Two part why is it?

Question

1.)That there are so many ignorant people when it comes to PitBulls?
2.) how many of you hated these dogs and then actually changed your mind when you gave the breed a fair chance?

I read on here all the time about people who say they are killers and untrustworthy. I just really want to know if anyone takes the time to get to know a well bred , well rounded Dog from a reputable breeder instead of assuming that the Media and Politicians know what they are talking about.
And save it if your going to comment about how bad they are, because that is not what the question is.

Answer 1

You have to expect a whole ton of answers about how the dogs are bad. People that are negative about something are usually a whole lot more vocal than those that are positive.

I personally like the breed, but as with ANY dog, I do judge them individually. Any dog that acts aggressive, I look to the owner to see if they have done what they need to in order to socialize the dog, and prevent problems. If not, that is their fault.

Pit bulls around here ( Detroit ) get a really bad rap, and I see tons. Most are very sweet. But as with ANY dog, there are exceptions. I have seen some that are aggressive. But no matter what you do, some dogs of any breed are going to have undesirable traits. I will say that I have seen more aggressive German shepherds, and chow chows, as well as beagles, than anything.

All dog owners need to be responsible for the type of dog that they raise. They need to be socially conscious of the fact that the dog has to be compatible to live peacefully with people. Otherwise, no breed is safe from a bad label, and dog bites will continue to occur as frequently as they do now.

By the way, I am just curious about this "lock-jaw" ability. Is it an anatomic characteristic? A special muscle? Just wondering, because we were never taught that in anatomy class, and we went over EVERY muscle, bone, tendon and ligament in the dog. (personally, I think that people mistake a tenacious personality for an anatomic trait.)

Answer 2

Pit Bull Terriers were bred for a single purpose - to be fearless against BULLS in an ARENA or "PIT" they have lock jaw abilty and determination so if provoked and enranged they WILL fight to the kill...

now that said.. its true that the breed in general CAN be very good - in fact some of the most nasty dogs I have known were small breed dogs.
Most dog bites are from small dogs who bite their owners (owners kids usually) but of course this doesnt get told to the media and if it did it wouldnt be sensationally enough "Cocker bites 10 year old on the hand" big deal....

biggest problem with Pits is their repuation means they are attractive to the WRONG people.. I actually saw a sign on a house window that said "BEWARE PIT BULL WITH AIDS" now you can just guess what kind of person lives there...

I never "hated" the breed - but likewise I wouldnt own one either - and yes I have worked with them (I dont own any dogs at this time)

Answer 3

It's all up to the owners. I've seen two distinct types of owners at shows.

One: The person who gets PIt Bulls (a.k.a. American Bred Staffordshire Terriers) because of the reputation. They treat the dog like crap and the dog ends up being a "bad" example of the breed solely because of their upbringing. These owners should NOT be owning dogs.

Two: The person who gets Pit Bulls because they like the breed. They care for the dog above and beyond your average dog owner and their dogs end up being the sweetest thing you've ever met.

The same goes with rotties.

Personally, I wouldn't own a Pit Bull, but that's because my wife and I are more herding / working breeds than terriers. (Personal preference).

I'm glad my wife and I are in an unpopular breed (Belgian Malinois) because if they became popular, they'd get the same reputation, especially since it's the top dog used for police K9 and military work.

The media wants ratings. Dogs being sweet and saving a life doesn't get ratings unless it's a collie (Lassie). Pit Bulls don't make it on the news unless they attack someone. That's ratings.

Answer 4

I never really hated them but i have always been a little nervous around them. But the majority of them that i've seen have been a little nasty. I know they're not all mean i've trianed a few and they've all been nice dogs and a couple of my aunt have had them and they've been nice dogs. I just think that it's beacuse they look so mean.

I think people see them kinda as they see sharks and alligators. they look mean and people have herd so much about a dog that looks like a pit bull attacking a kid 9who in the magority of attacks did something to really make the dog mad and the kid desrved to get bit) that they just assume that jjust beacuse the is a pitbull or looks like a pitbull is going to kill them. .

Answer 5

i believe a dog is only as kind and gentle as there owners, care must be give to each and every breed to teach it the right way to behave. You can not blame a dog for being a dog if they are taught to be tame. I had a great big pit bull that was the sweetest dog i ever had. he was a 120-# wonder and when he got hit by a car the car was dented and he ran away. not a mean bone in his body, he was a throw away because he was suppose to be mean but he wasn't just mistreated he died when when he was 15yrs old. his name was m Mickie and i will never forget him

Answer 6

i was raised around pitbulls i love them one saved my life when i was a little girl...its all in how u raise them. As for the media the media will say that a dog killed someone but wont mention how they were trained OR that the person who was killed by them abused them daily. If people wouldn't focus on the negative they would see how good pitbulls as well as other dogs can be.

Answer 7

I think its because people only hear about the bad stuff. No one ever sees a news story about all the random, friendly pits out there, just the ones that have bad owners that screw them up. If everytime a toy poodle or dauschand bit someones ankle, there was a coresponding story on the news, people probably would feel the same way about them as they do pits.There are no bad dogs, just bad owners.

Answer 8

The Pit Bulls is a very loving dog .You cant blame the dog for what some people think is fun trains them to fight.If people would get to know the breed they would find out how good they are.You know there are more people get bitten my smalled dogs then bigger dogs.