[rebelbull]

new here and am tryin to find out what kind of dog i have
the guy i got her from said she was a pit mix that he had rescued but i was so excited i forgot to ask him mixed with what
so If anyone can help please
i ahve searched pictures and havnt found a mix taht looks like here
thanks for all the responses

[Shrieker]

I love the patch over her eye! She looks like a pure pitbull to me. If anything she might have some labrador in her (probably the most common mix with pit). But that's the fun with having a mixed breed! They can be so unique.

[Todd]

I don't think a pit bull can really be pure being that they really aren't technically a pure breed.

Anyone else think this dog may have some boxer mixed in???

[Yogi]

Originally Posted by Todd

I don't think a pit bull can really be pure being that they really aren't technically a pure breed.

Anyone else think this dog may have some boxer mixed in???

Boxer was my choice also, legs and the muzzle appear to show Boxer.

[OrangeDog]

I don't think a pit bull can really be pure being that they really aren't technically a pure breed.

Actually Pit bulls ARE a real, pure, registered breed. They are at all the dog shows that I attend as well and are shown as part of the Terrier Group. The Breed is called an American Pit Bull Terrier.


Back to the original topic: I see pit in there as well as boxer but the blue merle color is what is throwing me and makes me think possible dane or catahoola.

[Yogi]

Originally Posted by OrangeDog

Actually Pit bulls ARE a real, pure, registered breed. They are at all the dog shows that I attend as well and are shown as part of the Terrier Group. The Breed is called an American Pit Bull Terrier.


Back to the original topic: I see pit in there as well as boxer but the blue merle color is what is throwing me and makes me think possible dane or catahoola.

I think what throws many off is the AKC does not recognize the Pit Bull. Other clubs do though. As the AKC and UKC for example recognize the Staffordshire where only the UKC recognizes the American Pit Bull. This causes some confusion especially if you are basing purebred status solely on whether the AKC recognizes a breed.

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Yogi

I think what throws many off is the AKC does not recognize the Pit Bull. Other clubs do though. As the AKC and UKC for example recognize the Staffordshire where only the UKC recognizes the American Pit Bull. This causes some confusion especially if you are basing purebred status solely on whether the AKC recognizes a breed.

Oh OK. Thanks for the clarification. Why doesn't the AKC recognize them as pure bred dogs? Is it because many of them look different?

[Yogi]

Originally Posted by Todd

Oh OK. Thanks for the clarification. Why doesn't the AKC recognize them as pure bred dogs? Is it because many of them look different?

To be honest, I am not totally sure why. Breed clubs are the ones that once formed and set standards then petition the AKC. I am not sure if do to so many variations there has never really been an establish set of standards or what. I have seen 100lbs Pits but my understanding is that they should be somewhere around 40 or 45lbs and stand something like 17 or 18 inches in that area.
I know that there are breeders out there that have totally over done the breed making gigantic versions which may have been a reason. But in truth, I do not know enough about the AKC and what would be the real reason behind not recognizing the Pit yet recognizing the Stafordshire unless it is because the variations in size and build. Maybe someone with more in depth knowledge of the Pit would be the person to talk to.

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Yogi

To be honest, I am not totally sure why. Breed clubs are the ones that once formed and set standards then petition the AKC. I am not sure if do to so many variations there has never really been an establish set of standards or what. I have seen 100lbs Pits but my understanding is that they should be somewhere around 40 or 45lbs and stand something like 17 or 18 inches in that area.
I know that there are breeders out there that have totally over done the breed making gigantic versions which may have been a reason. But in truth, I do not know enough about the AKC and what would be the real reason behind not recognizing the Pit yet recognizing the Stafordshire unless it is because the variations in size and build. Maybe someone with more in depth knowledge of the Pit would be the person to talk to.

I know what you mean. My family owns a rental property in a high crime part of town and many people own pits. I have seen pits the of all different shapes, colors, and sizes. HUGE variation.

[Yogi]

Here is a link to a site that shows over sized ones. One is 8 months old and already 80lbs. Check the males section.
About Us

Pet Pitbull - Find the Pit Bull
now take the test to see if you can see the actual American Pit Bull Terrier. When you do locate it, check the size and build against the ones on the kennel site.

