Pitbulls: Beyond the Stigma

Pitbulls. What do you think of when you hear this word? Many incorrectly believe the term “pitbull” to describe a specific breed of dog when in fact this word is a loose term for a type of dog. More than 8 different breeds could be described as “pitbulls” in this way. Many pitbulls tend to have similar physical characteristics and mannerisms. We have all seen a pitbull. One of those blocky headed thicc boys or girls with a big grin and an always wagging tail. However, this type of dog has become extremely controversial here in the US, but they shouldn’t be! Let’s discuss why.

They have historically been used for fighting.

Many breeds that fall under the umbrella term “pitbull” were originally bred for bull baiting and dog fighting sports. These violent sports are now criminalized, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t still going on. In fact, it was estimated that in the mid 2000s over 40,000 people were involved in dog fighting in America alone (Kalof,, 2005). This is a staggering number for sure. Having worked in and around several cities with dog fighting problems, I can tell you that especially in these areas, the reputation of this type of dog is a negative one.
Scientists have proven that there is a genetic proponent to behavior. Dogs are often bred for specific purposes, and dogs that exhibit traits that will help further that purpose will more often be chosen to breed by humans. Field setters are selected and bred different than show setters. This is also true for any breed or mix thereof that is used for fighting. Breeders involved in such heinous sports choose dogs that are dog aggressive to mate, so that the offspring will perform better in the ring. Looking at this, people are very quick to equate this to: “all pitbulls are dog aggressive”. When in reality, that is not the case.
More and more frequently, pitbull type dogs are being used as service dogs, therapy dogs, detection dogs, etc. They are chosen for these lines of work due to their strong will to work for people, their strength and stamina, and their happy and loving dispositions. Seeing these dogs in different contexts will go a long way towards ending the unfair stigma associated with them, especially in areas where fighting is an issue.

High profile attacks given intense media attention.

There have been many high profile dog attacks that involved “pitbulls” over the years. Looking at this factor, it is difficult to discern which came first. Especially in recent years, it seems that the term pitbull is applied fast and loose to dogs involved in attacks or altercations. But why is this? I believe one reason for this is that it is such a blanket term that people still don’t understand what it means. Many studies have even shown that pitbull type dogs are frequently mislabeled. For example, special officers receive training on “how to identify pitbulls” in areas that have breed specific legislation (BSL). These individuals use stereotypical physical characteristics to identify dogs that have this particular heritage. However, many studies show that this type of identification is frequently incorrect, with even trained experts in veterinary medicine and shelter staff mislabeling dogs. One particular study showed that one in five dogs that had genetically verifiable pit bull heritage breeds were missed by all shelter and veterinary staff (Olson, 2015). It also showed that one in three dogs lacking DNA for any pit bull heritage breeds were labeled as pit bull-type dogs by at least one staff member (Olson, 2015).

They are also extremely popular dogs. Anytime we have a higher population of breed or type within an area, of course those types will be involved in more incidents! It is a simple numbers game, breeds that are more common have a higher chance of being involved in a negative incident.
The word itself is also extremely polarizing to audiences and it can be used as a tactic to increase the attention it receives in the media and/or to manipulate the target audience. A dog seems much more likely to be referred to as a pitbull or pitbull mix when greater damage or human death occurs in an attack, even when the dog is not this type of dog. Basically, the term pitbull is so full of emotion that it is used to stir up feelings within the audience.
Pitbulls can be and are involved in attack incidences throughout the world, but so are labs. Any dog can bite a human and cause injury. Any. Dog. In fact, scientific studies done on aggression have concluded that breed does not determine aggression. (Ott, et al, 2008.) We can also look at breed temperament scores. The core breeds that are used to define the term pitbull consistently rank in the top 23% year after year. (AmericanTemperament Test Society, 2017.)

These dogs are often subjected to punishment based training.

Have you ever heard someone say, “some dogs/breeds just need a firmer hand”? As a professional trainer, I hear this all the time. Despite this being disproven time and time again, some people still insist on treating some dogs or breeds of dogs harsher than others. Sadly, this is often based on an anthropomorphic judgment of the dog’s appearance. “Tougher” looking breeds are more often lumped into this category, including pitbulls, Rottweilers, German shepherds, etc. Learning theory is the same for all dogs. All canines learn the same, and many studies show that pain and fear are not only unnecessary as far as training goes, but they negatively impact animal welfare (de Castro, 2019) and can cause many issues. (Ziv, 2008.) Several recent studies show that stress levels and cortisol levels were significantly higher in dogs that were trained with electronic collars vs dogs trained with positive reinforcement (de Castro). The studies that show that breed doesn’t determine aggression do show a strong correlation between training methods and aggression. According to these studies, dogs that are subjected to punitive training measures and dogs that are intact had the highest incidents of aggression. (Casey, et al, 2014.)

Breed bias is a very real issue, especially in certain areas of the country. As a professional trainer who has trained thousands of dogs in the past 12+ years, I have had the pleasure of working with a lot of different breeds. One of the more common types of dogs that I work with are pitbulls, not because they have issues or problems but because they are common in the areas I have practiced in. The majority of pitbull type dogs that I have worked with have been charming and sweet, and I wish that more people were able to see them in this way, or as they are. In my career and personal life, I judge dogs as individuals. Traits can be common in different breeds, but that doesn’t mean it is a required characteristic. The next time you see an athletic looking short haired dog with a big skull walking in your neighborhood, don’t cross the street. Keep walking and smile at the owner. I bet that dog is the best boy or the goodest girl.

Works Cited

American Temperament Test Society, 2017. Accessed October 3, 2020. https://atts.org/breed-statistics/

Casey, Rachel A., Loftus, Bethany, Bolster, Christine, Richards, Gemma J., Blackwell, Emily J. 2013. ‘Human directed aggression in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris): Occurrence in different contexts and risk factors.’ Applied Animal Behavior Journal, volume 152, pages 52-63.

De Castro, Ana Catarina Vieira, Fuchs, Danielle, Pastur, Stefania, de Sousa, Iliana, Olsson, Anna S. ‘Does training method matter? Evidence for the negative impact of aversive based methods on companion animal welfare.’

Kalof, Linda; Taylor, Carl (2007). "The discourse of dog fighting". Humanity & Society. 31 (4): 319–333. doi:10.1177/016059760703100403. S2CID 144066670. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 20, 2020. Retrieved August 14, 2020.

Olson, K.R. (2015). "Inconsistent identification of pit bull-type dogs by shelter staff". The Veterinary Journal. 206 (2): 197–202. doi:10.1016/j.tvjl.2015.07.019. PMID 26403955. Retrieved August 20, 2020.

Ott, Stephanie A., Schalke, Esther, von Gaertner, Amelie M., Hackbarth, Hansjoachim. ‘Is there a difference? Comparison of golden retrievers and dog breeds affected by breed specific legislation regarding aggressive behavior.’ Journal of Veterinary Behavior, volume 3, issue 3. Pages 134-140.

Ziv, Gal. ‘The affects of using aversive training methods in dogs. A review.’ Journal of Beterinary Behavior, volume 19. Pages 50-60.