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I received this email this morning regarding Bull terriers and how the breeds are misunderstood because of bad press and bad ownership which unfortuantly result in so many ending up in dog homes. This was an email sent from the American equivalent of our RSPCA. The situation is the same in this country with places like Battersea dogs home having a large number of Staffordshire Bull Terriers being brought in either because of their reputation as a dangerous dog, or on the other end of the scale because certain types of owners are finding out they are not quite the stereo type savage dog they are portrayed to be and therefore disguarded.

I wanted to re-post this article because I have had first hand experience of how loving, placid and faithful companions these dogs can be.

Our Family dog is a staffie called Bertie and he is a soft as they come. He wants to be with you and will happily be fussed all day long. He loves children and my two year old nephew and our dog are best friends. Bertie always makes sure he is safe which is reflective of the breeds Nanny Dog reputation. If his dad or grandad pretends to do anything to my Nephew like play fighting or tickling, Bertie will jump to his side and bark away at dad or Grandad to warn them to stop – which they do! Whenever I am out on the beaches or climbing over the rocks Bertie is always by my side. He is most alive when he is with you on an adventure! 

And its no surprise he is like he is. Its because of the real nature of this breed of dog as loyal faithful friends and also testament to the way my mother brought him up even though at times he was like her surrogate son. She even tucked him into bed of an evening and fussed him (and told him off) like a little boy!

Anyway here is the article.

The SPCA Serving Erie County in New York hopes to dispel common myths about pit bull terriers and show the world what they’re really born to do with its new Bred to Love campaign.

“Pit bull terriers are a severely misunderstood breed. The SPCA Serving Erie County’s goal is to educate and bring awareness to this issue in our community. The Bred To Love program’s main purpose is to put an end to the myths surrounding this amazing and loving breed. Pit bull terriers are loyal happy go lucky dogs that just adore people and will make a wonderful addition to a family looking for their new pal,” said Lindsay Guiher, a volunteer at the shelter.

According to Guiher, most of the dogs coming into the shelter are pit bulls who take longer to adopt than other breeds, which they suspect has to do with common myths surrounding the breed.

Some of these myths include the beliefs that pit bulls have locking jaws and are more likely to bite than other breeds. To clear that first one up once and for all, pit bulls do not have any anatomical mechanism that would cause or allow their jaws to lock. No dog does. And while pit bulls still get a lot of bad press, they’re no more likely to bite someone than any other breed.

The American Temperament Testing Society (ATTS), an organization that promotes uniform temperament testing, has found that the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier and Staffordshire Terrier all had a higher than average passing score, which is 83 percent, and did better than many other breeds, including Golden Retrievers, when it comes to stability, aggression and friendliness, among other traits.

Even the AVMA has stated that despite the stigma, when it comes to pit bull type dogs “controlled studies have not identified this breed group as disproportionately dangerous.”

In fact, pit bulls used to be referred to as the perfect “nanny dogs” for children because of their fantastic temperaments and were used to represent America on WWI posters because of their loyalty, bravery and determination. Even Helen Keller had one.

“As any responsible owner knows, it’s not these sweet and loyal animals that are the problem, but rather a handful of self-serving and unethical breeders. Raised in the right environment, pit bull terriers are naturally inclined to be wonderful pets, sure to steal your heart!” according to the shelter.

Along with urging people to consider adding one to the family, the SPCA Serving Erie County wants everyone who loves pit bulls to join the campaign by submitting a photo showing the world what their dogs were born to do. So far, they’ve got people showing off pit bulls who were bred to give kisses, be loved, be best friends, protect, be loyal, brighten lives and be family, along with a few who were born to cuddle.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/heres-what-pit-bulls-are-really-bred-to-do.html#ixzz2P1Wrl7Hr