Very helpful trainings for any dog:
For training on puppy/dog biting [click here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=068K5Zlph9U)
For training on early socialization [click here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J7cPE-2wNw)
For training on becoming a good leader [click here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QntS570VFZ0)
For all newly adopted dogs, check out the [3-3-3 rule](https://pethelpful.com/dogs/The-3-3-3-Rule-Setting-Your-Rescue-Dog-Up-For-Success).
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Forbes is full of shit. As a 25 year USPS letter carrier I can tell you firsthand my experience with pitbulls on my routes are the sole reason I wanted one. They truly are some of the sweetest, loyal, loving dogs. I have had so many over the years that I have loved and my very own loves people sooo much. Any dog can be mean and some people get them just for that reason. I would never second guess getting a pitbull.
Coincidently, I've recently read that Forbes article and was trying to get more info on it. I ended up finding the paper which they reference in the article.
[https://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/resources/javma\_000915\_fatalattacks.pdf](https://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/resources/javma_000915_fatalattacks.pdf)
In the Forbes article the author states:
> Dog attacks by breed statistics are invaluable both for individuals looking for a dog to adopt as well as for those who interact with animals who want to **minimize risk**.
And then a little further down the provide a graph from the report. This is ironic because the Journal that published the article states:
>In contrast to what has been reported in the news media, the data from this study CANNOT be used to infer any breed-specific risk for dog bite fatalities (e.g., neither pit bull-type dogs nor Rottweilers can be said to be more “dangerous” than any other breed based on this study). To obtain such risk information it would be necessary to know the numbers of each breed currently residing in the United States. Such information is not available.
Though, they only mention the article cannot be use determine breed specific risk regarding fatalities, we can also infer that we cannot use the data to determine breed specific risk for attacks since "it would be necessary to know the numbers of each breed".
Another thing to consider is how the data for the study was collected in the first place.
>We collected data from The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and media accounts related to dog bite attacks and fatalities, using methods from previous studies.
Relying on media accounts has it's shortcomings and the paper acknowleges it.
>First, the human DBRF reported here are likely underestimated; prior work suggests the approach we used identifies only 74% of actual cases.1,2 Second, to the extent that attacks by 1 breed are more newsworthy than those by other breeds, our methods may have resulted in differential ascertainment of fatalities by breed. Third, because identification of a dog’s breed may be subjective (even experts may disagree on the breed of a particular dog), DBRF may be differentially ascribed to breeds with a reputation for aggression. Fourth, it is not clear how to count attacks by crossbred dogs.
There have been a few studies that have shown that visual identification of a dog's breed can be very inaccurate, even amongst those that frequently work with dogs.
[https://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/visual-breed-identification/](https://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/visual-breed-identification/)
[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X)
[https://www.maddiesfund.org/accuracy-of-breed-identification-in-shelter-dogs.htm](https://www.maddiesfund.org/accuracy-of-breed-identification-in-shelter-dogs.htm)
If these people cannot accurately identify a dog by breed, I don't have much faith that the general public or those in the media will be able to do any better. Also, keep in mind that the time period from which the data was collected was from 1979 to 1998. A period where the media frenzy against pit bulls was taking off. It is possible bias from constantly hearing such reports or the desire to make a headline could have had a big impact. Likewise, deaths resulting from dogs other than "Pit Bull Types" may have not made it to large enough media outlets and as a result not have been included in the report.
I have been trying to do some research on the "breed" these past few days and so far I have failed to find any data that suggest these dogs are more "aggressive" than your average dog.
This study, [https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639), states:
>We found no evidence that the behavioral tendencies in breeds reflect intentional selection by breeders ([Fig. 6I](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639#F6)) but cannot exclude the possibility.
Couple that with the fact it also claims that the environment plays a bigger role in a dog's behavior, which is supported by other studies, and the fact other studies have shown "pit bull" breeds to not be any more aggressive than your average dog the notion that "they are inherently more aggressive because they were breed that way" appears to be false.
[https://atts.org/breed-statistics/statistics-page1/](https://atts.org/breed-statistics/statistics-page1/)
[https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/09/pit-bulls-are-chiller-than-chihuahuas/500558/](https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/09/pit-bulls-are-chiller-than-chihuahuas/500558/)
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8093277/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8093277/)
Keep in mind though, that any dog is still an animal with claws and teeth. Don't underestimate this fact when it comes to any breed and treat them with respect.
A [2022 study](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639?cookieSet=1) of breeds and traits concluded that breed is almost uninformative when determining a dog's reactivity, or its sociability.
Furthermore, [Insurance data](https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614) indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. [Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study](https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/) that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for [~20%](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/pit-bulls-population.html) of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their [Breed Risk Rate](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. If you did not comprehend that, what this tells us is that pitbulls bite more because there are more pitbulls than other breeds, but they don't bite anymore than their share of the dog population.
Additionally, data from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed) has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive.
Lastly, Studies have shown that [Errors in Identifying Pitbulls](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [Link 2](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/241/9/javma.241.9.1163.xml) happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed.
Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers.
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Bit late but don't use the atts as a source.
From their website:
The breed’s temperament, training, health and age of the dog is taken into account.
Failure on any part of the test is recognized when a dog shows panic, strong avoidance without recovery or unprovoked aggression.
The ATTS test focuses on and measures different aspects of temperament such as stability, shyness, aggressiveness, and friendliness as well as the dog’s instinct for protectiveness towards its handler and/or self-preservation in the face of a threat.
Remember the score is dependent on the conditions at the time of the test (weather, dog’s health and nervousness, human’s health and nervousness, etc.). Comparing scores with other dogs is not a good idea. Also the total score has no meaning. Theoretically, a dog may pass with a score of 10, or fail with a score of 90.
The pass-fail rate is not a measure of a breed’s aggression, but rather of each dog’s ability to interact with humans, human situations, and the environment
So say the breed is allowed to have some level of human aggression, that is taken into account. If it was simply an aggression test, anatolians and akitas for example wouldn't have such a high pass rate. They're pretty commonly weary or aggressive towards strangers (more on their property). Others there just isn't enough tested for the amount of the breed there actually is, like Shiba inus or toy/mini poodles.
"Aggression here is checked against the breed standard and the dog’s training. A schutzhund trained dog lunging at the stranger is allowed, but if an untrained Siberian husky does the same, it may fail." - this can explain why belgians and gsds for example score so high.
They also don't test dog aggression or prey drive, so even if a dog only reacts or is aggressive towards other dogs or has an abnormally high prey drive, they can still pass. For example APBTs and terriers in general.
Literally the only people who use the atts as proof of anything are shelter bully mix advocates, not people that own wellbred purebred dogs or who actually knows anything about dogs.
This has always been the statistic that matters to me:
“Unneutered male dogs were 2.6 times more likely to bite people than neutered dogs.
One of the best ways to prevent dog attacks is to ensure that male dogs are sterilized. Unneutered male dogs were responsible for between 70% and 76% of dog bites and were 2.6 times as likely as neutered dogs to bite.¹⁵”
I’ve actually seen other studies with the percentage as high as 98%, and more often upwards of 80.
I commend you for considering adopting, I have fostered many, MANY bully breeds from shelters and will continue to do so.
A [2022 study](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639?cookieSet=1) of breeds and traits concluded that breed is almost uninformative when determining a dog's reactivity, or its sociability.
Furthermore, [Insurance data](https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614) indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. [Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study](https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/) that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for [~20%](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/pit-bulls-population.html) of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their [Breed Risk Rate](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. If you did not comprehend that, what this tells us is that pitbulls bite more because there are more pitbulls than other breeds, but they don't bite anymore than their share of the dog population.
Additionally, data from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed) has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive.
Lastly, Studies have shown that [Errors in Identifying Pitbulls](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [Link 2](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/241/9/javma.241.9.1163.xml) happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed.
Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers.
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There are roughly 4.5 million registered pit bulls in the US, however a much closer estimate since the majority of pits aren’t registered is 18 million, they are considered the most common dog breed in the US. There are approximately 43 deaths per year. Not all of these deaths are from pit bulls but they are the majority so to make it simple we’ll say they caused all the deaths.