[Lara's mom]

I'm sure I'll get a lot of disagreement but, I'm very glad that pit bulls were banned where I live. Not a week would go by when there wasn't at least one attack by these dogs. In one instance, the dog was so crazed that the police had to put 6 bullets into it to finally kill it because they couldn't pull it off a child it was in the process of tearing to shreds. Since the ban went into effect in 2005, dog attacks are extremely rare.

Unlike some places, these dogs weren't rounded up and euthanized. They all had to be spayed or neutered and leashed and muzzled at all times. Any pit bulls born after the ban went into effect are considered illegal are either re-homed out of the province or euthanized. Eventually, the breed will die out here. As more and more places enact legislation to keep these dogs out of their communities, there are less places to re-home illegally born pit bulls. Why certain people keep breeding them knowing what will happen to them is beyond me.

Failure to adhere to the law results in the seizure of the dog, a huge fine and possible jail sentence for the owner and, the dog is euthanized.

It may sound cruel but, adults, children and other family pets are a great deal safer now that these unpredictable dogs are no longer running loose and attacking innocent people and pets.

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Lara's mom

I'm sure I'll get a lot of disagreement but, I'm very glad that pit bulls were banned where I live. Not a week would go by when there wasn't at least one attack by these dogs. In one instance, the dog was so crazed that the police had to put 6 bullets into it to finally kill it because they couldn't pull it off a child it was in the process of tearing to shreds. Since the ban went into effect in 2005, dog attacks are extremely rare.

Unlike some places, these dogs weren't rounded up and euthanized. They all had to be spayed or neutered and leashed and muzzled at all times. Any pit bulls born after the ban went into effect are considered illegal are either re-homed out of the province or euthanized. Eventually, the breed will die out here. As more and more places enact legislation to keep these dogs out of their communities, there are less places to re-home illegally born pit bulls. Why certain people keep breeding them knowing what will happen to them is beyond me.

Failure to adhere to the law results in the seizure of the dog, a huge fine and possible jail sentence for the owner and, the dog is euthanized.

It may sound cruel but, adults, children and other family pets are a great deal safer now that these unpredictable dogs are no longer running loose and attacking innocent people and pets.

I agree but also disagree with you. It's NOT pit bulls that are responsible for these attacks, it's their OWNERS! Some owners with pits train them to fight or be aggressive guard dogs. If a responsible dog owner owns a pit I don't see how there would be any problem. It's not the nature of the beast but the being behind it. I think there should be a program in your area where a family or person wishing to own a pit bull must go through some sort of test/evaluation to determine if that individual or family will treat the dog well and train the dog in a positive manner.

I know this isn't an option, but your area should ban the bad PEOPLE responseable for these actions and NOT the dogs.

[Yogi]

Originally Posted by Todd

I agree but also disagree with you. It's NOT pit bulls that are responsible for these attacks, it's their OWNERS! Some owners with pits train them to fight or be aggressive guard dogs. If a responsible dog owner owns a pit I don't see how there would be any problem. It's not the nature of the beast but the being behind it. I think there should be a program in your area where a family or person wishing to own a pit bull must go through some sort of test/evaluation to determine if that individual or family will treat the dog well and train the dog in a positive manner.

I know this isn't an option, but your area should ban the bad PEOPLE responseable for these actions and NOT the dogs.

