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Have not owned either.

I have an ecclectic mix of dogs that are pictured on my profile page.

When I was showing my labrador, I trained with a trainer who bred German Shepherds, and trains and sells police and Schutzhund dogs. He is a world class competitor in Schutzhund, and the best dog handler I have ever seen. His shepherds are magnificent, and I hope to own one some day, if I could justify the price.

My pit bull experience is not only TV... I had a friend who had a pit bull she loved. Seemed nice, but having my own male dog, and not wanting to take chances, I never let our dogs play together.

Her dog had run of her farm, and her son adored and mauled and tugged on him the way children will. It made me nervous, but not her. Then one day when it was about two years old it ripped the throat out of a goat it was raised with. She kept it in a large pen after that, but it escaped and killed two neighbor dogs over the period of a couple hard weeks, and she had it put down because she could no longer trust it.

Now, to be fair, any breed can have individuals who do that same thing. I know that. But it goes into the experience file with the others.

My point is that all dog people tell you to seriously consider the purpose and function the breed is intended for when selecting a pet. Border Collie breeders are loathe to sell dogs to people who don't intend to work them hard in a job, any job, because the dogs have a temperment that demands it.

Except pit bull people. They want us to ignore the breed's intended job. Then they will say, well, as long as you do everything right, and socialize it properly you shouldn't have trouble. Well, they are taking a dog that has a tough temper and conditioning him out of it. Yes, you can nurture a pit bull and have it turn out fine. You have to do a lot right to have a pit bull not "turn on" at two years old. I would have to do an awful lot wrong to turn a labrador into a killer. In both instances I would be trying to overcome their basic nature.

So I will never agree that it is a pit bull is anyone's most suitable pet... Why should I? There are hundreds of other breeds of dogs that have more points on their side for any purpose. There are better pet-dogs, show-dogs, and guard-dogs. You may be able to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, but why not just start with silk?

Well, in my opinion my pit bull is silk!!!!

And further more, can you tell me another type of dog that I can use in weight pulling? That is a very fun sport, my dog loves it and I don't know of any other breed that is quite as good at it.

You don't have to like pit bulls or own one for that matter, why do I care??? It is you right to own whatever breed you choose to own. I don't think everyone should own a Pit Bull, only those people who want a devoted exercise partner, amongst many other wonderful qualities the breed posesess. People that have researched the breed, and decided for sure that they want one.

What I do care about is when people like you try to make my favorite breed of dog illegal to own, therefore infringing on my right to own one. I don't appreciate people judging the breed and hating it, due to media hype. And you shouldn't trust your dog around a pit bull. They are agressive to other animals, most of the time. Just not humans. My German Shepherd however, like I said before, is way more agressive to other dogs than my pit bull is. I think it is a common trait of the Alpha-dog!

Please, all I ask is that you and others do not try to take away my right to own a Pit Bull. This is the breed that I love for many wonderful reasons, and I strongly feel that I have more proof and information backing up my belief that these dogs are productive members of society, than you have to eliminate an entire breed of dogs. I am tired of everyone's stereotypes and discrimination.

Also, a lot of you say that you are conservative, but what is conservative about making new laws and breed restrictions?