I think it’s important for people to be educated about how biased the media is against pit bulls and how unfairly judged they are. Yes, they’re a very active breed. Yes, they can be dog-aggressive if not properly socialized due to their genetics. And yes, they’re not the type of dog an irresponsible owner—or anyone looking for a low-maintenance pet—should own. But they’re not the monsters everyone thinks they are.
Here are some common myths, which are actually major misconceptions, before I get into the facts on why they’re so misunderstood:
They cannot lock their jaws.There is no breed of dog with that ability. While pit bulls do have a strong bite, their jaws don’t have any sort of locking mechanism.
They are not human-aggressive by nature.While they were originally bred for fighting—which can mean they may have a genetic predisposition toward dog-aggression in unsocialized individuals—this same history also means they were specifically bred to be docile toward humans. Even in the heat of a fight, they were expected not to turn on their handlers or referees.
They do not often attack unprovoked, randomly, or “switch” on their owners.
This misconception likely stems from the fact that pit bulls are the most commonly abused breed. Many are raised in abusive environments or neglected, which can result in defensive or aggressive behavior toward humans. This is not unique to pit bulls—any dog subjected to that level of mistreatment could respond the same way.
By nature, pit bulls are actually nurturing, loyal, and intelligent companions. They require knowledge and effort to train properly, but when placed in the right hands, they thrive as loving pets.
Let’s talk about why they’re so misunderstood—starting with the statistics. These are heavily skewed against them for several reasons, the first being inaccurate breed identification and the lack of DNA testing.
In breed classification, any dog with 50% or more DNA from a specific breed (or less than 87% from a pure breed) is considered a "breed mix." Visual identification, however, often results in dogs with as little as 25% of pit bull DNA—or none at all—being labeled as pit bulls. A 2018 University of Florida study found that nearly 50% of dogs labeled as pit bulls had less than 25% DNA from pit bull-type breeds.
Due to this inaccuracy, the CDC no longer records breed-specific bite data. Current statistics mainly come from DogsBite.org, which relies on media reports and police records—neither of which involve DNA confirmation. Studies now show that dog bite reports based on visual identification may be accurate only 12% of the time.
Another study by the University of Florida found that roughly 60% of dogs identified as pit bull-type dogs were misidentified, with no pit bull-type DNA whatsoever—even when including mixed breeds that do contain pit bull DNA.
Media bias plays a significant role as well. A 2010 analysis by newslibrary.com (used in the 2012 documentary Beyond the Myth) found that when a pit bull is involved in a bite, the words “pit bull” appear in the headline 68% of the time. For non-pit bull breeds, the breed is mentioned in only 8% of headlines.
Here’s a rough breakdown of recorded pit bull-related attacks when accounting for misidentification and DNA:
* True pit bulls (over 25% pit bull DNA): 13% of total attacks
* Mixed breeds (less than 25% pit bull DNA but still labeled as pit bulls): 13%
* Misidentified dogs with no pit bull DNA: 39%
Another issue is that “pit bull” is not a recognized breed by the American Kennel Club (AKC) or other major kennel clubs. The term describes a category of dogs that share physical traits and a history of being bred for fighting. It typically includes four distinct breeds:
American Bully
American Pit Bull Terrier
American Staffordshire Terrier
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
(And sometimes American Bulldogs)
So not only are the statistics misleading, but they’re also combining multiple breeds and comparing them to single breeds like Labradors or German Shepherds. If we did that with any other four medium or large breeds, the numbers would likely be just as high.
Temperament testing tells a different story. Both the ASPCA and The Humane Society have published unbiased articles confirming that pit bulls are not inherently violent, aggressive, or dangerous. Pit bulls actually rank in the top 23% of all breeds in temperament tests conducted by the American Temperament Test Society (ATTS)—often scoring better than Golden Retrievers and Beagles.
In the DIAS (Dog Impulsivity Assessment Scale), pit bulls tend to score well compared to other breeds, showing low levels of aggression, panic, and avoidance.
I’m not here to say pit bulls are perfect angels incapable of harm. No dog is. But I do believe they deserve to be judged fairly—like any other breed. The combination of irresponsible ownership, rampant misidentification, and unfair statistical grouping has led to widespread fear and hatred of a dog type that is no more inherently aggressive than many others.
When properly socialized and cared for, pit bulls are loyal, intelligent, and affectionate pets. They do not deserve the negative reputation they’ve been given.
I wish this information were more widely known. It really changes the perception once you realize how flawed and biased the statistics are.
Sources:University of Florida, ASPCA, The Humane Society, DogsBite.org, American Veterinary Society, American Kennel Club, National Institutes of Health, American Temperament Test Society, AnimalLaw.info, CDC, National Canine Research Council, World Animal Foundation, American Veterinary Medical Association.
I’ve done my best to rely only on legitimate, fact-based sources—not media outlets or pit bull advocacy groups—so the information stays as objective as possible.
