The other night I was watching CNN talk about the secret world of dogfighting and of course they had experts on discussing how if it weren’t for masochistic monsters breeding the meanest of the breeds, pit bulls and rottweillers are really sweet tempered animals. To be honest, I think the experts are probably quite right. After all, if you listen to the stories around Michael Vick’s operation, the dogs that weren’t mean enough and didn’t outlast the pain were mercilessly murdered and the ones that were the most vicious and the better able to ignore the hurt were bred. Clearly when you breed for those kind of qualities that’s the kind of monsters you get.
But when you breed for gentle-tempered pets, that’s what you get.
CNN also brought up a list of statistics about which dogs are the cause of the most bites in the U.S. I couldn’t find that list on their site, but I did find this elsewhere:
According to the Clifton study, pit bulls, Rottweilers, Presa Canarios and their mixes are responsible for 74% of attacks that were included in the study, 68% of the attacks upon children, 82% of the attacks upon adults, 65% of the deaths, and 68% of the maimings. In more than two-thirds of the cases included in the study, the life-threatening or fatal attack was apparently the first known dangerous behavior by the animal in question. [Dog Bite Law]
My first thought when I heard the statistics was “Why don’t you ever hear about vicious Pug attacks?” I even asked Pugly and he just looked at me quizzically and then he looked a little offended because he seems to think he’s a vicious guard dog.
But Pugs were bred to be lap dogs, the jesters of royalty. They’re generally happy, good-natured lovable lugs. You never hear of packs of wild Pugs ganging up on anyone. Oh, sure, they might get a little finger-nippy over a bite of liver snap, but you’ll never hear about a Pug maiming some jogger in the park and they’ll never make an episode of CSI or Law & Order about it.
The thing is that you have to breed that kind of mean into dogs just like you have to breed hatred and racism into people. I think you have to be a particularly soulless, uncompassionate person to do such things, steps away being a serial killer. I think any sentence Michael Vick is bound to get is going to be too little.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Amen to that. Although I will admit that the only dog that ever bit me–on the face, as it happens–was a pug.
I second Linda’s Amen!
You have to be a sick-minded, vicious person to participate in that sort of thing. And I’m so farkin sick of hearing that he was raised thinking that it was okay, like he has some kind of excuse of something. Screw that. And Vick’s speech about finding God? C’mon…how convenient is that? Grrr!
My husband, who is an avid Atlanta Falcons fan, could not even stomach to watch the pre-season game the other night.
And one final thing—Vive le Pug! (and JRTs :-))
I third the amen - I hope that man never works in the NFL again. Gah - when will we quit rewarding thuggery and evil?
I have only been bitten by small dogs. That includes 20 years of teaching and training, 4 years of Vet School, and 6 years working in a Vet Hospital. Never once by a K9 dog, a Pit Bull, Rottweiler, Dobie, or anything. Just little dogs, including but not limited to…..pugs.
We think everyone should get a nice sweet Labrador. There are plenty of Labs in foster homes hoping for a new home. All we ask for is a TENNIS BALL. or two. or three?
Actually, the only time I was actually physically bitten, to be honest, was by a pack of chow puppies. Lots of bites. I’ve been attacked by big dogs as well, but admittedly the chows were much scarier because there were so many of them.
However, I have to say that I’ve never encountered an angry, bitey Pug. I go to Pug meet-ups and they all just race around kissing strangers and playing. But I admittedly am biased.
I still maintain that vicious dogs are trained or bred to be that way.
Oh, I am *quite* sure that vicious dogs are bred/trained to be that way. I think the pug was just having a bad day.
well, can i just say something real quick about pugs? I rescued a pug a few years ago, she has been really good around animals and my kids. I have had other pets. I just recently bought a kitten, they spent the weekend together and they were just fine. Monday i came home with my kids after only being gone an hour and my “gentle kind” pug tore that kitten to shreds. She decapitated my kitten and my house looked like a murder scene. The most horrible thing i’ve seen in person, as well as my children. So you never really know about any animal.
I am very sorry for your loss and the trauma you and your children have to go through, but in cases like this, I do feel like there has to be more to the story. Animals are not completely mindless and they have triggers just like humans do.
thank you for the kind words. It was very traumatic for all of us. To respond to that statement, that is the w hole story. My dog had never even shown any signs at all in the past of any anger/violence etc. Im still in shock. she has been around many other animals, including kittens. I just dont understand how or why.
I own a pug. One day it got into chocolate so I told him sternly “Pug, no, come here” He turned around and attacked me!! I still have a scar from his attack.