My mother told me that certain dog breeds such as pitbulls could be very dangerous. Someone else told me that it has nothing to do with the breed and its all about the owner. My mother said certain breeds are born to fight and be mean. Is it true that certain breeds are more dangerous that others?
Why are pitbulls ILLEGAL in some places???
21 Responses
2008 Dec 28
yes its true pitbulls are naturally dangerous.
other dogs like rottweilers are a little violent, as they were breed for police-ing but with the right love and care they can turn out fine.
same goes for pitbulls, although, pitbulls have known to turn. al dogs can. its just that pitbulls have done so more and turn out more violent then others.
2008 Dec 30
Some breeds of dogs are naturally agressive but it all really comes down to the owner. The owner can train the dog to not be agressive, to not bite, or fight with other dogs. If dogs are brought up bad with no training then there’s a good chance there going to be agressive!
2008 Dec 31
well i own a korean jindo and like all of the asian spitz breeds its naturally more aggressive than a normal lab or retriever. i would say that dangerous dogs are only dangerous because of the way they were raised and no domestic pet dog is naturally born to attack humans and whatnot. Hope this answers your question.
2008 Dec 31
no it is so not!
u can train a dog todo stuff
i mean ya they do have some intsinct on stuff
but they arent dangerous. i have met nice pitbulls!
2009 Jan 03
I think it all depends on how their owner treats them.
2009 Jan 06
Yes, it is true that some dogs have stronger, aggressive tendencies than others, and it is also true that owners have alot to do with these matters as well.
some dog breeds (and just some dogs) were bred to be aggressive, such as pits(which get the term “pit bull” because they are fought in rings or pits against other pit bulls and dogs), but others, like rottweilers, have natural aggressive tendencies and are natural guard dogs, but bred to be cattle dogs, NOT POLICE DOGS… ahem. excuse the correction, but I own and handle these dogs, and just get a little irritated by some answerers. sorry. But, a lot is brought out by selective breeding, too. this is the third reason, but not mentioned in your question.
If you combine all three, it is a VERY dangerous dog.
so your mom is partially right, and so is the other person.
2009 Jan 08
A friendof mine has been breeding pittbulls for over twenty years, they are so not a dangerous breed.
What makes ANY animal dangerous is a bad powner who has no idea what the breed is about, and does not think to train the animal either.
Same goes for every single “dangerous” breed out there. Guarding and attack dogs are not dangerous, they are trained to be like that.
As for Rotts, I had a pack of four on the farm, they were never agressive. It’s about how one handles them.
There are different functions for different breeds, but if the pitt was so dangerous, here would have been no way a pitt was a war hero.
Of course pitts are different to herding dogs for instance, but that in no manner or way makes them inherently dangerous.
2009 Jan 11
No, not dangerous per say. They just were bred to do different things, such as hunting, guarding, herding etc. I hate when people say pit bulls, rottys, german shepherds and such are dangerous. When properly socialized and trained any canine can be sweet. Thats why some people have actual wolves, and wolf hybrids. I honestly believe dogs are somewhat a mirror of their owners, and depending on how they are treated and trained shows in exactly how they behave.
2009 Jan 13
it can be both the breed and the owner..
some dogs have a natural disposition for agression (ie.. originally breed for fighting, or breed to be guard dogs, attack dogs)
but some of it falls on the owners too…
i know some pitbulls (from friends) and they are fine with people and kids. as they were well disciplined as a pup.
some dogs are breed for working (farm work) so are not so suited to a surbuban backyard, as they need the mental activity and they get bored and destructive.
differents breeds have different needs, and different temperaments….
but then it also falls on how the pup is treated and brought up…..
2009 Jan 13
You mother is sadly incorrect, and I hate to hear people say this about pit bulls. Pit bulls can be some of the biggest, most loving dogs you will EVER own.
Some dogs are more snappy then others, but at the same time it depends on how you raise them.
I have a german shepherd. Shepherds were originally bred to be herding dogs, therefor protective of their herd. In time, they were seen as very usful police dogs and guard dogs. So they started being bred for this. This job also used their natural guard abilities. So, a lot of shepherds are very suspicious of strangers, and if not socialized properly, many shepherds can snap at a stranger if approached in the wrong manner. This doesn’t mean they are dangerous. They are doing what they were bred to do, guard their “herd” (aka their family). Knowing this, I took my shepherd out from the time he was 8 weeks old and introduced him to EVERYBODY I could! Since he was 8 weeks old, he has gone to petsmart at least twice a week, just so he is not as weary around strangers. I knew the potential problems of the breed, and being a responsible owner, I insured that I trained him properly to try to avoid any problems.
