one year ago, i published my most popular blog post. it has been viewed over 2000 times. i didn't intend it to be popular, it just happened. to be perfectly honest, i put almost no thought into it, it was driven by pure rage. let's see if this new year's day blog post can surpass last new year's day blog post.
in november, 23 year old piano teacher, premed student and shelter volunteer ADRIEN P. wrote to dogsbite.org:
What do you think of the American Temperament Test breed statistics? It was designed by PhDs in animal behavior and tests the aggression levels. Here is the link: http://www.atts.org/stats1.html Unlike dog bite statistics which factor in sociological implications, this test only tests one variable. Which is the proper scientific method? We learned that in grade school.
Based on this, pit bulls scored higher than Golden Retrievers. Also, why do all the mainstream organizations discredit you? AVMA, AKC, ASPCA, HSUS to name a few.
I grew up in inner city Chicago, and I am now a Chicago shelter volunteer. I have had first-hand experience with bad rap breeds. I can assure you, it is the owner. Maybe you never lived next to these types, but I have. I know how these people make their dogs mean, and it is disgusting. They drug their dogs to make them extra mean, and physically and mentally abuse them. After witnessing that, you cannot tell me it's not the owner's fault. Instead of banning breeds, we should be attacking dog fighters--much harder to do but alot more effective. I can assure you, if you ban one breed, the thugs will just think up another breed to butcher and you will have just as many dog bites.
Yes dogs do bite, and yes some are born with genetic mental defects (you probably heard of Spaniel rage) but what happens if you give a dog consistent rules and a job? what happens if responsible dog owners learn how to recognize stress/fear and body language warning signs? Regardless of breed, there will be a high likelihood that the dog will turn out fine.
If you cannot legitimately argue against all three of these points: single variable vs. multiple sociological variables, ATT, and the fact that animal behaviorists and vets discredit this site; the site will continue to be void. I'm sorry, but the great majority of academia is superior to multi-variable conclusions.
adrien touched on a subject that i happen to know a lot about. i am an information junkie and even a lot of information is never enough for me. sometimes i have to know everything about a subject and still that isn't enough, i keep looking for more. i thought that i had seen all of the lies about the ATTS but adrien's comment about the test being developed by phds in animal behavior to measure aggression was something that i had not read before. so i wrote to her. the following is our exchange. my comments and replies are italicized to make it easier to follow.
hello adrien,
dogsbite.org shared your email with me. i have a special interest in the ATTS, i have exhaustively researched it and i have never found anything like this before:
"What do you think of the American Temperament Test breed statistics? It was designed by PhDs in animal behavior and tests the aggression levels."
please tell me where [you] got this information.
craven desires
Well, next time you choose to be part of such a hateful website, maybe you should do your research. The test is used to test a dog's reaction to challenging situations and it was developed by professionals in the field of dog behavior, who understand why dogs bite. Here is a description of the test: http://www.atts.org/testdesc.html
The Michael Vick pit bulls were rehabilitated and passed the test. Now some of the Vick dogs are happily working as therapy dogs for kids. Becoming a therapy dog requires stringent temperament testing and behavior training. If those abused dogs were subject to ignorant people like the people that run this site, then they would all be murdered. Now they are spreading happiness and cheer to the same species that tortured them. On the other hand, this site is spreading nothing but fear and hate.
The average pass rate for all breeds is 81.6%. Pit bulls come in at 86%, AmStaffs 83.9%, Staffordshires 89.6%, Golden Retrievers 84.6%, Mastiff 84.2%, GSDs 84.2%. All the dogs you are murdering have above average scores.
You're arguement is that we should kill dogs because they bite. That's like saying we should target minority groups because they are criminals. It's an extremely superficial and ignorant argument. Both dogs and low income minority kids are products of their environment. If they are properly educated and cared for, there is a very high likelihood they will be productive members of society.
BTW seems like dogsbite.com is written by someone who has a neocortex.
(the neocortex comment is in reference to the sinister KAREN DELISE)
23 minutes later, before i can respond to her first email, adrien writes again:
To answer your question about the validity of the test, here is a complete analysis of temperament testing. You can't say you thoroughly did your research if you didn't read this. It's on Science Direct database if you can't open the link:
(please note, i did not ask about the validity of the test and she sends me a link to depaul university that conveniently only faculty and students can access.)
another 23 minutes pass and she responds a third time before i can reply to the first email:
"anyone one who has a minimal understanding of critical statistical analysis should be able to see that the ATTS "breed statistics" temperament data19 is essentially valueless." That's from your own site.
simple question: why are you referring to dog bite statistics, which have multiple variables yet when someone refers to a temperament test that has been developed by experienced, qualified, scientists, you debunk the stats?
fyi scientists are well schooled in statistics. Your site continues to be void, because you have yet to address any one of my three original points.
FINALLY, i get a word in:
well, that's a lot of words and yet none of them answer my honest and sincere question. i am genuinely interested in this test.
i repeat, where did you read this? please share the link.
"It was designed by PhDs in animal behavior and tests the aggression levels."
It's people like you who are responsible for the ignorance, hate, and discrimination in this world. You discriminate against dogs for being dangerous without knowing anything about sociology or animal behavior. Next time I get an email from you people, I want an academic degree in animal behavior or veterinary behavior attached to it or the argument is over.
You never addressed my three original points. I'm not taking any emails by you though, I'm only taking emails by someone who can read "alot of words" and by someone with a legitimate animal behavior degree attached to their name. I bascially spoon fed you the information that addresses the legitimacy of temperament testing. Go and read it.
By your logic, all cars are dangerous, all black people are dangerous, all politicians are dangerous... the list goes on and on. Sounds ignorant doesn't it? Educated people don't believe in superficial logic like yours.
okay, then. it's official. you made it up. it happens everyday. i completely understand. sadly, i am quite familiar with this tactic.
i think you will find it interesting. i do my research and i credit the great neocortex every chance i get.
i poked around the internet a little bit to try and get a better handle on poor ADRIEN. her review of jim gorant's "spoon fed" feel good fairy tale about the vick dogs provides further evidence of her gullibility and lack of critical thinking skills.
in adrien's simple mind, dog fighting exists only because government bureaucrats are lazy. IF they get off their asses and treat dog fighters like "the murderers and rapists" that they are, then dog fighting will cease to exist in the same way murder and rape have ceased to exist. her logic begs the question, have they lowered the premed admission standards?
ADRIEN plays lovely piano. Rachmaninoff is not really my cup of tea, i am partial to Bach. suggestion: stick with the piano.
oh and by the way ADRIEN, i have a degree in sociology ;)
