Science & Dog Facts- Did you know...

Did you know?

1) When humans and dogs interact, both release "oxytocin" - also called "the hormone of love" which reduces stress. It is the same hormone that women release when they are breat-feeding. Scientist postulate that this is the reason why people with dogs are less likely to have heart-attacks and more likely to survive a heart-attack.

(www.newpuppytrainingsecrets.com)

2) It only takes 25 years to create a new "breed" of dog.  For example- the Dogo Argentino was created over 25 years to take down boars (without killing it) while able to be around children.

3) Dogs can have huge vocabularies. While humans know 60,000 words - most dogs know around 150 words. However, Chaser the border collie from South Carolina knows 1,022 nouns, understands verbs and categories and learns up to 40 new words a day.

(www.abcnews.com)

4) Dogs, like humans, read facial expressions from left to right (because we make expressions a-symmetrically). However, dogs to not read eachother's faces left-to-right and no other animal has been discovered to read faces in this way.

5) Studies have shown that dogs do not feel "sorry," but rather are expressing submissive behaviors in reaction to our reprimands. (For example, control groups of dogs also so "guilt" or submissive behaviors when they hadn't done something wrong.)

(look at that guilty face)

6) Dog-owners are able to tell the difference between six different dog barks (separation, strangers, hunger, playful etc...)


Source: Howstuffworks.com Podcast, "Does your dog really love you?"

Welcome!

Hello and Welcome to my blog to help save American Pitt Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, and mixes from Euthanasia in the New York Metropolitan area.

Estimates are that 59% of dogs euthanized in the United States each year are Pitbulls or pit mixes. That comes to about 100,000 dogs killed every year.

Bias about this breeds agressiveness and BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) have kept these loyal and loving dogs from finding homes.

A study by the Center for Interaction of Animals and Society in 2008 found that certain breeds did score highly for agressiveness towards other animals and humans, speciaically Chihuahuas and Daschunds, and that Pit Bulls were only found to be slightly more agreesive than other breeds towards other dogs.

Any breed can be dog-agressive. Agressiveness towards other dogs should not preclude adoption, and doesn't. Only human-agressive dogs are euthanized, and as long as owners are responsible with their animals, dogs that show bad behaviors around other dogs can and should find loving one-pet homes.

There are hundreds of Pitt-specific resue groups, awareness groups, and even tv-shows to prove that this breed has won its way into the hearts of many humans and animals alike. Pit -mix owners know that the bias is unfounded and that the gentleness and loyalty of this enthusiastic breed is often used against it to encourage it to fight.

The pain and punishment this breed endures through the over-breeding, dog fighting, and euthanization is through no fault of its own. American society should reflect love and care for all people and animals that come into this world, especially if their plight is our own fault.

Please join me in my adventue to learn more about this breed and what can be done to save the lives of pitt-mixes in New York City shelters. Even if you are wary about this breed, it is an adventure worth taking. Who knows? Like me, you might find yourself waking up to kisses and tail wags from an adoring creature that cuddles up to you each night.