Why does the news media report more on attacks by certain breeds?

[MagicM3]

I think we can all agree that the press has a h#%d on for Pits, it's too bad that positive stories don't end up in the news . Like lives they have saved, or therapy visits they have made (I know for a fact they make wonderful therapy dogs) etc.....

I do think that the press will always picksome breed to be the bad guy.

They have nothing to do with wether or not it is true or not.It just makes a story that gets people's attention and sells.

I wonder what the next breed will be????Because you all know there will be a next one.

Tricia and the fur kids

[ZooCrew]

I'm guessing A was big news b/c it was a person that was attacked, and by 2 dogs.

That website listed saddens me.  All these dogs misidentified as being pit bulls, when from the photos one can tell they are obviously not. But the media portrays them that way b/c pit bulls make news, not golden retrievers or labs.

[Miranda]

I'm guessing A was big news b/c it was a person that was attacked, and by 2 dogs.

A is the obvious answer, that's why I picked B. I think she's being sneaky

[ZooCrew]

I'm guessing A was big news b/c it was a person that was attacked, and by 2 dogs.



A is the obvious answer, that's why I picked B. I think she's being sneaky

LOL.......you're probably right.   

[enuffpaws]

Unfortunetly, I can see why people are afraid of pit bulls. Anyone who has ever seen footage of a pit fight would be horrified by the savagery displayed. What people don't understand is that the breed involved is the least important, as any dog in a kill or be killed scenerio would be equally savage. And the fact that these poor animals are twisted and tortured into that mindset makes no difference to the general public. And BSL will not make any difference to the people that made the breed's reputation. This is Hooch, the pit pup that I fostered this spring. He was one of the most intelligent and loving dogs that it has ever been my pleasure to have in my house



Stella

[brandon]

A would be my answer.  Although you see a lot more dog agression from certain breeds, that doesn't make the news like an attack on an old lady walking her toy poodle.

Last year at a local dog park, a rottweiler bit the head off of a 16 year old pomeranian.  It was covered on the news, but the pomeranian owner didn't blame the rottie owner or the dog, she just felt the small dogs should have an area of their own. 
They have since segragated the park.  I think the news would have covered it more if the pom owner had been more angry or especially if it had been a pit bull.

[AC]

"Why does the news media report more on attacks by certain breeds?"

Though we do not have much media attention here on the pitbull, we do get the American news so are familiar with the negative attention of the APBT.

IMO the pitbull just happens to be a great candidate for negative backlash from the media and the public. With its glorified history of bull baiting, bear baiting and dog fighting, which is documented long before they arrived in America, it was just a matter of time before someone got hurt and the bandwagon officially backed up to the media's front door. A large part of the pitbulls history is made up of fighting, although the breed has many other more important features, it is just near impossible to overlook the sensational aspects of the breeds history.

I mean, if a border collie went off on someone, where is the reference material to label it a vicious breed?? How about a Newf (one was involved in an attack on a lady here in Newfoundland), what traits in the history of the breed would lend itself to be labeled vicious - water rescue dog goes nuts just doesn't have the appeal of the pitbull gone bad.

We have a way of remembering the bad and forgetting the good. When there is a tragic event it sticks in our minds, lingering with us longer. Dog licks 4 year old and sits nicely after rounding up the sheep is not news to me!!

AC

[Rachel]

No one who has defended the Pit, owns one.

Sophie is most likely a pit mix and I will stand up for her.  I wouldn't trade her for the world.  She loves all people, including kids, and would never hurt someone intentionally.  Now she is pretty picky about what dogs she likes and doesn't like but that is to be expected.

I really hate that the media focuses on pits. And that they are probably miss labeling the dog.  People are to blame for bad dogs not the dogs breed.  Any dog can be aggressive and bite with the wrong training.  Just watch The Dog Whisperer. He works with all kinds of red zone dogs large and small that have not been trained properly and became aggressive.

I would just die if they ever brought BSL to my area.  I don't know what I would do and don't even want to think about it.  I have no proof that Sophie is not a pitbull and agree that she looks like one but supersized.  She is way to big to be pure.  The whole thing just makes me so mad sorry if I haven't made any sense...  I try to stay out of these conversations.
 

[Miranda]

Last year at a local dog park, a rottweiler bit the head off of a 16 year old pomeranian.  It was covered on the news, but the pomeranian owner didn't blame the rottie owner or the dog, she just felt the small dogs should have an area of their own. 
They have since segragated the park.  I think the news would have covered it more if the pom owner had been more angry or especially if it had been a pit bull.

