Ok here we go....my pet peeves first...every macho male with insecurity problems seems to think having a pit bull will make him a real man...I see it every day. Now my reason for the four stars....this is a very nice breed of dogs. Properly bred and raised they are great family dogs and yes...trustworthy! The dope heads and the creeps who fight them gave them the bad rep...

Now...some truths about this breed: They are very very stoic...one of the reasons they are used for fighting...pain means nothing to them...the other problem is that they are powerful with powerful jaws...when they are enticed into aggression...they have jaws of steel and do not let go. ANY DOG CAN BE BRED OR HANDLED TO BE AGGRESSIVE. I have met more aggressive Lhasa Apsos than pits...they just don't have the size and power to be considered dangerous.

I don't like pitbulls. They are too prone to attack and kill people. I'm not sure if it is because of the people that own them, or innate qualities of the animal, but I don't care which.

The dog isn't so much the problem as the morons that tend to own them and breed them. That being said, their bad rap is not entirely undeserved.

I'm down on pit bulls. My friend's dog was attacked by one, and I had my arm grabbed by another while walking down the street the other day. At this point, I don't really care if it's an owner or a breed issue - based on my personal experience, I would not trust these dogs around kids.

I like them- people just mis-understand them. They aren't a bad dog it is just the owner makes them into one.

I do not own one, but a know a lot of people who do.  They are GREAT family dogs.  Unfortunately, without training, their "loyalty" may be to the extreme.  But, they are easily trainable ~ if you have the time.  As for not trusting the dog, as Rocktrain said, you should never trust ANY dog!  A Poodle will bite you before a Pit Bull does.  It takes A LOT to get them to that point.  All in all, a WONDERFUL dog.  Kinda leery about the "rescue ones", unless you can get them under 2 years old.

Pit Bulls or otherwise known as a Stanford Terrier, are actually extremely gently and affectionate dogs. They get their bad name because they are popular dogs for use in illegal dog fights and once you fight a dog, they are aggresive forever. However if you get a Stanford Terrier from a reputable breeder and give it good training and plenty of love and they're just big babies and couch potatoes. My mom is a vet tech with lots of experience in vet clinics and kennels, and some of the best dogs she's met were properly bred and raised pit bulls. Just make sure to research the family lines and history of the pit your going to get to make sure it doesnt have a violent or fight history, or else you'll have problems.

It's hard to make generalizations about a breed since every breed has bad and good individuals in each.  However, the general personality traits of APBTs are very high intelligence, courage, tenacity when in pursuit of a goal, high prey drive, some level of dog aggression, bite-inhibition toward humans, and stoicism in regards to pain.  That is, APBTs have precisely the traits a dogfighter would want in his dogs: an instinctive urge to hurt other animals, a reluctance to hurt humans, and a willingness to persist even in painful work until it is finished.  You don't have to be in the nasty business of dogfighting to admire a fearless dog who is gentle with humans and willing to suffer pain or even death to please them or save them from harm.  

The nastiest APBT trait is the aggression directed toward other dogs and animals.  Even this can be managed, although not every dog can be "trained" to play nicely with other dogs.  Management involves separating the APBT from other animals when it can't be supervised, keeping the dog on-leash when out for exercise, and training the dog to IGNORE other animals if he tends to be aggressive toward them.

I just love these dogs' personalities.  Most are very people friendly and completely adore everyone they meet.  I've been researching these dogs for some time and have been considering adopting a shelter or rescue pit bull because of all the wonderful examples I've seen of the breed as well as testimony from APBT owners.

I don't want one and I don't like them. I don't trust them mutts.

UPDATE: After nearly getting bit by one rcently, I had to change my views. Its not always the owners fault, these pit bulls are violent due to their nature. I saw a story on the news about a pit bull that killed a little girl. The moms said that the dog never did anything violent before, nor was it provoked but it just...happened.

Ya see back in the old days these dogs were bred to fight, as attack dogs ya know. Here is an interestin' study from the American and Canadian dog bite related fatalities from September 1982 to November 2006 reporting that Pit bulls, Rottweilers, Presa Canarios and their mixes were responsible for 65% fatal dog attacks.

I know peeps are crazy over their dogs but when are peeps gonna realize its not always because of bad owners....but bad doggies.



Pitbulls are breed to fight. They've been on the news, pitbull dog owners make their dogs fight and when they cant fight anymore, they're let loose on the streets, putting innocent peeps in danger.

