Poll: What do you think of the breed pitbulls?

[Sparrow]

So, I'm just curious as to what the majority of Escapist members think of pitbulls. I'll spoiler my view so you can read it after you vote in the poll. In my country (England) pitbulls have a bad name, due to the media constantly reporting on that breed committing violent attacks. Now I just want to know a few things: Do you think pitbulls are a naturally violent breed? Do you, yourself, fear them? And for bonus points, does anyone own a pitbull or have a pitbull related story they wish to share?

Spoiler: My view on the subject

I've had several Staffordshire Bull Terriers over the course of my life, which are considered a type of pitbull (apparently). They are one of the most gentle breeds of dog I've ever encountered. I would gladly let children play with any pitbull I own, because (as I keep reading and have experienced) they are great with kids and don't mind being pulled around or prodded.

The breed, in my opinion, only gets a bad rap because they're known to be good fighting dogs. If you raise them with the goal of making them fight, then of course they'll be violent. Any breed would be. However, if you raise them with love and kindness (starting to sound like a Disney movie here) then they'll turn into one of the sweetest dogs you'll ever own.

I asked this question because it surprises me how ignorant people are on the topic. People often cross the street or take an entirely different route if they see me (probably the least threatening looking person in existence) walking towards them with one of my dogs. People are always so concerned if my dog runs up to their dog, when in fact other dogs are more likely to bark at mine. Also, every single pitbull I've owned has been afraid of cats. Seriously. I don't know if it's a breed thing or just specific to the few I've owned, but if they see a cat in front of them they shit bricks. How could anyone assume my dog is violent when it's scared of a bloody cat?

For the most part I think people are just so willing to accept what the news tells them as fact. The pitbulls you hear about attacking people on TV are select cases. Other breeds attack people too, but you never hear about it. Instead, the media constantly reports on pitbull attacks because it brings in the viewers. Blame the owner, not the breed.

 

[IndomitableSam]

Some breeds of dogs were made specifically to fight. That means some dogs (not all) of the breed may be disposed to being more violent. Just like labs are friendlier and terriers are bred to be annoying as shit. It's in their genetics. Not to say they are all bad - they aren't, but they are an animal bred for specific traits over thousands of years and that doesn't ever go away.

That said - it is never the fault of the dog, it is the fault of the owner. If the owner is bad or doesn't train properly, it's their fault. If the owner is good, the dogs may be the nicest animals in the world.

Point to say I'm not against specific breeds: My neighbour owned a german shepard. THe dog's mother was the guard dog for their company yards, trained to be vicious and attack intruders. This dog? Sweetest thing in the world. Too good to even become a guard dog, so my neighbour kept him. Trained him well. My sister and I would take care of him when our neighbour was away and the dog was so well trained and friendly. It was amazing. Even though he was a breed specifically designed to attack, he was an individual who had his own temperment and made even me (who's been attacked by a dog so I'm always scared of them which some dogs recognise and continue to go after me for) comfortable.

Long story short: Historically, some dogs were bred to be killers and will always have it in them. However, dogs are like people and have their own personalities so there is no one rule to dogs and breeds. Third point: it's always the owner's fault if there is fault in the dog.

 

[Eclipse Dragon]

I've never owned a Pitbull, but I don't mind them and I'm not afraid of them.
I'm in the US and they get a bad rep here also.
As for attacks, more people close to me have been attacked by German Shepards, never by a Pitbull.
(I'm not saying German Shepards can't also be good dogs.)

We have a Siberian Husky and people also cross the street to avoid her (because she looks so much like a wolf),
but anyone who has a Husky will tell you they're completely useless as guard dogs. They're all looks and no bite.

I do have a friend who loves Pitbulls and has two of them.
They've never shown any serious aggression toward humans or other animals.

 

[Fappy]

I think they were bred for violence, but that doesn't necessarily mean they ARE violent. Are they more likely to lash out than most other breeds, probably yes.

 

[Dags90]

They're very muscular dogs with a lot of energy. I don't feel the same ease with them as when approaching some passerby's Lhasa Apso. A poorly raised Lhasa Apso might be an annoying little shit, but it's not a danger to anyone that isn't an unsupervised toddler. I grew up with a Great Dane, a very intimidating looking breed, but one that's known for its gentle temperament. However, it's an inescapable fact that a poorly trained large dog is much more dangerous than an ankle biting chihuahua. We only had one biting incident with our dog, and it was because of bad arthritis pain just before we put him down. It was just a little nip and it still left some nasty bruises on my mom's arm. We had a particularly large Dane at 200 lean pounds and over 3' at the shoulder, the thought of a bad one is scary.

