Everyone knows the story. Pit Bulls are evil. They’re aggressive. Their goal is to rip you limb from limb. They’ll attack your children. The sole purpose of a Pit Bull is to fight to the death. And they know it. So it’s either them, or us. If we don’t kill them, they’ll kill us. They’re like home-grown, four-legged terrorists that will tear out your throat if given the chance. RIGHT?
How can she sleep? Doesn't she know her life is in danger?!?!
How dare their parents put them in such peril! They should be prosecuted...
The Truth About Breed Temperament
You may not want to accept this, but – statistically speaking – your Golden Retriever poses a greater risk to your kids than a Pit Bull. As does a Collie and a Shetland Sheepdog. I bet it never dawned on my Grandma the danger she put me in when she had a Collie and 2 Shelties while I was growing up. Apparently I’m lucky to be alive!
Find additional information at http://www.atts.org
The Breed Temperament Big Picture
Feel free to check out The American Temperament Test Society’s full breed statistics. Obviously some breeds are more common than others, so there is quite a discrepancy in sample size from breed to breed in the full result list. Though you will notice that the sample sizes of the breeds shown above are generally comparable.
If what people collectively refer to as “Pit Bulls” are so dangerous as to warrant being banned and killed based on a supposed predisposition to aggression, it would stand to reason that Shetland Sheepdogs, Akitas, Doberman Pinschers, Collies, Border Collies, Boxers and Golden Retrievers would be subject to the same treatment. I love dogs. No dog should be exterminated because some ignorant souls choose to believe in a hypothetical danger.
The truth is that to discriminate against ANY breed based on ignorance and sensationalism is a tragedy. It is no less ludicrous to discriminate against a dog based on breed than it is to discriminate against a person based on race, creed, gender or sexual orientation. Some ignorant and xenophobic souls believe black people to be intellectually inferior. Some woefully obtuse individuals believe women are subordinate to men. Some of the most painfully judgmental among us, as illustrated by the government of Uganda, believe anyone afflicted with “the gay” should be put to death.
These same types of prejudice are at work with regard to Pit Bulls. Pit Bulls are victims of prejudice, but that prejudice is socially acceptable, albeit based no more in fact than the prejudices held by racists, sexists or homophobes. I suppose because dogs can’t speak out against injustice, their suffering is somehow less tragic. They’re quiet victims. They suffer silently. NO breed should be demonized and preemptively killed based on ignorance, prejudice or fear-based misconception.
The Media – “Pit Bulls Licking Faces” = Not A Great Headline
TIck-tock. I should check on this kid. I bet he no longer has a face.
The media has demonized and sensationalized Pit Bulls. This sensationalism is not based on the truth about the breed’s inherent temperament, but the fears associated with the consequences of SOME OWNERS choosing to abuse these dogs. In much the same way Retrievers were bred to retrieve, Collies & Sheepdogs were bred to herd and Greyhounds were bred to run, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier and American Staffordshire Terrier – collectively referred to as “Pit Bulls” – were bred to emphasize specific traits, like loyalty and fearlessness, while eliminating others, like human aggression and instability.
Learn the truth about the breed commonly referred to as the “Pit Bull” at Pit Bull Rescue Central.
Ignorance Is The Real Danger
Abuse can cause ANY dog to become aggressive. Abuse can turn ANY dog into a danger. So, why don’t the idiots who abuse and fight dogs use other breeds? Well, a fight between a Golden Retriever and an American Staffordshire Terrier wouldn’t last long, now would it? It’s the same reason a heavyweight boxer doesn’t fight a welterweight boxer. “Pit Bulls” are fantastic physical specimens. WE bred them to be! Now some people want to kill them for it.
Temperament isn’t about nature alone. Dogs are not so different from us. Separate twins at birth. Raise one in a home where he’s tucked into bed each night with a hug and a full stomach. Watch the other grow up on the street, fighting for every morsel of food and relying on his fists to survive another horrendous day of a miserable existence. Then let’s see if one seems more prone to aggression.
Anger, abuse, neglect and violence…that’s the reality that awaits many Pit Bulls from the day they’re born. Not because it’s what they must do, but because the despicable fools who breed them will settle for nothing else. But when they’re rescued, if they’re rescued, they thrive. They become loyal and loving members of warm and welcoming families.
Uh oh...someone better intervene before she snaps & kills the whole family!
How Can You Help Pit Bulls?
The Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit rescue organization in Los Angeles devoted to rehabilitating abused & neglected dogs and finding them new forever homes. LBWHF relies on dedicated volunteers and generous donations from people just like you.
