Whether you are a Pitbull lover or a hater (and we’re definitely the former) it would be hard to deny that their reputation over the last century and a half has been a roller coaster of ups and downs.
After spending most of the twentieth century as America’s most beloved dog, considered staunch, loyal and loveable enough to feature in both military advertising and children’s comedies, their reputation began to decline in the sixties and reached a nadir in the 80s, particularly after a controversial 1987 case when a Pitbull guarding a marijuana crop killed a two year old toddler.
Supporters And Detractors
Increasingly, two polarized camps have battled in public and in every corner of the Internet over the reputation of the Pitbull. The first are the anti-Pitbull activists, the most extreme of whom will often distort facts in their bid to persuade the world that all Pitbulls are murderous and should be eliminated. The second are the pro-Pitbull enthusiasts, a minority of whom can also be selective with facts in their efforts to protect the good name of their beloved Pitbulls.
It’s understandable that this debate is so heated and emotional. It is truly a matter of life and death, given that it often moves off newspaper letters pages and website forums into courtrooms.
Many counties and states in the USA have enacted breed-specific legislation. One of the most controversial of all was in Tijeras, New Mexico, where local legislators reacted to a terrible attack on a child by banning all Pitbulls and Pitbull cross breeds and enabling them to be killed on sight and without warning or compensation. It’s worth noting that the very victim of that attack is now one of the locals most outspoken in her defence of Pitbulls. There’s even a book about this whole nationwide struggle, Bronwen Dickey’s “Pit Bull: The Battle over an American Icon”.
It’s from the defenders that the often repeated claim that in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries Pitbulls were called “Nanny Dogs” has emerged. One commenter on our own forums even said they were bred for this purpose, and there are whole Facebook pages set up to celebrate “The Nanny Dogs”.
Unfortunately, while there is lots of evidence that Pitbulls and children could and can form loving bonds, and reams of vintage photographs showing babies and children posing with Pitbull breeds, there is no evidence that they were ever called Nanny Dogs at the time, and certainly weren’t bred for the purpose.
Pit Bull History
It’s hard to deny the bloody origins of the Pitbull when it is baked into their very name. The bull comes from Old English Bulldogs, used in the 17th century practice of “bull baiting” where a chained bull would be attacked by several dogs at a time. Bloodsports were banned in England in 1835, so breeders crossed Bulldogs with Terriers for use in fights against other dogs and rats, fights which were easier to hide from the law. These horrific battles would take place in pits, which is where the “pit” part of the name comes from.
This is unwelcome reading to many Pitbull fans, and often totally at odds with the loveable, affectionate people pleasers that we have come to know and love in our own homes. Unfortunately, it is also historically accurate and can be fact checked. Many books on dogs from the 18th and 19th century describe the origins of the Pitbull. The New York Times still has on its site an archive piece from 1908, reacting to a controversy of the day (yes, controversy over Pitbulls is nothing new) by providing a history of what they call the “bull terrier” and describing “the greatest fighting machine, pound for pound, on four legs.”
Were Pit Bulls Nanny Dogs?
It’s ironic that this source is the New York Times, since that very same paper is also the one which seems to have unwittingly introduced the idea of the Nanny Dog to the world. In a 1971 (yes, 1971, not 1871) article called “A Breed That Came Up The Hard Way”, the wonderfully named Lilian Rant, President of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club of America, says “The Stafford we know today quickly becomes a member of the family circle. He loves children and is often referred to as a ‘nursemaid dog.’" The most important thing to note here is that she is clearly speaking in the present tense, not claiming a much gentler history for the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, which is very similar to a Pitbull and was presumably the basis for the Pitbull Nanny Dog myth.
None of this should be read as us endorsing the damaging myth that all Pitbulls in 2020 are uniquely dangerous and violent. We believe that any dog can be dangerous in some circumstances (yes, even that cute little Pomeranian can be a killer, see this LA Times story about a toddler’s tragic death), and recognize that the Pitbull’s sheer strength can make it more so, but we also believe that if they are well trained, well controlled and well managed Pitbulls will go through their lives without harming anyone. We also know first hand just how affectionate and gentle they can be with humans – including toddlers.
We also know that many Pitbull haters are very selective in their use of facts and often guilty of jumping on a bandwagon. Pitbulls are just the latest in a long line of dogs to be demonized over the years, with past victims including Dobermans, Rottweilers and German Shepherds. And they are certainly not the first dog to have been bred for a violent purpose: Dachshunds were designed to go into fox and badger dens to kill these aggressive foes, Greyhounds would chase and kill deer, and Cane Corso’s would attack savage boars. Yet people recognize that these dogs have changed over the years.
Purveyors Of Truth
However, we firmly believe that the controversy over Pitbulls will only end when all sides talk to each other reasonably and stick to the facts. Bad Rap are a Pitbull activist group who have led the way on this. In 2013 they were brave enough to stand up to the pro-Pitbull extremists in their own group and write clearly: “Did you know that there was never such thing as a ‘Nanny’s Dog’? This term was a recent invention created to describe the myriad of vintage photos of children enjoying their family pit bulls. While the intention behind the term was innocent, using it may mislead parents into being careless with their children around their family dog.
Those of us who would be heartbroken to see more Pitbulls killed because of stereotypes and misinformation need to make sure we don’t spread any ourselves and undermine our own reputation for truth-telling. From this point on, let’s focus on the very real positive qualities that Pitbulls have, while also fully adopting the strong training and discipline that prevents controversy-feeding incidents. That is the best way to protect our beloved Pitbulls.
I don’t know about pitties, but St Bernards have been used as nanny dogs. They were so popular that in the animated Peter Pan Disney cartoon movie the family St Bernard was even “dressed” as a nanny or nursemaid and was even called “Nana”.
In both novel and play of Peter Pan, [original] author J. M. Barrie specified Nana was a Newfoundland.
