Christine Hibbard, CTC, CPDT
If you speak with any of us at Companion Animal Solutions, follow our blog or work with us, you know the answer to this question. No, we do not believe that Pit Bulls are inherently dangerous. So why am I writing about this topic again?
In September, I got a phone call from a reporter at Q13 News who wanted to interview me on camera about whether Pit Bulls are inherently dangerous. I asked the reporter what had happened and he said, “Don’t worry about it. I just want your professional opinion as to whether Pit Bulls are inherently dangerous”. He also informed me he would be at my office within 30 minutes. You can read the transcript of the interview here. It wasn’t until after the interview aired that I discovered a woman had been horribly mauled by a Pit Bull.
Then about four weeks later, a reporter named Eric Johnson at KOMO 4 News interviewed Dr. Jim Ha, CAAB extensively about canine ethology and behavioral genetics. I highly recommend watching this piece because the reporter interviewed several people and truly tried to give exposure to all sides of the Pit Bull issue. The overall question the piece was trying to answer was the same though. Are Pit Bulls genetically wired for aggression? While we all feel truly awful for anyone injured by a dog, why does every dog attack case involving a Pit Bull illicit the same question from the media? If Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists, Veterinarians, Certified Dog Behavior Consultants and Certified Professional Dog Trainers do not believe Pit Bulls are inherently dangerous, then why does the question keep coming up? In addition to the sensationalism that drives media in America, I believe the question keeps coming up because the issue of Pit Bulls is a complex one and like any complex issue, people end up on opposite ends of the argument without evaluating or understanding the facts.
Prior to their popularity with criminals and others looking for a dog to project a tough or intimidating image, Pit Bulls were known for being family dogs. Greta Kaplan, CPDT, CDBC recently wrote in a report to a client:
Because Pit Bulls were bred to fight with other dogs and had to be handled safely by humans, the exact opposite pattern was deliberately selected for: The dog would not inhibit its behavior toward the other dog, but would completely inhibit any aggression toward the human handler. This selected trait is closely related to why Staffordshire Bull Terriers and the early Pit Bull Type dogs are known as the “Nanny Dog,” considered incredibly safe with children. They are sturdy, insensitive to pain, handling and spatial proximity, and incredibly inhibited when faced with aggressive, threatening or intrusive human behavior.
We know that animal behavior is a combination of nature (genetics) and nurture (learning). We know that genetics plays a part in what people sometimes call “breed specific behaviors”. That’s why when we work a dog behavior case, we use ethology to help us identify why certain behavior is happening but even within a specific breed, dogs can vary widely. When we talk about the ethology of Pit Bulls, the topic begins to veer off course because unfortunately for the breed, they became popular with criminals. Criminals have selectively bred these dogs for generations for dog/dog aggression. Often, dog/dog aggression (or gameness) doesn’t begin to appear until after a dog reaches sexual maturity (six months) or social maturity (18 months). Often, it doesn’t appear at all. The behavior problems we see Pit Bulls for the most are generalized anxiety, separation anxiety, fear and dog/dog aggression. Notice that human directed aggression is not on this list.
In Jim’s interview, he estimated that 20% to 30% of a dog’s behavior is based on genetics. If he’s correct, then that leaves a HUGE area for which nurture or learning is responsible for the behavior we see. In Ray Coppinger’s book Dogs, he makes compelling arguments for how brains develop and how learning takes place that emphasize how adaptable dogs can be if socialized properly per the purpose we want the dog to serve. I’m paraphrasing here but basically one of the points he makes is that if you want a flock guarding dog, choose any village dog with low prey drive and raise it with sheep during it’s critical social period. Viola, you’ve got a flock guard.
If socialization/learning is so important, what can happen when a Pit Bull is isolated and even abused? If a certain societal element or owner wants dogs who are aggressive, we’ll get dogs who are aggressive. Blaming the breed is ludicrous if you look at and understand the facts of how learning takes place. Now don’t think I haven’t worked with Pit Bulls I’ve thought were dangerous, I have. But I’ve worked through behavior problems with hundreds of dogs and I can tell you that a tiny percentage of them (less than 2%) are inherently dangerous and this has nothing to do with their breed. It’s how they’ve been bred, raised and trained (and I’m using the term trained loosely here). There’s a reason we’re so passionate about using scientific, humane training methods (no force, fear or pain please). Abusing a dog and calling it training often leads to anxiety, fear and human directed aggression.
