The world seems to believe that the American Pit Bull Terrier is a vicious breed of dog, violent and ruthless by nature, and that they should be treated as such. However, what if this stereotype about the pit bull that modern society bases their opinions off of, is an improper representation of the breed? The pit bull faces much hatred and neglect in this day and age, but in their prime, the pit bull was considered to be the perfect dog. Although bred for physique and stature that was perfect in the dog-fighting world, the pit bull grew in popularity and became high demand as a man’s best friend. However, that reputation that once made the pit bull one of the most popular and iconic breeds of dog, seems to have been forgotten over the years, and replaced with the idea that they are ruthless attack dogs bred to kill. This stereotype and the specifics that go along with it have brought the name of the pit bull down to it’s knees, making the breed vulnerable to neglect, abuse, violence and many other awful acts that are deemed inhumane, but seem to go unnoticed and unreported because of the breed that is subject to these despicable acts. What if all the incidents and accidents and attacks you hear and read about in the news are only snippets of the true story? What if the breed is nothing like the monsters many believe they are?
(ii) The pit bull was bred from the bulldog, the breed of choice in England during the 1800’s. The bulldog was used as what is known as a “gripping dog,” meaning they were companions to hunters and butchers, rounding up cattle or keeping the livestock in check. In the early 1800’s, “bull-baiting” began in the British Isles. “Baiting” was a sport in which bulldogs were pitted against other large animals like...
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(xxix) Ricker, Nok Noi. "Changing Public Perception of Pit Bulls." BangorDailyNews.com. Bangor Daily News, 17 July 2010. Web. 19 Mar. 2014. .
(xxx) Rock, Robin. "Myths and Facts About Pit Bulls." Petfinder.com. Petfinder, n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2014. .
(xxxi) "The Truth About Pit Bulls." ASPCA. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. .
(xxxii) "Villalobos Rescue Center." Vrcpitbull.net. Villalobos Rescue Center, n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014. .
Pit bulls are believed to have originated in the late 1700’s, when the terriers, typically small dogs bred to catch vermin, were crossbred with bulldogs, a stockier dog whose duty was to catch stray cattle. This produced a dog with a high prey drive with a medium-sized, stocky build and powerful jaws. Contrary to popular belief, the dogs were originally used in the sport of bull-baiting, where dogs would attack the cattle - not other dogs. Since the sport was executed in a pit, the dogs were dubbed ‘pit bulls’ and that name has stuck since. When the sport was banned in 1835, the people who relied on these dogs for an income turned the dogs against each other.
...ports Illustrated cover photo of a pit bull (Pit Bull Rescue Central, "Breed Information”). Dog fighting made a comeback during the 1980s and the pit bull became the favorite macho dog for dog fighters. The dogs were trained to kill or be killed. Pit bulls were also the preferred guard dog for gangs, thugs and criminals. Since the supporters and detractors of pit bulls hold such disparate opinions regarding the ferocity of the breeds, it is only hoped that further discussion and education will help resolve the sad fate that awaits these unfortunate animals. Simply placing all the blame on the breeds will not solve the problems of dog fighting, overbreeding, aggressive training, and excessive euthanizations. Lastly, the biased, sensationalistic publicity of horrific dog attacks which has destroyed the reputation of the once beloved All American Dog must cease.
Breeds: A Case Study Of Pit Bull Owners." Society & Animals: Journal Of Human-Animal Studies 8.1 (2000): 25-52.
To say “pit bull,” however, is a vague reference to several pit bull types, which are considered separate breeds by registries like the American Kennel Club (AKC). Each type has a slightly different breeding history; many began with the breeding of bulldogs with terriers to produce a loyal, compact and tenacious breed (“American Pit Bull Terrier”). The standard three pit bull types most often mentioned by name in breed-specific legislation include the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. That is not the extent of the legislation, however, which also includes dogs that “substantially conform to the breed standards established by the American Ken...
"United Kennel Club: American Pit Bull Terrier. " Ukcdogs.com, 2013. Web. 27 Nov 2013.
When most people today see a pitbull they see it as a monster who could snap at any moment. Something that they should protect themselves and their family from; but that is not necessarily true. Is any one man or woman exactly like the last? A human being’s personality along with their capacity for violence is molded by their past and how they were treated growing up; pit bulls are no different. In today’s society pitbulls are unfairly discriminated against because they are favored among street gangs and dog fighting rings, leaving a staggering number of loyal and loving dogs homeless or mistreated.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), there is a “great deal of confusion associated with the label ‘Pit Bull,’” as it does not refer to a single breed of dog, but rather to a group of breeds with similar characteristics1. These characteristics include short hair, a wide skull and shoulders, muscle definition, stocky build and a deep jawline, the combination of which create a dog that manages to strike fear into a perfect stranger. The term ‘Pit Bull’ is derived from the bulldog, which was originally bred as a hunting dog for large game, but has since developed into a “loyal companion rather than a working dog.”1 Their history as “gripping dogs” for hunters follows them into modern society, as many of these dogs have been inhumanely pitted against one another as well as other animals for sport and for human entertainment1. It is because of these illegal fighting rings that ‘Pit Bull’ type breeds have become the subje...
