Dogfighting

Though I may be in the minority, I feel that dogfighting is wholesome, educational, family entertainment for kids of all ages.

There's nothing quite like taking the wife and kids to an exciting Saturday night dogfight, watching the glee in my children's eyes while two vicious, hulking canine beasts, their muscles rippling with adrenaline, tear each other to pieces, fighting to their glorious deaths in the pit like latter-day animal gladiators.

The excitement builds when the dogmen arrive after sundown; often driving expensive SUVs pulling custom trailers containing their prized fighting dogs. One by one the contenders are led from the trailers while others look on in admiration, some among them wishing that they too were dogmen. Others size up the contenders, determining the amount they will place in bets.

Bookmakers, quickly jotting odds on small chalkboards, start collecting money as enthusiastic bettors yell, "Two thousand on Imperator," or "Put me down for five hundred bucks on Lucky Lady."

Victory or death is the nature of the sport of dogfighting, each dogman, thousands invested in the breeding, training and care of his fighter, petting and giving his beloved champion animal encouragement before they are placed in the pit. A referee is in the pit before the fight; his job is to start the contest by placing the dogs within fighting distance of each other before the scratch line. Once the fight starts, the referee stays in the pit and enjoys the spectacle, watching for one of the dogs to turn.

Illustrating the educational value of the family sport of dogfighting, one evening while watching two dogs in a particularly bloody match, my youngest son asked me what were those purplish veiny things hanging from the belly of one contender.

"They're intestines son," I replied, admiring the dying canine's gameness as it continued to fight on, unto the death. At another match, my eldest son smiled and watched in amusement while a dog called King Odin, blinded in both eyes during the fight, clumsily latched on to the right foreleg of the opponent. Using all his strength, King Odin clamped down and bit the leg off at the shoulder, tearing the joint from the socket. Staring in astonishment with the rest of the crowd, I had never seen such incredible power come from the jaws of a game bull terrier. Curiously, at the end of the match King Odin, though blinded and ostensibly retired due to his injuries, was declared the winner, while the opposing animal, a three year old, four time champion bitch called Silver Streak, bled to death in one corner of the pit.

Another plus with regard to dogfighting is the community atmosphere promoted by the sport; friendly neighbors and fellow church members all gathering around the pit for conversation, good food, and entertainment. Many of the wives make tasty dishes to bring to the dogfights, and cold kegs of Coors and Budweiser are always a welcome addition. The local police chief often brings these beverages, along with coolers of soft drinks for the kids.

Dogfighting has been a part of American culture since before the beginning of the Republic, and is as American as apple pie and the 4th of July. Thomas Jefferson, Paul Revere and Benjamin Franklin were avid dogfighters, each keeping kennels of ferocious canines for their amusement, often pitting beasts from their kennels against each other in exciting contests of animal strength and endurance.

Drawing on the long history of the sport, I feel that some soul searching is in order, and after careful debate and reflection, it should be proposed that dogfighting be again made legal in all fifty states and territories of the United States of America.

You are one sick person. Don't turn your back on anybody...people who can watch this terrible inhuman thing hurting animals making them fight to the end can kill a human with a blink of an eye. Dogfighting has been part of America since before the beginning of the Republic...also walking around with a gun in towns and just shooting a person in a bar or on the wood...no black top in the good old western days was legal to...maybe we should vote to bring that back...we can all carry guns..and if someone gets out of line just shoot the person. This is a sick article.

Are you for real? Make dogfighting legal? This was an amusing write if it were not about such a touchy subject. What happens when these dogs who are bred to kill are loose on a human? These same dogs are sold to the mainstream and many people die each year due to the bites and mulling of these dogs. I think until the population of the breed can be controlled and each dog is accounted for we will never know how many are being used in fights. This is an underground sport and those how participate should be used as examples that it will not be tolerated, no matter who is doing it. We hold our "pets" to a high standard of care and respect than we do deer and livestock. The two cannot be compared. Dogs should not be used for amusement at all. Even in dog racing many dogs that don't perform well are destroyed. As a society we need to end the senseless gambling on the suffering of animals. It is wrong.