I own an abused apbt that i rescued from my ex boyfriend. When I first got him he was shy and scarred. I took him to all my neighbors and friends houses, let him meet other dogs and even children in the neighborhood. If anything he ended up being overly exited to play. He has actually broke the leash once and went to a house down the street were kids were playing basketball. The kids petted him and all he wanted to do was play ball and get loves from them. He is a wonderfull dog with a huge heart and all he wants to do is make me happy. Once we were walking and a black lab was in a neighbors yard, not on a leash, and he ran up to my dog, smelled him and started attacking him. Thank god the owner came and broke it up, but my PITBULL was the one with gashes and blood on him. He didnt even fight back. The point of my story is if you ignorant people do your research youll find out that in all actuality more golden retrievers and lab attacks have been documented than pit bull attacks. Also many attacks that say were pits really were not. Go to Pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html and see what you see! I would never own another breed!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's ridiculous to debate the issue of the whether or not a pit bull is a good breed. First, there is barely a clear definition of what a pit bull IS. I work in a store that supplies, among other things, dog food and supplies, and I live in an ethnically diverse area. Our store supplies for many local kennels, as well as an extrememly large percentage of people breeding irresponsibly from home. Our store also welcomes dogs as long as they are leashed or held. That being said, probably 85% of the dogs that our customers are breeding and bringing in the store are "pit bulls". First, the dogs are incredibly diverse both in looks at temperments, except in the rare occasion that the person handling them is a true, responsible breeder who is breeding their dogs with a goal of improving their animals. Second, I can tell you within five minutes of meeting the owner (without ever meeting the dog!), both by their attitude toward their dogs and, ESPECIALLY, by the items that they are buying, whether or not the pit bull will be a good dog or not. Unfortunately, the problem with this breed is that it is popular with a crowd of people looking for a tough, intimidating-looking dog, and frequently the person owning this dog is exactly the wrong kind of person to be handling and training a dominant breed! This is true of many other breeds as well. When the movies 101 Dalmations and Babe came out, dalmations and border collies saw a huge surge in popularity. Many people went out and got themselves one of these dogs without actually researching the breeds and determining that they were a good match. BCs in particular, my breed of choice, are extremely difficult dogs for a lot of people, and are most certainly not a good match for the average dog owner. Many of them ended up in shelters and rescue groups because of destructive tendencies and, frequently, biting. These dogs are notorious for biting, especially children, due to their herding instincts. These aren't love bites either, but they are rarely fatal. The problem with pit bulls is human ignorance. To say that an attack came out of no where is preposterous and extemely ignorant. It tells me that the person does not understand dogs, or canine body language, or that they were too lazy and irresponsible to remain vigilant of their dog. Dogs give plenty of warning before they attack. Disregarding the criminals who fight these dogs and destroy them that way, there are even more idiots out there buy these dogs or, worse, breed them simply to have them as a status symbol. They forget that they are dogs. Forget the breed, any dominant dog that is kept chained, penned, and frustrated is going to snap at some point. I have met a smaller percentage of people who have raised their dogs properly. These dogs were as friendly and outgoing as any other breed of dog. In fact, the first friend that my rather timid BC met was a pit bull. I refuse to condemn any breed of dog for statistics. The biggest problem pit bulls face is their popularity.

I just want to point out in spite of all the negative press this breed has earned, as well as the controversy over breed specific legislation, that this really is a wonderful breed. There are really no 'bad breeds', just bad owners. Pit Bulls, as with many other 'problem' breeds, have dominant personalities, and require assertive, strong-willed owners who will be firm and consistant with training.

ur damn right, dogs arent to blame its the irresponsible owners.

LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF LABS OR MIXES THERE ARE IN SHELTERS, WHY? LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS THAT HAVE ATTACKED, LOOK AT THE WHY? THE WHY PART IS IMPORTANT...IT IS NOT BECAUSE THE IDIOT DOG DID SOMETHING, IT IS THE STUPID PEOPLE. YOU TRAIN YOUR DOG TO BE MEAN IT WILL BE MEAN. WHY DO YOU HEAR ABOUT PITS, CAUSE THEY ARE THE RAVE RIGHT NOW, BREED BANS ARE RUNNING WILD WITH IT THE BLAME, WHO DO YOU BLAME, WELL PEOPLE OF COURSE, BUT NO WE CAN'T BLAME PEOPLE FOR ANYTHING, MUST BE THE DOG RIGHT? HELL NO, PEOPLE ARE TO BLAME FOR EVERYTHING, THE BAD TEMPERMENTS THAT ARE SEEN, THOSE ARE THE FAULT OF PEOPLE. THE BACKYARD FIGHTS, WELL HELL, I HAVE SEEN LABS, GSD, AND MANY OTHER BREEDS IN THEM, THEY AREN'T EXCLUDED PEOPLE, JUST CAUSE YOU DON'T HEAR ABOUT IT DOESN'T MEAN IT DON'T HAPPEN! THEY ARE GREAT DOGS, DEPICTED IN MOVIES, THEY ARE BIG BABIES IF RAISED RIGHT. THAT COLLIE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, IF YOU KEEP THEM CHAINED UP W/ LITTLE TO NO ATTENTION, NO FOOD, NO WATER, THEY ESCAPE ONE DAY, YOUR NEIGHBOR HAS A 3 YEAR OLD OUTSIDE UNATTENTED (ANOTHER STUPID PERSON!!!!) THE DOGS ARE HUNGRY, GUESS WHERE THE DOGS ROOTS COME FROM, OOPS THAT IS RIGHT, THEY ARE PREY ANIMALS, THAT KID LOOKS LIKE FOOD FAR AS THEY CAN TELL. THEY WILL ATTACK AND KILL AND ATTEMPT TO EAT, WHY....WHY? YOU THAT IS WHY, YOU DIDN'T FEED OR CARE FOR YOUR DOGS, BECAUSE WHY? YOUR STUPID!!!! IF ANYONE WOULD TAKE THE TIME AND CONSIDER FOR A MINUTE, IF YOU WERE LEFT WITHOUT FOOD AND WATER FOR DAYS UPON DAYS, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO GET FOOD? YOU ARE A CARNIVORE, YOU NEED MEAT TO SURVIVE, EVEN IF ITS JUST IN YOUR KIBBLE (SOUNDS APPETIZING DOESN'T IT), YOU CAN'T ESCAPE YOU ARE CHAINED WHAT WOULD YOU DO? YOUR CHAIN BREAKS ONE DAY CAUSE IT RUSTED AND NO ONE HAS CHECKED ON IT SO THEY WOULDN'T KNOW...WHAT IS YOUR FIRST GOAL, TO GO SAY HI TO THE PEOPLE OUTSIDE, OR TO EAT THAT CAT YOU JUST SAW? STUPID PEOPLE ARE THE CAUSE FOR MEAN ANIMALS, PERIOD!

i've never owned a pit but all the pits i've ever met are really sweet and friendly. They look really cool too. The thing about them is if they aren't raised well as puppies they can be aggressive towards other animals and people. There are alot of people that treat them really cruel, and it's very sad that so many of them hurt people because of that. I think they are abused more than any other breed, and once they are abused they really need to be put down because they are dangerous. It's so sad how many of these dogs have to be put down because of evil owners. These dogs are like any other they have to be loved loved loved, and then they are sweet and loyal. i always am careful around pits i don't know because there are alot of damaged ones out there.

They are historically based upon a fighting dog and have those tendencies. The places I see most of the bad ones comes from trailer trash and ghetto trash owners.

I have said it before and I'll say it again: I have been around both types of pits (the good and the bad). The "bad" pits were trained to be fighting dogs, while the good pits were raised in happy homes and turned into great family watch dogs. These dogs are not naturally aggressive to the point of having to fear them, but they are naturally protective which quickly leads to outright aggression if raised in a poor environment.

I don't hate the dog, and I'd consider owning one under one condition: I would buy it as a PUPPY, so that I guarantee it's raised in a good home and brought up to be less agressive towards people and other animals. I would NEVER buy one as an adult because you cannot guarantee that it has not been abused at some point in it's lifetime, or that those past abuses haven't changed it's personality.

Why is it that there is always someone to say "my pit bull is so sweet" or "they have a bad rap." This blows my mind - let's think... have you ever heard of a couple of golden retrievers or collies killing the baby or some old guy walking home or the neighbor's dog or cat or kid... or the neighbor? This breed clearly is a gladiator breed and should be eliminated. I despise them.

come on

I have to say that hearing your comments about pit bulls is disturbing. If you read the real statistics more people get bitten by german shephards than pit bulls. No one reports those dog bites on the news. The worst thing about a pit bull bite is the fact that they lock their jaws. They have an enormous amount of pressure in their jaws. German shephards bite and release but they strike at the neck. Yes pit bulls are animal aggressive, but that is only if they arent associated with other animals at an earlier age. If you read the history of them, they arent bred to be aggressive to people. They typically will not bite a person unless provoked. They are sporting dogs. they are bred for their agility and strength. They are very loyal animals. They arent even good guard dogs. They will let an intruder come into your home but will not attack unless the intruder attempts to harm the animals owner. Pretty impressive to me. The owner does play a huge part in how the animal behaves by how you raise them but genetics is they key to the nature of the pet. You never want to buy a puppy that you know has a family history of aggressiveness. Always research the the parents and owners before you purchase. We now own two of them and they are wonderful. Very affectionate. Very intelligent as well. I would recommend these dogs for children companions as well as adults.

