Do NOT get a Pitbull! (Blog by Alexandra Dittmann)

 

We hear far too many stories of heartbreak and severe trauma, injury and d*ath caused by dogs of the Pitbull breed type... Only a couple of years back, I was pro-Pitbull and thought XL American Bullies were gentle giants and lovely family dogs.

Needless to say that, after all the tragedies happened in the past 2 years, I no longer think that. Also, as a dog breed consultant, I can no longer recommend any dog of the Pitbull breed spectrum to anyone.

Why take the RISK?

You want to have an affectionate, loyal canine companion? Awesome! There are appr. 360 perfectly fine registered dog breeds to choose from, so, why would YOU go for the 1 breed type that's almost guaranteed to cause you:
- risk for life & limb for yourself, your family, your friends, and the community you live in
- headaches and heartache
- stress, fear and anxiety
- PTS
- legal problems
- financial burdens
- hate, harrassment and bullying by people fed up with Pitbulls mauling people and pets
- inconvenience (such as, having to install an escape-proof fence and escape-proof windows in your house)
- trouble with your neighbors if your Pit kills their cats, etc.

Be smart - pick a nice, decent, stable and friendly dog instead!

Dog Bite Fatalities caused by Pitbulls SPIKE in 2024 (Blog by Alexandra Dittmann)

Record-breaking year: 2024 saw the highest number of dog attack fatalities ever recorded in the U.S., surpassing previous annual totals! Pitbulls were responsible for 51 fatal attacks in the United States, according to multiple sources analyzing dog-related fatalities. This accounted for 71.8% of the record 71 total dog attack deaths reported that year.

Many people all over the world - myself included - are sick and tired of seeing Pitbull-type dogs / Bully breed dogs pop up in headlines all over the internet nearly every single day.

Here in Europe, BSL has significantly curbed the number of Pitbulls present. As a result, there is nowhere near as many bite incidents as we see over in the United States.

People aren't feeling safe walking their dogs, enjoying a bicycle ride, or running a few laps around the block, and why? Because your "friendly" resident Pitbull down the street keeps getting out of his yard, and has attacked people and pets before. "Ok, so call animal control and let them take care of it", you might say, but sometimes, citizens find themselves left to fend for themselves by authorities.

This is a sad and sorry state of affairs. Quite frankly, I'm surprised that people aren't on the streets at least in every major city of the country, protesting against their government's failure to protect them, and demanding BSL be put into place.

What's the solution for the Pitbull Problem? The solution, in my opinion, has three letters, and they are BSL.

Stay safe out there!

Sources: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10235835963663329&id=1347258779&set=a.2398035354092 https://ground.news/article/record-dog-attack-death-count-of-71-in-2024-in-usa?fbclid=IwY2xjawIRwCxleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHRl3KukWP-vhX67xHIn0BeMvtAoKoytV5KwLGx9bMq_cDjkF0tsC_wY0_A_aem_KvbD5DiuqH3cvUwtviJoBg https://www.fatalpitbullattacks.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIRwEdleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHXz29ophgnV3XfzyEVrwgmx6U2owgvzIZEP4vow4k-YCMfry8jlYJOI_MA_aem_6Lg6s4xytALTLcwVJbWb9w https://www.animals24-7.org/2025/01/05/record-dog-attack-death-count-in-2024-detroit-pit-bull-owner-sent-to-jail/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIRwFRleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHZxsiibwXblVWKmNOWFTbR0qgbDZgGn0XH-wB15S9rP8XXDnB09JwurmMA_aem_XrV3GFuDGA74xnqLKjlxBQ

Drastic Increase in Deaths by Pitbull (Blog by Alexandra Dittmann)

Those are some of the numbers (aka, cold, hard facts) which a certain type of supporters of the breed are eager to ignore - and to make the public believe they don't exist.

I'm not speaking about the genuinely decent person who is an amazing, responsible dog owner, loves their Pitbull-type dog, raises and trains them well, and does their utmost to keep them, and everyone around them, safe. Those dog owners deserve our respect and our support!

Instead, I'm speaking about the kind of people who'll resort to vile insults and racist comments if anyone speaks up and presents facts such as these presented right here. However, the truth will not be silenced - it speaks for itself, and it speaks loud and clear indeed. There is a staggering increase in the number of fatalities since 2013, compared to the years between 1991 and 1998. The question is, WHY? What could have caused such a drastic increase in Pitbull / Pitbull-Type / Pitbull-Mix related deaths?

"U.S. fatal pit bull attacks have surpassed 400 since 1998; the last year the CDC studied fatal dog attack data by breed. In the last 8-year period of the CDC study (1991 to 1998), pit bulls averaged 2.9 deaths per year. From 2013 to 2020, pit bulls averaged 28.4 deaths per year, an increase of over 850%."

Source: https://www.fatalpitbullattacks.com

FACTS: Pitbulls Routinely Maim & Kill other Dogs! (Blog by Alexandra Dittmann)

So, I'm a crossover trainer and have 3 personal dogs (2 Beagles and an Estrela Mountain Dog), but what I'm seriously struggling with in the force-free dog training world is the wide-spread misunderstanding of dogs of this certain breed type despite the statistics - yes, I'm talking about the "maulers", as literally, that's what they were bred to do for hundreds of years now. And we all know how powerful genetics are, especially in combination with owners who don't understand just how crazy strong the drive to maul and kill is in those animals.

I'm mind-boggled by the continued advocacy by alleged dog lovers for a type of dog that continues to attack and maul other dogs. Other people's beloved companions and best friends. Their lap dogs, their kids' playmates and family members. Mauled to death so often, or gravely injured. I just posted the screenshot to give an example of how even famous trainers can't prevent maulers from mauling... I had watched that video a few years back, and the scene where the Pit goes after that poor other dog still haunts me... That Shepherd needed emergency veterinary treatment after.

