----- Original Message ----- From: "Elson Elizaga" : I've read several news articles about Pit Bulls and : their vicious, deadly attacks. I'm not ready to make : any judgements on these dogs. But there are good : indications that trainers and breeders are to blame. having been a ranger/dog catcher for a time, I have caught dogs cerified as dangerous (classified by past history of violent attacks) and those classified as restricted breeds, which includes pit bulls and other large hunting dogs. I had no problems with any of them and even when another ranger was repetitively attacked by one dog, I managed to subdue the animal with a minimum of fuss and no padding or tools . mind you, my behaviour was *quite* different from the other ranger. There's plenty of info on dog related human fatalities on the web, plenty of studies. GOlden retrievers, labradors and even beagles have been resonsible for deaths and maulings, but the fact remains any dog is capable of inflicting harm when threatened or when the opportunity arises for them to behave like a dog! Stock deaths are a massive problem in the state where I live - yet the dogs involved are not marauding packs of killer death hounds, but most of the time a family pet thats wandered down the road and found it's self a pack of sheep and much to the surprise of the owners - dogs maintain their natural instincts irrespective of training .. especially when they think they are on their own and more especially when the owner isn't around Unfortunatley, larger dogs have a far greater chance of doing serious damage than say the ferocious chihuaha or the vicious australian silky terrier. I'm uncertain where I stand on this, owners loosing much loved family members (dogs) to legislation seems ever so sad, dogs being ruled as dangerous because of the behaviour of another dog elsewhere seems unjust - but on the other hand, I'd rather be attacked by a pack of weiner dogs than a single malamute! k
