Tori Renfro
Few dogs are as renowned and as feared in America as the Pit Bull. The American Pit Bull Terrier is the product of interbreeding between Old English Terrier and English Bulldogs to produce a dog that combined the gameness of the terrier with the strength and athleticism of the bulldog. These dogs were initially bred in England, and arrived in the United States with the founders. In the U.S., these dogs were used as catch dogs for semi-wild cattle and hogs, to hunt, to drive livestock, and as family companions. Some have been selectively bred for their fighting prowess. The United Kennel Club (UKC) was the first registry to recognize the American Pit Bull Terrier, in 1898. It can be challenging not to …show more content…
They have been bread for the past two hundred years for the purpose of producing instinctual fighters. It is unlikely that those instincts would disappear from the species. That being said, no dog is innately "good." Their behavior is based on a combination of their owner’s instructions and their instincts. Attempting to sell the Pit Bull to the public as an innocent puppy does a disservice to the public, to potential Pit Bull owners, and to Pits …show more content…
Despite this common opinion, an experiment was once performed. Fifty Pit Bulls were rescued from a fighting ring. Forty nine of the fifty dogs were rehabilitated. Some went to shelters such as Best Friends and many are well-loved family members today. The testing used to determine these dogs' ability to fit into society was exhaustive, extensive, and carefully carried out. Pit Bulls are different from other dogs and potential owners need to be made aware of the facts before considering rescuing or purchasing one. For example, a dog lover who has had Bichons all her life will be sorely surprised unless she does her homework and understand the bully breeds. Pits need a lot of structure, a very pronounced human alpha, training, exercise and lots of attention. The owner needs consistency, time, energy and quite possibly some