I do indeed! Seems the smaller dogs often have an “attitude” that is dangerous around anyone not of their “pack”. Sadly, because they are little the owners do nothing to curb that behavior, believing it to be “cute”, but those little pups have teeth also and can do some damage!!
I have known and interacted with a few pitties in my time — all were sweethearts, as was the Rottie a friend had. People are too credulous when it comes to the “big bad dog” reports of the media. It’s astonishing that certain FReepers, who are supposed to be very suspicious of the media in general and claim to be in other venues, have no problem believing what the media dishes out about pits. Just sayin’.
How do you know what we think of PBT types is because of “the media” and not from experience? Or at least from deduction?
I did a paper for English Comp 20 years ago on how PBTs were being basically wrongfully attacked - but I’ve wised up. There is still alot of erroneous ID (why I am absolutely against breed legislation), but basically the dogs WERE bred for fighting, and it is dangerous. Particularly dangerous are exactly the strains bred now for fighting - and don’t think they don’t trickle down into the suburban culture.
I am a German Shepherd lover, so I am very aware of people discriminating against a “viscious” breed. But even as a GS lover, I am also aware of various strains in the breed and emphasis even from responsible trainers on bite work I’m positive has left us with more GS general aggression issues than the old canard about “backyard breeders” (whom I now think might actually be the savior of the breed) ruining it. Time and again aggressive GS have the German Schutzhund-type background. When I look for a GS, I look at the behavior of the puppy 1st (yes, I like young puppies so I can mold them) - and even 6 wk pups vary in character. They are NOT strictly lumps of clay to be molded. I like to START with a good-hearted animal. Genetics DOES count - individually as well as breed-wide.
GS are not as bad as pit bull types (a type, not a breed); even aggressive GS tend to “let it go” whereas PBTs (like most terriers) are tenacious - that is the real danger.
I’ve had my old stable dominant female GS beset upon by a PBT on a walk, but the owner had him on lead so he couldn’t get to her while I sat in the doorway waiting for them to pass. She had no clue this dog wanted a fight - she was alert to him with curious tail wag, but didn’t jump into action right back (she was very well behaved, incidentally), perhaps thinking he was just playing. I did not like the way that PBT (clearly so) was behaving 1 bit.
Where there is smoke, there is fire - not all PBTs are bad, but there’s a reason for the “hype”. This is like saying that not all Moslems are bad. Sorry, but they are all much more likely to be aggressive. I think it’s riskier getting/being around a PBT and classic bulldogs and some other “just-fighting” purpose-bred breeds (rarer).