Miley Cyrus was very excited to be in the front row at Britney Spears’ first Las Vegas show. After the concert, Miley partied with her (possible) new Lutzy boyfriend, Kellan Lutz. You can see photos of them together here, but I don’t think Kellan was at the Brit Brit show. I’m honestly starting to think he’s not her boyfriend but merely a new member of her entourage.
Miley was on hand not only to support Britney (because they share the same manager, Larry Rudolph) but to host the opening of the Vegas Beacher’s Madhouse club. While dancing the night away, Miley got a little affectionate (and kissy?) with Kellan but also laid one on a backup dancer during Britney’s show earlier that evening. For what it’s worth, Miley has reportedly invited Kellan to be “her VIP guest“ at the New Year’s Rockin’ Eve concert at Times Square. (Yes, Miley is performing at the event. I hope she doesn’t get naked and ride the ball.)
I guess we should discuss her outfit. Miley’s wearing a Calvin Klein top (she kept flashing underboob at the party) with an Issey Miyake suspender skirt and Versace shoes. Check out her retro Britney backpack.
Miley’s also stirring sh-t up because that’s the only thing she knows how to do. Remember how clueless she sounded while defending herself against “racist” claims regarding her live show’s minstrelsy? Wellll … Miley has posted a photo of one of her dogs to her Instagram account. In her caption, Miley accuses humanity of “racism” against the pit bull breed: “People need 2 be educated on pits. They’re killed cause no one takes them. True racism in the dog world- by humans =(.”
* record scratch *
I’ll just leave this one open for discussion.
Here’s Miley with club owner Jeff Beacher. She puts her tongue all over everything.
Photos courtesy of Miley Cyrus on Instagram & Twitter, Fame/Flynet & WENN
They’re killed because there are too many and stupid people either breed them or don’t get them neutered or spayed.
Exactly.
How on earth is it “racist” to chose a dog breed that suits your capabilities as a dog-owner, or even just a breed that you prefer. Incredible irresponsibility in breeding that has led to the overabundance of Pitbulls in shelters; not racism. Everyday dog owners have no obligation to adopt Pitbulls, simply because there are more of them, when their lifestyle would be better suited to a Dachshund.
Oh, and Miley hasn’t been the most responsible dog-owner herself… She’s really not one to be giving lectures on the subject.
^^this. Not only is this true, but it is incredibly irresponsible to adopt a breed that is ill-suited for your lifestyle. So many people don’t do their breed research before adopting, and the animal is the one who loses. Much more loving and responsible to adopt a breed that will fit into your life. This increases the chances that the dog will be properly cared for and not returned to the shelter.
To be honest, I fell in love with my childhood dog replica in the shelter, a GSHP. My mother’s lifestyle wasn’t suited to the poor hyper active dog that we had as a child, and my best friend (the GSHP) was euthanized while I was away at day camp. I never got over that senseless act, so as an adult, when I found a GSHP at a shelter I adopted her as karmic atonement. To be honest, I’ve changed my life to suit the dog, not the other way around. The fact is, no pet is going to get carried around for a glamorous lifestyle, unless your are Paris sHilton or Kim Kartrashian, in which case you lose it at a club or it “dies” of some mysterious ailment. There will Always be the need to modify your life to suit the needs of the new baby in the house.
I did my research online for the “perfect” dog before I found our girl, and it came up with a stuffed animal, because not one creature can suit all your needs unless you support puppy mill atrocitites and buy a “hybrid” dog. Even in the case of the “perfectly chosen” dog, adjustments are required. My dog has made me a better person, I exercise, and I’ve made a whole host of friends at the “big dog” dog park and hiking trails. Yes, I do have a chance to be a better pet owner than my mother and our family is blessed because of the efforts and adjustments I put forth.
I think Miley can well afford to pay for a professional dog walker to exercise her dog.
Being a responsible dog owner is not just about walking, it’s about taking dogs to the vet for their vaccinations, feeding them, getting them trained [yet another element that she can pay for – mind you Cesar Milan trained dogs that went to different owners].
I’m not a Miley fan [I detest her over sexualisation, etc], but seriously, we cannot judge her as a pet owner surely.
She does make a valid point, albeit in her own way. In some countries, pit bulls are banned breeds.
I know where I live [Sydney] pit bulls are on the restricted/dangerous breed list for many councils and if a stray pit bull is found without a chip, places like the RSPCA here are in no hurry to rehouse pit bulls. Why? Because the view is that pit bulls [as a breed] are dangerous. That’s like saying that certain people from certain cultural groups are dangerous isn’t it? But it seems that it’s okay – in our society – to transfer such prejudice onto animals/pets or….
overweight people.
In my view, all dogs have the potential to attack/maul people/children. All dogs need a commitment from owners to be trained properly and have their annual health checks.
But out of all breeds, pit bulls are designated as dangerous and this idea is publicised as a fact when it is inaccurate.
Most pit bulls [or any dog] bite because their owners are lax on training. Most child injuries occur because of idiot parents presuming that their dog is a temporary babysitter while they do housework, etc.
Okay I don’t want to get reamed here.I have a rescue pit.She is the best and sweetest dog.I have had her for 3 year’s .I blame the gangster lifestyle for all of this.Miley doesn’t help at all.I am a huge animal activist.I save bait dog’s and help all I can but I am telling you it is that lifestyle that is ruining these great dog’s.
Maybe the dog fights are the reason why these dogs are over-bred or not being fixed, I couldn’t say, but the point is that there are way too many and thus people are being irresponsible. I find it admirable what you do, I have rescued other animals. I have known a couple of nice pits, but it isn’t the type of dog that I would adopt from the shelter, personally.
Thank you and I totally agree with you. I have a 12 year old pit and she is the sweetest dog ever and she rarely barks so when she does I know something is up. It is the gangs and the idiots who think of dog fights as a sporting and betting event that have ruined it for this breed. I’d like to wring each and every one of them by the neck when I hear about fighters.
Gangster lifestyle?
Ugh. Tapping out on this. Not today.
Actually, there is some fact to the gang connection. Pits have always been bred to be fighting dogs, but not human aggression. A pit would be pulled off by hand, so it would be killed if it bit it’s owner. This kept human aggression, for the most part, out of the breed. They used to be family dogs in the 1940s – Petie from Little Rascals. The most decorated military dog in history is a Pit.
Gangs have been breeding pits now and for whatever reason, deliberately try to breed for human aggression. It’s estimated that it takes a good two years of torture to turn a pit puppy into an aggressive dog. Kids as young as middle school work hard and long on this torture – beatings, starvation, throwing them into water to swim to the point of drowning. I’m so tired of the demonization of the breed. When I grew up it was German Shepherds, then Dobermans, then Rottweilers. No one has to have a pitbull unless they want one. But, I wish people would educate themselves before calling for breed bans. (Not that anyone here did so).
The saddest part is that these dogs are so deeply devoted to their owners. This is why they’ll fight to the death to please.
@Mcraw
As bad as it sounds, that’s true–at least that’s the stereotype. My grandma lives in Jackson, Tennessee–she used to live on a street that is slowly getting swallowed up by the gangs…..the house that she used to live in, she let one of my cousins (from the lazy, crazy part of the family) live in it for free, with her kids. All she had to do was pay the utilities. When my cousin got the house, there was very little wrong with it. It was old, etc, but it was in pretty good shape. By the time she moved out of it, the house and the YARD was tore up.
There were holes in the ceiling, from where cameras were ripped out, because her boyfriend or whoever was fighting dogs in the living room. My grandma’s front porch railing (which was encased in CONCRETE) had been ripped out, because they kept a bunch of pitbulls chained to it, and I guess they got out. The backyard, where my grandma grew a lot of flowers and vegetables–was tore up. There is absolutely nothing growing back there–everything was ripped up AND there is broken glass all throughout the yard. There are deep ruts and tracks in the entire yard. And my cousin is about as ghetto and ‘hood as you can get….let me just say that.
It’s bad for the dogs–I feel bad for them. I can’t understand why people would want to treat animals like that.
Pits are the best! I’ve rescued 2 pitties now and both were/are sweet, smart and relatively easy to train. I think Miley was trying to say that there is a very real prejudice (not racism) against pits who are actually more likely to be the victims of horrible abuse than they are to abuse or harm. Ex: almost all of the pits that sociopath michael vick tortured in his dog fighting rings were nurtured and rehoused with loving families. Animal abuse/neglect should come with much harsher jail sentences. Educate yourselves!
Everyone has there thought’s about these dog’s.It’s the over breading and not neutering I have a problem with.Love to all here on this site.You are all the best.
And Dawn I feel the same.My pit is 8 and she never bark’s or does anything bad.
I do think Pitties get a bad rap. If they are socialized and raised by responsible owners they are actually very sweet and loving. One of my good friends has a pit bull and he is just a big ole cuddle slut. I’ve met chihuahuas that are far more vicious animals. It all depends on how they are raised.
I am responding to myself to add that Miley is rich now, very rich. If she really cared about the plight of the pits, she could finance and open a preserve for some of the unwanted. In fact, she could personally adopt several and hire staff to care for them.
Yeah–if she really cares about them, instead of complaining–DO SOMETHING. She has tons of money. Build a shelter. And it would be a very positive thing for her to do, and maybe inspire some of her fans who are around her age, to go out and volunteer or maybe adopt shelter dogs. But we’ll see if she does anything.
