The Surprising Truth About Pit Bulls (2024)

Sadly, Pit Bulls often get a bad wrap for being "vicious" and "aggressive" but after owning 3 myself and spending time around many, I am determined to help educate people about this wonderful breed. Please take the time to read this article to educate yourself and others about what Pit Bulls are really like. In this article we will cover a brief history of the Pit bull, common myths, most commonly asked questions, a few cool videos, helpful links and of course, some pictures I took of mine! Thank you! *Note. Pit Bulls as with any breed are not for every one. You have to know what you're doing and how to handle a large dog responsibly like that.

{A Brief History Of The "Pit-Bull".}

*To preface this so it all makes sense I would like to say that the ultimate American Pit Bull Terrier (A.K.A The Pit Bull, Bully or Pittie) we know today is a mix of two dog breeds, Staffordshire Terrier and Old English bull dog.

Back in the early 1800's Staffordshire Terriers were used for a cruel sport called "Bull Baiting" in which 2 or more dogs were released into a ring with a single bull. The dogs were trained to harass the beast until it became so fatigued that it collapsed or it died. In 1835 this "sport" was outlawed by the Cruelty To Animals Act. After that the public began "ratting" instead. They would place a few dogs into a pit where multiple rats were contained and let the dogs chase and ultimately kill the rats. This is where the "pit" in the Pit Bull comes from. Sadly though the public ultimately went to dog fighting since it was easier to hide from the law. It was later determined that dog fighting and ratting alike demanded more agility from the dogs so Old English Bull Dogs were then crossed with the terriers creating the first "Pit Bull Terrier". A bit before the Civil War British immigrants came to the United States along with their Pit Bulls. It was during this time the breed was re-named the "American Pit Bull Terrier". In early America Pit Bulls ended up taking on an all-purpose role. They helped farmers with herding cattle/sheep, guarding live stock, guarding families against thieves and wild animals, helping on hunts and watching over the children. American Pit Bull Terriers were considered less and less of a vicious fighting dog and more of a hard working companion dog. Instead of being called vicious, aggressive and overall bad dogs they were soon looked at as loyal, brave, hard working and friendly dogs. This breed was especially popular in WW1 as well as WW2. They were considered a symbol of bravery/loyalty and were often used in advertisem*nts during war-times. After WW2 Pit Bulls were less glorified and they began to be viewed as more "regular dogs". In 1976 congress amended the Animal Welfare act to officially ban dog fighting and other unrelated things. This amendment made this awful "sport" illegal in all 50 states. Today dog fighting or being a spectator at a dog fighting match is considered a felony in all 50 states. Owning dogs for this purpose is also a criminal offense in most states.

So, you may ask, if Pit Bulls were indeed so popular and glorified back then what changed to make people look down upon them now?

Dog fighting began to re-gain popularity back in the 1980's. Animal advocates stood against this barbaric and cruel blood sport. Unfortunately the consequences to their stand was that people started seeking out these poor animals for illegal purposes more than ever. These criminals started trying to turn these gentle, friendly beasts into something they weren't. The family oriented, loyal breed that America looked so greatly upon was now, once again being used in underground fights against other dogs. This new found demand for Pit Bulls drove people to breed them with no regard for temperament or socialization of the puppies and were too concerned in making a profit to find responsible homes for the animals. Soon the breed was associated with poverty, crime and "urban thugs". The were simply viewed as money-making commodities instead of loving companions and friends like they once were. It also didn't help when in 1987 Time magazine published a story called "The Pit Bull a Friend and Killer" with a picture of a big pittie held by a massive chain on the cover. These once All American Dogs were now seen as vicious killers that were widely feared. By the 90's music artists were capitalizing on the percieved dangerous look of the pitbull and the dogs became an accessory to their brand only furthering the stereotype. The trend was also adopted by street gangs as a way of commanding instant street credit. As dog fighting got slightly less popular a bit later, pitties were then just tossed aside onto the street as if they were nothing but an item that had been used and thrown away. Most of the dogs ended up in the shelters and ultimately put down. After a few more large losses and only a couple small victories along the way for the truth about the breed, today they are still hated and feared by a significant amount of the general public. Slowly but surely though, people are seeing the truth and finally advocating for the wonderful breed.

{Commonly asked questions.}

How can you argue that Pit Bulls do not have aggressive tendencies due to their violent past?

Pit Bulls were bred for fighting physically. They were bred to be built stocky, tough, agile with a high tolerance to pain (ideal for fighting) but the aggression is fully owner induced. They are trained to be aggressive not bred to be.

2. How do you explain why Pit Bulls have the highest "Bite Rate"?

This one's easy. Every block-headed short haired dog is considered a Pit bull. Also, since Pit Bulls already have such a bad wrap people just assume it's another "vicious Pit Bull" even when it is not. At the end of this article I will add a very interesting link about this particular topic!

3. If Pit Bulls are so docile then why can't I get homeowner's insurance if I have one?

People often make it sound like Pit Bulls exclusively are not covered under Homeowners insurance. The truth is, a lot of breeds are not covered such as, German Sheperds, Great Danes, Doberman Pinshcers, Rottweilers and lots more. Homeowner's insurance especially does not cover large or energetic breeds.

The Surprising Truth About Pit Bulls (2024)

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