Quote:
Originally Posted by CliffFletcher
Why? What's the appeal, besides 'my dog could rip someone's arm off so don't #### with me'?
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Like all dogs, they have certain characteristics that some people really like. They are generally healthy, hardy, low maintenance, loyal, obedient and, in my opinion, nice looking.
All dogs have been bred to have certain characteristics and as a result they fit some peoples lifestyles better than others. Border Collies, for instance, aren't for everyone. They are very intelligent, need a lot of tasks and get bored easily. People that don't work them regularly and/or give them lots of exercise risk having a dog that is bored and will likely misbehave. For a Border Collie misbehaving may be eating a couch and they're unlikely to be aggressive.
The Bull breeds, if not trained properly and given the proper environment, can also misbehave. Unfortunately, the consequences for this breed are much more serious. Too many people get dogs to be fashion accessories. For some they end up being spoiled little 2 pound monsters in a purse. For others they end up being another layer of machismo. Having a dog should provide everything the dog needs (based on breed and personality) while also giving the owner what they need (affection, exercise, whatever).
I have a rescue that is part Pit Bull. She is the best dog I've ever had. She loves people and kids and is submissive to everyone. I can't imagine not having her in my life because of a Pit Bull ban. But the truth is the negative consequences of bad Pit Bull behavior can be devastating. The purse dog is much more likely to bit someone but usually it gets laughed off.
Perhaps instead of banning Pit Bulls we should treat them like we treat guns and enforce mandatory special training and special licencing to keep the owner of the dog responsible and accountable.