why are people scared of pit bulls?

Question

pit bulls are not a breed thats made for fights its the people that raise them bad and train them to fight. ive been rasin pit bulls for a while and all of mine are perfectly fine they never hurt any one i trust my pit bulls so much that they watched over my baby sister at night they would watch her as she sleeps and in all my life i never herd of a pit bull attack and up untill lately with the mike vic stuff there has been more and more pit bull insadents goin on, they may have been bred to fight back then but they are a loving breed jus misunderstood and as its been said never judge a book by its cover

Answer 1

People are afraid of pit bulls due to the stereotype the media gives them.


All dogs have potential to be a scary animal when they are raised to fight and kill.

Ignorant people ruin the reputation for a really good breed.

Answer 2

Actually, you answered the question yourself. Typical discrimination: take a few characteristics and apply it to a whole breed.

Honestly, any dog can be a threat if not properly socialized. It is simply the breed that was bred to clamp on and not release that are often more feared. The "bull" in bull terrier, or pit bull comes from the fact that the breed was used to corner and hold bulls, you know the big male cattle -- if a dog can hold a bull at bay, imagine how intimidating he can be to a wee human. Incorporate into this the tenacity of "terrier" and you do have a dog that will fight and not give up -- an instinct bred into the dog.

Now, before you think I am in support of those that automatically side with those that fear pits, I do not. Any abused dog is a threat, any dog that was not properly socialized and then trained...is a threat.

The media surely does not help, but the owners who fight these dogs and the breeders who do not properly screen potential owner and neglecting to properly socialize/stimulate young pups are equally at fault. Temperament is genetic, so pups that are over-alpha and show aggressive tendencies should be neutered to avoid profileration of that gene. Pups that are too submissive are just as much a bomb waiting to explode. In ANY breed, they can become fear-biters all too easily. Temperament is only partly environmental, some forget that.

Just as some would assume a young black man is in a gang, the assumption that a pitbull is a killer is just as flawed a stereotype.

(and NO, I am not racist!)

Answer 3

Media portrays them as evil becase it will make a better story then a pitbull saving someone. 95 of so call pitbull attacks are not even pitbulls at all. There arer 26 breeds commily mistaken as pitbulls. You allso have ignorant people that beleve the meda and word of mouth rather then doing research about the breed. Smaller dogs are much more mean becase they are making up for their size. Facts have show your 10 times more lilky to be bite by a small dog then any of the so call mean breeds. What man does not understand man fears. What man fears man destroys.
Give ya a star. I own 2 pitbulls and there the biggest babies that i have ever owned. People that hear bad news about them on the news, are never told that the kid was tresspassing, that the animal was abused in one way shape or another. Meda paints a picture that will get them the most views not the actual truth about the breed. Ignorance is all the same, dog or person. Hates all the same.

Answer 4

the top question is ...why are people scared of Pitbulls..

because of the media hype... nothing more I can say..

my county has a dangerous dog website and a dog has to have bitten someone more then once to make the list and guess what is not on the list.. that's right a Pitbull


EDIT: Below there was a very irresponsible comment made by bigmha2000..
the comment was "tell me...what would you do if you saw an unfamiliar APBT running straight at you? Me?!?! i'd try to get the hell out of there, or find some type of weapon...these dogs can mess up your day....kill you...so don't fool your self into thinking that you own a chihuahua or something...that's the sign of an irresponsible owner." This is among other things this person said
but... A pit is not a killing machine .... If I see any dog , especially larger dogs running at me with the obvious intent of attacking/ killing me I'll go into defensive mode and attempt to kill the dog.. Not just pits, ANY DOG, any animal or person included. so lets not spread fear about these animals, lets look at facts please...

