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Letter from the Executive
Director
(click here)
Breed History
Just walking down the street with a Pit Bull on
the leash is an interesting way to find out how many
different types of pit bulls exist -- in people's
minds. Some folks rush over to coo and praise;
others hurry to the other side of the street to
avoid close
contact. Many just study the dog as it walks past -
while drinking in a good long (often confused!) look
at the person on the other end of the leash. This is
one breed that evokes strong emotion and bigger
controversy wherever it wags its tail. The range of
opinion in the Pit Bull Drama varies so dramatically
that the average person is often left with nothing
more than confused ideas gleaned from the warnings
of television news reporters.
Understanding the breed starts with learning
about their beginnings on up to the roles they play
in our society today. They've traveled a long road
with Americans since early colonists went to the
trouble of importing them along with their other
family treasures. With the same courageous spirit,
tenacious loyalty and die-hard devotion they
provided to their owners generations ago, they
continue to dutifully hold up a mirror to this
American society and reflect back to us who we are
as a culture of dog owners.
Created in England
The dog that we now recognize as the pit bull was
originally bred in the British Isles early 100's to
'bait' bulls. These matches were held for the
entertainment of the struggling classes; a source of
relief from the tedious and brutal way of life
suffered by many commoners during that time. In 1835
bull baiting was deemed inhumane and became illegal,
and dog fighting became a popular replacement. The
best fighters were celebrated and held up as heroes
for their courage and fortitude during battle. At
the same time, a very strong bite inhibition towards
humans was encouraged through selective breeding so
handlers could lean over into the fighting
pits and pull their battling dogs apart without
worrying about receiving a redirected bite.
Partially because of these breeding efforts to which
culled out "man biters", Pit Bulls became well known
for their loving devotion and trustworthy nature
with humans.
History in America
Immigrants brought their dogs across the ocean along
with their families and prized possessions. They
soon became a fixture in a developing nation. In
early America, the dogs were valued for much more
than their fighting abilities. They were entrusted
to protect homesteads from predators and worked as
vital helpers on family farms. Homesteaders depended
on their abilities to help in hunts and as hog
catchers (hence, the common title "catch dogs").
They were constant companions to the young children
who were entrusted in their care. Pit Bulls earned
their place as an important part of the fabric of a
developing nation.
The Pit Bull was also a favorite dog
among politicians, scholars, celebrities. Helen
Keller, Theodore Roosevelt, and the "Our Gang"
Little Rascals all had APBTS. Many reading this
website may have grandparents and great grandparents
who kept a favorite Pit Bull as a pet. Today, this
tradition continues with tens of thousands of
Americans who love and cherish their family Pit
Bulls.
So How Did We Get from
There to Here?
Although we've changed enough as a culture to create
laws which protect our admirable clown from
organized dog fighting, ironically the darkest hour
of this breed's story has only come about in the
past 20 years. While huge numbers of Pit Bulls in
this country are cherished family pets, many not so
fortunate suffer the consequences of a nation with
multi-layered social and economic problems. The
historic fighting ability of this All American breed
began to be exploited on a larger scale in the
1980's. Pit bulls were soon associated with poverty,
crime, and newspaper headlines of back alley dog
fighting rings. And, for the first time in the
breed's history, we started hearing disturbing
accounts of bites and attacks on humans by poorly
socialized and badly bred APBTs, APBT mixes and
other breed dogs that were mislabeled as APBTs. The
press went wild, the public panicked, and the
reputation of the entire breed was dragged down with
sensationalistic headlines and a few rotten examples
of "Pit Bull Imposters" owned by shady and
irresponsible owners.
To add to the sadness, a frenzy of backyard breeding
of Pit Bulls in our urban cities began to add to the
burgeoning population of unwanted dogs in the 80's
-- a trend which continues today. The economic
incentive of a 50 dollar price for unpapered pit
bull puppies has filled our newspapers with ads for
"Pit Pups for Sale". Those seeking a status symbol
or controversial fashion statement are irresistibly
drawn to having a pit bull of their own. But just as
fashions change, so do the minds of many 'casual pit
bull owners’. The pattern of Pit Bulls purchased for
breeding, later discarded and then duly euthanized
by our overcrowded shelters has erupted into a
disturbing 'business as usual' cycle with no
discernable end in sight. With a negative reputation
as "mean and vicious" animals, chances of salvation
for most unwanted Pit Bulls are depressingly slim.
