‘It’s More About Owner Than Dog’

As far as I’m concerned, there is no dog with a better temperament than the American pit bull terrier. I have been around these dogs for 20 years. I have taken them in, have worked closely with them and can say I have never been snapped at, bitten, attacked or in any way felt threatened by one.

They are very good with people and have been bred, historically, to be good with people. Before dogfighting was illegal, they were trained to fight dogs only. Dogs that bit out of pain or fear were culled.

This breed has been honed over generations to be a powerful fighting dog and it is one of the strongest dogs of any breed. Today, many of the people who fight these dogs also use them to guard illegal drugs. When they are used for illegal purposes, people have a vested interest in making the dog aggressive.

All dog experts will tell you that it is the responsibility of the owner to train their pets, for any breed. For pit bull owners, it’s about how they socialize them and how they train them. If they keep them away from people while they are puppies, the dogs become stranger-wary. They learn what they are taught. Dogs learn most about the world within the first five months; this is a critical socialization period for any dog.

Pit bulls were never meant to be protection dogs. If you have a well-bred and responsibly raised American pit bull terrier, it will often not be good protection against property theft, though they are protective of their family. The classic pit bull is people-stable, enjoys attention and being around children.

It’s all about the owner. Alaska’s first certified hearing dog was an American pit bull terrier. Helen Keller owned one. America’s first war dog, Stubby, who served in World War I was a pit bull. Stubby was invited to the White House by two presidents and inspired the creation of the U.S. K-9 Corps.

Unfortunately, if an owner wants an aggressive dog, they will produce one. However, in the right hands these dogs can be incredible pets. In the wrong hands, they can be dangerous.