Depraved Indifference

This blog hits the nail on the head.  Preach it!

Pit bulls can maul children to death — but, hey, why should that stop you from owning one?
Matt Walsh 

March 17, 2014

Judging a Book by it's Cover: A look at Bronwen Dickey's PIT BULL

I have a confession to make.I broke down, and yes, I purchased that book Pit Bull by Bronwen Dickey. 

What will follow on this blog will be some thoughts, my own review, and I invite a discussion on this book, what was included, what was left out.   I smell a regurgitation of the "Proof of Assertion"  tactics employed by the well organized and funded pit bull apologia.  If we create a thousand memes and say the same myths and all out lies a thousand times, it must be true.  People so want it to be true, hose off the bloody sidewalks,  say it again and again, and make it true. 


The author claims,  it took seven years of research, interviews of 350 people including pet owners, dog breeders, dog trainers, animal control officers, dog bite victims (the rumor is, one) , as well as other experts in veterinary medicine, animal behavior, canine genetics, constitutional and criminal law, public policy, risk analysis, and health epidemiology. Like a good researcher, she looked at archival materials that spanned more than 250 years.  And yes, it looks to be well organized, she has a table contents of 13 chapters I have yet to read, and I took a look at the bibliography, flipped through it and it has all of the trappings of a scholarly, scientific book.  What little writing I have read, she has admirable skill.   However, I'm not reading ahead, so I'm not going to pick her research apart just yet.  My plan is to REALLY take it slow with this, and I'm going to grab on and chew over any of her concepts, each and every little word chosen, kind of like a pit bull.

The choice of color for her cover was really well chosen.  It's the the exact shade of red I call "Life Force"  that stained my pants and my walls that night my dog was attacked by my neighbor's beast.    It brings up that little movie again.

As for the dog on the cover, it looks like a Stafforshire.  This will surely upset the crowd who think that only purebred American Pit Bull Terriers are pit bulls.  Had dogsbite.org chosen this image, there would be comments a mile long about how that isn't a real pit bull.  It's ugly, and it gives me the heeby-jeebies.

So let's talk about the title, and what it suggests.  Pit bull, the Battle over an American Icon. 

I wasn't aware of pit bulls, never thought about them once, remembered anyone mentioning them or seeing them portrayed as symbols that represented the United States of America. This, until my dog was attacked by one at a dog park.  He wasn't killed that time, but was killed about a year later by a different pit bull type thing that lived down the block.    I'm pretty old too.  I've been around and I've noticed things, especially thing of an iconic American nature.  I'm pretty much red white and blue, patriotic as can be.  I used to march in parades, and as a young thing, could wield that iconic piccolo solo in "Stars and Stripes forever" and put people on their feet.   What icons do I think of when I think of America?   Eagles, the Liberty Bell, Uncle Sam, The Statue of Liberty, an American Bison, perhaps Mickey Mouse.  I googled away, and found a good ten lists, and looked at the images conjured by my query, "American Icons".  There wasn't even one dog among them, no less a pit bull. I'm not convinced it was ever an American Icon.  Who called it "America's Dog" in the first place, and when did this happen?  Does the pit bull as "America's Dog" have an official trademark@?    Maybe Ms. Dickey will explain the origins of this moniker.  I am suspect they came from the very source who named them "Nanny Dogs".  As it is, weren't they created in Merry Olde England for the purpose of Blood Sport?  If you were to look for British icons, perhaps we may find an image of a grumpy faced Bulldog with a stiff upper lip. 

On the back, goody goody, the daughter of a well respected writer,  managed to get some praise from some really big wigs.  I suspect she had some help from some insiders in the publishing industry, I suspect she may have been cherry picked for this writing and that it would make lots of money, CACHING! 

If this is the thesis statement of her book, what should follow is her explanation of how this dog is an American Icon, of which, I'm not convinced, and how there is some "battle" over it.   I'm opening the to the inside jacket, perhaps there is more explanation. 

"The "pit bull" is a legend, a fear, an exaggeration, a  bête noire.   Bronwen Dickey does this misunderstood animal a great service of looking beyond the myth.  What she finds are dogs who deserve better than we've been giving them."  Alexandra Horowitz, author of Inside a Dog.   (She's a scholar and also the author of a No. New York Time's Best Seller.  Great marketing, give this cute little lady some credibility.)   

The hugely illuminated story of how a popular breed of dog becomes the most demonized and supposedly most dangerous of dogs, and what role humans have played in the transformation.  BD

How can we prove that the pit bull was ever a popular breed of dog? 

According to the very well respected Christian Science Monitor, it was the Boston Terrier that is America's Dog and the darling of the turn of the century.  

