The American Pit Bull Terrier: Friend or Foe

Abstract

“Punish the deed, not the breed!” This is a proverb that seems to be chanted piercingly around the American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) community. Denying pet owners the right to raise an APBT as a pet, based on the reputation of a few bad seeds, is not only unfair to the owner but to the animal as well. Given the right owner and care, the APBT has proven to be loyal, protective, and mentally sound animals. The APBT is probably the most misunderstood breed in the United States. People so often focused on the negative stories in the media, that they tend to forget all about the good deeds of this breed. American Pit Bull Terriers have many amazing qualities, but because of their background they are often misjudged. “The truth is that pit bulls are loving, gentle, and obedient dogs that can be easily trained.” (Fiedler, 2006, p. 14) As long as there are pets, there will always be pet owners. It is the responsibility of the pet owners to ensure that their pets are being trained properly. So instead of denying them the right to own an APBT, they should be given the opportunity to prove that the stereotype given to this breed is absolutely incorrect.

Keywords: American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT), misunderstood, owner, denied rights, punishment

The American Pit Bull Terrier: A Misunderstood Breed

The American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) first appeared on the scene in the early 1800’s. The APBT is believed to have originated from a cross between the bull dog and the terrier. “This breed was formerly known by many names including the Pit Bull, the Pit Bull Terrier, the American Bull, the American Pit Bull, the American Pit Bull Dog, the Pit Dog, the Half-and-Half, the American Bull Terrier, the Yankee Terrier, The Yankee Bull Terrier, and the Staffordshire Terrier.” (Morris, 2001, p. 363) It is an undisputable fact that the APBT was bred for pit-fighting, and that stereotype has seemed to follow the breed. “Pit Bulls were used for many activities other than...