A Reputation in the Pits

The pit bull continues its slide toward society’s endangered species list, having become in a few short weeks the Moammar Kadafi of the canine world--disliked, distrusted and presumed dangerous.

The breed has survived its gruesome origins in the blood-splattered rings where it fought with bulls, packs of rats and other dogs, but bad press now has it by the throat.

Two local experts in the psychology and training of dogs think the breed is, to a large extent, the victim of incompetent owners and public hysteria.

“The pit bull has the potential to be as docile and polite as most dogs,” says Richard H. Polsky of Los Angeles, a specialist in animal behavior who received his doctorate in the subject after studying at major universities here and in England.

Ron P. Berman of Manhattan Beach, a dog trainer and consultant on animal behavior to a chain of pet supply stores, is convinced that a well-trained pit bull, in the hands of a responsible owner, is generally a fine companion and a good citizen.

Berman and Polsky are successful consultants who, among other things, assist owners who have behavioral problems with their dogs or, as is frequently the case, assist dogs that have behavioral problems with their owners. Business is brisk, as ours is a pet-obsessed society--Los Angeles alone has about 320,000 dogs.

The two men frequently cope with the more mundane problems of companion dogs--disobedience, biting, barking or a disdain for house training. And in a society with such a high divorce rate, they also deal with dogs suffering from “separation anxiety.” (Polsky, who also works with cats, was once called upon to resolve a chaotic situation in which a cat had literally forced her owner out of the apartment and wouldn’t let her back in. But, with drug therapy and a new food-reward system for the cat, tranquillity has returned to the apartment.)

But the most common problem is that many owners simply don’t accept the fact that Fido or FiFi or Fang is just a dog--an animal born with unique behavioral tendencies and instincts. One of these instincts is the pack mentality. In a pack, one creature always emerges as the leader. In too many houses, these experts say, the owner surrenders that pack leadership role to the dog, or ineptly challenges it to the point of anarchy. If a dog is allowed to presume it is the pack leader, it will dominate the owner-pet relationship.

In our crime-fixated society, many people are turning to powerful dogs for security. Many are doing so without any understanding of the complexities of owning an animal, particularly one that has been bred over the years, if not centuries, to be protective of its pack and territory.

“Look at the dog magazines,” Berman says, “and you see full page ads for guard dogs that say, ‘STOP LIVING IN FEAR.’ Firms in L.A. charge $5-, $6- or $7,000 to train your dog to protect you. But some firms don’t adequately train the new owner to be as good a handler as the dog is a protector. It is like giving someone a .357 magnum and not adequately training them in the care and use of the weapon, let alone the responsibilities that go with it.

“Insecure people balance themselves by having a dog stronger than they are. If an owner can’t dominate its dog, then what you have is a predator with great power and authority at its disposal.”

Polsky said that four years ago he was giving a talk to people in the veterinary field and remarked that, “ ‘Pit bulls tend to be somewhat aggressive toward people.’ They really objected to that characterization. The people who work in clinics told me that pit bulls are docile and generally easy to work with, even in close quarters.

“On the basis of that I looked into the issue, and in the data published in the journals about dogs most frequently reported to bite, you find springer spaniels, cocker spaniels, German shepherds, huskies and so on. The pit bull terrier is not up there.

“No dog comes into the world aggressive. But all breeds have certain proclivities. A Labrador will retrieve. A German shepherd will be protective of property. Shetland sheep dogs have a tendency to herd. A woman once called me in because her Shetland was herding the grandchildren into a corner. But whether or not these proclivities are actually exhibited in the dog’s behavior is a direct result of training and interaction with the owner.”

Polsky says the exploitation of the pit bull can be seen almost any weekend. “Go down to Venice. Look at those characters leading pit bulls on thick chains. The dogs have spiked collars around their necks. Those people are using their dogs to make themselves look macho. “

Berman feels confident working with pit bulls. “I’ve worked with 25 or 30 pit bulls,” he says, “and they were friendly as heck. I was only bitten once by a pit bull. It was a dog that had bitten two people and I was called in to evaluate the situation. It was one of the most aggressive dogs I’ve ever seen. He protected the house by attacking anyone in his path. He was the uncontested pack leader of that house.”

Because of careless breeding, inadequate training and foolish owners, the pit bull is assuming in Southern California the “evil dog” role occupied some years ago by the Doberman. That breed was created by a German tax collector, Louis Dobermann, who needed protection from brigands while making his rounds with the receipts.

There is no question that the pit bull has harmed a good number of people. At this stage, few would want to have one roaming the yard next door. And many owners, now frightened of their dogs and aware of the community’s apprehension, are having their pit bulls put to sleep.

But the pit bull itself is a victim. In too many cases the dog is merely a mirror image of its master, reflecting that person’s flaws, delusions and callousness.

And that may ultimately prove more dangerous to the pit bull than those gentlemen of another century who thought it great sport to fling the dog into a ring with an enraged bull.