I conducted a poll on Pit Bulls, called "Pitbulls: bad dogs or bad owners?" to see what people thought about this controversial dog, and the results were quite surprising. A whopping 85% of people who voted on the poll said that the owners were at fault for not raising their dogs correctly, while only 15% blame the dogs genes, and just believe they are inherently bad.
So, if the majority of people believe the owners deserve the blame for raising such violent dogs, then why do these sweet doggies get such a bad reputation?
When people think of Pit Bulls, the first things that usually come to mind are gangs, crime, dog fighting, and violence. Bad people exploit them for their muscular frame and strong jaws in underground dog fighting rings, and then the media puts the blame on the dogs, labeling them as vicious, mean, and dangerous, ticking time-bombs that are waiting to explode and attack. Unfortunately, due to so many dog fighting ring busts and Pit Bull attacks being reported, these dogs are associated with the criminal aspect of society. There is even a show called Pit Bulls and Parolees, where criminals help the dogs find homes while redeeming themselves.
Today, due to the stigma surrounding the breed, these dogs are banned in several states, even when it's been proven that these laws don't even work, and in 41 countries. In the US and Canada, thousands and thousands of Pit Bull-type dogs have made their ways into shelters, and out of all the dogs euthanized, 40% are Pit Bulls. They are also the least likely dog to be adopted.
I have come across many Pit Bulls in my lifetime, and I can confidently say that they are some of the sweetest dogs I have ever come across. A friend of my mom owns a Pit Bull and he barely barked, and he would jump on me and give me kisses. He was a sweet dog all around. Most of the Pits I have come across have been sweet, and the owners are the ones to blame if they turn out bad.
Where I live, I usually see these dogs in abandoned homes, on chains barking. Many of them are thin and emaciated. People are usually fearful and wary of these dogs because of their bad reputation or due to the bad people who usually get their hands on them. Are the dogs really the ones to blame here?
I volunteer at an animal shelter, and many of the dogs are looked over due to the stigma that these dogs face. It's sad, really, because these dogs deserve as much of a chance as any dog does. A few bad eggs do not make the breed.
Why is there such prejudice surrounding these wonderful dogs? Well, part of it is due to the misconceptions and misunderstandings that people believe about them. I will go through some common things believed about Pit Bulls and address them, and then we can accurately answer the question: Is it the dogs themselves or bad people that get a hold of them?
Are Pit Bulls a breed of dog?
No. "Pit Bull" is a blanket term used to describe dogs with similar characteristics, such as muscular frames, big heads, and strong jaws, which are known to the public as Pit Bulls. Many breeds who are classified as Pit Bulls are: American Pit Bull Terriers, American Bullies, American Bulldogs, American Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and Pit Terrier mixes. Sometimes Bull Terriers, standard and miniature, are also classified as a type of Pit.
Are Pit Bulls inherently aggressive?
No. Actually, no dog is "born mean", but any puppy of any breed can turn out to be aggressive, given the right circumstances to become aggressive. Negative stimulation has the potential to turn a non aggressive puppy into a aggressive adult. This can occur in any breed, not just a Pit Bull. There is no genetic "hard wiring" that makes a Pit Bull more aggressive than any other dog breed, and it is more nurture than nature than anything.
Well, if they are not born aggressive, then why are so many Pit Bulls aggressive?
Contrary to popular belief, Pit Bulls are far from the most aggressive dog breed. According to data collected by The American Temperament Test Society in 2013, which tested 122 dog breeds, Pit Bulls achieved a passing rate of 86.8%, and came in second place overall. This is actually higher than widely known "nice breeds" such as Golden Retrievers, which scored 85.2%, German Shepards, which scored 84.8%, and Australian Shepards, which scored 82.2%.
Also, according to the Humane Society and Huffington Post, many of these dog attacks could be easily prevented if the owner did simple things like spaying and neutering their animals. 80% of Pit Bulls killed and seized every year were described as "nice, family dogs". 84% of dogs involved in fatal dog attacks were abused and neglected. 86% of fatal dog attacks arise from unneutered male dogs.
Pit Bull type dogs, such as Staffordshire Bull Terriers, were also originally nanny dogs, and many Pit Bull type dogs were bred for this exact reason. They were then taken advantage of humans who wanted a good fighting dog.
The dogs used in Little Rascals to play Pete the Pup, were described as Pit Bull type dogs. So aggressive, huh?
Aggression depends on the specific dog, not the entire breed.
If they are not aggressive, then why are there so many dog attacks initiated by Pit Bulls reported in the media?
Pit Bulls are considered to be "monsters" by the media, and sometimes, the dogs involved in "Pit Bull" attacks are not Pit Bulls at all! Go figure. Karen Delise, author of the book The Pit Bull Placebo, reviewed dog attack reports from 2002-2005, and found that 11 dogs out of the 47 she reviewed were reported as "Pit Bulls", but showed no characteristics of Pit Bull traits.