So, just as we struggle as a nation to understand
how to deal with the social and economic ills that
affect our cities, we are also left with the sticky
puzzle of what to do about our once favorite breed
of dog that is so feared and so loved at the same
time. Once again, the APBT breed reflects back to us
who we are: a culture of incredible contrasts and
conflicting beliefs.
Source:
www.BADRAP.org
Breed
Characteristics
 This
page discusses the most notable traits of
pit-bull-type dogs, including their great love for
people and their potential for dog aggression. You
will learn that pit bulls make wonderful and loyal
family companions. Like all dogs, they require
intelligent, responsible, and dedicated ownership.
Because of the breed’s undeserved negative media
image, pit bull owners have to be even more careful
and responsible than the average dog owner. They
must also be aware of the myths (urban legends,
really) surrounding their dogs. Owners must be well
educated about bully breeds, because they will
likely face comments from friends, families, and
neighbors. Unfortunately, some people obtain pit
bulls for the wrong reasons—to boost their own
image, for dog fighting, or for backyard
breeding—which makes life difficult for responsible
owners. The good news is that pit bulls are now more
popular than ever, and each good owner has an
opportunity to reshape the breed’s image in positive
ways. When you adopt a pit bull, you adopt the most
energetic, intelligent, and loyal friend you’ll ever
have, but you also take up a responsibility to
represent the entire breed.
It’s unfortunate that one of the original
purposes of the pit bull was dog fighting, but it is
a fact that cannot be denied or ignored. Even more
unfortunate is the fact that they are still chosen
for this purpose, even though it is illegal in all
fifty states and, in certain instances, as the
Michael Vick case illustrates, a federal crime.
Adopting a pit bull, loving it, and training it as a
breed ambassador are the most important things any
of us civilians can do to combat people like Vick.
PBRC does not wish to overemphasize the fighting
aspect of the breed’s history, a history that does
not negate their various positive traits or their
scientifically proven gentleness toward humans. But
we do acknowledge the importance of respecting the
breed’s history. This is not to suggest that pit
bulls are “different” or “unique” in a way that
makes them dangerous. Those who claim that pit bulls
are “different” fail to understand that all dog
breeds are, in some way, different from each other.
That’s what makes them dog breeds! (Besides, many
breeds were historically bred to fight other
animals. Pit bulls are not unique in this sense.) To
put it simply, no matter what kind of dog you have,
understanding its breed is the first step toward
being a good dog owner. By nature, pit bulls are
intelligent, fun loving, and affectionate. It’s our
job to help them fulfill that potential.
Pit bulls are wonderful, loving animals that deserve
the chance to have a good life.
Pit bulls have superior physical and mental
characteristics that make them excellent partners
for responsible, active, and caring owners. These
same outstanding qualities can, however, make them a
little difficult to handle for people who don't have
a lot of experience with dog ownership or for those
who don't understand the breed well. Luckily, pit
bulls are intelligent, very responsive to training,
and, above all, eager to please. Therefore, pit
bulls should be enrolled in obedience classes as
soon as they are up-to-date on their shots. (Pit
bulls are more susceptible to parvovirus, so it is
important that they receive all their vaccinations
before coming into contact with other dogs or
entering areas of high canine traffic.) A
well-behaved pit bull is the best ambassador for the
breed. As we’ve already noted, this is the easiest
way to fight breed prejudice and misconception.
Pit bulls are quite resilient and can do well in an
urban environment, provided they have enough
exercise and other positive outlets for their
energy. Many pit bulls are easygoing couch potatoes,
but like all terriers, they can also be somewhat
rambunctious until they mature. Maturity can come
relatively late with this breed (two to three years
old in some cases). Pit bulls remain playful
throughout their lifespan (nine to fifteen years)
and have a great sense of humor. True clowns at
heart, these dogs will make you laugh like no other.
Today, pit bulls are respected and dearly loved by
those who know them for what they truly are and not
the monsters the media has created.