There’s beginning to be some good news for Pit Bulls as a breed. Reputable rescues are working with these dogs and finding responsible homes for them. Most of the Vick Pit Bulls have moved on to have normal lives or even become therapy dogs. A recent piece on the NBC Morning News covered a school for the blind who is raising Pit Bull puppies and training Pit Bulls to be service dogs for blind and developmentally disabled children. Recently, the Seattle Kennel Club wrote an article about one of my favorite owner/dog pairs; Benny the Pit Bull and his owner Mike who is a Seattle Animal Care & Control Officer. I had the honor of working with Benny and Mike and I can tell you from personal experience, Benny’s play manners with my two rough housing Australian Shepherds was beyond reproach.
While we can’t stop irresponsible people and criminals from turning dogs into aggressive, dangerous dogs, we can all hope that the tide is turning. We also hope you’ll take this opportunity to tell us about your experience with Pit Bulls.
Val Ann C says
Sane, reasoned opinion. May it be widely shared.
Mary says
Christine – as always, an informative, well-researched and comprehensive article on a current issue in animal care! Thank you!
Pamela says
I used to live in a Philadelphia neighborhood where pit bulls were even more common than guns for making a guy look tough. The kids in our neighborhood would tease their pit bull to toughen him up and make him more aggressive. And they kept being disappointed.
When the dog was around me or my husband, he’d wag his butt off and couldn’t wait to give kisses. He was a big goof.
We always told the kids, if you want a dog that will protect you, you must have fun with him, treat him well, and keep him with you all the time. A dog that loves you will be the best protector you could ever want and a friend besides.
I hope even a piece of that advice got through.
Xslf says
I think the “pitbull question” misses an important point that I hardly see mentioned- even those who think that pitties are an “evil breed” agree that they are responsible to less than half of serious bites to humans (regardless how you got your numbers).
So what, people seriously attacked by other dog breeds don’t deserve protection? Are they planning to ban *any* breed that was involved in a serious attack? All breeds above certain wight?
Margot Alice says
Hello Christine,
I’m Margot, Molly Jackson’s mom. I liked this article quite a bit. I formerly worked for a no-kill animal shelter as a veterinary clinical / surgical assistant. It was my job to restrain incoming dogs while we “inspected and injected” them, etc. Many of them were Pit Bills. I can’t imagine a situation that would elicit more anxiety and fear in a dog than being brought to an animal shelter and then restrained for veterinary treatment by unfamiliar people. Yet I never had a single problem with any of the Pit Bulls I handled. I’ve found the breed, in general, to be calm, affable and a pleasure to be around. I am experiencing a problem with Pit Bulls these days, though, but it isn’t because of the dogs. The problem is the owners. I now have a pet sitting business, and I earn part of my “kibbles” by walking dogs. I’ve had several encounters with *off leash* Pit Bulls, who, I’m certain were probably friendly. The problem is that the dog I’m walking isn’t always OK with having another dog rush up to him — I know you’re familiar with that scenario. My gripe is that if a fight actually were to ensue, the Pit Bull is likely end up incarcerated and executed for his supposed crime! It bothers me that people would own an (unfairly) maligned breed, and then set them up like this. It happened again today, while I was walking a 160 lb Lionberger. Argggggh!
Christine Hibbard says
Hi Margot! You’re right, I can empathize with the off leash dogs that you are encountering. I’ve worked with 1000s of dogs over the years and I’ve noticed that certain breeds attract certain owners. That’s why I’m so happy to see that Pit Bulls are starting to have advocates and responsible rescues to ensure these dogs are placed in responsible homes. The sad fact remains that our shelters are over run with Pit Bulls and this will continue as long as people do no spay/neuter their dogs and keep them safely contained. You might be interested in an article I wrote titled Protecting Your Dog on Walks: https://companionanimalsolutions.com/blogs/protecting-your-dog-on-walks/
Welcome to Washington Sate Margot and thanks for reading Behind the Behavior!
Jill says
Is there someone in the Portland area that can evaluate my 6yr old pit. I have had her since birth and she is having some very agressive behavior towards me. We can just be sitting on my bed like usual. She is quiet and laying down and jump up and start barking at me while lunging. I then can’t get past her or I am lucky enough to get her leash on her she will turn to bite me. I am actually afraid of her for the first time.
Can you help? I have never seen this behavior toward me before. She has never bit anyone but does pick and choose who she likes and at times if not on a lease I believe she would attack someone. I think she is very protective of me? I need help
Christine Hibbard says
@Jill, I have sent you an email privately with information with someone who can help you. Thank you for reading Behind the Behavior.
Lane says
There was an article in my local newspaper today about a pit bull killing another dog. It grabbed a Shih Tzu being walked by a little boy and shook it to death. Truly a horrifying experience for the child to witness. Of course, we will never really know the circumstances behind the incident, e.g. whether the dogs were too close or one provoked the other.