The American Kennel Club has been tracking the popularity of purebred dogs for 128 years as the number of recognized breeds grew from nine to 177. Here's of the country's most popular dog breeds by the decade, according to data released by the AKC.  The Labrador Retriever has been no. 1 for over twenty years.  Pit bulls are not even on the top ten.


I know there are other bloggers and researchers who have covered this same material, the claim that the pit bull has been an American Favorite at one time.  Until they became the politically correct statement du jour,   pit bulls have only been popular as fighting dogs.   It's currently estimated that pit bull types represent 6 % of the population, but represent over 60 % of serious and fatal dog attacks.    If dog attacks, especially serious and fatal attacks were represented by popularity, then the majority of these attacks would be by dogs that are equals to pit bulls in size: Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, and Golden Retrievers.  This is not the case. 



I'm now stuck on this phrase:  "The dog has become the most demonized and supposedly the most dangerous of dogs". 

Supposedly.  Ask your insurance agent.  They have a number for the "supposedly most dangerous of dogs" figure.  Ask the surgeons who sew up survivors.   I inquire too, if being supposedly dangerous is something that can demonize it.  Horses are dangerous,  are they demonized?  Wild animals, Bears, Sharks, and Tigers, all dangerous, but also not demonized.  We expect wild animals to be dangerous, we don't invite them to live with us as pets.  Pit bulls kill more people in the U.S. than Sharks do, they kill their owners, without warning.  Dogs that were bred to take down the inherently dangerous bull, supposedly dangerous.  Dogs bred for blood sport, to kill their own kind, supposedly dangerous.   They maul and maim countless others, humans and other animals alike.   Consumer products are pulled for less injury and death, is it due to supposed danger?  

Since the release of Ms. Dickey's book,  in May 2016, the following people have been killed by the supposedly most dangerous breed of dog.   Supposing all of these people, now in repose, what would they say about supposedly dangerous pit bulls?
Adonis Reddick - 45yrs old - St Louis, MO. - Pit Bulls - [5.9.16]

Antoinette Brown - 52yrs old - Dallas, Texas - Attacked by approximately 4 to 5 dogs including 2 pit bulls - [5.9.16]
Hunter Bragg - 7yrs old - Corinna, Maine - Pit Bull - [6.6.16]
Earl Wayne Stephens Jr. - 43yrs old - Stockton, Calif. - Pit Bull - [6.6.16]

Jocelyn Winfrey - 53yrs old - New Haven, CT. - Pit Bull Mixes - [6.27.16]
Susie Kirby - 3days old - Fresno, Calif. - Pit Bull/Shar Pei Mixes - [6.27.16]
Elizabeth Rivera. 71 years , killed by family pit bull(s) Detroit, MI.  (7. 16.16) 

During this same time, there were many serious attacks on people.  There were also many serious and fatal attacks on other animals.   Supposedly, they should count too.

Breed not a Savage Dog: Sunday School Scriptures for Pit Bull Enthusiasts

We think of the great spiritual books as being sources of metaphysical advice and comfort, but nearly all of them offer everyday, practical advice.  It is mentioned in the Bible as the first task given by God to Adam: to name and care for the Garden of Eden and the animals (Genesis 2:19-20). Poor Adam had to do this all alone, without the company of Eve.  Animal husbandry, perhaps in the form of sheep herding is really likely the world's oldest profession, not prostitution. The man was lonely, and the sheep were nervous. (Exodus 22:19)

It's odd that the Holy Books use for the dog as a metaphor is nothing positive, especially since Science shows that civilization would likely not have been possible had it not been for the relationship of Mankind and dog.  Canis familiaris was likely the very first domestic animal, and has been our companion for 10,000 years, helping us to hunt, herd, and used as a beast of burden to pull sleds and plows.

In the book of Exodus, there are laws for dangerous Bulls, I'm sure the wisdom could be easily applied to PIT Bulls.  I changed the scripture a little so that pit bull enthusiasts and owners could more easily understand it. I'm not even sure this will do, noting a sweeping lack of reading comprehension abilities in their ilk.   It must have something to do with fragile masculinity issues and some of the other psychological characteristics that many pit bull owners have in common.


²⁸ “If a (PIT) bull  MAULS /gores a man or woman to death, the  (PIT) bull is to be stoned to death, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the  (PIT) bull will not be held responsible. (This seems like current law, hence, we are outraged.....) ²⁹ If, however, the  (PIT) bull has had the habit of MAULING/goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up and it kills a man or woman, the  (PIT) bull is to be stoned and its owner also is to be put to death. (YES!  Pit bulls are in the habit of mauling, they were bred to do this!)
³⁰ However, if payment is demanded, the owner may redeem his life by the payment of whatever is demanded. (Millions...)

