Why do people hate Pitbulls?

Question

I have 3 Pitbulls (and a German Shepherd dog) and I would like to know why so many people *hate* (not putting this lightly) the breed. I know people say, "Oh, but they were only bred to fight" and "But they kill so many people", but really, any dog can. Nobody even really learns the breed's history before they go telling people that they are vicious, blood thirsty killers. I made a forum and website about them and I wouldn't want it to see it go to waste. If you would like to read about the breed's history, see pictures, sign a petition, etc., the link is http://www.freewebs.com/foozian/ . If you'd like to share your input about the breed, see/post pictures, learn or share information, ask questions, we would love more members on the forum, you are very welcome to join :)

Forum - http://pitpaws.proboards104.com/

Answer 1

Perhaps the lineage of pit bulls in our town is more aggressive than others? or not the norm? I was in the vet's office to have stitches removed the other day..and a call came in about a sick pit bull..the vet's assistant told the caller that the doctor doesn't accept pit bull clients...So, then the vet came out to look at my dog, and the assistant told him about the caller..He said, I would like to help all dogs, but if it hadn't been for my steel toed boots, I would have lost my foot to the last pit bull I tried to help..So, never again.
Then, they got to talking about the Chihuahuas puppies that had come in earlier in the day...3 Chihuahuas pups had been in their own yard, playing with children, when a pit bull climbed the fence and killed one and injured the other 2 , one of them died at the vet's..the 3rd one was still in ICU.

I have several local friends who have been attacked by their own pit bulls...None of them were bad owners..but the dogs just 'snapped' and attacked...so, I wonder...Could it be that our pit bulls are just worse than those in other areas? This is a very nice resort community, and not full of thugs.

Answer 2

It's already been said, but it's true. The news media is the one who has put the "slant" on the breed.

I own a pitbull mix. Did not know she was a pitbull mix when I got her from a shelter. But I don't know if that info would have made any difference in my choice to buy her. She is the sweetest, most loving dog of the four I have! My cats can rub or lay on her, my grandchildren can play hard with her. She will put up with anything and is so very protective of the children!!! I would trust her with my 1 year-old grandbaby!!! That's how sweet this dog is. There is not an agressive bone in her body, until another dog disrupts her territory. However, she absolutely loves humans.

It is a sad state of affairs that we have allowed the news media to be so free with tagging the pit as a menace to society. There are other breeds that are just as agressive and can do as much harm if not more, as well. Any dog can become a killer if the owner trains it to be that way. However, speaking of the media, many other breeds just have not been targeted by the media... YET. Their day will come too.

The dog is only as good as his owner. If the owner has properly trained the dog, he will most likely be a very good and controllable pet. However, if the owner has improperly trained, abused or neglected the animal for whatever reasons, then expect the dog to do what his instinct dictates and that is to survive. Some become mean and agressive toward humans and other animals because of this kind of treatment.

Next you will find other dog breeds being slowly added to this list, to where eventually, it will cost a licensing fee or taxation to even own a dog, ANY KIND OR BREED OF DOG, period.

See the link provided below. As you can see, the pit is not the only dog on the "dirty dozen" or "BAD DOG LIST" ... as far as insurance companies and legislators are concerned.

Insurance companies usually have legislators in their pocket. Never forget that!!!

POLICY SAMPLER
Insurance companies vary on policy restrictions regarding dog breeds. Some of the larger insurers and their guidelines:

Allstate: doesn't provide insurance for a household that has more than three dogs, only one of which can be a German shepherd or Doberman pinscher; company keeps a list of restricted breeds and will not write or renew policies of homeowners who keep those breeds.

Liberty Mutual: keeps a list of restricted breeds and will not renew.

Nationwide: keeps a list of restricted breeds and will not renew.

PEMCO: considers breed, along with other dog-ownership factors, when deciding whether to insure a homeowner. (Editor's Note: The company's policy was mischaracterized in the original version of this story.)

Safeco: keeps a list of restricted breeds and will not write new policies.

State Farm: has no restrictions regarding breed.
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Answer 3

Hi there,
I do partially agree with you about the hate campaign against pitbulls.
I live in the UK and over here we haven't got many pitbulls as pets, and the ones that people own are used for fighting. They are unfortunately getting a bad reputation because a lot of the time they are the type of dogs bred for fighting. Therefor the only time the dogs gets any press is when they have attacked an person or other animal. I think it problem people have with these kind of dogs are because they are associated with the fighting and the seedy underworld crime.
I must however report that in all the time i have worked with dogs at an welfare center i have never come across a nice pitbull, because the type of person who has one gets it for the wrong reasons. On the other hand i know as well as you do that its all the do with the training and the socializing to make it a nice dog, so i have seen all sorts of breeds and cross breeds with aggressive behavioural problems.

Answer 4

With over 5 million pit bulls in the US if they were as bad as the media says would there not be more that 3 deaths a year caused by them In the 30's, 40's and 50's the pit bull was the most popular family dog, so how did they become the monsters of today. the media. It is big news if a pit bull attacks someone, even if ti is the line of duty. How much easier is it to make a big impression than for a reporter to look into the camera and looked shocked and say "a Pit Bull did it". Pit6 bull puppy chews off babies toes remember that. Did anyone hear they found out a ferrite did it, no, that is not news. Pit bulls alone with being used as police dogs, by the way police dogs can't be vicious they have to obey will that is why they use pit bulls more now. They are also therapy dogs, SAR dogs, Service dogs for the handicapped. I know the history of the breed and that they are great family dogs. My niece's lab attacked and nearly rip her sons face off, never heard about it in the news and AC never came out to see about it. Labs are good dogs. I joined your forum. good luck.

