Pit Bulls: Nature Or Nurture

Pit Bulls are known worldwide for being inherently dangerous and extremely vicious, but according to the American Temperament Test Society, Inc. 86.8% of American Pit Bull Terriers have passed their temperament tests better than Collies, Golden Retrievers, and Beagles. Many people don’t know that the term “bully breed” refers to more than forty breeds that hail from the same root breed. The history of the Pit Bull goes back to about the nineteenth century, during that time they were used to protect livestock, families, and even children as nannies (the Canine Journal). Today Pit Bulls are used as therapy dogs, police dogs, and of course a simple companion. Many myths about pit bulls circulate, which scares society into believing that they are dangerous to us and our families the question of banning Pit Bulls has been hotly discussed around the world, but banning Pit Bulls will not stop illegal breeding, fighting and distribution of Pit Bulls, other dogs from biting, and the problem will grow. The question of whether or not Pit Bulls should be banned is a hot topic in recent society, but the real question is should Pit Bulls be punished for the actions of their owners, or should laws be enforced at a higher degree.

When you mention the words Pit Bull, many times people immediately begin talking about the statistics of them attacking other people as well as other dogs. A survey was conducted in 2009 of attack percentages of Pit Bulls compared to other breeds such as Rottweilers, German Shepherds, and Chows. Among this survey, the Pit Bull breed scored the lowest with a 0.00125 and the highest being the Rottweiler with a score of 0.00433 (https://defendpitbulls.com/pit-bull-attack-statistics/). On the website Dogsbite.org, it states that Pit-Bulls are the leading culprit in dog attacks, this is just a broad statistic which does not adequately explain whether these attacks were of

The main reason pit bulls attack is because they are mentally unstable, a mixed breed and show overbearing traits, or because they are mistreated by their owners. The public must understand that the three “pit bull breeds were bred for dog fighting and bear and bull-baiting” (PBRC). On the other hand, they were also kept as “nanny dogs” and used for herding cattle. “Pit bulls are ideal for therapy work because of their pleasant nature” (PBRC). These are three of the most stable breeds known to man. They have a very high temperament test score, 86% as of 2010, a lot higher than most breeds. “The American Pit Bull Terrier is one of the top 5 most stable breeds in the country” (PBRC). Anyone can see that this is an excellent breed of dog. There are a few things that people should know though. “Pit bulls have a lower Tolerance to dogs, but with any breed, a dog’s tolerance changes as they mature” (PBRC). “Maturity can come late with pit bull breeds” (Villalobos Rescue Center). The reason for this low tolerance is because of their history of dog fighting. It has been bred into them to have the will to fight. Pit bulls usually do not start a fight most of the time, but they will not back down or give up. Due to this, owners must be cautious and attentive.

206). Further research shows that Pit Bulls aren’t the most dangerous breed of dog. They are ranked higher for their tolerance than they are for their aggression (Baldwin, S. 2016). No matter what real facts and statistics say, Pit Bulls are still being discriminated against and banned all around the world. As the years, have gone on, it has been harder and harder to own a Pit Bull. Many neighborhood or apartment complexes won’t allow you to live in their facilities if you own a Pit Bull or anything that remotely looks like a Pit Bull. If that isn’t enough, most insurance agencies won’t cover you, your family or your home if you own a Pit Bull (ReidHead, J, L 2017). Because of all these regulations and limitation when owning a Pt Bull, owners and Pit Bull advocates are working harder to push their point that it’s the owner that makes the dog. With proper training and responsible owners Pit Bulls are not a threat or a danger to society. Pit Bulls are no more dangerous than any dog breed with they are trained and raised responsibly. In this paper, I be explaining how irresponsible Pit Bull owners are the cause of Pit Bulls aggression towards people and other animals by explaining the history of the breed, Pit Bulls involvement in dog fighting, gang violence and true statistics surrounding the breed. To solve this problem, I recommend that all future and

Pit bulls are the most misunderstood dog breeds in the world. When people hear the word pit bull they automatically think of dogs fighting and attacking. When people say "pit bull" they're usually referring to a range of breeds and, often, a mixed-breed dog. (Lawrence, C Louisville Magazine Feb 2007) People think they are a very dangerous breed of dog. Because of this, some areas do not allow pit bulls and breeds like them. Pit bulls are the leading culprit of dog bites in America, but on the other hand, they are the gentlest dogs people will ever meet. The National Canine Temperament Testing Association

Pit Bulls are among the top percentage of dog bites across the nation, but it partly due to the misrepresentation. Most handlers just see a similarity to a Pit Bull’s physical appearance and then the dog is classified as such. The media always misrepresents and wrongly accuses Pit Bulls, they are always quick to name the pit bull breed as the attacking dog. The government also does the same thing if a dog has similarities to a Pit Bull, then it is automatically classified as a Pit Bull even if it’s not correct. They don’t care about