Well, I think the term “nanny dog” could be given to any dog that might stay in the house or yard with the kids while the adults worked the land as they did during the homestead days. Breeding them to do that I think is where the controversy comes in.
This practice of having dogs stay with the children while the parents worked the land was used even by some different native American tribes. They had various breeds and they would base which dogs would be the ones who stayed with the children and which ones they would take whenever they went hunting, based on their personality traits while the dogs were still young enough to train but old enough to determine which “job” they’d be best for.
The actual breed of each dog that was used for either job DIDN’T determine which job they would eventually be used for. Regardless of the breed of the dog, they were individually assessed based on their individual characteristics and mannerisms and personality traits. This can be fact checked because I researched this.
I also had a male pitbull mastiff who was big and to many “looked scary” but he was so loving and patient and gentle. He took care of a litter of kittens that were orphaned when his best friend who was mommy kitty died shortly after having her kittens. He raised those kittens and would gently pick them up and carry them back inside when they tried going outside. He did this in front of out Animal Control Service officer one day and the officer was astonished, told me that she’d never seen such a thing in ANY Breed in all her years working with animals.
My big pitbull “Buck” was big enough that my daughter who was only 2 years old would sit on his back and he’d walk around with her very slowly while she held onto his collar. And before anyone says how could I let my daughter do this, I confess that I didn’t allow this trick to happen and wasn’t even very thrilled about them figuring out how to do it at first glance. My daughter and Buck figured out on their own that they both enjoyed their small “horsey rides” on their own doing. My concern at first wasn’t even about something happening to my daughter due to anything Buck “might do”. My first concern was for Buck’s back and if it would hurt HIM to have her on his back!
The thought of my daughter’s safety wasn’t a concern because I already knew that she was absolutely safe with him. But that’s because I had been reassured of that by watching them together since the day she was born. I watched very closely just as any mother should with any type of dog they have and bring a baby home! So, at 2years of observing them I was positive about how safe they were together.
Her only danger was her feet and legs being lathered in drool every day during their meals as he’d wait for her to drop him bites from her highchair. And then when he lick her face and hands afterward.
Peter Pan is make believe . . really, dress a dog and give it a job title? I showed dogs for
21 years. I saw a elderly seasoned judge get his face ripped off by a St. Bernard he was judging, I mean major damage, life flight the hole thing . This was a dog that trained, showed, x-rayed for hips and one day, he has enough. Dogs are animals, not substitute babies, children or employees.
Also, Staffordshire terriers in England were never referred to as “nanny” dogs. It is one of those useless claims to water down the bad reputation of them. Look at the model that just got her upper lip ripped off by one. Visiting a friend, she bent down to pet a dog she knew well and Bam! – it latched onto her face and did terrible damage. Be real.
I also trained and showed dogs for 30 years. You are spot on!
Very few dog owners bother to learn anything about the care and training all dogs need.
A dog regardless of the breed will become however they’re trained and treated to be like.
When they’re shown only loving, respectful and knowledgeable of them as individuals and the potentials of their breeding traits, trained positively, and taught correctly. It doesn’t matter what type of dog or which breed they are, what MATTERS is How They are TREATED BY HUMANS during their lifetime!
And how humans handle the dogs basic instincts and work with their natural animal characteristics!
All dogs in every breed have teeth, and all breeds are carnivores! However, so do HUMANS, and a HUMANS are just as likely to BITE ANOTHER Person and are carnivores who have killed other humans. There’s more people who have done more damage to other people than the number of incidents where dogs have injured or killed people!
Its Humans that are more dangerous than ANY type of BREED of any and all dogs combined!
Very little of this is true. I have 3 Pit Bulls and 1 Jack Russell. Only one has ever turned on me and bitten me……….the Jack Russell. Meanest dog I have ever seen. My Pit Bulls play with me and my grandchildren without issue. Not even close to showing aggression toward anything. Can you train them to be mean. Yes. Any dog can be trained to be mean and overly aggressive. Just look to the behavior of the owner.
Perfect example! Its not what breed a dog is, its ALWAYS what BREED of HUMAN the dog has for its owner!
Thank you so much for your this article. Also for speaking up about the nanny myth. It’s true American pit bull terriers were bred for pit fighting but without that history this breed would have never existed. I admire this breed they are brave and have high drive. Though threw the years we have slowly bred out the gameness, this breed is not for everyone. Now if only we can stop using “pit bull” as an umbrella term.
oh wow, you mean this biased, factually challenged article was written by pit bull lovers? that’s so out of character for an advocate of this dangerous breed or the deranged people who own them
let’s clear a few things up:
– Pit bulls kill more people and animals than any other dog
– Pit bulls are involved in more bite “accidents” than any other house pet
– Pit bulls are the dogs that are most likely to be found in shelters
– Shelters and pit bull owners regularly lie about their dog’s bite history and aggression
am i missing anything?
You are a liar and a faggot
@Henry, typical pitbull dog-fucker response. Throw out homophobic slurs because someone spoke the truth about your disgusting beasts.
I think you are nutter than squirrel shit..these are by far the most loyal smartest breed. And for your information the dalmatian is the dog that is most likely to turn on you…so Instead of acting like a disgusting beast and spewing your bullshit opinion please do some research on the breed!!
Cite your source? I mean the ignorance of your comment is just incredible. Because according to a study by scientists at the University of Helsinki, who studied the behavior of more than 9,000 dogs to assess aggressive behavior, out of 23 different breeds bull terriers are listed 19th place. The top 3 most aggressive breeds according to this study are: 1. Rough Collies 2. Miniature Poodles 3. Miniature Schnauzers.
Unlike you, with your asinine comment, I am able to cite my sources. Here is the link to the article.
https://www.wavy.com/news/most-aggressive-dog-breeds-is-your-pooch-on-the-list/
And here is the link for the document of the study.
