Pit Bull Myth #1 - Pit Bulls Have Locking Jaws.
This is absolutely not true! Dr. I Lehr Brisbin, of the University of Georgia, who studies
animal ecology, found that “there is no evidence for the existence of any kind of
"locking mechanism" unique to the structure of the jaws and / or teeth of pit bulls.”
Their jaws are structurally and functionally the same as every other dog breed
Pit Bull Myth #2 - Pit Bulls Can't Feel Pain.
The nervous system of pit bulls is the same as all other dog breeds and they do feel
pain. They are sentient beings, not cartoons.
Pit Bull Myth #3 - Pit Bulls Have More PSI in Their Bite than Other Dogs
Dr. Brady Barr, of National Geographic, measured the bite force of many animals,
including humans, on the 2005 program Dangerous Encounters: Bite Force. Dr. Barr
found that the average domestic dog was capable of 320 pounds of pressure. A
German Shepherd, American Pit Bull Terrier, and Rottweiler were tested using a bite
sleeve equipped with a specialized computer instrument. Of the three dogs tested, the
pit bull had the least amount of pressure of the three breeds.
Pit Bull Myth #4 - Pit Bulls Bite More Than Other Breeds
There are so many breeds (as many as 10) that are commonly reported as pitbulls by
mistake. Many media outlets and law enforcement agents incorrectly identify other dog
breeds as pit bulls. If you think you can correctly identify a pit bull, we challenge you to
take the following test: http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html
Because so many dogs are misidentified as pit bulls, the number of bite cases
attributed to pit bulls is higher than it is in reality.
Additionally, it is very difficult to get an accurate count in dog bite statistics in general.
For more information on dog bites, check out: http://www.
nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com
And lastly…pit bulls are one of the most popular dogs in the country. The more of
them there are, the more likely it is that you’ll encounter one. You rarely hear bite
reports attributed to Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers, not because they don’t bite,
but because there are so few of them in this country.
Pit Bull Myth #5 – The Brains of Pit Bulls Swell
Some people believe that the brains of pit bulls never stop growing. This imaginary
swelling of their brains causes them to go insane. This is total fiction! Before the pit
bull craze came about this same myth was pinned on Doberman Pinschers. This rumor
isn’t true of any breed and it's just as false now as it was back then!
Pit Bull Myth #6 - All Pit Bulls are Dog Aggressive
Pit Bulls, like all other dogs, have a range of dog tolerance levels. Although it’s true
that many pit bulls suffer from lack of socialization, that doesn’t mean they can’t learn
to have dog friends. The tolerance level of each individual dog is a fluid element and
will often change throughout out a dog’s life. It’s up to the owner to be committed to
providing safe social interactions for their dogs. For this reason, we do not
recommend dog parks, where you have no control over other dog’s behaviors.
Instead, try training classes; slow introductions with familiar well-socialized dogs, and
small play groups.
Pit Bull Myth #7 - All Pit Bulls have Unstable Temperaments
Canine temperament testing statistics are collected by an independent organization,
the American Temperament Testing Society (ATTS), which carefully evaluates
companion dogs through a battery of situations similar to the AKC's Canine Good
Citizen test. The ATTS results for the three breeds typically identified as Pit Bulls—
American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, and Staffordshire Bull
Terrier—were a combined pass rate of 86.6%.
That’s higher than the Golden Retriever.
Carl Herkstroeter, the president of the ATTS, has been quoted on this issue: "We have
tested somewhere around a thousand pit-bull-type dogs […] I've tested half of them.
And of the number I've tested I have disqualified one pit bull because of aggressive
tendencies. They have done extremely well. They have a good temperament. They are
very good with children."
Pit Bull Myth #8 - Pit Bulls are Aggressive Towards People
Pit bulls are lap dogs! They love people, crave our attention and approval, and are
loyal and devoted. Temperamentally sound pit bulls are known for their dependability
and trustworthy nature with people. Being people friendly, even to strangers, is their
breed standard. These dogs are fabulous with people not in spite of being Pit Bulls but
because they are pit bulls!
Pit Bull Myth #9 - Pit Bulls Should be Kept Away from Children
Historically, pit bulls have been a favorite companion of children. Temperamentally
sound pit bulls are the perfect dog to withstand the rough play typically associated with
children. In England, pit bulls were known for their reliability with children and it earned
them the nickname “nursemaid’s dog” or “nanny dog”!
Of course, it’s never a good idea to leave children and dogs unsupervised, no matter
what breed of dog is involved.
Pit Bull Myth #10 - Pit Bulls Kill Small Animals
There are many different breeds of dogs that tend to chase cats and other small
animals, including pit bulls. However, there are countless cases of pit bulls that show a
low prey drive and can live with cats and other small animals without anyproblems. It all
boils down to socialization and each individual dog. No breed is inherently better or
worse in this case, it depends on each dog and the owner’s commitment to responsible
pet management.
