Don't be judgmental of dogs you don't know.....
Search and rescue dogs, flying disc champions, pet therapy miracle workers. When we think of these special dogs, our minds usually imagine the lovable Lab, the agile border collie, the comforting golden retriever. Most people usually don't picture the American pit bull terrier (pit bull) in such a positive light. Let's face it, if a play was being cast, a pit bull would be a shoe-in for the role of the villain.
How did a dog that was the most popular breed in the United States in the beginning of the 20th century, known as the nanny dog with children, get such a bad reputation? We have all heard "there are no bad dogs, just bad owners." Enter the wrong people with the wrong intentions. Admirable qualities such as strength, loyalty, courage and eagerness to please can be very attractive to people looking to turn these traits into something dangerous.
The nanny dog now is portrayed as a breed to fear and, according to some towns and cities, should be banned. Lately breed bans and breed specific legislation (BSL) have been debated in the local news. Neighboring towns have considered laws against the ownership of particular breeds and those that resembling a particular breed. Pit bulls are usually the prime target of such laws. Under BSL all dogs of this breed category or appearance would be considered dangerous and illegal to own or highly restricted, sometimes requiring owners to have fences, muzzle their dogs on walks and purchase high amounts of liability insurance.
Yes, some dogs are dangerous, but we need to look beyond the breed and to the cause of such aggression. According to the National Canine Research Council, studies have shown that 90 percent of fatal dog attacks are by unaltered dogs, and chained dogs are almost three times more likely to become aggressive. Chaining or tethering for extended periods of time denies dogs of the companionship and socialization that is crucial to a well-adjusted dog. Behind every dog attack is a story we don't hear. Sadly, pit bulls are often neglected and abused. Shouldn't we focus on laws that would protect all dogs and people such as anti-tethering, leash laws, and mandatory spay and neuter?
American pit bull terrier statistics would surprise the public who seem to get only reports of the bad news The American Temperament Test Society has tested 122 dog breeds on stability, shyness and aggressiveness. Out of those 122 breeds, the American pit bull terrier has the fourth-highest passing rate overall. This means that they score higher than the Bichon Frise, Portuguese water dog or German shepherd, to name a few.
Shouldn't we be teaching our children lessons of fairness and compassion versus profiling and discrimination, which leads to banning entire breeds of dogs based on the acts of a few? Let's all learn about Dakota, the search and rescue dog; Wallace the flying disc champion; or Berkeley, a local therapy dog working miracles with struggling young readers. They are all very special dogs and, yes, all pit bulls.