Fact (fakt) 1.) A concept whose truth can be proved. 2.) A statement or assertion of verified information about something that is the case or has happened.
Myth (mith) 1.) An invented story, fictitious person, etc. 2.) A belief or set of beliefs, often unproven or false, that have accrued around a person, phenomena orinstitution
Fact
Pit Bulls serve as therapy/service dogs. The Chako Rescue Association has Pit Bull therapy dogs in Texas, Utah and California. Helen Keller even had a Pit Bull as her canine companion and helper. Cheyenne and Dakota are a team of hard - working Search - and - Rescue Pit Bulls in Sacramento, California. They play an important role in their community by locating missing people in conjunction with the local Sheriff. In their off-duty hours, they do charity work as therapy dogs.
Fact
Petey, the faithful dog on the TV show, The Little Rascals, was a Pit Bull. He spent countless hours with children day after day and never hurt anyone. He was one of the most intelligent Hollywood dogs of all time.
Fact
There are quite a few celebrities who have Pit Bulls as members of their family including: Rosie Perez, The Crocodile Hunter, Judd Nelson, Usher, Alicia Silverstone, Cassandra Creech, Sinbad, John Stuart, Amy Jo Johnson, Linda Blair, Vin Diesel, and Bernadette Peters.
Fact
Pit Bulls are heroes! America's first war dog was a Pit Bull named Stubby. He earned several medals during World War I and was honored at the White House. The Ken-L-Ration dog hero of 1993 was a Pit Bull named Weela. She saved 30 people, 29 dogs, 13 horses and a cat during a flood in Southern California. A Pit Bull named Bogart saved a four - year - old child from drowning in a swimming pool in Florida. Dixie, the Pit Bull, was inducted into the Georgia Animal Hall of Fame after she saved some children from a Cottonmouth snake.
Fact
Pit Bulls are one of the most stable people-friendly dogs in existence. The National Canine Temperament Testing Association tested 122 breeds, and Pit Bulls placed the 4th highest with a 95% passing rate!
Don't Some Dogs Have Aggressive Temperaments?
"Aggression is a Behavior, not a Temperament."
Will a Pit Bull that Shows aggression towards other animals go after People next?
No. Aggression towards other animals and human aggression are two totally different things. We've heard this frightened quote, "He went after a dog (or cat) and our kids might be next!" This is one big MONSTER of a myth that has generated a host of damaging anti - Pit Bull hysteria. It is perfectly 'normal' for a Pit Bull to be wonderfully affectionate and friendly with people, while at the same time not 100% trustworthy around other dogs. Like any breed of dog that we see in family homes today, a properly raised, well socialized, responsibly owned Pit Bull should never be human aggressive. Pit bulls that do show aggressive behavior towards humans are not typical of the breed and should be humanely euthanized.
Many people like to throw around the terms "good" and "bad" temperaments, but these labels are meaningless. A dog of so-called "good" temperament could easily become aggressive if abused or neglected. Dogs labeled as having "bad" temperaments are routinely rehabilitated by experienced, successful trainers. Labels like "good" and "bad" truly are meaningless, in that they are wholly relative to the environment in which the dog is kept.
Doesn't playing tug-o-war or any tugging or pulling activity make Pit Bulls aggressive?
No! It's actually fun for Pit Bulls. But if you're going to play with them like that you should invest in softer materials, such as soft ropes for tug-o-war or burlap sacks for a spring pole that way its a lot easier on your dog's teeth. They don't do it to be aggressive, they do it because they're very playful and fun loving animals and they always want to play. It's also a leftover trait from when they used to work on farms. Grabbing onto bulls' noses as a butcher's dog. Pulling and tugging games allow them to exercise this trait while having fun and conditioning while doing it.
If a Pit Bull has scars does that mean he/she has been fought?
No! Pit Bulls are active dogs that, like kids, can do stuff that can get them hurt. Like chasing animals into bushes or trees. The point is that Pit Bulls can get scratched just as easily as a kid can playing around. So before you go assuming that all dogs with scars have been fought, just remember accidents do happen.
