From: Subject: Pit Bull Fact vs. Legend Date: Mon, 8 Jun 2009 20:52:47 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.austinlostpets.com/kidskorner/2October/pitbull.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.5579 Pit Bull Fact vs. Legend

September 2000, Our Visit to the Austin=20 Zoo

Pit Bull Fact=20 vs. = Legend

 

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Pit=20 Bulls speak - we are good = dogs
  = = =
Little-known=20 facts about Pit = Bulls

Dispelling some myths about Pit = Bulls

Pit=20 Bull=20 = quotes

Pit Bulls=20 speak - we are good dogs!

Most people, who = are=20 unfamiliar with the American Pit Bull Terrier, falsely believe = that they=20 are dangerous dogs.  Unfortunately, Pit Bulls have a bad = reputation=20 because of some mean people who have abused their dogs and trained = them to=20 be aggressive.  Pit Bulls are actually very stable, = intelligent, and=20 highly trainable.  They are strong athletic dogs, and they = require a=20 guardian who is responsible and will give them plenty of exercise = and=20 training.  They are very loving and loyal and make excellent = animal=20 companions.

Little-known facts about Pit = Bulls:

Pit=20 Bulls serve as therapy/service dogs.  The Chako Rescue = Association=20 has Pit Bull therapy dogs in Texas, Utah and California.  = Helen=20 Keller even had a Pit Bull as her canine companion and helper. = Cheyenne=20 and Dakota are a team of hard-working Search-and-Rescue Pit Bulls = in=20 Sacramento, California.  They play an important role in their = community by locating missing people in conjunction with the local = Sheriff.  In their off-duty hours, they do charity work as = therapy=20 dogs.

Petey, the faithful dog on the TV show, The Little = Rascals,=20 was a Pit Bull.  He spent countless hours with children day = after day=20 and never hurt anyone.  He was one of the most intelligent = Hollywood=20 dogs of all time.

There are quite a few celebrities who = have Pit=20 Bulls as members of their family including:  Rosie Perez, The = Crocodile Hunter, Judd Nelson, Usher, Alicia Silverstone, = Cassandra=20 Creech, Sinbad, John Stuart, Amy Jo Johnson, Linda Blair, Vin = Diesel, and=20 Bernadette Peters.

Pit Bulls are heroes!  America's = first war=20 dog was a Pit Bull named Stubby.  He earned several medals = during=20 World War I and was honored at the White House.  The = Ken-L-Ration dog=20 hero of 1993 was a Pit Bull named Weela.  She saved 30 = people, 29=20 dogs, 13 horses and a cat during a flood in Southern = California.  A=20 Pit Bull named Bogart saved a four-year-old child from drowning in = a=20 swimming pool in Florida.  Dixie, the Pit Bull, was inducted = into the=20 Georgia Animal Hall of Fame after she saved some children from a=20 Cottonmouth snake.

Pit Bulls are one of the most stable=20 people-friendly dogs in existence. The National Canine Temperament = Testing=20 Association tested 122 breeds, and Pit Bulls placed the 4th = highest with a=20 95% passing rate!

Top=20 of Page

Dispelling some myths about Pit=20 Bulls:

-Is it true that Pit Bulls can = lock their=20 jaw?
The infamous locking jaw is a myth. The American Pit = Bull=20 Terrier and related breeds are physiologically no different from = any other=20 breed of dog. All dogs are from the same species and none have = locking=20 jaws. Dr. I Lehr Brisbin of the University of Georgia states, "To = the best=20 of our knowledge, there are no published scientific studies that = would=20 allow any meaningful comparison to be made of the biting power of = various=20 breeds of dogs. There are, moreover, compelling technical reasons = why such=20 data describing biting power in terms of 'pounds per square inch' = can=20 never be collected in a meaningful way. All figures describing = biting=20 power in such terms can be traced to either unfounded rumor or, in = some=20 cases, to newspaper articles with no foundation in factual data."=20 Furthermore, Dr. Brisbin states, "The few studies which have been=20 conducted of the structure of the skulls, mandibles and teeth of = pit bulls=20 show that, in proportion to their size, their jaw structure and = thus its=20 inferred functional morphology, is no different than that of any = breed of=20 dog. There is absolutely no evidence for the existence of any kind = of=20 'locking mechanism' unique to the structure of the jaw and/or = teeth of the=20 American Pit Bull Terrier."

-Are Pit Bulls naturally = aggressive=20 towards humans?
While many Pit Bulls do tend to be = aggressive=20 towards other DOGS (as are most terriers), the normal, well raised = Pit=20 Bull has NO human-aggressive tendencies! In fact, human-aggression = was=20 actually bred out of the breed. The majority of Pit Bulls are=20 affectionate, intelligent, trainable dogs. In fact, the highest = obedience=20 trial record of all time is held by an American Pit Bull Terrier = named=20 Maddy!

-Can Pit Bulls "turn" on people?
In fact, = no breed=20 of dog does. Dog aggression is nearly always preceded by some kind = of=20 warning, and there is always a reason behind the attack. However, = many=20 inexperienced owners do not recognize the dog's behavior as = aggression, or=20 refuse to acknowledge it as a warning sign. The only exception I = can think=20 of is Springer Rage, a rare and controversial neurological = condition that=20 manifests itself as a spontaneous attack, followed by confusion, = and then=20 a return to normal behavior. Pit Bulls are NOT prone to this = condition.=20 There are individual dogs of any breed that may be more aggressive = to=20 others.

Pit = Bull=20 quotes:

Pit bulls are famous, in circles of=20 knowledgeable dog people, for the love and loyalty they bestow on = anyone=20 who shows them a smidgen of kindness.
--Linda Wilson-Fuoco,=20 journalist

In my opinion, Pit bulls are the least likely to = be=20 human aggressive. On the whole, you have to do a lot of work to = make them=20 aggressive to people.
--Sue Frisch, Dessin Animal Shelter=20 manager

Pit bulls are especially good at pleasing people = since they=20 are strong and smart, they learn quickly and they are very=20 adaptable."
-- Rob Mullin, dog trainer, owner, "K-9 Wizard = & Co."=20 Trumbell, Connecticut


By Sonnet Dashevskaya  - = Spindletop=20 Pit Bull Refuge, Austin branch

Sources: 
The Chako = Rescue=20 Association for the American Pit Bull Terrier
Debby = Wolfinsohn's The=20 Pit Bull Press
Denna's Pit Bull Page
J. Balsam's Friends Of = Terriers=20 Website
The American Pit Bull Terrier Speaks... Good Dog! by = Cline and=20 Martindale

Courtesy of Sonnet Dashevskaya and
Spindletop = Pit Bull=20 Refuge, Austin branch

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