Owning a pit bull in today’s day and age has one of two reactions: Either the person loves them or is terrified of them. There are so many myths about Pit Bulls and they are just that. Myths. Some of the myths that surround pit bulls are that they have “lock jaw” and they have a killer instinct that does not stop at just killing other animals. Pit bull advocates, such as myself, know that Pit Bulls have always been known as the “nanny dog” throughout history because of how much they love children and their loyalty to their families. Mean or vicious dogs come from ignorant, irresponsible owners. The bottom line is that not all pit bulls are bad.
Believe none of what you hear and none of what you see. The majority of what people know about pit bulls is pure myth. In a recent study in June 2010, 122 dog breeds were given temperament tests by the American Temperament Testing Society, also known as the ATTS. American Pit Bull Terriers achieved a passing rate of 86.0%. That’s better than beagles that scored 78.2% (Dog).
People believe that pit bulls have “lock jaw”, in which they can lock onto their victim and nothing can pry it loose. On the contrary, there is no special mechanism within it that would make a pit bull’s jaws 'lock'. They're DOGS, not alligators! What a pit bull does have is brute strength, tenacity, and determination. When he or she grasps something and wants to hang onto it, his willpower is the glue. Pit bulls are aggressive, but so are most animals when they feel threatened. Does that mean that if a pit bull shows aggression towards other animals it will go after people next? No. Aggression towards other animals and aggression towards humans are two totally different things. It is perfectly normal for a pit bul...
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...ed they are extremely people-oriented. Pit bulls are loyal to their owners and eager to please, and they also have a high pain tolerance which is perfect for a household with rough and tumble kids!
Works Cited
Bay Area Doglovers: Responsible About Pitbulls, 2010. 5 Feb 2011
http://www.badrap.org/rescue/index.html
Dog Breed Profile: Staffordshire Bull Terrier, 2010. 5 Feb 2011
http://dogs.about.com/od/dogbreedprofiles/p/staffordshire_bull_terrier.htm
Fun Facts: Famous Pit Bulls, 2010. 5 Feb 2011
http://www.cesarsway.com/node/967
Famous Pit Bulls throughout History, 2010. 5 Feb 2011
http://hubpages.com/hub/Famous_Pit_Bulls
Sacks, Jeffery J. “Breeds of Dogs Involved in Fatal Attacks.” Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 217(2000): 836-840. 5 Feb 2011
Truth about Pit Bulls, 2010. 5 Feb 2011
http://www.pitbulls.org/
The reason why Pit Bulls are aggressive is because it’s their nature and that’s the way they’re born. Everyone that is afraid of Pit Bulls says it’s the dog's fault and that it's their nature to fight and kill, but honestly it’s the owners fault for making them that way. “‘Though Pit Bulls have strong jaws and, like most dogs will hold onto their prey after biting it. There is no evidence that a Pit Bulls jaw are anatomically different from those of other breeds’”(Lallanilla). They are more likely than any other breeds to grab a hold of something and shake it. The reason why
The way the dog is raised rounds out their character and general temperament. According to the “American Temperament Test Society: Pit bulls pass temperament tests 84.1% of the time, which ranks them slightly better than golden retrievers (83.8%) and cocker spaniels (81.7%), and well above miniature schnauzers (78.6%),” (The Biting Truth). Myths have generated atrocious attitudes towards this breed for years. The nature of the dog is a protector to children and the bulky build of pit bulls makes them a very easy breed to target. These opinions have severely skewed the reputation of pit bulls that were originally bred to be nanny dogs and take care of small children....
The misrepresentation of Pit Bull breeds in the media has been reflected in American culture. As these dogs were incorporated into World War I propaganda, they were perceived as symbols of courage and strength, the archetype of American dog breeds5. When, in the 1920s and 1930s, American Staffordshire Terrier “Pete the Pup” starred in the comedy Our Gang, later known as The Little Rascals, Pit Bulls were considered “nanny dogs” and family-friendly pets7. When the media focused heavily on illegal dog fighting rings and gang culture in the 1970s and 1980s, Pit Bulls were called demonic and unpredictable. Through their many roles, they have shown versatility and resilience, and lately they have suffered greatly.
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...
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.
