# It's always a fucking Pit Bull **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 24, 2016, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-always-a-fucking-pit-bull/760775 "2016-07-24T14:41:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2016, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-always-a-fucking-pit-bull/760775/1 "2016-07-24T14:41:57Z")
Another news story today out of [Ottawa](http://www.ottawasun.com/2016/07/23/dog-brutally-mauls-woman-in-vanier-neighbours-rush-to-rescue) regarding a dog attack. It’s never a German Shepherd. It’s never a Boxer. It’s never a Shih Tzu. It’s never a Poodle, or a Bichon Frise. or a Chihuahua. It’s always a fucking Pit Bull! Why the fuck do people buy these dogs? It’s always a fucking Pit Bull! ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2016, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-always-a-fucking-pit-bull/760775/2 "2016-07-24T15:06:36Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Another news story today out of [Ottawa](http://www.ottawasun.com/2016/07/23/dog-brutally-mauls-woman-in-vanier-neighbours-rush-to-rescue) regarding a dog attack. > > It’s never a German Shepherd. It’s never a Boxer. It’s never a Shih Tzu. It’s never a Poodle, or a Bichon Frise. or a Chihuahua. > > It’s always a fucking Pit Bull! > > Why the fuck do people buy these dogs? > > It’s always a fucking Pit Bull! Classic confirmation bias. You think it’s always a Pit Bull because you expect it always to be a Pit Bull. And people identify the dogs as Pit Bulls because they expect the dogs to be Pit Bulls. And the media reports them as Pit Bulls because they cover “Pit Bull” attacks more than attacks by other dogs, because they expect Pit Bulls to be dangerous and gravitate toward stories that confirm their suspicions. [For example](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United_States#Journal_of_the_American_Veterinary_Medical_Association:_2000.E2.80.932009): > [@](#): > > The most recent study of the epidemiology of fatal dog bites in the United States was published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association in 2013.[8] While earlier studies were based on television and newspaper reports, this was the first study to be based on law-enforcement reports, animal control reports, and investigator statements. It identified preventable factors in the fatal incidents. They found that the most common contributing factors were: absence of an able-bodied person to intervene, no familiar relationship of victims with dogs, owner failure to neuter dogs, compromised ability of victims to interact appropriately with dogs (e.g. mental disabilities), dogs kept isolated from regular positive human interactions versus family dogs (e.g. dogs kept chained in backyards), owners’ prior mismanagement of dogs, and owners’ history of abuse or neglect of dogs. Furthermore, they found that in 80% of the incidents, 4 or more of the above factors co-occurred. > > The authors found that in a significant number of DBRFs there was either a conflict between different media sources reporting breed and/or a conflict between media and animal control reports relative to the reporting of breed. For 401 dogs described in various media accounts of DBRFs, media sources reported conflicting breed attributions for 124 of the dogs (30.9%); and where there were media reports and an animal control report (346 dogs), there were conflicting breed attributions for 139 dogs (40.2%) > > According to this study, reliable verification of the breed of dog was only possible in 18% of incidents. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2016, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-always-a-fucking-pit-bull/760775/3 "2016-07-24T15:06:46Z")
Actually, it’s not. A complaint from people who own actual Pit Bulls is that any time a short-haired dog bites someone, it’s reported as a Pit Bull. In other areas, they get called a Bulldog unless they happen to be black, in which case they’re called a Doberman (never mind the actual breed). And in any case, you know why it’s those dogs? Because it’s the ones with lousy owners. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2016, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-always-a-fucking-pit-bull/760775/4 "2016-07-24T15:16:24Z")
It’s the news media definition of a Pit Bull. If a dog attacks a person it’s a Pit Bull. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2016, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-always-a-fucking-pit-bull/760775/5 "2016-07-24T15:20:56Z")
It’s always a “Pit Bull” just like it’s always an “AR-15” … until the facts come out, that is. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2016, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-always-a-fucking-pit-bull/760775/6 "2016-07-24T15:30:19Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Another news story today out of [Ottawa](http://www.ottawasun.com/2016/07/23/dog-brutally-mauls-woman-in-vanier-neighbours-rush-to-rescue) regarding a dog attack. > > It’s never a German Shepherd. It’s never a Boxer. It’s never a Shih Tzu. It’s never a Poodle, or a Bichon Frise. or a Chihuahua. > > It’s always a fucking Pit Bull! > > Why the fuck do people buy these dogs? > > It’s always a fucking Pit Bull! Before any “eyewitnesses” give reports to the media, they should be required to take [this test.](http://www.pickthepit.com/) It very often is a German shepherd, or a boxer, and standard poodles can be pretty vicious. Shih tzu’s, mini/toy poodles, Bichons, and Chihuahuas may do less damage, but they are much more likely to bite. Dacshunds and Jack Russles are probably the most dangerous dogs from a biting perspective out there. Pit bulls are about the least threatening dogs of their size. Confirmation bias and poor eyewitness testimony give them an unfair reputation. They do have a bit of a tendency to get up in your face, which I can see those who are terrified of dogs may find threatening, but that is simply incorrect perception of the dog’s intentions. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2016, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-always-a-fucking-pit-bull/760775/7 "2016-07-24T15:38:02Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > It’s the news media definition of a Pit Bull. If a dog attacks a person it’s a Pit Bull. Yeah. From the OP’s own link: > [@](#): > > A woman was in critical condition in hospital Saturday after a vicious mauling by a dog, believed to be a pit bull… Emphasis added. I’m reluctant to blame the dog. It’s the owners who usually are to blame. And while “pit bull type dogs” make up the majority of god attacks, it’s unclear if that’s because of the dog or the owners training the dog. ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2016, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-always-a-fucking-pit-bull/760775/8 "2016-07-24T15:54:16Z")
I agree with the OP … come on, you can’t deny that there’s a contingent of owners who are not necessarily violent people but are drawn to pit bulls out of a cheap thrill/admiration for dangerous creatures. Kind of like middle class types who get into romantic correspondence with jailed felons - “oh, he’s just misunderstood!” ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2016, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-always-a-fucking-pit-bull/760775/9 "2016-07-24T16:02:25Z")
> [@LC\_Strawhouse](#): > > I agree with the OP … come on, you can’t deny that there’s a contingent of owners who are not necessarily violent people but are drawn to pit bulls out of a cheap thrill/admiration for dangerous creatures. Kind of like middle class types who get into romantic correspondence with jailed felons - “oh, he’s just misunderstood!” I can’t believe I’m actually agreeing with LC Strawhouse. Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2016, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-always-a-fucking-pit-bull/760775/10 "2016-07-24T16:05:58Z")
> [@LC\_Strawhouse](#): > > I agree with the OP … come on, you can’t deny that there’s a contingent of owners who are not necessarily violent people but are drawn to pit bulls out of a cheap thrill/admiration for dangerous creatures. Kind of like middle class types who get into romantic correspondence with jailed felons - “oh, he’s just misunderstood!” Sure, except many of those owners have no idea whether or not they have a Pit Bull. And then by Pits and faux-Pits being very popular breeds the percentage of attacks attributed to them will be higher than for other breeds. When I was a child German Shepherds were a popular breed and considered the most dangerous dog. Some years went by and Dobermans became popular and they became the most dangerous dog. Not that long after Rottweilers became popular, and guess which dog was then the most dangerous? Then Pits became the popular breed, especially popular among people who wanted vicious dogs too, so the Pits and their imitations have taken a strong lead in the vicious dog category. We’ve done plenty of threads on this. There are no useful records, dog attacks aren’t recorded consistently, breed identification is rarely confirmed. Pit Bull has become a synonym for scary dog. \*anecdote about Shepherds in the 60s as vicious dogs: My friend had a German Shepherd when he was a kid. The dog got overly aggressive playing with him and bit at his face leaving a few marks. He said when his dad got home he was so mad he took out his hunting rifle and shot the dog on the spot. That made his mom really mad because the dog was in the living room. ---
**Author:** ![jasnooks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f4b2a3/32.png) [@jasnooks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasnooks)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2016, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-always-a-fucking-pit-bull/760775/11 "2016-07-24T16:10:10Z")
> [@LC\_Strawhouse](#): > > come on, you can’t deny that there’s a contingent of owners who are not necessarily violent people but are drawn to pit bulls out of a cheap thrill/admiration for dangerous creatures. Very true. But there’s also many pit bull owners like me that are just looking for a smart, loyal, loving, fun companion. I rescued my best friend from a shitty household when she was 6 months old. Luckily i got her out of there before any major damage was done to her. She is just over 3 years old now, and although she’s still a bit skittish, the only thing she attacks is her bowl of dog chow 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2016, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-always-a-fucking-pit-bull/760775/12 "2016-07-24T16:19:25Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Sure, except many of those owners have no idea whether or not they have a Pit Bull. And then by Pits and faux-Pits being very popular breeds the percentage of attacks attributed to them will be higher than for other breeds. When I was a child German Shepherds were a popular breed and considered the most dangerous dog. Some years went by and Dobermans became popular and they became the most dangerous dog. Not that long after Rottweilers became popular, and guess which dog was then the most dangerous? Then Pits became the popular breed, especially popular among people who wanted vicious dogs too, so the Pits and their imitations have taken a strong lead in the vicious dog category. Understood, but I don’t recall fans of Dobermans, German Shepherds etc. ever denying that the dogs were at all dangerous, claiming that they were being confused with other breeds, etc etc. In contrast there is so much PR spin around pit bulls that it really seems like they are protesting too much. > [@Leaffan](#): > > I can’t believe I’m actually agreeing with LC Strawhouse. Haha! I’m really not that bad. In fact we should hang out in Bright’s Grove one day, maybe we’ll even run into Dino Ciccarelli! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2016, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-always-a-fucking-pit-bull/760775/13 "2016-07-24T16:24:59Z")
