Hero dogs

[mzteris]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdY9Z5ub9xw


********

Pitbull saves 30 people 29 dogs, 13 horses and a cat during a flood in Southern California. A Pit Bull named Bogart saved a four-year-old child from drowning in a swimming pool in Florida. Dixie, the Pit Bull, was inducted into the Georgia Animal Hall of Fame after she saved some children from a Cottonmouth snake.


Pit Bulls are one of the most stable people-friendly dogs in existence. The National Canine Temperament Testing Association tested 122 breeds, and Pit Bulls placed the 4th highest with a 95% passing rate!

Pit Bulls serve as therapy/service dogs. The Chako Rescue Association has Pit Bull therapy dogs in Texas, Utah and California. Helen Keller even had a Pit Bull as her canine companion and helper. Cheyenne and Dakota are a team of hard-working Search-and-Rescue Pit Bulls in Sacramento, California. They play an important role in their community by locating missing people in conjunction with the local Sheriff. In their off-duty hours, they do charity work as therapy dogs.

http://www.austinlostpets.com/kidskorner/2October/pitbull.htm

******

http://understand-a-bull.com/HeroicPitties/HeroicPitties.htm


******

[SPKrazy]

1. Okay, this is an embarrassing story

when I was 19, and drinking a lot--I was working for this oilfield construction company during the summer. I ended up staying in a trailer on the owner's land the last few weeks i was there.

I passed out in his field and when I woke up the owner's pit bull was there guarding me from harm. He was a good dog.

I'll admit I'm not a pit bull fan and they tend to make me nervous because people don't always treat them well as in wanting them to be mean or protective.

But that one is/was my hero dog. There were snakes, and who knows what in that field, and he protected me in my time when I was out of it.

:shrug:

:hi:

[S n o w b a l l]

3. Shouldn't be embarrassing...

that's a really sweet story.

:hi:

:hug:

[SPKrazy]

25. thanks

just passing out in a field, well, that was then. I've passed out in plenty of places that were equally embarrassing, or rather uncomfortable to deal with.

:hug:

[VespertineIconoclast]

2. Thanks for the video link.

I find it saddening sometimes how some can damn an entire breed when not all dogs of the breed are bad.

[DS1]

4. I'd like to see proof that the "National Canine Temperament Testing Association" exists

I see it quoted a lot in pro-pitt arguments, but I can't find any evidence of this organization actually existing. I'm beginning to suspect it's just another oft-repeated lie which sounds good.

:shrug:

[dropkickpa]

7. Google

It's American Temperment Test Society, Inc. http://www.atts.org/index.html

[DS1]

8. Heh. According to that site, Pitt Bulls scored an 84.5%

which is quite a bit below 95% and WWWAAAAY OFF from 4th place.

It does beat a Chihauha, at 71.4%, but those things are nasty little shits anyway.

[Tyler Durden]

11. My Pembroke Corgis scored 78 to a Rottie's 82,

Now tell me I have to have my purebred dogs neutered and I can only own one of them, etcetera.

Boushwa, if I may put it politely.

[DS1]

12. You were the one trying to pass off the floater that Labs scored lower than Pits

I think I'll skip you altogether.

[Tyler Durden]

13. If you will recall, I said GOLDEN RETREIVER...

Which comes in at a fast 83.5, more than my Corgis but less than a Pit.

Weren't you gone for a while? If I'm not mistaken about that, aren't you back for a fairly short time to pass bad info AND be snotty about it.

Apologies accepted.

[dropkickpa]

14. I have no idea where the

95% comes from, no one sites the source. If you read the site, that (83.9) is the percentage of APBT and AMStaffs that received TT certification, NOT in comparison to other breeds. In breeds that exceeded 83.9% (AmStaff's pass percent) only mix breed (no notation of WHAT the mix is), labs and Bouviers come close to the number of animals tested. And a trend I noticed was that, the more animals tested, the lower the pass percent. Beyond the mix breed, lab, boxer, and bouvier, NO breed in which 300 or more dogs were tested had a higher percent than AmStaff or APBT.

As of Dec 2006, the average pass percentage for ALL breeds and dogs combined was 81.5%. AmStaff had a pass percentage of 83.9% and APBT was 84.1%, above the total average.


