Pit Bull Bias in Media
Media Bias of the Pit Bull
Deborah Delo
University of Phoenix
What happens when “man’s best friend” goes wrong? For hundreds of years, no animal has been so trusted or loved by humans as the dog. Immortalized in film and poetry for love and loyalty, the noble dog long ago earned the epithet "Man's Best Friend." No other animal in the modern world arouses such fear and terror as the pit bull. Time and time again, we hear horror stories of pit bulls and "pit bull types" running amok and wreaking havoc on all who cross their path. Without proper treatment and training, any dog can be vicious; but due to the media’s bias, pit bulls and dogs classified or described as pit bulls are the negative focus of dog related stories. The American pit bull was derived from experiments by breeding terriers with bull dogs. Breeders were trying to find a dog with the gameness of the terrier and the athletic abilities of the bull dog. Pit bulls are known for their "gameness", which basically means they are very determined and focused and when they commit themselves to a task, they will complete it even in the face of injury or death. The dogs originated in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and came to America with immigrants. They were used for herding, hunting, to drive livestock, and as family dogs. Pit bulls are a medium build dog, standing 14 to 24 inches tall at the shoulder, with a smooth, glossy, stiff short-haired coat, and weigh between 30 and 90 pounds. They have an athletic build of well-defined musculature. Their eyes are round to an almond shape. The tail is thick at the base and tapers to a thin point. Pit bulls have a life expectancy of 12 to 14 years, making them one of the longer living dogs. There is a common myth associated with the pit bull that helps to add to the public fear. It has been reported in various instances that the pit bull has a locking jaw. No animal has a locking jaw. Pit bulls have a strong and athletic build that
Deborah Delo
University of Phoenix
What happens when “man’s best friend” goes wrong? For hundreds of years, no animal has been so trusted or loved by humans as the dog. Immortalized in film and poetry for love and loyalty, the noble dog long ago earned the epithet "Man's Best Friend." No other animal in the modern world arouses such fear and terror as the pit bull. Time and time again, we hear horror stories of pit bulls and "pit bull types" running amok and wreaking havoc on all who cross their path. Without proper treatment and training, any dog can be vicious; but due to the media’s bias, pit bulls and dogs classified or described as pit bulls are the negative focus of dog related stories. The American pit bull was derived from experiments by breeding terriers with bull dogs. Breeders were trying to find a dog with the gameness of the terrier and the athletic abilities of the bull dog. Pit bulls are known for their "gameness", which basically means they are very determined and focused and when they commit themselves to a task, they will complete it even in the face of injury or death. The dogs originated in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and came to America with immigrants. They were used for herding, hunting, to drive livestock, and as family dogs. Pit bulls are a medium build dog, standing 14 to 24 inches tall at the shoulder, with a smooth, glossy, stiff short-haired coat, and weigh between 30 and 90 pounds. They have an athletic build of well-defined musculature. Their eyes are round to an almond shape. The tail is thick at the base and tapers to a thin point. Pit bulls have a life expectancy of 12 to 14 years, making them one of the longer living dogs. There is a common myth associated with the pit bull that helps to add to the public fear. It has been reported in various instances that the pit bull has a locking jaw. No animal has a locking jaw. Pit bulls have a strong and athletic build that