Pit bulls are very similiar. They were originally bred to fight bulls (NOT OTHER DOGS LIKE SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING!! ORIGINALLY PITT BULLS WERE BRED TO FIGHT HUGE BULLS IN PITS) (hence the name pit bull). They were also used as hunting dogs. Therefor they have a strong prey drive (the urge to chase and hunt other animals). Its what they were bred for. Very rarely will a pit bull be human aggressive, because that was never in them. Even pitts bred to fight today in illegal dog fights aren’t bred for human aggression. Any pitt that attacks their handler is instantly killed.
So if someone owns a pitt, they just need to socialize it from puppy hood around many animals. And if this is not possible, they just need to keep an eye on the dog around small animals.
Herding dogs and guard dogs are more prone to be weary around strange humans because they were bred to protect. This doesn’t mean they are dangerous, as long as they are trained well and handled properly they will be fine.
Same with hunting dogs, like pitts and hounds. They were bred to hunt and kill small animals. So if someone owns one of these breeds, they need to take the responsibilty of properly training the dog and caring for it around other animals.
It is about the person and not the dog. A dog that is abused, poorly socialized, and mishandled is a LOT more likely to attack another animal or a human then a dog that is cared for properly, loved, and most importantly, TRAINED AND SOCIALIZED PROPERLY FROM PUPPYHOOD
EDIT: Moos, you are incorrect. Pitt bulls aren’t more likely to turn. In fact, did you know that the breeds with the most reported attacks WEREN’T Pit bulls but were in fact breeds like poodles and cocker spaniels? You just hear about pitt bulls more because the media likes to potray them as an aggressive dog. There are MILLIONS of dog bites yearly, yet you maybe hear about 20 or so on the news a year, all of them oddly happen to be pitts or “aggressive” breeds like dobbies and shepherds. But what about the other thousands and thousands of bites you never hear about? What breeds are these? Your neighbors friendly lab? The cute golden retriever down the street? The poodle at the park? No one cares about these. “Those aren’t aggressive dogs, it must of been a fluke accident”. Yet these breeds are way more likely to attack then a pitt or dobie, and they do attack more then pitts or dobies. Or, sadly, A LOT of bites are labeled as pitt attacks, even if the dog wasn’t actually a pitt bull!!! If no one knows the breed of the attacking dog and it can’t be found, they are way more likely to be labled as a pitt bull then they are to be labeled as a lab, and this happens a lot. I’ve seen it myself. I just wish so many people didn’t buy in to what they hear on the news and actually looked at statistics
EDIT: Here are some statistics I found that kinda help defend pit bulls
There are 74.8 MILLION dogs in the US
There are 4.7 million reported dog bites evert year
800,000 bites require medical attention. That means 3.9 MILLION dog bites happen that are nothing more then little scratches or bruises
In 2007, there were 32 fatalities from dog attacks. 6 of these were listed on the statistic list as being pitt bull attacks (that doesn’t mean it was actually a pitt bull, there have been numerous reports where dogs that weren’t pitt bulls were labeled as pits for lack of a better breed)
Out of the other 26 fatal attacks on the list, not ONE had a bred listed. It was just listed as a fatal dog attack. I find it funny that on the national statistics released by the US government, only pit bulls were mentioned. Is it because no one wants to hear about their beloved labs killing? Or poodles? or a cute little pomeranian ripping an infant apart (This happened in california not too long ago. A little cute pomeranian killed a 6 week old baby)
Between 1979 and 1998, severe dog bites resulted in at least 332 confirmed human deaths. Twenty-five breeds of dogs were involved.
TWENTY FIVE breeds were involved in human killings, but we only hear of one, the pit bull
I bet some will be suprised to hear that Great Danes, Malamutes, and Saint Bernards also made the list of human killers, all three breeds also made the list more then once
from 1975 to 1980, 81 dog bite fatalities occurred in the U.S., involving only one rottweiler and NO pit bulls!!! Wow, what a suprise
The breed that caused the greatest number of fatalities between 1975 to 1980 was the German shepherd, a breed that was not involved in a single human death during the 1997-1998 study period
If the pit bull is just an aggressive dog, how come it doesnt kill all the time?! I’ll admit, some years see 60% of human fatalities attributed to pit bulls, but other years pit bulls aren’t responsible for ANY human deaths!! If the breed was just inheritantly aggressive, wouldn’t it attack and kill ALL the time?!
People REALLY need to look at statistics before judging a breed.
