Are Pit Bulls A Threat or Family Friendly
Dogs are often times called man’s best friends as they tend to get along well with humans. They can be very gently and friendly as well as loving and caring. Other times the same species can attack, create mishaps and reek havoc in a person’s life. Pit Bulls are descendants of the Bull dog or Bull Terrier. Over a hundred years ago they were known to work on farms and help with herding bulls but they still had a gentleness about them. They were later on used in the homes to comfort children as they are known to be gentle with them. Based on research “Their tenacity, gameness, and courage make them popular competitors in the sports of weight pulling, agility, and obedience competition.” (dogtime.com, 1). They obviously have more than one advantage as one can see.
There have been speculation about these dogs. Many think just because of the way they look, they are meant to attack. Some people don’t like them based on what they hear. Every now and again the news is filled with stories of dog fights and of course one of the top notch animals to use is during this time is the Pit Bull. There are other topics in the news stating a child or an adult was attacked and it was by no other than the same type of breed. The media has created an uproar about these beings, only to degrade them and reveal the disadvantages of having them.
There are those who are responsible for illegally using the animals which has led to the change in the law. “criminally negligent people have provoked legislation against the breed in a number of cities and countries around the world.” (dogtime.com, 1) This form of negative and negligent act helped to create a global view about the breed. It appeared in the form of hatred, laws being made against the animal, people fabricating stories of why these animals should not be family pets and why they should be around children. Now these dogs are not even recognized for their full potential as they would be a great asset and help towards mankind.
Some people are not aware that Pit Bulls can be life savers. According to one author “It is a fact that Pit Bulls are one of the most maligned and misunderstood dog breeds in the world.” (Rock, 1) Based on the mixed feelings and thoughts of many this could only be a true statement. Rock goes into details of the myths of these animals and how people associate their anger towards other dogs with the Pit Bulls anger towards humans. Rock states that it is a myth that “A Pit Bull that is aggressive toward other dogs will also be aggressive toward humans.” (Rock, 1) The author does not see this as entirely true considering that dogs are territorial animals. So just because the animal is aggressive towards another animal does not mean that they are aggressive towards humans at all.
There are other fears that people may have with Pit Bulls but they won’t have the same fear with other dogs. Rock describes one of these fears as a myth and states “Pit Bulls do not have any special physical mechanism or enzyme that allows them to “lock” their jaws.” (Rock, 1). Case and end point the jaw locking theory is simply not true and not legit. It is a speculation made by many that simply cannot be proven as a fact. There is no need to fear that their jaws will lock into position and simply won’t let go or won’t ever open.
The news reports always shares negative images of the dogs and negative comments. Based on one author “If current news reports are to be believed, pit bulls have been attacking and biting humans left and right” (Bastian, 1). This is somewhat true as the news tends to give the impression that this is what happens all the time. Every time you turn on the channel another child has been bitten or worse is deceased. But no one tends to look beyond the given information and see that maybe the dog was being bullied or that the child was left alone with the dog. Bastian goes on to state the devastating news that it’s “to the point that many communities are considering breed-specific bans on pit bulls.” (Bastian, 1). If they are willing to rally against this one breed of dogs one could only imagine the outcome.
Dogs have been known throughout history to attack people, mauling them in their faces. According to one site “In the 11-year period of 2005 through 2015, canines killed 360 Americans. Pit bulls contributed to 64% (232) of these deaths.” (DogsBite.org, 1). That’s almost two thirds of those who were attacked, meaning the other breeds, did less damage all together. They go on to state that “Since the late 1970's pit bulls have been used extensively in criminal operations for drug dealers, gang members and other violent offenders.” (DogsBite.org 3). This breed has been linked to some of the top notch criminals ranging from drug lords, to war lords and gangs.
They are often used as a body guard to alert criminals when the police or any other authority is around. They are also used in dogfights to earn these criminals their money’s worth. For more than three decades many awful things have been published and printed about the breed. Very rarely would one see a heroic or positive documentation noted on the animal. They are not given as much credit as they should be. For this they have been downplayed by the media.
There is a twist in this net. Not all pit bulls are used for fighting, or scaring off authority members. These dogs are sometimes called Nanny Dogs because of the way in which they look after children. According to one author “the breed was rightly seen as the perfect “nanny dog” for children because of its friendly nature, loyalty and stability.” (Holland, 1). The mere thought that they are stable, loyal and friendly says it all. The media has done this dog breed no justice by putting the exact opposite in the news and headlines. There are people who will leave their children alone in another room with the dog breed and report that nothing has happened. No mishaps have taken place.
They can be left around children and teenagers and are a part of the family. They can be trusted to watch over others when they are sick. One author gives an account that leaves many speechless when dealing with these dogs. She states that three Pit Bulls “who broke down the door to Victoria Wilcher’s grandfather’s house and mauled the toddler until half her face was paralyzed” (Alter 1). She sees’ them as being responsible for the young child’s paralyzed state as well as the loss of the ability to see out of one of her eyes. People are known to take the blame for the risks and problems they cause, but to put it on an animal is another thing.
Based on Friends of Virginia Beach Animal Care and Adoption Center the animals are trained to be the way they are. They stated the owners are “ forcing them into dog fighting rings, and breeding and training them to be aggressive.” (FOVBACAC, 1). As one can see the animals had to be forced which means they had to have put up some sought of resistance towards the treatment. They were mistreated and are still currently misunderstood. These are not professional breeders and the animals are supposed to be used to herd bulls not fight each other or fight other dogs in a ring.
