[KDesirea]

First it was the groomer not wanting to groom a pit. Now I had a friend recommend a doggie daycare that she takes her Weimerener to. She said he has so much fun and lots of play time so I decided to look them up on the internet. As I was checking out their site I noticed that they will not accept pit bull terriers. I thought, "Well, then...you aren't the only daycare in town.... I'll find one that will." Wrong. The others don't accept pits either.

Here is the ironic thing. She is such a sweetheart that everyone loves her and yet she is not welcome to play. My friend's dog has actually nipped a few people and he is more than welcome.

I know I shouldn't take it personally but it really does bother me. They think they know her before meeting her. Some of them have temperment tests that they do but they won't do that with certain breeds. It says "For safety reasons we will not accept pit bull terriers and dobermans (I think)" How do they know that she is a threat to the safety of the other dogs or clients?

[Mycathinks hesadog]

Yeah the stigma w/ owning a pit is a bummer sometimes.

In the daycare's defense, I'd bet it has something to with thier insurance coverage. My HO ins. is written w/ language that only says "dangerous dogs,"
but some companies explicitly include breeds like APBT, Rottweiler, etc in thier underwriting. Oddly enough my agent had no problem w/ Ozzie when he met him, deeming him "not dangerous."

Don't let it get you down. One day this whole pit bull=cujo thing will be a thing of the past, espcially if we keep raising them right and disproving the myth.

If it is any consolation, in my area hiring a dogwalker is cheaper here than taking them to doggy daycare. Granted they don't get as much time with others, but at least its an opiton.

[tirluc]

w/ some of the problems that have arisen i can kinda understand their reluctance.....but, to me it's a case of, how are you supposed to socialize your "vicious" breed (and believe me, i say that tongue in cheek, i've only met one that gave the breed a bad name) if they are not allowed to play w/ other puppies and earn that any aggressive play is not allowed?.....it's a catch 22.....i have had my dogs attacked by many Goldens, Labs, Springers, Boxers, mutts, GSP, GWP, and one GSD.....but i have only had one run in w/ a Pit and i told the gal that owned it to leash it or get it out of the park or i would.....it attacked one of my foster pups 2x and when i whacked it w/ my chuck-it for the 2nd time it went after a doodle pup and grab it by the neck....so i sent the Pit "flying" and it started to come back for it again till i grabbed it.....

[JDub]

As a non-pit owner, if I found out that my doggie daycare provider also had pits in there, I would stop taking my dog to them. Yes, a lot of pits are well rounded, good dogs...but it only takes one to seriously injure or kill another dog. If/when that happens, the owner of the daycare is liable...thus the no pit policy. I'd be surprised if that's the only breed they dont take for the same reason.

Sorry to hear about the problems. Very frustrating when your dog is one of the good ones.

[trumpetjock]

Originally Posted by JDub

As a non-pit owner, if I found out that my doggie daycare provider also had pits in there, I would stop taking my dog to them. Yes, a lot of pits are well rounded, good dogs...but it only takes one to seriously injure or kill another dog. If/when that happens, the owner of the daycare is liable...thus the no pit policy. I'd be surprised if that's the only breed they dont take for the same reason.

Sorry to hear about the problems. Very frustrating when your dog is one of the good ones.

This is total BS. Your entire reasoning can be applied to ANY dog. All it takes is one dog of any breed with some issues to tear up your little darling. It has nothing to do with the fact that it's a pit or any other breed.

The most vicious and dog aggressive dog I've ever met was a black lab mix. There isn't a doggie daycare in the country that would turn away a lab.

[MegaMuttMom]

My dog has been bitten 3 times, twice by labs and once by a Boston Terrier. Hmmmmm

[SMoore]

Meanest dog i've ever met was a chow/lab mix. I don't think it's really the breed thats the problem, they just tend to be extremely popular, so it's no surprise a few are unsocialized or not kept under control, etc...

[Twinney]

I love labs, don't get me wrong, but I've only met 3 that haven't tried to kill me, all the rest have.
And poodles bite more people that pits do, you just don't hear about it. Poodles and Chi's have a tendency to be a bit more high strung. (No offence to any poodle or Chi owners.) And Chow's too, my dogs father is a ChowXSpitz, and he's beautiful, but I've broke up countless fights between him and Fang, and then he'll try biting me.
I don't think it should be a 'No pit bulls allowed' sign, but a 'No irresponible owners' sign up.

The most vicious and dog aggressive dog I've ever met was a black lab mix. There isn't a doggie daycare in the country that would turn away a lab.

The lab is like.. 'America's dog.' The most mean dog I know is a yellow lab, he lives less than a block away from me, and has attacked me when I walked by there, (or me with Shunka if you read that post) and because of Jake, I carry a bat whenever I see a large dog I haven't had much experience around here in town with. (Or if I know that the dog will attack us.)

