The 10 most Manly Dogs

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by The Ditch

Anecdotal evidence but volunteering at the SPCA I was never bit by a pit, but was multiple times by labs.

Growing up with a vet as a dad, and having volunteer at the local shelter here where the 90% of the dogs were pitt bulls, i honestly think they are just to unstable for most people to handle. It might not be their fault (especially since a lot of them were abused), but they were really unpredicatble in their actions. I just couldn't trust these dogs.

Pitt bulls are a good fit for some people, but for the majority of the population, why bother? There are plenty of dogs out there who are just as much fun, without the fuss.

[The Ditch]

Originally Posted by Boblobla

Stupid question for the dog experts out there. I love Rotties and I have heard that they have issues later in life because their brain keeps growing but their skull does not. Is this complete bush?

A dog or person would die if that were to happen, this is a myth. But, like I have stated numerous times already, it is up to you the buyer to find a responsible breeder. A responsible breeder will do genetic testings on their dogs to make sure they are healthy, they won't inbreed their dogs either which could make health/mental issues come up.

[dissentowner]

Some good info on dogs and myths.

http://www.goodpooch.com/MediaBriefs/GPcanineprimer.htm

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Boblobla

Stupid question for the dog experts out there. I love Rotties and I have heard that they have issues later in life because their brain keeps growing but their skull does not. Is this complete bush?

Dad talking to son while wife is furiously scraping bloody brain matter off of the fireplace

Dad - "Billy"

Billy - "Yes Dad"

Dad - "Sparky died, he'd been sick for a while"

Billy sobs

KABLAM

Dad - "Billy"

Billy - "Rover just died too"

Mother - "Oh for frack sake"

[The Ditch]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Growing up with a vet as a dad, and having volunteer at the local shelter here where the 90% of the dogs were pitt bulls, i honestly think they are just to unstable for most people to handle. It might not be their fault (especially since a lot of them were abused), but they were really unpredicatble in their actions. I just couldn't trust these dogs.

Pitt bulls are a good fit for some people, but for the majority of the population, why bother? There are plenty of dogs out there who are just as much fun, without the fuss.

Shelter dogs aren't for everyone, but I still think a pit bull from a good breeder is an awesome dog, and a great family pet.

Originally Posted by website

Fact #3: Pit bulls make great family pets (and we have the numbers to prove it)

The American Temperament Test Society, Inc. (ATTS) is a professional organization that objectively tests the temperaments of various dog breeds.
They do this by methodically exposing members of a breed to a series of confrontational situations, then measuring their reaction. The more aggressive the reaction, the lower the score the dog receives. The score is based on the percentage of dogs in a breed that passed the test:
Here are some of the most recent results available. We’ve included some widely considered “most friendly” (like beagles and poodles) and some labeled “dangerous” (like Rottweilers, German Shepherds, and of course, pit bulls.
Warning: you will be surprised by the results!
ATTS Scores by Breed
Afghan: 72%
Australian Shepard: 79.2%
Beagle: 78.2%
Cairn Terrier: 70.7%
Chihuahua: 70.6%
Cocker Spaniel: 81.5%
German Shepherd: 82.8%
Golden Retriever: 83.6%
Labrador Retriever: 91.1%
Rottweiler: 82.3%
Toy Poodle: 80.9%
Yorkshire Terrier: 80.0%
Now, compare these to the pit bull breeds:
American Pit Bull Terrier: 83.4%
American Staffordshire Terrier: 83.3%
Staffordshire Bull Terrier: 93.2%
For this study, the ATTS evaluated more than 25,000 dogs and more than 200 breeds. The average score for all breeds together: 81%. As you can see, when it comes to having a reliably friendly temperament, the pit bull breeds well exceed the average!
You can find these scores and more at www.ATTS.org

I just hate it when people say "OMG THIS DOG IS SO DANGEROUS" and when I ask for them to provide information on why or how they are dangerous they spout the same myths/lies over and over again.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by The Ditch

Shelter dogs aren't for everyone, but I still think a pit bull from a good breeder is an awesome dog, and a great family pet.