That is my point. Dog fighting has to be stopped and the dogs trained to fight destroyed...if we do not stop it, the dogs that do not win or not good enough to fight are released on the street if they don't kill them. The government has to keep this under control and stop the dog fights. The breed evently will fade out as fighters. Then have legal breeders breed the dogs as pets. As long as this goes on everyone's life is in danger. In the cities if a dog does not win and is ok to walk around they let them go to kill other animals and humans. People just turn them loose go buy another one. We should stop the breeding for awhile of these dogs make it illegal to breed them until the fighting is under control. It can be done.

Oh come on, you make it sound like those silly mutts lurk around every corner. Get real, pitbulls, frothing at the mouth, don't lurk around every corner.
I don't care about dogfighting at all. I don't fight 'em, I don't watch 'em fight, and I couldn't care less about stupid hicks or idiotic gangbangers that fight mangy dogs.
We have more pressing problems that need addressing in this dying country, like terrorism, kids being slaughtered in useless wars for oil, illegal immigrants, rape, murder, and mayhem. You are worried about some stupid dogs, for Christ's sake, get your priorities straight.
Then you offer a typical knee-jerk solution: more government. THINK for a moment. We are already being governed to death by amoral, greedy criminals who are only interested in themselves, from GW Bush to county councilman. Face it, they don't care about us, all they care about is wealth, power and control over an increasingly alienated population.

Anyone with any common sense knows that hurting an animal leads to hurting a human. Meaning...if a child can kill a domestic dog or cat without caring when they grow up they are prone to killing humans. It has been proven. Serial killers started out killing animals. Plus we have our children to worry about...it is not all about dogs...it is about drugs, guns, killing, things that take place at these fights. The authorities find drugs, guns, if they don't pay the bet a chance someone might really get killed. So we are not just talking about these poor dogs...it is more than that it is very deep...ganbangers who fight mangy dogs will not think twice about selling drugs to your kids...it is a business that breeds danger in the years to come. People bring their children to see this...there kids are seeing drug deals, guns, and killing. So we have to start somewhere stopping violence. These type of people breed trouble...drug people....selling guns to kids. We also have to take care of problems on the streets. We are at war, yes, and we have many problems this is just one. We have to start somewhere and what we know if we can stop we will. What your saying in so many words it is ok to let a serial killer loose...we have much more important problems to take care of. One problem can lead to another then things get out of hand. Like this. It is showing our children violence, drugs, guns, killing. Good way to bring up a 2 year old child. Program their brains to kill. To me that sounds like we can breed a good terrorist. They have to start somewhere. A Terrorist has no regard for human life. Think about it.

you disgust me

Kalo wrote:

you disgust me

I may disgust you...but I feel my point is right. I might be the only one in this country that is against dog fighting. I gave my opinion.

This would be somewhat amusing if it wasn't so sick to begin with.
It takes a sick mind to kill helpless animals.
That same sick mind may also later in life kill humans.
One doesn't lead to the other.
This is hardly the issue.
The issue is simply the inhumane treatment of animals.
And, no, I'm not a tree hugger.
I believe in killing deer and other game for food.
I do not belive in killing animals for sport.

Killing wild animals for food is what we have always done to live. Killing helpless animals just for sport is wrong. I disagree with you regarding one not leading to another. It is proven that if a child or adult are able to kill helpless animals to hurt them to torture them they have no respect for life and to kill a human will not be an issue to them. Studies have been done regarding this matter, domestic violence is one....some people kill the family pet first before killing the spouse or children. Do some research on this you'll see this is not something to turn our heads the other way. We must address this problem. We must stop the killing of these poor animals. To bring your children to a dog fight is sick the minds of these children are learning and they are learning to kill.

If we can kill man's best friend the way we do for fun for sport, for drugs, for money...I think there is a real problem out there.

