Sadly, Pit Bulls often get a bad wrap for being "vicious" and "aggressive" but after owning 3 myself and spending time around many, I am determined to help educate people about this wonderful breed. Please take the time to read this article to educate yourself and others about what Pit Bulls are really like. In this article we will cover a brief history of the Pit bull, common myths, most commonly asked questions, a few cool videos, helpful links and of course, some pictures I took of mine! Thank you! *Note. Pit Bulls as with any breed are not for every one. You have to know what you're doing and how to handle a large dog responsibly like that.
{A Brief History Of The "Pit-Bull".}
*To preface this so it all makes sense I would like to say that the ultimate American Pit Bull Terrier (A.K.A The Pit Bull, Bully or Pittie) we know today is a mix of two dog breeds, Staffordshire Terrier and Old English bull dog.
Back in the early 1800's Staffordshire Terriers were used for a cruel sport called "Bull Baiting" in which 2 or more dogs were released into a ring with a single bull. The dogs were trained to harass the beast until it became so fatigued that it collapsed or it died. In 1835 this "sport" was outlawed by the Cruelty To Animals Act. After that the public began "ratting" instead. They would place a few dogs into a pit where multiple rats were contained and let the dogs chase and ultimately kill the rats. This is where the "pit" in the Pit Bull comes from. Sadly though the public ultimately went to dog fighting since it was easier to hide from the law. It was later determined that dog fighting and ratting alike demanded more agility from the dogs so Old English Bull Dogs were then crossed with the terriers creating the first "Pit Bull Terrier". A bit before the Civil War British immigrants came to the United States along with their Pit Bulls. It was during this time the breed was re-named the "American Pit Bull Terrier". In early America Pit Bulls ended up taking on an all-purpose role. They helped farmers with herding cattle/sheep, guarding live stock, guarding families against thieves and wild animals, helping on hunts and watching over the children. American Pit Bull Terriers were considered less and less of a vicious fighting dog and more of a hard working companion dog. Instead of being called vicious, aggressive and overall bad dogs they were soon looked at as loyal, brave, hard working and friendly dogs. This breed was especially popular in WW1 as well as WW2. They were considered a symbol of bravery/loyalty and were often used in advertisements during war-times. After WW2 Pit Bulls were less glorified and they began to be viewed as more "regular dogs". In 1976 congress amended the Animal Welfare act to officially ban dog fighting and other unrelated things. This amendment made this awful "sport" illegal in all 50 states. Today dog fighting or being a spectator at a dog fighting match is considered a felony in all 50 states. Owning dogs for this purpose is also a criminal offense in most states.
So, you may ask, if Pit Bulls were indeed so popular and glorified back then what changed to make people look down upon them now?
Dog fighting began to re-gain popularity back in the 1980's. Animal advocates stood against this barbaric and cruel blood sport. Unfortunately the consequences to their stand was that people started seeking out these poor animals for illegal purposes more than ever. These criminals started trying to turn these gentle, friendly beasts into something they weren't. The family oriented, loyal breed that America looked so greatly upon was now, once again being used in underground fights against other dogs. This new found demand for Pit Bulls drove people to breed them with no regard for temperament or socialization of the puppies and were too concerned in making a profit to find responsible homes for the animals. Soon the breed was associated with poverty, crime and "urban thugs". The were simply viewed as money-making commodities instead of loving companions and friends like they once were. It also didn't help when in 1987 Time magazine published a story called "The Pit Bull a Friend and Killer" with a picture of a big pittie held by a massive chain on the cover. These once All American Dogs were now seen as vicious killers that were widely feared. By the 90's music artists were capitalizing on the percieved dangerous look of the pitbull and the dogs became an accessory to their brand only furthering the stereotype. The trend was also adopted by street gangs as a way of commanding instant street credit. As dog fighting got slightly less popular a bit later, pitties were then just tossed aside onto the street as if they were nothing but an item that had been used and thrown away. Most of the dogs ended up in the shelters and ultimately put down. After a few more large losses and only a couple small victories along the way for the truth about the breed, today they are still hated and feared by a significant amount of the general public. Slowly but surely though, people are seeing the truth and finally advocating for the wonderful breed.
{Commonly asked questions.}
1. How can you argue that Pit Bulls do not have aggressive tendencies due to their violent past?
Pit Bulls were bred for fighting physically. They were bred to be built stocky, tough, agile with a high tolerance to pain (ideal for fighting) but the aggression is fully owner induced. They are trained to be aggressive not bred to be.