@ miley **barf**
The real obvious issue here is who is she to say anything when she loves FUR ???
Shut up Miley. Just shut the f up.
Ok? This stupid ass tongue lolling moron, needs to stick to what she is good at AKA rolling in bed popping molly and spending her hannah montana money on tacky ass 90s inspired clothing, not talking about what Rascim is or isn’t ( ya’ll didnt seriously thought I was listing “singing”, “twerking” or “being sexy” as things she is good at, right?… oh wait Fame Whoring)
Omg that tongue just makes me sick! She licks everything!
I see or hear Miley and my brain now automatically inserts Goofy’s head and voice.
Agreed….I just want her to shut up. I hope a Pitt Bull eats her and we would be rid of her and her always present tongue…..gawd.
I like what she’s wearing. About the dog comment, she didn’t say it in the most intelligent way possible (are you surprised?! Haha) but it’s important for people to be aware that these dogs often end up languishing in shelters and then being put down because people think they are unsafe when really, every pit owner I know will confirm that they are sweet and normal. Like any dog of any breed, if they are mistreated and handled a certain way they will be aggressive. I don’t think “racism” is quite the right word though… Oh Miley…
Patricia
When I lived in Hartford years ago lots of people had pits. It was a bad area and that breed was considered best to protect yourself and your home. When the dogs got old they were abandon on the streets and replaced with puppies. I certainly saw why there was a stigma with the breed. They’re good dogs that are devoted to their family and if that family wants to train them to be vicious they will. Not just mean because they’re mistreated. Too many people go out at get pit bulls because of this mindset.
And I fully agree, She’s chiming in on a hot button issue without forming her thoughts very well.
I was under the impression that with this breed the strength of their jaws is the issue. Where another dog isn’t capable of such damage. They are not mean necessarily, just very powerful.
They are very strong but not mean at all.Please people get educated.They are what you make them.
One of my very best friends almost had her nose ripped off her face by a friend’s pit in a completely unprovoked attack. Since then I’ve been wary of pit bulls.
@itstrue, go down a bit and read the entire thread. I posted a study about pounds of pressure per sq. inch in certain breeds bites and pits had a weaker bite than rotts and shepards.
I agree that you can train any dog to be aggressive and mean but you are in denial if you don’t think pit bulls can be a very dangerous breed. They were historically bred and selected for fighting and jaw strength. It is a primal instinct in them, much like herding for a border collie.
Pit bulls are one of a few breeds (rottweilers being the other) that are most responsible for fatal dog bites. Dig your head in the sand all you want but it’s fact that pit bulls are mostly responsible for fatal maulings. The facts don’t lie. I do not believe pit bulls are appropriate for first time dog owners and should only be adopted by experienced dog owners due to their violent primal instincts and jaw strength. When a pit bull bites or attacks a human, it is going to cause a SERIOUS injury and to me, that is the problem. Once a pit bull attacks it’s prey, it’s not letting go without getting beat or shot. I remember a few years ago here in the bay, a “nice” neighborhood pit bull got loose, attacked a young boy and would not let go of the boy, despite a grown man beating the pitbull with a 2X4 to get it off the boy. The pit bull mauled the child to death. Pit bulls may not be responsible for the MOST dog bites, but they are absolutely responsible, along with rottweilers, for the most fatal dog attacks per year.
There are SO many other breeds to adopt. I don’t understand why anyone would even bother with a pit bull unless they are drug dealers or need the dog as physical protection (I have a friend who lives in a horrible part of Oakland and bought a pit as protection- which I understand), they are such a liability and not to mention potentially dangerous. They are not family dogs. There needs to be serious regulation and population control for pit bulls to reduce their population, and thus reduce the euthanization of these dogs because they are the most euthanized breed in shelters.
There are a group of dog breeds that are labeled “Pitbull” when there is a dog attack. American Staffordshire Terrier, smaller Mastiffs, Cane Corso, Presa Canario, Boxers whose ears aren’t cut, American Bulldog, are a few of them. I adopted my Am Staff from a Pitbull/Am Staff rescue. On her website were 12 pictures of 12 different breeds. The goal was to pick the pit. It took me about 5 tries. I’ll never claim that pits are harmless, but they are frequently blamed for attacks committed by other breeds. That is a fact.
I did a great deal of research before adopting my Am Staff (I thought she was a pitbull at first), and the breed that dog trainers seem to peg as unpredictable is the Chow. That came up frequently in my research, to the point that some authors wrote they refuse to take Chow Chow clients. No one calls for a ban on that breed.
I think racism is quite correct and an appropriate analogy.
Where I live, pit bulls are on the prohibited/restricted list. Why? Because they’re viewed as automatically dangerous. That’s like saying that certain people from certain cultures are dangerous because of their ethnicity [in the canine equivalent, this would be breed, right?].
In many kill shelters pit bulls are euthanised because of their breed [canine ethnicity] first.
There are many historical examples I can give where humans were euthanised for the same reason – their ethnicity, religion.
Certain dog breeds have bad reputations for POTENTIAL harm based on facts and stats. The only question is how much HUMAN and breeding impacts their behavior. Racism is BY DEFINITION based preconceptions of HUMANS (only) because of their race. Its beyond scary that you don’t differentiate between humans and animals. I am REALLY REALLY tempted to call you as dumb as she is but I figure it will just bounce off the point of this all that you missed over your head so I will just ask that you read more (in general).
Your ignorance is terrifying.
I just want to pat this girl on the head and say “oh honey…just hush”.
I had a good friend from the Caribbean who had to suddenly move back to Trinidad after living here for 25+ years. Why? Because her elderly grandmother had been mauled to death by their two pit bulls. The family owned these dogs for 10 years and treated them well. My friend’s mother was seriously hurt also trying to get the dogs off of the grandmother, even after stabbing the dog(s) with a kitchen knife, they would not stop. Imagine your two pet dogs killing your own mother… at that point, I decided that I would NEVER trust pit bulls, ever.
Re: the first photograph.
I just don’t get how flipping your legs as wide as you can and then pointing at your bits is in any way sexy or in any way anything that anyone would want to do in that given context.
Re: her comment.
Ugh, she’s dumb.
She’s gotta air things out maybe? It’s desperate. Not sexy. There’s no mystery left with her.
She’s an idiot
But she’s right about dog breed prejudice against more than just pit bulls. People have to stop expecting dogs to go against their nature. Accommodate their needs and put proper precautions in place
she is right, my building allows all dogs except for pits. and I can say that I am terrified of them. even though rational me knows that it all depends on how they were raised. I’ve been programmed to think that they are vicious animals ( trying to change that tho)
While I can appreciate the “it’s all in how they were raised” argument, I try to challenge that any chance I get. If it was all in how they were raised, Michael Vick’s dogs (who were raised to brutally fight and kill other dogs) should not be able to now be living happy and well-balanced lives with families all across the country. Just because a pit (or any other breed considered dangerous, for that matter) was raised in an abusive or neglectful or even violent environment, we should not automatically assume that they are and always will be ferocious animals because of it. Dogs are highly adaptable and, while there are exceptions, many are able to live in the moment. Changing an environment from bad to good and working with them on behavioral modification and therapy can give a dog who was raised terribly a whole new lease on life.
In the end, they are animals, and any breed of dog is a potential danger to a human under the right circumstances. To place unattainable expectations on them is unfair.
Good for you. Personally, big dogs don’t make me nervous. It’s the small dogs that scare me. I think for me, it’s that I can predict what a big dog is going to do easier than I can with a small dog. Once you’re more comfortable, maybe you can find someone who has a big old baby of a pitt and visit it in short doses.
Come to my house where my 85 lb pit thinks he’s a lap dog and allows my children to torture him. Most of my friends are pit bull advocates, or foster “parents,” who care for 2-3 pits at a time and they’ve all been wonderful dogs.
I’m a huge dog lover, but have been around pits the most. Anecdotally, I’ve been bitten by an Italian greyhound, a chow, a German Shepard and a chihuahua. No one I know personally has been as much as nipped by a pit.
my friend has two pits that are big babies love those dogs. also have a friend that has a Rottweiler, it was love at first sight for both of us. sometimes when I can’t sleep I’ll take him for a long ride, then stop at a 24 hour Mc Donalds and buy him fries. yet my aunt has a poodle, if you look at Mimi to long she’s growling, when eating if you’re not sharing your food she will plop herself on your foot and get more aggressive with her begging and never turn your back on her.
Mort
You’ve been very fortunate then.
I was cornered by what was acting like a sweet, cuddly pit at a friends home. The dog started to get really still and as soon as I blinked it bit my nose. Owners pullled it off, but that’s just 1 of many times i’ve personally been around a pure or mixed pit bull and saw it flip the switch from kind to attack me, others, or other dogs.
Of course this can be said of many dogs, but i’ve hands down seen it more from pits.
I had a big beautiful Alaskan Malamute that was the sweetest gentlest dog in the world. Despite being taller and several times heavier than her, he regularly “babysat” my niece when she was a toddler, keeping her amused for hours playing chasies with a ball. However on the odd occasion that he escaped my yard, he would get into a group of other dogs and instantly develop a “pack” mentality and went on to kill some chickens from down the road. It is a primal instinct built into all dogs that ensures their best chance of survival and it really can’t be bred or trained out.. Humans have the same survival instinct built in too. The best you can hope for is that dogs can control their instincts when they know they are not under threat.
