Getting a Bad Rap: the Pit Bull

By Leslie Brown, Chief Editor, JonesTV

The American Pit Bull Terrier has gotten a bad rap over the years. They're currently a breed known for dog aggression and fighting, but that wasn’t always the case.

After World War II, the dogs that were approached with caution were primarily German Shepherds and Dobermans. The Pit Bull was around then, but as a family pet, not a frightening ogre. The dog playing with the kids on “The Little Rascals” TV show was a Pit Bull.

When properly trained and socialized, this is a very good dog and a great family companion. Unfortunately, some choose to promote the fighting instinct in the breed, giving it a bad name. Over the years, an increasing number of incidents of serious Pit Bull aggression have been reported.

In 2007, there were 33 dog-bite related human fatalities in the United States. Pit bulls were responsible for 67 percent of these fatalities. Today’s perception of the Pit Bull is as a vicious killer, based on sad statistics such as this.

Recently, the Pit Bull was featured in the news. In the Michael Vick case, the Pit Bull was found to be abused in a dog-fighting ring, which bought the Atlanta Falcons quarterback a sentence of almost two years in prison. Vick and his cohorts began purchasing Pit Bull puppies in late 2001. On his Virginia property, the star athlete and his codefendants used the “main staging area” for housing and training Pit Bulls.

With his natural aggression under control, a Pit Bull is a loving and attentive dog. A strong-willed companion, the breed is loyal to friends and family, is friendly to strangers, and shows a desire to please. In order not to display the stubbornness and aggression he is known for, the dog needs direction and some early training. To channel his strength and energy, this breed also requires a great amount of exercise and some sort of stimulation so that they don’t become frustrated, bored, and destructive. Bred never to back down from a fight, this type of interaction can be avoided by not letting the Pit Bull become close to strange dogs when unsupervised.

Because of their aggressive nature, adult Pit Bulls are frequently available from animal shelters. The advantage of adopting an adult Pit Bull from a shelter is that the dog's temperament is already known, so you can get a loving, non-aggressive, and wonderful pet.

If you have any stories to tell about the Pit Bull, you can share your comments here.