I don’t think any breed is bad, but some dogs are placed in situations that are not appropriate for their nature. I always blame the owner for a dog’s behavior. Either they have not raised the dog properly or they have not taken the necessary steps to keep the dog from harming other dogs or people.
Christine Hibbard says
Lane, you’re so right that it’s our responsibility to raise our dogs well by socializing them and teaching them humanely. You understand so well what many people do not when discussing Pit Bulls; it’s an owner’s responsibility to care for their dogs, regardless of the breed. My heart goes out to the owner of the Shih Tzu.
Jen says
Great blog! I have two pit mixes, one of which is a Delta Society therapy dog. I plan on getting my other dog registered when he matures a bit more. We got him from the shelter a year ago and he’s about two now. He had not one iota of training or manners when we adopted him, but he’s a sweetie and aims to please. In fact, he looks EXACTLY like the black and white dog in the picture above.
I used your blog link in a post regarding the recent Texas study that indicates pit bulls are more dangerous and similar to leopards or other wild animals. Unbelievable that a medical journal would publish such drivel! The gist of my post was that the doctors should stick to what they are supposed experts in – medicine – not dogs or animal behavior.
Dennis says
My reply is going to get nixed as I am going to call this blog blatantly biased with cute pictures and propaganda from bleeding heart ‘animals have rights too…’ folks.
Fact 1: Pit bulls are bred from bull-dogges to create a smaller, more agile, tenacious breed. They have unbelievable bites, resistance to pain.
Fact 2:Pit bulls are the dog of choice amongst dogmen – they are wired to kill other dogs
Fact 3: Since dog fighting is illegal, pitbulls gradually regain their aggression to humans as well especially when the human tries to protect their dog that is being ripped to shreds by the pitbull
Fact 4: “[pit bulls] inflict more serious wounds than other breeds. They tend to attack the deep muscles, to hold on, to shake, and to cause ripping of tissues. “. Pit Bull Rescue Central, encourage pit bull owners to be responsible and to always carry a “break stick” for chrissakes!
Fact 5: Pitbulls may NOT bite more than other dogs but…see Fact 4.
Fact 5: Pitbulls are unpredictable. All other dog species will bow down to a victor the next time they meet. A pitbull will gleefully launch itself against a former conqueror. A pitbull may also act docile and give a playful bow before launching a deadly attack.
Don’t blame the dog, blame the owner is a LAUGHABLE point I hear from people. Yes, there are idiots who gain their endorphins through creating monsters. But putting an unpredictable species in the hands of ‘nice’ people is equally stupid.
Would you put a ticking timebomb, without the big fancy count-down, in Mother Teresa’s hands just because she was ‘nice’?! Even you wonderful pit-bull owners, DESPITE knowing these facts, DESPITE the fact that you may be lovely, prepared people who understand dogs, would you take the smallest chance that YOUR dog could kill a happy family?!
My best friend lost a beautiful girl to pitbull attack in NYC. I have researched the fatalities. My friend’s wife still wakes up screaming from the dreams, 11 years after the incident!
This is NOT a dog – we have bred a monster. Do NOT let your passion get in the way of principles.
Christine Hibbard says
We do not “nix” responses to our articles simply because we disagree with the author’s opinions. As long as a reader writes respectfully, we approve posts. I am sorry about your best friend’s loss but I respectfully disagree with each of your “Facts” Dennis. We have done our research from scientifically sound sources and stand by our opinions. Thank you for reading Behind the Behavior and choosing to leave a comment.
JoAnn Chirico says
My daughter recently purchased an 11 blue nose/tiger striped month pit bull from a shelter. She was told that the dog was a stray. It seems a very calm dog. HOwever, it nuzzles up very close to people’s faces if they are lying down. (We were sleeping on air mattresses) It tries to put it head, and body under yours, as if you were using it as a pillow. It is still teething and “mouths” on people’s arms. One evening the dog jumped up on her (she was standing) and it began to nip. SHe settled it down. She has had no particular experience training dogs. She believes that if she is kind and loving, the dog will be.
SHould the dog be professionally trained to insure that she does not become aggressive. SHould we worry about the nipping incident? Should we be concerned about the mouthing, nuzzling so close to faces, etc. My daughter (25 years old, living alone with the dog) seems not to be afraid. I am
PS She lives in DC. Has had the dog for about 2 weeks now. I live 250 miles away .
Christine Hibbard says
Hi JoAnn, We believe that all dogs should receive training. We recommend that owners find trainers that use positive reinforcement based methods. You can help your daughter find a trainer in the DC area here: https://www.trulydogfriendly.com/blog/?page_id=4. Thank you for reading Behind the Behavior!
