!

    THEY ARE ANIMALS, PEOPLE!!! NOT HUMANS!!!

    .....

    ReplyDelete
  22. ....

    A dog is a product of their training and socialization....two things HUMANS are responsible as dog owners.

    I read a study done a few years back which said that statistically, the dog who had bit THE MOST was a dachshund. Now, the dachshund BIT more people...and yes, the dog's smaller and causes less damage, but it's still an aggressive dog, why don't they outlaw them for being biters?

    the point is, dogs are dogs, but if pet owners would educate themselves about the breed of dog they are buying/adopting, and get a dog not only right for their lifestyle, like you mentioned above nancy, but also admit that maybe they shouldn't even HAVE a dog, due to inability to train/control/love....we'd have a lot less dog problems in this country....not everyone should have kids....(you've met those parents) and not everyone should be allowed to have a dog either! Just my opinion of course.

    xoxo
    ~hl~

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hey Nancy! Wowsers, that was a long one. I totally agree with you about dog owners being much of the problem (and one of the comments about parents). We have a lot of what I can only describe as "short, middle aged, tough-looking men" in Cambridge who walk any number of terrier breeds that (I must confess) all look rather similar to me. Add to them the "low-browed, bald-headed body builders" who do the same, and you feel there's a lot of inadequate men out there who think owning a type of dog will create an effect - tough guys must have tough dogs, duh! This just perpetuates the myth. Sad. Indigo

    ReplyDelete
  24. I don't mind dogs as long as they're on leashes. In all my experience, dogs that have "never bitten anyone" usually bite me. I hate that. But yes, the blatantly aggressive ones are a parenting problem.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Could not agree more it is the owner NOT the dog.

    ReplyDelete
  26. right on nancy!

    well said.

    i find myself often going off on wee rants about the prejudice against pits. you so right about how it's the human not the breed

    lakewood's ban on pits is ridiculous. the ban still sticks in my craw. at the time this absurd ordinance was passed, my daughter lived in lakewood, she had a three year old pit. dixie, like many pits is one of the sweetest, most affectionate, kid friendly & other dog friendly dogs around.

    em met all lakewood's ludicrous conditions, and dixie was 'grandfathered' in - however, after learning of situations where other residents were harassed (and worse) my daughter rethought her about living in lakewood. last year she decided to move. fortunately, she's still lives close by; but now she lives in cleveland and doesn't have to rationalize living in a city where small-minded, uninformed, animal haters can get their way and bully the city council into passing such a hateful and ridiculous ban.

    truth be told if I think too long about this ban, I too feel the push out of a town that I am quite fond of.....

    are you kidding those new welcome to lakewood signs cost 10,000 each!!!!

    i don't even want to go there!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Wow Nancy, this sounds like a real nightmare! People I know with bull dogs love them, say they're so gentle and sweet. I don't personally know any pit bulls but my understanding has always been it's the owner, the socialization, like you say.
    And that whole thing with your town and signs.....
    city government, so F-ing ridiculous!'
    Poor dogs.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Wow. A LOT going on here. It's true that the owner's MAKE the dog. How sad that your town is turning into gestapos asking for papers on the dogs! Geez-Louise! Enough is enough! Talk about going overboard!

    We camp all over the United States, and it is NOT UNCOMMON for campgrounds to disallow various breeds of dogs such as pit bulls, rottweilers or even dobermans.

    ReplyDelete
  29. I agree with you that it is the owners that make dogs mean or not. It just all depends on what you teach them or don't teach them.

    We have a dog that lives next door and he may or may not be pit bull, he has the look that is all I know. HE is the sweetest dog to people, but mean to other dogs that may happen to stroll into his yard. Like seriouly injuring these dogs.
    He has been jumping the fence lately and worrying me about letting my dogs out, cause I have seen his carnage on other dogs. BUT he is super sweet with me.

    I'm just not sure what to do.

    I don't think a certain breed should be singaled out, but the individual dogs that truly have uncontrolable tempers should be dealt with.

    Sorry for going on and on, but this post really hit home.

    ReplyDelete
  30. My SIL has the first pit bulls I knew and I knew them before he was my SIL when they tried to lick me to death (I was working for the census bureau). My first granddog was a pit bull dalmatian mix, Polly. The only dog that ever really bit me was a pomeranian and I reached toward it while it was in it's owners arms, dumb me....

    ReplyDelete
  31. I am a dog lover and totally agree with you - when people demonize a breed or make another one "famous" without considering the temperament or life style, the consecuences are for the one with no voice to stand up for itself - the doggie. Unfortunatelly, stigmas and stereotypes go way beyond the animal kingdom... please feel free to check my latest post in regards to the 4th of July.
    http://castazero.blogspot.com/2010/07/america-for-americans.html
    Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Well, it's not a blog of note award, but I've given you two awards...swing on by when you get the chance, my friend

    ReplyDelete
  33. Wow. I love dogs. Honest. And in my experience, each dog does have its own temperament. Some dogs really are more aggressive than others, but I don't know if there is a direct correlation with breed or heritage. I just don't have enough specific information. I do know that I have had personal interaction with two dogs that were adorable and lovable, both with partial to full pit lineage. And both had aggression tendencies toward other dogs. Not in a good way. My belief is that these behavioral tendencies were innate to the dogs and not cultivated by any prior owners. Because they were sweet, in-your-lap, type of dogs. Except for the few times they weren't.

    On the other hand, I had a dog once who went through a phase where he became hyper-aggressive. I thought I would end up getting sued. So I did muzzle him when we took walks and doubled down on the obedience instruction. Took a while before things turned around. So it's not just pits. This dog was a true heinz-57.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Your most recent post may be a BON award winner, but my two pit bull mutts and I each give you the "Thanks for Sticking Up For Us" award. I believe it comes with lots of kisses, wags and cuddles (from them, of course!) Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  35. How sad. It's a shame that it's easier for people to blame their lack of responsibility on the animal they chose to adopt. I'm sure there are some dogs out there that are naturally fierce or unruly, but that doesn't mean that every dog in their breed is. I've seen unruly children at the store (also the "owner's" responsibility), yet you don't see a ban on children.

    ReplyDelete

Do it. Do it NOW!
:-)