Why are there so many ridiculous myths about pit bulls floating around?

Question

Pit Bulls DO NOT have a locking jaw. their jaw is identical to that of every other breed.
Pit Bulls' brains DO NOT grow too big for their skulls. get a frickin clue.
Pit Bulls ARE NOT inherently vicious. Pits score an average of 83.9% on the American Temperment Test Society's test, versus an average of 77% from all other breeds.

do us all a favor and educate yourselves. go to http://www.happypitbull.com/myths.htm

Answer 1

Number five. It is the owner who decides if his dog will be aggressive in a situation, or not. I am not saying pits are any more aggressive than other dogs, but where do you people get off saying that YOU decide what your dog does. Is your dog growing out of you, somewhere? I have no respect for people who cheapen dog behavior by making it the download of human volition. Dogs are complex mammals and have a great deal of there own agendas. This nonsense is analogous to social scientist blaming parents for the totality of their children's behavior. It does the dog no service, yet greatly anthromorphises dog behavior and training.

PS When pits do "get busy" the do damage and that can not be denied. Locking jaws are ridiculous, but jaw power exceeding 1200 pounds is not. The particularly armored head and resistance to damage and pain are not either. This is a common confusion in the" pit wars". That is, the aggressiveness of the dog vs. ability to do serious damage. This is the real point, here.

Answer 2

Those happy pit bull websites are made by pit-bull lovers. I have had many respectible breeders who are registered with the AKC tell me not to get a pitt, because I have a small child. You are right about the locking jaw, and only a lunitic would think their brains are too big for their skulls. Pitts are considered dangerous because when puppy mills started producing pitts, they were breeding all the dogs they could, instead of looking for quality dogs. During 'milling', bad charictoristics of the pups come out stronger, due to inbreeding. It is very hard to find a quality pitt nowadays, because of this. I have also had breeders tell me not to get any small dog, a dobie, or a rott with young kids.

Answer 3

I know how u feel. Pittbull is NOT a fighting dog, but some unmatured owner train it to do so. For me I have 2 Pittbull, and everytime I walk the Pit. the peoples on the walking pass started to get off the sidewalk. Sometime I just have to stop and think how other people abuse this very beautiful and loyal dog. The media, they just give this kind of breed a badder name when they ONLY report the news when Pitbull attack others peoples but they NEVER report the news when a Pitbull help someone. I honestly just take care the best for my pit. and never let other get in my way of loving my Pit.

Answer 4

I have worked with the Breed and played with it. And in general I do not like the Breed. Their main aggression is towards other dogs and ANYTHING that runs. That include little kids, joggers, bicyclist and unknown intruders. If a person or other dog shows or feels any fear that dog knows it and will respond on what appears to be a moment of opportunity, They are unpredictable.

I am sorry, but...I am not of the mind set to have this dog, on a heavy chain pulling me down the road. I expect my dogs to stay by my side and behave while they are in public. This takes training, right? Right. I trained Police Dogs for several years and there is a big difference between a dog that lunges ahead pulling you and under no control and a well behaved one.

I have ran across some exceptions to the rule but they were far and few between.

With what I know about them, I wouldn't have one, for any reason.

Answer 5

Because of all the bad media rap. They aren't any more dangerous than any other dog in the wrong hands.

I have a pit, and I have a Lhasa.

I trust my pit with my 3 year old nephew, 1 year old niece, and 1 month old granddaughter.

I don't trust my Lhasa...AT ALL...and he gets locked up when the kids are out and about...because he's afraid of their jumping and running..and I can't trust him...but my Pit...

My niece can take food from her mouth...and get nothing but a kiss for it.

Answer 6

Because they are the media-hyped 'bad dog du jour'. Heck, I STILL see people on here say Dobermans brains outgrow their skulls so they go crazy and turn on their owners - that is a leftover urban myth from when they were the 'du jour' in the 70's!

It would be nice if those kind of people would research, learn & store correct & HELPFUL knowledge as well as they kept utter NONSENSE in their head for all those years - sheesh!

Answer 7

We had a pit bull named bud when I was little as in a toddler and he used to take "naps" with me.He used to let us ride him around and everything.I dont know where people get that their all vicious their not it depends on how they are raised and treated.You can make any dog mean and you can also make any dog a big baby.It really depends on the dog's owner and enviorment.

Answer 8

That last question was pretty funny. (about them all being "mentally retarded" from inbreeding.)

One I saw on here that was funny was that they're mean because their brains grow too large for their heads and they have a headache all the time. Hahah.

I agree, people definitely do need to get a clue!

Answer 9

1. People love to be ignorant.

2. The media sensationalizes pit bull stories that ruin the dog's rep.

3. Criminalistic people want to look tough, so they get a touch looking dog in a smaller package, one that loves and lives to please it's master, and then they beat, starve, and make the dog mean to make them look better and to compensate for their cowardness.

I wish more people would educate themselves...it's ridiculous that they don't...

http://www.libertydogtraining.com

Answer 10

I know. It's just that people want to look tough and abuse these poor animals. I've known shih tzus more ferocious than pits. It's sad.