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Pit Bulls are what you make them | Opinion – PennLive

Pit Bulls can be kind, caring, and protective dogs that care deeply about their owners. Courtesy/Pupstarz) Courtesy/Pupstarz)Pupstarz
By Miranda Holmes
Pit Bulls are one of the least understood dog breeds out there. The Pit Bull is not actually a breed, but a mix of Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, and American Pit Bull Terrier.
According to the World Animal Foundation, there are around 18 million Pit Bull type dogs in the United States, about a million of those dogs are euthanized annually. They also note that Pit Bulls are one of the most highly abused dog breeds in the world and in shelters around the United States they make up around 14.8%.
According to Best Friends Animal Society the breed became feared due to the brutal sport of bull baiting in the 1600s, where two dogs would fight, trying to immobilize each other by biting the other around the head. Today, bull baiting is illegal, and the dogs make good family pets.
Pitties were once one of the most popular family dogs, but in the 1980′s, irresponsible dog owners created caused the breed to get the reputation for being dangerous and aggressive.
It is a myth that Pit Bulls are automatically aggressive. The Humane Society says aggression is not a breed characteristic, it is caused by the environment ine which the dog lives. Pit Bulls are often perceived to be unfriendly, which is untrue because many are adopted every year into loving families and become valued members of their households.
According to The Witchitan, aggression in Pit Bulls is taught. Dogs used for fighting are born a happy puppy. They are trained to be aggressive and fight. If these dogs aren’t properly handled by humans, they can become aggressive with dogs and people.
The breeding of the dog also is a factor. Many Pitt Bulls are bred without consideration to their behavioral traits. This can result in unpredicrable temperaments in offspring. It is important for to evaluate and treat each dog, no matter the breed, as an individual, according to the ASPCA.
While many people do not like Pit Bulls, others do. Because of their popularity, the dogs are being overbred and breeders are not paying enough attention to each dog’s traits to prevent replicating undesirable traits that cause people to fear Pitties.
Originally, the breed was bred for bull baiting, as mentioned previously, and was known for strength, stamina, and tenacity. After bull baiting was banned, the traits started changing, as they started to be bred for companionship and show. The breed is also known for being good with kids, according to The Wounded Paw Project because of their protective, yet gentle instincts. They are sometimes called “nanny dogs.”
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Stereotypes about Pit Bulls are generally false. Pit Bulls are kind, caring, and protective dogs that care deeply about their owners. Just because some people were irresponsible and made their dogs aggressive doesn’t mean that all the others will be.
If people took time to research the breed and care for their dog, Pit Bulls would still be loved and not feared, keeping more of them out of the shelters and fewer of them euthanized because of “aggression.”
Miranda Holmes is a student at Dauphin County Tech and lives in Susquehanna Township.
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