An outstanding dog with a bad rap. Anytime a Pit Bull does anything vicious blame it on the idiot human owner. This goes for any dog rasied by an Idiot Human! If raised and given some training these are loyal and affectionate dogs. Never blame the dog! Blame the owner of the dog!

Again, I probably shouldn't blame the dog. But there it is.

They are vicious only if pit bulls are trained to guard or bite or if you disturb them on their personal times. I did visit my cousin and he had one- and though he barked, the dog never physically attacked me in the three days I went to his house. If they are treated fairly, they can be quite affectionate. This dog I met gave me a lot of affection, and do I mean a lot- I've heard that the dog missed me so much that when I left, he whined frequently- he even howled! Yep, my cousin did do a good job.

i own 2 of them and neither one of them are mean. we didnt raise them to be mean and i detest any one that does. its inhumane and cruelty to animals is against the law

I just love this. Really. Reading all these comments from people about how vicious and mean these dogs are, how they are allways killing people, Labs never kill anybody, blah blah blah. And these pathetic so-called facts. Have any of you even seen a real Pit Bull terrier? Have you ever been with one? I have. I own two American Pit Bull terriers. Both were rescued by the SPCA from a dog-fighting ring, where they were found starving to death. Luckily, neither had been subject to one of the cruel, bloody fights, unlike some of the others. One dog had his ear torn off and his eye ripped open. Many dogs had missing body parts, like eyes, ears, tails, and noses--all that had been torn of in fights. A few of them had bones showing were the skin was missing. Some dogs were found dead from starvation and dehydration. Most of the living dogs found had to be put down. Maddie and Jess were two of the lucky ones. When we first brought them home, they were terrified of everything, including me. Earning their trust wasn't easy, but I finally did. It took nearly a year for them to fully trust our family. Six years later, they are now a pair of beautiful, cheerful dogs that we all love. And they love us back. My little nieces love them so much, they are always playing with them and when they fall asleep at night Jess and Maddie are very protective. I know our family is safe from intruders. They are still wary of other dogs, but that doesn't matter to me because they have come such a long way. They are both survivors, and I would take them over a lab puppy any day. For those who have listened only to the media and other people and have ignored the experts, as people often do, these dogs are not vicious on their own. Instead of the hating the dogs, consider hating the people--the monsters who beat, starve and force dogs to fight. The people who make the dogs mean. THEY are the real hellbeasts.

It was a pit bull terrier who saved my life. Therefore, She is a great dog and I will forever be in debt to Maggie.

All bad raps aside, Pitbull terriers, or Staffordshire Terriers as they are less commonly called, were responsible for about 27% (66 of 238 total) of all fatal dog bites from 1979 to 1997. And that's EXCLUDING deaths caused by dogs that were on the job gaurding a buisness or a home from an intruder. AND that's just purebread. There were 10 more deaths from pitbull crossbreeds.

I am sorry but their is always a story about Pit Bulls attacking kids. They have the reputation because owners abuse these dog and help preserve the rep. Obviously these dogs are prone to attacking or they would not be so popular for dog fights. There needs to be a tighter restriction on the breed to protect the dogs from ignorant owners. They are just not the kind of dogs you generally want to keep in area with a lot of people around.

Should all be exterminated, along with hip hop.