I’ll never forget the dog that bit me as a child.
This small fluffy terrier cross type dog. A kid in my building boasted that the dog would bite those who ran. I [at 10 years of age] challenged the kid, saying something about his fluffy little pet. So I ran in the park. The dog ran, latched onto my calf and bit down.
Decades on, I’m not so quick to make presumptions. In general I find smaller dogs, from Chihuahuas to larger terriers to be potential nippers when they are frustrated or even prodded too much by eager kids.
To Mort sorry about what happened with you with that dog.To everyone else I love my pit and she is a very sweet girl.I rescued her from two drug addicts that were using her for drug extortion.I have not seen any aggression from her at all.Just grateful for me being able to take care of her and love her.
That wasn’t mort who said they had a problem with pitts. The only pit bulls and mixes I have ever known, at least three, were the sweetest dogs I have ever known and I lived with one of them. Never any trouble even with another dog. And one of them, the biggest, sat there and watched while her owner was ambushed and beaten by some thugs! I am convinced violence is not in their blood except in obvious conspicuous cases.
I love Pit Bulls and Roc’s. I love the manly dogs.
Big dogs > little dogs
Rottweilers are the best. I grew up with two of them and they were so loving, friendly, and loyal.
Bns, you are sizest. Lol I love Rottweilers, too. They’re beautiful. And properly raised pit bulls are great, too. But don’t write off the little fellows. We had a Westie and her heart was as big as could be. God, I loved that dog.
Don’t forget about the studliest of all dogs, The Bichon Frisé!
http://bunkblog.net/dog-information/bichon-frise-temperament
my only complaint with Rotties is that they lean on you and the leaning makes you exhausted!!! We have a Rottie, A Scottie, and a Bernese. I used to have a Pit, but she died 2 years ago.
I love the Mastiff’as well. My former boss had one named Hercules and he was so laid back. My ex as well as my friend had Rott’s, my brother had a Pit named Ghost and I had a pit named Beast.
BTW I don’t have a problem will the small ones but I much prefer the larger dogs.
@GoodNamesAllTaken
Haha! I’m biased because I grew up with big dogs, but I love all dogs for sure. Dogs are just so loyal and affectionate and amazing.
If I had a large backyard, my dream pet would be an alaskan husky or german shepherd. I love dogs
I have a soft spot for rottermans. Such big sweeties!
My rott’s 125lbs and he is amazing. a chicken attacked him while he was relieving himself, and not only did he not bite at the chicken, he just sorta hopped away on three legs while till “going.” All sweetheart, all the time
I have to chime in here and say my favourite dog of all time, hands down, is the border collie. I grew up on a farm and had 4 of them. They were the sweetest, most gentle and loving dogs ever, and all 4 of them got along. I still miss all of them like crazy to this day. However, living in the city now, I won’t get another border collie – they have way too much energy! I don’t have the time to walk one several times a day and my yard just isn’t big enough for one to run around in. As others have said on here, that’s the biggest issue of all when it comes to dogs in shelters. People get puppies/dogs without realizing the type of care that a certain breed needs, and they take them to the pound because it is the “easiest” thing to do :(.
littlestar, Border Collies are the bestest!
You’ve performed a most valuable service of raising public awareness that the breed of dog really does count! I read somewhere that if you don’t ‘bond’ with your breed (if it doesn’t suit your lifestyle in other words), you’re much more likely to ‘give up’ your pooch. Your comments may very well have educated someone today and helped a dog find his ‘forever’ home!!
Oh man, I have a staffie, too. I accidentally erased her when I posted about my Rottie, Scottie, and Bernese, We have a sweet little staffie, too.
If I ever move out of my mama’s house, I’m getting a big dog. Because I am a huge chicken–I like to feel protected, and since I am from a big family (five kids!), I don’t like sleeping alone. I’m getting that down already—my dad’s going to buy me an airsoft gun (a pistol) that shoots little metal BBs, and my aunt’s getting me a taser when I graduate. All I need is a big dog that will bark if he/she hears a rattle in the kitchen 🙂 Any suggestions?
I like her suspender skirt. Miley +Lutz = media shitstorm heaven. Perfect for each other.
Well if that skirt didn’t have those suspenders, god knows she’d squirt out the top, right?
As with guns, there are no bad dogs, only irresponsible owners. I’ve know plenty of super-aggressive small terriers whose owners think their behaviour is funny, and plenty of Staffordshire Bull Terriers and Pit Bull-mixes (pure Pit Bulls are banned in the UK) who are absolutely charming dogs.
OTOH, if a pit bull has a bad owner it’s going to do a heck of a lot more damage when it flips out than a chihuahua, and therein lies the problem – and why 90% of fatalities are pit bulls or pit bull-crosses.
It doesn’t help that A-holes all seem to be attracted to the super-strong breeds.
Agreed. Thank you for your comment. And please add, Miley is an idiot.
Amen to that. I have a German shepherd who used to bark aggressively at anyone she saw. (she never bit or anything – she was just protective and territorial). We found an amazing woman who taught us the dog does not need to be trained, WE need to be trained. Our loving dog can meet anyone without jumping or barking now. It’s all about the ownership, and just like kids, sometimes they’re work. Lots of people aren’t up to that and won’t bother giving the dog the consistency it needs.
Re: the two horror stories from Zbornak and Juliette
My sister’s boyfriend had a pit who did something similar. I know that the dog was a cherished pet, well-trained and very well cared-for, because I knew the boyfriend and his family well even before my sister and the guy got together.
The dog just lunged and clenched those jaws and it was a blessing that nobody was killed.
Savanna how did you do it? My Shepherd is the same way and I can’t let her be around anyone other than people she knows very well.
There is a great dog trainer (imo) in Canada who had a show called “At the End of My Leash”. It was an awesome show for that exact same thing you state – the trainer basically went into peoples homes, observed things, and every single time found out that the reason why the dog(s) was misbehaving was because of the owners behaviour. That’s why I don’t like that Caeser Milan fellow – it’s like he tries to get people to “understand” dogs. That just doesn’t work for most people – most people don’t have the ability to be a dog “whisperer”. It is better for people to adapt their behaviours and in turn change the dogs behaviour.
Abby…sometimes that happens when the dog is not properly socialized w/humans. When my bestie got her dog (a Shiba Inu) she asked people to come over and spend time with Sake so that she would be used to being around/handled by other humans. She is just the sweetest dog with the best disposition and very comfortable and well behaved around people.
I clicked on celebitchy this morning and maybe it’s just a super emotional time of the month for me, but almost every story posted has resonated strongly with me.
I used to think that there was no such thing as aggressive breeds, only irresponsible owners. I LOVE animals, especially dogs. My neighbors in Georgia raised/bred pit bulls (as did the owner’s Father). Most were a very beautiful grey color with beautiful eyes. They had two small children. The main 4 dogs were very loving with my Yorkie. He is very small and lungs didn’t develop fully when I adopted him. They would lay down on the ground and let my Yorkie play with them because he was so small. I would even walk them together.
I shake as I write this because it is one of the most horrific things I’ve seen in my life. I was getting my grocery bags out of my car, and my neighbors kid was playing outside with 2 of their pit bulls. The kid was sitting down rolling a toy truck around. Man, I looked up and the next thing I saw was one of that little boys dogs go straight for his face. It was so quick! The dog was on the steps to the house and next thing I know, the kid was knocked down and that dog went for that little boy. I remember seeing all this blood. I went inside for my pepper spray, and the Mom was yelling at the Dad to get his rifle. He finally pried the dog away (it had flesh in it’s mouth when he did).
These were dogs they had as puppies. These people loved these animals. I NEVER saw an ounce of aggression out of them before this incident. Not even toward the mailman. But I’ll never forget the way it had its jaws clamped firmly to that child’s face for no freaking reason other than the movement of the truck toy. And frankly, if a dog is gonna lose it over something like that, then it’s not stable. To this day, I’ll never understand why. And the kicker is, the female dog started to ambush the little boy also after she saw the male attack, until the Dad pulled her inside.
I wish I could go back to thinking there are no aggressive breeds, but after that experience I’m not so sure that holds water with me anymore. Maybe since all dogs are descendants of wolves, some have a little more of the wild nature still in them. Who knows? All I know is I’ll stick with my Yorkie and Golden Retriever (rescue also, he was badly abused bless him).
That’s a horrible story, but I’m sure there are pit advocates who will say the neighbors were mistreating them or that a chihuahua is likely to do more damage. I’ll never have one near my kids. If that makes me “racist” so be it.
Absolutely heartbreaking story. My own doesn’t compare, but I was attacked by a Boxer-Pitbull Mix. She was a “family dog” belonging to a friend. Completely unprompted, one day the dog lunged at me, attacking straight for my neck and pulling me to the ground by my ponytail and ripping it from my head. She continued to bite down on my neck/ponytail, until my friend’s mother was able to wrestle her off me. The whole family kept saying they had never seen the dog act that way. Needless to say, my mother never let me play at that friend’s house again. A year later, the dog had to be put down after she attacked another child at their house.
Yes, they were obviously stupid about their dogs growing aggression. However, if they had an aggressive Maltese, none of these attacks would have happened. Personally, I would never own a dog that could overpower me or my children. Yes, many dogs can display aggressive behavior, but Pitbulls have mouths the size of an adult’s skull. They are capable of inflicting far more damage than a Yorkie, or a Cocker Spaniel.