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20699339-university-of-helsinki-dog-study
Before spewing lies, maybe you should actually do some research. It only takes a few minutes. Then you won’t look so ignorant. People like you are the reason that pit bulls deal with so much adversity. They are not even close to being the most aggressive breed nor do they have the worse bite. (That honor belongs to German Shepherds)
For anyone that would like the list, starting from most aggressive to least:
1. Rough Collies
2. Miniature Poodles
3. Miniature Schnauzers
4. German Shepherds
5. Spanish Water Dogs
6. Lagotto
7. Chinese Crested
8. German Spitz Mittel
9. Coton de Tuléar
10. Wheaton Terriers
11. Other
12. Pembroke Welsh Corgi
13. Cairn Terriers
14. Border Collies
15. Finnish Lapphund
16. Chihuahua
17. Smooth Collies
18. Jack Russell Terriers
19. Staff Bull Terriers
20. Shetland Sheepdog
21. Lapponian Herder
22. Golden Retriever
23. Labrador Retriever
The data regarding bites is skewed because bites from smaller dogs are less likely to be reported since the damage isn’t as severe.
Any dog has the capability to bite. There aren’t bad dogs, just bad owners and ignorant people (you). I hope in the future you will do research before commenting or maybe just shut the F@*k up. Either would suffice 🤷🏽♀️
Of the 400 breeds of dogs in the world, pitbulls kill more people than all other breeds combined and approximately 40% of those killed are kicking, screaming, blood splattered and terrified children.
Please wake up, my friend, and embrace the truth about the world’s most dangerous breed of dog, the dog of choice for dog fighters because of the pitbull’s relentless and vicious nature.
Take care.
Burke
Yet again, another misinformed person. One of the main reasons dog fighters choose to use pitbulls, is because they can be trained so well and are so loyal to their owners that even after it has been abused, forced to fight and ripped to shreds, it will allow its owner to pick it up and treat its wounds without becoming aggressive towards them.
Pitbulls are strong and loyal dogs, that have been exploited and abused for sport by people. It’s PEOPLE who are to blame for this.
I think you are nutter than squirrel shit..these are by far the most loyal smartest breed. And for your information the dalmatian is the dog that is most likely to turn on you…so Instead of acting like a disgusting beast and spewing your bullshit opinion please do some research on the breed!!
Try research my friend your numbers are way off
I Hate to disagree with you on that one because my aunt had a chihuahua thanks to the mother fucker now she has big chunk of muscle missing and her health is declining because of it and she loved that chihuahua with all her heart and when we decided to have it put down she begged us to reconsider because of her for that mean mother fucker
Yup, the chihuahua should be number one, I rescue dogs and keep the ones no one wants, I have 24 dogs right now that I cannot adopt out, when I picked up some chihuahuas over the years, they are mean little critters, one took on my pit bull as his mate, slept with he ate with her, did not let anything get near his pit bull … out of 24 dogs I have , mostly medium to large dogs, a chihuahua mix is the alpha in charge, no one messes with her she nips at all of them to show she is the dominant one, no one ever dares to mess with her, if chihuahuas were large dogs they would probably be placed as dangerous non domestic animals. i run with my bigger pit bulls every other day for 3 miles, she is a monster that will not stop running, wears me down, she never bit anyone and in my house there are little children, and preteens.
Then Explain my Aunt Carrie getting a big chunk ripped out from her forearm when she was putting wet food on a plate for the ungrateful bastard and it just attacked her out of the blue I was standing right there when I literally had to break the bastards nose and jaw to get it off of her you wanna talk about ignorant people maybe you should look up the definition and then take a look in the mirror ya dumb ignorant son of bitch the only difference between other people’s ignorance and your own is your’s is obviously hereditary so having said that would you do the world a favor and gain some humility and get a code of ethics and conduct grow a set and take your own advice sit down shup the fuck up and maybe you’ll learn with having a bloated ego and sharp tongue
Was the dog fed and cared for on a daily basis? Cruelty will turn a dog vicious
Dear “ I’m surrounded by idiots”; Perhaps you should step off your high horse and also fully absorb the fact that the study you refer to was a study done in FINLAND. I would think that if looking for stats on the APBT, you’d seek a study done in the States, where most if not all the controversy lies, and curiously ( 🤣😂🤣seriously I’m laughing); most American Pit Bull Terriers live! How can you expect a study to honestly reflect the truth of what happens in North America when that study is done in Iceland, with a population of APBT as…. What? What percentage as to here? Of COURSE a breed is going to land miles down a list if there’s very few of them there’s to actually represent the breed!
YOU are the perfect epitome of the ignorant pit bull lover who grasps at any minutiae of so called facts to defend a breed that has earned its red flags quite honestly. Funny when a breed of dog shows more transparency and honesty about itself in comparison to those who own them.
Ja, Sicher dein Gehirn, denn solch Schwachsinn, was du schreibst, ist sicher aus Zeitungen. Solch Menschen wie Du töten mehr, und sind an mehr Unfällen beteiligt, und gehören ins “Heim” zur Aufbewahrung, ich sehe solch Menschen wie du, als aggressive Wesen! Über weiteres äußere ich mich jetzt nicht mehr, das wird persönlich. So ein Schwachsinn wie von dir habe ich ja noch nie gehört.
Well any Dog can be a Killer!
Just like people. It’s in the training, family training, it’s they are PRODUCTS OF THEIR ENVIRONMENTS. Years ago I had a Springer Spanial & he for whatever reason attacked an English Setter. Did the # on him. I had him out down. Once he tasted blood that was it, NO more chances. His his house mate’s were not bothered by him nor were they like him. It was a Dad day.
Yes you are missing many things.I don’t know what shelters you’re visiting but I’ve been to many shelters and there’s a wide variety of breeds. Also I was chased by a lab German Shepard cross never chased by a pit bull or boxer
Firstly, pit bulls aren’t involved in more bite accidents, there’s a peer-reviewed study that was conducted by thd CDC that analyzed 20 years of dog-bit related incidents, the majority (72%) of DBRFs were cause by non-pit bull dog breeds. And although a 4 year-old did get attacked by a pit bull, it’s a myth that pitbull-type dogs are more agressive than other dogs because another recent peer-reviewed study that analyzed different types of canine aggression in different breeds concluded that there was no difference in the legislated and non-legislated breeds. Pitbulls have also been misunderstood ever since the humane act of trying to take out of what was left of illegal dog fighting, multiple things were stated such as them having a 5,000 pound bite power.