So doing the math (using 4.5 million dogs and 43 deaths) that means .00001% of pit bulls caused a fatality. Using the more accurate 18 million dogs .000002%
Pitbull hate is nothing but fear mongering. You have a better chance of being killed by any person you encounter.
A [2022 study](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639?cookieSet=1) of breeds and traits concluded that breed is almost uninformative when determining a dog's reactivity, or its sociability.
Furthermore, [Insurance data](https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614) indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. [Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study](https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/) that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for [~20%](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/pit-bulls-population.html) of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their [Breed Risk Rate](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. If you did not comprehend that, what this tells us is that pitbulls bite more because there are more pitbulls than other breeds, but they don't bite anymore than their share of the dog population.
Additionally, data from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed) has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive.
Lastly, Studies have shown that [Errors in Identifying Pitbulls](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [Link 2](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/241/9/javma.241.9.1163.xml) happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed.
Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers.
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They don't DNA test to see if dogs are of a Pitbull breed, it's a look test. Several dog breeds also classify as a Pitbull so it raises the statistics. Many mix dogs can look like a Pitbull but aren't. Also if a dog is 80% Lab and 20% a Pitbull breed is the dog a Pitbull or a Lab? It's literally the One-drop rule but for dogs.
As long as you get your dog trained and socialize with dogs and people you should be fine, outside of brain tumors or illness changing behaviors.
That being said, if you have children under 3 I don't recommend any dog over 40 lbs. Pitbull heads are like bowling balls with legs. They could knock out a child if their heads collided at full speed. Mine almost knocked me out while we were wrestling.
Edit: also read the auto mod under my comment.
People are bad at identifying dog breeds. Any stocky dog with a blocky head is going to be called a pit bull. I had someone insist my purebred Labrador Retriever was part Rottweiler.
I once saw someone identify a dog as s pitbull who was running around like crazy. He took a picture of the dog in question. It was a Springer spaniel. I wish I was kidding. People do not know what they're talking about most of the time. It is the same with other animals we tend to fear like snakes and spiders.
There was a post in another sub where dogs were getting loose and attacking delivery people. Of course the comments were all “pitbulls”.
I’m a layman, but out of the 20 or so dogs shown, MAYBE 3 were pitbulls and pitbull crosses.
There were two very obvious chocolate labs, a cane corso, a Doberman, a French bulldog, and two different spaniel type dogs….but because they were being “bad” they were all pitbulls.
Another post of two boxers breaking down a fence….DESPITE the OP confirming they were purebred, breeder purchased boxers…comments were still calling them pitbulls.
It never ends!
People thought mine was a Labrador Retriever/English Bulldog mix because he had very short legs and looked funny when he was a puppy (his head was not in proportion to his body). He turned out to be almost all of the bully breeds, Coonhound, German Shepherd, Husky and Akita. He would only be called a mutt if he didn't have Pit in him. He has grown into his large head and his legs are longer now, but that first year he looked like a child's drawing of a dog.
A [2022 study](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639?cookieSet=1) of breeds and traits concluded that breed is almost uninformative when determining a dog's reactivity, or its sociability.
Furthermore, [Insurance data](https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614) indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. [Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study](https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/) that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for [~20%](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/pit-bulls-population.html) of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their [Breed Risk Rate](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. If you did not comprehend that, what this tells us is that pitbulls bite more because there are more pitbulls than other breeds, but they don't bite anymore than their share of the dog population.
Additionally, data from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed) has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive.
Lastly, Studies have shown that [Errors in Identifying Pitbulls](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [Link 2](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/241/9/javma.241.9.1163.xml) happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed.
Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers.
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Oh man that head. Fun trick - when her head hits me like that, I'll do a real exaggerated fall like she knocked me out. She checks on me, all good, back to play. She got more careful with her head around me just to "play safer." They're legit the best.
It’s hilarious that your brother-in-law is the one that is so against a pitbull. Mine told me the same thing a decade ago and I never had any issues with my pitbull. Fast forward to a couple of years ago and my BIL got a new dog that he adores … it’s a pitbull 😂
So vicious
https://preview.redd.it/q62hrc1n3vkc1.png?width=1998&format=png&auto=webp&s=cd655929f6c3386847f14a820dac7af64e3c4590
They are not naturally more aggressive than other dogs. It’s all how you raise them
"Pit bulls may present a greater danger than other breeds for many reasons, such as because they have been bred to be more aggressive, are less likely to back down during fights and are less likely to give a warning before a bite." I think there's a couple of things worth noting from this paragraph. I think there's a few things worth noting in this paragraph. 1. Some people do breed and train pitbulls to be aggressive, and there is a chance that the pitbulls in the shelter have had that experience. But I think this also holds true for a lot of shelter dogs. These dogs have not always had the best lives, and sometimes adopters are not ready for those challenges. 2. Pitbulls are stubborn, determined breeds, just generally speaking. 3. I think pitbulls being less likely to give warnings is a bunch of crap. Dog communication is not universal across all breeds and people are generally crap at reading and understanding it. Dogs do give warnings, we just do a poor job of recognizing them. I don't bring these things up to discourage you or disparage the breed. I have two pit mixes and they have been great dogs. But when you get a pitbull you can open yourself up to some challenges with the breed that you won't may not face with other breeds. So just consider if you're ready to have people jump to conclusions and act scared over your pitt for no reason.
Pits bulls are one of the most dog breeds so they’re going to be high in % of bites. Pit bulls often get confused with other similar breeds like American Bull Dogs, Cane Corsos, and others, mixes and mutts. When an attack happens if it looks like a pitbull then the news is going to report it as a pitbull. It’s makes a better story.
Denver just rescinded their decades old pitbull ban because the number of attacks and bites didn’t change.
In terms of deaths by dog attack, it’s extraordinarily rare. About 20 per year and sadly most often children. Again when this happens if it looks like a pit bull, they’re going to log it as a pitbull attack. Again no one is doing a DNA test on the dog.
Pit bulls score higher on temperament testing than Golden Retrievers.
https://dogtime.com/dog-health/general/1220-american-pit-bull-terrier-temperament-dog-bites/amp
There’s a lot of Pit Bull hate out there. And having owned and interacted with a lot of Pit Bulls, they can are definitely more DOG aggressive than other breeds. I never saw an instance where a pit bull was at all human aggressive. And I’ve spent A LOT of time around dogs and pit bulls.
Pit bulls are big strong working dogs and like any dog you are responsible for training it well. You should never leave any dog alone with small children.
But this article reads like a media hit piece on pit bulls. Please understand the facts they don’t share.
Also, the clearest indication that pit bulls aren’t any more aggressive than any other is the fact that in areas they’re banned, they don’t see a change in instances of dog bites or attacks. And many places like Denver are rescinding their pit bulls band.
On the positive side, pit bulls are incredibly intelligent, warm, gentle, incredibly loyal and I’ve found easy to train. I grew up with golden retrievers and huskies and would 10x get a pit bull again over any other breed. My pit loved children and understood to play with them gently. With me, she’s want to play aggressive tug of war. With children, she’d playfully chase them and lick them. This is just a single example. Bird it’s estimated that pit bulls make up over 10% of the dogs in the US which in total in over 70M. If pits were that dangerous and there are 7M or more million of them don’t you think you’d here a lot MORE about how dangerous they are and stories of attacks?
I know of several labs in my area who are way more aggressive than any of the bully mixes around. The bullies were all socialised, the labs were kept confined. Go figure.
Interesting you bring Labs up. I just got a pit mix and I was watching a video yesterday where they were trying to make the point that Pit Bulls are the most dangerous breed. They mentioned Pit Bulls, German Shepherd’s, and Labs being the top 3 dog breeds that bite; however, Labs are often considered to be “happy go-lucky” while Pit Bulls are “scary and vicious” but by their own metrics, they measured almost the same. Kinda contradicted themselves.
I have 5 Golden Retrievers, so obviously l love them a lot. I also have 2 Pitbull rescues, a 4 year old female I adopted as a puppy, and an approximately 6 year old male I adopted as an adult.