@Zbornak, I’m strongly opposed to breeding dogs. Most people who do it have no idea what traits they’re selecting for and ignore the fact that some dogs have certain inheritable characteristics that can develop into a disability, disease, or behavior problem. It’s quite possible that those people had no idea what they were selecting for behaviorally, and bred one or two problem dogs (which is a common problem with backyard breeders of ALL breeds). The reason why i dont think your story is indicative of the entire breed is because most “pits” are a mixture of different breeds. Pit mixes account for 20% of shelter populations and are the result of natural selection, not aggressive breeding/inbreeding (although you can get the occassional bad apple in a mixed breed dog, the chances are less likely). What happened to your neighbors son is sad, but it is not representative of the breed. I’ve been bitten by several breeds of dogs, but I never thought of my experiences as bring indicative of an entire breed. I hope you’ll reconsider your position. I know many pits, including my own, who are wonderful companion animals and great with children. You should also remember that, pits used to be known as “nanny dogs” (because they were so great with children).
@MorticiansDoItDeader, I agree. Any moron with a male and female dog can breed them, and 90% don’t have any idea what they’re doing regarding breeding or raising dogs. There should be much stricter laws about who can breed animals.
Thats such sad story some dogs are just unbalanced my nan had a staff she always had staff and never once had a problem till had one puppy who obviously had a mental imbalance. They were excellent dogs owners but the dog would start to growl and attack the family lucky who were all adults for no reason and he had to be put down it was pretty sad. Most of the time its the owners however sometimes it can be the dog.
These horrific stories do, unfortunately occur. But my question to these parents is why they feel comfortable leaving their two dogs with young children.
What you describe happened to a friend of mine – an adult – with a Doberman he was looking after for his brother. The dog was aware of the brother, as both families would always interact on a daily level and when the brother went overseas, he left his dog with his brother rather than take the dog to a kennel.
As the days passed, there were no problems. Then one evening after the brother returned home, the dog attacked him when he went to feed it, by going for his neck. It didn’t get that far to bite, but it was a horrific experience all the same.
But yes, in the scenario you describe, the parents should not have left the dogs with the child.
Ill share my story here–and I’m really sorry if the pro pit crowd flames me for this–but at the hospital I’ve been at since May I’ve seen eight cases of being attacked by dogs. Every single one of them was by a pit bull. Most of them were kids, most of them were dogs that the family had owned and never had a problem with. One was a woman who was walking her dog on a hiking trail and got her arm crushed trying to defend and save her dog. Once you’ve seen a five year olds skull fractured from yet another pit attack…
I realize that there are lots of pit owners who say that their dogs are sweet as can be, but most of the parents I talked to were shocked that their family dog attacked the kid with no provocation. It happens, and I don’t blame anyone who doesn’t want to take the risk with themselves or their family.
Yes, many owners of small dogs think their little dogs aggressive behaviour is “hilarious”. This past summer I was doing my usual run in the local park. It was full of people and as I came up to a large group of people milling around enjoying the day, I noticed a couple get out of their vehicle with a small dog on a leash. The dog immediately started barked like crazy. As I ran past them, the little dog lunged at my leg to try and bite me! Luckily I was fast enough and avoided the dog, but what did the F’ing owners do? LAUGH! Would it have been so funny if it had bitten me? As I was running away, I heard the dog barking like crazy so I turned around and the dog was lunging at more people! When I got home I said to my husband that those people should NOT be taking their dog out when it obviously wasn’t properly socialized.
I agree. It won’t be so “funny” when that dog bites a child in the face. And it probably will, since those idiots are encouraging it to bite. Biting should not be tolerated in any size dog.
I hope she got a dictionary for Christmas.
Weighing in as a dog lover, and a former English Bulldog owner who loves all bully breeds. My heart breaks that people won’t take pit-bulls in, but I wouldn’t either. Are some of them (most of them) gentle and kind? Yes, But a very small minority can snap and suddenly become vicious. If you are bitten by another dog breed, you probably won’t be mauled. These dogs can, and do, maul people. Sometimes to death. I wish it was different.
Yes, their jaws are incredibly powerful (I forget how many pounds of pressure in a bite, but it’s a freaking lot) and their bodies are strong and stout.
Any dog can just “snap”, but this is a breed that is so powerful it’s almost impossible to prey away from it’s victim until it is ready to let go.
Dr. Brady Barr of National Geographic studied the bite pressure recorded from Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and German Shepherds. The Rottweiler had the highest PSI, 328 pounds of pressure per square inch. German Shepherds had the second highest with 238 and the Pit Bull had the lowest .
furthermore, The American Temperament Test Society tests all breeds of dogs by putting them in different situations to judge their reactions. If they react aggressively when they’re not provoked they fail the test. In most breeds, the passing rate is 77%. Pit Bulls have a passing rate of 82%.
Also, just because you don’t recognize warning signs in a dog before it bites, doesn’t mean there weren’t any (and that the dog suddenly snapped and became vicious). Dogs will typically bite only when they feel scared or threatened. A healthy dog doesn’t bite for fun. In most cases, the dog will give warning signs before biting and the owner should be able to recognize them. The most common reasons for a bite are when the dog is sick or injured, a person intervenes between the dog and food/toys, a person trying to separate a dogfight, or the dog feels threatened by the way the person approaches it.
Come on guys, research is our friend.
@ Morticians
I would not bring any of those breeds into my home with small children. No matter what statistics are thrown my way, I will chose my safety and my child’s safety over any animal. Sometimes, choosing safety means relying on instincts and anecdotal knowledge.
Based on my past with “bully” breeds (I was attacked, a 100% unprovoked attack), I feel very threatened by them, even when their owners assure me how sweet and loving they are. My friend’s dog was sweet and loving, but she developed aggression and attacked me. She attacked and mauled another child before her owner’s were willing to acknowledge that she was not safe.
I applaud your ability to raise and train your pitbulls. For me, I do not want any animal in my home whose sheer size and strength is a challenge to my dominance. I hear your side, but I want you to reconsider what you have said too: That a dog gives warning signs before attacking is not enough. Especially not with children in the home. Children are not mature, they are not always capable of recognizing “warning signs” nor are they always able to distinguish what is their toy and what is a dog’s toy. Even with food, my niece has been caught with her hand in the doggie bowl more than once. It’s just a risk that a lot of people are uncomfortable taking, and I really strongly feel IT IS A RISK.
@juliette, I’m incredibly sorry for your experience, but antedote doesn’t equal evidence. Our German Shepard (who was also a trained police dog and my fathers “partner”) bit me in the face when I was eating out of his dish (at 2 1/2). I got 15 stitches under my eye, but I’m not the least but terrified of all German Shepard dogs. Had my parents supervised me properly, that never would have happened. The dog that attacked you and the other child may have been sick or abused. To you it appeared to be unprovoked, but perhaps the dog sensed your fear as a threat or was startled by a sudden movement because it associated fast movement with being hit. You really don’t know what was going on in the animals home or with its health. I don’t believe the attack was your fault. I believe the owners were negligent (or possibly abusive) and you happened to exhibit signs the dog associated with a threatening situation. The above excerpt about why animals bite is an except from research published by vets that work with the ASPCA and it’s their belief those are the reasons dogs bite. I accept that research (as well as the above published statistics) and believe its my job to educate my children about how to behave around dogs in general. Children, in general, are nipped by dogs more often than adult males or females because they don’t understand appropriate “dog etiquette.” Which is why the ASPCA holds classes for children ages 4-7 about how to behave and treat dogs. Again, I am very sorry you had a traumatic experience and I hope you don’t take offense to my response
Over the last twenty years almost ALL fatal dog attacks involved bully breeds and bully mixes.
If you take out the pits, rotts and mixes of those breeds there is almost nothing left. That isn’t up for debate, it is simply the truth. I just went over the list of every single reported fatal dog attacks in the US and that sums it up.
Look, I love all dogs, but facts are facts. I think it is naive to pretend certain breeds are not bred for specific purposes. I love doxies, but deep down they are little hunters and they can be fierce little things. They will kill any rodent in the yard because they are specifically bred to do that. As a dog owner it is my responsibility to recognize those tendencies in my dog.
Same with my horses. Hot blooded breeds can be, surprise, hot blooded. Some breeds just need owners who are equipped to deal with them. The numbers of fatal dog attacks has blossomed after the rise in popularity of pits. I know most are wonderful dogs, but let’s not pretend that herding dogs don’t want to herd, hunting dogs want to hunt, etc. Humans created these breeds to serve a specific purpose, you cannot deny that.
@ Morticians
Do not worry, I take no offense at your post. In fact, I applaud your courage with big breeds and your ability to get over your own experience with a dog attack and I appreciate your facts from the ASPCA. I agree with you, children need to be taught how to act near animals. However, children come in all levels of maturity, listening-ability, and frankly lessons are sometimes hard-taught, despite parents best efforts. I would never want my child to have to learn how to be respectful of an animal by experiencing an attack. Yet the best teacher is often experience…
I truly respect your choice to own pitbulls, and I think you represent the right type of pit-owner. I think the only thing we disagree on is that you feel your facts should be enough to make this a question of logic-based risk-assessment. Its not entirely about logic or fault. Whether provoked or not, I do not want an dog in my home, or in my apartment building, who by size and strength, is capable of killing my children. As factually small of a risk as it is, its still just not a risk I could learn to live with.