They will play many dog games with children without hurting them. They strive for the love of “their humans.” These dogs could also be great therapy dogs to those they care about. Pit bulls can keep people company and take their minds off whatever is bothering them. This breed also has a face that allows them to smile.
Yet, the studies that have been done on the temperament of pit bulls show otherwise. One study done by The American Temperament Test Society showed that 86.8% of the American pit bull terriers passed the test. Their pass rate was higher than the golden retriever which only 85.2% passed or beagles in where only 78.2% passed. The average pass rate for all breeds combined was 83% (American Temperament Test Society). Another study done by Stefanie Ott showed that there was no indication of extreme aggression behavior in the bull terrier bloodline to be found. Additionally, there were no significant differences when they compared bull terriers to golden retrievers and other breeds concerning aggression towards human beings. The study actually found that the dogs possessed excellent social skills and the ability to communicate competently and to solve conflicts (132-137). These studies help to prove the group of breeds that fall into the pit bull classification do not have a genetic predisposition to violence and actually have a great temperament. The first study even shows that they have a better temperament than the average
This breed is bred to kill. They are like lethal weapons, and weapons cannot be leashed. The RSPCA’s Victorian president, Dr Hugh Wirth has called for Pit Bulls to be exterminated, saying that they “are a menace and not suitable as pets.” I say, absolutely. It is quite obvious that only a foolish and thoughtless being could consider keeping Pit Bulls as
There are a lot of myths about pit bulls that are very common and people believe they are true, Is it true that pit bull’s have a locking jaw and can't let go once they bite? This statement is not true, pit bulls have the exact same anatomical features as other dogs. They do not have locking jaws.It is just simply not true.Humans believe that pit bulls bite or attack more than any other dog. Study shows that the most popular breeds at any given time tend to top the list because there are more of those dogs in the general population. Also the American veterinary medical association has found that no breed is more dangerous than any other dog breed. Pit bulls have a more powerful bite that any other dog breed. According to Dr.Brisbin “To the
Pit bulls make amazing pets. These pets are very loyal to their owner. Pit bulls love their owners and would never do anything to hurt them. They won't try to hurt you, but they will try to keep you safe. According to dogs of maryland.com Pit bulls have a soft spot for tin children. Pit Bulls will even sleep with them at night. It is a great thing that they're obedient so that they won't attack unless told to.
Pit bulls are sometimes dangerous. An example is of a two-and-a-half-year-old boy named, Jayden, that got attacked by three pit bulls. The pit bulls jumped over their back-yard fence and jumped on the boy. They took his head in their mouth and started shaking their head. In the article, ‘Troublemakers’
To answer the questions above one would have to understand that every Pitbull is different. It can depend on how they were raised, their personality, and some instances their health can play a lot with their behavior as well. Unfortunately, there is a common misconception about Pitbull’s. The bad thing is that the media has often targeted these dog as dangerous and/or aggressive. Pitbull’s are a reflection of their owners. Yes, these dogs can be extremely friendly, to children and other dogs. They are very loyal and intelligent dogs, so they do have the capacity to be trained.
An article written by Corine Schmitt on sheknows.com says, “The breed is, by nature, very affectionate. At one time, pit bulls were used as nanny dogs because they were so good with children… Very intelligent and eager to please, they are highly responsive to training.” Pit bulls are, like any other dog, friendly, and love their families. Pit bulls are very eager to play with their family, and to please them. As you can see, pit bulls are very friendly
The pit bull dog is a very loyal breed of dog. People say pit bulls are very emotionless dogs and will turn on you at any given second. A majority of people agree with that belief because pit bulls have been labeled as mean and aggressive dogs. Not all believe that to be true, some people think pit bulls are as loyal as any dog, or more. A lot of people believe this because even with owners who beat their dogs, pit bulls come back and apologize by submitting themselves to you. According to “pit bull awareness coalition", pits will “still nuzzle up to its abuser” ( pit bull awareness coalition) after getting a beating.
Pit bulls are highly muscular dogs that have large front teeth, which make it easy for them to rip through flesh. Their front legs and back legs are short but powerful making it easy for them to knock a dog out with one hit. They have good endurance therefore they can withstand long matches with another dog. Because of their high pain tolerance they can get bitten multiple times without it affecting them.