Why is the DEA now using pit bulls as drug sniffing dogs?

Probably because they breed like rabbits and there are a ton of them. Just a guess?

My Chihuahua is quite intimidating. She's scared off dogs that weight 10 times her weight. You really don't want one of these coming after you...

a reply to: Hushabye

Yes I'm scared!!

They're one of the best sniffer dogs on the planet...

& it's better that the police find them useful rather than kill them...

You have to be alpha, but not evil in dominance...
Just enough to let them know they're never going to win...


Other than that they're the soppiest type of breed there is...
Lick lick lick lick lick...


Ghost says hello ATS!!!

a reply to: jrod

I would have to say that they are using them more due to the fact the breed has been demonized by the media. Two years ago, I was searching for a canine family companion and watch dog. Almost all the shelters were filled to the brim with pitbulls. At that time, I was ignorant too. I ended up searching out the truth about this breed and denying ignorance. I rescued my Pandora (pit bull mix) who was going to be put to sleep the following week. She was a returned dog since she scared the other owners by biting their chihuahua. Knowing how snippy most chihuahuas can be...my heart went out to this pit bull. She had all of her vet records since she was a six week old pup. She was 1 1/2 years old, when I found her in the shelter. I do have young grand children and I have been training them how to behave around a bigger dog. I have noticed that she is extremely intelligent and her sense of smell is out of this world. They are extremely loyal. As a watch dog, she is very alert...though she will usually just alert me and only follow me if something startled her. As far as strangers in the home, I have only had one person who she did not like nor did she want her to come near me. I finally realized that this dog was picking up on my own subconscious dislike for this person. She does look and sound ferocious when she growls. Pretty smart, perceptive, and loyal dog. Intimidating at sight? Certainly. She is a watch dog, not an attack dog. We found this out too, when a friend decided to enter our house to get out of the weather to wait for us to return. He said he was definitely intimidated even though she just lifted her head up alertly then went back to laying prone keeping her eyes only on him.

Having experienced this type of dog first hand, I would think they would make awesome dea service dogs. It is about time that they get their good patriotic status back. There were so many of these dogs who served our country well during the early 20th century.

Sure there are some bad eggs in every breed. The human breed has had some pretty nasty ones too. Don't condemn them all. Same with the police. It is not news when you are good, but screw up and the media will crucify you.

When I was deployed one of our K9 Handlers had a half Pit Bull Half Belgian Malinois. The dog was really sweet but crazy as hell.

a reply to: MystikMushroom

I have said for years, I would rather handle a bully than an aggressive little dog!

When I worked at a vet clinic, those little guys scared the crap out of me. The bigger dogs (usually) just wanted a tummy rub and a pat on the head.

Pit bulls are very smart dogs. I can see using them in a "sniffer" situation. But really, any dog could be used when trained properly.

a reply to: Doodle19815

I know how mean a Yorkie can be, it does seem like the smaller dogs have the worst tempers.

There is no doubt that Pit Bulls are generally one of the smartest breeds of dogs however I think it is obvious the DEA likes to use pit bulls because they are also great attack dogs.

I started this thread so others would be aware about what they are using as service dogs today.

a reply to: jrod

Let me ask your opinion on this, do you think pits are more intimidating than the German Shepherd?

a reply to: Springer

Your dogs sound fantastic too! Of course, the majority of dogs are...

I'm wondering if Clive is part Great Dane. He's the larger, grey guy. He's actually only ~10 months old and already weighs close to 80 lbs. He's a rescue, and I don't think he had any good exercise before he came to me, so almost no muscle tone (read: lots of muscle mass to gain). He's only been with me for about a month.

For comparison, Sara, my smilin' sweetie girl there, is only ~50 lb and is 2 years old. She's been with me for just over a year.



a reply to: violet

Lies. All lies. We're supposed to deny ignorance, here, missy!


