[Alaska Wolf]

The media uses “pit bull” in the same way they use “assault rifle”.

That may indeed be the case, but from the photos I've seen of the culprits, they look more like pit bulls than golden retrievers.

[Altariel]

Labradors have been misidentified as "pitbulls" by the ignorant.

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/articles/breedbanslabradormistake.htm

(Personally, I find dobermans to be a mite suspicious. )