You should really need to try a little research before trying to state things you are really off
base on. I completely agree that Pitbulls are not for everyone, but sometimes neither is a driver’s license. I have had pit bulls all of my life. I lived in West Palm Beach Florida where these dogs were mainly used to hunt wild pigs. We owned several dogs and yes, they were very big muscular, and all-around scary-looking dogs. We were taught as kids to respect them and they would have the same love and respect for us. That always proved true. My girls all grew up with pit bulls and these horribly mean untrustworthy dogs did their best to lick, love and protect our kids from the things out there that we neverseen coming. I love my pitts and so does the rest of our family. There are some dogs that have been beaten and abused, taught only to fight or die and for those I apologize but any dog is capable of hurting or killing, not just te pitbull
Yes – you failed to call them what they are – ” trashdogs” and to mention that they are owned 98% by dirtbags. 👍
The first thing that you are wrong about is that it’s not pitbulls who have the highest number of “bites” on people. The most bites of humans if by breed is chihuahuas and chihuahua mixes.
Second thing you should know is the reason for any shelter to have possibly more pitbulls than other breeds is because of people like you who stereotype them and lump them all into nothing but negative BULLSHIT!
Also, not every shelter has more pitbulls than other breeds, only the places that have become prejudice against them and in most cases forcefully taken them from their owners!
Oh and as for pitbull owners being called “deranged” only proves how much of a bigoted small mindedly prejudice narcissistic person you are.
Dogs form all breeds don’t come into the world with the intention or comprehension of how to harm anyone or anything!
GOOD AND POSITIVE Characteristics of any type of living creature are enhanced by how they are nurtured and HOW THEY ARE TREATED AND TAUGHT when necessary to CONTROL the NATURAL BEHAVIOR that isn’t positive by their experiences during socialization with other living creatures.
As pups their dam (mother) should start teaching them about “not biting” about the time they are being weaned. This is natural behavior and instinct!
Just like humans have to teach their children in what is acceptable and what they must learn to control about themselves because even if it’s something that’s naturalistic behavior, there’s some things that are unacceptable to do with or to other living creatures.
That is why the commandment says “Thou shalt not kill”
This is also why it’s considered a absolutely positive characteristic quality when someone is described as “____ wouldn’t even kill a fly”
Because humans are not supposed to kill any other living creatures for no caused reasons. And killing something just because of the ancestry of its origins is narcissistic behavior and by that way of thinking would mean that 99.999% of ALL HUMANS have to be eliminated from existence. Because none of us have perfect heritages and have violent people who are our ancestors.
Sincerely,
One annoyed individual, but who’s trying to stay open minded even when being described as a “deranged” animal lover,
Yet is a voluntary rescuer of all abandoned dog breeds.
“What a joke”, what a joke indeed. You make it very clear that you are a hater that has NO knowledge AT ALL about these dogs…
Clearing things up? Like flatearthers all you do is spew ignorance and try to misinform people..
The only dangerous thing here is your ignorance!
Let me tell you something, not as a owner of these dogs(I do not), not as a fan of these dogs(more of a GSD guy myself) but as a profesional rescue worker handeling these dogs daily.
– Pit bulls kill more people and animals than any other dog
From whose A$$ did you pull that one? 25k people a year die after being bit by stray dogs (mosquito’s are around 1mil) of which the vast majority die because they were bitten by a stray or feral dog(the overwelming mayority is not a pittbull) and developed infection or rabies, something every dog can have. Only 10-20 of these are in the US.
From those in the US Pittbulls rank about as high as a Rotweiler. Both are only in the list because they are strong dogs that were not raised correctly. They are also overrepresented because people do not report a bit from a little “catsize” dog but everyone screams bloody murder if a pittbull as much as barks. But here is the kicker, in over half the cases of a dog biting a human, it happened on the owners propperty, in other words they were protecting their propperty!!
Have you ever had to clear a house of guard dogs for the police? I have. And every time is a chalenge REGARDLESS of the breed. How is it strange that 2 of the most popular GUARD dogs, guarding their property, have the most amount of bites?
– Pit bulls are involved in more bite “accidents” than any other house pet
That is false. Ignoring all other pets and looking only at dogs, you are FAR more likely to be bitten by a lapdog than a Pittbull. Lets also not forget for example hamsters and ferrets. Both bite a lot more than ANY dog.
But these 3 groups are rarely reported.
– Pit bulls are the dogs that are most likely to be found in shelters
True. But only because they need a mentaly strong owner. People that want these dogs as a status symbol are not able to raise them. Every dog needs the correct owner or they will act out. They are also easy for us to rehabilitate.
– Shelters and pit bull owners regularly lie about their dog’s bite history and aggression
The owner of ANY dog that has bitten for any reason will keep that to themselves. A shelter will not. Not only could lying about this cost us our licence, we want to tell people the truth because we want to make sure the dog gets the right home.
Because of my job I have been bitten A LOT over the years.
GSD, cats, Dobberman, Jack Russel, more cats, Chiwawa, Labrador, o even more cats, Poodle, rats, etc
You know what animal has NEVER even tried to bite me? Pittbuls…
Overall they are on of the most loving breeds you can find. They are loyal cuddlebugs that prefer to be snoring under the blankets after a good meal over anything else..
They are fantastic with kids and if raised with them other animals.
If you do not teach them ie cats are friends at a young age they will attack them (as do all terrier breeds)
You know how I handle sittuations with “dangerous” pittbulls on the loose?
-I walk up to them, they reply with a wagging tail.