DW says
I had a pit in my apt building The owners raised it from a puppy with love and discipline and it loved their baby. . When their baby was three years old the pit attacked it and it had over a hundred sticthes in its face. Blood and terror. They are not reliable dogs and it is in their nature to go off erratically. Make all the excuses you want but a bite from an enraged pit can be lethal.
Christine Hibbard says
Oh Deryn, I’m so, so sorry to hear about your neighbor’s experience. How horrific for that child. Our hearts break every time we hear about a dog biting a child. The statistics tell us that dogs bite children due to children’s inability to read dogs’ body language and parent’s not managing children and dogs approrpriately. 70% of all dog bites happen to children but the proportion of bites from Pit Bulls are no higher or of any greater severity than any other breed. Managing dogs and children is challenge regardless of the breed. If you’re interested in the science on this topic, you might be interested in this article on Dogs Biting Children: https://companionanimalsolutions.com/blogs/dogs-biting-children.
Christine Shosted says
My pitbull came to my home one very hot summer day in Maricopa, Az. He came to our doorstep and never left. We left him outside during the night and he would just sit on our doorstep protecting our home, just out of the blue. I know there is a reason he came to our home. We took him in and he is the most gentle sweet dog. We also have a boxer and bassett hound that adore having him around. Now we are expecting our first baby girl. My husband had a bug put into his head that that one day he might “attack and eat” our baby. I do not have any proof that this pitbull will ever hurt any of us. If anything he will protect this baby with his life. His previous owner did the right thing, because he was so sweet when he wondered to our home and he was recently fixed because he had fresh stitches. I now have to prove to my husband that dogs are not aggressive unless trained to be. Hes still a puppy and turning two this december 2011. With a new baby on the way, I have enough common sense to know not to leave your animals alone with our newborns. Its just common sense. Any breed of dog can be aggressive whe trained to. Its all about the upbringing.
Christine Hibbard says
Christine, you and your Pittie sound like a match made in heaven. I would like to recommend this resource for you with the impending addition to your family: https://www.dogsandstorks.com. Congratulations on taking such a fabulous dog into your home and I hope you find a dog trainer via the Dogs and Storks program that can help your husband (and you) feel more comfortable and prepare safely for your baby’s arrival. Pit Bull or not, you have other dogs and they are just as likely to have issues with a new baby.
DW says
You are not reading the statistics or are not believing them because you don’t want to. Pit bulls DO have more lethal attacks. They are dangerous. They are banned in England for good reason. Yes they can have sweet natures. But when they do go off they are capable of horrific damage. More than other dogs and it is unclear sometimes what sets them off. To have a toddler in the same house with a pit is crazy. And as my friends found out not a good idea. Their teen still bears the scars from the well trained and loved pit who bit him for “no reason.” To deny the facts is crazy.
Christine Hibbard says
Deryn, I’m sorry about your friend’s experience and we’re all saddened when someone is bitten by a dog. The statistics and facts however do not back up your position. I suggest you spend some time on this site: https://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com and read the book Dogs Bite But Balloons and Slippers Are More Dangerous: https://www.amazon.com/Dogs-Bite-Balloons-Slippers-Dangerous/dp/1888047186. These resources provided statistically valid analysis of dog bite data.
brooke says
ok we had a pitbull that was about two years old he was very clam and sweet and out of the blue one day my little brother was play out side and he ran up to him and bit him why is that
Christine Hibbard says
You don’t provide enough information for me to answer your question Brooke. Did your dog injure your brother? break skin? What training did you take your dog through? Was your dog neutered?
Debbie says
I adopted a rescue Amstaff (AKA pitbull) she is the greatest. She gets along great with our other dog who is an english bull dog, loves my grandkids who range in ages of 4 – 11. She has adapted so well to our household and is a joy, that being said I never leave her unattended with my grandkids and rules have been made for my grandkids to adhere to while around her. I found out after her adoption that she had been used for a bait dog and abused. So, the point I’m trying to make is I firmly believe that the humans are at fault for breed specific leg. and it is a form of racism towards dogs. Yes the are good pitbulls as well as aggresive pitbulls, I feel it is an ownership problem and the irresponsible owners need to be punished not the dog! I have a fully fenced yard and locks on my gates for my dogs protection. I have had people come onto my property and tease and throw rocks at my dogs, of which i have addressed legally. I want to be the responsible owner and continue to learn about my dogs. The problem I face right now is I am preparing to move and with BSL I am finding it hard to find a place to live without giving up my dog. Some cities she is banned, others the is a $250 licensing fee and a $50,000, eventhough she has never shown any aggression. I thought we lived in America?
ryan marvin says
they sould banned all pitbulls they are dangerous why do you think alot of city dont want it like apts building the owner can be sued close it down it take one owner to have the dog out in the yard it can go after anyone yes pitbull are dangerous
elizabeth carrillo marquez says
i think pit bulls are not dangerous at all if you raise them right. all the people that use these dogs to fight are the cause of them being talked ABOUT THESE PEOPLE ARE THE ONES THAT MAKE THESE DOGS DANGEROUS. TO ME PITBULLS ARE VERY NICE AND CUTE ADORABLE DOGS SO ANY ONE AGAINST THESE DOGS ARE UGLY PEOPLE BECAUSE ITS THE MOYOS FAUGHT THAT THOSE DOGS TURN AGGRESSIVE
BARB d says
I currently have three dogs. The oldest is a 8 yr old ShepX; the 2nd is adopted American Carolina dog (similar to a Basengi–same yodel) the vet estimates him to be around 6-yrs old, but acts like a puppy. The third is a foster that I was considering adopting. He is a pit-mix about 8 months old. The middle dog and the pup had their brief battles, but began to play together very well. Lately, the pit has become more dominate and aggressive. Even though he is a puppy, he displays all the characteristics of a guard dog: growling, patrolling, running out the dog=-door when he hears any noise outside. My question: is the aggressive “play” between the two dogs something I should curtail? Is this type of rough play “nurturing” a possible inherent aggressive nature in the pit pup? The pit has nipped at me a few times in playful behavior, but not too concerned since puppies tend to do that. Any advice would be appreciated. I want to ensure I am being responsible w/the pup’s training but not overly paranoid to the point I do more damage than good.
Christine Hibbard says
Thank you for being such a responsible dog owner Barbara! I would recommend monitoring play between your Pit puppy and the other dogs so that rough play doesn’t “tip over” into a scuffle or fight. If you feel that the play is getting too rough, call your puppy to you, give him a treat and keep him with you until he settles down, then you can release him to play again. He needs to learn that overly rough play causes the fun and games to stop. I would also highly recommend finding an adolescent dog class that uses positive reinforcement based training techniques to teach your Pit impulse control (wait, leave it, drop it, stay, settle).
JC says
Is it a good idea to let dogs, in this case a Strafordshire terrier, play with stuffed animals that look like other dogs? I tend to think it is dangerous. The dog is the most loving and gentle dog imaginable, but these stuffed animals are turned into scrap. Does it encourage the dog to attack or harm other dogs. (The dog does go to doggie day care and gets along well with other dogs there. She has never chased a dog on a walk) The dog is one year old and very strong.
Christine Hibbard says
We actually encourage owners to buy cheap stuffed animals for their dogs to dissect. This will NOT encourage your dog to be aggressive to other dogs. In fact, dogs have many biological drives (humping, chewing, barking, digging, dissecting) and we encourage owners to provide “legal” outlets for their dogs to do those things. I recommend that owners buy cheap stuffed animals at Good Will or other thrift stores. Just be careful that your dog doesn’t ingest any of the stuffing, bead eyes, etc. All dogs should be supervised when engaging in a dissection exercise. Great question and thanks for reading Behind the Behavior!
kelsea says
I enjoyed this article and all the comments that went along with it. I have recently adopted a rescue dog that seems to be a pit-bull mix. The shelter told us he was a yellow lab and veshla mix, but after we got him home and showed some friends and did some research he clearly has pit-bull in him. The lady from the shelter knows we have a small dog that is a King Charles cavalier and cocker spaniel mix. She is the sweetest dog that would never even enter the charts to bite someone or another dog. Why would she not tell us the adopted dog is at least part pit bull??? He is only 12 weeks old and has shown no aggression towards my other dog, but I am very concerned (hence why i read this article) Most of the advice I am being given is to give the dog back. My boyfriend and I have had him for 3 days and we have fallen in love and don’t want to give the dog back but would never do anything to put our other dog in jeopardy.
I don’t want to give up on the rescue dog, but am I taking a chance with a more dangerous dog? I know we can give him a great life, but would someone without any other dogs be a better fit for him? Or perhaps more training experience with large dogs?
Christine Hibbard says
This isn’t about the dog being a Pit Mix, this is about whether this is the right dog for you and your family. I can’t answer that but you will probably find this article by Greta Kaplan to be informative and helpful: https://companionanimalsolutions.com/blogs/pit-bull-thoughts. In this article she makes the point that dog/dog aggression doesn’t begin to show (if it’s genetically wired) until 6 to 12 months, sometimes 18 months. Rescues need to give people a more balanced view of the breed instead of just rainbows and unicorns. If you don’t have big dog experience or Pit experience, this pup might not be a good fit for you. On the other hand, you may learn a ton by training this dog. Impossible for me to say. Good luck and write back to let us know how things turned out for you.
