Local SPCA chapter doing a mando training on "Bully Breeds"

[HecklingGopher]

So my apartment complex is doing a mandatory training for those of us that have dogs that belong to the "Bully Breeds" list. In the letter to us, the training is for people that have such dogs so that we know how dangerous our dogs are. My god, I have never heard of such blatant discrimination against people with large dogs. What I find funny though, is that little dogs often times are more aggressive than the big ones. How much longer will it be tolerated for businesses to discriminate against us law abiding citizens for our choice of responsibly owning a large dog? Such crap!

[selzer]

Bully breeds are generally used to define breeds that were originally intended to deal with bulls, bull baiting, and dirivations of these breeds usually used for dog fighting.

They would most likely be including Pit Bulls, Staffordshire Terriers, Bull Terriers, American Pit Bull Terriers, Boxers, American Bull Dogs, English Bull dogs, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Cane corsos, bull mastiffs, Dogo Argentinos, and some other dogs that I am forgetting. In short, the dogs that are usually lumped together and called pit bulls, mistaken for pit bulls, etc.

I don't care, the community of these dogs owners have allowed their dogs too much license, and let their dogs run loose and get into a lot of trouble. So the apartment complex could call a meeting of all residents, to target a few. All dog owners, in which case owners of these dogs still do not take it all seriously.

The reason they are not asking Yorkie owners to attend is because while Yorkies do bite, yes, they do not usually do serious damage when they do, and they are not usually KILLING other people's dogs.

Up in the nearest city to me, they just had to kill two bully breed dogs for this reason. People are afraid of them. Many of their owners simply do not get it that it is not funny to see two dogs going at it. they think their dog is the baddest and that is kool. Well???

It sounds like they are offering advice/warnings to these people, but not actually saying they cannot have the dogs. Some places are going to make you have a CGC on your dog. They will not discriminate and that will send some people scrambling.

I will tell you what, My parents old English Setter would never hurt a flea. It is just not the type of dog they are. Any dog can bite, but these dogs are as a rule calm and non-aggressive. Not guarding dogs, not fighting dogs, not terriers, They are hunting dogs that have a super soft mouth because they were supposed to retrieve birds and not hurt them. Why should this dog need a CGC to live in an apartment complex? How many deaths or injuries have been caused by English Setters? How many bites? Just because you do not want to offend someone with a more formidable dog?

Kudos to them for singling out the trouble making breeds and not just all out banning them.

I would not want to have to go to a special session because I am a GSD owner, but I understand that GSDs do have a reputation, and there is a higher probability in certain circumstances for my dog to do something different than a less-aggressive breed. I accepted that fact when I chose to own GSDs. So I would go. I would jump a hoop or two to be able to own these dogs.

[wilbanks17]

Well that's better than then banning the dogs from the complex completely, like some communities have done.

[jan & jim]

+1 on what Selzer said. Too many people get a dog without taking into account the dog's needs from a breed standpoint. Not to mention the people that don't make the time to train, discipline, and socialize their puppies! I wouldn't take personal offense to the situation if I were you.
Jim

[Coastie01]

I would take offense to this because it is total BS there is no way you can single out "bully breeds". I dont owns a "bully breed" but this is outrageous. Any dog that is poorly/not trained and over 40 lbs can kill so why single out the certain breed? I understand that there are a lot of Pit Bull related attacks but what about all the other attacks? If your going to have a mandatory training then make it for all medium to large breed dog owners. In my 3 years as a vet tech i was only bitten twice by dogs and it was by a Shar-pei and a Basset Hound and some of the nicest dog i saw were Pits. It isnt about the dogs breed its about the owner.

[codmaster]

Originally Posted by HecklingGopher

So my apartment complex is doing a mandatory training for those of us that have dogs that belong to the "Bully Breeds" list. In the letter to us, the training is for people that have such dogs so that we know how dangerous our dogs are. My god, I have never heard of such blatant discrimination against people with large dogs. What I find funny though, is that little dogs often times are more aggressive than the big ones. How much longer will it be tolerated for businesses to discriminate against us law abiding citizens for our choice of responsibly owning a large dog? Such crap!

I agree about the breed discrimination - the "pit bulls" are probably one of the few instances where they are more biased against than the GSD breed! Yet all of the many pits of different types that I have met have been extremely friendly with but one exception!

The problem comes from bad publicity and the actual fact that if one of the bully breeds does become aggressive they have a great potential harm capability whereas if one of the little ankle biters goes bad, it is bad but not as dangerous!

[martemchik]

I'd prefer this rather than just being turned down. Most of the apartments around here don't allow bully breeds period, and that's because there are fence/housing laws in the county I live in for those breeds. Is it wrong? A little, but its to insure against the small percentage of people that own bully breeds for what they are known for. For an apartment complex they would rather keep out the breed then deal with the liability of having just one bad dog. Is it possible in other breeds? Yes, thats why most lists included rotts, dobermans, akitas, and some had GSDs, but the chances are much higher in a bully breed.. Some apartments had a strict weight restriction at like 70, so I just looked at others that would allow my dog. I like the rule about having the CGC or even a pet interview, just to see what the dog is like before making a judgement.

[selzer]

A CGC you could do, you would just have to require it across the board. That is hard for people to bring in a puppy. You can say the dog must have a CGC or achieve a CGC by 18 months old. But what do you do if a dog flunks it three or four times. Do you kick the people out or force them to get rid of the dog?

Every dog over 40 pounds? People will cry that is discrimination against large breeds.

I know that it is the unpopular view, but bully breeds get a HUGE percentage of the bad press when bites or attacks are newsworthy. Responsible owners generally have dogs that never have an issue. Many get their dogs from good breeders, but some do rescue them as well. But they ALL take them and train and socialize them.

The problem across the board is that there is only a small percentage of responsible dog owners. Perhaps many of the irresponsible dog owners are drawn to bully breeds for certain attituded, but it does not matter if there are more irresponsible bully breed owners, or if a similar percenctage of irresponsible or even criminal owners, have dogs that create all the problems attributed to the breeds.

Doesn't matter really. The facts are their are a lot of irresponsible owners, and bully breeds in the hands of irresponsible owners are a big problem. Just one incident is too much with such formidable dogs. So the rental owners have decided to deal with the problem where the problem is hottest.

[Jax's Mom]

Perhaps while you're there you can point out to them that their misuse of the term "bully breed" is insulting to both owners who own "bully breeds" and those, like yourself who don't?

They're assuming the term refers to "bully" as in the verb "bully"... not that the term is actually used to describe several breeds of dog in the molosser family.

In essance, they're calling you a bully for owning what they perceive to be a threatening dog.

[x0emiroxy0x]

When I signed my pet agreement with Rocky at my apartment, I wrote out an agreement for them to sign and me to sign and made copies of both.

It basically said that:

For as long as I lived at the apartment, as long as Rocky did not break any of the apartment rules about pets (me not picking up his poop, him being off leash etc), I was allowed to keep him there, regardless of how much he weighed. (They don't allow pets over 60 lbs and he is 65 and growing) I also put in, for good will, that I would take Rocky through advanced training class and that my intent was for him to get his CGC between ages 2-4. Also, we wrote in that if the apartment switched management or if 'bully breeds' were no longer allowed, this contract would enable Rocky to stay.

My stepfather is a lawyer and wrote that ramble on above into a legal contract! Basically, I guaranteed that Rocky and I stay unless he is aggressive (which he isn't!).

The manager has a bull dog and met Rocky and was very nice about the whole thing