4 year old girl feeds multiple pit bulls

[michele5611]

abc7chicago.com/pets/watch-this-4-year-old-girl-in-command-of-a-pit-bull-pack/472397/

[RealPitBull]

Cinimon Clark posted a nice response to this video.


Cinimon Clark shared Nina Wahl's video.

18 hrs

In response to the video…

I sincerely appreciate the owner’s hard work in getting these dogs to this point (congrats!) however, I have some strong concerns for their living situation. In this video, most people will only see well behaved dogs with lovely manners (and they are that!), but being a Pit Bull behavior specialist, here’s what I see…
The dog with the dark blue collar is showing clears signs of distress (yawning with a squeak, lip licking, head turn). He has a status seeking personality and comes into the room last and pushes his way to the front. In his innocence and excitement, he licks the dog with the pink collar (far left of video) which is a subtle form of bullying. You can see that particular dog (pink collar) giving a head turn to show submission. Dark blue collar dog’s stress level is obvious to the dog in the light green (or is it yellow?) collar. Light green collar dog walks away from the situation when he feels crowded out by dark blue collar dog sitting down. When the little girl claps (she is adorable, by the way!), the dogs all shift their ears back with stress. They are asking Mom (holding the camera) for help.
The dog with the wide, blue collar on far right of video is the one sitting the furthest away. He seems the least stressed, however, even he yawns (stress response) when the food is being placed on the ground.
These are all young animals and they are not from working stock. They are obvious Pit Bull mix dogs. This is why there have been no problems thus far. Even though they are of mixed breed, I fear once the dogs hit social maturity (around age three to four in a dog that size), there will most likely be serious issues.
For all mammals, where there is stress, there is the potential for aggression. Stress takes a while to build up, but when it reaches critical mass, bad things happen. Proper Pit Bull management (i.e., feeding separately, separating dogs when not directly attended, knowing your dog’s body language and removing dog from the situation before things get out of hand, keeping smaller, more vulnerable animals away during potential stressful times, having a few brake sticks around if needed, etc.) is all about stress reduction.
The woman holding the camera says, “Six male Pit Bulls. People say it can never be done.” Of course it can be done (even with some properly bred Pit Bulls), but the real issue is that it shouldn’t be done. It’s like watching a video of a Greyhound and the owner saying, “Look how he doesn’t chase that rabbit.” There is no need to prove your Pit Bull can behave like a different breed of dog. Love your dog for who they are. Don’t try to make them into something they’re not and don’t set them up to fail. Pit Bull dogs were not meant to be ‘pack animals’ and most experience stress when grouped together. They have been kept separated for a reason. Lest we forget what The American Pit Bull Terrier has been bred to do? Although the Pit Bull was originally bred to never give up, no matter the task at hand, for the last two hundred years or so they have primarily been used to fight with other Pit Bulls. This is who they are. To deny this fact is irresponsible and disrespectful to the breed. As in any successful relationship, to know, understand and love the other for who and what they are leads to a peaceful and pleasant life.

For your review, watch my youtube videos: What is a Pitbull Part 1&2 (see below)

Part One

Part Two


www.cinimonclark.com

[RealPitBull]

Reisner Veterinary Behavior also posted a great response:

www.facebook.com/ReisnerVetBehavior

While the dogs' self-control is impressive, the message being conveyed is not. Here are some reasons:

1. There are a few well known triggers of aggression between dogs, among them crowding and the presence of food. Putting two of these potential triggers together is simply unsafe. Yes, apparently these dogs are not competitive or aroused over their kibble, but feeding them in a head-to-head (to head) arrangement like this isn't safe, nor is it relaxing for the dogs.

2. Combining a small child + six large dogs of any breed + food is not safe. Whether or not this mother was able to videotape her child uneventfully, it is a bite waiting to happen. Dog bites can be unpredictable.

3. Internal conflict is a common trigger for biting. Conflict or ambivalence is created when dogs are driven to do something and inhibited from doing it at the same time. Wanting food, seeing food, being told to 'stay' by a very small child but with the potential for resource-guarding and competition creates conflict. The clincher: if they become physiologically aroused, they are no longer able to inhibit themselves.

4. In case the above potential triggers aren't enough, the girl (as she's been taught) then touches the dogs as they eat. She's not an adult - she's right at mouth level. Unsafe -- and annoying -- no matter who the dog is.

5. The woman's words: "Six male pitbulls….they live and eat together. They’re a family. That was a 4 year old that was able to tell those dogs what to do and when to do it". The implication here is that people are Boss to the point of reckless behavior. Even in the absence of a 4 year old, feeding dogs from a single pile of kibble is not recommended. Add the child -- and the compulsion to post a video can lead to catastrophe.

I hope this video doesn't generate copycats. This isn't about breed-specific risk; it's simply about young children being severely injured, usually around the face/head, by family dogs who may never have bitten in the past. We've researched these risks at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and at the Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. They are not imagined.