How did pit bulls get such a bad rap?

By Jon Bastian
If current news reports are to be believed, pit bulls have been attacking and biting humans left and right—to the point that many communities are considering breed-specific bans on pit bulls.
Would it surprise you to learn that pit bulls used to be America’s darlings? Before the mid-80s, stories of pit bull attacks are practically non-existent. There is even some confusion over exactly which breed of dog is a pit bull — the definition includes the American pit bull terrier, the Staffordshire terrier and, at times, the bulldog. This confusion seems to have dogged the breed from the beginning, as there is some disagreement over the origin of pit bulls.

Where do pit bulls come from and how did they get such a bad rap?

Two possible histories of pit bulls

In one theory, pit bulls began during antiquity as the so-called Molossus, a now-extinct breed that was used by the Greeks as shepherds and guard dogs. In times of war, they marched off to battle with their humans. Eventually, so the theory goes, the Molossus made it to early Britain, where it became known as the Mastiff. In the first century CE, Rome discovered the breed after defeating the Britons, and the dogs spread all over the empire. For the next four hundred years, they were used as war dogs, and intermixed with various local breeds all over the European continent, becoming the forerunners of the modern pit bull.
A competing theory places the origin of the pit bull in England at the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066, when butchers would use large, Mastiff-type dogs as “bullenbeissers,” which translates as “bull biter.” Trained to latch onto a bull’s nose and not let go until the animal was subdued, these dogs were the only way that humans could regain control when a bull became agitated. Unfortunately, this practical if dubious use eventually led to the “sport” of bull-baiting, where dogs were put in a pit with an intentionally riled-up bull and spectators placed bets on which dog would hold on the longest, or bring the bull down. You’ve probably guessed it by now, but this is also the origin of the terms “pit bull dog” and “bulldog.”
Still not a specific breed, the bullenbeissers were bred with Terriers, combining their intelligence with the strength of the Mastiffs. As bull-baiting came to be banned in the 19th century, dog fighting became popular as an underground and quasi-illegal activity in the UK. British immigrants to the U.S. at that time brought dog fighting, as well as their dogs, to the New World. However, as the breed spread to Americans and Americans spread across the continent, pit bulls began to be put to their original use, as general purpose herding and working dogs. Because of their fighting history, though, the American Kennel Club would not recognize the breed until 1936, although they defined it as a Staffordshire terrier, distinct from the American pit bull terrier.

Early perceptions of pit bulls

Far from being considered a killing machine on legs, pit bulls seem to be an American favorite in the early half of the century — indeed, during World War I, the country itself is personified as a pit bull on army recruitment posters, and several pit bulls go on to become famous in the American military. Referring to an athlete as a pit bull is a very common sports metaphor through the 1930s, and it is meant as the highest compliment. There is also a famous racehorse in the late 1930s named Pit Bull, as well as a number of pit bull stars of early motion pictures. Frequently, pit bulls are associated with children, as in the Our Gang comedies, as well as with Buster Brown, both in short films and as the corporate mascot for a shoe company. The famous RCA Victor image of a dog and a gramophone also featured a pit bull terrier.

From the turn of the century until the early 1980s, there is exactly one dog attack story to make the national papers and mention pit bulls, but that’s probably because it involved a man intentionally siccing a pack of 26 dogs on a young woman. According to a 1947 article in The Independent (St. Petersburg, Florida), “Attorneys said they believed it was the first time the state had invoked a statute which would find the owner guilty of manslaughter if it were proven that he permitted vicious animals to run free and they attacked and killed a human being.” There’s no mention of pit bulls as vicious and no call for a ban of the breed, just a human who is held responsible for inducing the dogs to attack. Ironically, though, it is in Florida forty years after this incident that the first breed-specific ban is enacted. In the intervening decades, “pit bull” continues to be a popular description for athletes and when the breed does turn up in newspapers, it’s more often than not in a classified ad for puppies.
The only mention during the 1960s that isn’t an ad is a rather amusing bit from gossip columnist Earl Wilson, who reported in his August 22, 1969 column, “Sonny and Cher, who used to scare people, have now been scared by people. ‘Totally horrified’ by the Sharon Tate murder case, they bought a big dog — ‘a pit bull terrier’ — to protect them and their little daughter Chaste [sic] at their Hollywood Home...” It is at about this time that using large dogs for personal protection becomes popular, but pit bulls are still not singled out as particularly dangerous. In 1971, a new law allows the U.S. Postal Service to bill people for injuries caused to letter carriers by their dogs, but it applies to all dogs, and the general attitude is still one of human responsibility. In a syndicated New York Times story from 1977 on dog bites, opening with the story of a seven year-old boy receiving a very minor injury from a Great Dane, author Jane E. Brody advises, “(S)imple precautions on the part of the dog owners and potential victims could prevent most of these attacks.”

