United States | News & Politics

Depends on the context. I value my family considerably over possessions. Between my dog, a heavy object, and some basic self defence training, I should be fine to protect them.

It's worth noting that almost no criminals doing home robberies are armed with guns. Most don't even carry knives. It significantly racks up the charges, if caught. Also, our police, while lack luster for most break ins, won't be for an armed, aggressive robbery. I've seen their response for a simple gun sighting (it involved helicopters etc).

In summary, and order.

1. Nothing, since they likely target an empty house. (I also have home insurance)

2. Scare them off. They want a confrontation even less than I do.

3. Bug out. Then involve the police.

4. Roll the dice on a physical confrontation. I'd likely do better with a lump of wood, or a knife, than a gun, at least a close range.

I'm not looking to play hero. Things can be replaced, my life, family, and body can't be.

Pit bulls are domesticated animals selectively bred by humans. They are domestic canines and are, in fact, the same species as all other domestic canines, canis lupus familiaris. Is your claim that no canine is domesticated? Changing the meaning of words to try and make a point only makes your entire statement dubious.

There are so many stories of pitbulls being great and perfect companions until one day something sets them off (a new person, a smell, a movement) and they get laser-focused on attacking something or someone, ignoring every thing else around them. They are so strong and can easily overpower people.

I like dogs and I like pitbulls, but I would never adopt one.

I do agree that people should be more responsible, but I think that includes all dogs in general. I've seen plenty of dogs who don't listen to a thing their owners say when they get locked into something, pitbulls included. And there seems to have been a stereotype of your average pit owner being on the more irresponsible side.

This is anectodal, but my guy had a lot of issues with animals in the yard, he killed a few snakes and would damn near try to break out of the window if he saw a rabbit I'm the garden. We did a couple weeks with a dog trainer last year and now he still loses it at the rabbits in the garden, but it only takes one word to get him to stop barking and sit down. He'll whine at the window for an hour and wants to keep checking but he's more than under control. When he finds a snake in the yard he'll bark like crazy but won't go within 5 feet of it anymore unless it comes to close to one of us, and then still it only takes one word to get him to retreat.

On the flip side my neighbor has a big golden doodle (I think, it's of those generic family dogs) who is absolutely wonderful, off leash constantly and will always listen to her owner, her recall is phenomenal. Unless she gets locked on something, she hates squirrels and cats, and so far has unfortunately killed at least one squirrel and one of the neighborhood cats. I was out there when she got the cat and even for that sweet well behaved dog who "wpuldnt hurt a fly" there was absolutely no stopping her and when she was done with the cat she went into kill mode looking for something else,. She ended up biting her owner while he tried pin her down and get her in the house. But she's a good breed, so no one is worried about her.

I think the issues your laying out are valid, but not strictly to pits. If my neighbor had a pit instead of a golden doodle that pit would've been taken away and the neighbors would throw a fit. If I had a golden doodle it wouldn't be worth telling you about.