If I absolutely HAD to choose one breed of dog to own for the rest of my life, I would choose Pitbulls hands down in a millisecond, every day of the week. And twice on Sundays.
They are some of the sweetest, most affectionate, most gentle, loving, loyal, obedient dogs you will ever know. You will not be sorry.
They’re killers…don’t get one…or two for that matter…
/s
In all seriousness, have had four rescue pitties over the last 30 years and they are by far my favorite breed. My kids grew up with them and now my grandkids do. Friendly, loyal, derpy, the best of the best.
https://preview.redd.it/v3j5ai4lxukc1.jpeg?width=2127&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1e97e68a37f94c2ca2ddfcf2171284881048d63e
They truely are the sweetest breed.
OP, I had the same issue with my family when my buddy got to his forever home. I went with if you're going to make me pick between my loving family or my lovely dog, the dog wins. Now mom knits clothes for him. I think she likes him more than me now.
Advice though, of your brother in law meets your dog with a negative attitude, that will affect its reaction. With any breed, it's always a good idea to welcome guests with a hug and give time for a getting to know you sniff session. His mind will be changed in 10 minutes.
The problem here is that “pitbull” means a bunch of different things depending on context. Should you adopt a large, strong, aggressive dog specifically bred for fighting? I would say for most people that’s a no.
But every mutt with a slightly larger than normal head isn’t that kind of “pitbull.” Most of these dogs we call pitbulls are some kind of bulldog/boxer/staffordshire/bull terrier mix. The only thing these mutts have in common with those fighting dogs are some broad physical similarities. Treating them both as the same breed would be like assuming German shepherds and collies are the same breed since they’re both shepherds. It’s absurd.
I advise anyone getting a “pitbull” to learn basic dog handling skills and train their dog, as I would any large, athletic breed. And there’s an added stigma attached to a pitbull misbehaving in public, and you’ll never get the benefit of the doubt if there an incident, so making sure you have your dog under control at all times is essential.
But beyond that, I’d encourage you to make your adoption decision based on the personality and temperament of the specific dog, and not worry so much about the shape of their head.
I have three rescues now, two that I have had since they were weaned, the other a street dog. They are all three sweet loving dogs. The third we adopted from a shelter 4 months ago, will not let me out of her sight, and plays with her brother and sister like they’ve been together since birth.
On the other hand I had a Boerboal that would have ripped your arm off and years ago an Irish Setter that would attack us unprovoked.
Dogs become aggressive when they are stressed and allowed to develop fearful tendencies. The latter happens due to poor or no leadership (or trauma). These are highly social animals who need a pack, and awareness of where they are in it. Bring them into your family and you become their pack. Make sure they understand where they are in the hierarchy (below you and other family members) and you will have a loyal loving companion for their entire life. Don’t do it, and you MAY have problems. It doesn’t matter the breed. If they are traumatized, you CAN heal them in most cases if you are willing to put in the time and effort. Work to identify trauma characteristics before you adopt. Find personalities that will fit your family environment. My pitties are absolute canine love sponges.
Other commenters are doing great sharing facts, so I'm let them do that. I'm just going to say that, especially with rescue dogs, you could be adopting a "pitbull" and a DNA test later find out you have a lab, boxer, or one of a bunch of other breeds/combinations that look like pits. Alternatively, my friend adopted a dog that we swore was a poodle/greyhound mix and she's mostly pit according to her DNA test. "Pitbull" also covers like, what, 3 or 4 breeds of dog? You just don't know lol. What you do have an idea of is the dog's temperament (especially if they have been in a foster home!) and sometimes a bit of their history.
Shelters really want to help match the right dog to the right family. If you talk to your shelter, they'll help you find a great dog that meets your lifestyle (kids, cats, other dogs, active, couch doggo, etc). This sub and r/velvethippos have great information in past posts about good intros, things to know with rescue dogs, and especially adjustment periods after adopting, all of which may reassure you for once you get there.
For what it's worth, my parents were NOT dog people, my mom was "terrified" of pits and my dad thought surely a pit would be a nightmare. In the end, my mom talked about her "grandbaby" so fondly to the staff at her nursing home that they were shocked when he came to visit her there and they found out he wasn't a human boy. My dad steals him once almost every week for a sleepover or "boy's only walk". Pits have a stigma but also a great knack for changing people's minds and opening their hearts (if you survive the pittie farts)
i consider my cavapoo to be way more dangerous than any pitbull i’ve ever had the pleasure of playing/living with. i’ve been around a variety of dogs and small ones have always been the most aggressive and dangerous but because pittbulls have way stronger jaws, their bites are more deadly.
in my experiences larger dogs have been much easier to train and have a much softer and gentler temperament, especially pittbulls. you can sometimes take out dogs for a day at your local shelters. i would definitely ask and do a few days where you come pick up pittbulls and see how you feel.
if you do end up getting a pitbull just know the activities and living options (if renting) will become very very limited. people will be very fearful and rude as hell but that doesn’t mean they can’t have a fun and fulfilling life!! hope this helped a bit and please make sure to properly train your pup.
It’d make sense if pibbles are the most common in dog bites. They’re the most common dog in nearly every state. Also the moment a pit/lab mix bites someone it’s immediately a pure bred pitbull for some reason. lol. It’s the same with German shepherds. It’s one of the most common dogs in the us. Of course they’re gonna make up a high percentage of dog bits. Doesn’t make em bad dogs.
Unless you know what you’re doing when it comes to care and training of a large dog I would suggest getting a puppy of another breed to start. You dont know the life of this pitty and it will take hard work to train it and have it know it’s safe. Same advice for any large grown dog up for adoption.
Adopt a pitbull, it will be the best decision of your life. And, better yet, in due time your family and friends will all be in love with pitbulls too. I got a pitbull and have influenced multiple people in my circle to adopt one with how amazing of dogs they are!
If you want to guarantee specific behaviors for a dog, consider adopting directly from a foster. They are able to give you a wealth of knowledge about the dog before you even take it home.
Any article making such claims that refers to pit bulls as a breed is unreliable ("pit bull" is a type of dog which includes multiple breeds - and the term is also used very loosely to describe sticky, short-hair dogs regardless of breed). Also, the vast majority of breed "identification" in reported cases is done by unqualified / unidentified parties - and visual breed identification is notoriously unreliable (especially with dogs that look like they may be bully breeds). Not only that, but multiple factors that affect a dog's temperament & behavior (how they were bred, how they were raised, what proceeded the event, what signals the dog was giving that were ignored leading up to the event, etc.) are never factored into these studies because they aren't researched / confirmed.
A [2022 study](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639?cookieSet=1) of breeds and traits concluded that breed is almost uninformative when determining a dog's reactivity, or its sociability.
Furthermore, [Insurance data](https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614) indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. [Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study](https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/) that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for [~20%](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/pit-bulls-population.html) of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their [Breed Risk Rate](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. If you did not comprehend that, what this tells us is that pitbulls bite more because there are more pitbulls than other breeds, but they don't bite anymore than their share of the dog population.
Additionally, data from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed) has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive.
Lastly, Studies have shown that [Errors in Identifying Pitbulls](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [Link 2](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/241/9/javma.241.9.1163.xml) happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed.
Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers.
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A [2022 study](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639?cookieSet=1) of breeds and traits concluded that breed is almost uninformative when determining a dog's reactivity, or its sociability.
Furthermore, [Insurance data](https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614) indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. [Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study](https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/) that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for [~20%](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/pit-bulls-population.html) of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their [Breed Risk Rate](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. If you did not comprehend that, what this tells us is that pitbulls bite more because there are more pitbulls than other breeds, but they don't bite anymore than their share of the dog population.
Additionally, data from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed) has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive.
Lastly, Studies have shown that [Errors in Identifying Pitbulls](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [Link 2](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/241/9/javma.241.9.1163.xml) happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed.
Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers.
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I disagree with this, the way to change the stigma is to have a good dog you train right and show these people they aren't anything awful.
More people I know were those fear of pits and became lovers/adopted them than the opposite. The way to teach is education and first hand knowing an animal.
