IT'S A PITTY PARTY: Pit bulldogs not aggressive, say dog trainer, owners

Feb. 2—In January 2001, two pit bulldogs killed Diane Whipple of San Francisco as she was trying to enter her apartment. As a consequence, pit bulls were banned in the city, and criminal charges of murder were filed against the owners of the dogs.

Back in the 1980s, the city of Tahlequah banned these dogs within the city limits. But over the years, that ordinance fell by the wayside, as owners rallied to change the animal's image.

A study by the personal injury law firm Bisnar Chase examined the debate about the safety of the breed. Three thousand people were surveyed and asked about personal encounters, and to identify the breed Oklahomans found to be the least trustworthy.

Pit bulls topped the list, but according to the report, advocates argue that pit bulls can be among the most loyal and affectionate breeds.

Ryleigh Scroggins has a 14 — year-old pit bull named Moose and thinks the biggest issue with prejudice against the breed is misinformation.

"There are so many myths spread about the breed. The one that irritates me the most is when people say that bulldogs have lock jaw," Scroggins said. "Another issue would be handling. That doesn't go just for bulldogs, but any breed."

Scroggins said people are quick to acquire a dog, yet they may know nothing about basic training and handling.

"In my eyes, that sets up any dog for failure. These animals don't just turn on you for no reason. Any dog who has experienced neglect or abuse is likely to act out," Scroggins said. "I will stand for this breed until my last breath."

Moose was found in a parking lot when he was 4 weeks old — too young to be away from his mother, Scroggins said.

"Moose has been well-trained and in his 14 years has never bitten, or attacked, a single person. When I tell you I did the bare minimum with this dog, I did. He learned his basic commands at about 1 year-old in about three to five hours. It doesn't take a lot to learn basic training for an animal," Scroggins said.

Gracie Rich, owner of All Paws On Deck, trains dogs in basic commands like sit, down, leash training, getting the dog socialized, and potty training.

"I've worked with pit bulls. I like them and have been a huge advocate for them, because they are a misunderstood breed, and just because of the fighting rings they've been characterized as a mean dog, but they aren't," Rich said.

Rich researched what happened to Whipple and learned the dogs that attacked the woman were from a fighting pit.

"The owner was [a man] who wanted to [get in with a gang] and wanted to create a dog-fighting ring. Those dogs got out and attacked the neighbor. So they were going to be hyper-aggressive because he was training them that way," Rich said.

Pit bulls aren't naturally aggressive; they have to be taught to be aggressive, Rich said.

"All the pit bulls I've worked with have been super-sweet, goofy dogs that want to please you," Rich said.

The people who train the dogs to fight use certain techniques to make them super-aggressive, and the animals are frightened and on edge. Then the handlers take advantage of that, Rich said.

"The atmosphere at the crowd around them definitely affects the dogs, and they get overwhelmed, overstimulated, and of course have owners egging them on," Rich said. "And they have another aggressive dog in front of them and they are going to go into survival mode — both of the dogs are."

Pit bulls need proper socialization, as does any dog, Rich said.

"If you are able to get the dog at a young age, you introduce the dog to the world around them slowly, introduce it to new people or dogs and just teach them everything is OK, and be kind to them," Rich said.

Vicky Green, code enforcement officer with the city of Tahlequah Animal Control department, explained the process of a dog being banned in Tahlequah.

"We operate under state statutes and city ordinances. Animal control, police and code officers deem if a dog is vicious. A dog that bites a human is banned from the city limits. A dog that mauls another animal is banned from city limits," Green said.

Green said any dog has the potential to bite, and bites can occur over food, territory, being intact (not neutered), or having a female in the area that is in heat.

"Leaving a dog tied up or caged for long periods of time decreases the options to socialize with humans and other canines. Talk to local vets and learn as much as you can about your breed of dog," Green said. "For example, a heeler is a work dog. If you don't work a heeler, it is possible [aggression] can occur."

Green related an incident with an intact pit bull on which the department received a call. The animal was highly reactive to the officer's presence.

"The owner was unable to care for the dog due to an arrest. Yes, this dog would have bitten us if given the chance, or so we believed. The canine was territorial and unsocial," Green said.

The officers did their due diligence to ensure the arrested party was, in fact, the owner.

"Long story short, the dog was stolen and had a loving pet owner. The minute the dog saw his owner, he was no longer aggressive. In fact, he rolled over for everyone to pet," Green said.

Unfortunately, Green said, the dog was not allowed to stay in the city, as it was deemed vicious because the department did not want another opportunity for it to get loose again.

Dogs that made the list of aggressive types, along with pit bulls, were Rottweilers, wolf hybrids, bull mastiffs, German shepherds, Siberian huskies, Doberman pinschers, Alaskan malamutes, boxers and Akitas, in that order.