I guess I'm biased from personal experience: Twice in my young teenage years, I had to get an AmStaff off a German Shepherd, simply because the "dog lovers" in charge (the local shelter staff) did nothing but scream and freeze when the AmStaff tried to unalive that poor Shepherd.

Who needed emergency care as well, but luckily survived. Another experience, in the same shelter I volunteered in, was the death of my favorite dog there, a small Schnauzer-Mix called "Max", who was mauled and killed by "Angel" the shitbull.... Still gets me emotional just thinking about it. I wasn't there when it happened, and the staff member in charge took a knife to the fight, but was too late to safe Max. Needless to say that the shelter had a bad rep for the sheer incompetence of the staff, but then again in their defense: Had both attacking maulers been of almost any other breed type, none of this would have happened. A scuffle perhaps, and stitches needed in the worst case, but not tragedy like this.

I sincerely wish that potential owners of the breed type will find this group and take the time to read what is being presented. If they fully grasp the facts and carefully study the incidents that have been recorded and are accessible on social media... I don't think they'll go for a dog of the breed type. I hope they won't. The issue I'm seeing is that "Pittie Moms" are seeing those canine dog-killers through rose-tinted glasses. "It's how you raise them". "If they're socialized from puppyhood onward, they'll be safe". "It's the owner, not the dog". "Just let them meet plenty of other dogs when they are young and they'll be fine." NO! This is just simply not true. No amount of humane, force-free training (for which I fully advocate) can take the insane drives to chase, grab, maul and kill, out of dogs that were selectively bred to do just that.

And before anyone from the training world goes into the balanced vs. force-free controversy: The difference in opinion we have when it comes to training methods are not relevant to the subject-matter. I don't believe that any training style can "train out" those exaggerated drives; some aversive methods may suppress them for a while, but what happens if the dog gets triggered and driven into killing-mode by someone's pet - and the trainer or owner isn't there, or doesn't have certain equipment on the dog when the triggering happens...

(This blog post doesn't even encompass the incidents with humans and other non-canine victims - I just wanted to focus on the "dog lovers love dogs who kill other dogs" topic.)

Why BEAGLES have White-Tipped Tails (Blog by Alexandra Dittmann)

BEAGLES are such fun dogs to work with - as long as you've got food in your pocket, they're more than happy to "work", whilst happily wagging their little white-tipped tail.

Which, by the way, is an integral part of breed standards, and why? Traditionally, the white tip serves as a locator beacon for the hunter: In periods of silently sniffing, seeking out rabbit trails, the Beagle is very difficult to spot. Thankfully, their tails are held up high whilst in hunting mode, and thanks to their bright white tipps, can be seen wagging above the vegetation from a distance.

Once the hunting Beagle has found a fresh trail, however, it's impossible to not know their whereabouts, as their shrill, eardrum-piercing baying-sounds will echo through entire valleys. Ask me how I know! We live right at the edge of a hunting zones, and can clearly distinguish the bays of the local hunting Beagles from the frantic screeches of the smaller Podengos.

Both vocalizations are unnervingly shrill and loud, by the way, but for the hunter running those packs, they are extremely useful as they tell him the route his hounds are taking in pursuit of the unfortunate game animal. Hares, for instance, allegedly circle back to where they were stirred up from by the hounds, so then, the hunter can gage the distance of his dogs, and the hare ahead of them, and position himself in a strategic position for taking the shot.

Personally, I'm not pro hunting or pro slaughtering animals for human consumption, by the way, just to make that clear. I'm vegan out of conviction that we have no business preying on animals, given that we as a species are more than capable of thriving on a plant-based diet. Which is also much healthier, and I encourage everyone to do their research to confirm this.

Prong- and E-collars should be BANNED! (Blog by Alexandra Dittmann)

Why You don't need Prong- or E-collars!

If people REALLY can't control large powerful dogs with a harness or regular collar, there is the slip lead with 2 stoppers as an emergency tool.

So, the argument "we need prongs for safety" doesn't fly. Not for 1 inch even does that fly. I've personally maneuvered a 50 kilo male, intact Estrela Mountain Dog through a narrow street with dogs fence-barking left and right, and that giant male on my leash trying his utmost to get to them.

All I had on him was a slip leash, and it WORKED (it was an emergency situation, the dog had gotten away from his owner who was on crutches, and he couldn't get the animal back himself for that reason).

But it's an example that even skinny little women like me can handle big angry dogs with nothing more than a slip lead. No prong, no shock collar needed. And if I can do that with THAT beast of a dog... pretty much everyone can.

By the way: Contrary to popular opinion, dogs can pull like crazy even with prongs on, as Tom Davis found out the hard way with a Boerboel once - he literally landed flat on his ass when that dog wanted to go for that other dog:

"2025 - The Year we Break the Chains of Harm" (Zak George, December 8, 2024)

The Dog Training Revolution away from aversive tools & techniques is in full swing - a lot has been achieved in 2024! (Blog by Alexandra Dittmann)

Such as the ground-breaking New Jersey legislation on mandatory licensure of dog trainers (banning aversive methods!) which is well-underway:

The bill still has considerable room for improvement (as its current version makes exceptions for police- and military dogs!), but it still marks the beginning of the END of compulsion training perpetuating itself. Simply because "balanced" trainers won't be granted a license once dog training has become a licensed profession in all the states of the US.

Also, the shock collar ban in the UK is fully expected to come into effect in 2025. Several organizations which are collaborating with the RSPCA on this aim have assured us that every effort is being made to get e-collars banned everywhere in the United Kingdom.

Onwards and upwards!