I just hate it when people say "OMG THIS DOG IS SO DANGEROUS" and when I ask for them to provide information on why or how they are dangerous they spout the same myths/lies over and over again.

Great post!

[Boblobla]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Dad talking to son while wife is furiously scraping bloody brain matter off of the fireplace

Dad - "Billy"

Billy - "Yes Dad"

Dad - "Sparky died, he'd been sick for a while"

Billy sobs

KABLAM

Dad - "Billy"

Billy - "Rover just died too"

Mother - "Oh for frack sake"

Heh, that would be a little extreme...

I can't remember where I heard it but I assumed it was BS but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask.

[Thunderball]

Here's a few suggestions for your list:
-Great Dane (huge, powerful but generally docile, fairly intelligent)
-Springer/Brittany Spaniel (two of the best gun dog breeds around, very intelligent, great appearance when groomed well)
-Golden/Chocolate Labrador (large, intelligent, strong, loyal)
-Border Collie (probably the smartest dogs around)
-Pug (just kidding)

[llama64]

Cairn Terriers. They are a small breed, but are exceptionally loyal while remaining aloof.

Perfect gentleman's dog.

Plus, they get all crotchety as they get older. You can't get much more manly then a crotchety dog that pees on people he does not like.

[Barnes]

Rottweilers are probably the most aggressive dogs. Here is a picture of mine displaying some of the breeds most aggressive traits including stealing your seat on the couch, hoarding the cushions, sitting in a position that allows them to pounce at a moments notice and smiling at you so you drop your guard for the impending attack.

[FlamesKickAss]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Some good info on dogs and myths.

http://www.goodpooch.com/MediaBriefs/GPcanineprimer.htm

That was a good read, I know my dog will let you pull his tail and touch him while eating sleeping or playing with toys

I was taught during obedience to train him this is okay.

[Boblobla]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Rottweilers are probably the most aggressive dogs. Here is a picture of mine displaying some of the breeds most aggressive traits including stealing your seat on the couch, hoarding the cushions, sitting in a position that allows them to pounce at a moments notice and smiling at you so you drop your guard for the impending attack.

I want one.

[FireFly]

I think a Beagle would be a great dog for your "small but manly" requirement.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Growing up with a vet as a dad, and having volunteer at the local shelter here where the 90% of the dogs were pitt bulls, i honestly think they are just to unstable for most people to handle. It might not be their fault (especially since a lot of them were abused), but they were really unpredicatble in their actions. I just couldn't trust these dogs.

Pitt bulls are a good fit for some people, but for the majority of the population, why bother? There are plenty of dogs out there who are just as much fun, without the fuss.

Look at the kind of people that tend to by 90% of the pitt bulls. They tend to be the dog of choice for bikers, trailer trash, and crack heads. No wonder so many have issues. They require a lot of responsibility because of their physical abilities and fearlessness, but unfortunately, they often seem to get obtained by people who want them more as a status symbol than a companion.

[J pold]

This thread makes me miss Cowperson

[taco.vidal]

For those who indicated pitbulls make great pets, I am genuinely curious as to what traits and characteristics make pitbulls a great pet. As often as I hear that pitbulls are dangerous and should be banned, I hear people say they are great pets and great around kids.

Id like to hear a solid arguement of why someone with an open mind looking for a dog should consider a pitbull versus other breeds. I understand that everyone looks for different traits in a dog based on factors such as family, kids, house and yard, types of activities, etc. But who would a pitbull be good for and why?

Id also like to ask any pitbull owners, what does a pitbull give you that another dog breed doesnt?

[Boblobla]

Originally Posted by taco.vidal

For those who indicated pitbulls make great pets, I am genuinely curious as to what traits and characteristics make pitbulls a great pet. As often as I hear that pitbulls are dangerous and should be banned, I hear people say they are great pets and great around kids.

