Professional Dog Fighters: What is Wrong with These "Dog Men"?

The recent attention to dog fighting because of the indictment of Michael Vick has made me think, "What is wrong with these dog men?" Professional dog fighters call themselves "dog men". I think that a more accurate description is "inhumane monster" because these men do not care about the welfare of the dog. They only care about the money and reputation the dogs can get them. These people exploit dogs in the worst way possible!

Every puppy is born loving trusting and wanting to please its human master. These "dog men" take advantage of this desire by praising the dog when it exhibits aggressive behavior. Often, these dogs are "conditioned" not trained to fight. Conditioning includes running on a treadmill, running on a jenni or catmill, or pulling weights. These exercises alone are not enough to cause a dog to fight. In fact, weight pull is a competition sponsored by various kennel clubs, including, UKC, CKC, and ADBA. The problem with "fight dogs" comes due to lack of socialization. If a dog is not properly socialized, it does not know how to respond when approached by another dog. Natural instincts come into the picture and the dog wants to protect itself and its territory. Pair this with the inhumane conditions the dog is often kept in and well, you have a mad dog.

Dogs that fight are often kept in tin kennels that are not insulated so they are hot in the summer and cold in the winter. These dogs have little or no human contact and usually no contact with other dogs except when the owner teases them with another dog or small animal to see how the dog will react in a fight. These small dogs or other animals are called "bait animals" and are often found in free to good home ads. They are often kept on thick heavy chains.