I have to agree. Like people, we are often judged by our nationality based the actions of a few. The fact is that in most cases, it has been proven that the attacking dogs were not actually Pit Bulls but just looked like them. In other cases there have been deaths attributed to a Pomeranian as well as other breeds. Any dog has the capability of biting and for those who's thoughts immediately jump to the conclusion "but a Pit Bull is much more dangerous when it bites" think for a second that a Cane Corso has the ability to do far more damage and has. We have not banned them. The reality is, it comes down to dog ownership and yes those that wish to own one or any of the bully breeds or large breeds such as Pits that have been bred oversized should be required to go though dog ownership training. I personally have yet to meet a Pit Bull that was aggressive in anyway and I have met hundreds of them over the years. Unfortunately too many people who own them own them for all the wrong reasons. These days the dog is associated with drug dealers but the fact is that it is a nanny dog and was for the first half of the century in the US. It is excellent with children when raised with them and though many assume it is aggressive, the fact is one properly socialized is more prone to run from someone than attack them. Far too much press and not enough actual facts. Every time some person gets bit by a dog that resembles a Pit Bull when in fact it was a different breed or a mix, the press has a field day. I had this discussion on another forum a few years ago with a surgeon who had to re-attach the arm of a child that had been ripped off by what was reported to be a Pit Bull. He was for a ban also until he realized that banning the breed was in fact not the answer as it was one bad apple in the crate. He has since re-evaluated his opinion and believes as I do that people need to be required when owning any of these type breeds that they are responsible and take the time required to socialize, train etc. Failing this, then hold the owner legally liable whether the dog attacks someone or not. The owner should HAVE to comply with professional dog obedience and training courses. The number of people I know who took the Pit Bull test and were honest, it took them an average of 3 tries to finally pick the breed out of the pics. The fact is, most people wouldn't know a real Pit Bull if they walked up on it. The public perception is that of a big heavily built wide headed dog that can unlock its jaws and once it bites never lets go. Falsities run amok when all they know about dogs comes from press reports and local newspapers. Now those are really good sources for fact, aren't they
Both newspapers and press get the attention of readers by glorifying and embellishing the story. The more gruesome the more you want to read and believe. The fact is they are no better than the tabloids at the local check out counters and why do you think they put those there. If they reported the attacks properly you would find that in an estimated 75% of the cases, they were either mixed breeds or another breed all together different that a Pit Bull but look at how many big headed mix breeds there are out there. I saw a mastiff/lab mistaken for a Pit Bull. These kinds of mis identification occurs far more often than we know because simply the person being attacked is in a state of shock and cannot in most cases really recall what the dog looked like. It was proven years ago that even eye witness testimony in court is subject as when events are occurring, the bodies metabolism increases and the mind goes into a state of shock. You know, the one where people stand frozen, eyes wide open and mouth hung open. When asked to recall what they saw, 10 people have 10 different responses. This is in no way different than those attacked by what is alleged to be Pit Bulls or those seeing it happen. They many times even have difficulty identifying the color of the dog. Something to think about before assuming what we read or hear on the news is in fact, fact.

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Yogi

I have to agree. Like people, we are often judged by our nationality based the actions of a few. The fact is that in most cases, it has been proven that the attacking dogs were not actually Pit Bulls but just looked like them. In other cases there have been deaths attributed to a Pomeranian as well as other breeds. Any dog has the capability of biting and for those who's thoughts immediately jump to the conclusion "but a Pit Bull is much more dangerous when it bites" think for a second that a Cane Corso has the ability to do far more damage and has. We have not banned them. The reality is, it comes down to dog ownership and yes those that wish to own one or any of the bully breeds or large breeds such as Pits that have been bred oversized should be required to go though dog ownership training. I personally have yet to meet a Pit Bull that was aggressive in anyway and I have met hundreds of them over the years. Unfortunately too many people who own them own them for all the wrong reasons. These days the dog is associated with drug dealers but the fact is that it is a nanny dog and was for the first half of the century in the US. It is excellent with children when raised with them and though many assume it is aggressive, the fact is one properly socialized is more prone to run from someone than attack them. Far too much press and not enough actual facts. Every time some person gets bit by a dog that resembles a Pit Bull when in fact it was a different breed or a mix, the press has a field day. I had this discussion on another forum a few years ago with a surgeon who had to re-attach the arm of a child that had been ripped off by what was reported to be a Pit Bull. He was for a ban also until he realized that banning the breed was in fact not the answer as it was one bad apple in the crate. He has since re-evaluated his opinion and believes as I do that people need to be required when owning any of these type breeds that they are responsible and take the time required to socialize, train etc. Failing this, then hold the owner legally liable whether the dog attacks someone or not. The owner should HAVE to comply with professional dog obedience and training courses. The number of people I know who took the Pit Bull test and were honest, it took them an average of 3 tries to finally pick the breed out of the pics. The fact is, most people wouldn't know a real Pit Bull if they walked up on it. The public perception is that of a big heavily built wide headed dog that can unlock its jaws and once it bites never lets go. Falsities run amok when all they know about dogs comes from press reports and local newspapers. Now those are really good sources for fact, aren't they
Both newspapers and press get the attention of readers by glorifying and embellishing the story. The more gruesome the more you want to read and believe. The fact is they are no better than the tabloids at the local check out counters and why do you think they put those there. If they reported the attacks properly you would find that in an estimated 75% of the cases, they were either mixed breeds or another breed all together different that a Pit Bull but look at how many big headed mix breeds there are out there. I saw a mastiff/lab mistaken for a Pit Bull. These kinds of mis identification occurs far more often than we know because simply the person being attacked is in a state of shock and cannot in most cases really recall what the dog looked like. It was proven years ago that even eye witness testimony in court is subject as when events are occurring, the bodies metabolism increases and the mind goes into a state of shock. You know, the one where people stand frozen, eyes wide open and mouth hung open. When asked to recall what they saw, 10 people have 10 different responses. This is in no way different than those attacked by what is alleged to be Pit Bulls or those seeing it happen. They many times even have difficulty identifying the color of the dog. Something to think about before assuming what we read or hear on the news is in fact, fact.

