Pit Bulls and Aggression – Fact vs. Myth vs. Hysteria

July 13th, 2008

I recently read an article about Pit Bull owners that was interesting. I won’t go into all the details but in a nut shell the article said that a lot of Pit Bull owners tend not to embrace the potentially aggressive nature of the breed and if an owner does talk about it other Pit bull owners come down on them.

Well, here goes, because I’m about to talk about this, in public, for the whole world to read about.

Fact – Pit Bulls can be dog aggressive. There very existence was based on this trait. They are also known to be aggressive towards larger animals like cattle and horses as well. Again, this goes back to the reason they were bred in the first place.

Myth – Dog aggression leads to human aggression. This is not true. Human aggression is a different type of aggression and one type of aggression does not lead to another. If a Pit Bull is human aggressive the dog is showing unsound and incorrect temperament and should be immediately addressed. If the aggression is in fact real aggression the dog should be put to sleep. It is not part of the American Pit Bull Terrier’s nature to be human aggressive and those dogs that are should be culled from the gene pool.

Hysteria – Dog aggression is NOT a big problem. I am a professional dog trainer and I deal with dog and human aggression. There are many breeds of dogs that do not get along with other dogs and that have the potential to do serious harm to other animals. Large dogs can really put the hurt on smaller dogs yet owners allow them to romp freely at the local dog park. Dog aggressive Great Danes or Labs are just as likely to really hurt another dog as a Pit Bull.

The ony difference between these dog aggressive dogs and our breed is, our breed has been specifically bred for this type of behavior. While that is based in their history and creation the truth is, not all Pit Bulls will turn out dog aggressive. Just as not all Labs will not turn out dog aggressive.

The major point to keep in mind is, American Pit Bull Terriers are more likely to display the trait than a Lab or a Golden or a Great Dane or a Bull Mastiff or a Yorkie. This does not make them bad dogs! It makes them dogs that were bred for high drive, hard work, and for outstanding companion dogs.

As  Pit Bull owner if you do not embrace their history you are turning your back on why you love the breed in the first place. Their history is why they are what they are today.

Personally, I embrace their history and think every Pit Bull owner should do the same. I am not saying I think animal fighting is a cool idea and I am not saying I condone it. It is their HISTORY, while we should not deny it the fact is, times have changed. There is no longer a place for that kind of “sport” or “work.” Any more.

Today weight pull, agility, competition obedience, tracking, and stock work have replaced the dog fighting pit and the bull baiting ring.

These jobs the breed is well designed for and it is these types of activities that give them an outlet for their high drive, hard working, lifestyle they were original bred for.

All the Pit Bull owners living in “happy land” as I like to call it where you paint a peaches and cream picture of the breed but fail to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth because you want your beloved “pibble”, which by the way is the most ridiculous name I have ever heard these dogs called by, to look good for the public eye.

Well, if your dog has a correct temperament they should look good naturally without you making the breed out to be some foo-foo dog with muscles.

Yes they are outgoing, friendly, loving, high energy, and yes they are clowns and goof balls. But as Pit Bull owners if you are not honest with people this, along with the bad stuff, can attract the wrong kind of owner.

American Pit Bull Terriers are not for everyone. Neither are Golden Retrievers or Poodles. Be honest with people and tell them the realities of Pit Bull ownership.

I face a constant, daily, frenzy of hysterical dog owners ranting about how bad my dogs are and how I am a nut job for having “that breed.” Most people are not ready for this type of critisim. It’s hard and it does take its toll on some of us.

So be up front and honest about your Pit Bull. If they are dog friendly, great! But that doesn’t mean someone else will end up with a dog friendly example of the breed. If they are not prepared to deal with possible dog aggression and high drive they don’t need to bring a Pit Bull into their home.

I would give the same advice if the breed we were talking about was a Border Collie. I wouldn’t recommend a Border Collie to a busy family with small kids that lived in a city apartment. I would be honest about the dogs good side and not so good side. Great for people that are very active, not so good with super busy families, and small spaces are not a good idea either as they are high drive working dogs that need to, well, work.

Think about how you portray your dog. Are you completely honest or do you just tell people what they want to hear?

Until Next Time,
Jason, Angel, Honey and Patch
The Most Complete Pit Bull Site Online

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