Pit bulls still loyally
serve society in many roles:
- Search and rescue (Christina Ridge and Doc
appear to the left)
- Therapy dogs visiting hospitals and senior
communities
- Working in law enforcement as narcotics and
bomb detection dogs
- Educational dogs teaching children about
canine safety
- Service dogs
Source: PBRC.net
Pit Bulls and People
Perhaps the most important characteristic of pit
bulls is their amazing love of people. Many people
are surprised by the loving personality of these
dogs the first time they meet one. Pit bulls are
remarkably affectionate and truly enjoy human
attention. They are wonderful cuddlers and love
nothing more than a belly rub. In fact, most pit
bulls think they are lap dogs!
As Dunbar (1999) writes, "Today, a properly bred pit
bull is so exuberantly happy upon meeting her
owner's friends (or even friendly strangers) that
new owners sometimes worry that their dog is too
sweet and fun-loving to protect their home and
family... A multi-talented companion, the
well-trained pit bull is suited for a variety of
exciting activities. He excels at obedience, agility
and weight-pulling competitions, events which
showcase intelligence, trainability and strength. In
addition, the pit bull's pleasant nature makes him
an ideal candidate for therapy work with people."
Traits like human aggression, severe shyness, and
instability are not typically found in the APBT
breed, nor are they acceptable. Dogs with these
traits are not good representatives of the breed and
should not be placed into adoptive homes.
Those who wish to label these breeds as “dangerous”
are often quick to insist that the dog fighting
aspect of their history somehow means that they are
inclined to “fight” humans. This is simply wrong. A
central fact of pit bulls’ history is that their
lineage actually makes them less inclined to
be aggressive toward humans. For over 160 years,
they have been systematically bred away from
human aggressiveness. As Malcolm Gladwell (author of
The Tipping Point, Blink and Outliers)
explains in an article published in The New Yorker
in 2006: Pit bulls were not bred to fight humans. On
the contrary: a dog that went after spectators, or
its handler, or the trainer, or any of the other
people involved in making a dog fighting dog a good
dogfighter was usually put down.
So while human aggressive pit bulls were actively
culled from bloodlines, traits such as gentleness,
temperamental stability, and the desire to be
handled by humans were emphasized. These qualities
are the foundation of the “pit bull” breeds. It
explains why footage of pit bulls being rescued from
horrific circumstances usually features skinny,
scarred-up dogs with wagging tails and happy tongues
joyfully greeting law enforcement officers.
What is “essential pit bullness”? It’s difficult to
express the personality of any breed in words, but
for pit bulls it comes down to a certain
joie-de-vivre and a magnetic attraction to humans.
First, pit bulls have a constant desire to be close
to humans, even if that means lying by your feet as
you use the computer; they are not overly
independent dogs and want nothing more than to be
active members of your “family.” Second, pit bulls
are outgoing, eager to meet new people, and
generally trusting of strangers. Finally, this
innate desire for human contact and outgoing nature
adds up to the ultimate “people dog”: pit bulls are
truly in their element
when snuggling on the couch, hopping in the bed on a
cold morning, getting rubbed on the belly or
scratched behind the ears, showing off a trick,
going for a car ride with their family, or playing a
fun game.
Contrary to myths propagated by the media, human
aggression occurs in all dog breeds. Canines can
exhibit many kinds of aggression: human-, dog-,
territory-, and food-aggression, to name a few.
These are independent behaviors. For example, feral
dogs can be good with other dogs but highly
aggressive toward humans. By the same token, a dog
with dog aggression isn't by default also human
aggressive. Pit bulls test well above average in
temperament evaluations.
Source: PBRC.net
Pit Bulls and
Other Dogs
Never trust a dog not to fight. That means any dog!
Dog aggression is not a breed-specific behavior.
Dogs of any breed can exhibit intolerance toward
other dogs.
Dogs may fight over hierarchic status, food, toys,
or rawhides. External stimulus or excitement can
also trigger a fight. Remember that any canine can
fight, regardless of breed. If you frequent a dog
park, you’ve surely seen a fight occur among a pack
of dogs for reasons not discernible to humans.
Owners should separate their dogs if they cannot
closely supervise them. For pit bull owners, the
stakes are always higher. While they may not
instigate a fight, they won’t back down from a
challenge. Inevitably, no matter who “started it,”
no matter what the circumstances, the pit bull will
always be blamed. Each incident in which a pit bull
gets blamed jeopardizes our right to own these great
dogs. Keep your dog out of trouble!
