bloard - Rank the races

well, first of all, there are no bad pitbulls, just bad owners. Something people want to ignore, but cannot, if they are intellectually honest: breed traits! Breed traits are bred into dogs, and are VERY hard to erase. Collies, Shelties, border collies are herding dogs. They will try to herd ANYTHING. Sheep, ducklings, leaves, people. You can watch a border collie and notice that he or she thinks in terms of moving things around, organizing them. Golden retrievers, Labradors, these are retrieving dogs. They *must* have something in their mouths at nearly all times. A retriever will carry a toy around, gently. They were bred to chase, find, pick up and carry back ducks geese, pheasants quail… and so these dogs will carry their toys gently. You seldom see one ripping a toy to shreds. They are carriers. They are also *fanatics* for chasing balls, sticks anything that moves or is thrown. They don’t herd. They carry. Some dogs are coursers. Greyhounds, whippets, these dogs were born to RUN and run they do, at the first chance they get. You won’t see a greyhound herding and you won’t see one retrieving. But oh they LOVE to chase! These traits are often breed-specific. My dachshund mix ADORES digging! My old Golden retriever couldn’t have cared less, but my current dog would dig to China! Pitbulls were bred to fight! I’m NOT a “dog racist” when I simply state that terriers are feisty, with lots of heart and lots of aggression in their genes and Pitbulls are terriers! American Staffordshire Terrier. Pit Bull Terrier. Terriers love to rip toys to shreds and chase. It’s what they were bred to do. They are hard headed little guys who have an independent streak a mile wide and they are fearless. The original terriers were bred to follow prey into holes and then fight them when the creature they had been sent after turned at bay. Rat Terriers are some of the gutsiest little guys around. Scottie Terriers are fierce little dogs and pitbull terriers have that same “heart” in a fight. They don’t back down. Pitbulls were then separately bred to fight *bulls*! A fully grown bull is well over a thousand pounds (as Tom Lehrer put it) of angry potroast! ANY dog bred to take on a charging bull is *going* to be a touch, tenacious fighter! Period! Thus, while Pitbulls are not necessarily bad dogs… they ARE, as several readers have said dangerous dogs. I have petted, been friends with, and neighbor of many pitbull terriers of whatever breed subset. I know that the RCA dog, “Petey” of the Lil Rascals, were both Pitbulls, and I know they used to be called “the Nanny dog”… but would I OWN one? absolutely NOT! They are just… too… dangerous! Are they the fiercest dog around? Nope. THAT title goes to… the Chihuahua! Go ahead and laugh, but I’ll tell you that hands down, the fiercest, nastiest, most vocal, most aggressive dogs I have ever met in my life are those little 4 pound 4 legged buzzsaws! If Chihuahuas weighed 60 pounds, I think everyone would live in terror of them! I’ve met more than a few psychotic Chis in my life. BRRRR!