If you think that Pit Bulls are dangerous, aggressive, then you might have been the victim of a socially constructed misconception. I bet most of you not know that there are actually many wrong conceptions about Pit Bulls.
First of all, Pit Bull is actually not a dog breed, and even if they are regarded as a dog breed, they are not aggressive at all.
- Pit Bull is not a dog breed? My whole life has been a lie?
Yes, you read it right. Pit Bull is actually not a dog breed per se. Indeed, Pit Bull actually refers to a group of dogs that have similar physical traits. But while they are grouped based on their physical traits, it is tougher to recognize individual breeds amongst the Pit Bull group, and this is really because of the extensive crossbreeding across generations, and hence the genes in each of the offspring becomes complicated.
If that is the case, how would you know if the dog belongs to the Pit Bull group then?
How to identify a Pit Bull?
Before we can do this, we will need to understand just a bit of the Pit Bull’s history. Well, in the 18th century, one of the most popular sport is actually the dogfights, where owners will bring along their dogs to trash and fight it out in the ring, much a like to our MMAs now, and owners will go to extreme lengths just to ensure that their dog wins the match.
And to do this, the key is to choose a dog breed that is strong, ferocious and tough. After years of crossbreeding, the Pit Bull was finally discovered when owners start to allow terriers and bulldogs to mate with each other, hence producing the winning ‘machine’. These dogs were chosen as the strength of the Bulldog and the agility of the Terrier were deemed as crucial traits to ensure that the dog wins during the dogfights. Though such fights are illegal now, the misconception, sadly, follows the Pit Bull from then on.
What are some of the common traits of the Pit Bull
As mentioned earlier, it can be tough trying to identify a Pit Bull these days due to extensive crossbreeding. However, there are still some distinctive feature of the Pit Bull that is unmistakable.
- Jaw: The Pit Bull does have a square-shaped head with a strong, defined jaw.
- Body: Pit Bulls do have a strong, muscular body that resembles the Bulldog’s.
- Hair: Most Pit Bull variants have short hair, and this is actually a desirable trait for most dog owners.
- Pit Bulls are not aggressive
As mentioned earlier, Pit Bulls are actually not aggressive by nature. Most Pit Bull owners will just tell you that the dogs are actually very loving and silly, which is true. You will need to understand, that the Pit Bulls are deliberately designed and evolved to be aggressive, but this is just a perceived aggressive that is grossly misrepresented by the media, presumably because of the dog’s intimidating posture.
Pit Bulls are extremely good with families as they are loyal and fun to be with around due to their goofiness!
14 comments
Love the message I have a pitbull she is a great addition to us we love her
My family and I have had 3 family ‘members’ who were pitties. All were rescues who spent their lives loving and entertaining us! We had Petey, Lucy, and yes—Goofy. They were impressive and yet gentle. Lucy and Goofy were both afraid of our indoor cats and would give them the respect they demanded. Our indoor pitties slept with us and were really good at being ‘couch potatoes’. However, our family always felt safe and protected by these remarkable dogs. Seeing these intelligent,brave, faces at our windows and doors, and hearing their deep barks made home security systems redundant. Our family was given many wonderful, loving years by these impressive pups!
I adopted a skinny, mangey, dog at the beginning of Covid-19, that the shelter told me was a lab mix. In truth she is AmStaff and Staffy, and she’s super smart, loyal, and goofy. Great with my shy Borador, and my 13 year old!
Sorry to disagree about your Pit Bull comments.. I was in the LE field for many years and have known of Pit Bulls raised from pups in loving homes who spent hours playing with the children suddenly turn on its owners and children. I’ve seen them on leases break away from its owner to attack other dogs and their owners. There may be rare cases of great Pit Bull Pets, But to put out to the public that they are sweet loving dogs is a very big mistake.. Like I say there are many cases of pups in loving homes that have turned into killer adult dogs for no known reason..