Thanks to their reputation as “bully breeds,” many people believe that Pitbulls are aggressive and dangerous dogs. However, the truth is that Pitbulls are gentle, loving, and loyal companions. With proper training and socialization, they can be trusted around children and other pets.
In fact, many Pitbulls are used as therapy dogs because of their gentle nature. Learn why these “nanny dogs” get a bad rap here!
1. Pitbulls’ Size Plays into Perceived Aggression
Anyone who has ever had a Pitbull knows that people are nervous around them and tend to keep a respectful distance between them and your poor Pitbull, who is probably wondering why they aren’t getting showered with love the way retriever and spaniel dogs do.
Contrary to a mistaken belief that Pitbulls are giant dogs, they are in fact, medium-sized dogs that weigh a mere 35 to 60 pounds. In contrast, Golden Retrievers can weigh up to 75 pounds.
However, Pitbulls are powerful, muscular dogs that can look intimidating and menacing to the untrained eye. Add that to the unjust and inaccurate portrayal of the breed in media and you’ve got the mistaken impression of the Pitbull Terrier to well, just about the rest of the world.
2. The Media Portrays Pitbulls as Dangerous
Imagine you’re watching an action movie that features a dog lunging on a chain, chasing an intruder, or worse, a dogfighting scene. Chances are, that dog is a Pitbull Terrier or another misunderstood breed, like the Rottweiler.
When have you ever seen a Chihuahua or Cocker Spaniel portrayed as a scary dog, while in fact, these two small breeds are frequent entries into the top 10 dog breeds most likely to bite.
3. Some People Shouldn’t Own Dogs
A well-raised, balanced Pitbull can be an amazing dog. Loyal, loving, and stable-tempered, Pitbulls are often employed as therapy dogs around young children and seniors. So why are there so many attacks? Well, some people get Pitbulls because:
They Want to Intimidate Others
Yes, the Pitbull can look imposing, even intimidating. This brings some unsavory characters that seek those characteristics in dogs, whether to frighten, make a statement, or as a deterrence.
To this day, Pitbulls are frequently used to guard and protect dog “owners” who should never be allowed to own a dog, much less one as powerful as the Pitbull.
These dog owners often don’t take the time to raise and socialize their dogs and show no interest in their training. They often keep their dogs in chains and confined their whole lives to simply do one thing: deter.
They Don’t Understand the Breed’s Nuances
A Pitbull is not the ideal breed for a weak or inexperienced owner. They can be headstrong, stubborn, and rebellious, often pushing the boundaries and testing their limits.
Inexperienced owners, while well-meaning, can underestimate the importance of common behavioral problems, letting them spiral into bigger issues, like reactivity.
When a Pitbull becomes more persistent in their demands, they’ll need a strong, consistent leader who knows exactly what to do. Insecure, weak owners might be at a loss, and could further exacerbate the problem where the Pitbull becomes the alpha, which is a completely unacceptable situation.
4. Some Laws Unfairly Target Pitbulls
BSL, otherwise known as breed-specific legislation, is a set of laws that impose restrictions or downright prohibit certain breeds due to their track record of dog bites.
Many towns, cities, regions, and even countries have banned Pitbulls, or placed heavy restrictions on owning one. These restrictions can range from taking our additional insurance policies or having to muzzle your dog when in public.
So basically, if there’s a certain breed of dog that is banned, you can’t own one. Now, there are a few problems with this. First, it’s often impossible to determine what breed of dog someone has if it is a mixed breed. Only a dog DNA test might give anything like an inkling.
And second, even if we could determine the breed of a dog, it’s not an accurate predictor of aggression. There are plenty of aggressive dogs of all breeds, and plenty of non-aggressive dogs of all breeds.
Well, sadly, BSL is often driven by fear and misinformation. People see headlines about attacks by certain breeds of dogs and they’re scared. But the reality is that any dog can be dangerous if it’s not well-trained and treated properly. So instead of banning certain breeds of dogs, we should focus on responsible ownership and education.
5. These Dogs Can Be Intimidating
Although Pitbulls are generally small, compact dogs, they are extremely muscular, with a stocky, powerful body, massive skulls, and incredibly powerful jaws, all of which make up a rather intimidating image if you didn’t know better.
Not only does their physique scare away the uninitiated, but it also causes them to be owned by the very people who want to portray that image.
Yes, Pitbulls, like any dog, can bite. And because of their sheer power, their bites tend to do a lot more than say, a bite from a Chihuahua, that is incidentally third on the “most likely to bite” list of dog breeds.
Don’t let the media and public dictate your opinion. Meet some well-socialized, well-mannered Pitbulls and you’ll get to make up your mind, and potentially allay some common misconceptions!