Here goes all breeds tested (213)
Breed Name Tested Pass Fail Percent
AFGHAN HOUND 161 116 45 72.0%
AIREDALE TERRIER 98 75 23 76.5%
AKBASH DOG 14 12 2 85.7%
AKITA 447 329 118 73.6%
ALAPAHA BLUE BLOOD BULLDOG 6 4 2 66.7%
ALASKAN MALAMUTE 187 158 29 84.5%
AMERICAN BULLDOG 136 113 23 83.1%
AMERICAN ESKIMO 78 65 13 83.3%
AMERICAN FOXHOUND 2 2 0 100.0%
AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER 542 456 86 84.1%
AMERICAN STAFFORDSHIRE TERRIER 521 437 84 83.9%
AMERICAN TUNNEL TERRIER 2 2 0 100.0%
AMERICAN WATER SPANIEL 6 5 1 83.3%
ANATOLIAN SHEPHERD DOG 26 21 5 80.8%
AUSTRALIAN CATTLE DOG 162 127 35 78.4%
AUSTRALIAN KELPIE 6 5 1 83.3%
AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD 571 461 110 80.7%
AUSTRALIAN TERRIER 16 13 3 81.3%
AZAWAKH 1 1 0 100.0%
BASENJI 159 106 53 66.7%
BASSET HOUND 33 28 5 84.8%
BEAGLE 59 47 12 79.7%
BEARDED COLLIE 45 24 21 53.3%
BEAUCERON 11 8 3 72.7%
BEDLINGTON TERRIER 19 18 1 94.7%
BELGIAN LAEKENOIS 4 4 0 100.0%
BELGIAN MALINOIS 214 194 20 90.7%
BELGIAN SHEEPDOG 457 364 93 79.6%
BELGIAN TERVUREN 417 324 93 77.7%
BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOG 159 137 22 86.2%
BICHON FRISE 27 21 6 77.8%
BLACK AND TAN COONHOUND 13 13 0 100.0%
BLACK RUSSIAN TERRIER 12 10 2 83.3%
BLOODHOUND 32 23 9 71.9%
BLUETICK COONHOUND 1 1 0 100.0%
BOERBOEL 7 7 0 100.0%
BOLOGNESE 1 1 0 100.0%
BORDER COLLIE 230 184 46 80.0%
BORDER TERRIER 100 90 10 90.0%
BORZOI 98 87 11 88.8%
BOSTON TERRIER 60 52 8 86.7%
BOUVIER DES FLANDERS 848 716 132 84.4%
BOXER 368 311 57 84.5%
BOYKIN SPANIEL 1 1 0 100.0%
BRIARD 319 261 58 81.8%
BRITTANY SPANIEL 108 98 10 90.7%
BRUSSELS GRIFFON 11 10 1 90.9%
BULL TERRIER 59 54 5 91.5%
BULLDOG 125 86 39 68.8%
BULLMASTIFF 110 84 26 76.4%
CAIRN TERRIER 45 32 13 71.1%
CANAAN DOG 4 3 1 75.0%
CANE CORSO 68 53 15 77.9%
CAO DE FILA DE SAO MIGUEL 2 1 1 50.0%
CARDIGAN WELSH CORGI 59 45 14 76.3%
CAROLINA DOG 2 2 0 100.0%
CATAHOULA LEOPARD DOG 9 7 2 77.8%
CAUCASIAN OVCHARKA 4 4 0 100.0%
CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL 45 36 9 80.0%
CENTRAL ASIAN SHEPHERD 8 7 1 87.5%
CHART POLSKI 1 1 0 100.0%
CHESAPEAKE BAY RETRIEVER 97 83 14 85.6%
CHIHUAHUA 35 25 10 71.4%
CHINESE CRESTED DOG 31 23 8 74.2%
CHINESE SHAR-PEI 204 143 61 70.1%
CHINOOK 8 6 2 75.0%
CHOW CHOW 89 62 27 69.7%
CLUMBER SPANIEL 12 10 2 83.3%
COCKER SPANIEL 219 179 40 81.7%
COLLIE 811 642 169 79.2%
CURLY-COATED RETRIEVER 168 153 15 91.1%
DACHSHUND (MINIATURE LONGHAIRED)22 19 3 86.4%
DACHSHUND (MINIATURE SMOOTH) 26 20 6 76.9%
DACHSHUND (MINIATURE WIREHAIRED)21 17 4 81.0%
DACHSHUND (STANDARD LONGHAIRED) 31 22 9 71.0%
DACHSHUND (STANDARD SMOOTH) 42 28 14 66.7%
DACHSHUND (STANDARD WIREHAIRED) 24 20 4 83.3%
DALMATIAN 315 258 57 81.9%
DANDIE DINMONT TERRIER 7 5 2 71.4%
DOBERMAN PINSCHER 1452 1,115 337 76.8%
DOGO ARGENTINO 10 9 1 90.0%
DOGO CANARIO 2 2 0 100.0%
DOGUE DE BORDEAUX 64 46 18 71.9%
DUTCH SHEPHERD 7 7 0 100.0%
ENGLISH COCKER SPANIEL 59 55 4 93.2%
ENGLISH FOXHOUND 3 2 1 66.7%
ENGLISH JACK RUSSELL TERRIER 2 2 0 100.0%
ENGLISH SETTER 19 14 5 73.7%
ENGLISH SHEPERD 5 5 0 100.0%
ENGLISH SPRINGER SPANIEL 141 119 22 84.4%
ESTRELA MOUNTAIN DOG 1 1 0 100.0%
FIELD SPANIEL 7 5 2 71.4%
FILA BRASILEIRO 12 9 3 75.0%
FINNISH LAPPHUND 6 4 2 66.7%
FINNISH SPITZ 10 7 3 70.0%
FLAT-COATED RETRIEVER 83 76 7 91.6%
FRENCH BULLDOG 19 18 1 94.7%
GERMAN PINSCHER 6 5 1 83.3%
GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG 2,833 2,361 472 83.3%
GERMAN SHORTHAIRED POINTER 120 92 28 76.7%