Change in perception and ban on pit bulls

Less than a decade later, that had all changed, and by New Year’s Day 1986, over thirty communities are considering breed specific legislation and bans on pit bulls. What changed?
For one thing, despite being illegal in all fifty states, dog fighting made a comeback in the 80s, and the pit bull is the dog of choice. It is also the preferred guard dog for drug dealers and gangs, with a hugely publicized attack in 1987 in which a pit bull guarding a marijuana crop in California mauls and kills a two-and-a-half year-old boy.
By the summer of that year, every single proposed ban has become law, but not necessarily with the support of animal professionals. Kent Salazar, head of Albuquerque’s animal control division, commented at the time of their proposed ban on pit bulls that he didn’t think a ban on pit bulls was necessary, saying, “We have all the means to protect people with clauses about vicious dogs.” He also noted that, a few years previously, Doberman pinschers were the target of such bans. His words went unheeded, and Tijeras, New Mexico, just outside of Albuquerque, passes the toughest pit bull ban of the time, allowing animal control officers to seize and destroy them on sight without compensation to the owner.
The various pit bull breed bans are decried by animal control officials as “the most concentrated legal assault on a pit bull they can recall,” as well as “canine racism.” The Houston Chronicle quotes unnamed officials as placing the blame for the problem squarely on humans. “(M)any of the pit bull attacks are due to a skyrocketing number of poorly bred and badly trained dogs raised by backyard breeders, who are trying to cash in on the pit bull’s growing reputation as a cheap, but deadly effective guard dog, particularly in urban areas.”
Nearly thirty years after the beginning of this anti-pit bull hysteria, the tide seems to be turning a little bit, but every step forward is followed by a step back. Even as Florida is attempting to overturn all breed-specific legislation, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin is considering imposing a new ban. Yet it only takes a brief look at the history of pit bulls to realize that the dogs are not the problem; the humans who misuse them are. For over a hundred years, holding the owners personally responsible was enough to prevent attacks, and the breed was perceived as very child-friendly. With outreach and education, it may be possible to restore that image and rehabilitate the pit bull’s reputation, restoring an iconic American dog to its rightful place among mankind’s best friends.

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The Truth About Pit Bulls

With the amount of fear mongering that exists currently regarding pit bull-type dogs, I feel it's important to publish the truth about these dogs. Although most dogs labeled as pit bulls are actually a mix of different breeds with similar physical characteristics, anything that has the appearance of an American Pitbull Terrier is incorrectly labeled as a pit bull, even when there is no relation to the APT at all. For the purpose of this article, therefore, I will call dogs with similar physical characteristics pit bull types, unless I am referencing the American Pitbull Terrier specifically.
Since I came to the US fifteen years ago, I have worked with American Pitbull Terriers and pit bull types and have treated everything from minor to major behavioral issues in these dogs, including aggression. For the past 3 years I have also been working with my colleague and friend Jim Crosby, canine aggression expert and forensic dog bite investigator, on investigations where people – including children – have been mauled or killed by dogs. Jim Crosby has had his hands on more dangerous dogs and dogs that have killed people than anyone else in the world. There is no one more qualified when it comes to understanding why dogs aggress and why tragic incidents such as human deaths from dogs happen. Yes, some people have been killed by pit bull types and some have been killed by other breeds, but the correlation between the majority of these deaths, regardless of breed or breed type, is owner ignorance, recklessness and irresponsibility. Most of the human deaths from dogs he has investigated over many years could have been prevented if human failure had not been such a significant contributing factor.
My experience therefore qualifies me to write and talk about this breed type more than any journalist or scaremonger out there determined to instill fear. And to be clear, I’m not an American Pitbull Terrier or pit bull type advocate. I’m an advocate for all dogs. I’m also a realist and these are my observations.
Does Breed Type Predict Behavior?
Every dog has their own set of personality traits that make them unique, and it’s impossible to predict a dog’s behavior solely on its breed type, because the way a dog is raised and the environment in which he is raised in has a significant impact on behavior, regardless of breed. So while I do take breed predisposition into account when I’m working with any dog, I never rely on it solely as a predictor of behavior. The myth that all pit bulls are dangerous or 'bred to be violent' is simply not true, but myths like these continue to instill fear in the general public and cause devastating misunderstandings.
Do All Pit Bull Types Have Similar Behavioral Traits?
No. Some have a tendency towards certain behaviors, but not all. Their range of behavior defies any singular label and is as complex and variable as any other breed type, crossing the spectrum from the gentle and even-tempered therapy dog used to help children read more fluently in school programs, to the dog labeled a liability for biting or even causing a human fatality.
Are There Any Accurate Pit Bull Type-Specific Generalizations?
If I had to pick some tendencies and make a few generalization about pit bull types they would be the following:

• Although there are always exceptions, pit bull types and bully breeds generally tend to mature earlier and show demonstrative behaviors from a very young age, with pups engaging in rough play and muzzle punching. They tend to get overly excited during play, (normal for many breeds) which can frighten other dogs. As the puppy matures, play can become rougher with adolescent and adult dogs becoming less tolerant and sometimes reactive. Overly exuberant play can provoke a negative response in other dogs’, which can quickly escalate into a squabble or fight. To avoid this situation, play should be supervised and controlled with human intervention to avoid negative behavior. This is the case for any dog that plays with other dogs, regardless of breed or breed type.
• Pit bull types enjoy a zest for life that is often incomparable to others, but they can sometimes offend other dogs or scare people with their enthusiasm. Body slamming, jumping and sometimes grabbing an arm or piece of clothing is an exuberant (but usually non-violent) way of greeting, and can be interpreted or perceived as threatening or even aggressive. Because of their friendliness and willingness to engage, there are no parameters for some pit bull types when it comes to invading personal body space.
• Like any dog, pit bull type pups need to be well-socialized from a young age and taught self-control. Teaching a pup to greet a person by sitting rather than jumping is a good way to start, and a pup should be removed when play gets too rough or when the greeting is too energetic. This will help set boundaries that will guide the puppy into making better greeting choices.
• Pit bull types tend to be highly demonstrative and emotional dogs that think with their hearts rather than their heads. Some find it hard to control their impulses in different situations. Teaching any dog to think before acting helps to focus an emotional brain into one that is actively thinking and problem solving. For example, asking a dog to wait while his food bowl is put down and eat only when given a release cue, teaches valuable impulse control that helps focus attention. Pit bull types are exceptionally quick learners when given the right motivators.

Do Pit Bull Types Suddenly Explode?
There are countless stories of pit bull type dogs 'suddenly exploding'. This seems to be the common layperson's explanation whenever there has been a bad bite or a fatality, but the actual incidents of true explosive rage in any breed of dog are very rare. Many bites are the result of a combination of environment and circumstance. The signs of discomfort might be subtle and easily misunderstood, ignored, or go unnoticed until they come together in a perfect storm that ends in a bite. Dogs never bite 'out of the blue' or 'for no reason.' There is always a reason for every behavior.
Can People Cause Their Dogs to Bite?
Yes. All too often people get pit bull types and fail to give them the outlets they need, or worse, turn them into loaded weapons. Their ‘gameness’ and desire to please tends to attract the wrong kind of people who use them to enhance personal image and status, or as protection for themselves or their families. Many pit bull types are kept in the yard tethered to a chain their entire lives, causing hyper-reactivity and fear which has on occasion led to disaster. Until authorities take more notice of the other end of the leash and hold people accountable for their dogs’ behavior, the situation will remain the same.
Can the Number of Dog Bites Be Reduced?
The key to reducing the number of dog bites and keeping people safe is not to ban an entire breed, but instead to make all dog owners accountable and responsible for their dogs’ behavior while encouraging them to raise their dogs appropriately. Good socialization and using only positive training methods creates emotionally balanced dogs, a fact that science has proven again and again. Force free training and humane discipline is more effective, less confrontational and therefore safer for any breed of dog.
Mandatory education in all schools to empower children with a clearer understanding of canine body language as well as educating parents and caregivers to be more aware when mixing children and dogs will also keep people safer.
Why Are There So Many Pit Bull Types In Shelters?
In some cities in the United States pit bull type dogs account for half of all dogs that end up in shelters, and the devastating reality is that very few of them make it out alive. All too often, owners have damaged and abandoned these dogs to the point where re-homing becomes impossible, and it’s because of human irresponsibility along with media hype that the pit bull and other bully types are now a breed type many people fear.

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