Pit Bulls are without a doubt my favorite dog, I adore them. Pit Bulls are very well tempered, loyal, and resilient animals. Bred for big game hunting, Pit Bulls are strong, fierce animals and people who have the wrong intentions for ownership should never own them. I am a strong believer that a potential pet owner should do lots of research before getting any type of animal, without exception. Owners should do as much research before getting a dog as they do in planning for a new home or any other new family member. One of the main things to really think about and understand is your intentions for your selection of an animal with the breeding of the Pit Bull. If you choose a dog with the wrong intentions, specifically a Pit Bull, you will get a dog that behaves aggressively and is dangerous. This owner behavior is what has caused the current plight of the Pit Bull today, where laws have been passed in thirteen states and hundreds of municipalities, as well as every U. S. Military base, banning the ownership of the breed and forcing shelters to euphonize Pit Bulls within 24 hours. These laws are unjust and cruel, and victimize the breed based on the owners’ behavior. I also argue that the blame for the epidemic proportions that the laws have reached is 100% the fault of owners who purposely acquired the Pit Bull with the intention to abuse and fight the dogs, and that these owners are the ones who should be punished, not the dogs. (Davis)
The name pit bull is used loosely to categorize many “bully breeds” of dogs. Several breeds that are often referred to as pit bulls are the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bulldog, Bull Terrier and most commonly, the American Pit Bull Terrier. When statistics on “pit bulls” are taken, people are actually comparing a group of dogs rather than individual breeds. Several communities have enacted BSL, and many have repealed this legislation because it simply does not work. Topeka, Ks.
Armando Christian Perez, otherwise known as Pitbull, was born in Miami, Florida on January 14, 1981. At a young age his parents divorced and he was raised by his mother until she found out about his drug dealing business. Once his secret was revealed his mother placed him in the foster system and he then grew up with a family in Roswell, Georgia. He went to school at Coral Park High School, where he graduated and made the tough decision to not continue on to college. Pitbull persued his rapping dreams until he was noticed by a famous rapper and from there his career really began. Pitbull is most prominent for his rapping, but he has also played parts in many movies and has developed his own school.
This dog was meticulously only bred with the American Bulldog which in this theory made today’s American Pitbull Terrier. A lot of Americans claim some type of confusion with the Pit bull label. Technically the word “Pit bull” does not justify with any specific breed of dog, but it more often gives a false accusation of a variety of distinct breeds. Since they have comparable body and head structures, many breeds are falsely taken as pit bulls which also includes the Pitbull terrier, the Staffordshire bulldog terrier, or the American bulldog. Throughout time, dog breeders have distinguished the main pit bulls to just two different kinds of specific
In 18 August, 2011, the source of this event is from Herald Sun. A four-year-old lovely child named Ayen Chol was mauled and killed by a pit bull cross while she was playing in her home. The vicious pit bull escaped from a neighbour’s yard and mauled Ayen in a sudden attack. The dog rushed inside the house and set upon Ayen and some other children who were watching television. Ayen’s mom tried to beat the dog away from the children with a table, but she failed. Then the dog turned on Ayen and the vicious injuries caused Ayen’s death. Dr Cam Day, who is the RSPCA’s Queensland pit bull expert, has claimed that American pit bull terriers are ‘head, shoulder, feet and everything else above other breeds’ in terms of their capacity to injure and maim. If the government doesn’t ban pit bulls, these tragedies would continue to happen and children’s lives would be threatened all the
b. “Many people have a difficult time properly identifying a true Pit Bull, so added to the statistics are those dogs that have been misidentified. Considering these factors, the actual number of attacks attributable to American Pit Bull Terriers is considerably lower than represented,” according to the real pit bull. i. Do you think a 4 pound Pomeranian dog would hurt anybody? ii. Stated in the Dog Bite Law, “The most horrifying example of the lack of breed predictability is the October 2000 death of a 6-week-old baby, which was killed by her family 's Pomeranian dog.” a. The American Temperament Test is a test that measures a dog strong avoidance, unprovoked aggression, and panic without recovery. “American Pit Bull Terriers passed the test at a rate of 85.3%,” according to Pitbulls.org. They have the highest test scores, and they out beat the golden retriever “family dog” by 7.7%. iii. I identify the justice of my rival’s claim, but I disagree with my rival’s 100 percent about pit bulls having the highest attacks. c. Now you can see how my rival made a mistake because they didn’t evaluate and understood the facts as clearly as they
Daily Progress Staff. “Pit bulls: vicious or victims?” The Daily Progress 07 July 2008. 15 December 2010
The American Pit Bull is considered as a genuine breed because there are various breeds of pit bull that could have been mixed with other dogs. Pit bulls were raised for baiting larger animals during the hunting seasons. With the faithfulness of t...