Answer 5

As an owner of 5 pit bulls (yes, 5), I can honestly say that whenever I have my dogs out in public, people compliment me on what "beautiful" dogs I have. I've never really experienced any negative feedback from people about my dogs. They are well-behaved when out in public. They usually ignore other dogs I pass by. I also have 3 cats, and there's never been any incident of aggression towards the cats. Only one of my pit bulls is aggressive towards other male dogs; which is quite a common thing in the canine world; not just in the "pit bull" breed. People who "hate" the breed are typically illiterate on the breed, and only "know" pit bulls from what the media spoonfeeds them. Pit bulls are the ONLY breed being singled-out by the media. This is an unfair and biased portrayal, and it gives people the false impression that "pit bulls" are the "only" breed of dog attacking people. There are a couple of highly aggressive labrador dogs that run loose in my neighborhood all the time. Aggression obviously comes in all breeds. And I do not recall the News showing up at my friend's door when she was bitten by a black lab either. Had she been bitten by a "pit bull", then you could rest assure the News would have shown up. These "pit bull-attack" stories that make the news ONCE a year are overly sensationalized and exaggerated to boost ratings. Illiterate and uneducated people need to leave the breed alone. Enough with the Pit Bull prejudice already! Until you personally own one, you've no place to criticize the breed.

Answer 6

People don't like the breed because all that they ever hear on the news is when someone is bitten/killed by one. They then stereotype the breed as being vicious killers. Yes the dog "could" bite but that is only when they are trained to bite. The bottom line is that when you train a dog to fight that is what it is going to do, bite and be nasty, and the truth is that if you train any dog to fight not just a pit that is what it is going to always do. But I think that if you get a dog as a puppy and socialise it well you will have a nice, well behaved adult dog in the future.

Answer 7

I think a lot of people are afraid of this breed because of their reputation. These dogs may have been bred to fight, but that doesn't make them mean or dangerous, that only means they need an owner who is aware of the risks of owning this type of pet.

I think "mean" or "dangerous" breeds are created by irresponsible owners that do not take the time to properly train and socialize their animals. No one should own any breed of dog if they are not willing to train them. Lack of training is the number one reason so many dogs end up in the pound.

What we (humans) dont realize is that dogs are animals not fuzzy humans. They are hardwired to be animals, they don't realize that carpet and grass arent the same thing. They respond to smell, sight, then sound...in that order. Their fight or flight response is strong, they can't understand human logic and are not capable of knowing what is right and what is wrong in a humans eyes.

Answer 8

Some people have witnessed pitbull attacks. I personally have not, and don't have strong feelings about pits. I like all dogs. But this one guy I know saw a pitbull kill a dog in a dogpark, while everyone screamed and tried to pull the pit off but couldn't. So if this guy has something against pitbulls, I can't really blame him. Something like that affects you but a local incident like that doesn't get into the news and has nothing to do with the media. I mean, people judge other people without first listening to their story, so why wouldn't some people judge dogs? We need more listening to all sides and less assuming.

Answer 9

I dislike the breed based on their looks. I have also been witness to a "family pit" that out of no where saw and attacked a dog walking across the street and that site was something I will never forget. The pit belonged to my bf and he use to play with her all the time just like I do my own dogs and she never showed any signs of aggression. I think the reason people dislike this breed is simply the strenght of the animal and the fact it was bred to be a protector and for its jaw strenght and its often associated with gangs, drug dealers and the highest number of attacks leading to profound mutations and deaths. My nephew however loves the breed and to be honest I wouldn't trust one around my 8 month old or handicapped child. And that is my opinion

In fact where my father resides due to the increasing numbers of irresponsible pet owners around the US leading to more pit attacks in order to have one of these animals in your home you have to have 5000 dollars a yr insurance paid to the city and another 5000 to the state as "insurance" incase your "harmless" animal ever attacks, you can not walk the dog on a leash longer then 4 feet and it must be on a leash, in a fenced yard, and have a collar on at all times or you face pentalities and that includes pure bred pits as well as any combination of dog w a pit. If you are found in possession of this animal without the 10,000 dollars paid you do face jail time and the dog is taken away and destroyed since pits are a "non adoptable" breed in many states. And I am all for this law

Answer 10

I agree, it is a rant. first of all, each and every canine bites, inspite of breed. the adaptation is the point at which they're going to bite and the wear they're going to inflict. there is not any answer to this question. people boost their personal dislikes in accordance to many stuff, which consists of own journey. also they're inspired through media who portray Pitbulls as risky canine. the actuality is that it is a helpful breed. even as they do bite, they have a tendency to reason more desirable harm or lack of life than different breeds because of their helpful makeup. there are various of undesirable examples of the breed available, yet there are also various of fantastic examples. the priority is the undesirable get more desirable publicity than the coolest. no one interior the stunning question reported pitbulls were undesirable canine, although the very actuality continues to be it is the prevalent concept of them, incorrect or precise, deserved or no longer. the utmost majority of canine positioned to sleep in shelters each day are APBTs or pitbull mixes. they have a lot less of a threat at life than the different canine only because of this adverse concept. era. people deliberately breeding APBTs go with to take this into careful interest even as breeding, fairly even as breeding irresponsibly. ------------------ Stalked??? i did not comprehend I wasnt' allowed to respond to more desirable than one question from the same person. i'm packing for a visit and prepared for washing to be achieved so i'm filling that factor with YA. Your questions were only a jiffy aside.