GERMAN WIREHAIRED POINTER 17 14 3 82.4%
GIANT SCHNAUZER 236 176 60 74.6%
GOLDEN RETRIEVER 687 576 111 83.8%
GORDON SETTER 64 53 11 82.8%
GREAT DANE 256 202 54 78.9%
GREAT PYRENEES 132 111 21 84.1%
GREATER SWISS MOUNTAIN DOG 207 164 43 79.2%
GREYHOUND 58 47 11 81.0%
HAVANESE 5 5 0 100.0%
HOVAWART 14 13 1 92.9%
IBIZAN HOUND 31 28 3 90.3%
ICELANDIC SHEEPDOG 1 1 0 100.0%
IRISH SETTER 136 123 13 90.4%
IRISH TERRIER 10 8 2 80.0%
IRISH WATER SPANIEL 27 24 3 88.9%
IRISH WOLFHOUND 92 82 10 89.1%
ITALIAN GREYHOUND 39 30 9 76.9%
JACK RUSSELL TERRIER 54 44 10 81.5%
JAPANESE CHIN 4 4 0 100.0%
KARELIAN BEAR DOG 2 2 0 100.0%
KEESHOND 81 65 16 80.2%
KERRY BLUE TERRIER 49 36 13 73.5%
KOMONDOR 7 6 1 85.7%
KOREAN JINDO 1 1 0 100.0%
KUVASZ 40 31 9 77.5%
LABRADOR RETRIEVER 686 628 58 91.5%
LAKELAND TERRIER 5 3 2 60.0%
LEONBERGER 16 15 1 93.8%
LHASA APSO 26 18 8 69.2%
LOWCHEN 12 9 3 75.0%
LURCHER 5 5 0 100.0%
MALTESE 12 10 2 83.3%
MANCHESTER TERRIER 47 41 6 87.2%
MASTIFF 152 129 23 84.9%
MINIATURE BULL TERRIER 7 7 0 100.0%
MINIATURE PINSCHER 52 42 10 80.8%
MINIATURE POODLE 64 49 15 76.6%
MINIATURE SCHNAUZER 103 81 22 78.6%
MIXED BREED 766 656 110 85.6%
NEAPOLITAN MASTIFF 11 6 5 54.5%
NEWFOUNDLAND 169 147 22 87.0%
NORFOLK TERRIER 12 11 1 91.7%
NORWEGIAN ELKHOUND 121 90 31 74.4%
NORWICH TERRIER 13 9 4 69.2%
NOVA SCOTIA DUCK TOLLING RET. 13 8 5 61.5%
OLD ENGLISH BULL DOGGE 2 2 0 100.0%
OLD ENGLISH SHEEPDOG 45 35 10 77.8%
OTTERHOUND 10 7 3 70.0%
PAPILLON 79 63 16 79.7%
PARSON RUSSELL TERRIER 2 2 0 100.0%
PEKINGESE 14 13 1 92.9%
PEMBROKE WELSH CORGI 182 142 40 78.0%
PETIT BASSET GRIFFON VENDEEN 9 8 1 88.9%
PHARAOH HOUND 52 42 10 80.8%
POINTER 17 15 2 88.2%
POLSKI OWCZAREK NIZINNY 10 5 5 50.0%
POMERANIAN 32 24 8 75.0%
PORTUGUESE WATER DOG 146 113 33 77.4%
PRESA CANARIO 14 13 1 92.9%
PUG 40 36 4 90.0%
PULI 23 21 2 91.3%
PUNGSAN 2 2 0 100.0%
RAT TERRIER 12 10 2 83.3%
REDBONE COONHOUND 5 5 0 100.0%
RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK 271 217 54 80.1%
ROTTWEILER 4744 3,923 821 82.7%
RUSSO - EUROPEAN LAIKA 2 2 0 100.0%
SAINT BERNARD 42 35 7 83.3%
SALUKI 61 42 19 68.9%
SAMOYED 273 215 58 78.8%
SCHIPPERKE 106 97 9 91.5%
SCOTTISH DEERHOUND 31 28 3 90.3%
SCOTTISH TERRIER 33 21 12 63.6%
SEALYHAM TERRIER 1 1 0 100.0%
SHETLAND SHEEPDOG 471 317 154 67.3%
SHIBA INU 23 15 8 65.2%
SHIH TZU 39 30 9 76.9%
SHILOH SHEPHERD 21 18 3 85.7%
SIBERIAN HUSKY 280 243 37 86.8%
SILKY TERRIER 18 13 5 72.2%
SKYE TERRIER 8 3 5 37.5%
SLOUGHI 1 1 0 100.0%
SMOOTH FOX TERRIER 52 39 13 75.0%
SOFT COATED WHEATEN TERRIER 35 25 10 71.4%
SPINONE ITALIANO 5 2 3 40.0%
STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIER 61 52 9 85.2%
STANDARD POODLE 217 186 31 85.7%
STANDARD SCHNAUZER 56 37 19 66.1%
SUSSEX SPANIEL 3 3 0 100.0%
SWEDISH VALLHUND 1 1 0 100.0%
TEXAS HEELER 1 1 0 100.0%
TIBETAN KYAPSO 1 1 0 100.0%
TIBETAN MASTIFF 13 5 8 38.5%
TIBETAN SPANIEL 11 10 1 90.9%
TIBETAN TERRIER 11 6 5 54.5%
TOSA 3 3 0 100.0%
TOY FOX TERRIER 8 6 2 75.0%
TOY MANCHESTER TERRIER 13 12 1 92.3%
TOY POODLE 49 40 9 81.6%
TREEING FEIST 1 1 0 100.0%
TREEING WALKER COONHOUND 8 5 3 62.5%
VIZSLA 46 38 8 82.6%
WEIMARANER 206 164 42 79.6%
WELSH SHEEPDOG 1 1 0 100.0%
WELSH SPRINGER SPANIEL 5 5 0 100.0%
WELSH TERRIER 36 28 8 77.8%
WEST HIGHLAND WHITE TERRIER 53 46 7 86.8%
WHIPPET 182 154 28 84.6%
WHITE SHEPHERD 3 3 0 100.0%
WIRE FOX TERRIER 18 15 3 83.3%
XOLOITZCUINTLI 3 3 0 100.0%
YORKSHIRE TERRIER 37 30 7 81.1%
YUGOSLAVIAN TRICOLOR HOUND 1 1 0 100.0%