Yes exactly. Pit Bulls may be more devistating if they attack but the point is not if they attack it's why they attack and why is because of some irresponsable owners out there who couldn't care less about them!

[Lara's mom]

Anybody heard the latest about Rachel Ray's pit bull? She was adopted from a reputable breeder and had every advantage in the world - way more than any of our dogs have. That dog got professional trainers and handlers and STILL attacked several dogs and injured Rachel. They are now contemplating euthanizing the dog before there is a real tragedy.

All I ever hear from pit bull apologists is how it is never the dogs fault - they've all been abused. Do any of you truly believe that Rachel Ray abused Isaboo?

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Lara's mom

Anybody heard the latest about Rachel Ray's pit bull? She was adopted from a reputable breeder and had every advantage in the world - way more than any of our dogs have. That dog got professional trainers and handlers and STILL attacked several dogs and injured Rachel. They are now contemplating euthanizing the dog before there is a real tragedy.

All I ever hear from pit bull apologists is how it is never the dogs fault - they've all been abused. Do any of you truly believe that Rachel Ray abused Isaboo?

Point is, what dog hasen't got into it with another dog in their life? I see dogs get aggressive with other dogs time in and time again at the dog park and they AREN'T Pit Bulls. Some dogs are aggressive. Being a Pit Bull has little to nothing to do with it. Further more, we don't really know what Rachel does with her dog. Who knows what her pit went through BEFORE she adopted him. What I am trying to say is that I find it VERY hard to believe that certain breeds of dog are always very aggressive and dangerous. It's very steriotypical if you ask me. It's like saying that black people are criminals or Mexicans are roofers and don't have green cards. It's entirely false! I think half the reason pits get such a bad reputation is that when they do attack, it is more devistating because of their jaw strength for one. Other dogs have these incidents just as frequently as long as it doesn't involve a poor owner, but not such a big deal is made because of lack of sevarity. It's easy to point the finger at a pit who just attacked and hospitalized a man but not so easy to point the finger at a labrador or a golden retriever.

Here are some interesting stats;

Most fatal dog attacks are by pit bulls. In 2008, 65% of the fatalities were by pit bulls.

Here is also a link to why pits are NOT at fault;

Dog Politics: Top 10 Most Dangerous Breeds

Here's a shocking stat;

In July 2008, the journal of Applied Animal Behaviour Science published a study done by researches at the University of Pennsylvania. They surveyed and discussed with over 6,000 dog owners their experiences with aggression in their dogs. The researchers compiled a report containing 33 dog breeds most likely to bite. Here are the dog breeds with the greatest percentage of bites and bite attempts on humans and other dogs.

