"DEAR OLD TRAINER: I have a Yorkie for an indoor dog, but my kids are now 7 and 9 and need a bigger dog to play with in the yard. I am leaning toward getting a pit bull, but my wife says it is too dangerous. I keep reading that they are fine if they are not trained to be aggressive. What is your opinion?" -- Frank, Merced, CA
A: Frank, families with pit bulls remind me of the early homesteaders who settled on the fringes of the Comancheria, the sprawling lands over which the mighty warriors of the Comanche tribe claimed dominion.
The area was so vast -- half of Texas and parts of several other states -- and the tribe so small -- fewer than 8,000 -- that the settlers might go for years and never see a trace of a war party. They felt as safe as if they were in Fort Smith, eating catfish with Judge Parker.
They became complacent and forgot that on any day, with no warning, the Comanches might explode onto their homestead and attack without mercy.
Same with a pit bull. It isn't that every single pit bull is bad. It's that you can never be sure of any one of them, no matter how long they behave.
Consider the one quote you see in every story where a pit bull has attacked without warning and killed or maimed a child. It is always a variation of, "I can't believe it. Why, that dog wouldn't hurt a fly. He was as gentle as could be until suddenly he ..."
All those nice things that those who defend the breed say are true. Pit bulls were a smart, loyal breed that exhibited all the things that make a dog the most noble of animals. Many of them still are. It's not the fault of the pit bulls that they have the reputation they have.
The downfall of the breed began when they became the dog of choice of the dumbest segment of society. That group is too ignorant to comprehend the wonder of a dog. Their only interest was in making the dogs as craven and vicious as they themselves are. Sadly, they have compromised the breed.
There's a reason why so many communities have enacted laws dealing specifically with pit bulls. The statutes require liability insurance, and special enclosures and that the dog be muzzled and on a steel chain when outside the enclosure. That alone should be enough to answer your question.
If an adult wants to take a chance with a pit bull and has the knowledge to train one properly, that's one thing. Adults are big enough to defend themselves. Children are not. When there are children in the family, the risk is too great.
There are countless dogs that will make great companions for your kids, Frank. Check with your local rescue groups and get one that you can trust.
(Merced Sun Star - Sept 10, 2011)