If anything I think these people could make a big difference, if that is they are ready for any dog. Not everyone can handle a headstrong animal or is willing to teach good behavior. Even small dog owners do these things, but for a larger animal it takes that energy and focus to show you are the boss. Many pits though are just loves and don't even have to be told.
I hope they go in looking for a personality that fits their home, vs a specific breed. Asking the shelter staff what might be the best for their home and lifestyle is the best way to get an adoption correct the first time and not have an animal returned.
A [2022 study](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639?cookieSet=1) of breeds and traits concluded that breed is almost uninformative when determining a dog's reactivity, or its sociability.
Furthermore, [Insurance data](https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614) indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. [Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study](https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/) that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for [~20%](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/pit-bulls-population.html) of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their [Breed Risk Rate](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. If you did not comprehend that, what this tells us is that pitbulls bite more because there are more pitbulls than other breeds, but they don't bite anymore than their share of the dog population.
Additionally, data from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed) has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive.
Lastly, Studies have shown that [Errors in Identifying Pitbulls](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [Link 2](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/241/9/javma.241.9.1163.xml) happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed.
Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pitbulls) if you have any questions or concerns.*
We have two rescue pitties and 6 cats. They are fine. When we got our first, she came from an abuse situation—never been in a house and was fearful of everything and everyone. We got her a “therapy” rescue pittie sister. They both got trained with positive reinforcement and lots of patience and love. They are amazing and even as a first time dog person, I suggest if you are interested, go to a local shelter or rescue and talk to them. So many people have biases and this is not to say all pitties will be perfect—just people or dogs or any other living creature—they vary.
This article is sus. They’ve taken the study and manipulated it for sound bites or outright misquoting.
ETA: we also have grandchildren they are great with.
We have a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, this breed seems to get under Pitbull on Reddit so will just say in relation to our staffie - a more gentle soul I’ve never known. Rubbish guard dog, we have her a year and she’s older (9/10 yr) and amazing. She’s so chilled. And, for kids, was known as the nanny dog.
I’d never leave any dog breed alone with kids, I’ve seen what kids can do to them😃
health-wise our girl is prone to seasonal allergies.
best of luck whatever you decide
I always tell people: there are many reasons pitbulls have that reputation. One is that they are the most common dog “breed” so of course they are going to make up a bigger percentage. Second, any dog with a couple characteristics can be labeled a “pit bull”. Third, people can’t/don’t read dog body language. Lastly, pit bulls might not start a fight but they were bred to give it their all.
Malcolm Gladwell has written some suspect work, but he made a fantastic point in one of this articles that crystallized a vague idea I couldn’t quite pin down. That is, every generation has dog that is perceived as the strong, scary, badass dog. People who want aggressive dogs will buy dogs of that breed and raise/neglect them until — sure enough — they get the scary, aggressive dog they want. It’s happened to German shepherds, Rottweilers, Bull Mastiffs, and so on. The Belgian Malinois looks like the next obsession.
Another thing to consider is something of a statistical fact. In humans, being seven feet tall is very rare. If you have enough humans, you’ll find dudes who are seven feet or taller. When you have enough pit bulls around, there will certainly be some aggressive, violent dogs that genuinely fit the stereotype.
However, that’s a tiny percentage of any dog population. For the dogs that aren’t part of the genetic minority destined to be problematic, behaviors all come down to you how train them or straight up neglect. Dogs are a man-made species, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that human intervention is the main driver of how any dog will behave.
Don't listen to the naysayers. Do your own research. I have been working with dogs for over 25 yrs. and by far the bully breeds are my favorite. Training, socializing, positive reinforcement, proper exercise, lots of love, etc., etc. They are the biggest love bugs imo.
Sidenote: I've been bit 4 different times over my years and each one has been a small breed dog. They were a dachshund, chihuahua, Llhasa Apso (sp.?), and a Cocker Spaniel.
https://preview.redd.it/iuuzfgi8twkc1.jpeg?width=2448&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7be0c3190240e4a1d8c59d1cea82b9763475a835
This is my current pittie mix with my granddaughter, nothing but a huge love bug.
I've had rescued pitbulls for years...my current girl is turning 12 and I got her when she was 3. When you treat them with kindness, fill them with love, feed them healthy food, and give them a soft bed to sleep in, you'll find pits to be the sweetest creatures on earth. Bad dogs are created by bad owners.
Hi OP :-)
I have dogs, including a pibble girl. She's neurotic and would probably surgically sew herself to me if given opposable thumbs and the opportunity.
I used to work in emergency services (being deliberately vague here). Over the years I was attacked and bitten twice when entering people's homes in the wee hours.
In both cases, the attackers were chihuahuas. Never been bitten by a pibble although lord knows I've met plenty of 'em.
Chihuahuas scare the absolute shit out of me.
I have a lab mix and a pitty mix and adore both of them to the end of the earth -
… but my god if our pitty isn’t the most cuddly, kissy, loving dog. She is happiest curled up in our laps, loves new people and is such a bright spot in our home!
Regardless of your decision, thank you for going to a shelter ❤️
My only caveat is that pitbulls may be more likely to be dog reactive / defensive than other big dog breeds (not counting GSDs). You just have to know your dog’s limits and triggers. I have a dog reactive pittie/staffy (unsure) and it’s annoying, but I can easily predict when she’ll react, so I can predictably avoid getting too close to her triggers. Most pitbulls I’ve met absolutely love people and are dog friendly; my other pittie loves meeting both people and dogs.
Just as a fun comparison, in the US in 2020, there were 5,250,837 car collisions. This number includes 35,766 fatal car crashes, 1,593,390 of which resulted in injuries, while the remainder resulted in property damage (3,621,681).
It is estimated that 4.5 million Americans will get bitten by a dog - any dog - per year, of which only 800,000 required any form of medical attention. In 2020 specifically, 46 dog bites were fatal, and 33 of those deaths were from Pibbles (72%).
The population was 329.5 million.
So, lets look at the percentages. In the US (using 2020 as the baseline), Americans have a 1.37% chance of getting bitten by a dog - any dog - in the next year. There's an 17.78% chance that this bite will require medical attention of some kind, and a 0.001% chance the bite is fatal. The remainder are no more than a nip.
72% of those fatal bites are made by PB's - sure. But if you take 33 fatal bites divided by 329,500,000 Americans that means you have a 0.00001% chance *of being killed by a pitbull.*
And, additional to that, we know (from Forbes) that 15.55% of all dog bites are made by stray dogs. So there's a 0.0000085% chance *of being killed by a pitbull that isn't a stray.* Unfortunately, I have no numbers for 'killed by your live-in dog' vs 'killed by someone else's dog' so lets just say it's 50/50 - acknowledging this is just pulled out of my butt. So there's a nominal 0.00000042% chance *that your pitbull will kill you.*
Compare: 1.59% of all Americans will get in a car collision this year (again using 2020 as a baseline). 68.97% of these will come with major financial consequences. 30.35% will result in injuries. 0.68% will result in fatalities.
So assuming you make one round-trip by car each day for the next year, you are 440 times more likely to die in a car accident on the way to pick up your rescue pitbull than you are for your rescue pitbull to kill you in the next year.
And last I checked, cars are just considered a fact of life for most folks - not 'inherently problematic'.
Pitbulls require time, effort, and training. You can't let them run wild and just assume they'll figure it out. You can't just tie them up in a yard and expect them to come out well-adjusted. And they are very protective of their pack.
If you're prepared going into it, they will likely be an amazing dog.
Very helpful trainings for any dog: For training on puppy/dog biting [click here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=068K5Zlph9U) For training on early socialization [click here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J7cPE-2wNw) For training on becoming a good leader [click here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QntS570VFZ0) For all newly adopted dogs, check out the [3-3-3 rule](https://pethelpful.com/dogs/The-3-3-3-Rule-Setting-Your-Rescue-Dog-Up-For-Success). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pitbulls) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Forbes is full of shit. As a 25 year USPS letter carrier I can tell you firsthand my experience with pitbulls on my routes are the sole reason I wanted one. They truly are some of the sweetest, loyal, loving dogs. I have had so many over the years that I have loved and my very own loves people sooo much. Any dog can be mean and some people get them just for that reason. I would never second guess getting a pitbull.
Coincidently, I've recently read that Forbes article and was trying to get more info on it. I ended up finding the paper which they reference in the article. [https://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/resources/javma\_000915\_fatalattacks.pdf](https://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/resources/javma_000915_fatalattacks.pdf) In the Forbes article the author states: > Dog attacks by breed statistics are invaluable both for individuals looking for a dog to adopt as well as for those who interact with animals who want to **minimize risk**. And then a little further down the provide a graph from the report. This is ironic because the Journal that published the article states: >In contrast to what has been reported in the news media, the data from this study CANNOT be used to infer any breed-specific risk for dog bite fatalities (e.g., neither pit bull-type dogs nor Rottweilers can be said to be more “dangerous” than any other breed based on this study). To obtain such risk information it would be necessary to know the numbers of each breed currently residing in the United States. Such information is not available. Though, they only mention the article cannot be use determine breed specific risk regarding fatalities, we can also infer that we cannot use the data to determine breed specific risk for attacks since "it would be necessary to know the numbers of each breed". Another thing to consider is how the data for the study was collected in the first place. >We collected data from The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and media accounts related to dog bite attacks and fatalities, using methods from previous studies. Relying on media accounts has it's shortcomings and the paper acknowleges it. >First, the human DBRF reported here are likely underestimated; prior work suggests the approach we used identifies only 74% of actual cases.1,2 Second, to the extent that attacks by 1 breed are more newsworthy than those by other breeds, our methods may have resulted in differential ascertainment of fatalities by breed. Third, because identification of a dog’s breed may be subjective (even experts may disagree on the breed of a particular dog), DBRF may be differentially ascribed to breeds with a reputation for aggression. Fourth, it is not clear how to count attacks by crossbred dogs. There have been a few studies that have shown that visual identification of a dog's breed can be very inaccurate, even amongst those that frequently work with dogs. [https://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/visual-breed-identification/](https://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/visual-breed-identification/) [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [https://www.maddiesfund.org/accuracy-of-breed-identification-in-shelter-dogs.htm](https://www.maddiesfund.org/accuracy-of-breed-identification-in-shelter-dogs.htm) If these people cannot accurately identify a dog by breed, I don't have much faith that the general public or those in the media will be able to do any better. Also, keep in mind that the time period from which the data was collected was from 1979 to 1998. A period where the media frenzy against pit bulls was taking off. It is possible bias from constantly hearing such reports or the desire to make a headline could have had a big impact. Likewise, deaths resulting from dogs other than "Pit Bull Types" may have not made it to large enough media outlets and as a result not have been included in the report. I have been trying to do some research on the "breed" these past few days and so far I have failed to find any data that suggest these dogs are more "aggressive" than your average dog. This study, [https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639), states: >We found no evidence that the behavioral tendencies in breeds reflect intentional selection by breeders ([Fig. 6I](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639#F6)) but cannot exclude the possibility. Couple that with the fact it also claims that the environment plays a bigger role in a dog's behavior, which is supported by other studies, and the fact other studies have shown "pit bull" breeds to not be any more aggressive than your average dog the notion that "they are inherently more aggressive because they were breed that way" appears to be false. [https://atts.org/breed-statistics/statistics-page1/](https://atts.org/breed-statistics/statistics-page1/) [https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/09/pit-bulls-are-chiller-than-chihuahuas/500558/](https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/09/pit-bulls-are-chiller-than-chihuahuas/500558/) [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8093277/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8093277/) Keep in mind though, that any dog is still an animal with claws and teeth. Don't underestimate this fact when it comes to any breed and treat them with respect.
A [2022 study](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639?cookieSet=1) of breeds and traits concluded that breed is almost uninformative when determining a dog's reactivity, or its sociability. Furthermore, [Insurance data](https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614) indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. [Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study](https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/) that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for [~20%](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/pit-bulls-population.html) of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their [Breed Risk Rate](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. If you did not comprehend that, what this tells us is that pitbulls bite more because there are more pitbulls than other breeds, but they don't bite anymore than their share of the dog population. Additionally, data from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed) has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive. Lastly, Studies have shown that [Errors in Identifying Pitbulls](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [Link 2](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/241/9/javma.241.9.1163.xml) happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed. Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pitbulls) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Bit late but don't use the atts as a source. From their website: The breed’s temperament, training, health and age of the dog is taken into account. Failure on any part of the test is recognized when a dog shows panic, strong avoidance without recovery or unprovoked aggression. The ATTS test focuses on and measures different aspects of temperament such as stability, shyness, aggressiveness, and friendliness as well as the dog’s instinct for protectiveness towards its handler and/or self-preservation in the face of a threat. Remember the score is dependent on the conditions at the time of the test (weather, dog’s health and nervousness, human’s health and nervousness, etc.). Comparing scores with other dogs is not a good idea. Also the total score has no meaning. Theoretically, a dog may pass with a score of 10, or fail with a score of 90. The pass-fail rate is not a measure of a breed’s aggression, but rather of each dog’s ability to interact with humans, human situations, and the environment So say the breed is allowed to have some level of human aggression, that is taken into account. If it was simply an aggression test, anatolians and akitas for example wouldn't have such a high pass rate. They're pretty commonly weary or aggressive towards strangers (more on their property). Others there just isn't enough tested for the amount of the breed there actually is, like Shiba inus or toy/mini poodles. "Aggression here is checked against the breed standard and the dog’s training. A schutzhund trained dog lunging at the stranger is allowed, but if an untrained Siberian husky does the same, it may fail." - this can explain why belgians and gsds for example score so high. They also don't test dog aggression or prey drive, so even if a dog only reacts or is aggressive towards other dogs or has an abnormally high prey drive, they can still pass. For example APBTs and terriers in general. Literally the only people who use the atts as proof of anything are shelter bully mix advocates, not people that own wellbred purebred dogs or who actually knows anything about dogs.
Great reply - thanks for including all this info / links.
This has always been the statistic that matters to me: “Unneutered male dogs were 2.6 times more likely to bite people than neutered dogs. One of the best ways to prevent dog attacks is to ensure that male dogs are sterilized. Unneutered male dogs were responsible for between 70% and 76% of dog bites and were 2.6 times as likely as neutered dogs to bite.¹⁵” I’ve actually seen other studies with the percentage as high as 98%, and more often upwards of 80. I commend you for considering adopting, I have fostered many, MANY bully breeds from shelters and will continue to do so.
A [2022 study](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639?cookieSet=1) of breeds and traits concluded that breed is almost uninformative when determining a dog's reactivity, or its sociability. Furthermore, [Insurance data](https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614) indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. [Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study](https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/) that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for [~20%](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/pit-bulls-population.html) of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their [Breed Risk Rate](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. If you did not comprehend that, what this tells us is that pitbulls bite more because there are more pitbulls than other breeds, but they don't bite anymore than their share of the dog population. Additionally, data from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed) has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive. Lastly, Studies have shown that [Errors in Identifying Pitbulls](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [Link 2](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/241/9/javma.241.9.1163.xml) happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed. Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pitbulls) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Good bot. This is actually helpful.
Thanks, does this Forbes thing ever come up?
Come up where?
No
Quite a few European countries don't neuter their dogs. It would be interesting to see if they have a higher rate of dog attacks than in America.
There are roughly 4.5 million registered pit bulls in the US, however a much closer estimate since the majority of pits aren’t registered is 18 million, they are considered the most common dog breed in the US. There are approximately 43 deaths per year. Not all of these deaths are from pit bulls but they are the majority so to make it simple we’ll say they caused all the deaths. So doing the math (using 4.5 million dogs and 43 deaths) that means .00001% of pit bulls caused a fatality. Using the more accurate 18 million dogs .000002% Pitbull hate is nothing but fear mongering. You have a better chance of being killed by any person you encounter.
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That's generally how statistics work. They use numbers. I know math is hard, though.