That said, many pit bulls get along great with other
pets and may live happily with other dogs without
incident. We simply cannot assume that this is true
for all of them. We also cannot take for granted
that pit bulls who get along with other pets today
will do so tomorrow. The same goes for all other
breeds, and none of this should suggest that, in the
language of popular myth, pit bulls are more likely
to
“snap” or “turn”. It only means that their attitude
toward other dogs may change as they mature. Pit
bull owners must show common sense by ensuring that
they don't set their dogs up to fail by putting them
in inappropriate situations. It is every dog owner’s
responsibility to ensure that they are managing
their dog’s needs and looking out for their dog’s
safety at all times.
Source:
PBRC.net
Fear versus. Fact
Fear:
Pit Bulls have “locking jaws.”
Fact:
“We found that the American Pit Bull Terriers did
not have any unique mechanism that would allow these
dogs to lock their jaws. There were no mechanical or
morphological differences . . .”
Dr. I. Lehr Brisbin,
University of Georgia
Fear:
Pit Bulls have massive biting power measuring in
1,000s of pounds of pressure per square inch. (PSI)
Fact:
On average, dogs bite with 320 lbs of pressure per
square inch. The bite pressure of a German Shepherd,
an American Pit Bull Terrier and a Rottweiler were
tested. The American Pit Bull Terrier had the least
amount of bite pressure of the three dogs tested.
Dr. Brady Barr, National
Geographic
Fear:
Pit Bulls just "snap" and attack without warning.
Fact:
“Pit Bulls signal like other dogs.”
The Institute of Animal
Welfare and Behavior of the University of Veterinary
Medicine, Hannover, Germany temperament tested over
1,000 dogs.
Fear:
Pit Bulls are “ticking time bombs” that turn on
their owners.
Fact
“No single, neutered household pet pit bull has ever
killed anyone.”
Karen Delise, LVT, independent
scholar, and Author.
Fear:
While there are some pit bulls with good
temperaments, they are the exception not the rule.
Fact:
The American Temperament Test shows pit bulls
consistently score above the average for all breeds
tested, year in and year out!
The American Temperament Test
Society,
www.atts.org
Fear:
Pit Bulls are more dangerous than other dogs.
Fact:
“A dog is only as dangerous as its owner allows it
to be.”
Diane Jessup, Founder of LawDogsUSA, Author, retired
Animal Control Officer.
Source:
WWW.ANIMALFARMFOUNDATION.ORG
The Pit Bull Paparazzi
The media has played a major role in today’s
depiction of pit bulls as a dangerous, unpredictable
dog. The reality is, most dog bites are not reported
nor do their stories make into the headlines giving
the community a false sense of security with other
breeds while creating an unfair perception of pit
bulls.
Click
here for more
Source: National Canine Research Council
The
Truth About Pit Bull Temperament
The American Temperament Test Society, Inc. (ATTS)
is a national not-for-profit organization
(registered in the state of Missouri) for the
promotion of uniform temperament evaluation of
purebred and spayed/neutered mixed-breed dogs. They
conduct temperament testing of hundreds of dogs each
year. A detailed listing of breed scores and test
sample sizes may be found at
www.atts.org.
In 2008, Pit Bulls scored better on temperament
testing than the following breeds:
Border Collies
Basset Hounds
Beagles
Boxers
Cocker Spaniels
Collies
Dobermans
German Shepherds
Golden Retrievers
Great Danes
Greyhounds
Rottweilers
Saint Bernards
Vizslas
Weimaraners
Believe
the facts…not the hype!
Breed Specific
Legislation (BSL)
Breed specific legislation is exactly what sounds
like...regulation of your right to own or, in many
cases, not own a dog based solely on the breed or
"type" of dog, not your responsibility as an owner.
The result of BSL is the systematic killing of all
dogs, regardless of temperament or age, who even
look like a pit bull. With over 25 other breeds who
have similar “bully” characteristics such as a big
head, broad chest and muscular stature, many dogs
are often mistaken for Pit Bulls who are not which
means they too will face euthanization.