-I give them a headpat, they give me kisses
-I put on a lead, they jump into the ambulance with their happy smiles. Eager to get a nice ride.
But hey you know better right? Maybe you read a little article or you heard a story from the aunt of the stepmother of a cousin of your sisters coworker that kicked one and got bit..
Stop spreading your BS please because your lies piss me off. These loving dogs get murdered because of people like YOU! People that will twist and turn and try everything they can to attack these animals for no other reason than their own ignorance and lack of hearth. You and your lies make me sick! Go work at a animal shelter and you will see… or maybe not because tbh, someone that is THAT stupid should not be allowed to be anywhere near animals…
You just spitting lies, its a general fact that they kill more people, just shut up if you don’t know the facts.
I think you’re the one who doesn’t know the facts.
How about you stfu? It’s general fact that they don’t killed more people. How about you cite some sources? Google search breeds that are misidentified as pitbulls. Even if that was true, maybe it’s because of their popularity.
Then prove that they are spitting lies.
Check your facts!! Your ignorance is showing
as you know and these fools do not vets and shelters aswell as animal control, bull terriers are rated a 3 on the scale of agression 5 being the worst like say a chow. Ignorant people with little first hand knowledge but only from reading things online, liked your post and i am not pro bull terrier i love all dogs, just hate the stigma given since about the mid 70’s.
Those people like vets aren’t experts at indefinite dog bites. Look up breeds that are misidentified as Pitbulls.
LOL you wrote all that BS and didn’t provide a single statistic or any evidence backing up your bullshit. Diverting onto mosquitos when people were specifically talking about dogs also makes you look like a complete and utter dogfucker.
Where are Your statistics?
Firsthand experience here. My son wanted a young puppy. I adopt only and couldn’t seem to find a really young puppy in the shelter. Then along came Rosie- a pittbull who needed adopting. She was 10weeks old and adorable. I have always had GSP’s and big dogs but never a Pitt. I was hesitant, but trusted my heart and all the love I knew we could give her. She is 2 years old and she and my 10year old are inseparable. She also cuddles constantly with me. Easiest dog I’ve ever trained, she doesn’t even go after a cat when she’s getting out of the car and not in my fenced yard yet, all I have to do is say, “no Rosie.” She is SO OBEDIENT and the sweetest, gentlest dog. If she is behind a fence or a car door, she barks at strangers and if she senses someone who has a shady vibe, she barks. She loves everyone I invite into my yard and or my house. She is very in tune with me and my son. Everything I actually want in a dog and more! Maybe the Pitt bulls who end up biting are just in tune with their owners? Maybe they have aggressive owners? Idk… my girl has never had an aggressive vibe. She is the coolest dog ever. I would say they need a confident tone in training and an owner who would be willing to step in if anything went awry just bc of their natural size and strength. I did have to teach her not to pull bc she’s so incredibly strong. She’s an angel though- we love our Rosie rose!
Please forgive me for asking, my friend, but do you have a history of drug and/or alcohol abuse?
I am a former pitbull owner and they are without a doubt the most dangerous breed of dog in the world and the statistics regarding fatal attacks on humans bears that out. Pitbulls are banned in 12 countries and are banned or restricted in more than 900 U.S. cities… and there’s a valid reason why.
And finally, Almighty God is tired of seeing innocent, terrified children chewed up and killed by rampaging pitbulls and He wants them banned, and banned now.
Take care.
Please save your inaccurate preaching for church
I’m loving your post! Thank you. 😊 By the way there is an inverse relationship between education/affluence and people who own pit bulls (trash dogs).
Of the 400 breeds of dogs in the world, pitbulls kill more people than all other breeds combined and approximately 40% of those killed are kicking, screaming, blood splattered and terrified children.
Please wake up, my friend, and embrace the truth about the world’s most dangerous breed of dog, the dog of choice for dog fighters because of the pitbull’s relentless and vicious nature.
Take care.
Burke
Go search “pitbull attack” on youtube and look through 5 pages without seeing the same video twice. I don’t believe for one second that you work at an animal shelter.
I guarantee that if anyone would ever both to do the research that a pitbull is more likely to be owned by drug dealers, dog fighters, and other people who have no business owning a dog. A pitbull is an animal that is typically extremely loyal to those they consider family, and yes even fight other animals and attack people for them. My point is that probably are the highest for annual bites per breed but that they are sought out by people who don’t want them to be kind and sweet. Most dogs of any breed act according to how you raise them these dogs are no exception. They are powerful animals so that is why they are used by people that shouldn’t own dogs.
But also what needs to be asked is: why DO drug dealers, criminals, grow ops etc always have the prerequisite pit bull on site? Could the answer be, because they are more likely, or more willing, or more able to be encouraged, to bite, attack, protect? Add in the extraordinary PSI of its biteforce, guaranteeing damage of flesh and bone.
It all still adds up to a dangerous dog. ( and in case I’m coming across the wrong way, yes I understand you are not supporting the argument in favour of the breed! Thx❤️)
Thank you for doing a job that has to be considered bittersweet. I myself do volunteer work with animal rescue that tries to find good homes for all dogs of all breeds that are abandoned.
Our goal is to keep as many dogs and cats as possible OUT of the Shelters by giving them forever loving homes. And we try to keep as many as possible from being killed by the overwhelming number of animals in the shelters. We also raise the funds to have animals spayed and neutered in order to cut down on population growth.
Its negligent humans who don’t know how to be a good responsible pet owner whose unresponsible actions are the cause and reason for the negative actions of their animals.
