Pit Bulls.

Right now this breed has a bad rap and word on the street is these dogs are hard edge bad-asses that should be put behind bars, or better yet just put down. They are aggressive, scary, mean sharks, that has the Jaws theme song going off every time they look at anything because you know terror follows in their wake.

Is that true though? I mean it wouldn't be the stereotype if it wasn't true, right?

Let's take a closer look at this breed though. With a little research on this breed many of the preconceived notions that society has placed on them can be debunked. Here are some of the things I've found and how I've come to love these sweet gorgeous dogs.

The Name

The term pit bull is very general and is often referred to between one and 20 breeds of dogs. Those breeds being Bullmastiff, Presa Canario, and Dogo Argentino to name a few. In it's simplest form pit bull refers to the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terriers. Bull Terriers, Boxers, and American Bulldogs are often listed in the pit bull category as well.

The History

Throughout history people have been fascinated with violence and have created all sorts of “games” to find entertainment from. Sadly dogs have been pulled into these sick games as well. Pit Bulls were originally bred as fighting dogs that were cross-bred with other breeds such as terriers, which were known for their stubbornness and ferocity. This is where terrier comes from at the end of the official breed name "American Pit Bull Terrier". This added gene helped in fighting other animals which at the time was known as baiting, this was introduced in 1066in England. It took until 1835 for the British parliament to make this sport illegal. This didn't stop people from wanting to use these dogs in other ways though. To escape the eyes of the law a new form of entertainment was formed as they put the dogs into pits or large holes against rats and then later to fight against other dogs, hence the name “pit” bull comes in.

By the early American era, immigrants brought over their pets and pit bulls were one them. With the country growing though, so did the use of the dogs. They started to become more of an all-purpose breed then just for fighting; Valued guard dogs for families and livestock and later a prized possession as a show dog. Though, they were still used for fighting and thus, the aggression is largely achieved from a rigid upbringing or handling of the dog. This is a trait that is sought after and created through cruel handling to make dogs more aggressive. This should be blamed on the owner though not the dog. So the notion that Pit Bulls are aggressive by nature is false.

National Icons and Heroes

Pit Bulls have contributed a lot to America. In fact they were so beloved, that during WWI they were the face of America on posters used for recruitment and to sell war bonds.

Starting with the Civil War and a dog named Sallie was the mascot for the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. A monument of Sallie now stands in Gettysburg, directly in front of the monument that commemorates the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry.

In WWI, Stubby was the mascot for the 102nd Infantry and even accompanied the soldiers over to France. During the war Stubby saved his division from a gas attack while the soldiers were asleep one night and even caught a German Spy, for which he was then awarded a promotion to the rank of Sergeant. He is the first dog to ever be given a rank in the United States Armed Forces and continued to serve in a total of 17 battles.

Bud was the first dog to complete the first road trip across the United States in 1903 with Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson. They made history by driving from San Francisco to New York City in Dr. Jackson's Winston Vermont automobile. Bud even had his own goggles to protect his eyes. His goggles are now in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C.

Lastly the beloved Petey from "Little Rascals".

Pit Bulls have been apart of American society since the start, and are still used today. Washington State has pit bulls on the force working as bomb sniffers and rescue dogs.

Cause of Dog Attacks

As mentioned in the history of pit bulls, a recipe to get an aggressive dog is through cruelty and intention. According to A pit bull perception problem: What's a dog owner to do?, "Thirty-three people lost their lives in dog bite-related incidents in 2010," says the National Canine Research Council, "...which reports that 21 of the cases involved resident dogs, that owners kept isolated on chains, in junkyards, or allowed their dogs to roam unattended."

These are not the majority of dogs or dog owners who have pit bulls. These breeds need a lot of socialization and exercise and if not given the proper care behavioral problems can arise. If a child is acting out at school the proper thing to do is find out why and the parents get blamed for the misbehaving child. Why is that logic not placed on dog owners as well. Many of these attacks as well, are not done by pit bulls, but by other breeds such as Rottweilers and are not publicized as much because of the breed difference.

This isn't the first time America has singled out dog breeds either. Dobermans were attacked in the 70's and labeled as dangerous, following them in the 80,s were German Shepherds and then again in the 90's with Rottweilers. Today it is Pit Bulls.

A way to help steer clear of the violence mistrust is through spaying and neutering. This will help reduce the overpopulation of them as well as providing a better life. Already pit bulls and the like make up 63% of the dogs put down in shelters. Through spaying and neutering we can better help this lovely breed. All in all, these guys should be given a chance. They can be sweet, funny and very loving. It doesn't matter if you are not of fan of the breed, but that dislike should be based on knowledge and not rumors. All animals deserve a chance.