“An obedient and well behaved dog is a positive reflection of its owner” (“Responsible Pit Bull Ownership,” par.10). Although Ralph Mroz, a pit bull owner, speaks of aggression being a characteristic of pit bull breeds, he also says that they are consistently nice and affectionate with the right person (Mroz, par.7). “The stories you hear of pit bulls attacking people or children are almost always because they were mistreated or trained to be vicious…” (Mroz, par.6). “ In fact pits were called the nanny dog back then because they were so tolerant and trusted with children” (Mroz, par.2). Irresponsible pit bull owners let their dog’s aggression build over time (Macready, par.2). Dog bites should always be reported, because the behavior is presumed to be repeated (“What’s Your Liability,” par.13). Regulations that have been passed about pit bulls can easily be the result of one irresponsible owner (“Responsible Pit Bull Ownership,” par.6). One should not handle an agitated dog improperly. Improper ways of handling an agitated dog are stroking their head, making eye contact, and pestering them in any way. A reflection of poor ownership is breeding pit bulls. Due to their bad reputation and certain aggression triggers, pits should only be breed by people who are certified to. Studies have shown that a dog is more likely to bite if they are an outside dog, they are not fixed, …show more content…
One precaution that can be taken is giving a pit bull tests to see how the pit reacts to them. A few tests that can be given are ;watching a dog’s reaction when approaching their kennel, holding their muzzle, and bringing them around other dogs (Mroz, par.4). While conducting these tests,”Take aggression seriously. Incidents often start small and escalate as the dog becomes more comfortable and secure in his behavior” (“What’s Your Liability,” par.12). A very stressed issue in the pit bull community is adherence to leash laws. Responsible ownership includes obeying the leash laws and teaching others how to interact with one’s dog (“Responsible Pit Bull Ownership,” par.11). “Accidents or animal bites are greatly reduced when responsible pet owners obey the leash law” (“Responsible Pit Bull Ownership,” par.10). “Many dog bite injuries occur when dogs are off leash and off their own property, says Jill Kessler-Miller of Pacific Palisades, Calif, a trainer and expert witness in dog bite cases” (What’s Your Liability,” par.8). Claims have been made that dog bites are preventable if one walks their dog on a four to six foot range leash, does not let people or dogs go near their pet without permission, and pays attention (“What’s Your Liability,” par.12). “Never allow your pit bull to roam freely, always walk your pit bull on a leash, always supervise your pit bull with other animals, never keep your pit bull