Pit bulls suffer from stereotyping

I have two pit bulls at home and I’ve noticed people acting different because of the breed stereotype. I can say from experience that these dogs are not dangerous as they’re presumed to be. To be more precise, a pit bull is not a breed; it is a classification of a dog with a square head and bulky shoulder.

Many dogs are misjudged as dangerous, when it isn’t the breed that makes them bad, it’s the owners. Many dogs are euthanized each year because of the breed’s stereotype. From my experience, my dogs will do anything to keep me happy; they’re huge teddy bears that just want to cuddle all day.

Once we tell people their breed, they discriminate. These dogs are misunderstood and killed due to their appearance. In many states, pit bulls are banned. There are many advocates for pit bulls like I; however, people still don’t see them as anything but dangerous. Like all dogs, pit bulls just want to be loved and cared for by their owners.

Dogs are pleasers and will do anything they think is good for their family. Any dog not trained correctly has a possibility to bite. Just like humans, dogs feel uncomfortable and unsafe in certain situations; they will give warning signs to defend themselves. Pit bulls are not what people make them out to be; they’re lovable and amazing dogs who deserves love like any other.

Josianne Lévesque,

UPEI student