PayPal is one of the largest and most trusted online payment processors – both in the US and around the world. You can make a donation using your credit or debit card via PayPal even if you don’t have a PayPal account! When I win the lottery, I’ll pay for the whole kit-n-kaboodle. Until then, please consider making a donation. Every little bit helps!
I too was one of the skeptical people who thought “what are they thinking” when my cousins brought home a pit bull when they had 2 small kids in the house. I thought of all the stories I heard the injuries.
Then I started volunteering at an animal shelter that takes in pit bulls and works closely with an pit bull rescue in the area.
Now I hear all these wonderful stories of them rescuing someone, the shows dedicated to the breed, the rehabbing of the fighting or bait dogs and of course hands on relationship with the breed.
I love dogs. I grew up with doxies, had a couple bassets and now have a coonhound and boxer.
I cannot own a pit bull because of the laws and insurance requirements. But I love them and would lay beside one anyday over a small dog. I’m not knocking the small breeds…I love them too. I just prefer big dogs.
There are so many advocates now for pit bulls that hopefully legislation can pass reforms so that the breed isn’t discriminated against, then insurance follows thru to not exclude specific breeds…THEN and just as important, tougher laws on owners who fight these dogs. These dogs as so many just want to love and be loved.
Thank you for listening!
Experience is always the best teacher, Reda…and always more powerful than preconceived notions. I’m glad you were open-minded enough to base your opinion on your experiences, rather than simply relying on the maliciously inflated danger this breed supposedly poses. Thanks for stopping by and for volunteering at your local animal shelter. I’d hope others reading this right now will be inspired to do the same!
I own 3 APBT’s and love them to pieces! All have their own quirks but are SO lovable and everybody that knows them just loves them to pieces! I adopted my oldest from a rescue, they called her a ‘Lab/Weimaraner mix’ which was a total lie but i didn’t care, and i have never looked back, my second i got from a byb before i knew much about the breed and my third is my first show dog and they are all just great dogs. everyone is always going to have their thoughts and we are always going to have people that are afraid of pit bulls but the more people that spend time with these beautiful and amazing creatures the more people whose minds we are able to turn! i would say 90+% of the people that ‘hate’ all pit bulls and want them all to die have probably never actually met one, and are just feeding off of the media frenzy! my dogs are always properly contained and never off-leash other than in their own backyard. they are properly socialized (i am a dog groomer) and they come with me to work most days of the week and love to greet the customers! we have the occasional customers who have problems with those ‘pits’ (i hate that term) but if they stand and pet the dogs they get over it. as far as my experience goes, the small dogs are the problems. the dog is small so nobody cares to socialize or train it. the dog barks and snarls, so the owner picks it up. how is that a correctional behavior? regardless, any dog can be aggressive and if they ban all pit bulls they will just continue through all the breeds until we can’t own dogs anymore. what a shame!
Thanks for stopping by, Megan. My sister owns a local pet sitting business. Our experiences are very similar to yours, in that Pit Bull-type breeds have never caused either of us any problems, but other breeds – particularly small breed dogs like Chihuahuas, Pomeranians and the like – are often far more aggressive and prone to bite. Granted, the damage they do is far less than that of a large breed, but tell that to the girl who ended up with 20 stitches after having been attacked by her grandparents 3 Chihuahuas. I don’t recall anyone ever calling for a ban on Chihuahuas…
There’s always two sides to a story. Below is information which directly contradicts the opinions expressed in your article. While my experience of Progressives is that they don’t really like to hear opposing opinions, hopefully you’ll allow this information to stay on your website so intelligent, rational individuals can make up their own minds.
http://thetruthaboutpitbulls.blogspot.com/2010/08/there-are-three-kinds-of-lies-lies.html
http://www.dogsbite.org/dog-bite-statistics-study-dog-attacks-and-maimings-merritt-clifton.php
http://www.dogsbite.org/dog-bite-statistics-fatalities-2011.php
The snide comment about my being a progressive wasn’t necessary, as I can easily – and accurately – point out that ultraconservatives tend to be among the most factually challenged and prone to revisionism.
Readers of this blog are welcome to share whatever facts or anecdotes they feel are applicable to the topic at hand so others can make informed decisions based on all of the information available, not merely the information that supports my position. Thanks for stopping by.
LOL. Dogsbite.org is a crock of shit, and if you listen to them, then your are worse then retarded.
Well…um…your words. Not mine.