Although many believe Pit Bulls are the general type of dog there is more to it than that. There are Staffordshire Bull Terriers which is a type of Pit Bull breed. Meaning the Pit Bull had two main ancestors, the Bull Dog and the Terrier. They were bred together to form a very fast, efficient breed. Bull dogs back then were larger than the usual ones seen now. Based on one site “Overall, Staffordshire Bull Terriers have friendly, gentle dispositions and make lovely companions for many types of households.” (Stregowski, 1). They are known for protecting loved ones in an emergency or in case of any harm.
The dog breed is similar to that of other terrier dogs but is stronger. It needs to be trained to be obedient and given time to get a lot of exercise. These animals need room to move around so taking them out for a jog or run is good for their bodies. Some people tend to keep them cooped up in the home and that is bad and stressful on the animal. The author states that these dogs “were not widely used for dog fighting like their ancestors, but were more commonly used for general farm work, hunting and companionship.” (Stregowski, 1) They were given duties and jobs on the farm in keeping other animals in line and were friendly to their owners.
When people get these animals they are not aware of what they have in their homes. The true intentions of the creation behind the breed was for farm work and hunting. Those are two characteristics in their direct line of nature. So when they are brought home they may still want to hunt or show and reveal a part of them that gears towards this. They may want to run around and get a lot of exercise. Again this is a part of who they are. It would be wise to have plenty of room available for these animals. In the past headline news have stated that they were left alone in small apartments or condos before an attack. With them being territorial there is not much room available in such small places.
For owners of these beautiful animals there are steps they can take to ensure they are not negligent with keeping up with the animals. One of which is for “Dog trainers and animal professionals often recommend that you put your pit bull through Canine Good Citizen certification as an added step” (Stregowski, 2). This is a good way to make sure that you have a certificate available and on hand just in case a person is approached with threats of having an untamed animal. This also shows the level of responsibility an owner is more than likely to undertake for having a dog breed such as the Pit Bull.
Although the information varies there are lots of known facts about these dogs as well as their history. Before getting a Pit Bull dog future owners should take the time to look into their background. For starters, their ancestors were formed from different crossbreeds. Based on one author “Bulldog/terrier crosses were popular sporting dogs during the 19th century. These "Bull-and-Terrier dogs" varied in appearance” (Stregowski, 1). Some had regular size heads and others a boxed large head, some were of normal height and others very tall. They even ranged in colors. This all started with one man “Englishman James Hinks is credited with the development of the Bull Terrier.” (Stregowski, 1). However, the breed he originally created is now extinct.
The creator of these dogs intended for them to be of more use than just participating in dog fights or being owned by drug dealers. One particular Pit Bull was Sgt. Stubby, a well decorated dog who was known as the first war dog. Promoted through combat and given that title by General Pershing. The animal was hit by shrapnel, poisoned by gas and still was able to capture a German soldier during the World War. He was trained “since he could hear the whine of incoming artillery shells before humans could — became very adept at letting his unit know” (HubPages, 1). He is one of the many that many Pit Bulls who contributed to saving lives.
Each half a century or so there is a drastic change in the terrifying dog breed. Not too long ago it was the Bull dog, or the German Shepherd. There was a time when German Shepherds attacked children and adults alike and the old news reports kept coming in. After a couple of decades there was one used in Rin Tin Tin a television show. It gained popularity and people began to see them for what they were. People used them as seeing-eye dogs and the police force recruited them because they could be easily trained to detect drugs, and attack criminals. They went through a phase and one can only question is the Pit Bull going through the same one.
Besides being war hero, or mistakenly given false human emotions there are those of us who see the animals for what they are. They are lovable pets meant to enjoy the time well spent with family and friends. According to one man “So when I hear stories about parents wanting to separate their children from pit bulls, it makes me sad for the kids.” (Millan, 2). These parents already have the dog but are still constantly living in fear. On their minds is a question of what will happen if, and they would rather not find out and separate the child and dog instead.
Parents and adults alike should not have to make a final decision as to whether to separate children from these lovable dogs. They should be treated as part of the family. If kept away from them the animal may see the child as a harmful part of the environment instead of a regular family member. Based on one site “Jonny Justice is celebrated for surviving the cruelties of NFL Player Michael Vick and going on to help children learn to read.” (Badrap.org, 2015) Everyone remembers how this dog was forced into fighting others of its own kind and now he is put to good use. Children can now concentrate and learn to read when he is around them.
No matter what type or breed of dog there is, they are not what the media makes them to be. They are what humans make them to be, they are a result of someone’s positive emotions or negative mal treatment. According to one source “they are what we've made them to be, either victims of human cruelty, neglected sentries in lonely yards” (Badrap.org, 2015) A lot of times animals may not know how to react to children, adults teens etc. They are only able to react in a way to protect themselves from any future harm after being malnourished and left to die or abused by humans. For this reason sometimes there is a lash out towards us from them but it is all in self-defense.
For what it’s worth the Pit Bull or Bull Terrier which-ever is selected is a good breed of dogs. There is nothing to fear as they can and should be treated like any other dog breed. They should be given a loving warm home or shelter, exercised frequently and fed properly. If adopted they should be placed in dog obedient school where they can learn to understand and obey their owners. They are great dogs for watching over children despite what the media has to say about them. If the media makes them to be one of the worst dogs then why were they portrayed on television shows such as The Little Rascals? They couldn’t have been that bad.
Before people begin to judge these animals they should consider getting to know them better. If that means spending time with one, researching about them or asking an owner about one it would be much better than forming an opinion based off of fear. These dogs can be trained to be used in the military and have proven this based on the past. They should be considered for police dogs as well as rescue dogs. There is a strong potential for better use in these animals but the media has corrupted so many minds about them that very few will listen. Hopefully, that fear will diminish and people will one day see them for what they truly are, caring and lovable beings.
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