Pit bull Police Dog!

[Catherine]

Kiah is a pit bull who was abused and  ended up in an animal shelter. She is also now a trained police dog.  Brad Croft, a dog trainer saw Kiah and realized that she has potential. She has responded to training and will serve in the NYC police department.

She will work in drug detection and generally be a good will ambassador for the police and her breed.

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/611640...ereotypes/

Kiah is a real symbol of how wrong the breed bans are. There are individual dogs that have problems, not specific breeds. Banning pit bulls has not stopped dog bites any where. I don't think it has even reduced them. Much of the problem is people behavior around dogs and of course badly trained dogs.  The dogs can probably be helped. I am not so sure about the people.

[Tobi]

I am so glad Kiah is doing well. The problem with this breed has been that they are very muscular and strong, with powerful jaws. So over the years were the dog of choice for those with sinister or egotistical motives. Add the dog's natural strength to bad breeding methods and usually brutal training methods, and you have yourself a tailor-made 'bad dog'.

But I have known tiny terriers with aggression issues, and their bites hurt! True, they are less likely to be life-threatening to many people, except very young children. But ANY breed of dog can be dangerous when bred for aggression, and badly handled and out of control.

We don't have the American Pit Bull in Britain, but I have seen many videos about the work of Villalobos Pit Bull Rescue in New Orleans, and from what I have seen, it seems obvious to me that Pit Bulls just have a 'bad rap" and the reality of this breed is different.

I wish Kiah all the best for her career helping to combat crime!

[Catherine]

I think Kiah will do a lot of good both as a police dog and as a pit bull. They need all the help they can get.

Banning the breed has not helped. It just hurts the good pit bulls. Any breed that is not well raised or who is in a bad situation can bite someone.  Sometimes the dog is just defending itself. Small children should not be unsupervised with a dog unless we are really sure of the child and the dog. Too many dog attacks involve a dog alone with a neighbours child. No one really knows what happened, but I bet the dog had a reason.

[Tobi]

(11-15-2015, 06:13 PM)Catherine Wrote:  Small children should not be unsupervised with a dog unless we are really sure of the child and the dog. Too many dog attacks involve a dog alone with a neighbours child. No one really knows what happened, but I bet the dog had a reason.

Yes, young children left unsupervised with any dog -even a sweet-natured one of ANY breed -is a very bad idea. Little children can do hurtful things without really meaning it. They can pull tails, pull hair, grab at the dog, poke their fingers in its eyes....and the one thing many dogs find most overwhelming and threatening is someone who suddenly rushes up, sticks their face in its face, and crowds it, or shrieks right next to its ears.
Little children do all of these things.
I know if a little child shrieks even within hearing distance of me, my ears hate it. I can only imagine what a dog might feel when it happens at close range.

Dogs are also inclined to use the same chastisements they would use with pups who get out of hand, or other dogs. And that can involve teeth. They often will not bite deeply -just chastise -but it can be too much for a fur-less little toddler!

Sadly....I wonder how many dogs have been consigned to Shelters (which if not adopted, could lead to a "Death Row" scenario) -as a result of natural chastisements of young children who have overstepped a line re: canine rules of behaviour?

[Ruth]

Kiah seems like a real nice pit bull. They do have a bad rap for all the reasons mentioned already. There were 2 pit bulls living here at the apt. complex and a mean neighbor called the police and reported them. Pit Bulls are banned in my city. I think it's terrible. There are Pit Bulls here still, though. The other ones were moved out of the city with their care providers.

[Catherine]

That is a good point about a dog naturally chastising with its teeth. Parents of a young child would not see it that way.

Putting the face in the dog's face has even gotten some adults bitten. People do not think about how that feels when you approach a dog like that.

That is too bad that those two pit bulls were reported. I am sure they are nice dogs who were not harming anyone.  We have a breed ban as well and pit bulls have to be removed to a safe province, not because they did anything, but just because of what they are.
It is irrational prejudice and it hasn't made people safer from dog bites. Teaching adults and children "dog etiquette" would be more effective.

In the mean time there is Kiah to show what great dogs pit bulls are.

[Tobi]

My Misty had the sweetest nature. But she growled and bared her teeth at my mother when they first met. We had just walked back from the bus stop, a good mile in pouring rain after a train journey, and we were both exhausted from travelling for 9 hours. Then she was in an unfamiliar house with people she didn't know. She was doing fine until my mother rushed at her, without warning, crowded her whole body with hers over the top of her, and pushed her face right into Misty's.
Misty growled, then stopped, looked up at me, with "I am so sorry! I know I did the 'wrong thing'.....But who are these people, and is there any safe place here I can just lie to recover?"
It all worked out well, and Misty grew to like my mother very much.
But we owe it to them to try to think like they do in every circumstance.

[Ruth]

Yes, we should be careful about being intimidating to a dog. The first thing I do with a dog is to extend my hand. That was the first thing I did when I met my Suzy for the first time. She licked my hand.

[Catherine]

Even Misty could be intimidated by strangers and strange circumstances. 

I think people see dogs as animated stuffed toys. They do not really understand that they are living beings with feelings. We need to respect  them and not ask too much of them. If most dog attacks were analyzed we would see that there usually is a reason.

People ask too much of their children some times as well.

When it comes to dogs and children together, people use no common sense at all. Most dog attacks are preventable.

I always speak to a dog and let it sniff me if it seems interested. If I get a sense that the dog wants to be left alone, I leave it alone. Sometimes I want to be left alone so I get it.

[Tobi]

(11-17-2015, 09:17 AM)Ruth Wrote: Yes, we should be careful about being intimidating to a dog.  The first thing I do with a dog is to extend my hand.  That was the first thing I did when I met my Suzy for the first time.  She licked my hand.

You have it right, Ruth. A hand, gently extended, towards their muzzle, or slightly lower, while keeping the body a step back. That way a strange dog can sniff you, the gesture isn't a threat (not over the top of their body), and they feel they have the freedom to choose what to do next.
I meet lots of strange dogs on walks. I always greet them that way. I have never found one who didn't like that. I also respect what they are showing me. Some want to see who you are, then move on. Some want to kiss you to death! (or cover you with mud! LOL!)....which I don't mind as I am not too clean to start with! haha!