JC says
Thank you very much for your answer, that you encourage dog owners to get stuffed animals for their dogs. I do not have a pit, but my daughter does. I appreciate your column. I was worried when she got the dog last summer. SHe has been an excellent companion for my daughter who is living alone. I’ll keep reading!
BARB d says
@ kelsea….I have had several breeds that are considered “dangerous” and never had a problem. I currently have a dog that came from a pit mother but looks more like shepherd and is listed as a ShepX @ 90 lbs. He is a huge baby..had him since 2004. All thru this thread, the majority feel that its how the animal is trained and not just b/c he may or may not have pit in him.I strongly agree. I took in a rescue that had been thru FIVE fosters b/c he was so destructive; but with training, lots of love and patience, he turned out to be a great dog and I adopted him. I dont get how a dog can go from a lab/vizsla mix to pit, but I would ask your vet vs relying on the rescue or the opinion of others
As usual, Christine has the best advice. As a teenager, we had an older, small terrier then got a German Shepherd…the difference in size and temperament was quite drastic. The Shep was extremely protective and showed signs of aggression. However, as the terrier got older and became blind, the Shep became her seeing eye dog and never left her side. I have another friend that does animal rescue/fostering. She has a little chi-mix that rules the house. Even her Chow mix pays total alpha-dog respect to the little guy plus she has cats and they all co-habitat peacefully. With my pit-mix, I began structured training (without the other dogs around) like suggested and see a world of difference already.
Back in Michigan, there was a pit-bull breeder across the street. After the pups were able to walk around, she would come outside with the pups and the neighborhood kids would play with them. Mom was very gentle (which is quite unexpected for a mom with pups) and didn’t mind at all. I’ve seen cocker spaniels more protective over their pups than the pitbull.
I am by no means an expert, which is why I was drawn toward this thread regarding my new pit pup rescue. But if you love the pup, have the time to train him, and your situation can handle a bigger dog, I wouldn’t get rid of him. These creatures have a bad rep b/c of irresponsible pet owners. Any breed can become dangerous if not raised properly. I hope you make the decision that is the best for your family and the new pup. Peace….
Margot Alice says
I’d like to point out that it’s very difficult for anyone — dog trainer, shelter worker, or veterinarian, to be able to accurately deduce the genetic background of a mixed-breed dog. I’ve worked at a shelter and happen to be unusually good at “guessing” the breed makeup of individual dogs, but most of the time our guesses are actually incorrect. The dog you adopted may or may not have any pit in him; I’d definitely want to focus on the personality and temperament of the puppy and on giving him the best start and training possible. Doing some research and finding out who to listen to is more than half the challenge — this blog and the CAS site is an excellent place to start, IMO.
Theresa says
I read each and every comment here… First and foremost, it is the breed NOT the owners. I have friends who have a pit and have never ever ever ever been anything but loving to their indoor loved pit. It lately has out of the blue started to show signs of aggression and also attacked and wound a neighbors dog while out for a walk.. The dog just went crazy when it saw the other dog. They now keep it away from everyone and no longer take it for walks. Here is my experience .. I lived in a high rise in Dallas and coming out of my apt to go to the elevator a woman and her pit came off, as soon as the dog saw my two year old daughter it tried to attack her and as I scooped her up and ran screaming for our lives the owner lost control because of its strength… We were unharmed as she grabbed it as it dragged her down the hall.. One of the most frightening experiences in my life. Then only a week later it happened again but this time was a different owner and dog.. Needless to say, my daughter and I moved out of the building shortly later. NO ONE EVER SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE IN FEAR AND NO HUMAN LIFE SHOULD BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN A DOG. Why take the chance? I was getting my tire changed and overheard a man behind the counter talking about his sons pit attacked his 18 month old granddaughter . The pit was a beloved pet and never shown aggression before…. I was very offended by an above post stating that children attacks are the childs fault or the parents… NO…. Children should never be left alone with any aggressive breed ever. Human life, our children and our sweet pets should be able to live peacefully and not be in fear of being eaten by a pit bull … PERIOD
Christine Hibbard says
We agree with our conclusion Theresa but not necessarily your logic. If you spend any time on our blog reading articles about behavioral genetics, you know that the science tells us that 30% of an animal’s or human’s behavior is heavily weighted by genetics. Now, that’s a fairly heavy weight if you factor in learning. Our goal at Companion Animal Solutions is to make sure that everyone is safe, humans first, then dogs BUT we also take into account genetics, early learning, socialization, training, treatment and management of a dog. There are a few breeds who are being bred exclusively for human directed aggression but they are less than 1%. Any dog can be aggresive with an 18 month old child. No matter how many times we offer our “Diapers and Doggie’s” workshops to help expectant parents prepare themselves and their dogs for baby’s arrival, we get ZERO attendance. The phone starts ringing when the baby becomes a toddler. The toddler exhibits inappropriate and unsupervised behavior with the dog and the dog is not prepared. Dogs rely on us to take care of them. They can not take care of themselves. That’s why we view human/animal relationships with the complexity they deserve.
Margot Alice says
@Theresa : any dog can exhibit the behavior you describe. I’ve handled many, many pit-type dogs who were stressed and nervous when I worked in a shelter and in veterinary clinics; part of my job was to restrain the dogs for examination, blood draws and vaccinations, etc. I handled hundreds of dogs, in a situation in which the likelihood of bites occurring was high. As it happened, I never had a single incident with any of the pits I handled. On the other hand, I have a dog who was adopted at eight weeks but when she reached social maturity, she became very aggressive toward other dogs, some other animals, and sometimes toward people when fearful. She was well socialized, was and is a joy to train, and to my knowledge never had a traumatic experience. She is a border collie. I read recently that BC’s are responsible for a majority of dog bites. I have to manage my dog with the utmost vigilance, to keep people, other dogs and my dog safe. Sadly, I can never allow her to be near my grandson; when he becomes a toddler he will make gestures and movements and sounds that could trigger an aggressive response from my dog. It happens — with dogs of all shapes and sizes and breeds. It’s not pits, Theresa — it’s dogs. The combination of genetic predisposition / temperament and experience produces myriad variations between individuals and within a breed; I’ve known golden retrievers with aggression problems, as well as other dogs of various pure and mixed breeds, and the facts line up with my experience. Breed-specific legislation (BSL), is sadly misguided and harmful, and the media hasn’t helped. I realize it’s very difficult to convince people who have had a bad experience with a dog or dogs of a certain breed not to malign the particular breed that scared or hurt them, but I hope you will try to look past your experience while you continue to gather more information from credible sources.
BARB d says
Well stated Margot! Training, training, training and common sense. I was taught as a child not to run from a dog, not to approach or try to pet a strange or injured animal (my hand was torn to shreds as a child from a cat!), and never jump in between a dog fight. When my daughter was about 7, she was bitten on the stomach by a cocker spaniel. My neighbor was walking one of those little fluffy dogs on one of those extendable cord leashes with no control (I hate those things!) The little dog ran up to a man walking a Labrador, got the stupid cord wrapped around the man’s leg, he fell and the Lab attacked the little dog, killing it. I could go on and on with real life examples of “when non-aggressive breeds attack.” These incidents don’t make the news.
I didn’t realize that when my Dad would train our dogs to sit, balancing a treat on their noses until my Dad said the dog could have it, was more than just a trick. I still believe if the dogs that Theresa encountered had received proper and consistent training, the owner would have had control.. Its not the breed. And, we could start another whole thread about untrained /undisciplined children these days. I digress.
dubv says
Is it odd that animal nuts jump to blaming a human over an animal at every turn? Is it odd that people who make their living training animals would overestimate factors they are paid to oversee and seem to discount genetic factors?
Pits were bred to have dog-directed aggression, bite-hold-shake attack style, and extreme tenacity (gameness) in an attack. Hence, they are more dangerous by definition. It isn’t even debatable. Fighting breed dogs make poor pets, and that is one reason they glut our shelters.
Christine Hibbard says
We always take breed into consideration when we’re trying to determine “why” a behavior is happening whether it’s a dog, cat or bird. Sadly, some pits are dog/dog aggressive but you have to keep in mind the word “some”, not all. I have two Australian Shepherds, one has a ton of natural instinct on stock while the other just stands there and bark screams at stock. Currently science tells us that 30% of animal behavior has a predominately genetic basis but that leaves 70% that is affected by socialization and training during biological critical periods. Michael Vick and his crew of criminals bred specifically for dog/dog aggressiveness and they still had torture those dogs to get them to fight. With behavior, animal or human, it’s never black or white, it’s some shade of gray.
