The difference between a golden retriever and a pit bull is that gold retrievers socialize easily while socializing pit bulls can be difficult. A person can be a horrible dog trainer and still have a good golden retriever. A person can be an excellent dog trainer and still have a bad pit bull. The margin of error for socializing pit bulls is narrow while the margin of error in socializing golden retrievers is large. There is a simple reason that the animal shelters are bursting at the seams with pit bulls and pit bull mixes.
I live 40 miles away from Cody, Wyoming and I speak from my rural and ranching perspective.
For whatever reason we see few pit bulls or other such stray dogs around here. But we do see other strays and in particular the Goldens who just LOVE to chase cattle and who will foolishly think they can chase bison. Right up until the bison chases them!
Our one oddball stray since 2010 has been a teacup Chihuahua that somehow made it to the ranch over ten miles of mountain and wilderness. It lives with a nearby family now.