In cities where BSL has been implemented, personal
pets owned without issue or incident regardless of
age or circumstance were required to be relinquished
and euthanized. This discriminatory practice affects
the responsible pet owners who are not the source of
the problem or reports we see in the media. The
criminals and irresponsible pet owners who harbor
unimmunized, unaltered dogs who spend their lives
chained out in yards or running at large are not
going to follow a BSL ordinance either.
BSL punishes responsible
pet owners and sets forth only to kill innocent
family pets who have committed no crimes.
Even in counties where there are no breed specific
ordinances, policies still exist that mandate the
unnecessary killing of these dogs in animal control
agencies due to a lack of education, ineffective
screening and temperament testing procedures, and
poorly enforced dangerous dog laws.
Breed specific ordinances
are typically implemented as knee jerk reactions to
a dog bite occurrence. BSL is not a sufficient long
term solution for the following reasons:
1. Dog problems are generally problems with owner
responsibility and are not limited to breeds. When
breeds are singled out as dangerous or vicious,
responsibility is removed from the dog owner which
is where it belongs. Irresponsible people are also
less likely to follow the law - and as a result,
everyone has to suffer.
2. By limiting the ability of citizens to own
certain breeds, responsible law abiding citizens
will shy away from those breeds. These are the types
of owners that communities need to encourage, not
drive away.
3. Communities that have instituted such bans often
find that the irresponsible owners and the criminals
who use dogs for illegal purposes simply switch to
another breed.
4. Breeds and mixes are hard to identify and often
dogs are mis-labeled and destroyed based on paranoia
and prejudice and also punishes those that are good
canine citizens. Many breeds function as assistance
dogs for handicapped owners, search and rescue dogs,
drug-sniffing dogs, police dogs, etc. and drives
them out of the community.
The American Veterinary
Medical Association, the Humane Society of the
United States, the ASPCA and several state
veterinary medical associations oppose
breed-specific legislation for just this reason.
5. The dog most restricted is the "pit bull." A pit
bull is a type of dog, not a recognized breed. The
“Pit Bull” is only a generic name that encapsulates
the American Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire
Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier and Bull
Terrier.
6. Passage of laws that are only enforced through
complaints cause two problems:
1) they create disrespect for the law if authorities
require compliance only upon complaint, and 2) they
provide ammunition for neighborhood feuds.
Suggested alternatives to
breed bans include:
1. Stronger enforcement of existing dangerous dog
laws. If they are not already in place, lobby for
protection from untrained and unsupervised dogs of
any breed or mix. This is a broad-based effort that
protects all citizens as any dog can bite and be a
nuisance when owned by an irresponsible owner. Those
who would deliberately train a dog to act
aggressively towards people or other animals, or to
use dogs in the commission of a felony or
misdemeanor should face additional penalties.
2. Encourage local animal rescue and welfare
agencies to provide responsible dog ownership
seminars and canine safety education. The American
Kennel Club has a free education program created for
elementary school children.
3. Protect the rights of all citizens with nuisance
ordinances such as anti-barking, pooper scooper
regulations, leash laws, tethering laws, and
mandatory spay/neuter for all breeds unless proper
breeder’s permits have been obtained.*
Source: PBRC.net, atts.org, *HSHC
Dog Bite Statistics
Media reports would have you believe that dog bites
are on the rise. The reality is the number of dog
bites reported has consistently declined in the
state of Indiana over the last 20 years.
http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/in-your-state/indiana/dog-bites-2/
Some factors that have been proven to contribute to
the likelihood of a dog bite include:
- A chained dog is 2.8 times more likely to
bite than an unchained dog.
- Canines not spayed or neutered are three
times more likely to bite than sterilized ones.
- The list of breeds most involved in both
bite injuries and fatalities changes from year
to year and from one area of the country to
another, depending on the popularity of the
breed. The Pit Bull Terrier has consistently
increased in popularity over the last 20 years
thereby statistically increasing the number of
reported bite cases for this breed.
Source: National Canine Research Council,
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Worth Checking Out
Think you know what a Pit Bull looks like? Take
the test…only one dog featured is actually a Pit
Bull Terrier. Now, imagine the number of dogs who
can be mislabeled and eventually euthanized because
of inaccurate breed identification.
http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html
Thank you to:
www.BADRAP.org
www.pbrc.net
www.atts.org
www.animalfarmfoundation.org
www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com |
