Are PitBulls as vicious as they seem?

[queenkarlata]

i always read about pitbulls killing people and kids in the news. are they all like that? my friend wants to get one and i'm thinking of telling her not to. they just seem so mean.

[BigDogBruiser]

I think that no matter what breed your dog is, wether he's gonna be violent or not depends on his upbringing more than his genetics. Tell your freind that if she brings him up right there's no reason a pitbull can't be as good a friend as any other dog.

[JessMaster]

It's a little tough to answer your question because the term "pit bull" covers a variety of dog breeds. I don't think that these breeds are suitable for novice dog owners. As BigDogBruiser points out, friendliness is probably 60/40 upbringing/genetics. However, the problem with Pit Bulls is not their agressiveness, which is average, it is the consequences of that aggression. Their jaw muscles are simply phenomenal! They were bred to be able to subdue bulls for farmers, which they did by biting the bull on the nose and simply holding on until the bull gave up. Later they were used in dog fighting, where dogs that bit the referee were killed... this led to an increase in genes for human friendliness but not necessarily for dog friendliness. Hence, pit bull breeds are often involved in killing other dogs.

[PitFreak]

as bigdogbruiser and jessmaster pointed out, the pit's vicious reputation only comes from the fact that they are genetically different when it comes to their jaws. this made them ideal candidates for fighting, which is the only reason that any are aggressive. just as with any dog, aggressivness towards anything and anyone comes from experience with the object or person, and training. some chihuahuas are alot meaner than pits are! believe me! my girlfriend's chihuahua scares the crap out of my three pits! so tell your friend to go ahead and get a pit. i would recommend them for sure.

[rottnhart]

If you tell your friend to get a "pit" PLEASE be sure that he/she is responsible enough to handle the dog safely when it has grown to adulthood. Far too many Breed Specific Laws being introduced because of "mishaps' or careless owners. Dogs maim,kill or act bad because of bad owners. Don't be a statistic...be a responsible owner!

[PrincessCare]

Agree rottnhart.. I'm not sure if it's just me but I feel like I've heard a lot about these breed specific laws in the news lately... do you know anything about the current status of this stuff?

[rottnhart]

Its not just you. There have been FAR too many popping up in every state. I have been fighting these things in New Jersey for about 5yrs now, and assisting some people in other states with ideas. Every time we get a Bill dropped, a new one springs up. You can go to the "Links" page on my website and find info in your state/area. www.vomlomza.com
I hope we can get everyone to get on board and fight these things. One breed group can't do it alone.

[Amie]

thats really awesome that your doing something to defend the animals. they shouldn't have to pay for their owner's stupidity.

[DogPreservation]

one thing i find interesting about pit bulls is how adamantly opposed pit bull breeders are to the term. the way i understand it, they prefer people use the proper terms like american pit bull terrier, american staffordshire terrier or staffordshire bull terrier. apparently these have a less negative connotation. i say pit bull all the time because i don't think its pejorative, but some people take offense...

[hiimpact]

Well some good points here.. Post is a bit old but I figured I would drop a line anyhow.

american pit bull terrier, american staffordshire terrier or staffordshire bull terrier, 3 Different breeds distinctively... this is why people get offensive. Yes they all have a past of Pit Fighting and similar traits but it is distinctively 3 different breeds. Because of the similarities they are clumped together in "Pit Bull Bans" along with a a few others sometimes.

My next point
If well bred, socialized, and trained these dogs make great family dogs. Because of there past probably one of the best all purpose family dogs. What people seem to ignore is there past. What these dogs where bred to do originally. No matter what the upbringing is like you must realize that one day there is the chance that your dog could attack another dog. Ive seen allot of instances where something happens and people say "Omy,,, i cant believe my dog did that... he/she has never done that before.. " to many people do not realize the responsibility that could come with one of these dogs. Im not saying it will come out, but there is the chance.. its in the blood. its why these dogs where made. People that realize & accept & can handle this and are on guard and responsible will get the benefits of all these breeds. Socialization helps and is a necessity but watch the signs..

