Pit bull terriers have a long history of being known as violent dogs. Pit bulls may have the worst reputation of any canine breed.
Are they really as hazardous as some claim, or is everything just a misperception? Let's clarify the situation.
Hello, Doctor DogI've always considered pit bull terriers to be one of my favourite dog breeds.
I'm thinking about getting a large dog now that I have the room for one. But my mother-in-law is appalled. She described them as "unpredictable killing machines with jaws that lock like a vice
Dr. Dog's Response: Good owners raise good dogs, even Pit Bull Terriers.
Welcome to the century's biggest dog controversy. I don't get along well with your mother-in-law.
(Ideally one without rawhide, as those make my stomach uncomfortable.) When raised by careful owners, pit bull terriers may be wonderful family dogs.
Here are some details. Pit bull terriers were to blame for nearly 65% of all fatal dog attacks in the US between 2005 and 2017. The English bull-baiting dog,
which was bred to lure huge game animals like bulls and bears, is the ancestor of pit bulls. Later, to produce a more athletic breed, some of them were crossed with terriers.
Then, two distinct uses for these smaller, more agile pit bull terriers were developed.
Some were bred for work or companionship, while some were designed to fight other dogs. Does that imply that some pit bulls have a predisposition to aggression?
Nope. Dogs who were hostile towards handlers were excluded from breeding programmes since even canines used for fighting had to be manageable by humans.
Nowadays, many dogs are kept for uses other than the ones for which they were initially developed. Look at me, please.
I'm a golden retriever, and during hunting season, my forefathers had the duty of retrieving game. I've only ever brought back my favourite tennis ball.
Although it's impossible to predict with certainty whatever personality qualities a puppy will acquire, no breed is inherently sweet or frightening.
In addition, a dog's environment has just as much of an impact on their temperament as do their genes. Even a dog with a hereditary propensity to responding aggressively towards other dogs,
for instance, can be educated early on to play well with others, averting future hostility before it occurs.