Answer 5

He may have not ever been socialized with people or other dogs. Don't go after him especially with other dogs at night. He may feel threatened and attack by instinct. I know its hard to follow the panic that everyone else feels when they see a pit with cropped ears. I love animals and I know its not the pits fault they are so hated. It depends on the owners and how they treat the pits unfortunately the majority are treated very badly. Since you don't know how he was treated or raised be careful. I worry about lost scared dogs they will go into a flight and fight mode when scared. Call the local shelter that is the best you can do for him. They will try to locate the owner or find him a new home.

Answer 6

It really is just the type of breeder that makes dogs mean, because any dog can be aggressive, but it really depends on where you are from here in oklahoma we have had a lot of pit bull attacks and they have killed over 10 in the past 2 years. about a month ago a child was attacked and a old man was killed by a pit bull and so was a lady that was jogging. Personally i like pit bulls but they are hard to trust when you are not sure how the breeders bring them up! The past pit bulls i have met have been very nice, and i used to have a neighbor that raised pit bulls and they were all aggressive but i know it was because of him, i don't judge people or animals unless i know from pure experience what they are like with that particular person or animal.

Answer 7

In a word the media. I know of reporters thta have lied about the breed of dog that was involed in an attack. I also know most people have no idea what a pit bull looks like so if it attacked it had to be a pit bull. Last most people have no idea what a pri bull is like and worst of all they do not want to hear the truth.

Answer 8

My opinion is that there are countless amount of animals living with people that can't take care of themselves no less an animal. Unfortunately the pitbull is one of the most powerful and proud breeds there is, so if not trained or handled properly the dog can cause serious damage. Keep in mind that a pitbull is not the most common family pet and in many cases they are used as guard dogs that are chained in the yard, don't get affection or proper training. I can tell you from experience that every pitbull I've encountered that was raised in a loving home with the appropriate training is no more likely to attack than a Lab is.

I have to add that reading some of these answers scares me. I can't believe how many people out there that really don't know what they are talking about yet they don't hesitate to provide their OPINION.

Answer 9

WRONG !!!!

EVERY APBT has the potential to become dog and or people aggressive...with or without the proper socialization...and what does that mean? if the dog still is dog or people aggressive they weren't socialized properly? WRONG !!!! it's in their genetic make up...you know like i know...yes they were bred to fight...the present day dogs might not be able to compete against the dogs of the past...but with dogs you just never know.

sure the dog is fine with you and your little sister...but what would happen if a strange dog or person walked into their territory?...and where the hell have you been? pits have been attacking people for a while now...at least since the 80's ...it might not have made the news where you live...but I've heard about dog attacks by BULLY BREEDS for about 20 years.

LOOK...i HAVE owned and do intend to own an APBT again !!! you're right....THERE IS NO BETTER BREED than an APBT. i just realize what kind of damage these dog can do if they ever wanted to. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE SCARED OF THE DOGS !!!!!

tell me...what would you do if you saw an unfamiliar APBT running straight at you? Me?!?! i'd try to get the hell out of there, or find some type of weapon...these dogs can mess up your day....kill you...so don't fool your self into thinking that you own a chihuahua or something...that's the sign of an irresponsible owner.

Answer 10

I agree. I initially had the some apprehensions about pit bulls because of all the bad reps that are floating about the breed. but in reality, its no more as mean as any other dog. Its actually gentle, and all the bad reps are generated by those few who train them for fights and as attack dogs. What Mike Vic is a really horrible and ugly thing, but it should not dissuade people and stir public opinion against the breed.

Answer 11

I also like pit bulls. But like you say I think it is a macho thing with some owners. If they have what they consider a tough dog then they feel tough. My dog is a pom - cant have a big dog right here - any how we live in a neighborhood that is known for a lot of drug dealers etc. I unfortunately see mistreated dogs of all breeds including pits. But close to where I live is this one pit bull. The people rescued her from somewhere. I always joke she is my Pomeranians girl friend. When they see each other he puts his paws up on her side and you can tell they like each other. She is truly the nicest dog in the whole neighborhood, and there are a lot of dogs run lose here.