2. How do you explain why Pit Bulls have the highest "Bite Rate"?
This one's easy. Every block-headed short haired dog is considered a Pit bull. Also, since Pit Bulls already have such a bad wrap people just assume it's another "vicious Pit Bull" even when it is not. At the end of this article I will add a very interesting link about this particular topic!
3. If Pit Bulls are so docile then why can't I get homeowner's insurance if I have one?
People often make it sound like Pit Bulls exclusively are not covered under Homeowners insurance. The truth is, a lot of breeds are not covered such as, German Sheperds, Great Danes, Doberman Pinshcers, Rottweilers and lots more. Homeowner's insurance especially does not cover large or energetic breeds.
{Myths.}
1. Myth=Pit Bulls have a locking jaw.
Truth=It is commonly believed that Pit Bulls can physically lock their jaws. This is a myth. A study revealed that there is no locking mechanism in the jaw. Lock jaw is rather referring to a state of mind.
2. Myth=Pit Bulls are unpredictable.
Truth=Pit Bulls are in fact not necessarily unpredictable but logical, discerning and intelligent. Of course there's a level of unpredictability in any breed but from what I've seen Pitties are no more unpredictable then a any other breed.
3. Myth=Pit Bulls are not family dogs.
Truth=This is the one that gets me because it is extremely untrue. Pit Bulls are indeed the perfect family pet. Their loyal, protective, friendly personality makes them ideal. They also have an extremely high tolerance for pestering making them ideal especially for small children who might pull their tail/poke/push/pinch etc.
4. Myth=Pit Bulls are not affectionate.
Truth=Walk up to any pittie owner and you'll see what I mean. This breed is amongst the most affectionate of dog breeds. They love snuggles, scratches, kisses and hugs!
5. Myth= Pit Bulls are much less trainable than other breeds.
Truth=Myth! Pit Bulls are no harder to train than any other breed. They in fact can actually learn how to perform quite complicated tasks.
6. Myth= Pit Bulls purposely want to kill people.
Truth= False! Pitties will not kill on purpose unless trained of course. They do not naturally want to harm or kill people.
7. Myth= One day when Pit Bulls are old their brains will swell making them go crazy and kill their whole family.
Truth= 100% false! A dog's brain will not swell unless they sustain a serious injury and if their brain did swell they would die not "go crazy". Pitties are no different.
8. Myth= Pit Bulls don't shed.
Truth= Pit Bulls like most other dogs do indeed shed. But, their short hair makes shedding more manageable than a long haired dog.
9. Myth= You have to cut Pit Bull's tails.
Truth= Nope! You do not and should not. The tail is a necessity for balance.
10. Myth= Pit Bulls have the strongest bite force in the dog world.
Truth= Wrong. Pit Bulls do rank high on the bite force chart but they do not have the strongest bite overall. They actually rank near German Sheperds and Rottweilers.
11. Myth= Pit Bulls bite the most people.
Truth= False. Actually Chihuahua's are responsible for the most human bites followed by Rottweilers then German Sheperds. It was proven that Chihuahuas are nearly 3 times more likely to bite a person than Pit Bulls are.
{Fun Facts.}
1. Pit Bulls thrive on and desire pack order. In our household to maintain pack order we do a few simple things such as, don't allow them on the furniture and don't let them in the bed. Since Pit Bulls are very responsive to pack-order ours can even recognize that my Father is highest in command or the "Alpha". If Dad's gone they go through extra measures to protect Mom. They even know that they are below the children. They are working dogs, they understand they have a job to protect the family and keep a watchful eye.
2. Pit Bulls live and breath to please their owner. Rather they are trained to love everyone, or fight they just want to please their owner and they will not cross their master. They will willingly put their lives on the line for their master regardless of the consequences.
3. Pitties are protective of their family making them the ideal dog for Mothers with children.
{Cool Videos Of Pit Bulls.}
{Helpful Links.}
https://kenneltocouch.org/2020/02/pit-bulls-and-dog-bites/
https://love-a-bull.org/resources/statistics-pit-bull-bites-community-safety/
(These two links above are regarding why Pit Bulls get blamed for the most dog bites.)
*Thank you for reading! I hope you learned a lot! I would be beyond honored if you would share this article with any friends or family members who may have the wrong picture about Pit Bulls. Let's work together to save the breed and reach people one at a time.
*I am aware that this is a highly controversial topic so I would appreciate it if we can keep reviews and comments respectful. Thank you very much. If you have any questions please feel free to leave a comment below or pm me!
