Pit Bull Shot In The Head Trying To Protect Owner, But Miraculously Survives

I personally do not like Pits, nor will I ever like them. There is something ominous about owning an animal that at any time could snap your neck or eat your face clean off. If you choose to own one, it's your choice. I will never own one.

My father's friend had a Pit named Jughead. Nice enough dog, but dumb as bricks. We were over at his house for a football Sunday BBQ, and the dog snapped and went after his kid. This was with no provocation. I was there. The dog was sleeping, the kid was on the other side of the room and the dog went nuts. My father's friend wrapped a metal shovel around that dog's head and it still kept coming until it couldn't move anymore. He stuck with Golden Labs after that.

I guess it's up to each person's experience whether or not they want to own a dog like this. I suppose if you have a very dominant personality, then the dog will fit. If not, don't bother.

I was once almost attacked by a Doberman (another aggressive species, in my own mind). I was about 7 at the time, and my great aunt's Saint Bernard jumped off an eight foot porch, screamed toward the Doberman, and killed it where it stood. The Saint Bernard stayed by my side the rest of the day. If I had a bigger place, and a 500 dollar a month dog food budget, I'd probably own one.


For now, I'll stick with my nice cuddly beagle.




-TS

Originally posted by charlyv


My dog has saved my house from being robbed twice. He saved my wife from being assaulted in a park. He saved a smaller dog from being molested by ANOTHER PITBULL!, and took some pretty bad wounds, but the other pitbull definitely got the worst of it. He loves children and would definitely protect them with his life. He is gentle and even loves my cat, and they cuddle together sometimes.

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edit on 4-4-2012 by charlyv because: spelling , where caught

You are on point there. I have consistently seen my pit defend anything smaller than it, other dogs included. He also will defend a woman against a man, no matter who. I was play fighting with my sister (we're a silly, loving bunch) and he would nip my shirt sleeve and try to restrain my arm when it was raised, get between us and bark at me!

This dog has morals I tell you!! He was very gentle too, being sure not to get any arm with his sleeve! As soon as teeth would lightly touch my arm he backed off immediately and went for another nip until he got sleeve only.

Dumb pits probably have pretty dull owners too I'd guess. You have to establish yourself as the Alpha of the pack early on and then reinforce that periodically, especially I've seen with female pits (mines a guy). This does not mean aggression! It's something as simple as pouring some dog food, and then pretending to eat first out of the bowl while blocking the dog from access, Alpha gets the first and best bites of the food.

You understand? If not properly raised with an insight into the inner dialogue that's going on in your dog or even human child's mind you can end up with a violent crazy creature on your hands.

I feel that anyone that has a good head on their shoulders and an intrinsically "good heart" will have no major problems raising either kid's or dogs. Life can get overwhelming and everyone makes mistakes, but being a consistently kind, well informed person, will yield consistently good results, everytime (unless your Job, apparently. "Eevreeboodyy haaates Joooub, Wendsdays @ 8/7 central on the Bible Broadcasting Channel )

reply to post by BiggerPicture


This is garbage if I ever read it. Only people who know nothing about dogs assume that pitbulls are mean and vicious...but I see that happen a lot on ATS (ignorant people talking in absolutes)

They're just like any other dog - they behave the way they're raised & trained.

Pit bulls score better on temperament tests than the general dog population

www.examiner.com...

Originally posted by stonebutterfly
reply to post by TheStev

 

but cause she doesn't want to be licked by or sat on by a 50lb dog! They sit on you then look over they're shoulder begging for a rub.

Lol my St. Bernard does the exact same thing, but it's 120 pounds! Lol

We actually got it because a regular customer at my mom's work had to get rid of it when it was 6 months old because he was a biter. We've had him for 12 years now and after the first month, he's the biggest ball of slobbery softie, wouldn't hurt a fly! I definitely agree it's all in the training.
No dog is born "vicious"

speaking of protecting things smaller than they are...here is mine with my chihuahua. its nice to see a pit thread that isnt so negative.

reply to post by sting130u


You mean the RAPPER Pitbull...Whew.. Finally, someone shut him up..hehe lol...jk

I have a pitt bull (had 2, the sister died a few months back unfortunately. beautiful brendel colored dog, so quiet and "mature". Was probably a brain tumor).