[JDub]

Here's the difference in my mind...if my dog is attacked by a Lab, I'm surprised. If my dog is attacked by a Pit, I'm not surprised. Therefore, I dont put my dogs in that situation. I understand that its not as much of a breed issue as it is an owner issue...and I agree with that statement (my brother had a pit-mix that was a sweet dog...not around other dogs though). That said, my preference is to avoid pits and pit mixes, right or wrong....especially as it relates to my dogs and my kids.

Now all that said, go back to my original post...and you'll see that I dont make this a pit issue, but instead say that "I'd be surprised if that's the only breed they dont take for the same reason." Meaning, they simply dont want aggressive breeds in that setting....just like if your Pomeranian is overly aggressive, they'll probably ask you to not bring it back again. Some breeds are more prone to it, and thus they get excluded right up front.

[dane&cockermom]

aw, i'm sorry. the day care at my work takes pits.

unfortunitly, one of our favorite pits there was banned. his dad started training him to be an attack/gaurd dog. *sigh* and he's been getting in some pretty vicious fights so he's been banned.

but they accept all breeds there without judging first. you should move to virginia!

[Candy317]

I feel sadly labs are becoming 'america's next target dog'. I hear more lab bites, more and more. Once a breed becomes popular, more idiotic owners own them and the number of the breed bites increase. If there are 5,000 labs and 1,000 collies, there are going to be more lab bites thn collies. Once upon time you never heard pit bulls attacking, but of all a sudden its an issue? These dogs were america's family dogs. Not so long this same reputation was with dobermans, becuse they became so widely use for guard dogs, now pit bulls are widely popular with gang members and drug dealers. It depends on the hands the breed lands on, not the breed itself. Now labs are america's most popular breed, and some are getting bad temperments due to the so many bybs and bad owners. You have to look at an individual dog, not the breed. I could of trust my pit bull mix I had and bichon frise with anyone, because these dogs were friendly. My akita mix and my rat terrier I? No, these dogs I had were unpredictable behavior. Banning pits WILL NOT stop dog bites.

PROOF

Miami Dade County Animal Control: 992 bites

Miami Dade County has had a pit bull ban in place for nearly 2 decades.

Terrier: 108
Labrador mix: 95
Shepherd mix: 90
Mixed breed: 81
German shepherd: 53
Chow mix: 50
Boxer: 39
Rottweiler: 33
Pit bull: 32
American bulldog: 30


Broward County Animal Control: 616 bites

Broward County does not have a pit bull ban.

Pit bull: 182
Labrador retriever: 50
German shepherd: 40
Rottweiler : 36
Shepherd: 29
Chow chow: 23
Bulldog: 17
Boxer: 14
Unknown (mixed): 14
Jack Russell Terrier: 13

Yes pit bulls are up there, but thats because and I can say because I LIVE here, more thugs/gangstas own these dogs and they don't properly take care of them, letting them loose, ect. People who own these dogs illegally in Dde move to Broward. These same people are also bringing dog fights, drug-dealing, ect into our neighborhood. Since we in Broward are allowed to own pits, there's lots of bybs. Thus more irresponsible owners, who have no business in owning the breed that a responsible breeder wouldn't sell one too.

But why not a lab ban? Lookie here? Stop all this ''this breed is more dangerous than the other'' It can happen with any breed. Why even WITH a breed ban are there more dog attacks in Dade than Broward, even though Dade has the pit bull ban? More IRRESPONSIBLE OWNERS live in Dade than Broward, that's why.

any dog with teeth will bit your dog, and could kill your dog left unsupervise, not just pit bulls, sorry. Why not put the same concern with EVERY dog your dog encounters? Its like saying I don't trust my kids with black men, because black men are responsible for more crimes, but I would trust my dog with any white men . Its the same prejudice thinking.

[dusty&lulusmom]

Isn't it true that if a pit goes to attack or bite a dog it usually goes for the kill and I have heard the jaw locks. I don't think I have heard this to be true of other breeds. I am not familiar with pits but living in the NY/NJ area they have a really bad reputation around here. I don't doubt that most of them are owned by irresponsible owners but I know I have a fear of them just because of the stories and hearing about all the problems with them on the news. Maybe one day I will have the experience of meeting a wonderful pit and my view of them will change. But honestly based on what I hear about the breed I don't think I would ever own one or recommend anyone to get one.

[Mac'N'Roe]

Unfortunately, this comes with the territory of owning a pit bull. Or, a dog that looks like a pit bull. My three are all bullies. I'm sure I'll encounter this at some point. Thankfully, my doggy daycare accepts pits or pit mixes anyway. I went in telling them they are "boxer mix" (which they are) but mac looks like a pit so they eventually labeled him a pit because she said if she looked at the computer and it said boxer...she wouldn't know which dog it was. She was joking, because they all LOVE mac'n'roe there...favorites even.