NEVER been bitten by pittbull, just every other dog? You are as much a liar as the previous poster
Fuck all of you who talk shit about pittbuls !!! It’s like any other dog!! If you raise them to be mean and to bite this is what they will do but if you raise them like you raise those little freaks and sleep with them in the bed and kiss them all day they r going to be sweet and docile !! My dog is a Pitt and she is the sweetest dog ever!! She plays with kids and she is just “another kid”
We humans r the same!! It’s just how we r raised!! Some of us r scums and stupid and some of us r raised to learn what is responsibility!! Stop talking shit about pittts!! You see videos about lions being docile!! And we r talking about a dog!! Come on!! Stop being stupid!! Have a nice day
Lions are a bad example as they are a wild animal, also a lion would kill a pit bull in a heartbeat
Yet again the point is missed by the uneducated people who judge by prejudice category lumping ways of thinking.
It’s HUMANS WHO CREATE THE BEHAVIOR OF ANY INDIVIDUAL DOG!
HUMANS ARE MORE LIKELY TO CAUSE THE DEATH OF ANY OTHER HUMAN INCLUDING CHILDREN!
It’s ONLY BECAUSE OF HUMAN ACTIONS THAT ANY BREED OF DOG BEHAVES IN A DANGEROUS AGGRESSIVE MANNER!
Even pitbulls are BORN INNOCENT and have NO INSTINCTIVE sense or REASON to HARM a HUMAN.
PITBULLS ARE JUST THE SAME AS ANY BEEED WHEN BORN, Their INSTINCTIVE Nature is the desire to be LOVED!
IT’S ONLY DUE TO HUMAN INTERACTION that they become any other way.
As for only druggies being the owners of pitbulls, is not only an insult to those who dont do drugs, but shows how it’s people who think stereotypical that have created the attact on animals that are the result of other human’s actions.
If you hate pitbulls so much then you aren’t even addressing the true reason for the problem!
And as for the one who had owned a pitbull and is now against the entire breed from being allowed to live, well then the reason why still due to a humans inability to properly raise and be a responsible owner who has the ability to train a pitbull.
Lastly to the point about GOD, sorry but from everything that is taught in the bible, ALL LIVING CREATURES are LOVED by GOD! Including pitbulls, hence their innocence when they are born just like ALL CREATURES AND ALL BREEDS ARE BORN INNOCENT!
I’ve had experience with pitbulls that were part of my family and experience with them who were owned by people who shouldn’t own any kind of pet. I’ve been bitten by a pitbull and I understand why I was bitten by any dog that ever has.
None of them were at fault for biting me. Especially the pitbull who tried bringing me down by biting my knee.
It was the owners fault and even partly my own wrong decision that was the reason why. The owner neglected the pitbulls sense of boundary limits by not having their dog roam freely with open fences. And it was my own decision to risk going into the pitbulls territory of protecting with my own barking aggressively chihuahua in my arms.
If a child is hurt by any type of dog, it’s THE PERSON WHO IS SUPPOSED TO BE TAKING CARE OF THE CHILD WHO’S AT FAULT JUST AS MUCH AS THE PERSON WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DOG’S BEHAVIOR!
CHILDREN WHO ARE HURT ARE CHILDREN WHO AREN’T BEING PROPERLY WATCHED!
My pitbulls that I’ve had over the years and my children have always been like siblings and have never shown any aggressive behavior.
However, there’s some unknown pitbulls that we’ve encountered that were aggressive towards us and the only reason my children were never hurt was because I protected them even when I had to put myself in between.
However, over the many years of being a parent and being a animal rescue volunteer, I’ve encountered all types of dogs that have acted aggressively and the number one reason for the behavior was because the dog was MISTREATED and abused and SCARED of humans due to their experiences!
One last thing, if something is “trending” on ANY SOCIAL MEDIA, then of course there’s going to be a “jump on the bag wagon” amount of people who have to “seek their pity party victim notability” however if you calculate the amount of humans and the number of people who have had a pitbull attack the statistics still don’t add up to the pitbulls need for extinction!
It’s human neglect that deserves to be extinguished..
You cannot make such a blanket statement about a breed of dog. Any breed can bite. Just because you had one pit bull that was sweeet does not in any way give you the right to make your silly indignant claims that this breed is so safe! That is irresponsible and without merit. Even you must admit they have gotten a bad rap for many years, and it’s time for pit bull lovers to start being honest, and since the rest of the world “ doesn’t know shit” maybe you tell us why they’ve been banned in most countries, why the stats are the way they are, why I see them at the top of charts for bites, and for sure at the top for breed of dog most likely to cause death when a human is attacked by a dog.. Why pits are automatically euthanized at shelters, not offered for adoption. And tell us what the breed was originally designed for? And can you explain why you all think those natural characteristics don’t exist anymore in the breed? There’s got to be a reason for all these things, I see all these horrible statistics, doesn’t matter where I look or who did the study, but you Pitt lovers all say everything is a lie. Please. Enlighten us to the answer to all these things, and no conspiracy theories please.