@Juliette – Not all bully breeds are created equal. I have an English Bulldog and they are wonderful with children and considered one of the best family dogs around. In my case, my dog is completely obsessed with babies. It’s hilarious, because he sits his chunky self next to their carriers and puts a paw on the side like he’s the nanny. I digress haha! But a pitbull? I’m sure many of them are incredibly sweet, but I can’t take the chance with my niece, nephew and friends’ young children often coming over to visit. If my dog ever snapped (which there is basically a 0% chance of with the breed and, frankly, he’s too lazy and would need a snack break halfway through a rampage), I’m confident I’d be able to restrain him. As many have said, once a pit bull clamps down, it’s a disaster. So sad for the dogs and I really wish there would be better sanctions on irresponsible breeders!!
@tiff, actually pits and rotties make up 55% of dog bite fatalities acvording to the CDC. Furthermore ‘Bully breeds’ or ‘Bully type breeds’ cover a larger group of breeds encompassing not only the Bulldog breeds, but also the bull-and-terriers (American Staffordshire Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Bull Terrier, Boston Terrier, Irish Staffordshire Terrier and Miniature Bull Terrier) and the Bullmastiff.
The Rottweilers are sometimes erroneously referred to as ‘bully breeds’ but do not belong to this group. So, 55% of dog bite fatalities are perpetrated by bull dog type dogs, pits and rotties combined (according to the CDC). If pits make up half of those fatalities a year, that would make that entire group of different breeds responsible for only 13 deaths per year.
@juliette, thank you for your kind response.
Tiff – I do agree with you on the fact that many types of breeds were specifically bred for a certain purpose and that that instinct remains within them. My dad has a year and half old border collie, and with absolutely no training, he was in the feedlot trying to herd the cattle the first time my dad took him out with him to work with the animals. It was actually very surprising to us how instinctual it is for him to herd the cattle. Our previous border collies were pretty lazy when it came to herding cattle haha.
@Mortician.
I get your point about their jaw, that is not AS strong as a few other breeds. That doesn’t negate they are still STRONG and they are a prey driven breed.
If it’s the humans faults that pit bulls attack, then how does it explain the countless stories of pit bulls KILLING and severely maiming small children? Dogs are often referred to as mans best friend. Well what kind of best friend is a dog like a pit bull, who kills or maims it’s family and neighbors and guests in their home? I’ve heard countless stories of pit bulls who got loose, wandered into another yard and killed an innocent child or got loose and mauled joggers, neighbors etc. The potential for great harm to others is real when there is a pit bull present.
@Everybody
Pitt’s used to be babysitters. That was their first purpose as a breed. People left them alone with their children to.. babysit. I’d trust mine with anything. It’s a combo of nature and nurture, folks.
I wonder if Kellan Lutz has introduced her to his favorite tree yet.
I think he did, since he and the tree have a progressive and open relationship. He lifted Miley gently into the tree and showed her around the branch. After the tour, Kellan Lutz sat down, pulled out a book and, being the thoughtful Kellan Lutz that he is, handed Miley her own book that he had brought just for her…
… to which she responded “what’s that?”
Poor Lutzy. I’m sure the book he picked out was a deep thinker, like Valley of the Dolls or something with Fabio on the cover. He knows Miley tries to bring back the 70/ 80s with her “style” and he remembers his mom’s friends back then were into these pieces of literature. Perfect for tree reading.
All Miley got of out the experience was a few splinters in her tongue (she just had to lick that tree). But she is now mulling over new idea for her act… Little dancing trees she can rub on. It’s a work in progress.
I hate when people use terms like “racism’ in situations it doesn’t apply. Dogs are not a part of the human race. They are animals. We love them and treat them in many cases better than we do other human beings. But you can not be racist against a freaking Dog. People have prejudices against this particular breed of dog because of actual horror stories of adults and children being maimed or killed by these particular dogs. FACTs not fantasy. I know there are many pitt bull owners that have very sweet dogs and that is a sensitive subject for them. But there are equal or more people that have seen what these dogs do to humans.
Miley an others like her who are trying to stay in the press would do well to think before they talk and understand the true meaning of the words they throw around. People who have experienced Racism in it’s true form would disagree with her on all accounts.
I’m not trying to start a flame war here, but since you mentioned FACTS, I was wondering if you could provide statistical evidence that there are “equal or more people” that have seen the viciousness they are capable of, compared to the owners with “sweet” pits. Or perhaps you were being anecdotal? I’m genuinely curious and I hope my question comes across in a sincere manner.
One of my dear friends & her husband got involved with rescued pit bulls. They had 3 very large pits. One night I was visiting them & the largest of the dogs tore into my friends husband. He now has no use of his right hand. I was so frightened as my husband was the one that finally got the dog off of him. Needless to say, they got rid of all those dogs straight away.
@ Lisa2 Thank you for pointing out her very poor choice of words – if Miley would’ve used a more appropriate word such as “discrimination” instead of “racism” then she would’ve had a stronger point to make. Otherwise her argument makes hardly any sense.
But dogs are bred and classified in the same way that people are classified – by ethnicity, if you will. Their non-human status is irrelevant. Racism, by definition, is the belief that a race [any race: human, dogs, etc] possesses certain characteristics that define it in its entirely. Go look up the word racism in the dictionary.
When you discriminate based on ethnicity or, the canine equivalent -breed, and believe in a hierarchy of behaviour based on breed, then it is racist.
I love dogs, but anyone who denies that LOTS of pit bulls are potentially dangerous is simply wrong. Which breed is responsible for the most fatal dog bites? Pit bulls, by a wide margin. I know people will go on and on about how their pit is so sweet, etc., but that doesn’t make all, or even most, pit bulls safe. I do know several sweet pit bulls myself, but I wouldn’t take a chance on most of them. And I wouldn’t want a dog-aggressive animal, either, even if it’s sweet to people (for now).
Meh, pitts aren’t for everyone.
They’re dogs that need a stern owner who understand their needs. Most people get the dogs they want vs dogs that suited for their personalities. If a person is passive, lives a sedentary lifestyle, and has a small home takes in a big dog… said canine will be overly energetic and prone to not listening.
I have a chow (incredibly stubborn breed with a bad rep) and I knew from jump she would need a strong hand and long walks daily to compensate for what her body is capable of.
As for Miley, meh, she’s an idiot.
She’s right in terms of animal prejudice towards pitt bulls but it’s not racism, given her inability to acknowledge her own exploitation of African American women, I’m not surprised.
Did you know that there has never actually been a comprehensive, accurate, and TRUE study of dog bite statistics by breed? The closest thing to an actual accredited study found that out of every breed, (and again, even this was not a true and fair trial), Dachshunds had the highest incidence of bite-centric behavior. Of course, being that they are small, many of the owners found it funny and attributed it to “attitude” or “diva-behavior.” Golden Retreivers were also high on the list, and this is most likely the result of them being such a popular breed owned by so many. The larger the sample size, the higher the likelihood of a bite.
It would be unbelievably difficult to conduct an accurate bite-study, as the circumstances that surround dog-bites makes it almost impossible to compare each one objectively.
The most important thing to remember is that any dog, any breed, etc. can bite if the circumstances are right. Quoting misinformation about statistics showing that pit bulls bite more, etc. is not helping anything. There IS a stereotype against pit bulls, and all you have to do is dig into social media, your local news, etc. to see it. People get bit by dogs every day, but the stories that get covered involve the bully breeds.
Excellent post. I’d also like to add that it’s widely been noted that reports of dog bites/attacks attributed to pits have frequently been attributed to other bully breeds, sometimes even Labradors. At one point the APBT placed higher in temperament than both the Golden Retriever and the cocker spaniel by the AKC. There are definitely aggressive & dangerous pit bulls prevalent due to horrible breeding practices AND shitty upbringings, but originally any human aggression shown from a pit and it was culled immediately. Back when they were actually bull baiters, men had to be able to enter the pit and remove their dogs by hand, it wasn’t until bull baiting was declared illegal that they turned the dogs on themselves. WE are responsible for their aggression and it’s up to the people who care about pits for their true nature to help correct their inbred faults. Helen Keller had a pit bull as did the Little Rascals!
*steps off soap box*
Here are the fatal attack stats. The complete tables are at the bottom. Bully breeds together are responsible for the vast majority of attacks all told and definitely over the last twenty years as their popularity has soared.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United_States
I work in animal control. Easily 8 out of 10 bite incidents I get are pits or pit/mastiff. The families I speak to are always shocked when they turn.
Years ago a cop once flat out said to me, “Never trust a pit bull.” I didn’t truly believe it until my current job.
Any dog can be aggressive and dangerous. I have a 16 lb dachshund mix and she got mad one day and ripped my hand open. If it had been a pit she probably would have been put down but because she’s cute and little no one cared or reported it. There are probably tons of dog attacks everyday that go unreported because it’s not a bully breed.
Good grief. Even if your dog was a pit it wouldn’t be put down unless you took it to a vet and told them to do it.
But it is NOT normal behavior for any dog to rip a person’s hand open. It sounds like your dog has serious and dangerous issues with aggression.
