Pitbulls vs Bull

[stray]

Ahem...This is all pretty useless, but I just had to share these.

Tell me, am I wrong for thinking Picture #3 is funny?

[Der Helm]

Tell me, am I wrong for thinking Picture #3 is funny?

No. It IS funny.

[Murgos]

Bull baiting, pretty popular for the last 2 or 3 thousand years, seems to have quieted down recently though.

[Pococurante]

The perfect use for pitbulls.

As much as I love dogs I would happily pull the lever that made every residential pitbull disappear into an alternate dimension.

[Kenrick]

God damn it.  I want to see those fucking pussyass pitbulls go up against a bull with horns.

[Signe]

I'm upset.  Are they dead?   :-(

[Kenrick]

Goddamn better be.

[Mr_PeaCH]

Off-hand, judging from photo #2 mainly, either that bull is extremely large or those pit-bulls are puppies.

Still funny though.  /shrug  A photo study in futility if you will.

[Daeven]

I'm upset.  Are they dead?   :-(

They've been stepped on by a 2000lb bull. What do you think?

[Signe]

I'm upset.  Are they dead?   :-(

They've been stepped on by a 2000lb bull. What do you think?

I think you people are nasty !

[Fabricated]

I saw that last week, and I want to know the story behind those pictures.

[stray]

I saw that last week, and I want to know the story behind those pictures.

I heard they were taken by a military photographer during the Katrina aftermath. Can't verify it or come up with anything myself though.

[stray]

Oh, and by the way, if you take it upon yourself to do the research and try to find out the story behind this, try not to use words like "dog", "Katrina", or "aftermath" in Google Image Search.

In some cases, there is plenty that I can be "upset" about just as much as Signe.

[Kenrick]

This is why I have no pity for the dead pitbulls pictured above.  Now if the bull could just do the same to their owner, the world would be that much of a better place.

[Signe]

Nope, not gonna click on that ... God only knows what you're willing to burn my eyes with to make a point.  I'm much less upset when the owner of a dog who has taught it to be a killer suffers than the dog... needless to say.  I don't believe people should teach dogs to attack with intent to harm.  I don't believe people should domesticate wolves or allow wolves and dogs to breed... especially since in many places if puppies are found to be part wolf, they destroy them all according to their laws.  I don't believe that people should mix breeds to create the most aggressive dog they can... such as the popular mix of Rottweiller, Mastiff and Pitbull.  I think those people should be invited to spend some time in our fine jails and fined so much they can hardly afford to live and never be allowed to own an animal again.  I also believe that a large dog that shows aggression and the inclination to harm people should be destroyed.  I had an aggressive dog once... never again.  So I'm not some sort of PETA nutter or anything.

I just don't like looking at dead things much.  It makes me cry.   

[Kenrick]

Nope, not gonna click on that ... God only knows what you're willing to burn my eyes with to make a point.

Oh, c'mon sig.  It's just a print article.

Pit bulls attack six people, terrorize neighborhood; child critically injured

CARY, Ill. A ten-year-old boy is in critical condition a day after three pit bulls escaped from a home in Cary, Illinois, and went on a rampage.
Authorities say the pit bulls attacked several people before police shot and killed the dogs.

No charges have been filed, but McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren says a criminal investigation is under way.

Neighbors say the attacks started late Saturday afternoon when children going door-to-door for a fund-raiser arrived at the home of the man who owned the dogs.

Police say the pit bulls attacked the two children, and when the dogs' owner tried to stop them, the dogs turned on him and bit off his thumb. The boy's father tried to protect his son and was attacked. The dogs went after another neighbor as well.

Residents threw rocks at the dogs and honked car horns to try to distract them before police arrived and shot the animals.

[Signe]

Oh, ok... I thought maybe it was more dead stuff.     I forgive you.

[stray]

I do like wolves, but it's an even crazier idea than raising killer pitbulls. Pitbulls aren't shit in comparison (either in ferocity or potential/strength). Additionally, a wolf doesn't even need to be trained that way in order to be hostile.

As for crossbreeds, there was one guy I knew who had a half-wolf for awhile, and that thing could be friendly one day and really aggressive the next. He had him for several years since a pup, and then one day, the dog even turned on him. It was chained up at the time, and the dog still hurt him pretty bad.

Needless to say, he put it to sleep.

I didn't know him all that well though, and I wonder what I never saw and how exactly he raised it. I remember watching some documentary about domesticated wolves, specifically halfwolves, and many owners never had these problems with them. That a halfbreed could be raised almost like any other dog.

[stray]

Some interesting guidelines here. That one would have to go through all of this trouble is evidence enough of the negativity of it, I guess.

So You Want To Raise A Wolf (or Wolfdog)?

Deliberate well on the actualities of raising a wolf - which equally applies to raising wolfdogs - before you think of getting a wolf as a pet. Just a few considerations are:


Legality
Many countries, states and local regions have their own particular laws governing the keeping of wolves. Find out about the laws which relate to your area. You may need a licence.


