Persuasive Paper on Pit Bulls Essay Example

the Pit Bull was to deliver messages back and forth across the battlefield. Pit Bulls were first bred to bait bulls and bears as a sport back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but soon became more commonly used as house pets due to their friendliness towards people.

This indeed should open up your eyes to them not really being an aggressive breed simply because they became more commonly used as pets. Another fact about the history of the Pit Bull is the Pit Bull breed is skillful at a number of other non-fighting activities as well as having a soft, gentle, and amiable temperament with humans. In America, farmers were known to use Pit Bulls as protectors as well as to drive livestock just like shepherds and collies do today. So as you see, the Pit Bull was basically a “working dog” who was used for their strengths as well as loyalty.

According to the American Temperament Testing Association, Pit Bulls have an 85. 3% passing rate compared to a rate of 81. 9% for all other breeds of dogs on average for temperament testing. Human aggressive Pit Bulls are very rare. Pit Bulls have high energy levels and are eager to please their owners, and are not protective by nature as some believe. While conducting research on the American Pit Bull Terriers, I discovered an interesting article that really explains and shows just how heroic and loyal the Pit Bull breed actually is (Spies, S. 2011, April2). Pit Bull's Courage Saves City Couple. Times-Dispatch. Retrieved from http://www. understand-a-bull. com/Articles/HeroicPitties/RockMarch2005. pdf). On March 27, 2011 in South Richmond, a seventy-five pound American Pit Bull

Terrier saves a couple and their friends. The American Pit Bull Terrier came to his owners rescue as three men in ski masks broke into the home and had everyone get on the floor at gunpoint. The Pit Bull did not attack or bite any of the intruders, but he did manage to scare them away.

The saddest part to this heroic story is that “Rock” (the Pit Bull) was shot before the men exited the back door and later died in his owners arms. There is also an American Pit Bull Terrier by the name of Stubby who has earned multiple medals including a purple heart for his heroics and loyalty during the Great War in Europe in the years of 1914 through 1917. “Stubby did his part by providing morale-lifting visits up and down the line and occasional early warning gas attacks or by waking a sleeping sentry to alert him to a German attack” (Martin, T. (2002-2011). Stubby the Military Dog.

Connecticut Military Department. Retrieved from http://www. ct. gov/mil/cwp/view. asp? A=1351=257892). These are just a few of the many ways that American Pit Bull Terriers are loyal to their owners as well as considered heroes among many people. When you mention the words Pit Bull, many times people immediately begin talking about the statistics of them attacking other people as well as other dogs. A survey was conducted in 2009 of attack percentages of Pit Bulls compared to other breeds such as Rottweilers, German Shepherds, and Chows. Among this survey, the Pit Bull breed scored the lowest with a 0. 0125 and the highest being the Rottweiler with a score of 0. 00433 (https://defendpitbulls.

com/pit-bull-attack-statistics/). On the website Dogsbite. org, it states that Pit-Bulls are the leading culprit in dog attacks, this is just a broad statistic which does not adequately explain whether these attacks were of dogs which were used in illegal dog fighting rings or whether they were just your average house pet. Many times when surveys are conducted dealing with dog temperaments and aggressiveness, Pit Bulls are the main breed that is done incorrectly.

I say this because a Pit Bull is not actually a breed, but a label given by the Breed Specific Legislation, BLU, to describe many breeds such as: the American Bulldog, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Bull Terrier, and Mini Bull Terrier. How does anyone know what the percentage of the real American Pit Bull Terrier is if they are including all of these other dogs into the same category? How can someone just say that Pit Bulls are so terrible when they are clearly classified as being many different types of dogs? I have 4 Pit Bulls of my own as well as two children.

I have never had any of my Pit Bulls show any aggression towards my children or to anyone that has come to my house, whether they know them or not. I have had all of my American Pit Bull Terriers since they were puppies, approximately six weeks old, and they are all registered as American Pit Bull Terriers and registered under ADBA(American Dog Breeders Association). There are so many comments and statements made about American Pit Bull Terriers that have caused people to really fear and dislike the breed altogether. On a positive

note however, over half of the comments and assumptions are not true.

There are many assumptions as well as articles about how an American Pit Bull Terrier has a locking jaw that does not open once it is clamped down on something. This statement and assumption is false. Researchers have conducted research and proven that the jaw of an American Pit Bull Terrier works the same as any other breed of dog. Another misleading statement is that most Pit Bulls are owned by criminals and are used for fighting. This is also very false. If you recall, the kids movie “The Little Rascals”, there was a Pit Bull who played the role as Petey.

Also, Hellen Keller had an American Pit Bull Terrier as well as Madonna, Brad Pitt, Earl Holliman, and many other well known celebrities and historical figures. The most debated issue regarding Pit Bulls is the reaction and changes that they go through after tasting blood. Many people say that the breed changes and becomes more fierce and aggressive after the taste of blood has been introduced. After careful research I have concluded that this is absolutely false. Pit Bulls, and all dogs for that matter, bite when they have been threatened or are in danger in a means to make whatever is threatening them go away.

It is just like if a child cries for a toy and then the parent gives them the toy, the child has learned that if they cry they will get what they want, so they continue to do it until it is redirected by the adult. If Pit-Bulls or A. P. B. T. 's are such an overly

vicious breed then why do so many Americans love, adore, and house them. Is it their loyalty, zest for life, their affectionate nature, their various colors and markings or is it the resilience as a breed that makes them unresistable. As an avid Pit Bull lover myself I currently own four of these beautiful animals.

My personal Pit-Bulls are just members of our family. They eat, exercise, and share in the same spaces as we do, so my view point may be different than other authors due to the fact that I not only have one but four of these so called vicious creatures. Pit Bulls can be as gentle as any other breed of dog, but due to myths and lack of knowledge from people the Pit Bull breed has been ruined and stereotyped. I feel that it is time to stop listening to others and actually look at the facts about American Pit Bull Terriers. References Martin, T. (2002-2011).

Stubby the Military Dog. Connecticut Military Department. Retrieved from http://www. ct. gov/mil/cwp/view. asp? A=1351&Q=257892 Spies, S. (2011, April2). Pit Bull's Courage Saves City Couple. Times-Dispatch. Retrieved from http://www. understand-a-bull. com/Articles/HeroicPitties/RockMarch2005. pdf Jessup, D. (n. d. ). The Working Pit Bull. Retrieved from http://www. amazon. com/Working-Pit-Bull-Diane-Jessup/dp/0793801907#_. Pit Bull Advocate 101. (n. d. ). Introducing the Pit Bull. Retrieved from http://www. pitbulladvocate101. com/BreedInformation. php