American Pit Bull Terriers - Facts & information about "pit bulls"

* Pit Bulls Revealed - The complete guide to owning and raising Pit Bull Terriers.

* Pit Bull Rescue Central - The Pit Bull Rescue Center website is a virtual shelter and resource for owners and caretakers of American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and pit bull mixes.

* The Real Pit Bull - Accurate, real world information on Pit Bulls. Breed basics and beyond.

* American Pit Bull Terrier Network - APBTN was started for one purpose and one purpose only: To draw more people into the breed events, to develop a new generation of modern breed ambassadors, and promote the positive aspects of this amazing breed.

* Pit Bull Myths - Some of the huge myths surrounding pit bulls and the facts behind them.

* Pit Bull Breed Profile - All sorts of good information about pit bulls.

* The Pit Bull Guide - This step-by-step guide will help you to have a happier, healthier, and better behaved pitbull!

* Dog Obedience Training Secrets - SitStayFetch is the easiest system to follow on the market today for learning how to train your dog and change its behavior!

* ASPCA - The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

* Adopt A Pitbull - Find a homeless Pit Bull in your area to adopt.

* PitBulls.org - Only facts and truth. Dogs for smart people!

* Understand-A-Bull - Pit bulls and breed specific legislation (BSL).

* Dog Information - Dog breed information, dog training tips, dog care advice, and lots of other helpful dog information.

There has been a lot of negative press and myths surrounding pit bulls in the past decade or so. In fact, there has been so much that it has lead to the banning of this breed of dog in many places.

So, here are the top 10 pit bull myths and the truth about them:

Pit Bull Myth #1 - Pit Bulls Have Locking Jaws

This is absolutely not true. Expert examination has proven that the jaws of pit bulls are structurally and functionally the same as every other dog breed. There is no locking mechanism.

Pit Bull Myth #2 - Pit Bulls Can't Feel Pain

The nervous system of pit bulls is the same as all other dog breeds and they do feel pain. Throughout the early years of forming the breed the "gameness" trait was bred into them to tolerate pain and continue to complete their task. So they definitely can and do feel pain but they "tough it out" better than most other breeds.

Pit Bull Myth #3 - Pit Bulls Bite More Than Other Breeds

There are quite a few bog breeds (as many as 10) that are commony called pit bulls. So, just based on that alone, they are much more likely to be blamed for a dog attack than any other breed.

Plus, it is very difficult to get an accurate count in dog bite statistics but the statistics that are available do not show pit bulls as being number one in biting.

Also, you must take into account that bully breeds are very popular. Some estimates suggest they are the most popular of all dogs. It is logical that the breed representing the most dogs would represent the most bites.

Based on what I have seen, it's usually the toy breeds that do most of the biting. They just aren't large enough to usually do much damage so nobody hears about it.

Pit Bull Myth #4 - All Pit Bulls Do is Fight

Now this is just laughable! I'll bet you have seen at least one pit bull in your life; you've probably even seen many of them. Now, how many times have you seen one in a fight? My guess is you have never personally seen a Pit Bull in a fight.

It's true that Pit Bulls were originally bred for combat and are still illegally used for dog fighting today. However, just about every dog breed was bred for a specific task but you don't see them doing it all the time. Lab's were bred for hunting but that doesn't mean only hunters own them and it doesn't mean all they do is hunt!

Pit Bull Myth #5 - All Pit Bulls Are Mean

Saying all pit bulls are mean or vicious is just like stereotyping any group of humans. All people are different and so are all dogs. The truth is that Pit Bulls are one of the nicest and most loyal dog breeds there is. Yes, they can be trained to be mean just like any other dog breed can be but they are not inherently mean.

Pit Bull Myth #6 - Pit Bulls Have More PSI in Their Bite than Other Dogs

There is no proof that Pit Bulls have a stronger bite than any other dog breed. How hard any dog bites completely depends on the situation they are in so it is extremely difficult to determine whether they are using their jaw power to capacity or not. It is assumed that the larger the breed of dog, the more biting power they have. There are over 500 breeds of dogs and experts agree that you cannot claim any one breed has the most PSI in their bite.