> [@LC\_Strawhouse](#): > > Understood, but I don’t recall fans of Dobermans, German Shepherds etc. ever denying that the dogs were at all dangerous, claiming that they were being confused with other breeds, etc etc. In contrast there is so much PR spin around pit bulls that it really seems like they are protesting too much. I have seen owners of Dobies and Bulldogs say that, like any other dog, they are dangerous if they are mistreated, or if they feel that they or their owners are being attacked. But these were people who lived in places where the default breed reported is Bulldog if light-colored, Doberman if black. My first news that German Sheperds have ever been seen as “a dangerous breed” has been these boards, I’ve always heard them as well as any of the shepherd breeds recommended for homes with children. I consider this another data point indicating that the dangerous or not is more a matter of human culture than dog breed. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2016, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-always-a-fucking-pit-bull/760775/14 "2016-07-24T16:27:39Z")
It’s about people who want vicious dogs, and breeders who provide vicious dogs. “Pit Bulls” are the breed of choice. That breed is in quotes, the American Kennel Club doesn’t recognize this as a separate breed. Typically we’re talking about the [American Staffordshire Terrier](http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/american-staffordshire-terrier/), although my understanding is there are a couple other official breeds lumped together in this “pit bull” designation. My insurance company was clear, no pit bulls. Any claim to them that involves a pit bull will not be honored, I’d be completely on my own to pay any liability. Perhaps this is based on media hype or conformation bias … but it could be because the actuaries say pit bulls cause more financial loses over the long term. Just about any dog can be trained to be vicious, and a Lhasa Apso might send you to the hospital, but a pit bull could send you to the morgue. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2016, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-always-a-fucking-pit-bull/760775/15 "2016-07-24T16:28:42Z")
> [@LC\_Strawhouse](#): > > Understood, but I don’t recall fans of Dobermans, German Shepherds etc. ever denying that the dogs were at all dangerous, claiming that they were being confused with other breeds, etc etc. In contrast there is so much PR spin around pit bulls that it really seems like they are protesting too much. All dogs are dangerous if treated badly. There is nothing special about any breed, other than sheer size, that makes one more dangerous than another. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2016, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-always-a-fucking-pit-bull/760775/16 "2016-07-24T16:31:31Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > …standard poodles can be pretty vicious. Shih tzu’s, mini/toy poodles, Bichons, and Chihuahuas may do less damage, but they are much more likely to bite. Dacshunds and Jack Russles are probably the most dangerous dogs from a biting perspective out there. > [@OP's link](#): > > In the meantime, his wife, Lindsay, was grabbing medical supplies to help the 50-year-old woman, who had lost chunks of flesh from her arm and leg…“You could see down to the fatty tissue and the tendons on her arm,” she said…“If we weren’t home, the poor lady would have died; the dog did not want to let go,” she said. Yeah, my money’s on a Bichon Frise. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2016, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-always-a-fucking-pit-bull/760775/17 "2016-07-24T16:34:16Z")
I miss that long running “stupid Pit Bull news of the day” thread. Too bad the poster “running” that got banned. OP might wanna be careful. I am expecting Rachel Ray to get taken down any day now. At least her hubby can claim “they never did anything aggressive before this!” ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2016, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-always-a-fucking-pit-bull/760775/18 "2016-07-24T16:39:07Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > I miss that long running “stupid Pit Bull news of the day” thread. > > Too bad the poster “running” that got banned. > > OP might wanna be careful. > > I am expecting Rachel Ray to get taken down any day now. At least her hubby can claim “they never did anything aggressive before this!” She sounds like they tore out her throat at least once already. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2016, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-always-a-fucking-pit-bull/760775/19 "2016-07-24T17:23:26Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > Pit bulls are about the least threatening dogs of their size. Confirmation bias and poor eyewitness testimony give them an unfair reputation. They do have a bit of a tendency to get up in your face, which I can see those who are terrified of dogs may find threatening, but that is simply incorrect perception of the dog’s intentions. Which is to kiss you. I love pits, but Wife hates them. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2016, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-always-a-fucking-pit-bull/760775/20 "2016-07-24T17:29:42Z")
That study posted above has one seriously stupid assed point. They point out that fatal dog attacks have at least 4 out of X number of mitigating factors. Fair enough. But when it comes to fatal dog attacks, the fact the victim doesn’t have some OTHER able bodied person there to save their ass is one fucking dumb assed point. So, if you are a dog owner, and you are stupid enough to actually be ALONE with it and it kills you, that’s just bad dog ownership? Christ on a cracker. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-always-a-fucking-pit-bull/760775.md?page=2)