At the dog park here in Fort Worth it's separated into two areas, one for <40 lb and one for >40 lbs. Unfortunately, hardly anybody follows that rule, and they always bring their small breed dogs and puppies into the >40 lbs area. There have been quite a few accidents, but nobody seems to get the point. So the rest of us just have to watch our dogs extra carefully and pray someone like my big clumsy Neo doesn't accidently step on a toy chihuahua.

[brandon]

This was last weekend at that same park... notice the tiny toy poodle running around.  His name was george, and he was a hoot, there weren't any dog agressive dogs there, but you're right he could have gotten stepped on.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrN-bROFKsk

[Miranda]

Yeah, it doesn't matter if there aren't any aggressive dogs around, accidents happen. Especially when a little tiny dog goes running across the field, dogs' (like Kingsley) herding instinct kicks in or something and they all start chasing this little tiny dog. I always get soooo scared because when Kingsley's mind is focused on running, I can NOT get his attention to make him stop chasing, and I trust him, but when seven or eight dogs get together to chase one little dog, the pack instinct kinda kicks in I guess because there have been a few times when the other dogs (thank goodness not Kingsley) have growled and barked at the little dog once they catch up to it.

[Gypsy Jazmine]

Last year at a local dog park, a rottweiler bit the head off of a 16 year old pomeranian.�  It was covered on the news, but the pomeranian owner didn't blame the rottie owner or the dog, she just felt the small dogs should have an area of their own.� 
They have since segragated the park.�  I think the news would have covered it more if the pom owner had been more angry or especially if it had been a pit bull.

At the dog park here in Fort Worth it's separated into two areas, one for <40 lb and one for >40 lbs. Unfortunately, hardly anybody follows that rule, and they always bring their small breed dogs and puppies into the >40 lbs area. There have been quite a few accidents, but nobody seems to get the point. So the rest of us just have to watch our dogs extra carefully and pray someone like my big clumsy Neo doesn't accidently step on a toy chihuahua.

Our dog park has the same segregation but people ignore it...Once I took Sam & Pippin & we were the only ones there on the big dog side...A man brought his Boston Terrier over from the samll dog side & let him loose...This dog continuously tried to mount Pippin & was jumping up & biting on his ears & face...The guy thought it was a hoot...I told the guy that Pippin was reaching the end of his patience & was going to take the little dog down & the guy ignored it...Right after this pic was taken Pippin slammed the Boston to the ground (did't hurt him but let him know he'd had enough) & the guy got a look of horror on his face, shot ME a dirty look & snatched his dog up...This is the pic that ran in the newspaper...I know it looks photoshopped because the Boston looks huge but the photo editor very snippily told me it was just because of the camera lens & angle.

[Miranda]

Yeah, a couple weeks ago a lady brought a Boston terrier puppy into our area, and the thing kept attacking Laika, and she has a very short temper. She barked at it a few times, but the owner just laughed. Then the puppy started running and a whole group of dogs chased it. I managed to grab Kingsley and Laika but the woman was obviously freaked out. So does she leave? No. She comes over to the area where I have ahold of Kingsley and Laika and puts the puppy back down on the ground, where it starts jumping up and biting Kingsley and Laika's face. The whole time it was doing that the lady was glaring at ME. I finally said to h*ll with it and went home. I didn't want to to see my dogs lose their temper on this little thing and kill it because its owner is too stupid to obey rules.

[brandon]

That is too wild. The other week there was an unneutered boston terrier who kept chasing Sophie around trying to hump her, and she was running from him.   That is very uncharacterist ic of Sophie, she doesn't back down from Anything normally.  I told the guy, you're dog is going to be bitten very soon.  She was being soo good though and was trying to get out of a bad situation.  I know this is bad, but I think I was secretly hoping she would take him down a notch, he is just the most obnoxious little thing.
I think the weekend before that when Melissa took her a Pit female got in her face and Sophie barked and barked at her, and those two ended up being best buddies.  The guy said he had been bringing his dog a long time to the park and she has never really been able to play with anyone until she met sophie. 

[GR8DAME]

We had a 9 month old boxer pup at our house for a couple of hours on Sunday as a waystation to a rescue turnover. All of them seemed to be getting along ok, Merlin essentially ignored the little pest. The boxer was semi-trained, but uncut, so he tried to mount Raven. She came unglued, and Merlin came to her defense. We were able to intervene before it proceeded beyond posturing, but it was a potentially ugly situation. I would hate to see the damage that a 145 LB dane could do if he were really serious.
Stella