Ok so she may have misused the word racism, and didn’t explain herself clearly, BUT she’s right. It makes me beyond angry how misunderstood and badly treated Pits are. We have a rescue Pit, who is the sweetest, most loyal dog I’ve ever had. Sadly, you see more Pits than any other breed in shelters because nobody wants them because they are scared of them.:(
I wasn’t afraid of pits until my dog was mauled my one. I was walking my dog, a medium-sized mutt I got from a shelter, when a pit jumped its fence and ran straight for my dog. A terrifying experience. A woman driving-by helped me or I’m quite certain my sweet pooch would be dead. His medical bill was approximately $4,000 and the poor thing had multiple surgeries. I took the pit owner to court to recover my medical expenses, but you can’t get blood from a turnip.
I’m sorry to hear that, stories like that ARE why pits have a bad rep. They are so strong, that if they decide to attack it’s hard to stop. I’m not saying they are all sweet non-aggressive dogs, but they aren’t born that way. It usually has to do with the owner. I had a pit growing up and she was also a very sweet dog who unfortunately was stolen out of yard. It still haunts me to think of what happened to her. I hope your dog is doing better.
She is an idiot but we already knew that.
Exactly. Color me unsurprised.
It’s pretty simple Miley: don’t say that the negative perception of pit bulls is racism, when ACTUAL RACISM so often involves comparing people to animals.
And I actually agree that pit bulls are treated badly and it’s a problem but JFC this is not the way to get that message across.
And this is why children need to go to school and get, you know, an education. So they would know the meaning of words they attempt to use, as well as their historical and social context. Most celebrities sound so sadly ignorant.
Exactly and in what solar system do we turn to Miley frickin cyrus for enlightenment on anything; as posters on this site and others continually and accurately state, she is just so uneducated and dopey, why does the idiot media search her out for interviews. Barney and super Mario are more interesting.
She’s about as deep as a skillet, isn’t she?
Pit bulls, unfortunately have been bred to fight and kill. (You know, in a pit). It is in their genes-not their fault…these dogs can be so sweet, you never know…you hear about a pit, being part of a family for years, great with kids, then he snaps-shakes and bites a baby to death…something needs to be done…its always some tough guy douchebag walking around with his dog off leash, giving these dogs a bad name…
But I do wish miley would STFU.
I agree. It always seems to be pit bulls that are involved in dog bites regardless of owners. It’s the dog… I’m sure they’re sweet ones. But I think generally they’re aggressive
“It always seems to be the pits that are involved in dog bites…”
Yes, because those are the stories that get coverage. People get bitten by dogs every day, often times very severe. I was bitten by a yellow lab in the arm, so severe that his canine tooth went to the bone and my arm was extremely infected for weeks. You rarely hear media coverage about instances like those because it doesn’t fit the narrative or simply isn’t as interesting as “pit bull bites woman.”
Pit bulls do kill the most people, as far as fatal dog attacks. Even though some people keep insisting that it’s media hype. I feel VERY bad for pit bulls and what’s been done to them, and as I said earlier, I’ve known some sweet pit bulls, but I wouldn’t trust one. Nor would I care to have a dog-aggressive dog even if he was fine with people. I like medium to large, nice goofy dogs, not dogs that have to be handled like loaded guns.
From the turn of the century until the early 1980s, there is exactly ONE dog attack story to make the national papers and mention pit bulls, but that’s probably because it involved a man intentionally siccing a pack of 26 dogs on a young woman.
Less than a decade later, that had all changed, and by New Year’s Day 1986, over thirty communities are considering breed specific legislation and bans on pit bulls. What changed?
For one thing, despite being illegal in all fifty states, dog fighting made a comeback in the 80s, and the pit bull is the dog of choice (because of their history as “bull baiters.”). It is also the preferred guard dog for drug dealers and gangs, with a hugely publicized attack in 1987 in which a pit bull guarding a marijuana crop in California mauls and kills a two-and-a-half year-old boy.
Again, irresponsible breeders and owners select for aggressive traits and train a small percentage of these dogs for nefarious purposes. Any large working dog can be trained or bred to do exactly the same thing (and many have been) but pit attacks are reported far more.
Yes, I do believe she’s right about prejudice against certain breeds. I have a friend who runs a foster for dogs and she usually has a hard time placing pits. You see problems against older dogs, too.
Did she just photo bomb Britney at her show? Attention much…looking at other sites she tryed to take the spot light from Britney with her antics during the show. I’m sure Britney was not amused. We need a battle of the attention whores KK vs. Miley.
Yes, she did! That was the first thing I noticed. Greedy beggar.
I just SO do not get these nineties fashions that are coming back. Didn’t hair band video hoes used to wear those skirts with no tops underneath?!?! Why is this considered a cute item that anyone would wear in public?!?
I don’t know. Maybe I’m old.
I do feel very terrible about the persecution of Pit Bulls.
But she disgusts me.
She actually doesn’t look like shit at Britney’s concert. That’s a cute outfit.
I had a pit and a rotty. 2 of the best sweetest well behaved dogs I’ve ever owned.
Yay for Rotties!
One friend had one of the mushiest and sweetest Rottweiler’s ever, but sadly she passed away a few years ago. She was a great dog! Another friend has two Pit Bulls, one was a stray puppy he adopted about two years ago. He and his wife have two small children and the dogs and the kids get along great. I will admit I am a bit leery when it comes to Pits, but they seem to be well trained and love the kids.
I keep worrying she is going to get sick putting her tongue everywhere. I sure do hope she got her flu shot.
And I worry about all the people she is making sick by putting her tongue everywhere. 😝
I used to feel the same about pitts, until I got a pit mix puppy, shes 2yrs old now, and one of the sweetest, most loveable, lap dogs I have ever owned…
My Beloved Chow Chows are known to be psycho due to originally being bred to be Imperial Chinese Guard Dogs. Pit Bulls were originally bred to bait bulls! Their temperaments are not, IMHO, suited to families with young children.
http://monasimderomania.com/articles/about-chow-chows/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bull-baiting
Rhodesian Ridgebacks were originally bred to assist in lion, baboon and wild pig hunts. Just like pits, they were trained by people to assist in hunting or taking down aggressive animals. However, the dogs were fiercely loyal to their human handlers. Animal aggression doesn’t necessarily translate into people aggression.
Chow Chows are very loyal dogs (i know- I have loved 2 of them) but they are extremely unsuited for a household with multiple people living in it full time- especially children. They are every loyal to their owner “master” and dismissive or aggressive with most anyone else. They look like teddy bears 🙂 but are extremely strong and independent. They aren’t even terribly active dogs like a labs (for instance) because of their short legs and long fur. Not a family dog- people need to pick dogs for their traits not their looks!
A “Pit Bull” is actually a generic term to describe any of the following breeds: Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier the American Staffordshire Terrier, and the Bull Terrier. The American Pit Bull Terrier was often known as the “nanny dog” during the late 19th/ early 20th century because of there sweet disposition and their loyalty. Unfortunately for the last 30 years or so the Pit Bull has been negatively portrayed in the media. This has caused gangster wannabees to seek out this breed. It is a vicious cycle….Someone gets a Pit Bull, uses it in a dog fight, this makes the news and the stereotypes and misinformation keep getting feed to the American Public. Please do your research.
I agree. I had a chow chow/collie mix. I refered to him as a “chollie”. The love of my life, fiercely loyal and protective of our family members . He only liked our family and was aloof to others. Because he was so protective of us and wasn’t interested in other humans and had dog aggression, we never took him to dog parks and we really didn’t socialize him with other dogs besides his litter mates, his mother (who lived with us :0) and a few neighborhood dogs. I walked him up in the mountains, took him swimming in remote creeks, or walked him on secluded trails and places off the beaten path. Since he was so beautiful and amazingly obedient and quiet, and looked like a puppy / giant teddy bear, people often wanted to pet him. I always smiled and told them, he is a grumpy old man and they should not pet him. He didn’t like to play with toys, be pet by new people, or be bothered so I wouldn’t subject him to that. He wanted to follow his pack and that was it. When he passed, so many people came by to pay their respects because he was such an amazing dog. That guy could sit in the front yard for hours and people would be so amazed that he never ran off or wandered. People would drive by and honk and yell hi at the dog. Cars would park in front of our home and kids would jump out to visit our dog. It was ok for them to pet him for a moment, but that was about all my chollie could stand before he got annoyed and got up and walked inside to get away from his fan club. The dog was so in tune with our body language and mannerisms, often times we didn’t even need to speak to command him. He was never more than a few feet from one of us. But if someone, like the poor meter man, came onto our property unannounced, or got too close to our family, he would charge you and growl and scare the hell out of you so we limited his contact with people under certain triggering circumstances for his own good. Dogs don’t like to be in that state of stress anyways.
In contrast, I now have a sweet loving crazy smart border collie (RIP chollie) who loves the world and everything about the world (besides lettuce). He LOVES the dog park. Now that I am a part of the dog scene with this friendly BC, I am shocked at the amount of pit bulls who are brought to schools and dog parks to play with other dogs. It scares the hell out of me and I will not let my innocent crazy border collie near them. I have had aggressive dogs before, my chollie, and I cannot believe how irresponsible these owners are who bring their aggressive pit bulls to the dog park and cause dog squables and fits at the park. Its all good if you want to own that dog but you do NOT have the right to bring that dog out into the public and subject innocent people and other animals to their aggression. Not only are they totally setting up their dog for failure and unnecessary stress, they are putting others in jeopardy as well.
