Tell the average person you’re thinking of buying a pitbull puppy and the reaction is predictable.
‘You’re nuts. Those dogs are too aggressive and totally wrong for a family… for anybody, really. They’re mad, pit bulls.’
And another:
‘A pitbull? You’re kidding. Don’t you read the papers, watch the TV news? Have you got a suicide wish or something? They’re killers.’
And a third:
“You bring a pit bull into this house and you’re out…d’you hear? Out!’
And so it goes on.
Of all the dogs on this earth, the pit bull is easily the most discriminated against and when it comes to bad press, he tops the list.
“Hound of hell”, “devil’s personal bodyguard” are just two of the descriptions used by those interviewed in our recent opinion poll.
While yes, these are very strong dogs, renowed for their strong jaws and ability to make mincemeat of those they attack, their aggression is controllable.
In the right hands, pit bull puppies are very similar to English Bull Terrier dogs, they can be encouraged to develop into very attractive, loyal, friendly dogs.Those who love them say that, properly trained, they can be sweet and harmless pets, but try telling that to the average member of the public.
It is certainly true that they will zealously protect their owners.
Pit bull terriers are renowned for their strength and bravery. Traditionally, their large, powerful bodies made them ideal as war dogs and fighters. As a result, they became known as the canine gladiators. In Roman Britain these dogs attracted great crowds with their displays of killing bulls and fighting other dogs to the death.
The aggressive streak was encouraged by their bloodthirsty owners and generation after generation of pit bulls fought on.
In medieval days and right up to relatively modern times, when the practice was outlawed, dog fights were considered top of the pops in terms of entertainment.
From all of this, it must be concluded that these are not the most docile dogs around, and should never be taken on by owners lacking experience of coping with the breed.
The tragic stories that invariably hit the headlines speak for themselves.