From Dogsbite.org: “In the 3-year period from 2006 to 2008, pit bull type dogs killed 52 Americans…at least eleven U.S. State Supreme and Appeals courts have ruled that pit bull terriers pose a significant risk to communities and can be regulated accordingly.”
In the same three-year time period, 198 Americans were killed by plane crashes. Planes pose an even more significant risk to communities! Stop the planes! Visit my urgently needed website, Planescrash.org. After all, there are two sides to every story. I hope you will let this information stay up on your website so paranoid, misinformed individuals can make up their own tiny minds.
+1 for snark factor! Thanks for stopping by, Bill. Have you registered that domain yet?
I loved reading the postings. I have five dogs, two akita/lab mix and have fostered three pit bulls and then adopted them. I cannot stress how wonderful they are….they are not only grateful for getting out of a shelter but they are calmer and loving by knowing they came into a home where they would be loved, and given a nice bed to lay their head at night. I would like to urge people to foster this breed, they stay in shelters for so long because people are afraid of them…please give a bully breed a chance, it is so wrong to euthanize them just because of the “pit” status. Give them a chance….you will be glad you did.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Bonny. The more positive stories people share about Pit Bulls, the less likely people will be to believe they are inherently more aggressive or dangerous than other breeds.
Great page!! I too own a pitbull and love him to pieces best dog i’ve ever owned.. Keep up the good work
discriminating against a certain breed is like discriminating against a certain race, wish people could open there eyes! :/
Thanks, Allison. There are far more stories like yours than there are horror stories. Unfortunately only the sensationalized attack stories seem to make headlines.
Thanks for your post/blog – we have a bully mix (not exactly sure what types or proportions as she is a rescue). The biggest danger she poses is she might lick a person down to a pebble if given the chance. Would like to add my two cents regarding breeds & behavior. I have worked at 2 vet clinics, one of which was a non-profit 24-hour emergency clinic. You can probably imagine the horrors that came through those doors, but I digress. What I would like to comment on is the reason I chose a bully breed – behavior. After watching the behavior of injured dogs, I started noticing the breed most likely to remain calm and compliant, case after case: the pit bull and mixes thereof. Breeds that tended to react by biting: dalmatians, huskies, retrievers, chows. For small breeds – as far as biting goes, chihuahuas take the cake – and eat it too, ha! Jacks are not far behind. This is simply personal observation in one clinic under traumatic and stressful conditions, during my shift times. For me though, I learned which breeds are more likely, in general, to bite when stressed – useful information, I think!
Other posters have mentioned being aware of the bully’s strength – this cannot be understated in my opinion. Bully breeds, although generally calm and congenial, are strong and can be stubborn. They need an owner who is willing to learn about the breed, and who is the dog’s equal or superior in both strength and stubbornness, lol! Anyone who is hesitant regarding physical interaction with a dog should not consider this, or any other dog breed. Dog classes are recommended for any breed, including this one! Like a lot of large, active breeds, bullies benefit from regularly engaging in rigorous physical activity.
Also I really wish “back yard breeding” were banned instead of dog types. Breeders and puppy mills/pet stores are the source of most problems and misery experienced by dogs. In general, from what I have seen, uneducated or willfully ignorant owners/potential owners are more likely to purchase a dog from a backyard breeder or a puppy mill/pet store. There is simply no reason to allow unrestricted breeding of animals – 30,000 cats and dogs are killed every month in the USA due to overbreeding. Sad, sad, sad. And entirely the fault of humans.
To end on a happier note, our girl, Charlotte is now getting close to 8 years old, and shares the house with 2 very sassy cats. Her favorite outing is to visit our relatives who have children – she is in 7th heaven when in the arms of a doting child – so cute! A close second would be a “W-A-L-K ” (we even have to spell “G-O”, “R-I-D-E” and “C-A-R” – ha!), and third would be “doggy bedtime” with a much-coveted center-cut soup bone.
Thanks again and Happy Holidays everyone! May all beings live in peace one day!
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. You make a good point about the strength of bully breeds and making sure that one is capable of physically handling a dog of any breed. A pit bull-type breed isn’t for anyone. This would not have been an appropriate dog for The Golden Girls or Webster, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a perfect fit for a lot of households.
P.S. I applaud you for bringing up the issue of backyard breeders, puppy mills and pet stores. You’re absolutely right on all counts, particularly that those who are NOT capable/prepared of handling strong breeds (both physically and mentally) fall into the category of most likely to get a dog from such a disreputable/unprofessional source.