4.7 million dog bites in the US last year, and how many do you hear about on the news? I personally MAYBE hear about 20 or so a year, and most of these happen to be pit bull attacks. But 4.7 MILLION attacks, how does 20 attacks or so on the news prove anything?!
EDIT 3: pit bulls are illegal in some places because it is easier to get rid of a problem then to solve it correctly. In my eyes, it shows that authorities are lazy. Instead of capturing the HUMANS that abuse these animals and make them aggressive, they just ban the breed. You ban pit bulls, german shepherds, our beloved police dogs, will become the top killers. You ban them, rottweilers. And so on and so on. Until you eventually get to labs and loving “family pets” That are just as capable of killing. The reason there is such a big hype is because at this time, pit bulls are the top killers, ONLY because they are big dogs and their bites do a lot more damage! You ban them, a NEW large breed dog will become the top killer. There will always be a breed that kills more then others, until finally you have all the large breed dogs banned completely. Then you will realize what hellians little dogs can be
2009 Jan 16
Any dog can be dangerous in the wrong hands. I was raised like that to but I know first hand pitbulls if raised properly are no more dangerous to people then a pomerianen. I have a pitbull and was terrified that she night turn out to be a KILLER when in fact she is just the opposite. The owner are the real problum. Pitbulls are always in the lime light as dangerous when in fact a Rotwiller has more biteforce then a pit as does a German Shepherd. People choose the pit because it is a hardy dog that has a huge amount of heart and just wants to please its owner and is willing to do whatever it takes to do just that and has a high prey drive but so do malinwas and greyhounds. They can be dog agressive but were not bred to be people agressive otherwise it would be prone to attacking its ownner in a fight. If you do get one I insist on getting a puppy as this gives you the best chance of having the dog not take on bad habits or people training it that way and ATTEND puppy class and socialize it with every dog it meets ASAP so it may not even start to get dog aggressive. Check your local ASPCA they do testing on the older dogs.
2009 Jan 18
yes it true . there are bread out there like pitbull that are naturlely dageris . the resion be hind it has to do with the story of how dogs became man best friend you should look it up and read it. and the owner douse play a big roll in the way a dog. trun out.
hope this helps .
2009 Jan 21
I honestly believe that it has to do with the owner.
My mom has a 2 “pits” and they are both very gentle. One is 8 years and the other about 1 year. They are both wonderfully sweet dogs..even with my children. Sadee has been my moms child since my brother moved out about 7 years ago and she is sooo sweet. She just adopted Jasper from a litter of 7 @ our local shelter a year ago and he is great too!
I DONT think there is a BAD breed…I think it ALL has to do with the owner and how they are raised.
Honestly…I have a yellow lab…one of the sweetest dogs, AND I DO MEAN one of the SWEETEST dogs u will ever meet… if he fell into the wrong hands he could very well be aggressive with all of his 100 pounds!
DONT judge by the cover, but by whats in the inside of ANYONE…. even furrbabies!
2009 Jan 24
Some breeds are bred to guard such as german shephereds, rottweilers etc and others were bred to fight, such as pitbulls. There is a genetic disposition in the guarding breeds that can make them wary of strangers, which means they are good at what they were bred for. However a lot of their temperament also comes from “nuture” which is how they are trained and handled by humans.
A staffordshire bull terrier is only 1 of the 2 breeds that the kennel club recommends that are ideal family pets with children. This goes to show that a lot of the breeds that are thought to be dangerous are in fact great family pets. Saying that though, people must never trust a dog 100% and never leave them around children unsupervised, as anything can happen. I am not just saying this about dogs though, any pet or animal has the potential to bite or scratch as they are animals that have been tamed but are not totally “safe”
2009 Jan 26
although i have no true knowledge on this topic, i recently met a pitbull, and heard his touching story, and thought i’d shed some light.
anyhow, he is a three-year-old pitbull.
and i heard about him because my friend’s sister and her boyfriend rescued him from abusive owners.
from what i hear, the abuse was so bad that they found him, locked in a garage, trying to drink something hazardous. i believe it was motor oil, or brake fluid, or something. and his previous owners were going to train him how to fight.
luckily though, they stole him away from his owners before that happened.
anyhow, upon hearing about this dog, i actually got to meet him last week. and seriously, he is so sweet. i mean, i know everyone says that about dogs they love, but this dog seriously was. he was quiet, gentle, calm, even slightly timid. he also seemingly got along very well with their other dog, a keeshond. from what i understand, the two get along very well… haha, i’ve seen pictures.
sadly though, the pitbull has cancer.
that made me sad.
seriously though, aside from the pitbull, both of the dogs had incredible temperment. the best temperment i’ve ever seen in dogs, really. they had the same even-temper, and sweet attitude towards people, and they are very different breeds.
so, i am a firm believer that there’s nothing to do with the breed. any dog has hope with a loving owner.