Pit bulls are generally execptionally smart and empathetic. Sara can feel my moods change instantaneously, this is one reason they're such good service dogs. They love to work too: it's in their terrier blood. Set them to work digging any hole you need*, pulling your carts of yardwork, etc. They'll love it. I think Sara would be an excellent search and rescue dog, but due to my limited income and lack of private transportation, I'm not sure how I can teach her.

* Sara and her love for digging just made a very forlorn task I needed completed much easier to do. I recently had to bury my oldest kittyman, and she dug his hole for me. She looked like a happy little pig covered in mud! I'll get some pictures that will be sure to change even Violets' heart.

PS: Their empathy and desire to please is what makes them listen to these assholes that would fight them. These people could make golden retrievers mean. Speaking of...there have been studies done on dog temperaments and according to testing by The National Canine Temperament Testing Association, the Golden Retriever, Poodle, Border Collie, English Setter, and numerous other breeds are considered more likely to become aggressive than the breeds commonly referred to as Pit Bulls. While the average score of the 231 breeds tested was a mere 82.4 percent, Pit Bulls scored a 86.5 percent (the higher the score the better).

You're more likely to be attacked by a surly little dachsund, people!

a reply to: Doodle19815

Their bite is much worse that is for sure and I would say in general pits are much smarter. Pits and all the other breeds they use, like beagles are also great a catching the common idiot off guard. Even though I know of a few deep undercovers who use pits and other dogs for sniffers, the common idiot still does not believe me. The sheep still believe cops are only using German Shepherds.

I am a little disappointed that this got moved to the Rant side. Less eyes will see this thread now....

a reply to: Seeker Mom

You probably got it right...if you raid some house and they have pets...possibly pit bulls then the police can confiscate it and some probably just adopt them to make them drug sniffing dogs. It is free.

a reply to: jrod

Well, you started with a question in the title and then a two sentence post to follow it up. At first it looked like you were seeking information.

Then you turned it all around by stating your opinion that pit bulls are more aggressive than other dogs. I am not sure where you are going with this, but reading your follow up comments, it does seem more of a rant.

In answer to your title question though, they are using them because they are smart dogs with a keen sense of smell....

Pit Bull The Pitbull has become a breed synonymous with strong jaws, biting and danger. While this dog does not have the highest bite force of the dogs National Geographic tested, it is one of the top four. The Pitbull bite was measured at 235 pounds of pressure. It is the most highly recognized breed for jaw and bite strength.

German Shepherd Although the German Shepherd was originally bred as a herding dog, it has been used as a guard and police dog with good reason. This is a powerful and intelligent breed. The German Shepherd's bite measured 238 bite force, just slightly above the Pitbull.

Rottweiler The Rottweiler, or Rottie as it is often called, has a huge head and large jaws. This breed bit with 328 pounds of pressure. The Rottweiler is considered the second most dangerous breed of dog; the Pitbull is number one.

Doberman The Doberman is a highly energetic dog that can be very aggressive. The bite force is reputed to be 600 pounds of pressure; however that seems to be largely unsubstantiated.

Mastiff Many breeders say that the Mastiff has the strongest jaw. Reportedly, the Mastiff has a bite force of 552 pounds. If true, this would make it stronger than any other domesticated dog on record.

dogs.lovetoknow.com...

For future reference...

originally posted by: Doodle19815


Then you turned it all around by stating your opinion that pit bulls are more aggressive than other dogs. I am not sure where you are going with this, but reading your follow up comments, it does seem more of a rant.

In answer to your title question though, they are using them because they are smart dogs with a keen sense of smell....

Okay...if you say so.

I never said pit bulls were more aggressive that other dogs. What I wrote is their bite is worse than other dogs. They have a lock jaw bite and will not let go when in attack mode, even when being hit repeatedly in the head.

Please do not twist what I wrote.

