The latest Pit Bull Terrier attack on a woman in Perth, Western Australia, has yet again highlighted to me that this is a breed that is good for nothing, and a breed that should be made extinct.

The American Pit Bull Terrier is a fighting dog. It is what is was bred for. It is extremely aggressive, and according to Dr. Hugh Wirth, Australian RSPCA President, has no redeeming qualities at all.

Dr Wirth said the American pit bull was a pure breed genetically designed for fighting.
“The problem we’ve got in Australia is we’ve got a large number of irresponsible dog owners of American pit bull terriers who refuse to recognise the potential of the dog as a fighting, aggressive machine,” he said.

 “(They) don’t keep this very special dog in a way that it can not possibly hurt any member of the community, or any other animal for that matter.”

“The problem is these dogs are bred solely to fight, so they have a very low threshold of tolerance of other dogs and if they feel as though they’re threatened in any way, this genetic conditioning kicks in and they become a raging beast.They’ll attack anything they think is a threat to themselves, whether it’s a human or whether it’s another dog and they won’t stop attacking until that alleged threat to their safety disappears.”
http://thinkexist.com/quotes/hugh_wirth/

So, with this blatant slab of information from a qualified veterinarian, why do some people still want these dogs as pets? If they are only good for aggression and fighting, then why choose to live with a ticking time bomb? The woman who was attacked, was attacked by her boyfriend’s dog. The female Pit Bull that attacked her was destroyed, but the male who has yet to attack, still lives with her boyfriend. I am telling you now, if I was going out with someone and they had a Pit Bull, it would be a very clear case of, “The Pit Bull or me.” There is not a snowflake’s chance in hell that I would be anywhere near it.

However, famous American dog trainer, Cesar Millan, had this to say:

“My kids are around pit bulls every day. In the ’70s they blamed Dobermans, in the ’80s they blamed German shepherds, in the ’90s they blamed the Rottweiler. Now they blame the pit bull.”
Whilst this is true, Mr. Millan has had criticism from many circles about his own methods. So for him to state that Pit Bulls are fine, could send a wrong message to his viewers. He teaches a pack mentality, with the human being the head of the pack. Yes, the human needs to be seen as the ‘alpha dog’ or the leader, but I think Mr. Millan is ignoring the basic facts about this breed of dog compared to others that have received criticism, like the Doberman and the German Shepherd.
American Pit Bull Terriers often display dog aggression, especially towards unfamiliar dogs of the same sex or level of assertiveness. Early socialization and good training can mean that many individuals of the breed may not display this trait; however, there is no guarantee. Extra precautions can be taken with this type of dog to prevent any incidents. While an APBT may not start a fight, even the best socialized pit bulls generally do not tolerate as much from other dogs as other breeds might. As dogs bred never to back down from a fight, it is sometimes more responsible to avoid certain situations of interaction if the owner feels that he or she cannot handle the dog. A responsible owner should not let their dog interact with strange dogs unsupervised and should know how to avoid a dog fight.
Doberman Pinschers are, in general, gentle, loyal, loving, and intelligent dogs. Although there is variation in temperament, a typical pet Doberman attacks only if it has been mistreated or believes that it, its property, or its family are in danger.
German Shepherds have a personality marked by direct, fearless willingness to protect what it considers its “den” (i.e. house, car, and property in a home situation) and “pack” (i.e. human family in a home situation). It is poised, but when the occasion demands, eager and alert; both fit and willing to serve in its capacity as a companion, watchdog, guide dog for people who are blind, herding dog, or guardian, whichever the circumstances may demand.
As you can see, the other breeds that have had bad press over the years do have some redeeming qualities, and require only good socialization and training to be an acceptable member of the community. The American Pit Bull, however, may still be a stick of dynamite, even with proper training by an experienced handler.
I know that in most cases where a dog has gone off the rails, it is the owner who is at fault. Having had a dog, though a small one who would be only a danger to someone’s ankles, I know how much responsibility it takes to train them, socialize them, and keep them happy and stable. So I can honestly understand responsible owners of Pit Bulls jumping up and down at the call for the breed to be gotten rid of. But the question that has always sat in my head is, “Why would you want such an aggressive dog? What is it supposed to prove? What is its attraction?” There are plenty of other breeds that are just as ‘masculine’, ’strong’ and ‘powerful’ without being a severe threat to the community at large.
When the words of an RSPCA President echo the words of the standard description of the dog’s temperament, then Cesar Millan either knows something that we all don’t know, or he is ignoring the genetic facts that should be hitting him right between the eyes.
Enjoy your day.