Perhaps the most misunderstood dog of all time. Pit Bulls are, undoubtedly, victims of a horrible reputation from heartless people and idiots who actually think the dogs are vicious of their own accord. It's mostly ignorance. People can't be bothered to learn about the breed, instead they rely soley on rumors and the media. Reporters love to use Pits as big story topics. For example, one time in my neighborhood a labrador ran after, and bit, a small child. (Yes, this is true, Lab lovers.) The story was kept very hush-hush. A few months later, a Pit Bull near our house got out and chased the mailman. It was immediatly blasted over the T.V news how yet another mean and ferocious Pit Bull attacked somebody. Pit Bulls are not, I repeat NOT, mean or vicious by themselves. It is the people, the dogfighters, that make them mean. It is sickening what people will do. They might burn the dogs, stab them, beat them. They starve two dogs, then put some meat in a pen and put both dogs in it so that the dogs will fight each other for it. They take puppies and hurl them against the wall. It is horrifying and disgusting. These dogs go through hell. ANY OTHER DOG BREED, HAVING BEEN PUT THROUGH THE SAME THING, WOULD REACT THE SAME WAY TO HUMANS AFTER. A dog that has been bashed and cut repeatedly by humans would, of course, fear humans after. The dogs are afraid, and they use ferocity to mask their fear. Pit Bulls that are raised with the proper care and training by responsible owners are just as lovable and smart as any other dog. They are no more agressive then the average Labrador retriever(This comes from the experts!) Sadly, people insist on trying to ban the breed altogether, or bashing Pit Bull owners, instead of doing what should be done. Laws should be tightened for the dogfighters, not the responsible owners. Also, I doubt very seriously that the any of the people here calling Pits vicous or saying that Oh, I read in the paper that a Pit Bull attacked somebody, they must be vicious, I've never seen a Lab attack anybody have any real expirience with the dogs at all. YES, Pits are used as fighting dogs, but not because they are more ferocious then other dogs, it's because of their heavy builds. So read this and get the truth through your thick skulls!

The hype that pit bulls are inherently bad is WAY overblown. Any dog beaten and mistreated, or trained to fight will do just that, I don't care if it is a teacup poodle. If there is a problem with a pit bull, you can bet it is with the owner, or with the ass**** who abused it. My uncle had a pit bull, Cocoa, back in the 1960s. He said it was the smartest dog he ever had. He showed me film footage of this dog climbing ladders to retrieve various items from the top of a barn and a house. My uncle didn't know Cocoa was a pit bull until I recognized the breed and told him. The downside of pit bulls, or any other large terrier or guard breed, is that if they do attack, they are likely to do serious damage. While this is great if they are attacking someone who deserves to be attacked, such as a rapist, you have to hope they aren't crushing the skull of your neighbor's two year old. If you had a small dog, they could still attack the child, but the damage would be small and insignificant by comparison.

Exceptionally sweet and gentle. People can be cruel, manipulative souls, and I promise, breed pugs for years to be fighters, or raise any dog in an atmosphere of fear and violence, and that's exactly the type of dog you'll turn out. The discrimination against this breed is not the breed's fault.

My family owned a female pit bull when I was a kid.This was the smartest and most gentle dog we ever had.

I love pit bulls. Every pit bull that I have come into contact with has been really friendly. They get a bad rap because of the few idiots that train them to become violent killers. Pit Bulls may have the bloodlines to be savage beasts but if you train them to be kind caring creatures that's what they will be. Pit Bulls are a great breed; second only to boxers in my opinion.

Let me give you a little backround on me. I grew up with English Springers as our family dog. Then I had a few Goldens and now I own a Pit and a Staffordshire. The two that I have now are the best dogs I have ever owned. They are sweet and loving. I also have two cats that the dogs love. It truely is about the owners, and not about the dogs.

it's a nice doggie...but i still prefer taller dogs, basically i would have a soreback every time i take it out... not for me, but nice dogs

No such thing as a bad dog just a bad owner. As far as pitbulls go....they can be really good dogs, but I find them annoying because they are selfish and have to be dominant with every tiny thing, LABS ARE THE BEST!

i have a pitbull along with a boxer, 5 kittens/cats, and 2 ferrets. the dogs and the cats all play with eachother and snuggle up with eachother to sleep. hes even gotten the other older dog in shape, by playing with him so much! i let the ferrets out of the cage and my pitbull has a blast with them! they climb all over him and he loves it! the ferrets soo dont want to go back in the cage after their play date with my pup!