Also, many dogs are considered to be "dangerous" in the U.S., and I bet the UK. Stop acting like pit bulls are being singled out. Actual data show relatively few dog bite fatalities, but the ones on record with the CDC pretty much follow down the list of dogs generally considered to be dangerous.[footnote]http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/images/dogbreeds-a.pdf[/footnote] The list goes something like this: pit bulls, rottweilers, German shepherds, Huskies, Malamutes, Dobermans, etc. The biggest correlation of course is that almost all of the attacks involve unrestrained dogs.

I wouldn't say I fear pit bulls, but I don't much care for them. Even when properly trained, they're a very high energy dog.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Staffies are lovely dogs with great temperaments, and I weep over the fact that it has become the breed of choice for chavs and other types of deplorable persons.


Poor Staffies, sucks that douchebags want to use you as a trophy for said douchiness.

 

[sextus the crazy]

I don't care much for aggressive or large dogs, but I feel bad for Pit bulls. They always seem to be owned by people who just want the dog for the coolness factor and mistreat it. Then, It's the dog's fault when something bad happens.

 

[Phasmal]

I voted `Other`, because it depends on the owner.

I've had a few dogs, and known some of the types that get singled out as violent.
When I was growing up my mother's best friend had a Rottweiler, she was massive but she was so gentle and silly. She was one of those dogs that would wag their tail and fall over all the time.

I do think when you have a `scary` type dog you need to make an extra effort to socialise them, and that people who don't should be punished. Unfortunately because people choose them to fight or choose them just to look tough and then dont bother to look after them, I don't think the bad image is going away any time soon.

To be honest, the nastiest little dog we had was a Jack-Russell Mix. She was an evil little thing, but it probably wasn't her fault. We found her by the side of the road, but we had to get rid of her after she tried to bite my baby brother.

 

[Raven's Nest]

It is illegal to own an american pitbull in the UK. Even half breeds may attract enough attention to be put down. IndomitableSam pretty much covered most of what I was about to say, with the genetic predisposition to violence and how that 99% of the time it's an owners fault when these dogs attack people.

Another crucial thing about pitbulls and associated breeds is that they have incredibly powerful jaw/bite and these breeds will lock their jaws in place when they have bitten something. This is a big reason they are considered dangerous breeds. Often much more damage is inflicted by these breeds to humans and other dogs.

Let's not beat around the bush here though. The majority of pit bull owners in the UK are either ignorant of the law (not an excuse considering these dogs should be seen by a vet regularly enough) or they have selected them for their aggressive looks and associated "status". Owners of staffies more often than not choose them for their "status"as an aggressive looking, muscular dog. Something about making themselves (the owners) feel harder.

I know and have met and interacted with many wonderfully tempered staffies and their owners but they are unfortunately the minority of owners and will have to put up with an unfair reputation and in all likeliness a ban on owning Staffordshire Bull terriers when they inevitable join the dangerous dogs list including the Japanese tosa, filo brasilero and the dogo Argentina.

So long as you are a responsible owner I have no problem what dog you keep, having worked with animals including tigers, lions, wolves, bears and elephants to name a few, i can assure you,any animal can be trained properly and pose less of a danger than the sum of their parts. Unfortunately the public will see different and you can't expect people to be completely fine when the see your staff on the street around their dog or child . The damage to their reputation has been irreversibly done I'm afraid.

 

[Padwolf]

I think they are a gentle breed. Staffies are one of the most loveliest breeds with a lovely temperaments. My aunt has two of them, and they are a lovely bundle of energy who love to play and love cuddles, love children and other people and just love everything. The only time they get fussed is because they are protecting eachother. A dog can be what the owner makes them to be. I own a Rotweiler, which also has a bad reputation in the city of london. Thankfully I don't live in london anymore, but even in the countryside of Surrey my innocent 15 month old rottie is treated badly by some people. Some try their best to avoid her. Some will instantly put their dog on the lead and walk the other direction just to move out of her way. Some tell us not to have such a dangerous dog. And yet she is a gentle, happy dog, who is scared of everything and everyone and would run away from a terrier if it came too close. I hate that dogs get such bad reputation, they don't deserve it. I have to defend my Rotweiler on nearly every walk, which is twice a day, when she hasn't even done anything wrong. I wish people would educate themselves. I got into a fight the other day over it with an uneducated country hick.

