Pit Bulls

The first breed of dogs I will be discussing are Pit Bulls. They are known for their bad reputation of being aggressive, however they are a misunderstood breed. I am going to go over some myths about Pit Bulls you may have heard from the media.

  1. They have locking jaws: There is actually no such thing as a locking jaw. Pit Bulls have the same bone structure as any other dog. They are however very muscular.
  2. Pit Bulls have a stronger bite than other dogs: A study conducted by Dr. Brady Barr from National geographic compared the bite pressure per square inch (PSI) of a Pit Bull, a German Shepherd, and a Rottweiler. Out of these three breeds, the Pit Bull had the lowest bite PSI. Other tests have been conducted to prove that the average domestic dog has about 320 pounds of pressure per square inch, and the highest recorded pressure from a Pit Bull was 235 pounds PSI.
  3. All Pit Bulls are aggressive: According to tests by the American Temperament Test Society, Pit Bulls had a passing rate of 82% or higher whereas the general dog population had a passing rate of only 77%. This specific test put the dogs through a series of situations involving strangers.slide_359085_4011986_free

The term “Pit Bull” is used to describe the American Pit Bull Terrier, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, and the Bull Terrier. Pit Bulls are usually around 1 foot 5 inches tall at the shoulder, and weigh anywhere from 30 to 85 pounds. The lifespan of a Pit Bull is 12-16 years.

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Pit Bulls are generally healthy dogs, but do require daily exercise (as do all breeds). Pit Bulls require around an hour a day playing or walking. They do not tolerate the cold weather very well, so they shouldn’t be kept outside for long periods of time.
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References:

Myths and Facts About Pit Bulls. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.petfinder.com/pet-adoption/dog-adoption/myths-and-  facts-about-pit-bulls/

Pit Bull Myths. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.realpitbull.com/myths.html

Pit Bull Myths – Debunked. (2014, March 06). Retrieved from http://americanpitbullfoundation.com/pit-bull-myths-debunked/

American Pit Bull Terrier Dog Breed Information, Pictures, Characteristics & Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/american-pit-bull-terrier#/slide/1

6 thoughts on “Pit Bulls

  1. I loved reading your blog about Pit Bulls! They are such loving animals and they don’t get enough credit for that. They always are looked at in a negative way, but it’s not the dog breed that makes a dog “mean” or “bad”. It’s the owner. I wish people understood how much of a loving, compassionate dog they really are. I thought it was awesome to share some of those Pit Bull myths and explain why they aren’t true. All around I thought this post was really good, and I can’t wait to read more facts about different dog breeds in the weeks to come.

    • You’re right, it can be the owner who turns a good dog into a fighter. But a lot of Pit Bulls that have been rescued from fighting situations can still be adopted because of their dedication to pleasing their owners. They are a resilient breed that doesn’t get nearly enough credit. They are also so misunderstood, the media always portrays them as horrible creatures, but in all actuality they are sweet, gentle animals.

  2. Oh my goodness! I love dogs and I love that you are doing a dog blog! I, also, have a six year old dog named Jager. He’s a yellow lab and he is the best dog ever, even if he is spoiled more than me by my mom! Can’t wait to see what other dogs you pick each week!

  3. This is a great idea! Dogs are amazing creatures. Humans honestly don’t deserve our best friend, the pup. I actually have a pit bull that lives with me. Like most pits, he is very energetic but is a complete and total softy. I think his favorite activity besides running around our backyard is laying on the couch. Also fun fact pit bulls were at one time breed as nurse dogs because they are loyal and friendly even with kids.

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