Was Montreal right to enact a pit bull ban?

     Last week, Montreal put a law into effect stating that all pit bull (or pit bull looking dogs) in shelters were to be euthanized, and all others were to be spayed or neutered, and in a muzzle at all times. Wide spread euthanasia is not a solution in my mind. However, pit bulls have received a bad rap in recent years.

     In 2015 there were 34 dog bite related fatalities, and pit bulls accounted for 28 of them. That statistic alone is enough to make people feel uncomfortable around that breed of dog. But is it the dog's fault, or are these dogs status symbols for a world of violence?

     Pit bulls are a strong dog and seem to have a tendency towards aggression but they may not be the most violent dog. However, they are the dog that gets reported the most.
    Think of aggressive dogs you have met in your life. The dogs that I've met that tend to be most aggressive are the smaller breed of dogs such a chihuahuas, terriers, and miniature pinschers.
     It may be shocking to believe but most dogs have a bite pressure of around 200 PSI. This includes the smaller dogs like chihuahuas. A pit bulls' bite pressure is believed to be around 235 pounds per square inch. A pit bulls' bite is more devastating because of their large head size. A chihuahua is less devastating because it has a small head and a smaller mouth.  The problem with trying to measure bite strength this way is dogs have a mechanism that allows them to throttle their bite strength in normal situations so the readings are not always accurate. So while a pit bull on paper may have the strongest bite it is unknown which dog has the strongest when they are going all out.

     Was Montreal right to establish their pit bull ban? Probably not. The reason it is now indefinitely suspended was because the original law basically stated any dog with a big head would be treated as a pit bull. There are so many things wrong with that broadbrush approach that they took. While many mutts and other dogs may fall under the "bully" breed of dog (dogs with big heads, wide front stances, and a lot of other characteristics of pit bulls), they are not all the same. Pit bulls, bull terriers, mutts, they are all different dogs and should be treated as such. 

     In 2016 there have been around 43 incidents involving pit bulls reported in the Canadian news. While this information came from an anti pit bull website, many of the articles came from legitimate news organizations. 

     So is Canada facing a problem? Are pit bulls really predisposed to violence? I think that pit bulls are strong and intelligent dogs. A lot of people will buy pit bulls for guard dogs, or watch dogs, or any other sort of protection. Pit bulls are small enough to be kept in apartments and other small areas and in theory can provide a safety to their owners if need be. But because they are intelligent dogs they need to be trained and kept entertained.

     If you were to look at the list of "most aggressive" dogs, you would see that it is the more intelligent dogs who top the list. The collie breeds and other types of herding dogs always seem to make up the majority of the list. 

     These dogs are highly intelligent and need to be trained to prevent them from falling back on their instincts. When things get out of line, these dogs will bite to reinstate order again. These dogs like to be in control and be the leader of the pack. When these dogs are not trained, their owners are not seen as the leader, therefore, they will bite to keeps others in line.

     These dogs generally have some of the strongest bites and are the most likely to follow their nature of herding. Many of these dogs are purebred and can trace generations down from many of their ancestors who were used not only for companionship, but also for herding.

     I find it hard to blame the dogs in this situation. Irresponsibility of the owners who think that owning a dog will be all fun and games have another thing coming. They are a lot of work. A lot of training is necessary to prevent good dogs from going bad. 

     While I see why the law was put into effect, I do not agree with it. Dogs are not predisposed to violence. Dogs are ancestors of a wild animal and act solely on animal instinct. They don't know any better. Euthanizing all the dogs that scare us will not make the world a safer place. But it will be a sadder one.

Me and my very "aggressive" herding dog, Willow.