Pit Bull Myth #7 - The Brains of Pit Bulls Never Stop Growing

Some people untruthfully believe that the brain of pit bulls keeps growing and swells to a point where they go crazy. Before the pit bull craze came about this same myth was given to the Doberman Pinscher. This rumor was never true in Dobermans and now it's being pinned on Pit Bulls. It's just as false now as it was back then!

Pit Bull Myth #8 - Pit Bulls are Aggressive Toward Humans

When it comes to any dog breed, aggression towards other dogs and animals is completely different than aggression towards humans. In fact, many breeders today buy "guard dog" breeds to stop their prized Pit Bulls from being stolen in case of a burglary because they are not aggressive enough towards humans to protect themselves. Even dog fighters (whom I absolutely hate) don't allow their dogs to be human aggressive. And they are not considered to be good guard dogs by experts because they are too human friendly. Saying pit bulls are naturally dangerous to humans is just plain ignorant!

Pit Bull Myth #9 - Pit Bulls Should be Kept Away from Children

Anyone who is a true dog fancier and has any legitimate knowledge of dog breeds knows that Pit Bulls are typically great with kids. Historically Pit Bulls have been a favorite companion of children and tend to be drawn to the excitement and fun of kids. As long as they are socialized and trained properly, Pit Bulls are the perfect dog breed to withstand the rough play typically associated with children.

It is common sense to not leave any dog alone with children but Pit Bulls are certainly no worse with children than any other dog breed, they are better in many cases.

Pit Bull Myth #10 - Pit Bulls Will Always Kill Small Animals

Pretty much every breed of dog will go after cats and other small animals, and Pit Bulls are no different. But there are countless cases of Pit Bulls that show a low prey drive and can live with cats and other small animals without any problems. It all boils down to socialization and each individual dog. No breed is inherently better or worse in this case, it depends on each dog and many other factors.

You made me what I am today, courage at its best.
You wanted me to know no fear, a cut above the rest.
Not only did I master that, I've thrown in loyalty, too.
Look past my eyes into my soul, you know I'd die for you.
I'll watch your kids, I'll watch your house.
Your praise will be my crown,
ask what you will-I'll do my best.
I'll even be your clown.
But some of you don't like me, I'm sure I don't know why.
The only thing I'm guilty of is courage, love, and try.
But still they want to see me go, they want my breed to end.
Will I see you sitting idly by? You, whom I call a friend?
You made me what I am today, you never saw me waiver.
I've done my best to keep you safe. Won't you please return the favor.
~ American Pit Bull Terrier ~

-Author Unknown

Last night I found a page with quite a few links and a bunch of information about dog attacks. I definitely recommend reading it.

Here's a little bit from the page:

Pitbulls are not the only breed of dog who attack people and other animals, yet cities and towns create laws specifically aimed at this breed. A local town here passed an ordinance this year due to ONE incident where a 6 yr old boy antagonized and teased a dog, and continued to do so after being repeatedly told to leave the dog alone by it's owners, until the point which the dog jumped the fence it was in, in it's OWN yard and attacked the kid. The dog was a German Shephard/Pitbull MIX...

Why is it that they created ordinances against Pitbulls and not Shephards? How do they know that the pitbull in him is what made him attack and not the shephard? Shephards have been bred to be human aggressive for protection and use as police dogs.

Why not create an ordinance saying that if your kid provokes a dog, the kid's parents get fined? I would vote for a politician who created THAT law!

I'm not writing this page to say that pit bulls don't bite, or that they are all sweet little puppies. They are large dogs, with a history of being bred for the wrong reasons, but so are many other breeds. If you own any breed of dog, educate yourself on how to train it the right way, socialize it with animals and people.

You can read the rest of the text and check out the links to information about pit bulls and dog attacks here.

