Staffordhsire bull terriers
 

Are there any Staffordshire or American Bull Terrier owners in The Villages. A friend from the UK has written a wonderful book on the life of his Staffordshire Blue Terrier. The book is called "Blue Genes". If anyone would like more information I'll be glad to give you details.

"Blue Genes"-- that's adorable. I used to wear them all the time.

Both of those breeds are pitbulls. I know pitbull owners love these dogs and will say that they are very good and gentle if they are trained properly. BUT they are very powerful, have a natural killing ability and can be very aggressive. That is why dog fighters and drug dealers keep them. Good people love these dogs and try hard to train them but because of their nature and their power they are very dangerous no matter how much training they have. Not all of them are well trained, and owners are not always around to exercise that control. Type in pitbull in Google and read about the deaths and damage they have caused. Last year I had to fight one with my bare hands to save my dog's life, and I barely won. It tore my dogs rear leg wide open as she turned to try to run away, and then it grabbed her by the head and attempted to tear her head off. I beat it with my walking stick and it did not feel anything I did. My dog was seriously injured but after two surgeries and much expense she did recover. I had to jump on it and choke it nearly to death to save my small dog. I was bit and had to receive medical treatment. I was scared and emotionally damaged. My dog was tore up, and I had to rush her to the vet for surgeries, and I admit that I failed to protect her in the first place. All I was doing was walking down the street with my dog on a leash. The pitbull's instinct to kill kicked in when it saw my little dog, pulled away from the child walking it and and changed my life forever. They are VERY dangerous. Most people who are injured or killed by them are trying to save their own dog from attack. I am a strong person who was very lucky. They do not belong in the villages or any city.

Jimjoe, you have my sympathy. What a horrid experience. I agree with you that they can be very dangerous dogs.

Pitbulls are actually illegal in Ontario, Canada, where we spend summers. I know there are exceptions, but pitbulls are such strong animals that if they go nutty, it is almost impossible to stop them.

If I see a pitbull at the dog park in The Villages, I leave. I don't want to take any chances.

Thank God you protected your own dog and survived to tell the story.

You are right. Some pit bulls are sweet and loveable and non-aggressive towards people, but dog-aggressive. The instinct to kill another dog is inherit in the breed. However, these dogs will sometimes attack humans. My friend's daughter was attacked by pit bulls and almost had her face ripped off.

Earlier this year, before moving to TV, Mr. K9-Lovers and I were walking our dogs on leash and were attacked much in the same way by a pit bull/sharpei mix. The attacker was going for their throats and heads, but we held our dogs as high in the air as our arms could reach. The attacking dog was jumping up and biting them and they had very deep and large wounds on their hind areas. I am sure our dogs would be dead now, except there was a trash can at the curb and I threw the dogs inside. He was a killer but was only dog aggressive.

Mr. K9-Lovers and I have a defensive plan, which we have practiced much like a fire drill. We carry a non-breakable walking stick with us now to use as a defensive weapon. We've learned that the best defensive method is to ram the stick down the open mouth of the attacker. Just a few days ago in Fruitland Park, a large female pit mix charged at us as we walked our dogs on leash. We put our plan into effect. When she saw the walking stick and my husband's stance, and heard my loud menacing growl, she ran off. (The growl/bark wasn't part of the plan, and it surprised me as much as the attacking dog!).

Being attacked changes you forever. Fortunately, our dogs have only physical scars and do not seem to be emotionally damaged.

You did a fantastic job but be warned.. I too had scared one off on a previous occasion with my walking stick but the second one had no fear of the stick.. he just wanted to kill my dog.. and even though I saved her I still feel guilty when Iook at her scars that I didnt act more decisively sooner.

A Staffordshire bull terrier did pin my dog at the local dog park...
 

... a few months back. I have not seen that dog back at Doggie Doo Run Run again. It would pin other dogs down but never did any actual damage that I know of except the emotional trauma to the dogs' owners and to the dogs.

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier's owner did not seem to be too concerned about the emotional trauma inflicted by his dog. He just non chalantly walked up and explained that his dog was "just playing" and would not do any damage as his dog pinned other dogs to the ground.


Like Barefoot, if I see something that looks like a pure bred "pit bull" entering Doggie Doo Run Run, I leave.

What a decent person you are. Although you went through this horrible experience you were able to fairly talk about this breed. I don't own a dog but everyone who knows me knows I love them. I am afraid of this breed for the reasons that have been stated. Nonie who is the absolute biggest dog lover I know and who volunteers her time at shelters says the same thing.

You are a good brave person JimJoe.

The pit bull that Tal is talking about at DDRR ran over to my ten-pound dog and pinned him to the ground. It happened on the opposite of the large dog park and I wasn't able to get there quickly. I was terrified. I had no idea if my dog would be dead by the time I got to him, but he wasn't injured.

As Tal said, the owner wasn't at all concerned about the situation. He laughingly explained the dog was "just playing".

I was absolutely furious. I'm sure that members complained to the owners because that was the last time I saw the dog.

I wonder how that dog owner would respond if I was to run over to him and pin him down and then say........I am just playing.
He sounds like a complete idiot that should be banned from any dog park due to lack of sense.:boxing2: