Why are American Pit Bull Terriers Feared - Assignment Example

Why are American Pit Bull Terriers (Pit Bulls) Feared? American Pit Bull Terriers, commonly known as Pit Bulls, have been the topic of more newspaper articles and political efforts, than any other domestic animal. Although the media has created fear in the hearts of many people, Cesar Millan, the “Dog Whisperer,” says that this breed of dog is actually very sweet tempered; it is the owners of these dogs who must understand how to handle them. After researching this breed, my research shows that it is not the breed that is the problem. The reason they are feared by so many people, is because the media has distorted the information about them and caused the fear. Short History of the American Pit Bull Pit Bulls are a very powerful bred of domestic dogs. They are solid muscle and are classified as a working breed (Robison and Robison, 2010). The exact origin of this breed is not known, but historians agree that the dogs were present and used to hunt boars as long ago as the 1500s. The dogs were favored in England and Ireland. The dogs were also used for “bull baiting” which meant that the dog was trained to bait and hold bulls so the hunter could kill the animal. The dog was taught to hold on until the other animal either died from exhaustion or from loss of blood; which is why the dogs were named bull dogs (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals [ASPCA], 2012). This idea of baiting the animals was banned in England, in 1835 which lead people to create dog fights instead. The American Pit Bull was brought to America as a cross between the English and Irish breeds of bull dog in the early 19th Century. Initially, in the United States they were used to herd cattle or as “catch” dogs for pigs (Robison and Robison, 2010). As fighting dogs, the Pit Bulls were breed differently so that a stronger, more athletic, and lighter weight dog was created (ASPCA, 2012). Today, although all 50 states have banned these dog fights and made the “sport” a felony act, many people still are breeding the dogs for fighting (ASPCA, 2012). This type of behavior has spread to short fights on the street where one person may proclaim, “my dog can beat your dog,” and the dogs are allowed to fight until one dog dies (ASPCA, 2012). Stories about this type of behavior has spread the word that Pit Bulls are dangerous and should be feared. Criticism of the Pit Bull As Pit Bulls came to the United States, they were eventually recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) and the breed became popular. Some of the people who owned them in history were President Theodore Roosevelt, Helen Keller, and Laura Ingalls Wilder (Robison and Robison, 2010). From this gentleness of spirit, the dog fighting and media attention to attacks, created fear about this breed (Robison and Robison, 2010). Cohen and Richardson (2002) state that the media has been a major problem in creating a bias toward Pit Bulls. The Pit Bull has been characterized as unpredictable, violent, predators of defenseless animals and people (particularly children), and animals to be feared. Many cities across the country have sanctioned owners of Pit Bulls and many have made it illegal for people to own Pit Bulls. In some states, owners have been denied home insurance if they say they own a Pit Bull and in a survey by the ASPCA, 30% of shelters said they did not allow adoption of Pit Bulls from their shelter (Cohen and Richardson, 2002). Although the media continues to only provide negative stories about Pit Bulls, this information is not accurate. According to the National Canine Research Council (2011) the many fears that have been suggested are only myths. Some of these fears with the facts are listed below: Fear: Pit Bulls have locking jaws. Fact: The University of Georgia examined Pit Bulls and found they did not have locking jaws. Fear: Pit Bulls have a massive power to bite at least 1,000 pounds of pressure per square inch. Fact: The National Geographic tested the Pit Bull’s bite and found that it had the least amount of bite pressure compared to the German Shepard and the Rottweiler. Fear: Pit Bulls are “ticking time bombs” and they will eventually turn on their owners. Fact: The National Canine Research Council found that a Pit Bull that is spayed or neutered and is only used as a household pet has never been involved in a serious situation with a human or animal. Fear: Although some Pit Bulls have a good temper, these are exceptions, not the rule. Fact: The American Temper Test shows that Pit Bull’s temperaments score above average compared to all other dogs. (National Canine Research Council, 2011) These facts show that these fears are unwarranted and that when an individual understands the Pit Bull and they are able to take care of the dog correctly, this dog is not a problem. These fears have been created by a variety of articles about Pit Bulls that have been presented with mostly negative aspects of the breed. As an example, in a review of the literature, in research provided by Cohen and Richardson (2002), 72 stories appeared in the New York Times between 1987 and 2000 that covered Pit Bulls with 26 (about one third) covering attacks on people. Nine of these stories portrayed Pit Bull owners as “dregs of society” (Cohen & Richardson, 2002, p. 287). A random Google search by this researcher, using the key words, “Pit Bull attacks 2010-2011”, yielded approximately 15,900,000 hits. No wonder people are afraid of these animals. Schott (2009) states that Pit Bulls used to have had a place of honor and loyalty in American families as they were introduced in America. The media in the early days put Pit Bulls on the covers of magazines and on poster campaigns. After all, the President (Roosevelt) had one and celebrities like Fred Astaire loved these animals. In fact, according to Schott (2009) the animal was seen as a patriot until many owners began to breed them for fighting. People all over the country have been inundated by negative press that has provided a myopic view of the Pit Bull. Anton and DeGregory (2010) point out that many of these articles are about different breeds, or breeds that are mixed with Pit Bulls. They say that one challenge is that if a dog attacks someone many people automatically assume that it is a Pit Bull that did the attack. Because of this, legislation has been passed by many communities to outlaw or severely limit access of Pit Bulls and their owners to society. Anton and DeGregory (2010) also state that the number of actual Pit Bull attacks are over reported because there are so many attacks that are not done by Pit Bulls. Another point the authors make is that most people (including the media) do not know what a Pit Bull looks like; this also applies to 75% of pet adoption agencies. Cesar Millan (2006), the “Dog Whisperer,” advocates that all dogs, including Pit Bulls, need “boundaries, rules and limitations” (p. 6) in their relationships with humans. He suggests that when Pit Bulls understand that the human is the pack leader, and they have these boundaries, rules and limitations, they are very gentle animals. Also, Millan states that owners that do not define the pack leader, Pit Bulls can become difficult (Millan, 2006). In other words, the person owning a Pit Bull must be able to lead the animal in a calm, assertive way. Millan (2006) has become an expert in the knowledge that these animals need the pack to be stable and they need a leader who understands them. In my opinion, Pit Bulls are a wonderful breed of dog. They are able to learn, they are loyal, and they are gentle under the right circumstances. People who own them often think that the best thing to do with them is make them fight as though it were a manly thing to do. This type of attitude hurts the animal and the human because the animal will eventually have to be killed by a pet adoption agency or perhaps killed by a police officer trying to protect a human. From them research I have done, the Pit Bull is no more dangerous than any other breed as long as the owners are competent owners. The media has created such a terrible look at these dogs that they people continue to be scared of them. Instead of people learning the facts about this breed, they rely on the media to tell them what they should not bother getting to know these dogs. This is unfortunate because many dogs are euthanized each year, many of them Pit Bulls, only because people think they are a terrible dog and will hurt someone one. Conclusion Many Pit Bulls have gentle temperaments. There are many people who enjoy them as pets and who feel that they are wonderful dogs. This is a breed that is a working dog which means that responsible pet owners will give them something to do that is important to the breed. Since they were bred many years ago to hunt and hurt animals, they can still learn to hunt without killing other animals. They can also learn to protect people. The breed is friendly to children and can take a lot of pain, so they can withstand the different ways that children play with them. Of the many different breeds of powerful dogs, the Pit Bull has been shown to be one of the most gentle. Unfortunately, it is people who make these dogs perform in ways that are not natural for the breed. References American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) (2012). Pit Bull cruelty. Retrieved from http://www.aspca.org/fight-animal-cruelty/dog-fighting/pit-bull-cruelty.aspx Anton, L. L. & DeGregory, L. (2010, April 11). Fears unleash bill targeting the pit bull. Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved from http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/article1086363.ece Cohen, J., & Richardson, J. (2002). Pit Bull Panic. Journal Of Popular Culture, 36(2), 285-317. doi:10.1111/1540-5931.00007\ Millan, C. (2006). Cesar’s way: the natural, everyday guide to understanding and correcting common dog problems. New York: Harmony Books. National Canine Research Council. (2011). Fear vs. Facts. Retrieved from http://Fear versus fact_1.pdf Robison, M. and Robison, T. (2010). A brief history of the American Pit Bull Terrier. Retrieved from http://www.pitbulls.org/article/brief-history-american-pit-bull-terrier Schott, J. (2009, December 2). The American Pit Bull Terrier: Fighters and therapists. Suite 101. Retrieved from http://jeri-schott.suite101.com/the-american-pit-bull-terrier-a176187 Read More