Pit Bulls: Myths and Facts

Imagine this. A man and his wife are walking their dog when an angry-looking man comes around the corner. The dog growls at the man. This dog is automatically labeled as dangerous for protecting his owners. This scenario happens everyday. Many dogs are marked as dangerous when they are to serve to protect their family and property. The most prosecuted breed in America is the American Pit Bull Terrier. There are hundreds of cases that involve an attack by a pit bull, giving the entire breed the label: Dangerous. The bite case statistics are not ever accurate since it is difficult to distinguish a pit bull from the American bull dog. Approximately, eighty-two hundredths of a percent of hospitalizations from dog bites are actually caused by pit bull bites or attacks. Recently Dr. Brady Barr of National Geographic constructed a test between a pit bull, Rottweiler, and a German shepherd to determine the bite pressure per square inch (psi). He concluded that the was pit bull average 235 pounds psi, German shepherd 238 pounds psi, and the Rottweiler 328 psi, being the highest pressure ever recorded.
Mainly, news stories about dog attacks pertain to pit bulls. In a recent attack, a pit bull killed a family’s 4-year old daughter. The parents wanted officials to put a ban on any dangerous breeds, especially the pit bull. This is unfair to the good dogs under the breeds on the dangerous list. Not all dogs are bad. A person never knows what happened to a dog before they adopt, so any dog can turn out to be bad or good. Many times, the dog is not properly trained or lacks attention, making the dog wary of the owner. Another, but rare, reason a pit bull will attack is because of disease. When a dog attacks, many people say dangerous to the entire breed. If humans can have a disease that makes them attack, then why can pit bulls not have a disease that makes them snap? Many people are quick to judge that an animal is dangerous or not just by the breed and how they think the dog is feeling. Yes, animals have feelings too. It may be hard for some people to believe, but dogs feel pain and love, even hunger.
There are many things that come to mind when a person hears the words Pit Bull. No, not the rapper; the dog breed. Many people think a pit bull is just a dog, or many cases dog fights. This breed of dog is mainly used, unfortunately, in illegal dog fights. This is not the only thing these dogs are capable of. They are able to learn just as well as any other dog. There are many jobs that the pit bull can do such as search and rescue in the police force. Pit bulls are also known for their amazing strength as many compete in obedience trailing, conformation showing, weight pull, agility, herding trials, and more. These dogs can save lives of many people and work with other animals.
It is said that pit bulls are unable to get along with others; however, that is not true. They are able to have companions with other animals just as a Chihuahua can be friends with a kitten. Of course, proper supervision is recommended for leaving the pit bull with another animal. In conclusion, many things people hear about this specific dog breed is just a myth. There are other myths pertaining to this breed such as their brains swelling to make them go crazy, certain nose colors are rarer than others, and more. But that just it, they are myths. If you are unsure of what a person says about a certain breed of dog, look it up. You never know what you may find.