Myth Pit Bulls are Mean and Vicious.
No more vicious than golden retrievers, beagles or other popular dogs! In a recent study of 122 dog breeds by the American Temperament Testing Association (ATT), APBTs achieved a passing rate of 81.7%. That's as good or better than beagles (78.7%), and golden retrievers (81.1%). In these tests, a dog is put through a series of confrontational situations. Any sign of panic or aggression leads to failure of the test. The achievement of the APBTs in this study disproves once and for all the old tired belief that pit bulls are inherently aggressive to people.
Myth Are Pit Bulls aggressive towards other dogs in general?
The short answer is no. Developed for the purpose of fighting other dogs, most Pit Bulls are dog aggressive, At least to some degree. Some Pit Bulls will simply not tolerate any other dogs, regardless of sex. Some Pit Bulls will remain dog friendly their entire lives. Other Pit Bulls are at least same sex aggressive and as adults will not do well with other dogs of the same sex or those that are "pushy" with them, although as pups they may get along fine (this can be very misleading to a novice Pit Bull owner). Pit bulls will commonly start developing signs of dog aggression between the ages of 8 months and 2 years, although it can develop at any age and can come on either gradually or quite suddenly. It is important to note that many pit bulls do not display the "typical" signs of dog aggression before a fight. They may not growl, bark, or posture at all, but simply alert and raise up on their toes. Owners of dog aggressive Pit Bulls learn to "read" their dogs and recognize the subtle signs indicating impending dog aggression. Training will not eliminate dog aggression in the Pit Bull but, when combined with responsibility and vigilance, training can bring these natural tendencies under control in on-leash situations. Where housemates are concerned, if one is a Pit Bull, extra care should be taken to prevent tension over food, desirable treats (like bones), and favored toys. These items are often "triggers" for spats or fights between dogs sharing the same house and owners should be very aware of them. This is also the reason that an adult Pit Bull should NOT be left alone with housemates or other dogs. Due to their fighting heritage, many Pit Bulls do not recognize signs of submission given by a dog they are fighting and, if they are unsupervised, the results can be disastrous. It should be noted that many breeds have dog aggressive tendencies, and leaving any such breed unsupervised with another dog, especially a dog of the same sex, can lead to a tragedy. Although you should never leave any dogs alone together no matter the breed. A fight can break out between any dog breed.
Myth The only people that own Pit Bulls are criminals, and the only thing the breed is good for is dog fighting.
The majority of Pit Bulls are owned by normal dog - loving folk. Pit Bulls are kept as companions; they're used as working dogs involved in search and rescue, therapy, and police service; they compete in obedience, conformation, agility, tracking, and schutzhund; the list goes on and on. Plus, although pit fighting was the main activity the breed was originally created for and involved in, there were also many other functions the breed was used for during it's development. This breed is truly a jack - of - all - trades.
Myth Pit Bulls have locking jaws.
There is nothing about a Pit Bull's jaws that would physiologically distinguish them from the jaws of any other breed. The breed's jaws can't lock any more than a Poodles can. In fact, there is no animal -- domestic or wild -- with jaw - locking capability. Pit Bulls do have a lot of jaw-strength, however.
Myth Pit Bulls can hold on with their front teeth while chewing with their back teeth.
Another physical impossibility. Pit Bull jaws are constructed in the same way any other breed's jaws are.
Myth All Pit Bulls are vicious or born mean.
No one breed as a whole is bad, the same as no one race of humans is bad. Much has to do with the individual, it's genes, upbringing, and training. In the case of Pit Bulls, a breed that was created to be especially gentle with people, all of the human aggressive dogs are victims of one or more of the following: poor breeding, bad training, or irresponsible upbringing. There are thousands upon thousands of Pit Bulls that are loving, loyal, safe pets, who will live and die without ever having bitten a human. They are the proof that this "born bad" idea is fiction, pure and simple.
