# Pit Bulls (continued) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 8, 2013, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714 "2013-10-08T19:18:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 58
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714/1141 "2015-06-16T17:00:44Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > News media do not make up breed identifications because they are nasty sorts who are mean to cute widdle puppies. They don’t have to; witnesses, who are susceptible to that pesky confirmation bias, do it for them. ---
**Author:** ![JcWoman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jcwoman/32/2889_2.png) [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714/1142 "2015-06-16T17:13:17Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Odds are very high that this claim was pulled at random out of the poster’s posterior. > > News media do not make up breed identifications because they are nasty sorts who are mean to cute widdle puppies. I hate to keep beating a dead horse, but the author of the book “The Pit Bull Placebo” did a VERY well researched examination of why certain dog breeds are demonized. If you’d care to fight ignorance before you open your mouth and demonstrate it, you’d read that book. > [@Skywatcher](#): > > They don’t have to; witnesses, who are susceptible to that pesky confirmation bias, do it for them. Absolutely true also! This has been known to go both ways. In my dog rescue circles, we’ve talked about how dogs in animal shelters are mid-identified on description cards. If you want to get a dog adopted, you put anything OTHER than pit bull after the label “Breed:”. Look, here is further evidence that it’s not a breed characteristic: “pit bull” is not a breed recognized by any breed certifying authority, AKC or otherwise. It’s a general description of various bully/terrior breeds. Many people feel that American Staffordshire Terrier is closest to what people think of when they say pit bull. But the term is applied to many other breeds and mixes as well. Simple logic: you can’t say pit bulls are a dangerous breed when they aren’t a breed. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714/1143 "2015-06-16T23:21:44Z")
The United Kennel Club lists American Pit bull Terrier as a breed… Its basically an AmStaff. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2015, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714/1144 "2015-06-16T23:43:15Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > The United Kennel Club lists American Pit bull Terrier as a breed… Its basically an AmStaff. Except when ‘pit-bull’ statistics come up they are never limited to AmStaffs. Pit-bulls as a category which includes multiple breeds is often compared to the statistics of an individual breed. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2015, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714/1145 "2015-06-17T15:09:36Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > So, you deny that Pit Bulls have incredibly powerful jaws and that when they clam down on something with their jaws they hold on with a refusal to let go? If your dog clams down on something for more than four hours, take it to a vet. Clams and dogs just don’t mix. We’re fighting ignorance here, folks. ---
**Author:** ![crucible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@crucible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crucible)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2016, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714/1146 "2016-01-14T15:27:10Z")
since the last post, around a dozen Americans have been killed by pit bulls. Another half dozen by other large, dangerous dogs, such as rotties. The practice of harboring some sorts of dogs as parts of human families, no matter the ‘motivation’, does lead to a certain number of tragic, and completely unnecessary, deaths. Anyone who wants a non-threatening pooch can do the research and find which of the breeds is ‘always’ docile and ‘never’ attacks a human. Beagles, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2016, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714/1147 "2016-01-14T15:28:10Z")
> [@crucible](#): > > since the last post, around a dozen Americans have been killed by pit bulls. Another half dozen by other large, dangerous dogs, such as rotties. The practice of harboring dogs as parts of human families, no matter the ‘motivation’, does lead to a certain number of tragic, and completely unnecessary, deaths. whats the solution? ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2016, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714/1148 "2016-01-14T16:06:36Z")
Beagles are fucking assholes. ---
**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2016, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714/1149 "2016-01-14T16:09:49Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > Beagles are fucking assholes. Bad aim? LGBT proclivity in beagles? Or just short legs? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2016, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714/1150 "2016-01-14T16:13:18Z")
> [@crucible](#): > > Anyone who wants a non-threatening pooch can do the research and find which of the breeds is ‘always’ docile and ‘never’ attacks a human. Beagles, for example. So when we got bit by the beagle/St. Bernard mix we took in, the beagle in it had nothing to do with its aggression? Or was it simply the fact that the husband of the previous owner had abused the dog (which we were not aware of until after calling animal control)? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2016, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714/1151 "2016-01-14T16:20:23Z")
BTW: that was nearly a decade ago and the lady of the house is still afraid of dogs because of it. ---
**Author:** ![JcWoman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jcwoman/32/2889_2.png) [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2016, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714/1152 "2016-01-14T17:08:42Z")
Whenever anyone is bitten by a dog they become afraid of dogs for years afterwards. So what’s your point? I remember one time we did a meet and greet for my greyhound adoption group at a pet store and one of the store workers admitted he’d been bitten by a greyhound when he was a kid so he was afraid of them. He was in his mid-twenties by appearance. I chatted with him a little but mostly just let him observe our dogs from a distance and how they interacted with the customers. After about an hour he was tentatively reaching out to pet my dogs. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2016, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714/1153 "2016-01-14T17:16:17Z")
> [@JcWoman](#): > > Whenever anyone is bitten by a dog they become afraid of dogs for years afterwards. So what’s your point? That was in case the town crier up there tries to claim it wasn’t really an attack. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2016, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714/1154 "2016-01-14T18:21:51Z")
> [@CannyDan](#): > > Bad aim? LGBT proclivity in beagles? Or just short legs? 😃 No shame. ---
**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2016, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714/1155 "2016-01-14T20:27:11Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > No shame. Me? Or beagles? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2016, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714/1156 "2016-01-14T20:52:31Z")
> [@crucible](#): > > since the last post, around a dozen Americans have been killed by pit bulls. Another half dozen by other large, dangerous dogs, such as rotties. The practice of harboring some sorts of dogs as parts of human families, no matter the ‘motivation’, does lead to a certain number of tragic, and completely unnecessary, deaths. Anyone who wants a non-threatening pooch can do the research and find which of the breeds is ‘always’ docile and ‘never’ attacks a human. Beagles, for example. There is no such thing - any dog of any breed or mix has the potential to bite, given enough reason. And yes, I say reason, because biting is a natural way for dogs to communicate. Anyone who wants a “non-threatening pooch” without doing the work to ensure whatever they get stays that way is better off with a stuffed toy. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714/1157 "2016-01-14T20:56:28Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > There is no such thing - any dog of any breed or mix has the potential to bite, given enough reason. And yes, I say reason, because biting is a natural way for dogs to communicate. > > Anyone who wants a “non-threatening pooch” without doing the work to ensure whatever they get stays that way is better off with a stuffed toy. hmmm do you know how they got the name pitbull? they were bred to fight bulls. bulls are large. and dangerous. the way a pitbull wins a fight with a bull is to clamp down on the neck… and not let go. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2016, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714/1158 "2016-01-14T20:59:21Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > hmmm > > do you know how they got the name pitbull? > > they were bred to fight bulls. bulls are large. and dangerous. the way a pitbull wins a fight with a bull is to clamp down on the neck… and not let go. And? You do realize how long ago that was, right? ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2016, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714/1159 "2016-01-14T21:02:38Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > And? You do realize how long ago that was, right? yeah but they have been used to fight each other for dozens and dozens of generations. i’m not really sure you are making your case here… they are dogs bred for fighting and killing ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2016, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714/1160 "2016-01-14T21:08:34Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > yeah > > but they have been used to fight each other for dozens and dozens of generations. > > i’m not really sure you are making your case here… > > they are dogs bred for fighting and killing You obviously haven’t been doing any research. A small subset of all of the dogs deemed to be “pit bulls” have been bred to fight other dogs, but not bite humans. Some of this subset have been poorly bred and will bite anything. This does not mean that any given “pit bull” is any more dangerous than any given Beagle. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714.md?page=57) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-bulls-continued/670714.md?page=59)