2009 Jan 28
Listen, the only kind of bad dog breeds are bad owners. The only reason that pitbulls get a bad reputation are because of rumors and the bad stories people tell. To everything, there are two sides of a story, a good and a bad. Try finding people who own pitbulls, and ask them what they say. Like me, I have a pitbull, and he is the most loving one I know. My family did have a better pitbull, that one even saved my brother from playing in the road when my brother was in diapers. He was the best dog I ever had, but the we have now is still a good pitbull. He loves to play, gives hugs, and does amusing tricks that we didn’t even teach him, but the only thing he doesn’t like is when you play to ruff with him. Pitbulls can be loyal, and your best friend, and the only bad pitbulls are the ones raised by bad owners!!!
2009 Jan 29
ROCHELLE doesnt have a clue about apbt they were breed for bull baiting it was j p colby who first turned it in to what it has become today
2009 Feb 02
You are going to get a range of conflicting answers on this one as it is an argument of old…nature versus nurture!!!
Genetics count….and so does environment.
When breeding first started people chose traits that they liked and bred dogs to get them again…a pushed in face is cute, lets try again…..the pug, a dog with no hair would be fun…..mexican hairless, a dog that brings in my sheep…the border collie, a dog that will fight bulls…..tough enough to take the knocks and not run away…the list goes on.
Already you can see that what we have bred for we have often obtained from colour, to coat texture, to temperament.
Bull fighting dogs such as the bull dog were bred to fight bulls and others were developed for fighting dogs eg. bull terrier, staffordshire bull terrier, staffordshire terrier.
Many of these breeds have continued to be developed with other ranked traits in priority and those of the ‘fighting’ dog less sought after. (Some gangs etc still enjoy breeding the fighting dog and ‘pitting’ them, so there are still some out there that are looking to fight). But now some lines (strains of the same breed) are considered to be very different eg. great with children…they can take the knocks but don’t fight back.
I think what your mother is saying is that you have to be careful….when ever you approach a dog. All dogs can be unpredictable in certain situations and under certain stresses…if you don’t know the dog you won’t know what may trigger that dog. Just like a border collie, has a stronger genetic impulse to chase and herd, a pitbull, has a stronger genetic impulse to defend itself…if HE/SHE FEELS that you may be a threat.
Could they be considered a more aggressive breed….yes I think that in terms of genetic pursuasion they may be…but that does not necessarily mean that the aggression is targeted towards humans. In breeds that have been historically bred for aggression that predisposition for aggression is going to be present - even if not clearly visible. The same way that other traits in other breeds are present even if not always exhibited in each individual dog.
Finally, the correct environment and upbringing can make a difference to an individual dog, but more importantly careful selection and careful responsible breeding will make a bigger difference to the breed itself - no matter the type.
2009 Feb 03
There is no such a thing as an inherently dangerous breed of dog:
Otherwise how would Leo (former Michael Vick victim) help cancer victims?
Or help the highway patrol?
2009 Feb 05
It depends. The only thing that is a factor is how you treat him/her. My dog is a Krillian Bear Dog. If you do not give it the proper love and care it will turn mean and vicious. They naturally are capable of tearing your face to shreds, but since I care for it it is cool and nice and sweet. The only problem is that I dress him up so he is now gay. No joke.
2009 Feb 06
Bad owners make dogs dangerous.
The reason why some breeds are considered dangerous in legislation is the way the media covers it. It’s much more exciting to say a pit bull attacked a child than to say it of a Golden Retriever or, heaven forbid, a Collie like Lassie.
Did you know that Staffordshire Bull Terriers are known as “nanny” dogs?
What we do know for certain is that non-neutered dogs are twice as likely to bite as neutered dogs, as are dogs chained in yards. Dogs that go to obedience school are 50% less likely to bite than those who don’t.
Unlicensed dogs are twice as likely to bite as licensed dogs. Dogs with current rabies vaccinations are half as likely to bite as those without. Bitches who have had at least one litter are 2.5 times more likely to bite than those who haven’t.
All of these factors are more significant in predicting what kind of dog will bite than breed.
These statistics didn’t come out of the air. They’re from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control).
Conclusion: dog owners have more potential to be dangerous than the dogs they own.
(No, I’m not a pit bull person; I just don’t like BSL)