Pit bull Stereotypes
February 8, 2014 Assumptions 17 comments Hakers14
The American Pit Bull Terrier is one of the number one most misunderstood breed in America. Being the proud owner of a pit bull mix I have to disagree with what people have to say about pit bulls and their mixes. Pit bulls have some many stereotypes against them. Pit bulls used to be used as nannies. Pit bulls used to be the number one dog for the United States Army. Pit bulls are the same as any dog. What people have done with them in the past does not have anything to do with the breed. Pit bulls have too many stereotypes on them and it is not fair.
There are eight stereotypes that I can think of off the top of my head. It is said that pit bulls have locking jaws which they are not able to open even if they wanted to. This is not true, there is no proof that any dog out there has been found to possess anything in their jaw that allows them to “lock” their top and bottom jaw together. There has never been any proof that their is any such thing as a locking jaw.
Pit bulls are stereotyped to say that once they bite down they will not let go. It is said that you can’t even pry it’s jaw apart if you kill it. Pit bulls will let go once they have bitten. Just like any other dog a pit bull can bite. When they do bite it is usually just a warning, the will nip or snap, just like any other dog would do. The difference between pit bulls and the other dogs are that pit bulls do have a powerful jaw and have fits of stubborn streaks, which I can tell you from experience. Just like any dog would if they want to bite and hang on they will, they are not letting go because they can’t they are not letting go because they don’t want to. The only time that a pit bull will really do this is when they are enticed by their owners for things such as dog fighting, and they will if they perceive something as prey which is something that dog fighting owners will do with small dogs to train their dogs. Originally pit bulls were bred and taught to cling to a bull’s nose even while they are trashing and tossing which makes is so that kicking, shouting, and hitting won’t make them stop. It is proven though that pit bulls are one of the most obedient breeds when they are properly raised. When they are raised properly one sharp word from their owner is normally enough to stop the dog. The qualities that they have; strength, persistence, and obedience make it a good dog for police dog work, which unfortunately makes them good candidates for dog fighting too.
People seem to think that since pit bulls are the number one dog for dog fighting that they were genetically bred to kill people. Every year the dog bite statistics place pit bulls at the top of the list. Does it mean that pit bulls are killers? First you have to realize that when pit bulls do bite the bite is normally worse because of the strength of their jaw, which is not their fault. This is why when you have a dog with that kind of strength it needs to be properly trained and socialized. When you really look into the data you also have to take into account how many of these dogs are abandoned or neglected. How many of these bites were from dogs with irresponsible owners that tried to make their pit bull into an attack dog? There are no studies that have been done to answer these questions, but I guarantee if it was there would be a better understanding. From the very beginning, pit bulls were bred to be as human-friendly as possible because it would not make sense for a dog fighter to have a human-aggressive dog. Responsible dog owners understand that these dogs are bred for love and companionship, not for fighting and attacking people.
It is said that pit bulls are not good for anything but fighting and killing. Pit bulls are as good for anything that any other dog is bred for. Pit bulls have excelled in many working and dog sports. They have been good in agility, search-and-rescue, tracking, weight pulling, carting, Shutzhund, which means “protection dog” in German and is to see if the dog displays the appropriate traits for their breed, hunting, obedience, therapy, and much more. They are loving, loyal, gentle, and attentive which make them very ideal pets.
Pit bulls are always aggressive is one of the big things that people will say. Pit bulls are not always aggressive. Just like any dog they can be stubborn and they will let you know when they have had enough of whatever you are doing but when trained right they will love their owners and the others around them. Training a pit bull is what ultimately decides how a pit bull is going to act in certain situations that they may be placed in. When they are around strangers they are naturally very friendly unless their owner has trained them not to do so. If they have a good connection with their owner and they feel their owner is being threatened they will try to warn the person by growling or barking.
Pit bulls that can not be trained is a huge lie, you can train a pit bull at any time. My dad got his pit bull when he was a year and a half and we were able to train him. The pit bull is a highly trainable breed, it is one of the best out there when it comes to obedience. The pit bull loves to please his owner in any way that they can. The pit bull is also a very pack oriented dog and do very well under strong, but fair, leadership. When they are properly trained from a young age, the pet pit bull will accept their owners control without challenge or question.
Pit bulls are as predictable as any other dog so saying that they are unpredictable is a major stereotype. Most people who say that a dog is “unpredictable” don’t really understand dogs. They will believe the stories of the people who were “just petting the dog, and suddenly it went crazy and bit me!” In most of these instances the person does not understand or has missed the dogs warning signs. There are only really a handful of dogs out there that are “crazy” and unpredictable. Many of the dogs that are have had no training what-so-ever. There is such thing as a mental disorder for dogs which can cause their unpredictable behavior also. This behavior and disorder is not normally seen in the pit bull breed. The canine disorder that causes this is called “Rage Syndrome”, where a dog attacks a person suddenly without warning. Rage Syndrome is mostly seen in Cocker Spaniels and retrievers, which are both very common family dogs.
It is said that pit bulls can’t feel pain, well that is definitely false. They are not superdogs, they’re not invincible, just because they are big and “tough” they can feel if someone were to kick them. They are just like any dog, kicking a golden retriever would be the same as kicking a pit bull, they have the same feelings.
These stereotypes exist because of the young adults that want to have a big, mean, scary dog to impress their friend and attract attention when they walk down the street, they don’t really care about how the dog acts because they want it to look tough. If you wanted a big, tough dog, what kind of dog would you get? A poodle? A chihuahua? How about a greyhound of a golden retriever? I don’t think so. You’d probably pick a doberman, rottweiler, or a pit bull. These are the three kinds of dogs that thugs and punks commonly get when they are looking for a “cool” dog to boost their ego and their social status. These are the people that aren’t training their dogs, these are the people that are bringing their stereotypes down on these dogs. These are the people that we need to help.