The pits that are raised in a fighting environment usually are the more aggressive dogs and the more likely to be euthanized because of their aggressive behavior. These fighting dogs are the reasons for most of the stereotypes directed towards the dog breeds. For example: “Pit bulls are the most aggressive dog breed” (17 Things...) Pit Bulls scored an 86.8% on the American Temperament Test or the ATT, which is a test that all dog breeds take in order to figure out the dog’s temper and aggression. The higher the score the better the dog, and the Pits just so happen to score second best, putting them above other common “nicer” household dogs like the Golden Retriever, the Beagle and the German Shepherd (Pisani). There are also many Pit Bulls being blamed for the actions of their owners, because of many of these actions it has caused many states to ban Pits. There are 17 states in the U.S. that have some type of pan against the breed (Pit Bull Bans (USA)...). Although these bans are places many criminals still continue to breed the dogs under ground and receive no

Some of the common myths about pit bulls are that their jaws locks and bite stronger than any other breeds. If they show any aggression towards other dogs, then most likely they are mean to people also. No matter how individuals who want to ban pit bull see it, the truth is, that people do get bitten by pit bulls, just as how they get bitten by other breeds of dogs. With such bias against the pit bull breed, perhaps those who agree to ban pit bulls should look further and do more research about these animals. Avoid behaviors that are known to lead to aggressive tendencies such as leaving the pit bull tethered and unattended, or training with dynamic correction. Don’t allow your dog to roam the neighborhood or escape because he/she is bored in your

Throughout the United States, pit bulls have been banned from multiple cities. A lot of people have given pit bulls an awful reputation. People have trained their dogs to be very aggressive so the pit bulls can fight other pit bulls. Consequently, pit bulls are not like any other dog. They are more than any other dog can be. Pit bulls make great family dogs, they have such high intelligence and the dogs are very responsible and dictate ownership. No dog should be banned from living in a certain place. Dogs are just as important as humans and for the authorities to restrict the animals from living their lives with people who will give them love is wrong. Pit bulls are typically known as attack dogs because they have such a strong history of attacking other dogs and humans. Many people believe it is because of the dog’s breed, but others believe it is the owners and how they train them. To avoid the situation, owners just have to be sure they train the dog the proper way when they are little. Many cities restrict the allowance of pit bulls living there due to the history of their aggression, animal control should make sure the house is a safe environment and occasionally have checkups on the house and owners to check on the dog. A safe environment at home is a place where the animal doesn’t get abused. Pit bulls should not be banned from living in certain places because of their history of aggression.

People in the public are lead to believe that Pit Bulls are bred only as fighting dogs and that they are aggressive to other dogs and humans. It is unfortunately true that some Pit Bulls are bred for fighting but, not all are. There is a small percentage overall of Pit Bulls that are used as fighting dogs, mostly Pit Bulls are family dogs. “Some pit bulls were selected and bred for their fighting ability. That means that they may be more likely than other breeds to fight with dogs. It doesn’t mean that they can’t be around other dogs or that they’re unpredictably aggressive. Other pit bulls were specifically bred for work and companionship. These dogs have long been popular family pets, noted for their gentleness, affection and loyalty.” (Position). This states that not all Pit Bulls are threatening and have a desire to fight. I believe that dog fighting is wrong and should be illegal throughout the United States. Dog fighting is a very popular underground form of entertainment.

As Caesar Millan thoughtfully quoted, "In the 70's, they blamed Dobermans. In the 80's, they blamed German Shepherds. In the 90's, they blamed the Rottweiler. Now, they blame the Pit Bull." All of these instances were sparked by the a danger of a single story. Many people will believe anything negative that they hear. A product could have thousands of great reviews, but the one negative comment will stick out. The same is true for the Pit Bull breed. Pit Bulls and Pit Bull mixes should be allowed to be kept in non-abusive homes as pets.

“However all pit bulls were automatically included in either the dangerous or vicious category.” Pit bulls are treated badly by that quote and according to “THE MEDIA AND THE PIT BULL’’ people expected to hear bad things about pit bulls on the news and

Aggressive and/or vicious dogs are beginning to be a serious problem in the United States. With the rise in dog fights Pit Bull Terriers are viewed in a negative light. When the wrong owner gets a Pit Bull and withholds food and teaches the dog to fight it makes a very dangerous dog. Pit bulls are known for their bite strength and fearless personalities. Due to all the negative media, abusive and neglectful pit bull owners; the pit bull terriers are thought of as vicious and unsafe dogs to be around. Pit bull terriers are discriminated against due to a misconception of the breed itself.

Maryland has laws on both rulings against just Pit Bulls and the concept of ‘dangerous dogs’. First we will focus primarily on Maryland’s law against Pit Bulls. Aaron C. Davis, a reporter for the Washington Post, states that “Maryland’s highest court ruled in March [of 2012] that pit bulls…are more dangerous than other breeds” (Davis). Even the media today is biased against Pit Bulls based on the immensely smaller number of media articles reported on non-Pit Bulls versus Pit Bulls. The ASPCA, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, shows that a “quantitative study by the National Canine Research Council of dog-bite reportage in a four-day period proves that anti-pit bull bias in the media is more than just a theory—it’s a fact” (ASPCA). Under Maryland law as well, there are specific rulings on what deems a dog as a ‘dangerous dog’. Stated in West’s Annotated Code of Maryland, “‘Dangerous dog’ means a dog that: (i) Without provocation has killed or inflicted severe injury on a person” (West). This could relay onto any breed of dog depending on the situation and environment. Because of the Maryland law on Pit Bulls, many Maryland families are facing distress.

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.