http://www.lawdogsusa.org/SecretWeapon.html

Thanks for the link. I really liked reading it and forwarded it to a few of my friends. I am a huge pit bull fan and like seeing anything that helps set the record straight. I thought the opening line was pretty funny too.

Is some of the info accurate though? Such as "Pit bulls would make a poor choice as a "patrol" dog trained to bite suspects. Pit bulls with correct temperament would much rather lick than bite, and most lack the "defensive drive" to guard."

I know they are a powerful, determined and very gamey breed. I have never owned one, but grew up w/them and if I move to another city might get one.

I can't believe government agencies pay that kind of money for 'green dogs' as mentioned on the site.

A good friend of my dad's was killed by a drug user strung out and looking for easy money. As a result, my dad and a few friends started a golf tournament to raise money for the local PD to buy DARE supplies and scent detection dogs. I can't remember where they bought the dogs from, but they started at 3,000.00 for trained dogs. I can't believe someone would pay 6k for a "green dog". That doesn't make sense to me at all. I'm glad this article is out there, but every Pit that's around me have all been extremely aggressive towards me, my kids, and my dog.

APBT's shouldn't have much or any defense drive, but there are breeders who have been able to retain defensive drive and stable temperament in their lines.

 Quote: alex corral

Thanks for the link. I really liked reading it and forwarded it to a few of my friends. I am a huge pit bull fan and like seeing anything that helps set the record straight. I thought the opening line was pretty funny too.

Is some of the info accurate though? Such as "Pit bulls would make a poor choice as a "patrol" dog trained to bite suspects. Pit bulls with correct temperament would much rather lick than bite, and most lack the "defensive drive" to guard."

Yes, the key here is PBs with correct temperments. Most reputable APBT breeders I have talked to will cull a dog that shows signs of being HA, they do not want HA being bred into there dogs, they take care to breed it out of their dogs. I cannot speak for the BYB that like to take an APBT and breed it with a mastiff or another guardian breed for the opposite result. As you see these bigger and bigger PBs - note I said PB as it is a slang term for the APBT, Am Staff, Staffy Bulls and American Bullies...all these dogs are classified as PBs. An APBT is generally small and athletic, it has endurance and agility...the bigger and more massive the dog gets it is less able to meet the APBT standard as a working breed, you get into the Am Staffs and now the American Bullies...The American Bullies are huge stocky dogs with massive heads...these are APBTs or Am Staffs crossed with something like Mastiff....I cannot speak to what the proper temperment for these dogs are, but I can for the APBT and the Am Staff.
I know they are a powerful, determined and very gamey breed.

The APBT was originally bred for their animal aggression, thus when you say gamey I am assuming that you are referring to the fact that they are always ready to engage with another animal...this I believe is true.

I have never owned one, but grew up w/them and if I move to another city might get one.

I can't believe government agencies pay that kind of money for 'green dogs' as mentioned on the site.

Mike -

When you have seen PBs are you with your dog? It may be the PB is reacting to your dog. Also when my APBT sees another person walking down the street, his head comes up and his ears stand straight up and he will start to whine and pull on the leash, until he gets a correction...and he is saying "ooohhhh come on over and rub my belly". Now I am not saying this about any other dog other than my own...but PBs do get excited when they see people...I would never trust a strange dog, and I would be very leery of a loose PB...they love to chase things and it is a dangerous situation.

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Val

I have been able to see both sides of PB's. When I was a kid, I used to stay at my grandma's house on the wknds. My uncle had 2 PB's. They were incredible dogs. Very obedient and friendly. SUPER ATHLETIC. I have also met people who had PB's chained up and were very aggressive towards people and other animals.

Then again, I have been chased by a rottie while looking for a part at a junkyard and earlier this year, at a conformation show, a GSD went after my Boxer but the owner was able to grab it and then proceeded to blame me for walking by their dog. WTF? Anyways, my grandfather in Mexico had 2 purebred GSD's who were amazing at herding his 70+ head of cattle, guarding his farm, but were very gentle with all his grandkids and visitors. I see each animal on a case by case basis.

all thou ilike pit bulls very much as abreed ido not like working with tham on search work.
main reasons:

the avrage pit bull that iknow of have abig problem to smell while he is colling himselfe by panting comparing to avrage gsds and mals somthing with they hiper ventelion panting is disterb tham to smell proparly amal and agsd need practice to learn how snif while pant but most pitbulls just cant especelly when its hot and in buildings.

ididnt found the proper balance between tendency to independence (for independence search with no eye contact with the handler) and tendecy to trainability (for directions) in long distance searches.

idid hade afew amstafs that was agood search dog all thou only one iknew hade excel in long distance search.
and ihade seen much more amsatfs and pits that failed to be agood search dog than rare ones who did.
and ido belive some years of develompment and alot of working pitbulls genarations and selcitve breeding in the breed might take out agreat working dog.
in my openion reson they dont is burried in the fact they where breed for so long for dog fights and not for security work like mals and gsds so idont think its fair to compare tham at this stage to gsds and mals.

maybe they allready did am not aware of that?
maybe our pitbulls here just not like the original in the usa??.
maybe ijust to use to malinois and gsds???.
or maybe thos dogsmans in this site do only short vechiles work so they are dont aware to thos facts?

iwhould love to hear some answers if you guys have tham.

sefi.s
israel

Sefi,

I have noticed that in general,the lines of APBTs that retain defense drive are far more independent than the APBT with the more correct temperament - which are generally very compliant and handler sensitive.

I can't comment much about working APBTs at a distance or tracking. I like to keep my dogs close to me with their noses in the air