Don't Blame the Breed

When people see a pit bull, fear and aggressive are words that can come to mind.
“I’ve had people move their kids out of the way when I was walking my pit,” said Virginia Commonwealth University student Ryan Ridge, 22. “Someone has also run across the street just to get away from my dog. It’s frustrating because my dog has never shown aggression to anyone.”
According to the Dog Breed Info Center®, pit bulls are highly affectionate and loyal, as well as courageous and protective.
“Many pit bulls are used for the wrong reasons and raised poorly,” said Ridge.
Ridge and his family grew up in Chesterfield with a female pit bull.
“We got Katie when I was a freshman in high school,” said Ridge. “She was rescued by the SPCA when she was found in a dumpster as a puppy.”
Famous people who have owned or own a pit bull include: former President Theodore Roosevelt, chef and talk show host Rachael Ray, actor Brad Pitt and Cesar Millan, a dog behavior specialist.
"My kids are around pit bulls every day,” said Millan on his Web site. “In the '70s they blamed Dobermans, in the '80s they blamed German shepherds, in the '90s they blamed the Rottweiler. Now they blame the pit bull.”
Pit bulls are believed to have been originally bred from bull dogs and terriers.
“The terrier group was originally intended to kill pests and rodents, and the wrong people exploited that killer instinct with pit bulls,” said Ridge.
Michael Vick can be blamed for escalating the pit bull’s negative reputation. Vick, football player for the Philadelphia Eagles, was charged in July 2007 by a federal grand jury in Richmond with conspiring to engage in competitive dog-fighting, procuring and training pit bulls for fighting and conducting the enterprise across state lines.
Videos on the Internet, such as pit bull attacks on YouTube, also give the breed a negative reputation.
“The media should get involved in showing how loving pit bulls can be when treated correctly,” said Ridge.
Ridge’s neighbor, who has worked as a veterinary technician, told a story of how her pit bull saved her from bleeding to death. While bringing her dog out, she had fallen down a flight of stairs and hit her head on the railing. She immediately started to lose consciousness. Her leg also started to bleed.
“My neighbor told me how her dog kept her awake,” said Ridge. “Her dog kept licking her face and started pulling on her pants because her dog knew she was bleeding. Without her dog being there, she could have blacked out completely and bled to death.”
The breed can prove to be a loyal companion. Millan’s pit bull, Daddy, has been by his side for over 14 years. Daddy also helps Millan rehabilitate aggressive dogs.
"I have never had a dog like Daddy," Millan said in the inaugural issue of his magazine, "Cesar's Way." "I've been astounded by his intuition, consoled by his affection, and awed by his silent empathy."