Pit Bulls Research Paper

Are We Breeding Fear? People tend to believe that the Pit Bull is bred to be aggressive. In fact, in many parts of the world there are breed-specific legislations (BSL) that ban certain breeds of dogs all together and Pit Bulls are one of the most commonly banned breeds due to perceived aggressiveness. Surprisingly, there is no easy evidence that Pit Bulls are any more naturally aggressive toward humans than any other breed (West).A 20-year study conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concluded that there is no way to determine aggressiveness by breed. “In fact, the CDC says its own 20-year study is not an appropriate tool for making breed-specific policies or legislative decisions (The Truth). Many owners speak
According to the commentary “Are Pit Bulls Different?” by Randall Lockwood and Katie Rindy, “any stocky short haired animal involved in an attack is likely to be recorded as a Pit Bull. It is not unusual to find newspaper accounts of ‘Pit Bull attacks’ accompanied by a picture of a Boxer, Pug, or some other breed” (Lockwood and Rindy 2-3). Recent research and DNA analysis has shown that dogs commonly identified as Pit Bulls are usually a mix of many different breeds. This study is just another aspect that proves breed identification by appearance alone is now considered to be inaccurate. This is a good thing, because it lets us look at this breed as a fascinating American phenomena rather than just an identifiable item with fixed behaviors and definable features (Reflecting). Breeds commonly mistaken as the Pit Bull are the Boxer, Presa Canario, Dogo Argentino, Bull Mastiff, Cane Corso, Tosainu, Alapha Blue Blood Bulldog, and the Dogue de Boreaux (The Truth). There really is no accurate way to determine the aggressiveness of a breed, when it is so difficult to distinguish between certain breeds that have such similar physical
A good dog owner is one that is willing to devote time, patience, and effort in the all-around wellbeing of their dog, no matter what the breed. In particular, Pit Bulls require a great deal of guidance, proper training, and understanding to bring out their best qualities (The Truth). With the Pit Bull breed socialization is most important, as with any dog a Pit Bull needs to be comfortable around people and other dogs. Proper socialization eliminates a dog’s anxiety and fearfulness of new people and surroundings. Along with socialization, consistent training is vital. The best type of training with Pit Bulls is positive reinforcement. “Although Pit Bulls are tough on the outside, they are often extremely sensitive dogs, and harsh training techniques are neither appropriate nor necessary” (The Truth). Along with socialization and consistent training, supervision with other dogs and children is imperative; and when left alone, the dog should be safely confined with plenty of room for exercise. Pit Bulls have always been naturally submissive, confident, and have all the makings of a loyal family dog. The continued misunderstandings of this breed perpetuates the fear our society has for it, and “with unfailing optimism the dogs that fill our shelters and homes seem to want to remind us that they are what we have made them to be, either victims of human cruelty, neglected sentries