I was a pitt bull hater before inheriting these two dogs...they have completely turned me around in my thinking. I realize that they are ultimately shotguns you can pet..but if you raise them well, they are as tame as any other dog I have had.
She got "jumped" by another pitt bull when walking down the road with me...(where I live, the dumb rednecks seem to not understand a leash law. grr). Anyhow, 2 dogs (a blue pitt and some sort of shepherd) attacked her..I shouted no and even in the thick of battle, my girl was desperately trying to back down and not fight. She didn't know what to do and was being mauled.
I shouted for her to go home and she immediately bolted towards home..luckily the owner of the other dogs got there and grabbed his dog..meanwhile my dog shot all the way home (my other pitt bull was alive at the time, my mother was visiting and was walking the other. She stood by because she was told to stay.

The shepherd followed my pitt all the way home, and entered into the house. My pitt sat on the porch. neighbor seen what happened and came over to help my dog (was down the street still). he yelled at the shepherd and suddenly the shepherd understood she wasn't in kansas anymore. heh...barking at a pitt bull..she turned tail and bolted once she got sense of the situation.

My dog will sniff and lick a random chiuahuah..because from puppies they were constantly being brought into other peoples homes with dogs and allowed to play under relaxed conditions.
Raising your pitt means both showing lots of calm and love...and to know words. But most important is at a young age, keep them constantly exposed to other dogs, strangers, etc...develop their social skills
Also, might want to buy em in pairs. just a theory, but I think they may develop jealousy for attention if they are singles only...which may make some of the less clever dogs think they are establishing a pecking order with kids and babies and accidentally kill em...not sure on this though. what is needed is a study behind each dog's environment, owner, raising, siblings, genetics, etc.

Like owning a shotgun, make sure to own them responsibly..and in return, you will end up with perhaps the most happy and emotional dog you have ever owned...seriously...I am a dog lover, but no dog has had as much personality and joy than these two dogs...
No, I won't own another pitt bull after they are gone more than likely..then again, maybe I will..but just wanted to weigh in on the Pitt Bulls are good people crowd.

I would rather take my chances with a pitt bull than a angry idiot with a gun...statistically speaking, I am far less likely to die with the angry dog. (oh, and if they do attack, pull their front legs apart to crack open their chest.)


And finally: If you have kids in the house..especially like the under 10 types...get another breed...no need to chance a 3 year old yanking on its tail too hard and getting its face ripped off.

So ya, treat a pitt bull like a shot gun.

Originally posted by SGTSECRET
speaking of protecting things smaller than they are...here is mine with my chihuahua. its nice to see a pit thread that isnt so negative.

Heh,
My pitt has 3 little friends actually. 2 standard Chihuahuas and 1 long haired teacup Chihuahua (about the size of her paw). They play endlessly together and the little teacup takes naps on her leg. So funny to watch my pitt lunge directly at her from up high, go in for some murder bite, and end up just pushing her around with her nose...of course the teacup thinks she is a bear, jumps up and goes on a counter attack.

Sad thing is we won't be surprised to see this headline in a year "Pitbull who saved owner, kills owner". Pitbulls are aggressive dogs and while they can be good you just don't know what might threaten them at anytime. I have no problems with people having them, I just don't think they should ever be around kids.

I love how this turned into a pits are bad VS pits are good argument....The dog in question protected the owner meaning it is a good dog in my opinion.

Pitts get a bad wrap because they have power so the wrong type of people are attracted to them. You don't train a bichon frise as a ''guard dog'' so statistically there are less attacks from them...that breed is a lap dog at best and anyone looking for a ''mean looking dog'' would never consider them. These cases of pitt bull attacks are only a small percentage of rouge personalty most are mistreated to the point of aggressive. Before the pitts it was the rotts and before them german shepherds and before that dobermans...all for the same reason. I used to work at a grooming salon/boarding kennel and I can honestly say we never had an aggressive pitt walk through those doors... cocker spaniels, poodles and yorkies are more likely to bite from what I've witnessed. (Don't ever underestimate a yorkie for they are fast and their teeth sharp. there is no warning shot, first bite draws blood)

Originally posted by PutAQuarterIn
I love how this turned into a pits are bad VS pits are good argument....The dog in question protected the owner meaning it is a good dog in my opinion.

