Pit Bull Research Paper

Pit bulls are a Misunderstood Breed Pit bulls are the most misunderstood dog breeds in the world. When people hear the word pit bull they automatically think of dogs fighting and attacking. When people say â€Å"pit bull† they're usually referring to a range of breeds and, often, a mixed-breed dog. (Lawrence, C Louisville Magazine Feb 2007) People think they are a very dangerous breed of dog. Because of this, some areas do not allow pit bulls and breeds like them. Pit bulls are the leading culprit of dog bites in America, but on the other hand, they are the gentlest dogs people will ever meet.The National Canine Temperament Testing Association tested 122 breeds of dog and Pit bulls placed the 4th highest with a 95% passing rate. (http://atts. org Feb 2012) With this fact it can only be how the dog is raised. People who own Pit bulls should be obligated to train their dog well. With any dog you need to train it so the owner has the upper hand. Owners need to know that they have to be dominant and for their dog to be obedient towards their orders. The dog comes second to themselves. Pit bulls are one of the most gentle of the breeds.Pit bulls are notable therapy dogs who visit patients that are recovering from emotional trauma. Pit bulls are also used for their service in sniffing out drugs on the borders due to their sense of smell being stronger than any other breed. These dogs are great family dogs and were babysitters in the 19th and the early 20th centuries. American Pit Bull Terriers were introduced into the United States of America during World War I and World War II. The purpose of the creation of the Pit Bull was to deliver messages back and forth across the battlefield during battle.Pit Bulls were first bred to bait bulls as a sport back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as well, but soon became used as house pets due to their friendliness towards people. They were also known as great babysitters because of their intuition to protect thei r loved ones. These facts in themselves should open up people’s eyes to the Pit Bull breed not being an aggressive breed simply because they history proves that they had become great pets. A known fact to share is that Theodore Roosevelt owned a pit bull while he was president and his dog was a great sidekick for him in office.His dog provided safety for him, and not just because their dog was fierce, it was because he knew that specific dog could defend, be trained well, and become obedient. Owning a pit bull in today’s society has one of two reactions, they are adored or they are terrifying. The myths and horror stories that people say are why many fear them. They do not have â€Å"lock jaw† like many seem to think. Lock jaw is when a dog bites down on something and can’t let go. A vast majority of the population is known to believe that they have a killer instinct that does not stop, which is entirely not true.One cannot believe everything one reads or hears. There are two sides to every story, yet in this case, there are two sides to every breed. Pit bulls are like any other dog, they have to be trained and if trained right, they can be great family pets. When a pit bull falls in the hands of a bad owner than that is when you may have a problem. It’s easiest to understand this way; Suppose a child has physically abusive parents, they’re either going to grow up believing that harming someone is the only way to teach a lesson, or become skittish towards unfamiliar surroundings.It’s very similar to a dog’s life. They’re known to be physically damaging because they, themselves are physically damaged, because they’re â€Å"tough. † It all makes sense if it’s looked at from every angle of perspectives. Training a dog is not an easy thing, but dogs need extensive training so there will be fewer incidents. It is the concept of nature versus nurture. To this day, there are no facts about this either but both sides have great points and there is no set truth – but everyone seems to have an opinion. â€Å"An unneutered male pit bull is 2. times more likely to bite then a neutered male. In addition, male pit bulls are 6. 2 times more likely to bite then female pit bills. † In a study evaluating canine temperament, 82% of dogs received a passing score, 86. 8% of those dogs where American pit bull terrier (1800PetMeds. com Feb. 2012). There are ways to avoid incidents when in contact with these animals. When approached by a pit bull always remain calm, approach the dog slowly from the side not from the back. Do not provoke the dog – always ask the owners to pet the dog first.If an aggressive dog approaches you do not panic, give the dog firm commands like sit, stay, and easy, then back away slowly. When owning a pit bull socialize the dog with people and other animals, get them familiar with animals and people including children. Isolated dogs can become vicious and dangerous so be cautious when in contact with a not so friendly dog. (Skloot, R Aug 2007 Prevention Vol. 59, Issue 8 Pgs. 196-198) Banning a breed, which the technical words are breed specific legislation, is not a good idea.Putting a ban on pit bulls is a less than great idea because people will continue to own pit bulls and hide them or even abandon their dog(s) and leave them to die. The irresponsible owners should deal with heavier fines and possibly jail time and this might scare these owners into training their pit bull properly. There is no proven fact that banning pit bulls will cut down on the number of bites. Not every bull type is a killer so banning bull types is not a good idea. There are many different bull types and it is hard to choose which ones are dangerous.Most cities do not allow â€Å"pit bull breeds,† but why is it that a dog with 10% pit bull in it and 90% Labrador in it should be banned? There are also many apartment complexes t hat do not allow pit bulls, or other certain breeds of dogs, this is dog discrimination. There are many stories of pit bull dogs doing great things but for some reason, the bad stories are the ones people remember. Dog lovers need to do more to help this breed work towards a better reputation. Dog discrimination is a real thing; People can search for it online.There have also been many cases where certain breeds, namely pit bulls, are not allowed at certain dog parks. This is not politically or socially right. Pit Bulls were born to be great helpers and family pets – they are loyal, independent, friendly and lovable pets. Any pit bull owner will explain how wonderful they are with children, other pets and just about anyone. A friend and current pit bull owner, Sandy Sweeney mentioned â€Å"My dog, Sargent, is my best friend. I feel safe when he is around and know that he would never hurt a soul.He is wonderful with my son and the most loyal animal. I would be the first perso n to tell anyone how awesome pit bulls are as pets. † (S. Sweeney, October 2012) There are numerous articles online as well stating that pit bulls are great dogs and there bad reputations need to change and are dishonest. Overall, there are many stories – good and bad – describing the temperament of pit bulls but at the same time, there are many stories – good and bad – describing dog stories as well. Although there are some facts that Pit Bulls re the leading cause of dog bites in America, no one can simply use that to say that Pit Bulls are bad dogs and deserve a bad reputation. It comes down to nature vs. nurture and if you raise and train a dog well, any breed, people will see an amazing, wonderful creature who is loyal and with a happy temperament. In conclusion the pit bull is a misunderstood, gentle giant that people need to take the time and get to know. The reason why this paper was written is so people have the knowledge when dealing with this type of dog.There are irresponsible dog owners out there that don’t care about the actions of their dog. This causes the dogs to have a reputation that no good pit bull owner wants their dog to have. As was stated before, banning pit bulls is a dangerous move to make because there will most likely be more animal cruelty acts upon these gentle beasts. References (http://atts. org Feb 2012) (Lawrence, C Louisville Magazine Feb 2007) From UOP (Skloot, R Aug 2007 Prevention Vol. 59, Issue 8 Pgs. 196-198) From UOP (S. Sweeney, October 2012) (1800PetMeds. com Feb. 2012)