Why do people freak out when I say I have a Pit Bull?

Question

I actually own 2 of them and they are more docile than any other dogs I have owned in the past. I have not met a person yet that has met my dogs and not liked them. Has anyone ever had a Pit that was nice all the time and then just flipped out on them one day? People get bitten by dogs all the time but the only ones you ever hear about are the Pit Bull attacks.

Answer 1

because they're ignorant and don't realize that pit bulls were original bred to be a family dog and then idiot people started fighting them and now people who don't own or know about them are scared because of what they hear in the news.

Answer 2

People freak out about pit bulls because, unfortunatly, most people don't know any better. For some reason, it's true, alot of dog attacks are by pit bulls or other similar breeds. That doesn't mean that the other millions of pit bulls aren't wonderful dogs. Because of dog fighting, pit bulls are given a terribly bad name. It's just like anything else. It only takes one bad apple to spoil the bunch...so one aggressive pit bull gives them all a bad name and people assume. I adopted a pit bull/german shepard mix and he is the sweetest dog I think I have ever encountered. He's not even close to aggressive.

Answer 3

I have 5 pit bulls. Raised them all since pups. Best dogs in the world. No problems at all with them. People get all hysterical about pit bulls because the media and news has singled out this breed and only reports dog attacks that involves pit bulls. I didn't see the news show up to report when my friend got attacked by a black labrador. But oh boy, if a pit bull pees on the neigbor's tree or even looks at someone wrong the news pops up out of nowehere to report another negative pit bull story. And when a dog happens to attack someone, it's not because of what breed the dog is. Dogs attack people based on different factors in their environment, or lack of proper socialization.

Answer 4

People freak out because they realize that:

1) you are an insecure person who needs a pit bull to feel tough,
2) the fact that you believe they are "docile" means that you are deluded.
3) You are in denial over the fact that altough all breeds of dogs bite and/or attack, Pit Bulls are more likely to cause death or serious dismemberment in this situation.
4) apparently you can't read if you haven't read the stories where the owner says, "I can't believe fluffy would do that- its just not like her"

So you see, while you apparently see yourself as some kind of tough, cool, rebel other people are thinking to themselves that you are just an idiot -but they are just too polite to say what they are thinking. So think about that the next time you feel "cool" when someone seems to be admiring your pit bulls.

Answer 5

Pitt Bulls are responsible for some of the more horrible maulings of people and animals. These instances are what freak people out. Of course the ones that attack are the ones that have either been abused or trained to be aggressive. As you know their jaws are strong and it can be a struggle to release their bite on something. I had a friend with a Pitt Bull and he would swing him around for fun while it held onto his flip flop with its mouth. They do get a bad rap, but that's because of what others of the same breed are capable of. Some dogs are docile to their masters but protective, this is why I would walk the other way when I saw one because I don't know "how" protective.

Answer 6

I have a pit and he is the nicest dog ever. and yes I know what you mean people do freak out, my daughters friends parents wont allow them over because of our dog and to be honest I'd rather my little girl meet up with a pit bull then some of her friends siblings and their parents. I think people are weird about pits because pit bulls have the ability to lock their jaws but if you think about it a lab can do enough damage to a kid to kill the kid or change his or her life. I love my dog and trust him too. it all depends on how you treat the dog, thats what I think. people have given pit bulls a bad name, and thats a shame.any dog will be dangerous if kept on a chain and treated baddly

Answer 7

Because they've gotten a bad rep from their past in dog fights in the 20s and 30s, and unfortunately it still goes on today. The really sad thing is everyone wants to blame the dog because man doesn't want to take responsibility for something he created. Man created the breed to satisfy his fetish for bloodsport, when the dog no longer makes any money for its owner, the dog gets thrown away or if the Humane Agencies get the dog, it's euthanized because there is no way a fighting dog is safe to be adopted, and even the potential adoptees of non-vicious ones are screened carefully, so that they aren't being thrown in the fighting ring. Some are even used for guarding crack houses. It's a very sad thing.

Answer 8

Okay... First of all, I want you to know that I *love* the APBT breed. I married a man who raised and showed them for 20+ years. He was an active member in several dog clubs and organizations devoted to such breeds. (He also had German Rotties.) We still have the ribbons and trophies all over the house, even though they are now all gone... He got out of the ABPTs (and the Rotties) because he couldn't stand the reputation, and the legislation imposed upon him because of other people's stupidity and carelessness. He couldn't tolerate the people calling him and wanting "attack" dogs (which he promptly hung up on or slammed the door upon). He worked *so hard* to breed good-tempered, healthy dogs, and it was endlessly frustrating for him to see all of the irresponsible breeding practices going on, and hear the horror stories about dog fighting, and watch all of these dogs being put down, starved, abused, dumped, killed in the pit, etc. He is a very kind-hearted person, and it just got to be too difficult for him.

Pits are a walking controversy, no matter what the statistics are on other breeds. You must have known that before you got yours. That's what draws people to the breed. That, and they are something of a power-trip for some people. Like carrying around a *big* gun. In all honesty, they scare the crap out of people. Especially the ones who have never *met* a sweet, gentle Pit, of which, there are many...

Even my husband says he had to put dogs down a few times, even through his careful breeding practices and years of research, because they would suddenly show irrational aggression. He watched dogs for *years* to be reasonably sure of their temperament, and then would only get a couple of litters out of them before they needed to retire. He had to screen potential buyers even more thoroughly than most breeders to be *absolutely sure* that they had no links to the dog-fighting industry. Imagine having to do a background check like that... Ack!

And just in your defense, I have been bitten by or snarled and snapped at by Chows, Dalmatians, Chihuahuas, Shelties, Tzus, Pugs, Labs, Weimeraners, and others... I've *never* been bitten by a Pit Bull Terrier, or a Rottie.

Answer 9

Pit bull dogs are not the problem its the owners/handlers. Sorry , I am a victim of two pit bull attacts. I have yet to meet a pit i liked

Answer 10

Sorry hot_tamale, pit bulls DO NOT have the ability to "lock" their jaws. That's a common myth about them. Their jaws are structured like any other breed of dog. Ask any vet, dog handler, pit bull expert, or AKC judge, they will all tell you no, their jaws do not "lock". I've raised pit bulls for 10 years myself.