Pitts get a bad wrap because they have power so the wrong type of people are attracted to them. You don't train a bichon frise as a ''guard dog'' so statistically there are less attacks from them...that breed is a lap dog at best and anyone looking for a ''mean looking dog'' would never consider them. These cases of pitt bull attacks are only a small percentage of rouge personalty most are mistreated to the point of aggressive. Before the pitts it was the rotts and before them german shepherds and before that dobermans...all for the same reason. I used to work at a grooming salon/boarding kennel and I can honestly say we never had an aggressive pitt walk through those doors... cocker spaniels, poodles and yorkies are more likely to bite from what I've witnessed. (Don't ever underestimate a yorkie for they are fast and their teeth sharp. there is no warning shot, first bite draws blood)

edit on 5-4-2012 by PutAQuarterIn because: Can't talk about it...squirrels are watching

Thank you. I posted the story to show the heroism of the common household friend, instead its a debate about good vs bad, and this story was only meant to be positive. Thanks for pointing that out. Even I drifted

reply to post by grayghost


Thats because you listen to what the main stream media tells you to believe. I have owned numerous pitties and never an issue. I have 2 pitties now and a rottie. And 2 small kids in the house. Not once has a pittie ever given us an issue.Now, all the neighbors little ankle bitters, thats another story. You should go on pitbullgear.com and get some FACTS instead of believing the dribble that ignorant people spew.

This is such a great thread because it totally backs up the reason why these incredible dogs have such a bad rep.

Most of the people who have negative views of this dog do not own one, never have owned one and still rely on all the tales. Yes, a pitbull can be dangerous, just like any large dog in the hands of the wrong owner. If they are trained to be aggressive, they have the muscle and determination to back it up.

These dogs like to please their owners, and are extremely loyal. If brought up by a caring, intelligent owner, they will be the dog you want them to be. In a family, you can trust them with your kids, freinds, other dogs, cats and birds.

If someone tried to attack you or any member of your family, well just like in the topic of the post, the only thing that will save them is a gun, if they can aim it fast enough. There are a lot of people that have been attacked by other humans that wish they had a dog like this when they needed them. I am sure that if more people owned them, there would be a lot less crime in this world.

I've had enough experiences with pit bulls to know that that MAYBE 1 in 5 are not aggressive.And that's giving the benefit of the doubt.It's probably closer to 1 in 10.So spare me.

I have a pit. She is aggressive, when she is provoked or when she feels she needs to defend the house. We know she is aggressive. It is her nature. She would hurt herself before she would hurt one of us, before she would hurt one of the three cats. Yes, when the doorbell rings, she gets very upset. We know it is coming and we take action to protect whoever is at the door. The dog, outside of the house, on her leash and harness, lets strangers come up and pet her, is not aggressive, and is loving. She knows that when she has the harness on, she is safe and will not be harmed and therefore doesn't need to get worked up. The only time that changes is an example of something that happened today.

We are in the middle of moving and took her to the new house today. We put her on the harness and leash and walked her down the road. Across the street is a pointer and a weimaraner/pointer mix. They were both on leashes in their front yards. Meeka (our dog) did nothing aggressive, didn't make eye contact, etc. She behaves in those situations. The mix, however, became aggressive immediately, straining at the leash, barking, and adopting aggressive stances. As responsible pit owners, we know that Meeka would feel threatened. She was being restrained by her harness, and would feel that she had no means of escape if attacked, and no way to defend herself. At this point, we made the decision to take her inside and remove that aggression from her atmosphere. She didn't get freaked out, merely came inside, because her owners were calm and able to assess and diffuse the situation before she even realized it would be a situation needing diffusion.

I used to be a pit hater. That was before Meeka. People just need to know how to approach strange dogs (probably shouldn't approach strange dogs at all. You just don't know.) or handle it if a strange dog approaches them. Owners need to be aware of triggers for their breeds and individual dogs, and react accordingly. Just as they would do for their loved ones. We know that Meeka could and would kill someone or something were she allowed to do so. If someone breaks into the house, she is allowed to do so. If someone threatens us, she is allowed to do so. Otherwise, she isn't and she is never allowed to feel that she is.

reply to post by Ceriddwen


Great reply. I agree people should know what to do in a situation where a dog may be aggressive. I will try to sum this up as well as I can, and hopefully those that read will spread this info around.