My daycare turns away dogs if it is called for. They do a "interview" day where they observe the dog meeting all the other dogs...one on one on the first day. But, then some dogs get kicked out of daycare for behaviors that render it necessary. I think that's fair. They wouldn't keep a lab, just because it's a lab.

Everywhere I go people say, is that a pit bull? Thats a pit, right? Never fails. So, I'm right there with you. Just do the best you can and try to educate when the chance comes. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do about the stigma except live with it, accept it and take your opportunities to show positive behaviors with your 'viscious' pit bull.

I can kind of understand why some daycare's may not accept a pit. The breed does have tendencies towards dog aggression. That doesn't mean that all pits are dog aggressive. Just depends on what they are comfortable with. It is their business...they have the right to accept the liability of your dog or not.

[JenTN]

Originally Posted by dusty&lulusmom

Isn't it true that if a pit goes to attack or bite a dog it usually goes for the kill and I have heard the jaw locks. I don't think I have heard this to be true of other breeds. I am not familiar with pits but living in the NY/NJ area they have a really bad reputation around here. I don't doubt that most of them are owned by irresponsible owners but I know I have a fear of them just because of the stories and hearing about all the problems with them on the news. Maybe one day I will have the experience of meeting a wonderful pit and my view of them will change. But honestly based on what I hear about the breed I don't think I would ever own one or recommend anyone to get one.

I'm no pit expert, but I believe the part about the jaw-locking is BS, if I remember correctly.

I think insurance companies, groomers, doggy day cares, etc. should take the owner into consideration. How about a ban on whatever breeds they feel they are afraid of attacking, but allowing a dog with a CGC or something comprable in with the copy of the certificate?

[dusty&lulusmom]

The idea of a certificate is great. Maybe if a dog that is considered "dangerous" showed up with a CGC certificate than an exception could be made. I know it would put my mind at ease. I just read an article in our local paper about taking your dog for this certificate. There is a whole process and several steps that need to be met to receive this certificate.

[Curbside Prophet]

Originally Posted by KDesirea

How do they know that she is a threat to the safety of the other dogs or clients?

They don't know just as you don't know your dog's parentage. How do you know there aren't dogs in your pup's lineage that were bred for fighting? If you knew, would you still take her? How far back would they have to be for it to be ok? The more questions you ask the more difficult it becomes to be certain. That's why pit advocates are trying to promote strict ownership of these dogs, 1) so as not to ignore their history and 2) so owners can keep from being another statistic.

But that's not really the problem here. A well staffed daycare could minimize any problems from materializing, but well staffed daycares are far and few between.

But that too isn't the real issue here. The real issue is that these dogs have a stigma, and that stigma keeps these businesses from being profitable. Doggie Daycare owners, as much as they love dogs, are in it to make a profit. So if that means excluding service to you or other pit owners to do that, this is their privilege.

If you haven't noticed it's a vicious circle, no pun intended.

[tirluc]

Originally Posted by dusty&lulusmom

The idea of a certificate is great. Maybe if a dog that is considered "dangerous" showed up with a CGC certificate than an exception could be made. I know it would put my mind at ease. I just read an article in our local paper about taking your dog for this certificate. There is a whole process and several steps that need to be met to receive this certificate.

the CGC is only as good as the dog is at that given time......yes, the ones that get it tend to be more "stable" than the ones w/out one (or w/out any training) but it still can change in the blink of an eye.....

[JenTN]

Originally Posted by tirluc

the CGC is only as good as the dog is at that given time......yes, the ones that get it tend to be more "stable" than the ones w/out one (or w/out any training) but it still can change in the blink of an eye.....

It's not really about the dog, but more so the owner. Hopefully, an owner who takes the time to have a dog CGC'd will continue to train and raise a respectful K9.

[Darkmoon]

Candy317, the stats you have are flawed. By pit bulls what do they mean? How are they sure that the dogs that did the bitting were actually pit bulls? Many Lab mixes or dogs that just look a little "bully" are labeld as Pit bulls, even SBT, Mastiffs, CC and many more are labled as Pits even though they aren't.


And I know the feeling KDesirea. I actually frown when people cross the road to avoid Nubs and myself on walks. Nubby doesn't understand why people don't wnat to pet him. It's really sad.

[InverseLogic]

There is a dude who lives on my street with two Pit Bulls. They got out of their yard one time and rushed towards me and my dog. THANKFULLY, all they did was sniff each other. It took almost 2 minutes or so for the stupid owner to come get them (he was standing there watching). It's kind of weird that he seemed like such an irresponsible owner, yet the Pit Bulls were pretty well behaved.

That being said, I have had no problems with Pit Bulls ever. I hold no grudges or hate towards them, and I'm glad I feel that way. I don't think they should be banned from so many establishments either.

People need a certain dog to blame for all their dog hate, I guess. Too bad it even has to come to that.