[dixie]

Originally Posted by popcorninthesofa

I Agree Jo.
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A trained fighter will tear off your face and organs and not stop until death. Vick and others trained killers. Huge difference in criminal behavior. I was attacked twice just standing around my house all because somehow one was loose... And I tell you folks, nothing short of a gun can stop them. Luckily, I was able to grab a 2x4 and a brick and that worked one time just enough to escape.

I'm sorry you had to go thru this experience and am thankful you made it out safely. However, it is another misconception that ALL fighting dogs have human aggression as well. Once again, depends on how that dog is trained, handled and treated. As I said before, I've been around fighting dogs and former fighting dogs who have been completely gentle even with children. I've seen former fighting dogs of more variety than just pits, such as presa canario,cane corso, rottie and even malamutes that have been "rehabilitated" so to speak. No, I would not trust them entirely around other dogs because that was what they were trained to attack. The majority of fighting dogs are not trained to attack humans and in fact are trained to obey every command, even in the heat of a fight. Security dogs however usually ARE trained to be human aggressive. This is why not only a lot of drug dealers/gang members (statistics, not accusatory) but also misguided (IMO) family figures choose these animals and train them to be "on guard" and "protective". It literally is ALL about how these animals are TRAINED AND TREATED, whether they are for fighting, protection, or family pets. And sadly, sometimes no matter how good an animal is treated it has the capability to still turn on someone. What we seem to forget in our love for these animals is that they are in fact, STILL ANIMALS. They may have hundreds and even thousands of years of domestication in their bloodlines but those bloodlines STILL have some of the wild and free flowing in them also.

I mentioned early that my best friend had her face and fingers ripped off by a schnauzer. It was not a malnurished, abused animal. This was a wealthy neighbor's prize show dog and family pet. It had never before shown a single agressive trait or act before the incident. It was not provoked. My best friend was sitting at a table eating a cookie and talking to her mother and the neighbor when they dog attacked her. There was no warning, no indication. No animal's behavior can be totally predictive nor totally safe. This is the chance that we take when we open our homes and hearts to ANY creature. I say this as an animal lover, pet owner and realist.