This is a great test to see if you can find the only pit bull from 25 pictures of different dog breeds.

It's a great way to show that most people really don't have a clue what an actual American Pit Bull Terrier is.

Give it a try: Find the Pit Bull.

Did you get it right the first time? How about the 5th time?

I am very knowledgeable about Pit Bulls and even I didn't get it on my first try.

If it took me two tries when I had all the time in the world to sit here and think about it... then imagine how hard it would be for the average person, or witness to a dog attack, to definitely say it was a Pit Bull that did it!

Looks can be deceiving and the mind is easily fooled. This is especially true during a dog attack! Most people admit that they only got a quick glance at the offender and that they were in shock at the time of the attack. Think about how reliable a witness that really is!

This is why Pit Bulls are so often identified in dog attacks when in reality it was a completely different breed of dog.

Don't put blame on a dog until you have the facts!

Fatal dog attacks in the United States are barely even an issue, let alone those caused by Pit Bulls. On average less than 30 people are killed total by dog attacks in the United States each year. When you compare that to around 17,000 people killed every year by other people, fatal dog attacks are hardly an issue.

Many people have this crazy misconception that Pit Bulls are beasts that are out killing people all the time. Let's just say, for arguments sake, that pit bulls cause most of the fatal dog attacks in the United States. That means it would come out to be around something like 20 or so per year (even though in reality it's NOT that many). Still that's not exactly an alarming amount.

There are probably more than 20 people being killed by other people right now as I type this sentence!

Let me further expand on this point because I think it is very important for people to really let this sink in...

In the past 10 years there were an average of only 26 deaths due to dog attacks in the United States. Keep in mind that is just 26 fatal dog attacks PER YEAR out of around 77.5 million dogs all over the country.

Compare that to an average of around 47 murders EVERY DAY committed by people in the USA, which comes out to around 17,000 per year. It's obvious that Dogs (of any breed) are certainly not the problem here and banning certain breeds (such as Pit Bulls) will basically do nothing.

Every time a Pit Bull kills someone, it makes news headlines and everyone thinks it is such a big deal. You hear about it for days and days all over the place. But you hardly ever hear anyone talk about the thousands of people being killed all the time by other people. And you rarely hear about it when any other breed of dog kills someone.

There are almost DOUBLE the amount of people killed every single day by other people than there are people killed by dogs in an entire year in this country. That stats don't lie!

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The numbers vary depending on the source, but in 2009 there were somewhere around 10 fatalities attributed to pit bull attacks. There are thousands upon thousands of pit bulls all over the place and only 10 of them killed anyone. I'd hardly say that makes them a dangerous breed!

And I would venture to guess that at least half of those 10 weren't actually Pit Bulls who did it. Most people lump all dogs that look a certain way together into one group and call them Pit Bulls even though they really aren't. So that likely brings the true number down to somewhere around 5 or less.

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Also, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) there are about 4.5 million people bitten by dogs each year. Around 1 in 5 dog bite victims are serious enough to require medical attention for dog bite-related injuries. The actual definition of an "attack" is vague, but requiring medical attention seems like it would fit. That brings it close to around 1 MILLION each year in the United States alone.

Therefore, the handful of pit bull attacks you hear about each year on the news barely puts a dent in the total number of dog attacks that actually occur. Yes, I am sure there are some pit bull attacks you don't hear about but my point is there are TONS of other dogs attacking people every day but nobody wants to hear about them. People only get into an uproar when it's a pit.

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In a 2006 Ohio court hearing to overturn a dangerous breed ban...

The trial court noted that ALL the animal behaviorists from both parties testified that a pit bull, trained and properly socialized like other dogs, would not exhibit any more dangerous characteristics than any other breed of dog. After considering all the evidence before it, the court agreed, finding that pit bulls, as a breed, are not more dangerous than other breeds.

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A study conducted by the Applied Animal Behaviour Science journal found the Dachshund (wiener dog) as the dog breed most likely to bite. The crazy thing about that is my sister actually has one and it really is a mean little thing sometimes. I've seen it either bite or attempt to bite several people.