17 Comments
It’s a real shame that such kind creatures have so much going against them. With new generations replacing the old, I think the world is beginning to see pit bulls in a better light. Wonderful article, thank you for sharing!
What some people probably don’t understand is that when the owner’s train their pitbulls poorly, and or abuse or neglect them it causes problems. These things cause pitbulls to receive a bad reputation and lead them to be seen as mean animals and seems like they are not really given a chance as much as other breeds. Overall great article, to try and set the record straight.
Owning a dog is all what you make it. I understand some dogs just have bad personalities, but so do some people right? And it can happen to any person, or any breed. Stereotypes lurk through society, people just assume things then tell other people, creating a snowball-effect of lies. Owning a dog is a responsibility and some owners just do not put in the effort or the time to train a dog and they wonder why it misbehaves. Puppies are like children, they need to be taught what is right and wrong and without the proper guidance they are left to figure it out all by themselves and will often make mistakes. Dogs do not know what is wrong unless someone or something teaches them.
Id have to say pit bulls are one of the few lovable dogs out there they have heart and strength. I have been raised with them all my life yes Ive had instances where they fought each other into a bloody mess but was because we had adopted them from a family that abused them. Recently we have taken in mymsister’s dog because she attacked her boyfriend because he was hitting her . My sister has had many instances were guys attacked her and her dog protected her but she believed it was best if the dog came live with us to get it out of that situation since then the dog has calmed down and hasn’t bitten anybody since she is still very protective but yes any pitbull can be trained out of their bad habits you just have to care enough to take the time to do it.
It is really unfortunate that these stereotypes exist. As it was said in the article, pit bulls are just like any other dog. There is the possibility that any dog can be aggressive towards humans if not trained properly. I strongly believe that an aggressive dog reflects more poorly on the owner than on itself, and it is always refreshing to see articles defending these dogs.
It is sad that stereotypes have been around not only for people, but even towards animals. A dog is a dog and not a predator unless raised that way. If a dog is taught to be vicious, then that is what they will be. If a dog is taught to be loving, then they will be just that. I agreed with what you said and how you made it a point to defend the dogs and blame the owners. Pit bulls are just like any other dog and should not be feared based off what everyone thinks about them. Pit bull owner must be highly appreciative of articles such as this one.
The world is full of stereotypes it is so sad but hopefully it will change. Every type of dog can be mean so why must be just pick on a certain one. Great story !
I know that growing up seeing different tv shows directly about pit bulls and their negative reputation has changed my image of a pit bull. I know many people who own them and say that they love them so I hope that this stereotype will soon change. A dog is a dog. The breed doesn’t matter. What matters is who raises the dog. Nice to hear that you feel so strongly about this.
I agree, this breed is misunderstood. Yes there are some who are aggressive, but that is how they were raised. I love all dogs and it is all about how you raise them.
All the pit bulls I am around are the most loving animals. They really are a misunderstood breed. It’s really who raised them are how they were raised that affects their actions.
It is unfortunate stereotypes exist period, for humans and animals. I can say, that the appearances given to pit bulls have frightened me to a certain degree, but after raising a pit bull puppy I certainly say I do not think the stereotypes given to them should apply.
Your piece explains the stereotypes in an excellent way. Especially since you are a proud owner of a pit bull. It’s sad that people are afraid of such a breed all because of what another person said or because of what one dog did. Most pit bulls I know are not aggressive in any way. The one that I do know is a bit aggressive and aggravated is the one that was abused as a body before being put in the right home. It’s truly all about the people and how they raise them. If an owner mistreats their dog when it’s a puppy, it’s often times going to grow up with an attitude. Just like children grow up to be rude adults. It’s all about how they’re treated, it’s not in their blood. Your piece really says it all, good job! (:
Personally, I have two purebred pit bulls and they are absolutely amazing dogs. They have never bitten anyone/anything besides toys, and they have never had behavioral issues. It is very unfortunate that pit bulls have such bad stereo types against them just because of all the controversies that have been shown in the media. It is very important for people to give the breed a chance, and raise them the right way in order to stop these stereo types and discrimination’s.
About eight years ago my mom owned at least four pure bred pit bulls at a time, not included the eight or so puppies every litter, not once was I or a family member bitten or growled at. pit bulls are an awesome breed but if they are not trained right and are neglected they become that mean beast they are portrayed as on t.v and on the internet. The piece was very interesting and informative about the breed and the stereotypes are exactly what most people think of pit bulls.
After knowing all the stereotypes, that I didn’t believe, I went out and bought a pit bull/boxer when he was 2 months old. Now he’s almost 1 and he is the most well behaved dog I’ve had. Pit bulls act by how they were raised, so if they are aggressive it’s the owners fault. I agree that pit bulls are a misunderstood breed. The piece was very interesting and covered every stereotype I’ve heard about pit bulls.
Pitbulls are my favorite dog they are so loving and caring. They are stereotyped way to much they are not an aggressive breed unless you make them aggressive. I have had pitbulls around me sense I was born I have not gotten bit nothing they have always been loving just like we have been loving towards them. Pitbulls need tender loving care just like any other animal.
What I find kinda funny is that you mentioned the pit bulls past in which they harmed humans and are still view negatively today, this isn’t very fair. Cause the German Shepard also has a violent history with humanity due to them being used during wars as attack dogs yet everyone looks at them in a respected light. This could help people realize that it is the owners fault for a aggressive pit bull and not the breed itself.