Many people who own dogs, especially the bigger, more aggressive breeds, don’t have the knowledge of how to handle them properly. Sure they get cossetted and treated like little 80 lb. lap dogs and house pets, but this leads the dog to think it’s the “alpha” or “omega” of the pack. That’s when they become obnoxious, clamber and jump all over you, and can turn on a dime and attack. Have you ever watched alpha wolves in the wild keep the rest of the pack in line? Not pretty, and that’s exactly what pits and other large breeds are doing when they suddenly grab a kid or a smaller animal, they’re showing their dominance. So it’s up to responsible pet owners to get some training on how to show your dog that you’re the leader of the pack.
Oh, and Miley is a moron.
Well said, Jaded! Your point bears repeating over and over until folks quit getting more dog than they can handle.
For example, I’m an experienced, knowledgeable dog ‘companion’, but I know I’m not suited to have a Kuvasz or even a Great Great Pyrenees.
Racism? LOL Breedism is the term she’s looking for and is being used out in the dog community. Miley, it’s called Google.
MY POINT EXACTLY!!!!!!!
Its cool to love animals but where is the focus here? This clown (and plenty) of clowns like here invoke racism for EVERYTHING and then people who really deal with it on a daily basis have the pleasure of hearing that it doesn’t even exist anymore. This country is sick and this young twats and dudebros we’re turning out are too stupid to practice true empathy and compassion for other humans. Dogs are cool but that’s not the real problem with her statement here.
God she’s disgusting, and it’s not even just the way she dresses or her tounge everywhere. She is just truly a very horribly unattractive girl. Never thought she was even remotely pretty, but dressing like that and licking everything really solidified her ugliness to me.
Wow Miley…. Just… Wow.
I work with animals and have watched many pit mixes and pits. They can be incredibly sweet animals. And great house dogs. It’s the owners who mess them up, not the breed. Miley’s hair looks awful but probably because she’s trying to grow it out. That can NOT be an easy haircut to grow out!
Oh Miley….
Next tell us how them there intellectual elitists are racist against spray cheese enthusiasts.
Hahaha! *3 short barks of full-throated laughter!*
The amount of misinformation and Pit Bull stereotyping floating around on this comment section is unfortunate. I volunteer for a local animal shelter. About a third of the dogs there are Pits or Pit mixes. They are the sweetest dogs….always full of such energy and love. Please do your research before posting. I would encourage everyone here with a Netflix account to watch The documentary “Beyond the Myth”. It is an eye opening movie which documents the breedism Pit Bulls and other dogs face.
Thank you Mar.
I know many, many owners of beautiful, docile pitties. It’s my personal choice that I would not own one if I had small children, and there’s no way I’d take Miley’s advice on ANY breed of dog!
Why hasn’t anyone commented on Moron Miley’s dangerously idiotic approach to dog ownership? – http://hollywoodlife.com/2012/12/17/miley-cyrus-ziggy-killed-lila-tish-cyrus-blog-dog-dead/
I knew there was something about her history that I couldn’t recall! Thanks.
Yep, Miley, the all-knowing patron saint of doggies. Who can take anything she says seriously? Besides, even a stopped clock is correct twice a day.
The animal shelters are full of pit bulls because responsible pet owners don’t spay or neuter their pits. I wonder what the stats are on euthanasia for this particular breed?
Having said that, I woke up one morning last winter and opened the front door and found a stray pit bull on my doorstep. Scared living hell out of me. Yes, I am scared of pit bulls. Deeply and profoundly scared. Animal control had no problem rounding him up, he wasn’t aggressive towards me or the attendant, but I couldn’t slam that door fast enough.
I am terrified of Pit Bulls and would never go into a house with one because there are too many stories about their unpredictability. My dad’s next door neighbor has two pit bulls in a fenced yard and he’s afraid to go into his own backyard because those animals can jump a fence in a heartbeat. I like dogs, but have been bitten by dogs twice while on a run (not a pit bull) and both times the owner claimed their precious darling was the sweetest most gentle animal in the world.
That’s the same outfit the backup dancers wore in the Sir Mixalot video. And no, that baby ain’t got back.
I think both sides tend to lie when it comes to pit bulls. My dad grew up around them and has always told us what he considers to be the truth about them. The truth is that they are, naturally, not violent or aggressive towards humans. They can be incredibly protective and loving towards humans if raised right. However, they do tend to have a stronger “prey drive” than other dogs. The ones I’ve encountered tend to be “animal aggressive” towards smaller animals. That doesn’t make them bad or evil. That’s their nature. Huskies are the same way – they tend to go after smaller animals (which is why my husband couldn’t bring his when he moved in with me, due to my cats). The people who work in animal rescues that I respect tell me mostly the same thing. Pits can be wonderful pets, but they do have natural instincts that you can’t totally train out of them. Both sides do a disservice to the dogs. People should know pits aren’t a natural danger to them, but they do need to be aware about their potential to be triggered by smaller animals.
Thank you for the facts, Sam.
A neighbor had pit bulls who burrowed under a fence to come after my small dog. Thank God we kept our head & got away safely. We called animal control, and now those dogs are outside, they are confined with a six-sided chain link kennel. – http://wolfdogproject.com/fencing.html
edit: “now *when* those dogs are outside”
I used to have a pit, however, there are far too many stories of fatal pit attacks on people. How do you explain that?
Actually Labs are the dogs who statistically bite the most. I would encourage you to watch “Beyond the Myth” on netflix it should clear up some of your misconceptions about Pit Bulls.
Easily. Where to begin…. Here are a few to think on.
1) when someone is attacked by a dog, you are asked to identify the breed. Due to confirmation bias alone, many people will say its a pit even if they didn’t get a good look.
2) pits have distinctive faces. Therefore a dog that is mixed will often be identified as a pit, artificially increasing reports of “pit” attacks.
3) pits are overbred for irresponsible jackasses and often dumped or born to homeless dogs. Strays are generally less socialized and more likely to attack. Thus, there are a high number of put bull strays, which increases the likelihood that an attack is actually committed by a pit.
4) they are big, strong, and to many people, scary looking. So a lot of people get them and make them aggressive. That is not the dog or the breed’s fault.
I was afraid she would lick the dog too. She’s kinda right about the prejudice against pit bulls, but the thing is, it’s a very strong dog, so if he freaks out once, the damage is severe.
nothing against pits, its their owners i have beef with. in my neighborhood, they are the only ones who walk their dogs without a leash. i dont get it, and sometimes they’re so far ahead of their owners that if something happens they’re too far to do anything about it! last summer i was almost attacked by one of them while walking my pup, luckily the owner wasn’t too far away, but again, it was off the leash.
We found a starving pit mix in the street near our house and took him in because it was freezing outside. He is a big cuddle bunny who only wants to sit next to you! I was very surprised. He moves out of the way for my 8 year old maltese who growls at him (she’s afraid of being stepped on) and he was bitten on the nose by my Shih Tzu for trying to take his chew bone. Both times the pit ran away. Maybe we got lucky, but we really like him and he’s quite gentle.
She is correct about pits, they go unadopted at an astounding and heartbreaking rate. So do big, black dogs. In fact there is even a name for it “Black dog syndrome” – sad.
I don’t care for Miley and her attention hoar antics, but if she gets some of her minions thinking/talking/acting about animal adoption….good for her.
I don’t like Miley, but she is actually 100% correct. People do stupid things like breed the pits to other pits they’re related to, or treat them like dirt, making them hang by their jaws from tires to “strengthen” the jaws for fighting, etc. People have turned a noble breed into poorly bred, poorly treated animals and then everyone runs screaming from a breed that was once well thought of. I’m glad she said something.
Ludicrous, this ignorant, uneducated little cypher. She knows as much about racism as feminism. When you start misusing words and concepts, you’re going from moron to cretin. That she has a platform to say such ignorant things and spread misinformation is plain creepy. And the dumbing down continues.
ITA.
Bravo Maven,
excellent post
Many of the larger breed dogs are not brought into shelters by the owners. They are found by animal control or abandoned at the shelter by the owners. With no history of the animal you don’t really know what you are getting.
One thing I did learn, with many larger breed dogs, if they attack someone your home owner’s or renter’s insurance will not cover it. While I think most insurance companies are run by the devil himself, there is a reason for that. They don’t want to lose money on big dogs because it is often a losing bet for them.
God, I cannot STAND this twat, but I’m with her on this.
If people were interested in ACTUAL stats as opposed to anecdotal evidence, I found this graph useful, illustrating both sides of the arguments refgarding bully breeds:
http://www.1800petmeds.com/education-data/images/pitbull-infographic-print.pdf
I own two 85 lb German Shepards, one 75lb Doberman and a 65lb pitbull-boxer mix. People will smile and nod when I mention the first three (more statistically prone to bite people) but completely freeze up when I mention the last despite her being, slower, fatter, smaller, and lazier than her brothers.
That’s well stated, but why do you own three dogs that are known for aggression? You must not have kids. I would rescue an Orca, were it not for my children. I just know that kids can unintentionally antagonize, and the alpha dogs are geared to put the betas in their place, something I wouldn’t risk.
You are absolutely correct, I don’t have kids. I own dogs “known” for their aggression because when I met them, I valued each by how well their own personal temperament fit with mine, and not their breed or size. All four were loving, gentle and just wanted to be around their person.