 

[Sparrow]

Let's not beat around the bush here though. The majority of pit bull owners in the UK are either ignorant of the law (not an excuse considering these dogs should be seen by a vet regularly enough) or they have selected them for their aggressive looks and associated "status".

Really? I mean, a lot of people I know own staffies and... I wouldn't class them as ignorant or status-seekers. I understand that's where the issue with these dogs come from, but would you really say the majority of pitbull owners are douches?

Just to clarify, not disagreeing with you. Just seeking a further explanation.

I think they are a gentle breed. Staffies are one of the most loveliest breeds with a lovely temperaments. My aunt has two of them, and they are a lovely bundle of energy who love to play and love cuddles, love children and other people and just love everything. The only time they get fussed is because they are protecting eachother. A dog can be what the owner makes them to be. I own a Rotweiler, which also has a bad reputation in the city of london. Thankfully I don't live in london anymore, but even in the countryside of Surrey my innocent 15 month old rottie is treated badly by some people. Some try their best to avoid her. Some will instantly put their dog on the lead and walk the other direction just to move out of her way. Some tell us not to have such a dangerous dog. And yet she is a gentle, happy dog, who is scared of everything and everyone and would run away from a terrier if it came too close. I hate that dogs get such bad reputation, they don't deserve it. I have to defend my Rotweiler on nearly every walk, which is twice a day, when she hasn't even done anything wrong. I wish people would educate themselves. I got into a fight the other day over it with an uneducated country hick.

I know that feel. Putting them on the leads is one thing, because maybe it's something to do with their dog and not mine. But when people actively fucking tell me not to have such a violent dog? All of my hate.

Also, many dogs are considered to be "dangerous" in the U.S., and I bet the UK. Stop acting like pit bulls are being singled out. Actual data show relatively few dog bite fatalities, but the ones on record with the CDC pretty much follow down the list of dogs generally considered to be dangerous.[footnote]http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/images/dogbreeds-a.pdf[/footnote] The list goes something like this: pit bulls, rottweilers, German shepherds, Huskies, Malamutes, Dobermans, etc. The biggest correlation of course is that almost all of the attacks involve unrestrained dogs.

The key part of this is that you live in the US. Seriously, any time it's a dog attack in the UK all you hear is "VIOLENT PITBULL!" over and over again. I'm not acting like pitbulls are being singled out, they are being singled out. I mean, christ, talk about a Labrador eating a kid for once...

 

[Padwolf]

I know that feel. Putting them on the leads is one thing, because maybe it's something to do with their dog and not mine. But when people actively fucking tell me not to have such a violent dog? All of my hate.

Yeah exactly, if I see them put their dog on a lead, then that's alright, it could be their dog, but I gave the person who told me my dog was dangerous a mouthful. I keep telling them that my dog isn't dangerous, but I will be if they keep saying such things about her. People are fine if they see my Belgium Shephard, but the second they spot my rottie they leave. She's a puppy, she needs to socialise, but it's hard for her to make friends round here due to the god damn media shouting off about these "dangerous dogs" and the idiots who listen to every word the news tells them.

 

[Swyftstar]

My cousin had one. It wasn't a big kissy face softy but it wasn't a violent bite machine either. When you came into the house, she'd run up on you, jump up and shove you (in the crotch if you weren't prepared) to let you know whose house you were in and then she'd go about her business. She had a personality and it was quite an interesting one. If you allow a dog to grow into itself instead of conditioning it into a beast you get a individual that can't be classified just by it's breed.
That said, they dangerous because of their capabilities. You see two guys, one is 6'6" and ripped and the other is 5'2" and skinny, both of whom look ornery, who are you gonna be afraid of? Pitbulls are strong, and they look it. Combine that with their reputations because of some idiots who condition them to be vicious and I can't fault people for being scared of them.

 

[Dags90]

The key part of this is that you live in the US. Seriously, any time it's a dog attack in the UK all you hear is "VIOLENT PITBULL!" over and over again. I'm not acting like pitbulls are being singled out, they are being singled out. I mean, christ, talk about a Labrador eating a kid for once...

This article from the Independent mentions three attacks by rottweilers. [footnote]http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/latest-in-line-of-dog-attacks-1831538.html[/footnote] An attack by a Jack Russel (along with a pit bull) is also mentioned.