This is absolutely not true! Dr. I Lehr Brisbin, of the University of Georgia, who studies
animal ecology, found that “there is no evidence for the existence of any kind of
"locking mechanism" unique to the structure of the jaws and / or teeth of pit bulls.”
Their jaws are structurally and functionally the same as every other dog breed
Pit Bull Myth #2 - Pit Bulls Can't Feel Pain.
The nervous system of pit bulls is the same as all other dog breeds and they do feel
pain. They are sentient beings, not cartoons.
Pit Bull Myth #3 - Pit Bulls Have More PSI in Their Bite than Other Dogs
Dr. Brady Barr, of National Geographic, measured the bite force of many animals,
including humans, on the 2005 program Dangerous Encounters: Bite Force. Dr. Barr
found that the average domestic dog was capable of 320 pounds of pressure. A
German Shepherd, American Pit Bull Terrier, and Rottweiler were tested using a bite
sleeve equipped with a specialized computer instrument. Of the three dogs tested, the
pit bull had the least amount of pressure of the three breeds.
Pit Bull Myth #4 - Pit Bulls Bite More Than Other Breeds
There are so many breeds (as many as 10) that are commonly reported as pitbulls by
mistake. Many media outlets and law enforcement agents incorrectly identify other dog
breeds as pit bulls. If you think you can correctly identify a pit bull, we challenge you to
take the following test: http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html
Because so many dogs are misidentified as pit bulls, the number of bite cases
attributed to pit bulls is higher than it is in reality.
Additionally, it is very difficult to get an accurate count in dog bite statistics in general.
For more information on dog bites, check out: http://www.
nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com
And lastly…pit bulls are one of the most popular dogs in the country. The more of
them there are, the more likely it is that you’ll encounter one. You rarely hear bite
reports attributed to Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers, not because they don’t bite,
but because there are so few of them in this country.
Pit Bull Myth #5 – The Brains of Pit Bulls Swell
Some people believe that the brains of pit bulls never stop growing. This imaginary
swelling of their brains causes them to go insane. This is total fiction! Before the pit
bull craze came about this same myth was pinned on Doberman Pinschers. This rumor
isn’t true of any breed and it's just as false now as it was back then!
Pit Bull Myth #6 - All Pit Bulls are Dog Aggressive
Pit Bulls, like all other dogs, have a range of dog tolerance levels. Although it’s true
that many pit bulls suffer from lack of socialization, that doesn’t mean they can’t learn
to have dog friends. The tolerance level of each individual dog is a fluid element and
will often change throughout out a dog’s life. It’s up to the owner to be committed to
providing safe social interactions for their dogs. For this reason, we do not
recommend dog parks, where you have no control over other dog’s behaviors.
Instead, try training classes; slow introductions with familiar well-socialized dogs, and
small play groups.
Pit Bull Myth #7 - All Pit Bulls have Unstable Temperaments
Canine temperament testing statistics are collected by an independent organization,
the American Temperament Testing Society (ATTS), which carefully evaluates
companion dogs through a battery of situations similar to the AKC's Canine Good
Citizen test. The ATTS results for the three breeds typically identified as Pit Bulls—
American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, and Staffordshire Bull
Terrier—were a combined pass rate of 86.6%.
That’s higher than the Golden Retriever.
Carl Herkstroeter, the president of the ATTS, has been quoted on this issue: "We have
tested somewhere around a thousand pit-bull-type dogs […] I've tested half of them.
And of the number I've tested I have disqualified one pit bull because of aggressive
tendencies. They have done extremely well. They have a good temperament. They are
very good with children."
Pit Bull Myth #8 - Pit Bulls are Aggressive Towards People
Pit bulls are lap dogs! They love people, crave our attention and approval, and are
loyal and devoted. Temperamentally sound pit bulls are known for their dependability
and trustworthy nature with people. Being people friendly, even to strangers, is their
breed standard. These dogs are fabulous with people not in spite of being Pit Bulls but
because they are pit bulls!
Pit Bull Myth #9 - Pit Bulls Should be Kept Away from Children
Historically, pit bulls have been a favorite companion of children. Temperamentally
sound pit bulls are the perfect dog to withstand the rough play typically associated with
children. In England, pit bulls were known for their reliability with children and it earned
them the nickname “nursemaid’s dog” or “nanny dog”!
Of course, it’s never a good idea to leave children and dogs unsupervised, no matter
what breed of dog is involved.
Pit Bull Myth #10 - Pit Bulls Kill Small Animals
There are many different breeds of dogs that tend to chase cats and other small
animals, including pit bulls. However, there are countless cases of pit bulls that show a
low prey drive and can live with cats and other small animals without anyproblems. It all
boils down to socialization and each individual dog. No breed is inherently better or
worse in this case, it depends on each dog and the owner’s commitment to responsible
pet management.
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