My dangerous encounters with pit bulldogs

Pit Bull Lovers Be Ware

I was walking in a local park today and saw what I consider to be a most ugly sight. I am used to seeing pet owners walking what family-friendly dogs, but on this occasion, I noticed two women and a man who were attempting to walk pit bulls.

The dogs were actually dragging the owners, and I wondered why they brought these beasts to a park when they could not handle them. The canines were huge and imposing, and I cannot imagine anyone considering such an animal as a pet.

I can hear pit owners cursing me and attempting to convince someone that their dogs are friendly, but my personal experiences trump anything anyone can tell me.

When my middle grandson was 4, their other grandma owned a pit bull. He seemed friendly enough, but one day he bit my grandson on the face. It was explained away by saying the dog was old and in pain, and my grandson must have touched him where it hurt.

Shortly after this, an elderly woman in the church I attended was knocked over in her front yard by a neighbor's pit bull and dislocated her shoulder.

In 2017, Pit Bulls were said to be responsible for 98% of all human deaths caused by canines. The most recent study indicates the following regarding the deaths of people at the hands of dogs. This list is the top 5.

1. Pit bull 284 65.6%

Rottweiler 45 10.4%

German Shepherd 20 4.6%

Mixed-breed 17 3.9%

American Bulldog 15 3.5%

As I was walking in the park, I thought about the days of seeing pet owners with dogs that my grandchildren could stop and pet without fear. The canines would happily walk along beside their owners, and there were no problems.

This was a stark contrast to watching 3 adults pulling and tugging on leashes, and the animals on the other end not complying. Again in my opinion, pit bull dogs are very disobedient.

One day, I was walking to the local library, and when I was only a block away, a pit bull came running down a hill at me. I knew if I ran, it would overpower me, so I stood still and very loudly yelled, "Get back" 3 times.

I must have had divine intervention because the third time was like a charm. The dog fell before he could get to me, looked startled, and began running backwards up the hill as if something had frightened him.

My second encounter with a pit bull came a few months later. I was walking down the sidewalk near my house when a pit came running across the street. Again, I stood still and shouted "Get back".

The dog stopped in the middle of the street and did not come near the sidewalk so again the angels must have been watching me. It continued narking and snarking and eventually the owner came out of the house and called his dog 3 times.

The animal did not obey but continued to stand in the street and bark at me. Finally, on the 4th call from his owner, he went back home.

My next incident happened a few years later as I was taking a morning walk in a neighborhood we had just moved to. A pit bull ran out of his front door and into the street, barking at me as I walked on the opposite side.

This time I continued walking slowly as I told the dog to get back. The owner came out and called the dog 3 times before he obeyed. Neither owner apologized to me, which was infuriating. I have had family members tell me the problem is not the dogs but the owners. They say some owners breed the dogs to be killers.

There have been too many incidents of pit bulls killing strangers, children, and even their owner so I agree with those who say it is the breed. Experts say not to judge a dog by the breed, but what am I supposed to do when this breed is the one giving me the most trouble?

Experts also have suggestions on what to do if you are confronted by one of these animals. You should resist the impulse to scream and run away. Instead, remain motionless, and keep your hands near your sides.

They also say to avoid eye contact with the dog and that once he loses interest, you can slowly back away until the animal is out of sight. If the dog does attack, it's best to feed it your purse, jacket, bicycle or anything that you can put between yourself and the dog.

I did not have anything that I could have put between myself and the dogs that came at me. I did stand still and I am not sure if I made eye contact. I have neighbors who have pit bulls, and they are always shouting at them because the dogs simply do not listen to them.

I will never understand why so many people continue to try to prove these dogs are non-violent with all the mounting evidence.