Neighbours
Before you make a move it is a good idea to consult your neighbours. They may object strongly to howling and perceived danger.


Only one wolf?
You should raise at least two wolves as they need the company of their own species and may well develop behaviour problems if raised as singletons. Of course, two wolves doubles your costs and work load.


Partners & helpers
You should enlist helpers, of both sexes, because you cannot raise cubs alone. At least have a caring partner who is as much accepted by the cubs and as committed as you are. Your partner should take care of the wolves when you are around and also carry on if you are incapacitated or disappear (eg hospitalised, imprisoned, die) so that your wolves are not abandoned to fate.


The new-born
You will have to take your cubs from their mother at two weeks of age (cruel for the mother if these are her only cubs). Later than this is too late as the wolves will never socialise properly to human society.


Bathing
You must constantly swab your cubs' bottoms to empty their anal sacs and to stimulate them to relieve themselves. At their age they cannot relieve themselves without help. There mother would naturally do this herself by licking them.


Food
Exotic animals have special nutritional needs that are difficult for the average pet owner to meet. Your cubs must be bottle fed around the clock for two weeks, then weaned on a diet of high quality meat. An adult wolf needs 1 to 2.5 kg (2 to 5 lbs) of quality meat daily along with bones, skin and fur. Ordinary pet food is inadequate.


Handling
You have to know the proper way to handle a wolf cub. Doing the wrong thing can make incurable problems in later life. For example:


Dogs
Organise well controlled meetings with dogs a few times a week. This will help prevent your cubs fearing dogs when adult. Having dogs as company will also help prevent them completely imprinting on humans. If they imprint on humans they will tend to devote their attention to people instead of their own kind.


People
Organise people of both genders and different ages to be with your cubs so that the cubs can approach and inspect them (not the other way around). This must be on the cubs' home ground so that they are not afraid and can withdraw to a refuge to get away from people if necessary.


Leash & Muzzle
Train your cubs at the right time to wear a leash and muzzle - and make the experience pleasurable for them. Always use a pleasant experience as a reward when they do what you want. (Never use punishment - this applies to any dog or animal.) Whether cub or adult, never let your wolves run about without a leash or they may grow to hate restraint and control. You never know if you may need to use a muzzle some time.

Housing
The minimum housing recommend by the American Zoological Association (modified by any local law) for one large canid is an enclosure of 4m x 4m (12 x 12 ft), ie 16 sq metres (150 square ft), increased by 50% for each additional canid. Fences must be at least 2m (6 ft) high and need an overhang at the top, to prevent jumping out, and an inside skirt buried below ground, to prevent tunnelling.

You should use chain link or equivalent and may need a pair of gates (so that one gate is always closed for security). You may also need an outer perimeter fence at least 2m (6 ft) high and about that distance from the main fence to prevent people, especially children, getting a shock if they try poking their fingers through the primary fence.


Exercise
You cannot duplicate the wolf's territorial needs; nevertheless your wolves will need abundant exercise that exceeds the average dog's demand. Do not keep your wolf in a village, town or city; you both need room for manoeuvre.


Learning & Relationships
Keep in mind what (you think) your wolves are learning and that wolves never stop leaning. You must always ensure that your wolves know they are subordinate to you when they are adult. Should your adult wolves seriously attack and injure you (eg if they try to be dominant), you must carry on your relationship; if you think you cannot then you should not consider getting a wolf in the first place.


15 Years
Your commitment has to last up to fifteen years, for that is how long wolves can live in captivity. Remember: a wolf is for life.

[Sky]

My band had a wolf for a while. Could never housebreak that pissing fucker. The Akida kept him in line, those are some incredibly great dogs. But the wolf was pretty tame because we got it young and it knew it's place in the order, saw the band as its pack. One annoying thing was every time it heard a siren, it'd howl. I thought it was cool, actually...the neighbors, not so much. Was great when we'd be jamming in the studio, when the singer'd hit a high note, you could hear the wolf howling outside, too.

That article is funny - high quality meats only, heh. Because wolves in the wild are only hunting Grade A Prime.

[RhyssaFireheart]

Pit bulls attack six people, terrorize neighborhood; child critically injured

CARY, Ill. ...

Freaky thing about this is that my husband and I were eating dinner in the local tavern in Cary that evening.  He took me to a bar next to the train station there and while we were eating we heard the sirens.

Going by the two local papers - Daily Herald and the Chicago Tribune - one said the dogs were pit bulls and the other wouldn't/couldn't identify a breed, but according to neighbors, the dogs weren't a problem prior to this.  They were confined in the house and got out when the kids came by.  It doesn't sound like a breed issue, more like a territorial issue to me.  Any dog that becomes territorial for any reason can be aggressive.  Hell, my dad was a letter carrier for 18 years and while he managed to avoid being bitten, it was a close thing in a few cases apparently.  I still boggle over him telling us about an agressive St. Bernard that tried to get at him over a fence.  We owned Saints and trying to wrap our brains around one of those big couch potatoes being aggressive... couldn't do it.