Completely understand your worries about kids unintentionally antagonizing animals. I’ve witnessed children body slam, pull tails, etc. because dogs are like living stuffed animals to them. I don’t think every household is meant to own large dogs but its frustrating to me when personal fears/media hype translates to stigmatization. The facts and research are out there, not just headlines!
On a lighter note, you sure you don’t want an orca? If it weren’t for Blackfish, I’m sure your kids would love the new pet. Haha.
you know this might sound horrible but I want a friend and her and her boyfriend just broken up and she had to move to a much cheaper apartment complex and she wasn’t able to keep her pitbull in that complex. well anyway she was freaking out about having to bring the dog to the pound and she kept trying to put it up online on Craigslist on Facebook trying to get somebody to adopt the dog, with no interest no response nothing nobody wanted the dog. so I told her Well put an ad up and say the dog was abused, I was kinda joking when I said it but she didn’t and got like 50 responses in one day. everybody wants to be the rescuer but they don’t care unless they animal or person is suffering. I’m in a rush and I did this by voice and I’m not going to edit it so I hope it makes good sense
I would say give Miley a break on this one. She’s not particularly articulate, and we all know she doesn’t exactly have a degree in anything other than media whorism. That said, she is trying to defend the bad reputation of the pitbull breed, and we all know she has a point; it’s the illegal dog fighting epidemic that has ruined some innocent animals to the point of having to create laws. I forgive her, her intention is kind, although her delivery is like a brain/speech impediment.
My old girl is a Chow mix. She is the absolute sweetest, mellowest dog I’ve ever had. I was going to move into a place once, and found out that chows were on their list of 10 banned dog breeds so I wasn’t allowed to have her there. Needless to say I didn’t move in. We got her as a puppy when the kids were young, and she has never bitten anyone or shown any signs of being aggressive. But I also made sure that I taught my kids, and all the kids who ever came to our house, how to behave and act around a dog. But the fact that an entire breed can be banned and keep you from living somewhere, or getting insurance, is just ridiculous. Yes, some chows can be aggressive. So can poodles and dachsunds. The meanest dog I’ve ever known, that absolutely WOULD bite everyone, was a Chihuahua. Of course, the owners thought that since it was “just a small dog” it was ok. And I agree with the above posters – the only dogs are big dogs! 🙂
Oh God – another shaming trial of celebrity about racism? I can’t. Lets just call every single one of them racist and move on. What Miley did? Oh whatever, at this point I don’t even care to know the exact details…
I’ll wait till Celebitchy will do their trial and then tell me if Miley is guilty, innocent or no contest…
_________________
About Miley herself. Gosh she couln’t fell lower then that Kellan Lutz guy. Why on earth Miley? This is just embarrassing. At this point I think that people may start to take bets: “Will Miley go to rehab in the first six month of 2014 or the last six months”.
i presume she’s talking about breed legislation. it’s a thing.
but yeah, she’s still dumb.
Miley is a troll who likes to get the internet talking about her. She succeeds almost daily. I wonder what her second act will be? My guess is to show us her entire shaved crotch, repeatedly, ad nauseam, over and over. As long as we keeping talking about her, mission accomplished. There, I too just gave her what she wanted.
My New Year resolution is to stop posting in any Miley thread. Anyone care to join me? And after she turns herself inside out trying to provoke us back into a response, and we don’t, maybe she will grow up a little and concentrate on her music. AKA appropriating more Black culture.
Maybe she’ll pull a late-90s Courtney Love and suddenly start showing up to events looking really classy and polished and put together. It’s the only way to shock people she’s got left.
Just putting in my two cents:
While Miley misused the word rascism, she’s 100% correct. (Never thought I’dput “Miley” and “correct” in the same sentence lol!!!!!!) I’ve been volunteering at an animal rescue for several years now and have fostered many pits/ pit mixes in my home. They’ve been abused, set on fire, starved, beaten and left for dead and still remain loving, friendly and eager to please. Yes, statistically pits are more aggressive, but most pits are raised in the ring, so of course the rates will be high. If labs were used as fighting dogs, they would have the highest attack rates. Just saying!
They’re also killed because vapid superstars make pets of them without understanding ANY of the obligations that come with pet ownership, PERIOD, much less risky, high-maintenance breeds that need special attention. Then their brain-damaged fans think it’s a cool idea, so THEY go out and get a dog to pay attention to for about a week.
It’s true that shameful, evil human behavior has made this breed what it is today. Those who give pitbulls a home – a TRUE home where they’re a member of the family, not a fighter or an accessory for wannabe gangstas – are angels. But pretending the issues don’t exist doesn’t solve them.
PS.. someone get Jeff Beacher a WetWipe. DAMN, girl, can’t you keep that thing in your mouth for five minutes, PLEASE? As a trademark, it’s DONE.
Why can’t there be laws punishing anyone who hurts or abandons a companion animal? Training them to be vicious and unadoptable would fall into this category, of course.
Semi-related. Mostly I just have to rant:
Yesterday we took our dogs for a walk at the park (on their leashes), and encountered a family who was traveling with THREE (3!) loose dogs. Their three un-leashed terriers/mutts/whathaveyou charged at my 2 leashed dogs (a boxer and a mutt), yet the melee was somehow our fault because we have “a pit bull.” It doesn’t EVEN matter that he’s not a pit bull. We were on leashes; we were in the right. But when I explained that he was a boxer, the douchebag dad said, “Well, that’s still a bully breed.” Breed is not the issue, and we weren’t the ones breaking the law! Fortunately no one got hurt, but lord I was so angry.
My boxer wouldn’t hurt a fly, but when a snappy, barking Jack Russell Terrier charges at him? I don’t know how he’ll react. I don’t know how I would react!
There are leash laws in effect to protect you, to protect me, to protect the animals, and to protect the property. OBEY THEM.
As far as Miley goes, the only thing I appreciate about her is her love of animals.
It is a joy to behold just how stupid this kid is.
there’s no way I can read all the comments today after what’s been happening in my life due to a dog attack. but I will say, I have a pitbull and she is the absolute sweetest dog ever. When I was pregnant, she was the only one who wouldn’t walk all over me and she is so gentle with my kids. I have two other dogs too, including a golden retriever, which are known to be some of the gentlest dogs around, but none as great with my kids as my pit. I didn’t choose to get a pitbull, but rescued her as a tiny puppy on our doorstep. I’m so happy I did.for one thing, it taught me how stupid breed specific legislation is.
and yet, my daughter was attack by two loose dogs in the neighborhood. She literally did nothing but walk into the yard and they just went after her, on our own property. It cant be chalked up to “misreading cues”. It was 100% unprovoked and out of the blue. apparently the dogs have never bitten anyone before and the owners are swearing that she must have provoked them because it’s so out of character, but she did not. I’m grudgingly coming to accept that sometimes dogs do act out of character and attack for no reason. I’ve always thought someone probably did something to the dog or just didn’t know the dog was scared or anxious. .until that experience, I always chalk it up to the person provoking the dog somehow, but that was absolutely not the case here. It’s so bizarre and disconcerting. most dogs would never attack, but sometimes they do. and when they do, the big ones do a lot more damage.
The thing is there are many other breeds that have the potential to be equally dangerous and protective. German shepherds are amazing dogs, but I heave known 8 different people in my life that have been attacked by them (strangers to the dog and family to the dog). So I have always viewed them as a breed that needs a very specific kind of owner and been cautious when I’m around them. Yet I do have a friend with a one that is the definition of laid back that I have no qualms about snuggling right up w/. I mean they are trained as police dogs! It’s the dog fighting that makes people view pits as the most dangerous when that simply isn’t the case. (Also know that I am a strong believer that a dog’s breed can also sometimes have no impact on its personality. I met a highly aggressive golden retriever in my old neighborhood and was so stunned because I just had the mind set that all Goldens were easy going. That reminded me that you can never ever judge a dog by its label, every dog has it’s own personality!) Also, adopt don’t shop! (Sorry I always have to end w that when animals are discussed. Love reading all the people talking about rescues on here!)
I think it was inappropriate for Miley to label people’s dog preferences as “true racism” as if the kind experienced by certain groups of humans isn’t actually real. Dogs, however cute they may be are not people. They’ve never experienced mass treatment of Native Americans or African-Americans. She should’ve chosen other words to describe what she feels is the plight of these dogs.
Bad dog behaviors including unprovoked attacks, mailings, and death occurred long before so called gangster culture. Not that it matters but southerners have been breeding dogs, chickens, and God knows what else for fighting for a few centuries now..a trained vicious dog isn’t a family member, it’s a weapon.
Pitbulls are unpredictable. They can attack people even if they are unprovoked, even their owners. It’s not their fault though. They were bred and trained that way by humans. I understand why they want to put down that “breed” but it’s not their fault why they behave like that. Afterall, there are other breeds known for their viciousness and animals that are dangerous like sharks and bears but they don’t get a bad rap from society like pitbulls. They should go after irresponsible breeders and people who train dogs for fighting.
My uncle owns a pitbull. She was rescued from dog fighting ring. She’s actually quiet and I have never seen her act aggressively. Even then, I’m still scared of the dog. I understand what Miley means by “racism” against dog breeds but there should be an appropriate word for that.
As a dog lover, I don’t want to get into the controversy. One thing does pop out though. I quote from this article, “Here’s Miley with club owner Jeff Beacher. She puts her tongue all over everything.”
Dogs put their tongues all over everything too! 🙂