TOTALS 27,162 22,138 5,024 81.5%

[SPKrazy]

16. Wow,

that's an amazing list

:thumbsup:

[Gormy Cuss]

21. Thanks for doing the legwork on comparative pass rates.

First, there are many breeds with only a handful of observations and to generalize those results to the breed is just plain dumb, especially the breeds where only one was tested. Second, the test statistics for all other breeds are based on tests that appear to be voluntary and for a minimal fee. Both of those conditions may render the results of limited value because it is hard to gauge whether the tested animals are representative of the population overall or whether they are disproportionately representing the best of breed.

What does hold up even when eliminating all breeds with fewer than 200 observations is that the pit bulls tested weren't noticeably different in pass rates than the tested dogs from other breeds with many observations. Of the 11 breeds with more than 500 observations, the labs did best (91.5%) and dobies the worst (76.8%) but most had very similar pass rates at 83-85.%

[dropkickpa]

31. Precisely

Not much difference. The biggest difference is in the people that own the dogs, which, in unregistered bully's, tends to NOT be responsible people because of the extreme popularity and irresponsibilty of backyard and fighting breeders. Demonization of the breed in the media and perpetration of myths (can't feel pain, locking jaw, etc etc) has led to a horrific trend in the amount and level of abuse of these breeds. I worked in an urban shelter and I still occasionally have nightmares about what I saw brought in on a near daily basis, the things people did to these dogs because they somehow don't rate the regard for life that other breeds have. And very few people ever held responsible, and even then it's a slap on the wrist.

[Tyler Durden]

22. His motives are questionable.

Accused me of "floating" an inaccuracy: basically, a lie.

This is a person who got "tombstoned" in the past. To me they appear to be headed down the same path.