[SonshineStaffords]

i always read about pitbulls killing people and kids in the news. are they all like that? my friend wants to get one and I'm thinking of telling her not to. they just seem so mean.
The media is more dangerous on this subject than the misdeeds of a few dogs...I see you have been affected by the media sensationalism thirst, that is causing our legislators...some of whom do not even own a dog to craft Breed Specific laws to destroy innocent dogs. It is genocide, pure and simple. Punish the deed...not the breed. No, these bull breeds are not genetically predispositioned to kill people...preposterous! Sorry for the rant, no offence intended, but this really get to me. :mad:

[fuzzdomestic]

There was one bite incident a long time ago where a kid got badly bitten by the family dog. The news reporters filed in and the first question they asked was "Was the dog a Pit Bull?" As soon as they found out it had been a Labrador that mauled the kid, they packed up and left.
The media is a powerful thing. APBTs, AmStaffs, and Staffy Bulls are, in my opinion, three of the most trust worthy, easily trained, and people friendly breeds. They came into the spotlight for one reason or another and less than wonderful breeders got ahold of them and began to breed for head size, color, weight, and a generally mean appearance. Although many did not breed for a bad temperament, mental soundness was not their top priority and it was lost in the shuffle. When the dogs were bred for fighting (something I don't support, but there are some aspects of the breeding program that are preferable to those only breeding for looks and ignoring temperament) a dog that showed any trace of human aggression was culled. The breeders who did not remove potential "man-biters" from their breeding program are where you get most of the bites and maulings from.
Working with rescue APBT crosses, I've found some of the most beautiful, intelligent, responsive dogs you'll ever see and I've seen ones I would cross the street to avoid. Breed specific laws would kill off the good with the bad and drive the worst underground. Do you really think that if you write in the law that you cannot own Pit Bulls that the people who are most dangerous are actually going to listen?
If your friend is looking to get a Pit Bull, talk to her about finding either one from a reputable breeder or a breed rescue. If she does decide to look into a breeder, I believe the ADBA will be able to refer you to a good one. Stay away from anything registered with the CKC (Continental Kennel Club, the Canadian Kennel Club is just fine) as they are not really a true kennel club and only offers registration and papers that supposedly certify them as purebred (Don't trust CKC papers as a sign that the dog is purebred though, I've met a cat that was registered with them as a Rottweiler) they do not hold conformation events or other dog sports.

I ran a lot longer than I thought I was going to, sorry about that. Classifying every dog of a breed as vicious because there have been over sensationalized reports about an incredibly small number of dogs is just one of my pet peeves.

[Harold]

Good post, fuzzdomestic. I agree with a lot of what you say. It's interesting that the media and people in general do ask "Was the dog a Pit Bull?" first. It shows that human beings have some kind of natural fear of the breed, in my opinion probably based on just appearance.

Anyway interesting stuff.

[fuzzdomestic]

I really don't think it's a natural fear. I believe it's more of a socially inflicted fear. I'm sure quite a few of you have heard by now that the APBT was once considered the all-American breed. StaffyBulls were called nanny dogs because they were so trustworthy with the children. Love of certain breeds, as well as fear of certain breeds comes in cycles. Labradors have taken up their post as the country's favorite and I can't help but wonder where they will be in another 20 years if this is what happened to the much-loved Pit Bull. Doberman Pinchers and German Shepherd dogs were two of the previous breeds that were widely feared. They are still feeling the residual effects of the media attacks, but people are getting more and more confident around them.

[Harold]

Again good points... I hadn't thought of it that way, but you're probably right.

I don't know, for some reason even though I love Pits I'll be a little nervous around one, especially if it's a 'stranger.' I know that might be unfair / bad but I guess it's just the result of exposure to stories, media, whatever you want to call it.

[josheehy]

well hiimpact has the Staffordshire Bull Terrrier described exactly.!! Our (now past..:( Staffordshire Bull Terrier was extremely under-socialized with other dogs and as a consequence attacked other dogs routinely. It was emotionally distressing and of course publically humiliating every time he assaulted another dog. However with humans he was, as is often described about Staffs, the perfect 'Nanny Dog', i.e. he was amazing with humans..children especially. It is difficult to 'marry one dog behaviour with the other'// to sum up..Staffs are VERY hard work.. with your family they will be excellent..young or old.. but with other dogs beware..!! socialize them VERY early on..

[revolution]

great thread. i just added an APBT to my pack. she's 3 months now and can be quite a handful, but with the proper guidance i know she'll turn out fine. my girl needs a strong leader, as i have read most do. they are one of the best dogs to have, check online, here and among other sites/pages.

[GiZzYfReNcIeFaNpEpPeR]

where I live in a small town in central PA your home owners insurance goes up if you own a pit bull, I know a guy who had to bring his Boston Terrier to the Insurance office with his papers to prove his dog was not a pit, the insurance company was charging him because the insurance adjuster marked down that his dog was a pit bull.........crazy huh!

[revolution]

another way for "tha man" to stick it to the little guy.