there are answers to the questions you pose, but like most things in life, even experts will not all agree. The waters are very muddy. As someone who has been a breed enthusiast for 25 years, who has spent many hours reading and studying ( in the days when that meant actually purchasing books or going to the library, not skimming poorly edited sites and social media accounts) and owned my share of dogs, both pitbulls and others, I do cringe when I see the claims of some current day breed apologists that have no real scope of the history of the breed, or understanding of why we have different dog breeds and what that means for breed behavior. There is no denying that the pitbull comes from lines of dogs designed to do rough work, not babysit kids. However, that same work, especially american pit fighting by “cajun rules” (google if you are not familiar) is part of the reason they have always been a human-friendly breed despite their aggression toward other animals. in the heyday of dog fighting in this country it was done using “cajun rules” which dictated a lot of order to the fight. One of those rules was that opponents would bathe the other’s dog to ensure nothing poisonous or bad tasting was on the fur. This required that these dogs be pretty tractable with strangers. Owners would also get right down in the pit to encourage there dog, and even use a finger or pencil to help with a lip caught by a fang. These are dogs that traveled across the plains during the western expansion with the American pioneers, they are dogs that helped butchers and farmers handle dangerous livestock. All of these tasks meant being able to place aggression on other animals while keeping an even keel with the humans that were present. There is a big difference between aggression towards other dogs and animals, and aggression toward humans. This being said, a lot of people get themselves and their dogs into trouble by not acknowledging this aspect of the breed. It is not just how you raise them. Dogs have innate drives, discipline can control the dogs behavior, but not desire. there are lots of pitbulls out there that were raised by well intended kind people that still ended up being aggressive towards other animals. Now, for the part about bans and statistics being the proof of guilt, that is dangerous and dubious thinking. Statistics are probably the most used tool for manipulating the way the public thinks on many issues. Statistics can be very valuable, but they can also be very skewed. They often are just the tip of the iceberg with all the meat and facts sitting in the murky water below. to say that a breed is overrepresented we first have to agree on what that breed even is. Lots of mixed dogs and dogs that just look kinda pit-like get labeled as such, there really isnt much onus put on the accuracy of breed reporting, or even agreeance on what a pitbull is. some say it is the American Pitbull Terrier as registered by the UKC,others say its a type of dogs that do certain work or share traits, others will say anything with short hair and blocky head is a pitbull. I once had a guy as if my wire haird fox terrier was a pitbull. So, how does ones even begin to ascribe meaning to statistics when we don’t know the strength of the data collection methods being used? Statistics can be very dangerous. The common way of thinking among anti-pitbull people is very similar to the logic used by racists for years to justify heavy handed policing, renter discrimination and a host of other ills. We all need to be very guarded against ‘common sense’ ideas about other beings, as we usually don’t know nearly as much as we think we do. Governments ban things based upon public outcry, if the voting populace let the politicians know that an issue is concerning to them, the politicos won’t miss a beat to jump on the bandwagon in the hopes of garnering more of a voting base. History is full of bigoted, ill-logical laws and rules that were representative of the beliefs of the general public of that time. Government bans do not equate to their actually being a real danger, and are not a good source of validating anything. Marijuana for example was banned in the US with virtually no research to back it up, just lots of anti-mexican racism. We are learning today that Marijuana is a real mixed bag of positive and negative effects thanks to actual research. If you really want to understand anything you will have to dig long and deep to find any truth.
My pitbulls are asleep in my bed as I type. They will be awake soon. They’ll get their breakfast and start their days. They will go for walks, rides, nap and play. They are ignorant to you idiots. I wish I could be but luckily , your hate doesn’t stop my dogs from being the happiest PITBULLS on the block which in turn makes me happy. Enjoy your night. I will make sure to hug and kiss my PITBULLS for you. 💋
I love the FOOL who posted the very first comment on this article. Calling people who own pitties ‘deranged’. And then the SHITHEAD who calls a pitt lover, ‘a dog fucker’?! What in the actual hell is wrong with you guys??!! I guarantee people like you probably take their frustrations out on animals because you’re too much of a coward and end up being bit in return. Also, probably NEVER owned a pet in your life. And lastly, probably just believe everything you hear or because your sister’s ex-boyfriend’s cousin’s former roommates dad was barked at by a pittie 20 years ago… Ignorance is bliss. But in this case, just makes you look and sound like a complete FOOL. Educate yourself before you start spouting utter bullshit and lies. I’ve been around dogs, especially pits, my entire life and have been mildly bit 3 times and attacked 1 time… And 3 out of those 4 were small breeds. A Dachshund (the dog was blind and was just scared and i should have asked the owner before i assumed it was ok to pet him), A Beagle (my aunt’s dog but she was an old and her arthritis was painful), A small Poodle mix (bit my ankle while i walked by) and last a German Shepherd (i believe the dog was abused. He attacked for no reason as i walked by him he got off his leash and lunged for my throat). And when a domesticated dog does bite or attack… ITS FOR A REASON!! BUT in my 40 years on this earth I’ve own/ed 3 pitties. Everyone on my dad’s side own/ed pits, a lot of my friends own/ed pits… And NOT ONCE has a Pitbull ever attacked or even threatened me or any friends or family members. So it basically comes down to ignorance, being uneducated and plain stupidity for your ridiculous arguments about our beloved, loyal, resourceful, protecting, happy, goofy, sweet, cuddly, amazing with children, smart, strong, helpful, energetic, loving, one-of-a-kind hams that are part of the family!! And most of all FORGIVING!! Side note(which is also an ACTUAL fact) 49 OUT OF THE 51 PITBULLS RESCUED
(from MICHAEL VICKS ILLEGAL DOG FIGHTING RING) WERE ALL ADOPTED OUT INTO LOVING FAMILIES AND WERE ABLE TO BE REHABILITATED AND ARE NOW LIVING HEALTHY AND HAPPY LIVES!! so yeah, take the cotton out of your ears and stick it in your mouth.
Repeat – trash dogs owned by (1) dirtbags (2) ignorant bleeding hearts! End of story.
Historically speaking, when people speak in absolutes as you do, they are always right
I’m not an animal expert, but have always been around a multitude of animals all my life, on a family farm in Central America. Right now I own a bloodhound/rottweiler mix, boxer/rottweiler mix and a pitbull/ shepherd mix. Also two pure breed chihuahuas. We use positive reinforcement training but no punishments. While the pitbull/shepherd mix was fairly ‘nippy’ as a puppy along with one of the chihuahuas, during her teething stage, with lots of chew toys and gentle ‘bite inhibition’ training they all behave like little angel’s, and none have ever bitten anyone. They are used to children including toddlers. From my personal experience, each dog is different and if a caring owner can meet the particle needs of that dog, they turn out just fine. But that’s just my two cents from my own experience.
lol at these pathetic, moronic pitbull haters. They love to twist up the truth and facts. Spreading half lies. They always spew out half bs.