So yeah, I think you're probably overestimating the degree to which pit bulls are being singled out.

 

[Sparrow]

The key part of this is that you live in the US. Seriously, any time it's a dog attack in the UK all you hear is "VIOLENT PITBULL!" over and over again. I'm not acting like pitbulls are being singled out, they are being singled out. I mean, christ, talk about a Labrador eating a kid for once...

This article from the Independent mentions three attacks by rottweilers. An attack by a Jack Russel (along with a pit bull) is also mentioned.

So yeah, I think you're probably overestimating the degree to which pit bulls are being singled out.

Honestly, you're just going to have to take my word on this one. UK newspapers report on most varieties of dog attacks, I won't contest that fact, but pitbull attacks take precedent. Bigger columns on the subject and sometimes even front page news. But it's not the newspapers that are the worst of it, it's the TV news. Never, ever have I heard an attack by any other breed of dog being mentioned than pitbulls. People are so afraid of them that news stations constantly bring up the stories to get the views, and it's making people ignorant.

 

[Raven's Nest]

Let's not beat around the bush here though. The majority of pit bull owners in the UK are either ignorant of the law (not an excuse considering these dogs should be seen by a vet regularly enough) or they have selected them for their aggressive looks and associated "status".

Really? I mean, a lot of people I know own staffies and... I wouldn't class them as ignorant or status-seekers. I understand that's where the issue with these dogs come from, but would you really say the majority of pitbull owners are douches?

Just to clarify, not disagreeing with you. Just seeking a further explanation.

I had meant to expand on that point in an edit but I was on my mobile earlier. If you single out pitbulls here, in the UK they are a banned breed. Regardless of temperament, condition or age, a pitbull will be ordered to be destroyed by the powers that be. So if you are an owner of a pitbull you are committing a criminal offence. It is illegal to buy and sell and breed from a pitbull.

So the legal implications out of the way. If you have a pitbull you would have to have taken it to a vets at some point for routine check-ups, worming and dental care for example. If a vet suspected the breed of dog was a pitbull, they are bound by law to report it. Therefore, the owners who still have pitbulls can't be seen as a responsible owner, regardless of how they raise, train and look after their pets.

Staffordshire bull terriers are pretty darn similar to pitbulls in terms of anatomy and temperament. The only difference really is that pitbulls are considered more unpredictable. It is astonishingly common to see "chavs" owning staffs as they are considered a "status" dog. Referring to the image of being a muscular dog bred for fighting. Regardless of how you may view your own pet, it is important to acknowledge the breed's history. As you should know, all pedigree dogs have been bred over hundreds of years to suit certain roles. A Staffordshire bull terrier gets its name from it's history of being bred to antagonise bulls in the Victorian times. Like the bulldog itself, it's characteristics have been carefully selected to maximise the offensive capabilities and stamina during a fight. Hence the lockjaw capability, short musuclar bodies and muzzle designed to allow blood to drain away from the dogs face when biting. This history of violence and predisposition to inflicting horrific injury is why bulldogs, staffs and pitbulls have a poor public perception.

It is these "chav" owners, that are 95% of the time, terrible dog owners who fail to properly socialise and train their dogs properly. I have witnessed countless times, owners goading their dogs into acting aggressively and striking fear into the local community in a bid to make themselves appear "bad", "hard" or "dangerous" aka giving them a "status". There have been organised dog fighting rings uncovered in almost every major city in England where Staffs and pitbulls have been found to be used. These owners do not care about their dogs in the slightest. Do a quick google search to confirm these statements.

Ultimately it's the dogs themselves that suffer as they are nearly always ordered to be put down if an incident occurs. And most of the time an incident occurs due to poor control, training or socialising of any dog breed. You do still hear of attacks by anything from spaniels, terriers and poodles. Staff's just get more attention because they are seen to be a "status" dogs and we all know how the media is selective over it's reporting.

But as I have said, there are plenty of wonderful staffs out their that have really great owners. So all the doom and gloom isn't one sided. It's just spun that way by the papers. However, the sheer statistics for dog maiming singles out staffordshire bull terriers as being most likely to cause serious injury and these dogs have an undeniable potential for causing serious harm. It is merely common sense to ensure your dog is muzzled and kept on a lead when walking it in populated areas. That would go a long way to improve the public perception of these dogs and their owners.