"In the 70's they blamed
Dobermans
In the 80's they blamed
German Sheperds
In the 90's they blamed
The rottweiler
Now they blame
The Pit Bull.
When will they start blaming the humans?"
~Cesar Millan
{A Brief History Of The "Pit-Bull".}
*To preface this so it all makes sense I would like to say that the ultimate American Pit Bull Terrier (A.K.A The Pit Bull, Bully or Pittie) we know today is a mix of two dog breeds, Staffordshire Terrier and Old English bull dog.
Back in the early 1800's Staffordshire Terriers were used for a cruel sport called "Bull Baiting" in which 2 or more dogs were released into a ring with a single bull. The dogs were trained to harass the beast until it became so fatigued that it collapsed or it died. In 1835 this "sport" was outlawed by the Cruelty To Animals Act. After that the public began "ratting" instead. They would place a few dogs into a pit where multiple rats were contained and let the dogs chase and ultimately kill the rats. This is where the "pit" in the Pit Bull comes from. Sadly though the public ultimately went to dog fighting since it was easier to hide from the law. It was later determined that dog fighting and ratting alike demanded more agility from the dogs so Old English Bull Dogs were then crossed with the terriers creating the first "Pit Bull Terrier". A bit before the Civil War British immigrants came to the United States along with their Pit Bulls. It was during this time the breed was re-named the "American Pit Bull Terrier". In early America Pit Bulls ended up taking on an all-purpose role. They helped farmers with herding cattle/sheep, guarding live stock, guarding families against thieves and wild animals, helping on hunts and watching over the children. American Pit Bull Terriers were considered less and less of a vicious fighting dog and more of a hard working companion dog. Instead of being called vicious, aggressive and overall bad dogs they were soon looked at as loyal, brave, hard working and friendly dogs. This breed was especially popular in WW1 as well as WW2. They were considered a symbol of bravery/loyalty and were often used in advertisements during war-times. After WW2 Pit Bulls were less glorified and they began to be viewed as more "regular dogs". In 1976 congress amended the Animal Welfare act to officially ban dog fighting and other unrelated things. This amendment made this awful "sport" illegal in all 50 states. Today dog fighting or being a spectator at a dog fighting match is considered a felony in all 50 states. Owning dogs for this purpose is also a criminal offense in most states.
So, you may ask, if Pit Bulls were indeed so popular and glorified back then what changed to make people look down upon them now?
Dog fighting began to re-gain popularity back in the 1980's. Animal advocates stood against this barbaric and cruel blood sport. Unfortunately the consequences to their stand was that people started seeking out these poor animals for illegal purposes more than ever. These criminals started trying to turn these gentle, friendly beasts into something they weren't. The family oriented, loyal breed that America looked so greatly upon was now, once again being used in underground fights against other dogs. This new found demand for Pit Bulls drove people to breed them with no regard for temperament or socialization of the puppies and were too concerned in making a profit to find responsible homes for the animals. Soon the breed was associated with poverty, crime and "urban thugs". The were simply viewed as money-making commodities instead of loving companions and friends like they once were. It also didn't help when in 1987 Time magazine published a story called "The Pit Bull a Friend and Killer" with a picture of a big pittie held by a massive chain on the cover. These once All American Dogs were now seen as vicious killers that were widely feared. By the 90's music artists were capitalizing on the percieved dangerous look of the pitbull and the dogs became an accessory to their brand only furthering the stereotype. The trend was also adopted by street gangs as a way of commanding instant street credit. As dog fighting got slightly less popular a bit later, pitties were then just tossed aside onto the street as if they were nothing but an item that had been used and thrown away. Most of the dogs ended up in the shelters and ultimately put down. After a few more large losses and only a couple small victories along the way for the truth about the breed, today they are still hated and feared by a significant amount of the general public. Slowly but surely though, people are seeing the truth and finally advocating for the wonderful breed.
{Commonly asked questions.}
1. How can you argue that Pit Bulls do not have aggressive tendencies due to their violent past?
Pit Bulls were bred for fighting physically. They were bred to be built stocky, tough, agile with a high tolerance to pain (ideal for fighting) but the aggression is fully owner induced. They are trained to be aggressive not bred to be.
2. How do you explain why Pit Bulls have the highest "Bite Rate"?
This one's easy. Every block-headed short haired dog is considered a Pit bull. Also, since Pit Bulls already have such a bad wrap people just assume it's another "vicious Pit Bull" even when it is not. At the end of this article I will add a very interesting link about this particular topic!
3. If Pit Bulls are so docile then why can't I get homeowner's insurance if I have one?
People often make it sound like Pit Bulls exclusively are not covered under Homeowners insurance. The truth is, a lot of breeds are not covered such as, German Sheperds, Great Danes, Doberman Pinshcers, Rottweilers and lots more. Homeowner's insurance especially does not cover large or energetic breeds.
{Myths.}
1. Myth=Pit Bulls have a locking jaw.
Truth=It is commonly believed that Pit Bulls can physically lock their jaws. This is a myth. A study revealed that there is no locking mechanism in the jaw. Lock jaw is rather referring to a state of mind.
2. Myth=Pit Bulls are unpredictable.
Truth=Pit Bulls are in fact not necessarily unpredictable but logical, discerning and intelligent. Of course there's a level of unpredictability in any breed but from what I've seen Pitties are no more unpredictable then a any other breed.
3. Myth=Pit Bulls are not family dogs.
Truth=This is the one that gets me because it is extremely untrue. Pit Bulls are indeed the perfect family pet. Their loyal, protective, friendly personality makes them ideal. They also have an extremely high tolerance for pestering making them ideal especially for small children who might pull their tail/poke/push/pinch etc.
4. Myth=Pit Bulls are not affectionate.
Truth=Walk up to any pittie owner and you'll see what I mean. This breed is amongst the most affectionate of dog breeds. They love snuggles, scratches, kisses and hugs!
5. Myth= Pit Bulls are much less trainable than other breeds.
Truth=Myth! Pit Bulls are no harder to train than any other breed. They in fact can actually learn how to perform quite complicated tasks.
6. Myth= Pit Bulls purposely want to kill people.
Truth= False! Pitties will not kill on purpose unless trained of course. They do not naturally want to harm or kill people.
7. Myth= One day when Pit Bulls are old their brains will swell making them go crazy and kill their whole family.
Truth= 100% false! A dog's brain will not swell unless they sustain a serious injury and if their brain did swell they would die not "go crazy". Pitties are no different.
8. Myth= Pit Bulls don't shed.
Truth= Pit Bulls like most other dogs do indeed shed. But, their short hair makes shedding more manageable than a long haired dog.
9. Myth= You have to cut Pit Bull's tails.
Truth= Nope! You do not and should not. The tail is a necessity for balance.
10. Myth= Pit Bulls have the strongest bite force in the dog world.
Truth= Wrong. Pit Bulls do rank high on the bite force chart but they do not have the strongest bite overall. They actually rank near German Sheperds and Rottweilers.
11. Myth= Pit Bulls bite the most people.
Truth= False. Actually Chihuahua's are responsible for the most human bites followed by Rottweilers then German Sheperds. It was proven that Chihuahuas are nearly 3 times more likely to bite a person than Pit Bulls are.
{Fun Facts.}
1. Pit Bulls thrive on and desire pack order. In our household to maintain pack order we do a few simple things such as, don't allow them on the furniture and don't let them in the bed. Since Pit Bulls are very responsive to pack-order ours can even recognize that my Father is highest in command or the "Alpha". If Dad's gone they go through extra measures to protect Mom. They even know that they are below the children. They are working dogs, they understand they have a job to protect the family and keep a watchful eye.
2. Pit Bulls live and breath to please their owner. Rather they are trained to love everyone, or fight they just want to please their owner and they will not cross their master. They will willingly put their lives on the line for their master regardless of the consequences.
3. Pitties are protective of their family making them the ideal dog for Mothers with children.
{Cool Videos Of Pit Bulls.}
{Helpful Links.}
https://kenneltocouch.org/2020/02/pit-bulls-and-dog-bites/
https://love-a-bull.org/resources/statistics-pit-bull-bites-community-safety/
(These two links above are regarding why Pit Bulls get blamed for the most dog bites.)
*Thank you for reading! I hope you learned a lot! I would be beyond honored if you would share this article with any friends or family members who may have the wrong picture about Pit Bulls. Let's work together to save the breed and reach people one at a time.
*I am aware that this is a highly controversial topic so I would appreciate it if we can keep reviews and comments respectful. Thank you very much. If you have any questions please feel free to leave a comment below or pm me!
"In the 70's they blamed
Dobermans
In the 80's they blamed
German Sheperds
In the 90's they blamed
The rottweiler
Now they blame
The Pit Bull.
When will they start blaming the humans?"
~Cesar Millan
! It means a lot!!
.