From my experiences, I think dog fighting is hilarious and a damn good way to relax after a hard week’s work. Just last week I was at a match where between two bitches, a 32-pound Grand Champion named Dolly Nitro and the challenger, a 33-pounder dubbed Claws and Jaws by an elderly dog man named Frank. They ripped each other to shreds before the match was over, while my buddies and I cheered ‘em on. The climax of the match was when Dolly Nitro bit through the skull of the challenger, inducing an epileptic seizure in C&J. Frank was kind of pissed when we laughed at his convulsing dog, but what could he do – go the cops? After that, we figured C&J was finished, but after the seizure she rallied and ripped the hell out of Dolly’s muzzle and left flank before collapsing in the pit, dead as a stone. That night I made $1,500 bucks, by betting on the right dog. Like it or not, dog fighting a good way to make extra money.

Being a person who is not to smart and can not make a living a good honest way without killing watching dogs kill each other while you hide out like a scared rabit because you know you are doing something so low that you have to make yourself think it is a good way to make extra money. Anyone can make two dogs fight any animal will fight if taught to do so. Where is the challenge? Don't you have the guts to do something legal? Something that you can be proud of. Hiding somewhere from the police, betting on an animal knowing the dogs are going to fight anyway...looking over your shoulder all the time doesn't say much for you does it? I don't think you respect yourself.

Although Larry Anders' post definitely sparked a reaction, from its tone I thought it was meant to be tongue-in-cheek.

Cletus Potts wrote:

From my experiences, I think dog fighting is hilarious and a damn good way to relax after a hard week’s work. Just last week I was at a match where between two bitches, a 32-pound Grand Champion named Dolly Nitro and the challenger, a 33-pounder dubbed Claws and Jaws by an elderly dog man named Frank. They ripped each other to shreds before the match was over, while my buddies and I cheered ‘em on. The climax of the match was when Dolly Nitro bit through the skull of the challenger, inducing an epileptic seizure in C&J. Frank was kind of pissed when we laughed at his convulsing dog, but what could he do – go the cops? After that, we figured C&J was finished, but after the seizure she rallied and ripped the hell out of Dolly’s muzzle and left flank before collapsing in the pit, dead as a stone. That night I made $1,500 bucks, by betting on the right dog. Like it or not, dog fighting a good way to make extra money.

^you are a sick person. you should be thrown in a pit to fight for youself with someone who can kill you. Lack of respect for animal life is lack of respect for any life.

I luv watchin dogfights and there aint a damn thing rong with it cause there just stupid mutts anyhow.

Nick Carter wrote:

I luv watchin dogfights and there aint a damn thing rong with it cause there just stupid mutts anyhow.

Learn how to spell. Thats what is wrong with you. Dumb hicks and uneducated people are the only ones who get off on this ridiculous show. Learn a sport you lazy butt. Do something worth while. And if you take your kids you should be brought up on charges of child endangerment. Some people are not meant to have children if they take them to this, what did you call it, SPORT. hahahahahahahaha And once again the dog is not a stupid mutt. You know they can be trained to find cancer cells in the human body before any man made machine can. I think you are the stupid mutt.

im an ex dog man and im writing to tell al of my horrible experiences, about twenty years ago my champion dog blubelle was fighting in a final match up whilst she was fighting she turned on the ref,the guy ended up having to get his leg amputated my dog was subsiquently put down and i was sentenced to 3 years inprisonment.
dont dog fight

I'd love to see a American Pit Bull Terrier chew off the leg of a man, such a spectacle would be cool! Dogfighting is a great sport, I've watched hundreds of dogs tear each other apart, and I've made thousands of dollars betting on the right animal. My best friend is a dogman, and I always get into the matches for free.

There is no use in trying to reason with the dumb hicks who write in these incredulous comments, these people are the shame of our country that is why they are kept apart from the masses.Most of them are the product of incest so how can we possibly expect them to show any type of intelligence? For Christ's sake the dogs they fight are smarter then they are.
Dog fighting is a horrid "sport" and the practice needs to be abolished already, if not for the dogs then for the ozone.( so many interbred hicks in one small place like that has got to be hazardous to the environment. Ugh...imagine the scent wafting from that area...)

I think (hope) that those endorsing dogfighting are just yanking your collective chains. Sorry to ruin their fun.

Jack