Id like to hear a solid arguement of why someone with an open mind looking for a dog should consider a pitbull versus other breeds. I understand that everyone looks for different traits in a dog based on factors such as family, kids, house and yard, types of activities, etc. But who would a pitbull be good for and why?

Id also like to ask any pitbull owners, what does a pitbull give you that another dog breed doesnt?

Read the post by The Ditch, it outlines it pretty well.

[Dion]

[The Ditch]

Originally Posted by taco.vidal

For those who indicated pitbulls make great pets, I am genuinely curious as to what traits and characteristics make pitbulls a great pet. As often as I hear that pitbulls are dangerous and should be banned, I hear people say they are great pets and great around kids.

Id like to hear a solid arguement of why someone with an open mind looking for a dog should consider a pitbull versus other breeds. I understand that everyone looks for different traits in a dog based on factors such as family, kids, house and yard, types of activities, etc. But who would a pitbull be good for and why?

Id also like to ask any pitbull owners, what does a pitbull give you that another dog breed doesnt?

What does any dog give you than another doesn't? Dogs are dogs first, breeds second. Any dog can potentially do anything or any job, some obviously better than others depending on breed. The pit bull breeds are known for not being human aggressive. That along with those temperament tests I posted earlier (where the staffordshire scored a 93%), could be used to show that pit bulls will take a lot of abuse from children and family (people in their pack), assuming responsible owners and breeders.

[RubberDuck]

Just for the record I do not have a goatee, one of those harley davisony type chain wallets, wear long shorts, go into Megatunes alot, drink at the Ship and Anchor, or have one of those extra long goofy skateboards but I do have two small tattoos and a pit bull. It seems the ignorance on this board is typical of the population that has been convinced by the media that an entire breed should be considered dangerous.
Someone has already provided the results of the temperament studies and it clearly shows where Pit Bulls rank in comparison to other supposed friendly breeds.

Pit bulls, even in their fighting days were bred to be non human aggressive. A human needed to be able to separate two fighting dogs and not get bit. Ones that bit humans were culled. Any human aggressiveness has been ‘taught’ by irresponsible owners. The unstable myth comes from irresponsible breeders and this is not specific to pit bulls. There are a lot more unstable poodles, Chihuahuas and other small breeds out there due to irresponsible breeding and inbreeding than there are pit bulls. These breeds attack people all the time though you never hear about it because they do not do much damage and they are not vilified by the media.

Back in the 70’s and 80’s the Dobermans and Shepherds were the tough guy dog of choice. In the 80’s and early 90’s it was the Rottweiler. Now it is the Pit Bull that the drug dealers, gangsters and general scum of the earth use to compensate for their lack of manhood. As such, unfortunately the breed gets drug down with them.

This thread title looking for ‘manly dogs’ is exactly why some breeds get a bad name. Some meathead that wants to look tough, gets a tough looking dog, but has no idea how to properly manage a dog of any breed let alone a large one Any dog that is not properly trained and socialized can be dangerous, far more so if it is a big dog.

I could go on and on with this subject because it really upsets me that people judge and even hate my dog without ever having an interaction with a pit bull. I take my dog to the dog park and he is most often the best behaved, gentle, and friendly dog there. He’s great with all people especially kids, lets the cat eat his food and drink his water, and loves all other dogs. I am proud to tell people he is a pit bull. Reactions are usually ones of surprise because they had a pre-conceived notion that pit bulls were supposed to be aggressive, crazy, and mean tempered. I know my dog and I have changed the opinions of many people about the breed just by meeting him and seeing for themselves what a fabulous dog they can be. I know there are bad ones out there as there are with many breeds but please keep in mind that it is not the dog that starts out bad, it’s their owners that made them that way.

Here is another link that could dispel some of the myths surrounding pit bulls.

http://www.hugabull.com/manmush.html

Thanks for reading this long post.