There are plenty of better sniffers, like hounds. However to try play it off that the DEA and friends only uses them because they are smart with a keen sense of smell is truly trying to pull the wool over our eyes.

a reply to: jrod

Answer:
Prepared by: Al W. Stinson, D.V.M. Director of Legislative Affairs, Michigan Association for Pure Bred Dogs, and the Michigan Hunting Dog Federation, and a Member of the Board of Directors of the American Dog Owners Association
The following quote was sent to me from Dr. Howard Evans, Professor Emeritus, College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, Ithaca New York. We were colleagues in the veterinary college for four years. He is the author of the textbook, ANATOMY OF THE DOG, (the world's definitive work on the anatomy of the dog). His statement was in a letter addressed to me on March 26. 2002.
His quote was: "I have spoken with [Dr.] Sandy deLahunta (the foremost dog neurologist in the country) and [DR.] Katherine Houpt (a leading dog behaviorist) about a jaw locking mechanism in pit bulls or any other dog and they both say, as do I, that there is NO SUCH THING AS "JAW LOCKING" IN ANY BREED.
We all agree that the power of the bite is proportional to the size of the jaws and the jaw muscles. There is no anatomical structure that could be a locking mechanism in any dog." As a Professor Emeritus from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University, I agree completely with their conclusion.

www.pbrc.net...

Any dog can be made to be aggressive. German Sheperds can be taught to hold on in an attack. Hounds can also be taught as hunting dogs to hold on to a catch until commanded to release. It is all in the training.

You have called people idiots and sheep for not seeing what the DEA is using pit bulls for. Group me in the idiots, because frankly, I think they are using a damn good breed for a job well suited to their background.

a reply to: jrod

You were just shown proof that they do not, in fact, have different jaws than other dogs- from an easily verified source as well. It's right in front of your face and still you choose to believe this silly crap.

This is willful ignorance- the worst kind.

a reply to: Doodle19815

Your words not mine. It is you who is attempting to deny that the DEA uses pitbulls for their bite, their lock jaw type of bite.

Please quote me where I wrote that Pits are more aggressive than other breeds!

It is common knowledge that the average American is a bumbling idiot who greatly overestimates his/her intellect so I stand by what I say. I have beef with this issue because recently a couple of DEA cowboys tried to set up a friend of mine using less than ethical tactics. I have pictures of undercover agents, some with their dogs as well as a large data base of CIs that I have recently compiled as a result of my own investigating. The fact is the average American refuses to believe that they are using PitBulls.

I do not want things to get ugly and just rather pretend there is nothing to see, however I was not about to let a friend fall for a trap. Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil is something I've noticed the deep undercovers are great at doing.

a reply to: jrod

You are claiming they are more aggressive with a "lock jaw bite". (Whatever that means in your opinion.)

Perhaps the DEA are using them for that purpose, but that is what they are TRAINING them to do. They could use Sheperds, rotties, mastiffs, Dalmatians, or Pomeranians, they are training them for a purpose. That purpose is to apprehend a suspect, sniff for drugs, or bodies.

If you have all this research compiled about pit bulls and the DEA, open another thread beginning with your research. Don't start with a question and pretend ignorance if you have already come to a well researched conclusion.

In Denton Texas by chance? One of my best friend's Dad played the role of the bat wielding neighbor in what sounds like the same story.

As far as pits go i don't think the breed should be lumped together as devil dogs or anything. It's not the breed it's the dog, or the owner, or the circumstance. Some cities around here go as far as outlawing put bills with city ordinances written against specific breed ownership.

The only entire breed I have issue with is Cocker Spaniels. Inbreeding has made them a bit crazy. I can't stand people that are judgmental of others based on race(or breed), and the Dutch!

a reply to: [post=18437788]LoneGunMan /post]

This is the sight in front of me at this very moment.



Many people may say I shouldn't let my girls (8 and 6) play with this viscous Rottie. You might even notice they are playing dress up with him. He hates the color blue, (he told me one night), but he lets them carry on....

It is in the TRAINING! If you notice in the link I posted above, rotties are commonly thought of as the second most dangerous dog. One below the pit bull.

I am just trying to show you that dogs are dogs. Pets, companions, hunting help, or a working "Sherriff", they are still animals. They are trained for the tasks we give them.