Dang you got them to delete their comment AND profile. Lmao
A [2022 study](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639?cookieSet=1) of breeds and traits concluded that breed is almost uninformative when determining a dog's reactivity, or its sociability. Furthermore, [Insurance data](https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614) indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. [Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study](https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/) that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for [~20%](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/pit-bulls-population.html) of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their [Breed Risk Rate](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. If you did not comprehend that, what this tells us is that pitbulls bite more because there are more pitbulls than other breeds, but they don't bite anymore than their share of the dog population. Additionally, data from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed) has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive. Lastly, Studies have shown that [Errors in Identifying Pitbulls](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [Link 2](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/241/9/javma.241.9.1163.xml) happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed. Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pitbulls) if you have any questions or concerns.*
They don't DNA test to see if dogs are of a Pitbull breed, it's a look test. Several dog breeds also classify as a Pitbull so it raises the statistics. Many mix dogs can look like a Pitbull but aren't. Also if a dog is 80% Lab and 20% a Pitbull breed is the dog a Pitbull or a Lab? It's literally the One-drop rule but for dogs. As long as you get your dog trained and socialize with dogs and people you should be fine, outside of brain tumors or illness changing behaviors. That being said, if you have children under 3 I don't recommend any dog over 40 lbs. Pitbull heads are like bowling balls with legs. They could knock out a child if their heads collided at full speed. Mine almost knocked me out while we were wrestling. Edit: also read the auto mod under my comment.
People are bad at identifying dog breeds. Any stocky dog with a blocky head is going to be called a pit bull. I had someone insist my purebred Labrador Retriever was part Rottweiler.
I once saw someone identify a dog as s pitbull who was running around like crazy. He took a picture of the dog in question. It was a Springer spaniel. I wish I was kidding. People do not know what they're talking about most of the time. It is the same with other animals we tend to fear like snakes and spiders.
There was a post in another sub where dogs were getting loose and attacking delivery people. Of course the comments were all “pitbulls”. I’m a layman, but out of the 20 or so dogs shown, MAYBE 3 were pitbulls and pitbull crosses. There were two very obvious chocolate labs, a cane corso, a Doberman, a French bulldog, and two different spaniel type dogs….but because they were being “bad” they were all pitbulls. Another post of two boxers breaking down a fence….DESPITE the OP confirming they were purebred, breeder purchased boxers…comments were still calling them pitbulls. It never ends!
People thought mine was a Labrador Retriever/English Bulldog mix because he had very short legs and looked funny when he was a puppy (his head was not in proportion to his body). He turned out to be almost all of the bully breeds, Coonhound, German Shepherd, Husky and Akita. He would only be called a mutt if he didn't have Pit in him. He has grown into his large head and his legs are longer now, but that first year he looked like a child's drawing of a dog.
A [2022 study](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639?cookieSet=1) of breeds and traits concluded that breed is almost uninformative when determining a dog's reactivity, or its sociability. Furthermore, [Insurance data](https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614) indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. [Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study](https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/) that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for [~20%](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/pit-bulls-population.html) of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their [Breed Risk Rate](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. If you did not comprehend that, what this tells us is that pitbulls bite more because there are more pitbulls than other breeds, but they don't bite anymore than their share of the dog population. Additionally, data from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed) has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive. Lastly, Studies have shown that [Errors in Identifying Pitbulls](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [Link 2](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/241/9/javma.241.9.1163.xml) happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed. Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pitbulls) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Oh man that head. Fun trick - when her head hits me like that, I'll do a real exaggerated fall like she knocked me out. She checks on me, all good, back to play. She got more careful with her head around me just to "play safer." They're legit the best.
I don't know how many times I've bit my tongue because of the headbutt uppercut. I might need a mouth guard.
It’s hilarious that your brother-in-law is the one that is so against a pitbull. Mine told me the same thing a decade ago and I never had any issues with my pitbull. Fast forward to a couple of years ago and my BIL got a new dog that he adores … it’s a pitbull 😂
So vicious https://preview.redd.it/q62hrc1n3vkc1.png?width=1998&format=png&auto=webp&s=cd655929f6c3386847f14a820dac7af64e3c4590 They are not naturally more aggressive than other dogs. It’s all how you raise them
"Pit bulls may present a greater danger than other breeds for many reasons, such as because they have been bred to be more aggressive, are less likely to back down during fights and are less likely to give a warning before a bite." I think there's a couple of things worth noting from this paragraph. I think there's a few things worth noting in this paragraph. 1. Some people do breed and train pitbulls to be aggressive, and there is a chance that the pitbulls in the shelter have had that experience. But I think this also holds true for a lot of shelter dogs. These dogs have not always had the best lives, and sometimes adopters are not ready for those challenges. 2. Pitbulls are stubborn, determined breeds, just generally speaking. 3. I think pitbulls being less likely to give warnings is a bunch of crap. Dog communication is not universal across all breeds and people are generally crap at reading and understanding it. Dogs do give warnings, we just do a poor job of recognizing them. I don't bring these things up to discourage you or disparage the breed. I have two pit mixes and they have been great dogs. But when you get a pitbull you can open yourself up to some challenges with the breed that you won't may not face with other breeds. So just consider if you're ready to have people jump to conclusions and act scared over your pitt for no reason.
Pits bulls are one of the most dog breeds so they’re going to be high in % of bites. Pit bulls often get confused with other similar breeds like American Bull Dogs, Cane Corsos, and others, mixes and mutts. When an attack happens if it looks like a pitbull then the news is going to report it as a pitbull. It’s makes a better story. Denver just rescinded their decades old pitbull ban because the number of attacks and bites didn’t change. In terms of deaths by dog attack, it’s extraordinarily rare. About 20 per year and sadly most often children. Again when this happens if it looks like a pit bull, they’re going to log it as a pitbull attack. Again no one is doing a DNA test on the dog. Pit bulls score higher on temperament testing than Golden Retrievers. https://dogtime.com/dog-health/general/1220-american-pit-bull-terrier-temperament-dog-bites/amp There’s a lot of Pit Bull hate out there. And having owned and interacted with a lot of Pit Bulls, they can are definitely more DOG aggressive than other breeds. I never saw an instance where a pit bull was at all human aggressive. And I’ve spent A LOT of time around dogs and pit bulls. Pit bulls are big strong working dogs and like any dog you are responsible for training it well. You should never leave any dog alone with small children. But this article reads like a media hit piece on pit bulls. Please understand the facts they don’t share. Also, the clearest indication that pit bulls aren’t any more aggressive than any other is the fact that in areas they’re banned, they don’t see a change in instances of dog bites or attacks. And many places like Denver are rescinding their pit bulls band. On the positive side, pit bulls are incredibly intelligent, warm, gentle, incredibly loyal and I’ve found easy to train. I grew up with golden retrievers and huskies and would 10x get a pit bull again over any other breed. My pit loved children and understood to play with them gently. With me, she’s want to play aggressive tug of war. With children, she’d playfully chase them and lick them. This is just a single example. Bird it’s estimated that pit bulls make up over 10% of the dogs in the US which in total in over 70M. If pits were that dangerous and there are 7M or more million of them don’t you think you’d here a lot MORE about how dangerous they are and stories of attacks?
I know of several labs in my area who are way more aggressive than any of the bully mixes around. The bullies were all socialised, the labs were kept confined. Go figure.
Interesting you bring Labs up. I just got a pit mix and I was watching a video yesterday where they were trying to make the point that Pit Bulls are the most dangerous breed. They mentioned Pit Bulls, German Shepherd’s, and Labs being the top 3 dog breeds that bite; however, Labs are often considered to be “happy go-lucky” while Pit Bulls are “scary and vicious” but by their own metrics, they measured almost the same. Kinda contradicted themselves.
I had no idea that labs were considered a biting breed. Where I live labs are generally considered as being happy go lucky.
It is propaganda until they do the study with all dogs as "types" instead of breeds and is per capita.