³¹ This law also applies if the  (PIT) bull  MAULS/gores a son or daughter. (Their own sons and daughters as well as anyone elses.)

³² If the  (PIT) bull MAULS/gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels^[f] of silver to the master of the slave, and the  (PIT) bull is to be stoned to death. (Not Applicable, but applicable to other property....cats, dogs, livestock, trees, wrought iron gates.......)
 
³³ “If anyone uncovers a pit or digs one and fails to cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it,

³⁴ the one who opened the pit must pay the owner for the loss and take the dead animal in exchange.(The ones who opened the pit are long gone, but their legacy MAULS on....) 
 

³⁵ “If anyone’s  (PIT) bull injures someone else’s  (Dog, even if it's another PIT) bull and it dies, the two parties are to sell the live one and divide both the money and the dead animal equally. (Let's have the head served up on a platter, we don't want your ugly pit bull after it has killed our dog. Pay restitutions or go to jail.) 

³⁶ However, if it was known that the  (PIT) bull had the habit of  MAULING/goring, yet the owner did not (SOMEHOW) keep it penned up, the owner must pay, animal for animal, and take the dead animal in exchange. (PIT Bulls can't help that they are in the habit of mauling, it's in their D.N.A..  The dog men did not listen to the wisdom of the Talmud, we must endure the Pandora's box they opened, their curse lives on.)

Breed Not a Savage Dog, nor permit a loose stairway.

An article on Cocker Spaniel Rage Syndrome. Pit Bulls were selected for "Rage Syndrome". 

Some great documentary films about dog eugenics:

National Geographic: The Science of Dogs

National Geographic: And Man Created Dog part I

National Geographic: And Man Created Dog part II

PBS Nova: Dogs Decoded

BBC: Pedigree Dogs Exposed

Horizon: The Secret Life of Dogs

PBS Nova: Dogs and More Dogs

Casting Stones

There is a saying, "Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones".  It's a nice way of calling a person a "hypocrite".  As some of you may know, I myself own risky breeds of dogs, namely a Chow mix and a Malinois mix, one rescued from the shelter the other a stray that adopted me. My sweet Chow/Lab mix was killed on Memorial Day, 2011, when a neighbor's American Bull Dog mix bulldozed through a wrought iron gate to savagely attack him.  This was not my first encounter with pit bulls, nor has it been my last, but this has been the incident which has  been seared into my brain that something must be done about these dogs.  Since sharing this story, my eyes have been opened that the pit bull advocates are a much more savage beast to contend with, than their dogs.

Oh, If I only  had a dollar for every time I have been called a hypocrite, how many times pit bull advocates have told me of their own anecdotal accounts of when they or somebody they knew had their tear duct ripped out by a Chow!  This, after touting the "blame the deed, not the breed" meme. Hypocrites.  Some of them will all out mention a hatred for Chows.  Hypocrites.  Indeed, I have read all of the media reports about Chows who attacked and even killed, and I don't look for scapegoats, I find it opens my eyes instead.  They are euthanized at higher rates at shelters than pit bulls, and believe it or not,  they are one of the most common mixes out there.  I  would never utter that lie, "it's all how you raise 'em". I have a healthy respect for this breed, one of the 12 most ancient.  They have been bred for over a thousand years to be guard dogs...they do not have to be trained to do this,  and they take their work seriously.  As for the "your breed will be next"....I support adding other riskier breeds to some BSL policy (I generally don't support bans)  including Chows.  The way the pit bull advocacy goes about it, suggesting that ALL dogs  should have the same policy, they reveal that they are much like that woman who presented a Baby to King Solomon, willing to  have it cut it into two equal pieces for the cause of fairness. They show they don't like dogs, only their gripping dogs,  when saying they advocate for better policy for ALL dogs.  The same policy for a Poodle, Lab or Spaniel and a Pit Bull, Rottweiler, Chow or Akita is NOT fair.  Oh, and when you see the lack of concern they have when somebody elses dog is attacked, there is rarely  any empathy for that dog and their owner.  Hypocrites.

I say the insurance industry would do some fine calculations of risk: not all cars are created equal and neither are dogs. OK, fine, let us make everyone pay liability insurance for all dogs based on risk....Chihuahua owners pay 5 dollars a year, 10 for Labs, 50 for German Shepherds, 100 dollars for Chows, and 1,000 for pit bulls.  Fair is Fair.

