Breed Discrimination is a very touchy subject among dog enthusiasts. Everyone has very strong opinions concerning one of the most heavily discriminated breeds, the “pit bull”. There are tests are available on the internet, flip through the photographs and find the pit bull. Most people choose the wrong breed (Myself included). The term pit bull refers to several breeds of dogs including the American Staffordshire Terrier, the English Staffordshire Terrier, the American Pit Bull Terrier, the English Bull Terrier, and even some bulldogs get lumped into the pit mystique. Throughout the text the term “pit bull” will define any and all of the above mentioned breeds.
At the turn of the twentieth century, the American Pit Bull was the number one family dog in America. They appeared on patriotic posters during WWI as the epitome of loyalty and honor. When German Shepherds were starting to making their way to American shores, they were looked upon as vicious dogs that were unstable and untrustworthy. Once the German Shepherds were found to be excellent family dogs as well as police dogs, the Doberman Pinscher was well on its way to becoming the most aggressive breed to be feared. On the height of Doberman’s discrimination, Rottweiler’s were rapidly ascending the list of ferocious instability. Although the stigma still lingers in some dog lovers minds concerning the Doberman and the Rottweiler, it is now the “pit bull” that has gotten the brunt of fear and anger.