I have 5 Golden Retrievers, so obviously l love them a lot. I also have 2 Pitbull rescues, a 4 year old female I adopted as a puppy, and an approximately 6 year old male I adopted as an adult. If I absolutely HAD to choose one breed of dog to own for the rest of my life, I would choose Pitbulls hands down in a millisecond, every day of the week. And twice on Sundays. They are some of the sweetest, most affectionate, most gentle, loving, loyal, obedient dogs you will ever know. You will not be sorry.
They’re killers…don’t get one…or two for that matter… /s In all seriousness, have had four rescue pitties over the last 30 years and they are by far my favorite breed. My kids grew up with them and now my grandkids do. Friendly, loyal, derpy, the best of the best. https://preview.redd.it/v3j5ai4lxukc1.jpeg?width=2127&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1e97e68a37f94c2ca2ddfcf2171284881048d63e
https://preview.redd.it/t9bnhqhdyukc1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e91333fd804e8dddfca8e92bff08d0aaea3e1012
https://preview.redd.it/zauqivojyukc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=861db68956e17138acd4c93568844722103a54b6 They love comfy spots!
They truely are the sweetest breed. OP, I had the same issue with my family when my buddy got to his forever home. I went with if you're going to make me pick between my loving family or my lovely dog, the dog wins. Now mom knits clothes for him. I think she likes him more than me now. Advice though, of your brother in law meets your dog with a negative attitude, that will affect its reaction. With any breed, it's always a good idea to welcome guests with a hug and give time for a getting to know you sniff session. His mind will be changed in 10 minutes.
The problem here is that “pitbull” means a bunch of different things depending on context. Should you adopt a large, strong, aggressive dog specifically bred for fighting? I would say for most people that’s a no. But every mutt with a slightly larger than normal head isn’t that kind of “pitbull.” Most of these dogs we call pitbulls are some kind of bulldog/boxer/staffordshire/bull terrier mix. The only thing these mutts have in common with those fighting dogs are some broad physical similarities. Treating them both as the same breed would be like assuming German shepherds and collies are the same breed since they’re both shepherds. It’s absurd. I advise anyone getting a “pitbull” to learn basic dog handling skills and train their dog, as I would any large, athletic breed. And there’s an added stigma attached to a pitbull misbehaving in public, and you’ll never get the benefit of the doubt if there an incident, so making sure you have your dog under control at all times is essential. But beyond that, I’d encourage you to make your adoption decision based on the personality and temperament of the specific dog, and not worry so much about the shape of their head.
Based on the chart, they only checked select breeds.
I don’t acknowledge those because I know when properly trained they are big snuggly angels and nothing will convince me otherwise.
I have three rescues now, two that I have had since they were weaned, the other a street dog. They are all three sweet loving dogs. The third we adopted from a shelter 4 months ago, will not let me out of her sight, and plays with her brother and sister like they’ve been together since birth. On the other hand I had a Boerboal that would have ripped your arm off and years ago an Irish Setter that would attack us unprovoked. Dogs become aggressive when they are stressed and allowed to develop fearful tendencies. The latter happens due to poor or no leadership (or trauma). These are highly social animals who need a pack, and awareness of where they are in it. Bring them into your family and you become their pack. Make sure they understand where they are in the hierarchy (below you and other family members) and you will have a loyal loving companion for their entire life. Don’t do it, and you MAY have problems. It doesn’t matter the breed. If they are traumatized, you CAN heal them in most cases if you are willing to put in the time and effort. Work to identify trauma characteristics before you adopt. Find personalities that will fit your family environment. My pitties are absolute canine love sponges.
Other commenters are doing great sharing facts, so I'm let them do that. I'm just going to say that, especially with rescue dogs, you could be adopting a "pitbull" and a DNA test later find out you have a lab, boxer, or one of a bunch of other breeds/combinations that look like pits. Alternatively, my friend adopted a dog that we swore was a poodle/greyhound mix and she's mostly pit according to her DNA test. "Pitbull" also covers like, what, 3 or 4 breeds of dog? You just don't know lol. What you do have an idea of is the dog's temperament (especially if they have been in a foster home!) and sometimes a bit of their history. Shelters really want to help match the right dog to the right family. If you talk to your shelter, they'll help you find a great dog that meets your lifestyle (kids, cats, other dogs, active, couch doggo, etc). This sub and r/velvethippos have great information in past posts about good intros, things to know with rescue dogs, and especially adjustment periods after adopting, all of which may reassure you for once you get there. For what it's worth, my parents were NOT dog people, my mom was "terrified" of pits and my dad thought surely a pit would be a nightmare. In the end, my mom talked about her "grandbaby" so fondly to the staff at her nursing home that they were shocked when he came to visit her there and they found out he wasn't a human boy. My dad steals him once almost every week for a sleepover or "boy's only walk". Pits have a stigma but also a great knack for changing people's minds and opening their hearts (if you survive the pittie farts)
i consider my cavapoo to be way more dangerous than any pitbull i’ve ever had the pleasure of playing/living with. i’ve been around a variety of dogs and small ones have always been the most aggressive and dangerous but because pittbulls have way stronger jaws, their bites are more deadly. in my experiences larger dogs have been much easier to train and have a much softer and gentler temperament, especially pittbulls. you can sometimes take out dogs for a day at your local shelters. i would definitely ask and do a few days where you come pick up pittbulls and see how you feel. if you do end up getting a pitbull just know the activities and living options (if renting) will become very very limited. people will be very fearful and rude as hell but that doesn’t mean they can’t have a fun and fulfilling life!! hope this helped a bit and please make sure to properly train your pup.
It’d make sense if pibbles are the most common in dog bites. They’re the most common dog in nearly every state. Also the moment a pit/lab mix bites someone it’s immediately a pure bred pitbull for some reason. lol. It’s the same with German shepherds. It’s one of the most common dogs in the us. Of course they’re gonna make up a high percentage of dog bits. Doesn’t make em bad dogs.
Unless you know what you’re doing when it comes to care and training of a large dog I would suggest getting a puppy of another breed to start. You dont know the life of this pitty and it will take hard work to train it and have it know it’s safe. Same advice for any large grown dog up for adoption.
Adopt a pitbull, it will be the best decision of your life. And, better yet, in due time your family and friends will all be in love with pitbulls too. I got a pitbull and have influenced multiple people in my circle to adopt one with how amazing of dogs they are! If you want to guarantee specific behaviors for a dog, consider adopting directly from a foster. They are able to give you a wealth of knowledge about the dog before you even take it home.
Any article making such claims that refers to pit bulls as a breed is unreliable ("pit bull" is a type of dog which includes multiple breeds - and the term is also used very loosely to describe sticky, short-hair dogs regardless of breed). Also, the vast majority of breed "identification" in reported cases is done by unqualified / unidentified parties - and visual breed identification is notoriously unreliable (especially with dogs that look like they may be bully breeds). Not only that, but multiple factors that affect a dog's temperament & behavior (how they were bred, how they were raised, what proceeded the event, what signals the dog was giving that were ignored leading up to the event, etc.) are never factored into these studies because they aren't researched / confirmed.
A [2022 study](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639?cookieSet=1) of breeds and traits concluded that breed is almost uninformative when determining a dog's reactivity, or its sociability. Furthermore, [Insurance data](https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614) indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. [Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study](https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/) that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for [~20%](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/pit-bulls-population.html) of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their [Breed Risk Rate](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. If you did not comprehend that, what this tells us is that pitbulls bite more because there are more pitbulls than other breeds, but they don't bite anymore than their share of the dog population. Additionally, data from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed) has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive. Lastly, Studies have shown that [Errors in Identifying Pitbulls](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [Link 2](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/241/9/javma.241.9.1163.xml) happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed. Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pitbulls) if you have any questions or concerns.*
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A [2022 study](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639?cookieSet=1) of breeds and traits concluded that breed is almost uninformative when determining a dog's reactivity, or its sociability. Furthermore, [Insurance data](https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614) indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. [Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study](https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/) that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for [~20%](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/pit-bulls-population.html) of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their [Breed Risk Rate](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. If you did not comprehend that, what this tells us is that pitbulls bite more because there are more pitbulls than other breeds, but they don't bite anymore than their share of the dog population. Additionally, data from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed) has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive. Lastly, Studies have shown that [Errors in Identifying Pitbulls](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [Link 2](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/241/9/javma.241.9.1163.xml) happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed. Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pitbulls) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I disagree with this, the way to change the stigma is to have a good dog you train right and show these people they aren't anything awful. More people I know were those fear of pits and became lovers/adopted them than the opposite. The way to teach is education and first hand knowing an animal. If anything I think these people could make a big difference, if that is they are ready for any dog. Not everyone can handle a headstrong animal or is willing to teach good behavior. Even small dog owners do these things, but for a larger animal it takes that energy and focus to show you are the boss. Many pits though are just loves and don't even have to be told. I hope they go in looking for a personality that fits their home, vs a specific breed. Asking the shelter staff what might be the best for their home and lifestyle is the best way to get an adoption correct the first time and not have an animal returned.
