Persuasive Essay-Pitbulls Are Not Dangerous Dogs

Pit Bulls are Not Dangerous Dogs

If you were judged solely because of your race, how would you feel? The answer, most likely, is a negative one. Pit bulls, a breed of domestic dog, are victims of harsh stereotyping and unfair judgement. Many people believe the dog is naturally aggressive, but that is far from the truth. The breed does not matter, the size does not matter, and the age does not matter. The key factor on how a dog behaves, is, believe it or not, the person who raises it. Pit bulls are not a dangerous breed of dog.

All dogs, like humans, have the potential to either be nice or mean, respond well or poorly to the environment, and interact with others either up to par with social standards or not. The amount and type of socialization

received dictates how one will act. A dog with more socialization will respond better to certain situations. A human with more socialization will respond better to certain situations. A dog who is raised properly will behave properly. A human who is raised properly will behave properly. It is common sense, and the breed of dog will not alter the outcome of its behavior, just like the color of skin on a human will not affect their behavior. The only factor that will do that is an outside source.
Human error is the main reason many dogs are aggressive. People believe that they have the capability to raise a powerful dog. The outcome, though, is usually unfavorable. The dogs may end up overpowering their humans, dominating them, and using instinctive behaviors to put the owners in their place (often mistaken as natural aggression). The reason the animals do this is due to the owners being too unstable. In the words of Cesar Millan, the key to being a good dog owner is to be calm and assertive. The majority of people who own dogs, aren’t this way, though. With pit bulls being such a powerful breed of dog, and owners failing to raise them correctly, it is obvious why there is a problem. The behavior many of us think of when we think of pit bulls is seen often in smaller dogs, like Chihuahuas, Pugs, and Pomeranians. It is seen to be cute and endearing, but as soon as it moves to dogs capable of severe damage such as pit bulls, Rottweilers and other big dogs, it is seen as dangerous and scary. Ownership and socialization of the dogs is the only thing causing them to act out how they do.
At one point in time, pit bulls actually had a good reputation, unlike the one they have now. They were once happily known as “America’s Dog,” even appearing on posters during World War I to aid in selling war bonds and recruiting for the U.S. military (Anna, 1). Anna remarks, “Prior to that even, they were well-known for their gentle disposition and willingness to watch over children whose parents were busy at work, in the fields” (1). This behavior even earned them the common name, “nanny dog.” But how did the awful reputation the breed has now come about?
The answer is the owner. It will always be the owner. Domestic dogs are never born aggressive (Gomez 1). Bastian recalls when pit bulls started getting their bad reputation:
Despite being illegal in all fifty states, dog fighting made a comeback in the 80s, and the pit bull is the dog of choice. It is also the preferred guard dog for drug dealers and gangs, with a hugely publicized attack in 1987 in which a pit bull guarding a marijuana crop in California mauls and kills a two-and-a-half year-old boy (1).
He then goes on to quote an unnamed official during the times of the event:
(M)any of the pit bull attacks are due to a skyrocketing number of poorly bred and badly trained dogs raised by backyard breeders, who are trying to cash in on the pit bull’s growing reputation as a cheap, but deadly effective guard dog, particularly in urban areas (1).
This statement has remained true for the remainder of the century, and still goes on in modern day times.

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.

Some may disagree and remain to believe that pit bulls are naturally dangerous. They may bring up the statement that they have locking jaws. “No breed of dog has a locking jaw, this myth again refers to the tenaciousness of these breeds of dog” (WhataPittie.org, 1). Others could argue that pit bulls are still aggressive, even though dog fighting is coming to an end. The reputable website shows statistics saying that:

According to the 2008 testing of 218 dog breeds by the American Temperament Testing Society, the passing rate for American Pit Bull Terrier 85%, American Staffordshire Terrier 83.9%, Staffordshire Bull Terriers 88.0%. Last years testing also showed that out of the 218 breeds tested 119 breeds scored lower than 83.9% (the Bully low) and only 69 breeds scored better than the Bully’s 88.0% (WhataPittie.org,

1).
These statistics show that pit bulls aren’t the most aggressive dog breed out there, and even though 69 breeds scored better than them, they beat 119 dog breeds in a scientific study. This proves that, once again, pit bulls are not the dog society makes them out to be.
The pit bull has gotten a bad reputation throughout time. Even though they were once known to be kind and gentle, recent popularity of the dog has given them a bad name. With so many people wanting to own the dog, it is only a given that there will be some bad eggs that don’t know how to properly raise a dog. When one animal is powerful enough to do harm, it should not be handed over to just anyone. Statistics and data has proven that the dog breed is not naturally aggressive. The problem is the owners who raise them to be that way are. This breed is not as bad as society makes it out to be, and they will forever be America’s Dog.