Heroic Pit Bull dials 911 for owner, a Marine veteran, who was experiencing seizure

Dog breeds tend to rise and fall in popularity with each new movie, celebrity, or fad. Dalmations used to be everywhere when Disney's 101 Dalmation movie was popular, but I see very few in my practice now. Likewise, the "guard dog" of the moment tends to cycle. My father fondly recalls a beloved Doberman he owned during his years in Chiropractic college, and relates how maligned the breed was in the 1970's.  Today, the American Pit Bull terrier seems to be the breed garnering the headlines for vicious attacks. As a veterinarian, pit bull owner, and mother, these three worlds can seem to collide with opinions coming from every direction.  We have a loved, well-socialized, spayed female rescue pit bull. She is a beloved family member, but I do advise anyone interested in rescuing a dog of any breed to thoroughly research what behavioral challenges you may face, for the best interest of both  you and the dog. Being educated on your breed's medical and behavioral needs before you commit to an adoption is critical for a successful life-long partnership.  Your veterinarian is a great resource as he or she likely has worked with the breed you may be interested in, and can give you some insight into its unique needs. 

Interestingly enough, there is a huge link between aggression and spaying or neutering your dog. Of fatal pit bull attacks in the last several years, an overwhelming 94% of the dogs were not neutered. Spaying or neutering is a critical part of keeping any dog, but especially those with aggressive tendencies, healthy and safe.  Dogs should not be chained in yards, or allowed to roam free.  They should not be hit or punched or taunted. Treated with love, they can -and will- flourish.  There are many things you can do as a dog owner to ensure your dog, of any breed, is well socialized and is a  good canine citizen. Some excellent guidelines put forth by the ASPCA can be found here:  http://www.americanhumane.org/animals/stop-animal-abuse/fact-sheets/dog-bites.html

Finally, I would like to end on a positve note with a story on a rescued pit bull/ lab mix trained as a service dog for his owner, who is a veteran of the Marine Corps. He pulled his owner's phone from his pocked while the owner was seizuring was  trained to dial 911 from the touchscreen.  Help arrived and the heroic pooch even showed the EMTs to his owner.  Good job, good dog!

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/dog-dials-911-marine-vet-suffers-seizure-report-article-1.1...