I'd like to help, if I may. I started my interaction with Pit Bull-types when I was 8 years old, and it has spanned many more than 10 dogs. I have never had an aggressive encounter with one of these dogs. In fact, I have waded into a furious fight between two Pit Bulls and pulled them apart, without the resulting loss of limb that one might imagine. The amazing thing about breeds bred to fight is that they are usually well aware of their opponent, and are equally aware that the owner grabbing their collar is not it.
Hopefully it isn't untoward of me to address some of the comments here, because I must.
Would you consider it unusual for the breaking-up of a dog-sledding operation to involve huskies and malamutes being dragged away? Or if there were a raid on a rat hunting kennel, would you be surprised that there are only feisty terriers being removed, rather than other breeds? Do you lament that they never discover bloodhounds on the racing track? The APBT evolved at least in part from the dog pits, so it is natural that he is the main participant. It is not that a fighter chooses this breed over others, but that this breed is the one created from those conditions.
I suppose I don't think that way. Innocent until proven guilty, right to own property, right to life and liberty and all that jazz. But it may interest you to know things like this:
Pit Bulls serve in many different capacities to mankind. They are being used as drug detection dogs, service dogs, therapy dogs, as well as good family pets and sporting/working/competition dogs. Here, for example, is a Pit Bull who acts as a hearing ear dog for his owner. I have the article copied, but no link, or I would post that as well.
A Pit Bull named Neville was banned in Ontario Canada, and came to America, where he is serving as a narcotics detection dog, I believe. (Click here to read about the Lawdogs program that uses Pit Bulls to serve and protect.) A rescued Pit Bull named Wallace just won the national disc dog championships in St. Louis, Missouri, beating border collies, Australian shepherds, and many other breeds.
Myself, I own three American Pit Bull Terriers. Two are just pups, and are starting their show career. My 4-year-old female, Loki, is a competitor in different sports, such as agility and weight pull. She also helps me in small ways around the house -- picking up things I drop, shutting doors for me, even getting a soda out of the fridge. I'm not disabled, but if I were, Loki would make the ideal assistance dog.
It may interest everyone to know that the CDC has stopped tracking dog bite fatalities by breed because they felt that the ratio of error is too high. This is a science site, so tell me exactly how reliable the human eyes are. How many witness are truly reliable? I have read a very interesting study which basically says that 98% of people cannot identify a Pit Bull without also misidentifying other breeds as such. It also noted that the vast majority of people who don't like the breed could not identify it at all! So while its all fine and well to say "that dog looks like a Pit Bull," just how accurate are such identifications, even when made by trained individuals?
And if humans cannot identify the breed, then what are we really talking about here? If we are lumping in anything with short hair and muscles, then that's hardly scientific. You could be talking about Labradors or greyhounds. One person mentioned they didn't know if another person's dog was a Pit Bull or a Rottweiler, even though there is a tremendous difference. They aren't even in the same family, except as grouped together by the misinformed.
As for the ATTS (American Temperament Test Society), some may scoff at those numbers, but right now, they're the only national body which temperament tests all breeds and keeps a record of the findings. They gague a dog's reaction to strangers, strange noises, weird footing, visual stimuli, etc. Myself, I am proud to say that my Loki is one of the many who has a TT title. Terra and Priest will have them as well, when they are older.
I cannot help but be passionate about this breed, since it has changed my life for the better from a young age. I was what you would call a troubled youth, but getting involved with dogs gave me focus and balance. Getting involved with a breed which is also a bit "troubled" -- not in the sense that there is something intrinsically wrong with the dogs, but in the sense that most people don't "get" them -- made it even more worthwhile, because here was something I could understand. As an adult, I get a kick out of being the only handler running a Pit Bull in agilty next to all the herding breeds, and doing just as well as many of them. Its far more rewarding than going with the status quo.
I'm rambling. But if I can be of any further aid, let me know.
