I don't totally agree with that. It is the whole nature vs nurture debate. Dogs have inbred characteristics which no amount of training or conditioning can change.

Have to agree with the above, sometimes nature is to strong, to over ride nurture.

Pit bulls are tenacious working dogs, just like collies and many other breeds. They are also very powerful. They are also bred to be people friendly. When people fight these dogs they stand in the pit with the dogs. If they were the monsters the press make them out to be, they would surely attack the 'handler'. They are no more dangerous than any other breed. They are simply the victims of people's ignorance and twisted ideas.

In the right hands, and with firm training and plenty of socialisation and exercise they are great dogs.

Having said that then Loki's Mum would you say that Pit Bulls are more dangerous a breed towards other dogs than most other breeds?

I would say that you should exercise caution, just like you would with any breed that has been bred partly for fighting. Staffs, Akitas, Irish and Kerry Blues have all been highly prized fighting dogs. Some dogs have the fight drive, some don't. I've met plenty of friendly well socialised staffies which are fine with other dogs, but I've also seen lots that are not dog safe, usually with a clueless muppet on the other end of the lead.

IMO you have to be aware of what that dog was created for, and try to fullfill his working needs, by doing sports and exercise. You can't get a high energy working dog of any breed and just expect good manners. Raising a polite sociable dog takes work.

I totally agree with your first remark regarding being aware of what your breed was created for However, I am not sure that doing dog sports and exercise would fulfil a fighting dog's working needs?

In the US many pit bull owners do weight pull, ring sport and working trials, not to mention disc dog (check out Wallace the Pit Bull on you tube - it's great!).The whole point of sports and exercise is to drain physical energy and mental energy. After that the dog is calm and relaxed and less likely to show aggression. Like I said though, the handler has to be in the know. If you look at many responsible Pit Bull kennels in the US they all say that you must socialise and exercise the dog, but don't let it run free with other dogs unmuzzled. Just in case. They are a dominant breed with other dogs and as all dogs act on instinct, things can happen. I'm not saying that they are dangerous with other dogs or safe with other dogs. I don't think you can gereralize about a whole breed. You have to look at the individual dog.

Like a lot of dogs, they are not for the inexperienced, but you can't write off a whole breed because some people let them attack and can't manage them.

Many Pit Bull sites claim that the APBT was created to be a working farm dog first and foremost before some sickos decided they could fight them for money. I don't really think it matters what work the dog does, so long as he's physically capable and enjoys it.

What I don't understand, though is why some states in the US and Canada, and Australia have banned Pit Bulls but not American Staffs. That's like banning working sheepdogs and saying Border Collies are OK!

There was a pitbull at Crufts, I believe the last 'legal' one left in the country or something? It wasn't competing obviously and was very old, I remember reading it in the dog paper, not sure if it was last year? But yes, I can vouch for that, there was one there!

Thats intersting, what was it doing there??

Not much from what I gathered it spent most of it's time there in the posh out-of-public bit, just as an example I think? Can't remember it was a while ago when I read it, surely someone else must have seen it too?