Pit bull partisans unleash

Peter Wilcox's letter ["Pit bulls still bullies," Aug. 4] is nothing less than the trite, hyperbole Bully: It's the Pits sets out to destroy.

Judging from the a priori arguments Mr. Wilcox uses to disparage the pit bull, it is evident that he has taken the mainstream media's shiny bait and swallowed it whole. Let's review some important facts he ignores.

The overwhelming majority of pit bulls never bite anyone. No breed of dog is inherently vicious. Human- and animal-focused aggression in pit bulls, or any dog for that matter, is a learned trait not an innate one. There is no brain chemistry unique to the pit bull that makes it unpredictable. Most experts, and such groups as the Canada Safety Council, the Center for Disease Control and the American Kennel Club, do not consider the pit bull an inherently dangerous dog. If they did, they would certainly have called for a ban. Instead, they have come out against such ill-conceived, ineffective rubbish as breed-specific legislation.

To be sure, Bully: It's the Pits is, above all, a celebration of the bulldog. But it is also a book that provides a balanced perspective on the dog and sends a message regarding responsible ownership. The pictures are pretty, too. Mr. Wilcox would know that had he actually taken the time to at least leaf through the book. We would be happy to send him a copy, but if we gave away a free copy to every jerk that has made such ridiculously flawed comments on pit bulls, we'd be broke.

» Matthew Ferguson, Editor, Bully: It's the Pits

I agree with Zoe Cousineau's take on the pit bull issue ["Pit bulls the bullied ones," Letters, Aug. 11]. I would like to add that every dog is potentially a biter, and that it takes early bite-inhibition training and thorough socialization to minimize the chances of a dog losing its cool.

Most dog owners are oblivious to the fact that their furry friends need adequate socialization through, for instance, a puppy class and further systematic desensitization using positive reinforcement.

Euthanasia and the banning of breeds is never the answer. People need to realize that a dog's a dog and, unless trained otherwise, it will react to a perceived danger in a typically doggy fashion: by growling, barking and biting.

Dogs communicate with each other - and with humans - using what the Norwegian dog behaviourist Turid Rugaas labelled "calming signals" (www.turid-rugaas.no). Being pack animals, dogs have developed a complex system of communication that serves to avoid conflict. But most dog owners are not familiar with these signals, and many even punish their dog for using them. As a result, owners often claim that their dog's aggression came out of nowhere, when really they simply couldn't decipher what their dog was trying to tell them when it turned its back on them.

Until people realize that dogs are more than just furry toys, many more people will get bitten and many more dogs will get euthanized. All it would take is some training, but Montreal's lack of positive-training facilities adds little to encourage dog owners to familiarize themselves with modern training methods, such as clicker training and positive reinforcement.

How about politicians invest some of their energy into developing a compulsory canine good-citizen course, which would incorporate modern animal-learning theory and practice - rather than outdated aversive-based methods, such as chokers - and require all dog owners to bring out the potentially amazing features that lie in each and every dog.

» Alexandra Kraemer

Nudists and phone cams

Regarding "Tips for nudes," [The Front, Aug. 11]: I began nudism in 1968 at the age of two months. I'm from Maple Glen, Vermont [home of the Maple Glen nudist park], I have watched the changes in the movement, and I can assure you that what should be of concern are cell phone cameras that can be used easily and unsuspectingly on nudist children.

Under my watchful eye, I have raised my son partially in the movement. There are a lot of serious problems in this "perfect world," yet adult nudists are preoccupied with their tans and their adult activities. The only reason they're complaining about photos is because it will cause them problems.

Lastly, cameras were originally allowed on permit-only basis to specific people, yet I still found myself of the Net.

» Meliza

Resto Bizarro beguiles

I must thank Alice and Yanka for their delightful, refreshing, entertaining, naturally stylish, down-to-earth, sincere and charming Resto Bizarro column. May it be easy and fun for them to keep writing for our enjoyment and culinary discoveries! Have a beautiful summer!

» Alain Lord

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