Pitbulls.

Just mentioning the name of this breed can result in an argument. It can make devoted pitbull lovers and owners sigh, ready for the explanation that is soon to follow. Going into this, I understand that this is quite a controversial subject, so I would like to ask that if you decide to talk in the comments you are polite and respectful of other’s opinions. To understand this fully, I will attempt to explain it from as much of a scientific and factual perspective as possible, and I will try to make it clear when it transitions from fact to my personal opinion and experience. All sources for my research that I have used are linked below.

The Science of Dog Breeds

Let’s start with some baseline facts. Dogs, after being domesticated, were bred to fill certain roles and do certain kinds of work to support their human counterparts. These roles ranged from search and rescue, to guarding, to simply being a companion. Dogs were bred so that their bodies would suit these jobs. Except for the case of golden retrievers and such dogs like that, these dogs were usually not bred according to their temperament, and especially not to have bad temperaments. In the case of Pitbulls, these dogs are actually quite the combination. The term “Pitbull” can reference a lot of different breeds of dog combined. There is not one specific breed of dog that’s generally known as a pitbull, unless you include the American Pit Bull Terrier. While this is technically one of the only official pit bull breeds, people often categorize any mix of this dog or American Staffordshire Terrier or other dog of the sort as a “Pitbull” and I do not believe that to be fundamentally incorrect, personally. While it is not totally accurate, this term is still generally accepted and I will be using it to describe these sorts of dogs. However, having this many breeds categorized as “pitbulls” can be part of the reason there is so much unnecessary fear around these dogs since a lot of dogs’ genetics and temperaments can be varied. If we’re talking about the American Staffordshire Terrier though, the AKC actually ranks these dogs as being very “lovey-dovey” and pretty averagely okay with children. Now that you know the facts, let’s move on to my opinion.

Pitbulls: An Opinion

Please note that the following things that I will say are my logic for my stance on pitbulls. The things that I say may be backed up by evidence, but they also include my perspectives on how the evidence relates to the situation, as well as some of my personal life experiences.

Let’s start with something that disturbs me quite a bit: Pitbulls are banned in several places. To me, this is a ludicrous rule. People ban these dogs because of fear. If you think about pit bull aggression, it’s not really about the dogs themselves, but more about the people who own these dogs and abuse them to the point where they are trained to be outwardly aggressive. In an article I read that argued against pitbulls, which will be linked below along with other sources, they talked about how there would be shady folks with aggressive pitbulls, egging on the dogs. This is obviously a people problem if you ask me. The writer of this article also mentions having a young child. It appears to me that he is a scared, angry father aggressively pushing his feelings onto innocent animals when it’s the people who are the problem.

Pitbull owners, if they’re good people, will normally tell you if their dog is aggressive. I love going to the dog park to pet people’s dogs or racing down the street to ask to pet a dog like a completely normal human child, and I’ve never met a pitbull that showed signs of aggression. I’ve met some huge sweetheart dogs and some dogs where the owner said “Maybe not” but a pitbull has never snapped at me or growled. I truly believe that most pitbull owners who are actual dog owners, and not just people who own dogs just to use them in dog fights, will be responsible and tell you if their dog isn’t friendly.

In conclusion, I believe that people should do their research before spreading fear and hate about innocent dogs.

Sources

https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/features/pit-bulls-safety#:~:text=In%20general%2C%20pit%20bulls%20aren,something%2C%20and%20they%20do%20it.https://www.aspca.org/about-us/aspca-policy-and-position-statements/position-statement-pit-bullshttps://www.cbsnews.com/news/dogs-breed-behavior-study/

Source That I disagreed With, But Obviously Can Still Read

https://www.city-journal.org/article/scared-of-pit-bulls-youd-better-be