Melissa says
My husband and I purchased a pitbull from a shelter last year in June, and I was one of those people to be hesitant to buy a pitbull. I can now safely say I am ashamed for ever doubting that breed of dog. Our now 1 year old pitbull who we have raised from a pup, is the sweetest best thing that could have been put in our lives! We took him to obediance training, and was ranked number one in his class. He even passed his good citizens test with flying colors. I grew up with the kindest sweetest golden retrievers my entire life and our pitbull is just as big of a lover as they were. And he is SO smart! It sickens me and my husband to think of the way these amazing breeds are raised and treated. And then our society has the audacity to blame the breed/dog for the behaviors and not the humans raising them. That is such a load of crap.I truely believe how the owners raise their pitbull is how they will learn to be. As for Dennis’s “Facts” back in July of 2011. I honestly laughed when I read them. This saying goes for EVERYTHING in this world. Dont judge a book by it’s cover. You should be embarrassed Dennis, along with all the rest of you out there that are quick to judge. I would like to end my comments with, I was very pleased with your article Christine! Please continue to spread the word about how great Pitbulls really are! Thank You!
Christine Hibbard says
Congratulations on your sweet Pitbull. It’s wonderful to get comments from responsible and committed owners. Thank you for reading Behind the Behavior!
BARB d says
@ Melissa..I loved your post! I too have a pit (although pit-mix) that I took in as a foster. Christine’s advise on behavior modification has not been too successful with this 8 month old pup YET b/c although he is very smart, he is just too “happy to be here”…he tries so hard to behave, but just can’t seem to stop his tail/butt from wagging his entire body! My daughter was visiting and remarked that she has never seen a dog so happy and eager to please. We are still following Christine’s advice and he is progressing slowly i.e.understands/obeys basic commands, but just can’t seem to contain his happy, wiggly disposition and starts his “happy dance” at first opportunity. What a wonderful dog/breed! I’m keeping this one (another failed foster–smile).
Christine Hibbard says
Barb, if my advice has not helped you, you need to let me know so I can offer support. I’m happy to provide follow up visits or you can send me video via a private YouTube link (if you email me, I can send you our handout with instructions). You’re a wonderful owner and I want to make sure that your dog’s behavior meets your expectations. Thanks for responding to this post!
BARB d says
Oh no, Christine, I didn’t mean to imply anything negative! Your advice has been wonderful as I too was leary about fostering this breed and the welfare of my other two dogs. But now he is part of the family! This boy has me wrapped around his…paw?! He’s responding well, but just can’t seem to control his happy, wiggly butt! I want him to just settled down a bit but not break his happy disposition. Using positive reinforcement training is great; he’s so proud and happy when he does well. Its like having a child in the house! “look at me, look what I can do..” I’m sure he will settle down as he matures. When anyone comes over, he just has to show off so he can get attention..thus his name, “Face” b/c everyone says, “look at that cute face–so that what he responds to. He’s such a joy and reinforces that its not a breed issue, but environment and how pits are raised and trained. I’ll take you up on your offer though. Any additional tips or advice are always welcome. I’ll email you. Thanks for everything!
Christine Hibbard says
Face sounds like an absolute doll! Exuberance with humans is common in Pits and I’m just thrilled for you!
karen @ collars for dogs says
I’m very pleased to read that there is an organization training pit bull to be service dogs. That’s very good news!
Tracy says
I have been around APBT my whole life, and have owned a few also. We rescued a pit/pointer mix about 4 years ago who out of the blue about a year ago started showing dog aggression and extreme prey drive. About a week ago I re-homed her, but my issue is that about 2 years ago we rescued a pit puppy that has been with us and the other dog the whole time. Yesterday, somehow our front door was left cracked open by a repair person. After the door being open for about 90 minutes, a man was walking his dog int eh culdesac and the APBT darted out the front door towards them. We weren’t home so our neighbor chased him back into the house. The dog nor the man was bitten, and I cannot say for sure if mabye he wasn’t just attempting to play as I wasn’t there. But now my neighbor is basically cornering us saying he fears for the safety of his kids. I don’t know what do do and I need someone who can help me with maybe re-training him now that the other dog is gone, but I need someone affordable!
Allison says
Good Article!
I do not trust Bully breeds the same as other breeds – as they are bred for dog aggression I think they are to be viewed as a potential danger. Maybe it is a irrational fear.
Today I saw a a puppy that was definetely a bully breed, most like a APBT. Even though it was a pup I couldn’t help but think “Oh no, not in this neighborhood!”.
Retrievers retrieve, Hounds follow scents, pointers point, and Pit Bulls are dog aggressive.
They do what they were bred to do.
That said my dog is a Lab x Rottweiler and she is dog aggressive ( I think it is because of dominance, lack of socilization and genetics) . I trust that dog and love her to bits, she is a great dog.