Anyways, dogs aren't inherently aggressive or mean.  It's all in how they are raised and taught that brings out the best or worst in them.

[Signe]

Which is why I don't mind seeing the owners of dogs trained to hurt, hurt themselves.  It's despicable what some people do.  Wolves, however, remain unpredictable even when domesticated.  Those sorts of things haven't been bred out of them.  One of the reasons most wolves are difficult to housebreak is because of their overwhelming urge to mark territory... it's also one of the reasons they can become suddenly aggressive. 

My dad was a letter carrier for about 20 years, too, by the way, and has had some close calls.   

[Kenrick]

Freaky thing about this is that my husband and I were eating dinner in the local tavern in Cary that evening.  He took me to a bar next to the train station there and while we were eating we heard the sirens.

That is freaky, rhyssa!  Also freaky:  there was a murder suicide in my apartment complex this weekend... in the building right next to ours no less!   

http://news8austin.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=149181

I've heard rumors that it was a couple in their 60's... very odd.  Anyway.  Carry on.

[WayAbvPar]

still boggle over him telling us about an agressive St. Bernard that tried to get at him over a fence.  We owned Saints and trying to wrap our brains around one of those big couch potatoes being aggressive... couldn't do it.

[Kenrick]

IMHO Cujo woulda been a lot more fucking scary if it had been a wolf hybrid or a pit bull.

St. Bernard's are just too fluffy, even if they are the size of a VW Bug.

[Signe]

The two years I worked at Taos Ski Valley (a gazillion years ago) St. Bernard's were very popular, of course.  They always are in ski areas.  I was surprised at how aggressive some of them were.

[WayAbvPar]

IMHO Cujo woulda been a lot more fucking scary if it had been a wolf hybrid or a pit bull.

St. Bernard's are just too fluffy, even if they are the size of a VW Bug.

I think that was why they used a Saint Bernard- something that cute and snuggly becoming a killing machine is kinda terrifying. See Pet  Sematary for further examples- cute cat and later cute kid go quite bad.

Plus, the Bernard was probably easier to train/keep in line. I can't imagine what the insurance rates would be for filming with a pitbull or wolf hybrid 

[Kenrick]

I think I'm going to fire up the dv cam and shoot Cujo II: The Whitening... using my 1 year old westie...

ROWR!!!!!!

[Signe]

eek!

[Kenrick]

eek!

It's too late, you're already dead.

[Murgos]

My uncle had a wolf - husky mix.  Nicest dog I ever knew.

[Bunk]

I understand the hate for pitbulls, and yes pic 3 is damn funny, but a dead dog is a sad thing, period.

People raising dogs residentially to be viscous should just be shot. People selling pitbulls to people that will raise them that way should also be shot.

My sister has a two year old pitbull/rottie cross named Harley. He's cuter than a straight pitbull, but still very intimidating looking. He's also a world class suck. Yes, he can fetch a log that outweighs him out of the ocean with ease, but this dog doesn't have a mean bone in his body. Because he was raised properly.

He hasn't quite figured out that he's a bit too big to sleep on your lap though, still does it whenever you let him.

[Pococurante]

There's no shortage of evidence certain breeds are inherently unstable regardless of their upbringing/training.  Pits are definitely near if not at the top of that list.

[Signe]

This is the dog my sister and I rescued from a shelter.
 


Yes, she is apparently the tiniest pitbull in existence.  She's the smartest dog I've ever seen... and we used to own Alsatians which are very, very smart.  She's terribly  silly and immensely entertaining.  She would only bite you if you bit her first... and probably not even then.  Don't be fooled, however, pitbulls are often  bred to be aggressive.  Same with chows, and some other breeds, but any breed can be aggressive  It has a lot to do with the sort of training a dog has, but also you have to factor in what sorts of traits were concentrated on when breeding a dog.  It's not all that difficult to breed unwanted traits out, however.  (my mother used to breed German Shepherds/Alsatians)  Unneutered male dogs bite the most and children under 10 are the most bit.  If I were the parent of a small child, I would be very careful what sort of breed to get.

I have had dogs that I felt I loved as if they were a family member.  If that dog were to show aggressive tendencies towards humans and if I were not able to have that corrected through training, I would have that dog destroyed in spite of how much it hurt me.  Regardless of how much of a silly person I might appear to be, I do have my head screwed on properly when it comes to things like this.  So yes... if I had to worry that an animal I owned and loved dearly was capable of seriously harming an human I didn't know and could care less about as an individual, I would have the animal put to sleep before I would chance a tragic accident.

This thread makes me sad.

[Pococurante]

She has a sweet face.