Number 2 on their list was the Chihuahua, followed by the Jack Russell Terrier in 3rd.

Oh wait! What? You mean pit bulls aren't even in the top three? That can't be right! Can it? Yep, that's right; they are NOT the vicious attacking killers you have been led to believe they are by the corrupt media.

Their love is like no other; their heart is pure as gold.
Yet while going on a friendly walk, they're faced with stares of cold.
They're so very close to human, in how they act and what they do.
Unless you've known their devoted love, it's impossible to explain to you.
They are greatly more MISUNDERSTOOD than any other breed.
We tend to punish this loyal dog, instead of mankind's deeds.
They are always and forever clowns, with a wish for center stage.
Yet while displaying this sense of humor, most people disengage.
They, oh, so want to make new friends, and run and jump and play.
yet when they happily approach, most people shy away.
Often I've seen children poke, or hop on for a ride.
And when I felt they might get mad, they've only beamed with pride.
I've seen these children yank and pull, with nary a reaction.
Yet media's not interested, unless they've put someone in traction.
They love to snuggle up real close, to give lots of loves and kisses.
Yet they suffer more than any, from unfair prejudices.
What animal do I speak of, whose love is so unique?
If you've truly known one, you know of whom I speak.
There is no creature on this earth who will ever make you merrier.
The animal I do speak of, it's the American Pit Bull Terrier.

Author: Patty Letawsky

"My kids are around pit bulls every day. In the '70s they blamed Dobermans, in the '80s they blamed German Shepherds, in the '90s they blamed the Rottweiler. Now they blame the Pit Bull." - Cesar Millan (The Dog Whisperer)

Pit bulls get a bad rap because of irresponsible owners. Many people consider the look or popularity of a breed before thinking about whether the dog works for their lifestyle. Please evaluate your lifestyle before taking on the responsibility of a pit bull.

More pit bull information from Cesar Millan - Famous Pit Bulls

Fact: An estimated 443,000 people die prematurely from smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke each year. Yet cigarettes are not banned.

Fact: Alcohol abuse kills around 75,000 Americans each year, and another 40,000 die from other accidents caused by alcohol use. Yet alcohol is not banned.

Fact: Car accidents kill more than 40,000 people on average each year in the United States. Yet cars are not banned.

Fact: There are around 17,000 people murdered every year in the United States by other people. Yet guns and knives are not banned.

Fact: Approximately 6,000 people drown in the United States each year. Yet swimming isn't banned.

Fact: In the United States more than 700 people die as a result of bicycle related injuries each year. Yet bikes are not banned.

Fact: It is estimated that about 500 deaths per year are caused by aspirin. Yet it is not banned.

Fact: Researchers estimate around 250 to 300 children are murdered by their own parents each year in the United States. Yet parenting isn't banned.

Fact: Horses cause an average of 219 human deaths each year in the United States. Yet horses are not banned.

Fact: An average of 113 children die each year from their cribs. Yet baby cribs are not banned.

I could go on, and on, and on! But I think you get the point. Now let's look at just one more of these facts...

Fact: There are an average of 8 human deaths attributed to "pit bull type dogs" in the United States each year. And experts agree that the actual number for pit bulls is certainly lower than that (more like around 2-3) due to false reporting. Yet pit bulls are being banned all over the country.

Anyone else think something is wrong with this? I definitely do!

* ASPCA - Virtual Pet Behaviorist - The Truth About Pit Bulls

* WebMD - Pit Bulls: What's Hype, What's Not

* Dog Luv - Stop Fearing Pit Bulls. They Are NOT Vicious Dogs!

* Dog Luv - Pit Bulls: True or False?

* Yahoo News - Pit bulls' surprising past: Nanny dogs

* The Real Owner - The American Pit Bull Terrier - Scary and Vicious?

* Lucky Dog Rescue - The Truth About Pit Bulls