American Staffordshire Terrier, more commonly known as Pitbulls, are a breed of dog surrounded by a lot of controversy. They are believed to be dangerous, and are being banned from many communities for the wrong reasons.

Many people believe that Pitbulls are a menace, and are a threat to many lives. Now, these worries are not without reason. Due to the genetic makeup of the American Staffordshire Terrier, it is very easy to raise the breed to be aggressive, and oftentimes fighting dogs. In these situations, things can become serious, and in some cases, deadly.

From January 1st 2005, to December 31st 2017, there had been 433 deaths caused by canines alone, nearly 66% of these deaths being caused by the Pitbull breed itself. This does build a good case against Pitbulls, although when in reality it is being looked from the wrong angle.

Just as most breeds, it is not the Ptbull breed itself, but the way the they are raised. Because Pitbulls are muscular, and most times come off as intimidating, humans tend to raise them to be what they look like, intimidating. This makes them great guard dogs, but not exactly good companions. This builds a case against the breed, stereotyping them as dangerous and aggressive, when in reality, it’s not the dogs themselves, but whether they were raised to be aggressive, or loving.

Despite all the bad history surrounding Pitbulls, they make great family pets, a lot of the time very eager to please their owners and loved ones. These dogs crave attention and love, and they love being social. But their loyalty and eagerness to please, are often times what help shape them into the dangerous animals they are perceived to be, due to the fact that they try their hardest to please their owner, even being to attack not only other dogs, but humans as well.

This does not mean that all Pitbulls are aggressive as they are thought to be. A lot of families see the breed as an amazing family pet, most times loving and affectionate. They generally are amazing with kids, and in the 19th and early 20th centuries were considered “Nanny dogs” that were often times left alone with children as parents were busy around the house.

These dogs love cuddles, kisses, and being outside to play. Family interactions, and being around their family even tend to give the Pitbull what they are quite famous for, the Pitbull smile.

Although the entire breed is thought to be aggressive, dangerous, and intimidating, the way this breed acts out in aggression is due to bad people, not a bad breed. At the end of the day, the American Staffordshire Terrier make great pets, and are recommended by many families.