[mzteris]

18. tests are run -

it appears - annually. Maybe the stats quoted are from an earlier year than the website currently shows, eh?

[mzteris]

17. I suspect whoever first started using the quotes

got confused with this organization: The American Temperament Test Society, Inc.

http://www.atts.org/temperament.html


The American Temperament Test Society, Inc. (ATTS) is a national not-for-profit organization (registered in the state of Missouri) for the promotion of uniform temperament evaluation of purebred and spayed/neutered mixed-breed dogs.

ATTS was established to:

Provide for a uniform national program of temperament testing of purebred and spayed/neutered mixed-breed dogs.

Conduct seminars to disseminate information to dog owners, dog breeders and evaluators (testers) concerning dog psychology, motivation, reaction and other aspects of temperament testing.

Recognize and award certificates to dogs that pass the requirements of the temperament evaluation.

Work for the betterment of all breeds of dogs.

Select, train, prepare and register temperament evaluators.

[philosophie_en_rose]

5. There is a healthy family and/or job for every dog.

Too many damned idiots with the wrong dog. (which for many is any dog at all).

[SPKrazy]

9. That's an interesting point

too many damned idiots with the wrong or any dog is soooo true

[dropkickpa]

15. Exactly!

If animal welfare laws were fully supported and enforced, I'd be willing to bet a huge chunk of money that the number of injuries from ALL dog bites would drop DRASTICALLY.

[BarenakedLady]

6. That was sweet

Got goosebumps watching that video. :cry:

[SPKrazy]

10. ...

:hug:


:hi:

[PeaceNikki]

19. K&R

Beautiful video despite the poor grammar and spelling.

Bully dogs rule.

[flvegan]

20. It's easier to buy into hysteria, play the role of sheep

and burn the breed at the stake.

Your behaviorist based science has no place here. Your experts don't count here. Please take your pitbull advocacy and apologist theory elsewhere.

:sarcasm:

[Tyler Durden]

23. Almost didn't catch the sarcasm!

You know, sometimes I like dogs much better than people.

Make that most times.

[SPKrazy]

24. Bwahahahaha!

science has no place in the real world, yes, this is true.

:sarcasm:

[LeftyMom]

26. Would this be a bad time to mention that your dogs tried to kill me?

Damn near licked me to death, they did. :scared:

[flvegan]

27. It would be, thanks.

If "Stolen, Stolen, Stolen and Stolen" were out to get you...

Last I checked, you liked the licking...nevermind.

[LeftyMom]

28. How did I know you would go there?

Oh wait, I think it's because we've met. :eyes:

How's my baby girl?

[flvegan]

29. She's great.

Wanna know what's funny about her? She is easily the smartest dog we've got.

[LeftyMom]

30. Good, she'll make up for Trinity.

I love Trin, but she's not the sharpest knife in the drawer. ;)

[WildEyedLiberal]

32. Nice dog

What's with all the pitbull advocacy links, though? It's a breed of dog. Some of them are great and even heroic, like the dog in the OP. Some probably bite people. I think it's a mistake for people to pretend that they're all vicious killers, but that means it's also a mistake to assume that they're all well-behaved angels without an aggressive bone in their body. As with people, it's usually a mistake to generalize behavior based on a catergorical group identity, and I find attempts to do so usually rely more on biased emotional reactions rather than "fact."

[mzteris]

33. just trying to point out

that not all pb's are "vicious attack dog killers", ya know?

Each dog, like each person, is an individual.

The main difference is, people are responsible for themselves - and people are responsible for the behaviour of their pets (generally speaking.)

In the words of Caesar Milan - "there is no such thing as bad dog. There are only bad owners."

And of course, maybe it's not the CURRENT owner who is at fault, but possibly a previous owner.

[Tyler Durden]

34. Countering the "KILL THE BAD BREED OF DOG" lobby.

Hey, my purebred Pembroke Corgis are smart, devious and stubborn but if I had a choice of who to save from drowning, Vinnie



or Bush...well, you get the picture.

[havocmom]

35. Would rather have a dog like I have (golden retriever) or like the one who showed up for my sister:

KARELIAN BEAR DOG tested: 2 passed: 2 failed: 0 100.0%

Sure, not a lot tested, but one helluva dog. Loyal, independent problem solver, strong, tough, pretty damned serious about family. It is a great breed. If/when I move back to mountains (and bears) I aim to add a Karelian or two to the family unit.

Pit Bulls? Too many bad people breeding them for the wrong reason = badly bred dogs = gene pool fucked

Sadly, some favorite breeds, like my beloved Retriever clans, have also been over bred by greedy people. That generally makes for a bad situation down the line.