Dog Fighting History Flashcards
1
Q
History
A
- Violent blood sport that is ILLEGAL in all 50 states
- Origins:
- Mid 1800 in England
- Bull-baiting pitted 2+ bulldogs against a tethered bull
- More closely resembled today’s Mastiff
- Bull baiting outlawed in 1886 with passage of the Humane Act
- High demand for a bloody sport with a venue for gambling
- Dogs were now pitted against eah other
- New sport failed to gain poularity due to large size & clumsiness of bulldogs
- Goal: create a dog that maintained certain characteristics of the bulldog but with traits that would make it better figher = Staffordshire Bull Terrier
2
Q
American Pit Bull Terrier
A
- Known for strength, courage, tenacity, intelligence, and loyalty to its owner
- Dog fighters have exploited this breed’s willingness to please and have selectively bred dogs with
- Strength in relation to size
- A specifc bite style
- Agility and athleticism
- Gameness
3
Q
Gameness
A
- Most desirable trait of a fighting dog
- Refers to a dog’s willingness or desire to continue to fight despite injury or fatigue
- Professional and hobbyist dog fights utilize smaller, more agile pit bulls or mixes
- Lower level figher may utilize a lare/bulkier pit bull or mix
- Don’t have same stamina
- May cause injury to their opponent more quickly = shorter fights
- Lower level figher may utilize a lare/bulkier pit bull or mix
4
Q
Behavior of fighting dogs
A
- Dogs that havebeen bred and trained to fight may display abnormal attack behaviors
- Not aggressive against people. Dog that turns on its handler is killed immediately
- May attack targets that don’t exhibit behaviors provoking attack
- may fail to show warning signs of attack
- may ignore displays or signs of submission
5
Q
Types of Dog Fighters
A
- Professionals
- Hobbyist
- Street fighter
6
Q
Professionals
A
- Seious dogfighters
- Make substantial income breeding, selling and fighting dogs
- Tend to maintain a larger # of dogs or a larger “yard”
- Well connected
- Function on a national or even international level
- Very underground, very hard to infiltrate
- Knowledgeable about law enforcement investigation techniques
7
Q
Hobbyists
A
- Dogfighter with 1 or more dogs participating in several organized fights per year
- Spends minimal time on training
- May make a small amount of money
- Typically involved for entertainment value
- Gambling is main focus
8
Q
Street fighter
A
- Improptu matches
- Fights are irregular or sporadic
- Typically no rules
- Dogs are not fought in a pit
- Typically involved in gang activities
- No regard for the dogs
- Often aren’t trained
- May be aggressive towards humans
- Most likely to be observed by DVMs or shelter personnel
9
Q
Training and Conditioning
A
- Professional and hobbyist dogfighters will kill puppies that do not demonstrate aggressive behaviors towards other dogs
- Schooling: test and train the dogs as they develop
- Rolled: ~1yo dogs re put in a short, controlled fight to weed out dogs unsuitable for the pit
- Around 2 years of age or younger, dogs are subjected to a “game test”
-
Game Test: dog is pitted against an older, more experienced and sometimes larger opponent
- Fight is interrupted at different times to see how willing te dog is to continue
- Dog must prove it is game by continueing to “scratch”
- Scratch - pit is set up with 2 diagonal lines across from each other - handler take dog behind lines and dog has to cross line to fight other dog
-
Game Test: dog is pitted against an older, more experienced and sometimes larger opponent
10
Q
Making the cut
A
- Street fighter and lss experienced hobbyists may not follow these protocols and often take shortcuts
- They may roll or test dogs at younger ages
- May not roll or test dogs at all prior to a fight
11
Q
Conditioning
A
- Professionals and hobbyists will condition dogs prior to a match or contracted fight
-
“Keep” : rigorous diet and exercise program typically occuring 4-6 weeks prior to a fight
- Dog may be isolated from other dogs to allow the dog to rest between workouts
-
“Keep” : rigorous diet and exercise program typically occuring 4-6 weeks prior to a fight
12
Q
Goal of a Keep
A
- Get the dog to its conditioned weight
- Conditinoed weight = lowest possible weight without loss o muscle mass
- This is the dog’s “pit weight” or “match weight”
- Typically the weight that was agreed upon for the dog to fight
- Increase the dog’s strength, endurance and cardiovascular fitness
13
Q
Conditioning - Treadmills
A
- Extensive exercise to increase cardiovascular fitness and endurance
- Bait animal such as cat, rabbit, or chicken may be usedto entice the dog to run
- Types of treadmills:
- Slat mills
- Carpet mills
- Converted or modified electric treadmills
14
Q
Conditioning - Poles
A
-
Spring poles/ jump poles:
- Hide or other material suspended from heavy spring or flexible pole that dog can jump up and hold onto
- Used to strengthen the dog’s hind legs and jaw
-
Flirt poles
- Pole with a lure attached
- lure is run along the ground so the dog can chase it
- Tool is used to increase prey drive and serve as exercise
15
Q
Conditioning
A
-
Road Work:
- Dog must run alongside car, ATV or other vehicle
-
Water Work:
- Swimming in pool, river, lake or ocean
- Dietary supplements
- Put on special diet and supplements during the keep
- Commonly used supplements
- Multivitamins
- Vitamin B12
- Iron