This dog that was involved in a fatal dog attack was called a Pit Bull, but it is clearly not a Pit Bull.
Also according to her research, this dog was also reported to the public as a Pit Bull when the authorities who seized the dog explicitly told them that it was a Labrador mix.
Well, why were these dogs who are obviously not Pit Bulls labeled as Pits? It makes for better media consumption. The media loves to amplify Pits as being vicious monsters.
According to this 2008 study, the media has bias against Pit Bulls. When a lady was mauled to death by her Labs, only one local newpaper reported the incident, but, in that same year, when a man was mauled by one or more Pit Bulls, the incident was reported by 285 media outlet, even some of them were abroad.
Also, the study found that when a baby was mauled to death by a Siberian Husky, only a dozen media outlets and newspapers reported the incident. However, when a Nevada baby was mauled to death by what was described as a Pit Bull, the incident was reported by over 200 media outlets all over the world, and many had "Pit Bull" in the headlines.
There are many incidents of this happening today too. Many mix breeds are reported as "Pit Bulls".
What gives? Well, our perception of this breed has a lot to do with overhype surrounding attacks like this.
Do Pit Bulls have "lockjaw"? Do they bite harder than other breeds?
Lockjaw is a myth for any breed. No dogs have a special mechanism that allows them to lock their jaws. If you compare the skull of a Pit Bull to that of any dog breed, you will see very few bone structure differences.
Here is a Pit Bull skull.
Here is a Chihuahua skull.
Similar, eh? Lock jaw is a myth.
As for biting harder, no, they don't do this either. Bully breeds are rumored to exert a whopping 1600 pounds of pressure when clamping down, but this isn't true. The most powerful bite in the dog kingdom belongs to Rottweiler, which exerts 328 pounds of pressure. The Pit Bulls actually came in last place when tested, even behind the German Shepard. Pits were average, exerting only 235 pounds per square inch.
Are Pit Bulls prone to turn on humans and other animals?
No. They aren't more prone to attack than any other dog breed, and there are dogs with stable temperaments across the country. Dogs that turn around and bite people usually troubled to begin with, and it is usually brought on by careless or irresponsible owners, or people who have ignored the warning signs that come before a dog bite (snarling, pulled back lips, lowered ears, wide eyes, etc.). Commonly, dogs that bite are already set up for failure and it could have been encouraged by abuse and neglect, mental illness, or other health problems. Many Pits who are wary of humans have been beaten or abused in some way.
When a Pit is raised correctly, however, they can result in great family pets.
Oh my, he's going to snap any minute. Run for cover!
Do Pit Bulls love to fight?
They do not "love" to fight, and the myth usually comes from the fact that Pits are eager to please. Once a Pit Bull accepts you as its master, it will do anything to make you happy. Many dog fights exploit this quality, which is why they are often selected as fighting dogs. They are easy to train and will not give up until the task is done, even if they get no praise in return. Whether you teach them to rip another dog to shreds or to fetch, their undying loyalty and relentlessness makes them easy targets for exploitation by criminals.
If a Pit Bull is aggressive to other animals does that mean people are next?
According to The American Pit Bull Foundation,
Many working breeds have antipathy towards other animals – coonhounds go mad at the sight of a raccoon, foxhounds will not hesitate to tear a dog-like fox to shreds, greyhounds live to chase and maul rabbits and even dog-like coyotes. Even the ever-friendly beagle will slaughter a rabbit, given the chance.
And yet the greyhound, coon and foxhound and beagle are among the friendliest of breeds towards humans. And it is the same with the pit bulldog. His work through the years has been control of other animals – never humans. A correct pit bull is more often than not submissive toward all humans, and adores children."
They also say that any Pit Bulls who show aggressive behavior towards humans are not well, and should be humanely euthanized. Many Pit Bulls, however, love people and many Pit Bulls can live with other animals, such as other dogs and cats when trained correctly.
Are Pit Bulls good with people and children?
Pit Bulls in general LOVE people. It is also widely believed that Pits generally make horrible guard dogs because they would rather lick the criminal to death than tear him to shreds. They are super loyal, and are eager to please their humans. They are happy, wiggly bundles of energy and usually get excited when they see their masters. They also love treats, attention, and are affectionate to adults and children alike. They are big babies who love to cuddle.
(Children should be taught to interact with animals and should always be supervised around any animal so that mishaps do not occur.)
The bottom line is...
Don't judge a book by it's cover. We should stop judging this breed due to the actions that people use against them, and we should start helping them.Good news though, many people are waking up to the prejudices suffered by Pit Bulls and are stepping up to help. Get your dogs spayed and neutered, there are organizations that do it for free. Also, Pit Bulls and Parolees helps Pits find homes. Many more organizations are popping up and coming to their aid.
They need it, though, because we're the reason that they need defending in the first place.
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