{"id":1182,"date":"2020-04-25T22:16:58","date_gmt":"2020-04-25T22:16:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pitbulltribe.com\/?p=1182"},"modified":"2021-12-04T12:17:17","modified_gmt":"2021-12-04T12:17:17","slug":"good-with-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitbulltribe.com\/good-with-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Pit Bulls Good With Kids (The Truth)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Pitbulls can be a controversial breed. Some cities ban the ownership of Pitbulls completely, citing they are too aggressive and dangerous, while some people claim that there are no bad dogs, only bad owners. So which is it? Are Pitbulls the product of careless owners and a poor reputation? Or is their aggressive breed history too ingrained in their genetics to be overcome with even the best obedience training? Are Pitbulls good with kids?

Pitbulls are the subject of plenty of controversies, but most of their poor reputation is unearned. A Pitbull who is raised and socialized properly can be a delightful companion for children of any age.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Pit bull Breed<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The term \u201cPitbull\u201d can be a bit of a misnomer when it comes to dogs. Technically, a Pitbull refers to the American Pit Bull Terrier. However, there are several other \u201cbully breeds,\u201d including the American Staffordshire terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, which are often called Pitbulls as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pitbull can also refer to any mixed-breed dog who shares the appearance of a typical Pitbull-type dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

History<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In order to understand Pitbulls in the present, it\u2019s crucial to understand the past history of the Pitbull breed. Pitbulls are so-called because they were originally bred in early 19th-century England to spar with bulls and bears in pit fights. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"bull<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

These sports were deemed illegal around 1835, and in their place, the popularity of dog-fighting arose. Instead of fighting bears and bulls, now Pitbulls were set to fight one another. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With this new sport, Pitbulls were selected and bred for their aggression towards other dogs. While this tendency towards aggression with other dogs is still prevalent in Pitbulls today, it\u2019s important to note that these first fighting dogs were never bred for aggression towards humans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The opposite, in fact: Pitbulls were also bred for an unwillingness to bite humans. Handlers often had to reach into dog-fighting rings to separate dogs and wanted to be able to do so without becoming injured themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Recent History<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pitbulls went on to leave the dog-fighting pits of England and to become farm dogs in America. They hunted, provided companionship, and watched over their homes. With Pitbull movie stars like Petey from \u201dThe Little Rascals,\u201d Pitbulls became the \u201call-American family dog.\u201d Over the decades, dogs like Doberma<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ns and Rottweilers were the \u201cbad dogs\u201d to avoid. That is, until the 1990s when Pitbulls became popular among those who were not focused on the positive attributes of the breed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, nefarious dog-fighting rings repopularized and more aggressive dogs were bred, giving Pitbulls their current, unearned reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While some argue that Pitbulls are more likely to attack humans than other breeds of dogs, this simply isn\u2019t true. There have been no studies or evidence that suggests that Pitbulls are more aggressive towards people than the average purebred dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are Pitbulls Aggressive?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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If we look into their history in order to understand Pitbulls today, we see a strong, athletic dog that was chosen for dog-fighting. Over generations, dogs that exhibited aggression towards other dogs were bred to produce the best fighting contenders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is safe to say that while you may overcome a Pitbull\u2019s aggression towards other dogs with proper socialization during puppyhood, it is genetically ingrained into their genome.

In the same breath that we accept this genetic tendency towards dog-aggression, we must acknowledge that Pitbulls were never bred for aggression towards humans. Therefore they do not carry a genetic tendency for attacking people, young or old. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can Pitbulls Show Human Aggression?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In short, yes, they can. Dogs are individuals. They are a product of their genetics but also of their upbringing. Pitbulls who are abused and neglected by people may very well develop aggression towards humans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is our responsibility as Pitbull owners to properly socialize our puppies so that they do not develop fear-based behaviors towards certain people, including children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are Children Safe Around Pitbulls? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As long as a Pitbull has been properly socialized with children from a young age, kids should be perfectly safe around them. That being said, you should never leave children, especially small children, unsupervised around a large dog. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Pitbulls aren\u2019t usually aggressive towards adults or children, they are still a large, powerful dog. Like any large dog, precautions should be taken to keep dogs and children safe. Here are some other tips for keeping children safe around your Pitbull:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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