Pit Bulls: They’re Not The Monsters You Think They Are

Mar 15, 2010

I’m going to preface this blog by saying, when I woke up this morning I felt like crap– actually thinking about it, I still feel like crap. So when I received a comment from someone who’s website isn’t even legit, regarding Pit Bulls, that was completely ignorant and based on information that was hardly compromised of facts on my last blog which had no mention of my loveable Pit Bull Terrier, I was pretty upset.

I’m scared that the Pit bull requires a unique type of owner…these dogs, regardless of how ‘caring’ nevertheless have teeth, are still creatures with no moral principles and when they DO bite, won’t let go. As in all animals…some tend to be additionally susceptible to instinctual habits and time and time once again, this breed tends to complete just that.

Therefore, this blog is going to be purely informational and factual, because quite frankly I’m tired of all the misconceptions people have about Pit Bulls because people, yes people decided to use them in a means that resulted in branding the breed as a dangerous dog. I cannot reiterate this enough: THAT IS COMPLETELY UNTRUE.

The American Pit Bull Terrier was the most popular family dog during the 20th century. So what happened? The wrong people realized that this breed is extremely loyal and eager to please (http://www.thetruthaboutpitbulls.com). Pit Bulls are actually quite loveable creatures, as long as they are raised to be so. The stigma they have is due entirely to owners who have used their loving, loyal, and eager to please nature in a manner that portrays them to be dangerous, terrifying dogs when in fact they are not.

When you hear people talking about Pit Bulls in the Pit Bull community, the most common term you’ll hear is responsible owner; because it is the owner that determines the temperament and mannerisms of the dog just as with any breed. The first thing people need to realize is that Pit Bulls are social creatures. They love to be around people and they can be destructive if they don’t get the proper exercise or attention. They love to chew; this I know through experience (yay to having to replace flip flops, lol), however this was my fault which I admit. She wasn’t getting enough exercise and as a result she got bored. This wasn’t her fault, it was our fault for not properly caring for her. We don’t blame her and neither should anyone else, because the fault as I’ve reiterated time and time again is on the owner, not on the breed.

The next most important thing to remember about Pit Bulls is to socialize them at an early age, this again, is something that you want to do with any breed. You want them to understand the importance of interacting with other animals, especially those smaller than them because they’re very energetic playful animals that aren’t quite aware of their size or strength and as a result if they’re not trained properly on how to approach a smaller animal, accidents can happen, as they attempt to play with the creature. But again they just want to play. They’re aren’t trying to be vicious or attack, they love to play, as evident by their exuberant, energetic nature (the video details this) and so does our little terrier. And on that note, as I stated previously they love people, children included, however they [the breed] can be a bit overwhelming and can sometimes bump or knock them [children] down in their haste to love and show affection. However, as with any other breed it is your responsible to ensure that you are watching your child(ren) when interacting with animals.

I could go on and on with a list of how the temperament of Pit Bulls and their mannerisms are a byproduct of their upbringing, however that would span across several blogs, so instead what I ask if that you educate yourself and make an informed decision, instead of succumbing to what the media portrays as they do not portray the whole story (when do they ever, really?). I used to be just as terrified and frightful of Pit Bulls (my dad still is), now I own one, and am quite proud of that fact. They are one of the sweetest breeds I have ever come to known and I hope, for those who believe the stigma placed on them by bad ownership, that this blog will in some way encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and learn something about a breed who’s touched me and quite a few others in so many ways.

List of Pit Bull Information Sites

• http://www.vrcpitbull.com/home.htm
• http://www.trupitbull.com/index.html
• http://happypitbull.com/
• http://www.pitbulllovers.com
• http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/americanpitbull.htm