My ex-wifes aunt had a dog that no one has pet in 10 years. It stays outside on a leash and is given food and water on a daily basis. He only likes her aunt and will go inside alone with her. She had like 10 dogs and 20 catsa (land owner in tennessee). The dog would go into a room alone away from all the other animals. I was warned not to approach this dog as it was very aggressive to everyone, especially strangers.

The dog seemed aggressive, and maybe I shouldn't have done what I had done at the time. I approached it, and put all fear aside. I walked up to this mixed breed (no pit) like I had known it its entire life, since it was a puppy. I softened my eyes, and lowered my hand just within reach of its nose. It sniffed, growled (to gauge my reaction?) and sniffed again and whimpered and walked away. I walked up to the dog and started to pet its nose (Never EVER touch an unknown dog around its neck, that is the kill zone, and dogs will protect themselves if they feel threatened). I continued to scratch down its back and baby talked. He cowered down and let me rub his belly than was jumping on me like his best friend. His owner (the aunt) was amazed.

To summarize, dogs smell fear. You should not fear them, ever. This is why criminals have such a hard time with dogs. They are already scared of committing the crime, they are frightened of being caught, and than a dog is thrown into the mix and the stench of putrid fear oozing from every pore on their body. The dog reacts to the fear, and the person gets more fearful or maybe even aggressive (shooing away the dog). This causes the dog to feel threatened, and attack.

Get rid of the fear factor, and dogs are oblivious to whats going on.

Why shouldn't you be afraid of a dog? Well, if your healthy, have two hands, and can think, you have a huge advantage. A dog ALWAYS goes for the closest body part put out towards them. This is an instinct. The second part is getting to your neck (jugular). When a dog lunges at you, stick out your arm (your gonna get bit hard, but its going to latch on). His nose will be accessible, take your other fist and smash as hard as you can on the bridge of the nose. The dog will let go and whimper off, knowing its fate, and because it can not breathe he will be defeated.

This is something I have taught my children, along with: Gun safety, snakes, poisonous plants, poison ivy, strangers, 911, name and address, and other basic survival skills.

This works well for other canines, i.e. the wolf and coyote. We have a wolf preserve locally, and they teach the same things I have just discussed it. How to avoid an aggressive confrontation, and if necessary, how to terminate a threat from a canine.

I am glad to have owned many pit bulls, and having known many many more. I have never come across an aggressive one. My moms dog is actually racist, and I'm not talking about my opposite race. He gets crazy when white people are around (I am white) and loves black people. He was raised in an apartment by a black couple. Me and my mother are the only ones that understand this and realize he is only an ankle biter (siberian husky I believe). He is a good dog, just very misunderstood. And my moms other dog, great pyrenese (sic) is a huge dummy, that loves everyone, even if someone broke in he would be their best friend....

i cant help but notice all the negative comments towards the breed are presented by folks using British grammar/vocab.


isnt the total sum of pit bulls in England like...14?

hey i could be wrong, just sayin....

reply to post by sting130u


stick out your elbow not your arm. as if it were a shield.

its the hardest point on your body, and has the least amount of nerves. (excluding the unlikely event of hitting your funny bone)

plus the dog will learn in the first lunge that its incredibly painful to thrust its nose(most sensitive part) into this particular bone. it will not try it a second time.

this usually leads to a standoff. the dog will not sacrifice another lunge, but usually just stand there and look at you.

put it this way... even if they get a direct hit to your elbow with their teeth it will just break their teeth. it wont hurt much to you...

Originally posted by LurkerLegacy
reply to post by sting130u

 

stick out your elbow not your arm. as if it were a shield.

its the hardest point on your body, and has the least amount of nerves. (excluding the unlikely event of hitting your funny bone)

plus the dog will learn in the first lunge that its incredibly painful to thrust its nose(most sensitive part) into this particular bone. it will not try it a second time.

this usually leads to a standoff. the dog will not sacrifice another lunge, but usually just stand there and look at you.

put it this way... even if they get a direct hit to your elbow with their teeth it will just break their teeth. it wont hurt much to you...