My boyfriend found our pit bull on the streets wandering and when he brought him home I didn't play with him and I didnt let my kids either cause I heard all these horror stories about them, but I gave it a chance, so as the days go by we slowly started to get to know him and I never thought I would say it but he's the biggest baby ever. My kids are 4 and 5 and he loves them and has never hurt them once and I have a small little dog also and them 2 play with eachother, and plus they are both males, it took some getting used to at first but their buddies now. It's so funny but my little dog tries to hump the pit bull and he finds it amusing,so funny to see. And it's weird he don't mind strangers at all, a few weeks ago I was in my kitchen doing the dishes and the door that leeds into the hallway opened and in walks this kid like 12 or 13 years old, oh no Rocky (pitbull) was my first thought so I ran over to grab Rocky thinking the worst, but no he's all over this kid wagging his tail and all excited as to saying hi friend come on in and there's my little dog barking his face of ready to atack, it just turns out the kid somehow came in my appartement by mistake. This dog is just to damn friendly don't know why, so I guess it just all depends on how you raise your dogs.

ugly and mean. their protective nature is wonderful when you're the one that they're protecting, but having my arm locked in the jaw of my next door neighbour's dog because i was playing on my own lawn was not a fun experience for me. i've never seen a loving pit bull. and i would never leave a dog like this around children, especially if it wasn't chained on or penned up.

Good dog for homes with only one dog. They are very gentle with people, and love kids. However.....can be VERY dog/animal aggressive. Its almost unheard of for Pits to get along with other animals reliably. Two Pits that get along for several years can still get into very bad fights with little warning. A good good as a pet, but not a good choice to keep another pet company.

I think, as with any breed, each dog is different. My sister owns a pitbull that is the sweetest, meekest dog I have ever seen. He has always been gentle with all of the family children (there are 10 of them) and I have never even seen him nip no matter the noise or commotion they make around him. However, the size/strength of the pit bull makes an attack much more dangerous than say, an angry chihuahua. Hence, owners should, and most do, use caution and common sense in a situation that would be stressful to the dog. Don't put your pit into a situation of feeling threatened or provoke their instinct to protect, and they're generally a very affectionate and compliant companion.

Bad humans are what turn these dogs mean ! However, I will say they are meaner than most other dogs that are also taught to be mean. Most dogs know right from wrong, but normally once this breed is trained to be bad, they dont understand when to stop, and this is why they have such bad exposure. But overall, this dog is a wonderful pet to have if you get it while it is a puppy, and teach it to be a family dog. :)

Great dogs with such a horrible and undeserved reputation. Pit Bulls and Pit Bull type dogs have the same chance of being agressive as a Lab or Golden Retriever. The dogs you see on the news trained to attack people and other dogs. No dog is born a killer. People who hate this dogs and say they're agressive should feel awful for saying such things. If they had any idea what the wrong kind of people do to make those dogs attack they'd change their minds and hate the people not the breed. Pit Bulls as a whole, including ones taken from abusive owners, are extremely loyal and loving pets. They are great family dogs and can get on well with other pets. The nice dogs like the retrievers also can and have attacked people, including kids. You just never hear of those attacks for some reason. Don't believe Labs or Goldens haven't attacked just search the web and you'll definatly find something. Please don't hate Pits because of what you see on TV. These are such wonderful dogs and should be helped, not hated.

Funny, cute, protective.....These dogs have a whole lot of love to give and they have lots of personality.

i am definately not a pit bull fan .. you cannot have another pet with them around many times or they will hurt it.. or if the other animal tried to defend itself it has nooo chance because the resistance these idiot muts have. i hate them:)

Commenting on: rdprofessor's opinion. Funny you should make such blanket assumtions. I'am above middle class and I own one,I'am also a responsbile pet owner far from the lower class individuals your refering to; Ever notice that lower class people own these dogs? Though it disgusts me I'am not all that suprised by your assumtions, as that is all they are because I seriously doubt you have any actual experience with any of them, and by the way the only Cocker I've ever been so unfortunate to have to be around was the worst dog and most agressive/biter I have ever seen.

Pit Bulls and Pit Bull-type dogs are some the nicest breeds of dogs to own. I think it's terrible that they have such a bad rep. It's not the dogs' fault at all, it's the stupid, ignorant, brainless(I could go on and on with names to call these kinds of people, but I won't) owners that train them to attack people. I think they're kind and loving dogs. Sure they're powerful, and that's the wrong reason to get one. I am a huge supporter of dog breeds with bad rap and think something should be done to make sure they go to the right homes. I have never met a mean Pit Bull, but I have met quite a few nasty Golden Retrievers, my friend was even bitten by one, and they're supposed to be the "friendly dogs". That proves that it's not a breed of dog thats mean, it's the individual dog. If you get a Pit Bull and raise with love and kindness it will be a loving dog. Most are. If you train it to be mean it will be mean, as with any breed you train to be mean. Pit Bulls are not a naturally mean dog. They are a wonderful breed with lots of heart.

I love these dogs, too bad about their bad reputation caused by bad owners.