Dachshund. Yes, the sausage dog is most likely to bite strangers and its owners, as well as other dogs.

Chihuahua. These are big dogs in a little package, and none are afraid to tell you so. Chihuahuas are very likely to bite strangers and owners, as well as other dogs.

Jack Russell Terrier. These feisty little dogs are also quick to nip. They have a tendency to try to nip at strangers and family members and other dogs.

Australian Cattle Dog. This breed is great to have around the home, but you must be careful; they are herding dogs, which means they are very likely to nip family and strangers, as well as other dogs.

American Cocker Spaniel. A common breed in many homes in the United States, this dog does have tendencies to nip and bite at owners and other dogs.

Beagle. Another family favorite, beagles seem to nip and bite at their families and other dogs.

*No Pits??? It's the devistation of their attacks because of poor owners, NOT their tendancy to bite!

[Lara's mom]

So, what you are saying is that all of the thousands upon thousands of attacks by pit bulls are all the result of bad owners? I urge all of you to take a trip to youtube and see how many attacks, mauling and deaths these dogs cause. Are each and every one of these owners bad? How about the family dog who turns and kills a child? Was that dog abused too? Was Rachel Ray's dog abused?

I think that is just a huge cop out by the pit bull apologists who seem to believe that their rights super-cede the rights of innocent citizens and their leashed pets.

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Lara's mom

So, what you are saying is that all of the thousands upon thousands of attacks by pit bulls are all the result of bad owners? I urge all of you to take a trip to youtube and see how many attacks, mauling and deaths these dogs cause. Are each and every one of these owners bad? How about the family dog who turns and kills a child? Was that dog abused too? Was Rachel Ray's dog abused?

I think that is just a huge cop out by the pit bull apologists who seem to believe that their rights super-cede the rights of innocent citizens and their leashed pets.

no i'm not saying that every pit bull attack is due to a bad owner, i'm saying that the amount of attacks that happen besides the number of pit attacks because of bad owners is no different than the amount of times another breed of dog attacks. A pit is just stronger and more devastating. How old was the dog when Ray got it? maybe it was rescued and abused previously?

[Yogi]

What is being missed here is that FACT that in most attack cases as I stated, the dog was not actually a Pit Bull but only resembled one. In the cases where the dog was captured and aired on TV, most were mixed breed dogs not actual Pit Bulls. The assumption that people who support the ban take is that if it is a Pit Bull it therefore must be dangerous when in fact you are blaming an entire breed for the actions of dogs in most cases found later to not be a Pit Bull at all but a mix that resembles a Pit Bull or a different breed completely. I hope where you live they do not accuse people of crimes this way otherwise there is most likely a lot of innocent people in prison. Be reminded that statistics are like polls, they are not inclusive. Meaning simply that what 100 people claim, the next will view totally differently. These in no one constitute valid information to base assumptions on and that is what most who believe this crap do, they believe the assumptions. I guess I was raised to not be a sheep and follow the proverbial fool off the bridge. Instead I learned years ago to find out myself and what I found contradicts most of what I was TOLD. If you want to learn about Pit Bulls, find someone who has one and see for yourself. The odds are you might be pleasantly surprised. The guy who was renting a trailer on my property til recently had 2 Pit Bulls. Cocoa would bark at you and approach but if you gestured to get away, she would turn and go, the other one would kill you with her tail due to the force of the wagging it would do. I have found every Pit I have ever been around this way. Far too much assumption and in truth, the majority of people who form their opinions have in fact never been in close or have ever taken the time to actual intermingle with one instead prone to just believing what the press and newspapers print which again is over glorified garbage since majority of the dogs are mixed breeds, not actual Pit Bulls. Ironic how often the avoid saying "mixed" breed but how easy it is to say "Pit Bull" and all based on someone in shock who could not ID the dog from any other big headed medium breed dog. Did you guys take the test? Be honest, do you know the number of people I gave this too who identified the JRT's as the Pit...It might startle you. Banning the breed is not the solution. The solution is regulated breeding and ownership. Even when the breed was banned in Denver against the wishes of the Colorado legislature one local vet deemed it one of the stupidest things he had ever heard of. He's been a local vet for 25 years and has seen many Pits not mixes but Pits and was the first to note publicly that not once in his 25 years has he ever had a problem with one. Yet there were a couple of other breeds that he openly admitted were problems. When asked to name them he declined noting that if he does, the city would probably put a ban on them too. It is this type of narrow minded solutions to issues that will never solve anything. If we do not understand it, kill it. I just do not get where this attitude started that it has been so ingrained that we after years still cling to it as if this is normal thinking when it is not. Find out what the problem is and fix it. Killing it is not the answer just a cheap easy way to expedite since people are too damn lazy to get off their butts to learn. Hopefully the next generation will be more intelligent than this one and shelve the philosophy of killing what we do not know or understand and instead try to understand and learn from it. This is not directed out you Laras mom, but is a general observation from years of seeing this type of issue raised and patiently waiting for people to realize the solution is far from what they see it as. just an FYI

