Pitbulls in the crosshairs: how to avoid aggression in this breed, according to experts

An 87-year-old woman died after being attacked by a pit bull dog. The attack took place when the lady tried to prevent the animal from biting her pet, a poodle. The incident occurred on Friday morning in the city of Realicó, in the province of La Pampa. The woman, named Hilda Griotti, had been admitted to a hospital in the city of General Pico, but died 24 hours after the attack.

So far, police authorities were unable to identify the owner of the pit bull that caused Griotti's death. “Evidence and evidence are embedded in the case. Let's see if they serve as a way to determine who owns it,” said Realicó Commissioner Leandro Ernst. And he added: “There are elements. And we summon anyone who knows something, to testify to the prosecutor or to the police station. It is also the commitment of society to provide identity. This is not something we work on every day. It's not easy to prove the possession of this dog now. It's a bit of commitment and solidarity.”

According to the same man in uniform, after the attack the dog was tied from a tree and died of suffocation, as he hung himself with his own rope in his attempt to break free. Meanwhile, the 87-year-old woman died on the same Saturday night, more than 24 hours after being attacked.

This new attack once again put on the table the dilemma of whether this breed is aggressive or whether the responsibility is exclusive to the upbringing of its guardian. Many owners of this type of dog indicate that they are no more or less dangerous than other dogs, and that their reputation is simply an exaggeration.

Myths and truths about pit bulls

Often, advocates of this breed and others classified as dangerous assure that aggressive behaviors are due to poor upbringing of the owners, and that with a good education the dog can be very gentle and affectionate. The detractors, for their part, say that there is no human power that manages to control the aggressive instincts of these races, and that it is best to sterilize them to prevent their procreation. But between the two positions there is a middle ground.

“Unfortunately, dog aggression continues to be a frequent news in newspapers, radio and television. It is sad that people still die from the attack of dogs that are often owned by relatives or neighbors. This, which can be prevented and avoided, shows, in addition to improper handling, the lack of responsibility and respect for others (people and animals) on the part of their owners,” veterinary physician Silvia Vai, specialist in clinical ethology, dogs and cats, explained to Infobae.

For Vai, it is “a breed with significant muscle mass and development of jaw and masticatory muscles”. “The lack of self-control in the individual can lead to significant injuries in another person (dog or person). Therefore, it is essential that dogs of this breed have good behavioral development and proper management throughout their lives, avoiding abuse that predisposes to fears, anxiety and aggressiveness,” added the specialist.

“The behavior of the dog depends on genetics, environment and learning, the latter two already have influence since the second stage of the animal's gestation and throughout the behavioral development, which extends until puberty. It is necessary to remember that, although their reactions sometimes surprise those who do not know how this species is communicated, the dog, with few exceptions, does not begin to bite overnight. To impose or defend itself, before biting, it emits many signals that indicate that it will finally do so if the conditions that generate the conflict continue”.

According to Dr. Juan Enrique Romero, a veterinarian, during the last 13 years there have been about 85 deaths in Argentina caused by dogs. However, he argues that it does not have to do with the breed of the animal but with the upbringing of its guardian. In addition, he adds that what matters is the size of the animal since a bite of a dog over 20 kilos is not the same as that caused by a smaller one.

“Temperament is what the crib dog brings and character is what we shape him. A pit bull or an Argentine bulldog has a bite power, sometimes, of 350 kilos force on every square centimeter. And it has bearing. So it's not the same as being bitten by a pit bull as being bitten by a poodle. But it may happen that a poodle is more aggressive than a pit bull depending on how it was raised,” the specialist told this media outlet.

For the doctor, the dog is not responsible, but his guardian is. “Blaming a dog's breed is like blaming a car running a red light on the car's brand and not its driver. The person responsible for driving the car is the man, the person responsible for the driving, the owner or guardian of a dog, it is always the man,” he added.

In this regard, Dr. Romero indicated that “the education of the animal is important, since it is not a problem of race but of structure”. “My best patients are pitbull or rottweiler because their guardians are responsible and they know that they have a large animal with great bite power and that is why they follow all the necessary steps so that their pet is well educated and can live without problems in society.”

Here are three basic steps that tutors should follow to educate pets:

1. Dismantle it after 60 days

Any of the animals (mongrel or breed) must be removed from the mother at least 60 days of age to allow the inhibition of the bite. “In many cases they tend to be removed much earlier,” Romero said.

2. Socialize it

Although many say that dogs should not be taken to the street before the age of four months, for Romero they can go in arms or in a backpack with their tutor. They don't need to be on the street floor. What is important is that, between two and four months, dogs are with their guardians and accompany them as much as possible.

3. Train him

Between 4 and 8 months of the dog, a stage called the “period of fears”, it is essential to teach him and put limits on the things that can be done and those that he should avoid.

Aggressive, dangerous or murderous, myths and prejudices about the pit bull breed have been around for a long time. The specialist is clear when he claims that any dog over 20 kilos becomes possibly dangerous if the guidelines of its breeding are ignored. “You have to avoid having a dog on impulse, adopting a dog is a family decision that has to be accompanied by a series of recommendations such as specifying the weaning in a timely manner, that you know the environment around it, and that there are things that you should be afraid of and caution,” he concluded.

KEEP READING: