The pit bull is one of the most feared, misunderstood, and abused breed of dog. Some commonly known reasons that they are considered to be so dangerous is because of their tendency to "lock their jaws" and their underdevelopment of the skull. Due to how the brain grows, the skull will crush the brain and mess with its function. Although these are only two reasons giving detail as to why one may think pit bulls are dangerous, there are dozens to prove how they are just as friendly as any other breed. Contrary to people 's belief, pit bulls are not born, but raised to be dangerous.
Pit bulls have a stronger, more muscular build compared to most breeds of dogs. One of the many reasons for the purchase of these dogs is so that it 's owner can "maintain their tough image" in which they encourage the dogs to be rather aggressive. Since the dogs are now being trained to be aggressive, it causes them to believe they’re doing what they’re supposed to be doing because they were raised to fight.
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In fact, in 1993, one Pitbull saved more than 30 people from a flood within the span of a few weeks, which is approximately twice the amount of total people killed by all pit bulls in the past eight years. Propaganda leads people to believe that pit bulls are more dangerous than other dogs. For example, in August of 2007, a six-year-old little boy was hospitalized due to severe bites and even having his ear bitten off. This was from a mixed breed; which, only received media attention from one news station. While only a day later, a fifty-nine-year-old man was hospitalized due do to the fact that he was bitten by two pit bulls. This received not only mentions in 230 newspaper articles, but also was covered all over the news by numerous news stations. There are even some communities in this country that have banned owning the breed altogether. These stories go to show the stereotype that exist in the pit
Perhaps the reason why pit bulls are feared by society is because we are afraid of what they are associated with. Pit bulls are often thought of as a gangster’s pet, a role in violent and illegal activities. People stereotype this breed because of the unfortunate acts of few. In contrast, society needs to understand that they are being racist towards a breed of dog. Denver’s systematic killing of pit bulls could be compared to the actions of the Nazis during the Holocaust.
Has society unfairly ostracized the entire breed or is the vicious reputation true? Critics claim that pit bulls attack indiscriminately and often without warning. In a study taken from U.S. and Canada press reports between 1982 and 2014, Merritt Clifton, editor of Animals 24-7, found that pit bulls were the most responsible for inflicting bodily harm (as cited by DogsBite.org). However, it should be noted that attacks involving pit bulls often are catastrophic and result in responses from police and paramedics and news media reporters. According to news reports studied by DogsBite.org for “the 10-year period from 2005 to 2014, pit bulls killed 203 Americans and accounted for 62% of the total recorded deaths” (DogsBite.org). All of the pit bull breeds possess powerful jaws, and Nicholas Dodman, author of Dogs Behaving Badly, reports “when they do chomp down, it can be a bloodbath” (as quoted by Rivenburg).
Many people associate a negative connotation with the dog breed “pit bull.” These dogs are thought to be dangerous and problematic. However, much of this can be attributed to the mass amounts of negative media attention that pit bull breeds receive as opposed to other breeds of dogs that can be just as dangerous. For example, The National Canine Research Council did a four-day study on dog-bite repo...
One reason people are so frightened of pitbulls is for their roles in street gangs. They are often used as what law enforcement has begun to deem, Are all pit bulls subjected to the life of gangs or forced into a fighting ring? No, but it is the dogs that are and have become violent because of their mistreatment that get in the media which leads to the public fearing all pit bulls.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), there is a “great deal of confusion associated with the label ‘Pit Bull,’” as it does not refer to a single breed of dog, but rather to a group of breeds with similar characteristics1. These characteristics include short hair, a wide skull and shoulders, muscle definition, stocky build and a deep jawline, the combination of which create a dog that manages to strike fear into a perfect stranger. The term ‘Pit Bull’ is derived from the bulldog, which was originally bred as a hunting dog for large game, but has since developed into a “loyal companion rather than a working dog.”1 Their history as “gripping dogs” for hunters follows them into modern society, as many of these dogs have been inhumanely pitted against one another as well as other animals for sport and for human entertainment1. It is because of these illegal fighting rings that ‘Pit Bull’ type breeds have become the subje...
Pit Bulls are without a doubt my favorite dog, I adore them. Pit Bulls are very well tempered, loyal, and resilient animals. Bred for big game hunting, Pit Bulls are strong, fierce animals and people who have the wrong intentions for ownership should never own them. I am a strong believer that a potential pet owner should do lots of research before getting any type of animal, without exception. Owners should do as much research before getting a dog as they do in planning for a new home or any other new family member. One of the main things to really think about and understand is your intentions for your selection of an animal with the breeding of the Pit Bull. If you choose a dog with the wrong intentions, specifically a Pit Bull, you will get a dog that behaves aggressively and is dangerous. This owner behavior is what has caused the current plight of the Pit Bull today, where laws have been passed in thirteen states and hundreds of municipalities, as well as every U. S. Military base, banning the ownership of the breed and forcing shelters to euphonize Pit Bulls within 24 hours. These laws are unjust and cruel, and victimize the breed based on the owners’ behavior. I also argue that the blame for the epidemic proportions that the laws have reached is 100% the fault of owners who purposely acquired the Pit Bull with the intention to abuse and fight the dogs, and that these owners are the ones who should be punished, not the dogs. (Davis)
Regardless of the history of the pit bull breed, and the lack of knowledge in the field of animal genetics, many people still agree with breed specific legislation (BSL), more commonly in the form of pit bull breed bans. However, there are those who still believe genetics play a small role in the aggressive nature of the Pit Bull. These individuals contend that because breeders once bred and used these dogs for fighting, that the whole breed still poses a significant danger to the public and, therefore are not suitable as pets in today’s society (Preis, 2014).
Even though pit bulls are the majority of dog attacks anybody hears about, they are loyal and caring dogs. All they want is the love and approval of their owners. They will do anything that they are told to do. Their strength, stamina, and speed fuel the passion they have for their owners. Pit bulls are not vicious by nature; they are good guard dogs fueled by the love for their family; and, they are definitely loyal friends. They have a lower temperament than many other well-known breeds; therefore, they are not vicious by nature at all. They are very strong guard dogs. Pit bulls are known to be a scary breed, so people stay away from them. They have an amazing amount of speed and stamina that they can use to chase predators away, too. Pit bulls are the best friends anyone could ask for. They are loyal and loving creatures that just want to please their family. They are good dogs to train to be around children. If the children are a part of the dog’s family, then the dog will protect the child at all costs. Pit bulls are a good breed to have as a family
Again, the owners are to blame for the aggressive behaviors that are seen in pit bulls. The tendencies, which are more commonly seen in pit bulls, was more often seen due to them being used as fighting dogs. With animal rescues and police, dog fighting has calmed and the amount of aggressive dogs is dropping. The problem still remains, though, and may never go away, simply due to irresponsible owners.
In 18 August, 2011, the source of this event is from Herald Sun. A four-year-old lovely child named Ayen Chol was mauled and killed by a pit bull cross while she was playing in her home. The vicious pit bull escaped from a neighbour’s yard and mauled Ayen in a sudden attack. The dog rushed inside the house and set upon Ayen and some other children who were watching television. Ayen’s mom tried to beat the dog away from the children with a table, but she failed. Then the dog turned on Ayen and the vicious injuries caused Ayen’s death. Dr Cam Day, who is the RSPCA’s Queensland pit bull expert, has claimed that American pit bull terriers are ‘head, shoulder, feet and everything else above other breeds’ in terms of their capacity to injure and maim. If the government doesn’t ban pit bulls, these tragedies would continue to happen and children’s lives would be threatened all the
Pit bull terriers have a long track record of attacks against people and animals. A 1987 study of a particularly savage attack against a child was documented by four doctors in the hopes...
There are a lot of facts and information about pit bulls that the public does not know. The media blows things way out of proportion with this breed of dog and doing simple research can shed some light. “There are three main types of ‘pit bulls,’ they are the Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Pit Bull Terriers, and American Staffordshire Terriers” (Pit Bull Rescue Center). The Staffordshire bull terrier is originally from England. When it was brought over to the states it was bred with other terriers and the American Staffordshire came to be. Often times people classify dogs that look a certain way as pit bulls, when in fact they are an entirely different breed or a mix of some sort.
To begin with, pit bulls, like all other dogs, have a tendency to bite. According to the ASPCA, if a Pitbull is socialized to both people and other dogs, they are less likely to be aggressive. Just like people, pit bulls need to know how interact with other living things. If a Pitbull is chained outside and never
Thesis Statement: Pit bulls are like any breed of dogs that needs to be handled properly by their owners because they can be taught to be less aggressive and more loyal.
Owning a pit bull in today’s society people normally have one of two reactions: Either people love them or is frightened of them. There are many myths about pit bulls, which people confuse with the actual truth about this dog breed. A common myth about a pit bull is that they have locking jaws. However, people who fear pit bulls or have little knowledge about them base their opinion off of what others say. But, pit bulls do not have locking jaws, they have powerful muscles in their jaws that enable them to keep it closed an make people believe that it is locked up. Additionally, supporters of pit bulls know that these days are very powerful and have intimidating appearance, but these dogs are not “killer machines” as the media portrays them to be. Pit bulls are just like any other dog. It depends on how a pit bull or any dog is raised by their owner to determine the characteristics of the dog. I have raised my dog CoCo since she was a little puppy and she is just as sweet as she can be.