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Yogi

What is being missed here is that FACT that in most attack cases as I stated, the dog was not actually a Pit Bull but only resembled one. In the cases where the dog was captured and aired on TV, most were mixed breed dogs not actual Pit Bulls. The assumption that people who support the ban take is that if it is a Pit Bull it therefore must be dangerous when in fact you are blaming an entire breed for the actions of dogs in most cases found later to not be a Pit Bull at all but a mix that resembles a Pit Bull or a different breed completely. I hope where you live they do not accuse people of crimes this way otherwise there is most likely a lot of innocent people in prison. Be reminded that statistics are like polls, they are not inclusive. Meaning simply that what 100 people claim, the next will view totally differently. These in no one constitute valid information to base assumptions on and that is what most who believe this crap do, they believe the assumptions. I guess I was raised to not be a sheep and follow the proverbial fool off the bridge. Instead I learned years ago to find out myself and what I found contradicts most of what I was TOLD. If you want to learn about Pit Bulls, find someone who has one and see for yourself. The odds are you might be pleasantly surprised. The guy who was renting a trailer on my property til recently had 2 Pit Bulls. Cocoa would bark at you and approach but if you gestured to get away, she would turn and go, the other one would kill you with her tail due to the force of the wagging it would do. I have found every Pit I have ever been around this way. Far too much assumption and in truth, the majority of people who form their opinions have in fact never been in close or have ever taken the time to actual intermingle with one instead prone to just believing what the press and newspapers print which again is over glorified garbage since majority of the dogs are mixed breeds, not actual Pit Bulls. Ironic how often the avoid saying "mixed" breed but how easy it is to say "Pit Bull" and all based on someone in shock who could not ID the dog from any other big headed medium breed dog. Did you guys take the test? Be honest, do you know the number of people I gave this too who identified the JRT's as the Pit...It might startle you. Banning the breed is not the solution. The solution is regulated breeding and ownership. Even when the breed was banned in Denver against the wishes of the Colorado legislature one local vet deemed it one of the stupidest things he had ever heard of. He's been a local vet for 25 years and has seen many Pits not mixes but Pits and was the first to note publicly that not once in his 25 years has he ever had a problem with one. Yet there were a couple of other breeds that he openly admitted were problems. When asked to name them he declined noting that if he does, the city would probably put a ban on them too. It is this type of narrow minded solutions to issues that will never solve anything. If we do not understand it, kill it. I just do not get where this attitude started that it has been so ingrained that we after years still cling to it as if this is normal thinking when it is not. Find out what the problem is and fix it. Killing it is not the answer just a cheap easy way to expedite since people are too damn lazy to get off their butts to learn. Hopefully the next generation will be more intelligent than this one and shelve the philosophy of killing what we do not know or understand and instead try to understand and learn from it. This is not directed out you Laras mom, but is a general observation from years of seeing this type of issue raised and patiently waiting for people to realize the solution is far from what they see it as. just an FYI

I agree. If some of these killings were linked to dogs who only resembled pit bulls this tells you that the oqwners are most likely at fault because some people buy these dogs just for their looks for dog fighting, security, etc.