However, there is a vast difference between the advocacy for Chows and pit bulls. The Chow advocacy doesn't sugar coat, doesn't promote them as "Nanny Dogs", and advises that Chows are not "typical" dogs.

They are cat-like in their attitudes: aloof, reserved with affection, independent, dignified and stubborn. Although their soft fur is ripe for hugging, they don't always enjoy being fussed over by children or strangers. From this description, I think you can see that the Chow Chow is not a breed for everyone. Its temperament is often misunderstood and many people mistakenly believe that Chows are vicious dogs. This breed is naturally suspicious of strangers and very territorial. In all honesty, some Chows do have temperament problems. The breed went through two periods of dramatic public popularity, once in the 1930's and again during the 1980's. In a rush to cash in on this popularity and sell puppies quickly for a profit, unscrupulous or inexperienced breeders and pet owners often used Chows with unsuitable temperaments for breeding.

I've heard and read the advice, that Chows  do not make a good choice for families with children, usually they are on  lists of the top ten most dangerous dogs, sometimes even replacing the pit bull and Rottweiller as the No.ONE most dangerous dog breed.  Here's one, where they are listed as the absolute worst breed for families with children, ahead of the Rottweiler and the Nanny Dog, and that oft mentioned Chihuahua.   Some good points, but this person hardly writes like a scholar. 

I found Leerburg.com to be an excellent source of advice, and wish he would give the same stern warnings to pit bull owners.  For some reason, the very large collection of letters and advice he had for pit bulls can not be found.  However, this is great advice: these dogs don't belong in a dog park, don't let them meet strange dogs, put them in a crate when you have company.

Some other advice I have read about Chows:

They are not for everybody. They are not the pick for a first time dog owner.  They are not the choice to make if you don't have the heart to correct in the manner which will reach them.  They tend to be one person dogs.  They do not make a good choice for families with children.  They do not make a good choice for families with children.  They do not make a good choice for families with children.

They were primarily bred for the dual purpose of Guarding the Palace, and looking majestically dignified like a lion while doing so. I have to say, this is exactly what wins my heart, they are the best guarding the garden dogs, they don't dig, bark unless there's a good reason, and they are clean and polite, and they are BEAUTIFUL. They do this naturally, they do not have to be trained to be this way. 

They were used by the Chinese as a multi-purpose dog, used for war, draft, herding, fur, and even providing a protein source in lean times, and considered its flesh to be a delicacy.  They were also used in dog fighting, but the accounts of these fights show a radically different nature, as in the dogs would fight until they were tired, walking home with their masters afterwards.  No accounts of injured dogs being put on a tram with the children, no accounts of them being killed in brutal ways for loosing, the loosing dog being served up in a Sweet and Sour Sauce.  In any case, the Chinese are now importing pit bulls for the dog fighting, and I have not found ONE photo, or account, of a Chow being used currently  in dog fighting. 

 I know of other Chows that were no match for a pit bull, including the dogs of two neighbors, one who died and one who survived with a thousand dollar vet bill.  Par for the course, the renting neighbor whose pit bull attacked her while she crossed the street, narrowly avoiding a car crash,  moved away after being presented the bill.

I know my dog easily lost. He rolled on his back and submitted and that American Bulldog kept attacking him on the neck, wagging his tail the whole time. When his owner came to get him, covered in the blood of my dog, he wagged his tail the whole time. My dog died three weeks later.  His tail lost its curl and never wagged again.

And for you who would day say hypocrite, I appeal to you, we are in the same boat, except for the fact, statistically, your dog is a FAR greater risk than the breed I happen to keep. Despite the factors and scapegoats advocates may bring up in argument, the fact is, pit bulls lead the way in death and maimings.   I don't know of any city or country where Chows are flat out banned, although I hear they are banned on Military Bases.  Good idea, these dogs would not do well in that environment, where they would likely suffer being rehomed, being one people dogs. 

Perhaps landlords have decided that they do not want to accept the liability of risk for a Chow.  Good idea, they have the right to determine what kinds of risks as a property owner they will accept.  The way pit bull advocates push this issue, you will find more and more landlords won't so much as permit a cat or a Maltese.... and they still won't let you paint the walls fuschia and may fine you for putting up too many holes in the wall, and won't let you have a water bed on the second floor. It's their right.

When you are ready to open your eyes and see the truth, you will see that the cause for public safety and the plight of these riskier breeds will only benefit  when we ensure they have some policy that will keep them out of incapable hands and mindsets.  We do no favors for our dogs when we can't empathize with what they are.  Let's regulate them. 

Don't give what is Holy to Dogs: Sunday School Scriptures for Pit Bull Enthusiasts -- Matthew 7:6

Stop the Insanity!