Pit Bull FACTS

I posted this on Craigslist this morning, but I felt the need to post it here as well.

1) Spelled with capital letters, "Pit Bull" versus "pit bull" indicates the breed that has come to be known as the "American Pit Bull Terrier." The term "pit bull" with lowercase letters refers to "bulldog type dogs" such as Dogo Argentino, Cane Corso, Pit Bulls, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, etc.

2) Pit Bulls are known to be same-sex dog aggressive, but so are other breeds of dogs such as Akitas. Yes, there are always exceptions to the rule, but ask any reputable Pit Bull rescue about adopting a Pit Bull of the same sex as a dog into your home: they will not allow it.

3) Pit Bulls are terriers. Terriers are known to be tenacious, unrelenting, and of high energy. This goes for ALL terriers and "Pinschers." (Pinschers is the German term for "terrier" which is why we have Miniature Pinschers, German Pinschers, and Doberman Pinschers all of the same energy and tenacity levels.)

4) No responsible dog owner would keep their dog (especially one that is known to be same-sex dog aggressive) unsupervised outside in a fenced area when no one is home. That goes for ALL breeds.

5) Pit Bulls have a solid working drive. There are several Pit Bulls used in Pet Therapy and Search and Rescue (see "Kris Crawford"). There were Pit Bull SAR (Search and Rescue) teams at the Columbia and 9-11 tragedies.

6) Google - "Sgt Stubby" and "War Hero." Enough said.

7) Pit Bulls' jaws do NOT "lock." The PSI of their bite is equivalent to several other breeds, if not all other breeds, of dogs. People assume they "lock" their jaws because they do not give up easily (see #3...."tenacity.")

8) Contrary to majority belief, and this goes for any dog breed, temperament is not only environmental, but it is also genetic. You do not breed two dogs or even one dog that has overly aggressive or overly submissive temperaments just as you wouldn't breed a dog with genetic health issues that could be passed along to its puppies. Once again, this goes for ANY breed, and a conversation about any breed will have Pros and Cons. Think the epithet "ankle biters." If Pit Bulls were the size of Chihuahuas, they would fall in the "ankle biter" category if it was to bite someone. If a Chihuahua was the size of a Pit Bull, they would fall under the "aggressive" or "vicious" category as many people perceive Pit Bulls to be.

9) The reason why there are so many "problem Pit Bulls" is because people buy them as puppies from backyard breeders because they like the look of them or the idea of owning a Pit Bull. They don't realize that with terriers, you start from day 1 with socialization, training, and teaching boundaries and respect. By the time they are 9-10 months old, they have a solid block of muscle that doesn't respect them, has no socialization, and knows no boundaries. For ANY breed of dog, this is DANGEROUS. No one thinks twice when a Pomeranian jumps on someone who comes to visit. People freak out and think they're being attacked when a Pit Bull jumps on someone who comes to visit.


It is up to the responsible dog owner to do their research on a dog prior to ever purchasing or adopting one. Learn ALL of the ins and outs of the dog breed: what they were originally bred for, what they are currently used for, their energy level, their grooming level, dog aggression issues, health issues, etc. If you still decide to purchase or adopt a certain breed after doing your research, start from day 1 with the knowledge you've learned about that breed. That way there are no "surprises." Don't impulse buy. Don't impulse adopt. Just because a breed "looks cool" doesn't mean you can treat it like a clothing accessory. This also goes for small/toy breeds of dogs. There's nothing I can't stand more than toy/small breeds of dogs whose owners baby them and teach them zero boundaries. Just because a snap on the hand or ankle from a small breed of dog doesn't cause major damage does not mean it should be overlooked nor accepted.

Moral of this post:

BE A RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNER AND MEMBER OF SOCIETY!