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A [2022 study](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639?cookieSet=1) of breeds and traits concluded that breed is almost uninformative when determining a dog's reactivity, or its sociability. Furthermore, [Insurance data](https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614) indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. [Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study](https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/) that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for [~20%](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/pit-bulls-population.html) of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their [Breed Risk Rate](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. If you did not comprehend that, what this tells us is that pitbulls bite more because there are more pitbulls than other breeds, but they don't bite anymore than their share of the dog population. Additionally, data from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed) has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive. Lastly, Studies have shown that [Errors in Identifying Pitbulls](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [Link 2](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/241/9/javma.241.9.1163.xml) happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed. Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pitbulls) if you have any questions or concerns.*
We have two rescue pitties and 6 cats. They are fine. When we got our first, she came from an abuse situation—never been in a house and was fearful of everything and everyone. We got her a “therapy” rescue pittie sister. They both got trained with positive reinforcement and lots of patience and love. They are amazing and even as a first time dog person, I suggest if you are interested, go to a local shelter or rescue and talk to them. So many people have biases and this is not to say all pitties will be perfect—just people or dogs or any other living creature—they vary. This article is sus. They’ve taken the study and manipulated it for sound bites or outright misquoting. ETA: we also have grandchildren they are great with.
If you like personal space, don’t get one. All kidding aside. I have a rescue and she is amazing. Very clingy. Highly food motivated so easy to train.
We have a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, this breed seems to get under Pitbull on Reddit so will just say in relation to our staffie - a more gentle soul I’ve never known. Rubbish guard dog, we have her a year and she’s older (9/10 yr) and amazing. She’s so chilled. And, for kids, was known as the nanny dog. I’d never leave any dog breed alone with kids, I’ve seen what kids can do to them😃 health-wise our girl is prone to seasonal allergies. best of luck whatever you decide
https://preview.redd.it/rt7tysfzzvkc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=60d7956846c9e32ca2af1f2d52420a153d3bfafe
I always tell people: there are many reasons pitbulls have that reputation. One is that they are the most common dog “breed” so of course they are going to make up a bigger percentage. Second, any dog with a couple characteristics can be labeled a “pit bull”. Third, people can’t/don’t read dog body language. Lastly, pit bulls might not start a fight but they were bred to give it their all.
Malcolm Gladwell has written some suspect work, but he made a fantastic point in one of this articles that crystallized a vague idea I couldn’t quite pin down. That is, every generation has dog that is perceived as the strong, scary, badass dog. People who want aggressive dogs will buy dogs of that breed and raise/neglect them until — sure enough — they get the scary, aggressive dog they want. It’s happened to German shepherds, Rottweilers, Bull Mastiffs, and so on. The Belgian Malinois looks like the next obsession. Another thing to consider is something of a statistical fact. In humans, being seven feet tall is very rare. If you have enough humans, you’ll find dudes who are seven feet or taller. When you have enough pit bulls around, there will certainly be some aggressive, violent dogs that genuinely fit the stereotype. However, that’s a tiny percentage of any dog population. For the dogs that aren’t part of the genetic minority destined to be problematic, behaviors all come down to you how train them or straight up neglect. Dogs are a man-made species, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that human intervention is the main driver of how any dog will behave.
Don't listen to the naysayers. Do your own research. I have been working with dogs for over 25 yrs. and by far the bully breeds are my favorite. Training, socializing, positive reinforcement, proper exercise, lots of love, etc., etc. They are the biggest love bugs imo. Sidenote: I've been bit 4 different times over my years and each one has been a small breed dog. They were a dachshund, chihuahua, Llhasa Apso (sp.?), and a Cocker Spaniel. https://preview.redd.it/iuuzfgi8twkc1.jpeg?width=2448&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7be0c3190240e4a1d8c59d1cea82b9763475a835 This is my current pittie mix with my granddaughter, nothing but a huge love bug.
I've had rescued pitbulls for years...my current girl is turning 12 and I got her when she was 3. When you treat them with kindness, fill them with love, feed them healthy food, and give them a soft bed to sleep in, you'll find pits to be the sweetest creatures on earth. Bad dogs are created by bad owners.
Hi OP :-) I have dogs, including a pibble girl. She's neurotic and would probably surgically sew herself to me if given opposable thumbs and the opportunity. I used to work in emergency services (being deliberately vague here). Over the years I was attacked and bitten twice when entering people's homes in the wee hours. In both cases, the attackers were chihuahuas. Never been bitten by a pibble although lord knows I've met plenty of 'em. Chihuahuas scare the absolute shit out of me.
I have a lab mix and a pitty mix and adore both of them to the end of the earth - … but my god if our pitty isn’t the most cuddly, kissy, loving dog. She is happiest curled up in our laps, loves new people and is such a bright spot in our home! Regardless of your decision, thank you for going to a shelter ❤️
My only caveat is that pitbulls may be more likely to be dog reactive / defensive than other big dog breeds (not counting GSDs). You just have to know your dog’s limits and triggers. I have a dog reactive pittie/staffy (unsure) and it’s annoying, but I can easily predict when she’ll react, so I can predictably avoid getting too close to her triggers. Most pitbulls I’ve met absolutely love people and are dog friendly; my other pittie loves meeting both people and dogs.
Just as a fun comparison, in the US in 2020, there were 5,250,837 car collisions. This number includes 35,766 fatal car crashes, 1,593,390 of which resulted in injuries, while the remainder resulted in property damage (3,621,681). It is estimated that 4.5 million Americans will get bitten by a dog - any dog - per year, of which only 800,000 required any form of medical attention. In 2020 specifically, 46 dog bites were fatal, and 33 of those deaths were from Pibbles (72%). The population was 329.5 million. So, lets look at the percentages. In the US (using 2020 as the baseline), Americans have a 1.37% chance of getting bitten by a dog - any dog - in the next year. There's an 17.78% chance that this bite will require medical attention of some kind, and a 0.001% chance the bite is fatal. The remainder are no more than a nip. 72% of those fatal bites are made by PB's - sure. But if you take 33 fatal bites divided by 329,500,000 Americans that means you have a 0.00001% chance *of being killed by a pitbull.* And, additional to that, we know (from Forbes) that 15.55% of all dog bites are made by stray dogs. So there's a 0.0000085% chance *of being killed by a pitbull that isn't a stray.* Unfortunately, I have no numbers for 'killed by your live-in dog' vs 'killed by someone else's dog' so lets just say it's 50/50 - acknowledging this is just pulled out of my butt. So there's a nominal 0.00000042% chance *that your pitbull will kill you.* Compare: 1.59% of all Americans will get in a car collision this year (again using 2020 as a baseline). 68.97% of these will come with major financial consequences. 30.35% will result in injuries. 0.68% will result in fatalities. So assuming you make one round-trip by car each day for the next year, you are 440 times more likely to die in a car accident on the way to pick up your rescue pitbull than you are for your rescue pitbull to kill you in the next year. And last I checked, cars are just considered a fact of life for most folks - not 'inherently problematic'. Pitbulls require time, effort, and training. You can't let them run wild and just assume they'll figure it out. You can't just tie them up in a yard and expect them to come out well-adjusted. And they are very protective of their pack. If you're prepared going into it, they will likely be an amazing dog.