Goodness. Lots of angry people here. There are good dogs and bad dogs and pits are used for fighting, still today, just like they were long ago. As long as those idiots continue doing that and those stories are being talked about, this will never stop being debated and fought over. Their “attack” stories are always going to be in the news, therefore, people will continue to be afraid. I owned a pet sitting business for over 20 yrs and cared for several pits and staffordshire terriers. Some were nicer than others, but I certainly never got bitten. But, they were also owned by people who studied & read a lot before getting them and they had them trained after they got them and spent countless hours working to make them the best dogs they could be. Which should be done with any dog, in my opinion. I hate to see so many of you haters of “each other”mouthing at each other. It just adds to the misguided reputation so many of these dogs already have. Practice some kindness and spend some of this time with your pooch😊
It is very refreshing to see somebody with a calm and rational comment many animals can be vicious and dangerous some of them have had viciousness bread into them for example the history of dogfighting however with proper training love and supervision they can be wonderful loving pets
I work in animal control for years and I don’t remember one pitbull ever and being aggressive toward me but a few; Chow Chow, Spitz and Alaskan Malamute to name a few. Pitbull’s are mostly big lap dogs(they seem to think lol) but it does take being trained and having caregivers that exercise common sense too. NO dog should be left alone with any child especially if not even old enough to watch themselves.
Exactly!!!
Pitbulls are definitely not nanny dogs. Statistically they injure and kill more people than any other breed of dog, the Rottweiler is the runner up but it’s still not even close. (Source: dog bites.com)
I’m seeing a lot of people talking about well there’s a lot of other dogs that are more aggressive, chihuahuas, etc. The difference here is I can drop kick a Chihuahua across the room if it’s aggressive. However pit bulls are bred between terriers which were bred for hunting and bulldogs which are very bulky and muscular. If I punch one of these dogs they’re not likely to stop tearing my arm off.
I guarantee that if anyone would ever both to do the research that a pitbull is more likely to be owned by drug dealers, dog fighters, and other people who have no business owning a dog. A pitbull is an animal that is typically extremely loyal to those they consider family, and yes even fight other animals and attack people for them. My point is that probably are the highest for annual bites per breed but that they are sought out by people who don’t want them to be kind and sweet. Most dogs of any breed act according to how you raise them these dogs are no exception. They are powerful animals so that is why they are used by people that shouldn’t own dogs.
If people are dumb enough to leave ANY dog 100% alone with their young children then whatever happens is their own fault. I will keep calling the Pitbull type breed nanny dogs because it is my OPINION that they are excellent with children and that they have gotten a bad reputation because they end up being owned by people who shouldn’t be owning ANY dog in the first place.
Maybe you should explain that “Pitbull” is not recognised as a breed with many breed societies outside of USA. In the USA media and public often lump many BullTerrier breeds, cross breeds and bitzas all under the on name of Pit Bull. My ((English) Staffordshire Bull Terriers are shorter, smaller, more compact, and likely less athletic than AmStaffs. APBTs are a lot leaner and taller. Bull Terriers (mini & standard) are really heavy boned (solid bone in legs- let’s not talk about the overdeveloped Roman nose).
One thing they all have in common is a requirement to be very well dog socialised from day dot, and good basic obedience (manners, rules and boundaries). All these dog breeds at some stage have been used for DOG FIGHTING. Some terrier’s as they mature start to display a dislike for some other dogs (often the fluffy yapping ones) this can be trained out- with a good trainer, time, consistency. Note this attitude is to other dogs. While the training is going on I would personally fit a good, elegant muzzle. Just in case a fluffy dog gets in the bulls face. Also I cringe at any Bull breed wearing a studded collar, just looks bad.
There’s more comments than there are pit bulls
Some terrier’s as they mature start to display a dislike for some other dogs https://balliah.com/
How do you think any creature is going to react to a annoying yapping dog who thinks it’s the hottest baddie who’s daring enough to get in your face and not shut up? Of course a there’s going to be some that develop a dislike for the annoying breeds that may in their opinion need knocked down a bit.
Not that that’s what a well trained dog is supposed to do, but hey there’s limits to what any creature that lives has on what will upset them enough to be biased.
Oh wait there’s some people who are just like that on here.
I’m done, but my final question is why is it that some people believe that only druggies or trashy people love pitbulls?
Are you seriously that mentally challenged?
Pitbull lovers who own pitbulls most likely and logically are not druggies because if they have all positive views of their own pitbull then they have to have sound minds and educated thinking and have a good knowledge of the breed and the capability of raising good dogs!
Qualities that are not typically associated with someone who is classified as a druggie!
Bigoted uneducated narcissism however is the best description for the haters who spew their hate on animals.
Pitbull’s in the United States are by default, more aggressive than other breeds. This is due to the fact that they have been bred for hundreds of years by dog fighters. They have been bred this way to the point where they now have inherited aggression even, even WITHOUT having to be in a bad environment.
source: https://www.animals24-7.org/2019/10/14/pit-bulls-new-gene-study-shows-it-is-not-all-in-how-you-raise-them/
This is why there’s a lot of cases of pitbull related deaths and attacks on children. We are at a point where in order to save pit bulls as a breed, we will have to re-breed them for the next hundred of years into being less aggressive to others besides their owner.
The Pitbull in the everyday American household unfortunately has the same traits of the ones of the past. I don’t think people understand what it means to be BRED for hundreds of years to deliberately be a certain way. This is why newborn pit bulls in America today, have inherited aggression.
To turn way from science, would be negligent. I think we can all be compassionate towards pit bulls without having to ignore the science of their genetic makeup. Yes we would all want animals to have good owners, but its also about being very wary and understanding the history of how this breed come to be. To shout at the tv about “propaganda” is silly, the media gains nothing from doing so, it’s not like racial wars/gender wars that certain tv stations spout out with real world consequences. Reporting dog attacks is simply a PSA. I am sorry to say, the most horrible outrageous attacks always get media attention, and most of the time, the dogs that end up being on tv, would be the ones that that have come to existence today; solely due to dog fighting breeders of the past and present. Its just how it is, it’s not propaganda.
Personally I see pit bulls and german shepherd being on the news. It just shouldn’t be surprising to people.
dog = satan
Bad dogs are not born, they are made!