PITBULL TEMPERAMENT
"Pitbulls - To Be Love Or Feared"
Mr Pit Bull believes that a dog’s temperament is the measure of a dogs true worth. It has long been said that; “a dog is a man’s best friend” and it is the willingness of a good dog to show loving obedience even when ones master is having a bad day, that makes us a friend that can be counted on.(see article: “Stray Pitbull saves woman and 2 year old son…
To some, the mere mention of a Pit Bull Terrier elicits terror and mayhem. They have been led to believe that a Pit Bull is a killing machine that neither thinks nor reasons but simply exist to terrorize anyone who may cross the pitbull’s path. Nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, the PitBull is a powerful and often times fearless dog with a high drive to please his master. Unfortunately, unscrupulous individuals at times have misused the Pit’s trusting nature, training PitBull’s for aggression and the results can be adverse. Yet this is not the nature of the Pit Bull nor is this indicative of the breed. Of interest, is a quote taken from the December 29, 2008 Sports Illustrated cover story (see: sports illustrated magazine vick.dogs ) “Of all dogs,” says Dr. Frank McMillan, the director of well-being studies at the Best Friends Animal Society, a 33,000 acre sanctuary in Southern Utah, “Pit Bulls possess the single greatest ability to bond with people”
The Sports Illustrated article sited above focuses on the rescued Michael Vick dogs. Those dogs have become an important and newsworthy case study into the Temperament of the Pit Bull breeds. The high profile case of Vicks dog fighting ring has ensured that millions of people would become aware of the loving nature and disposition of our Pitbull friends. A number of feature length documentaries have been done on the aftermath of the rescued dogs. If it were not for the high profile nature of the case calling for the “politically correct” approach, the dogs would have been quickly euthanized. Instead, much to the chagrin of those who painted the pitbulls as “evildoers, terrorist and monster”, unworthy of saving, the dogs were given a second chance. With the eyes of the nation and reporters from every corner of the globe looking on, the dogs were carefully evaluated by a panel of experts. In the end only one dog was deemed as too “dangerous”, while the others were given a chance to prove themselves. Unlike humans hoping to get out on probation as it were, there is no deception, no pretending to be something they are not. The dogs simply got the chance to be themselves. Those unfamiliar with the Pitbull breed were shocked at what they saw; no “weapons of mass destruction”, “no ticking time bombs waiting to go off”; instead what they found was, just a poor misunderstood animal cowering for love and affection. These were dogs that had not been shown the slightest bit of love and kindness, but when given the chance the Pit Bulls showered their caregivers with affection. If you have not had the opportunity to see some of the television specials on the Michael Vick dogs, you owe it to yourself, before condemning an entire breed to obliviation to carefully watch and listen to the expert testimony.
Over the years I have endeavored to educate the misinformed as to the gentle nature of my Pit Bull friends, generally to no avail. They’ve seen news report’s portraying the Pitbull as a killer and nothing I suggest is going to change that thinking. Fortunately though, the majority of people are willing to adjust their thinking when presented with evidence that has not been hyped for the sensationalism of a news report.
A few years ago I was introduced to an Organization called the “ATTS”. The American Temperament Test Society, Inc. (ATTS) which is a national not-for-profit organization for the promotion of uniform temperament evaluation of dogs. It was established in 1977 and has tested (as of December 2006) 27,162 dogs. Each dog tested is evaluated in a 10 step process, after which the dog receives either a passing or failing grade. The result of 20 years of testing has yielded some surprising and not so surprising results. To no ones surprise the Labrador Retriever stands alone at the top of the heap as the dog with the best temperament (with100+ tested) with a passing grade of 91.5%. Interestingly, the American Pit Bull Terrier follows not far behind with a passing grade of 84.1%. A close examination of the testing reveals some interesting facts: The American Pit Bull Terrier consistently demonstrated equal or better temperament than many of the most trusted breeds, including the following:
For a complete report see: http://www.atts.org/index.html
Due in part to the American Pit Bull Terriers loving nature and even temperament, the Pit Bull has quickly became one of the most popular breeds in the United States. In my opinion, pit bulls are probably the most popular dog in the history of the United States," said Adam Goldfarb, issues specialist for the Humane Society of the United States in Gaithersburg, Md. "When I say popular, I don't mean well-liked. I mean numerous." Although there is no accurate way of counting the number of dogs of a given breed, many experts believe that the American Pit Bull Terrier could number into the millions. With so many dogs of one breed it isn’t surprising that on occasion the Pitbull Terrier finds itself in the headlines.
Just as a crime committed by a person of a given race, tribe or creed does not define the entire ethnic group, nor should an isolated deed of one dog. For every attack attributed to a Pit Bull, there are literally thousands of Pit Bulls that have never bitten or attacked anyone. Some misinformed reports have stated that a seemingly benign Pit Bull can turn on someone without warning, but yet the facts say otherwise. Research performed by Goodpooch.com finds that dogs involved in attacks overwhelmingly have a known history of aggression, even though many dog owners deny or minimize this fact. The neighbors are usually a better source for documenting negative aspects of a dog's history than the owners are. As such, it is further evidence that dogs, including "pit bulls", don't just "turn" on their owners. A follow-up to a CDC report on dog bite fatalities came to a similar conclusion.
Clearly, any dog attack is a very serious matter. And dangerous dogs should be dealt with decisively. Yet careful research has proven time and time again, that the biggest contributing factor to a dog becoming “dangerous” is not the breed, but the environmental factors. For this reason, the “kill them all” mentality, which many misinformed have perpetuated, is without merit. Again the facts bear this out. Would it be reasonable to conclude that if somehow we could magically do away with all PitBulls that suddenly, dog attacks would end? Of course not. The ones owning the Pit Bulls would own another breed. And those dogs (those living in adverse conditions) no matter what breed, would pose an equal risk (see ATTS report above). That is why many informed sources today say: “Punish the deed not the breed”.
For these reasons I invite you to take a look at some of the loving dogs on MrPitBull.com read their stories, get to know them and see for yourself, that Pitbulls are dogs to be loved not feared. As with any large breed dog Mr Pit Bull recommends responsible ownership.
Check out these stories
animal.discovery.com
nationalgeographic.com
PITBULL KENNELS
| Blue Nose Pitbulls | Razors Edge or Gotti | American Pitbulls | Pitbull Temperament