The Truth About Pit Bulls

943 Words2 Pages

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...

... middle of paper ...

...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/

More about The Truth About Pit Bulls

Open Document