Allyson, all i can say is if you think a pitbull is a monster, then you truly KNOW NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!….you are an idiot
Hello, Donna. Thanks for stopping by. Had you taken 11 seconds to read anything more the THE TITLE of this post, it would have become rather obvious to you that I am part of the fight FOR pit bull type breeds, not against them. And you have the audacity to call me an idiot? If you’d like to go ahead and pull your foot out of your mouth, please go ahead…I’ll wait.
While I appreciate exactly what you’re saying and in a lot of ways agree I have to say the strength of the person physically isn’t really what counts in my humble opinion. I have a 132lb purebred mutt…..part Dane part Pit and part Lab. I am an over 50 female with 4 major back surgeries behind me and don’t even weigh as much as the mutant. BUT….due to training and committment to him knowing that there are some things he is NOT allowed to do with momma means I can walk him, play with him, and snuggle him just as if he was half the size he is. The same goes for my 87lb beagle/border collie mix. They don’t pull when walking and are not prone to get overly exuberant when I play with them. Yes, being strong enough to handle a bully breed is important the same can be said for having the good sense to train your dogs properly regardless of breed.
I completely agree with you, Dixie. However, during the process of training a willful, intelligent and potentially physically overwhelming animal of any kind (dog, horse, et al.), both physical & emotional strength give you and the animal the greatest chance for success. Based on my pet sitting experience, I can say with confidence that there have been times when my physical strength was the only thing standing between my clients’ dogs & other aggressively approaching animals is my physical ability to stop the confrontations before they turned truly ugly.
Thanks for taking the time to share your insight!
Alysson said….”You’re right, James. Like people, dogs are a product of their environment – Pit Bull or otherwise. Like kids, if you raise them in a home filled with aggression and anger, they will respond in kind. Thanks for stopping by to share your story!”
Curiously, you do not equally tout that dogs are also a product of their nature or genetic lineage. You must agree with this, yet seem to deemphasize this to score a cheap point.
I do agree that all living beings are a product of both their environment AND their genetics. However, we do not preemptively execute the children of psychotics, schizophrenics. et al. (like Herb Baumeister, for example) simply because they may have a genetic predisposition to mental illness that could potentially result in a violent murder spree at some point in the future. Yet it seems perfectly acceptable to some to exterminate a dog without a single incident of aggression or so much as an aggressive bark.
I just wanted to say thank you for such a well-written article on my new favorite breed. I adopted Bean, a 4 and a half year old APBT 2 months ago after losing my doberman to cancer. I can’t tell you how much she has filled the void in my life. She is loving and cuddly and always ready to sneak a kiss/lick. She is well socialized and loves to play with other dogs at the dog park and with my american eskimo and shitzu at home. I cant imagine a more perfect fit in my family. Some colleagues at work do not understand how I could ever have such a dog and this i find very frustrating considering all they want to believe is sensationalized media and refuse to consider the alternative.
Thank you for providing this opportunity to speak to this issue. It is much appreciate.
You’re quite welcome. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience and help to dispel the myth that all pit bulls are aggressive or dangerous.
pit bulls are not monsters they are loving animals . . . . its not the dog its the person that is making the dog fight the dog is mean because of the person its not the dog people kill dogs they hang them when they lose a fight ok pitbulls are being killed i want to say something to the cops and the aspca that there not monsters okay they are loving dogs and people should stop saying shit okay its not right to say all this stuff when its not real !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO STOP IF YOU ( THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MAKING THESE DOGS FIGHT ) STOP THESE ARE LIVING ANIMALS WHAT IF YOUR MOM AND DAD MADE YOU STARVE BECAUSE U NEVER FIGHT WHAT IF THEY KILLED YOU FOR NOT FIGHTING SO THINK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for taking time to share your thoughts.
I have a 19 month old Pit bull, Rhodesian Ridge-back mix. Hey name is Bailey and is the most loving and caring dog I have ever owned. Prior to Bailey growing up my family had all types of dogs from Rotties to Germans Shepard’s to Shih Tzus.
I must say that Bailey is the smartest, most loyal dog I have ever had. She is smart, full of life and has an amazing personality. Many people that are scared of Pit-bulls will learn to love them once they educate themselves better.
I also want to say that the reason most pit-bulls are viewed as a dangerous breed, is because their ignorant owners. The people who get Pit bulls to prove they are tough, or for gang related issues should be prosecuted. It is because of these idiots our loving, four legged family members have such a bad rep.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Brianna. Accurate information is always the most effective weapon against fear-based ignorance.