Pit bulls, owned by three presidents (Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson and Jimmy Carter), several American geniuses (Thomas Edison, Mark Twain, John Steinbeck) and countless celebrities (Mary Tyler Moore’s pit bull, Spanky, alerts her when her blood sugar drops), have been vilified in the press for many years as aggressive and dangerous.
Despite the breed’s bad reputation recently, for generations the breed was known as “The Nanny Dog."
At the beginning of the last century these smart, loving animals were recognized for one thing above all others, being a great pet for kids.
That’s why Buster Brown’s dog was a pit bull.
That’s why The Little Rascal’s dog was a pit bull.
That’s why the symbol of the United States itself for over 100 years was a pit bull.
Times have changed.
Rene Stufano of the Joe Black Effort, a local animal rescue, told the Review recently that she attributes this change in attitude toward pit bulls not to any fault of the breed, but mistreatment and misrepresentation by humans.
One such animal, a one-year-old female recently rescued by the agency, is a glaring example of the way the dogs are ruined by abuse and neglect.
“We found her tied with a log chain,” Stufano said.
“She is a one-year-old female, and already trained to fight. She is very aggressive toward any other animal.”
Stufano said that the animals, like any other, will lose their natural tendency to be kind, loving dogs when mistreated and forced to fight.
“The Joe Black Effort is focused on making life better for the animals in DeKalb County, and we want people to know that it is not all right to train dogs to fight,” she said. “It is going on right here in our county, and she is a prime example.”
She said that once the animals have been abused and neglected there is no hope of bringing them back to their natural state as a family-friendly companion.
“My hope is that we will be able to get her into a program where she can be trained as a military or police dog, and her aggression can be used in a positive way.”
Stufano blamed the media for a great deal of the misunderstanding of the pit bull.
“Pit bulls have a reputation as violent dogs, and that reputation has been delivered by the media,” Stufano noted. “They were originally bred to be ‘nanny dogs,’ and in the early 20th century they were used as babysitters. The media has put the thought in the minds of humanity globally that these dogs are violent and terrible, and it is a lie.”
She said the dog’s reputation as aggressive is unfounded, and that any mistreated animal will eventually become untrusting and ill-tempered.
“Any animal can be taught to fight,” Stufano said. “Two parakeets can be taught to fight. That doesn't mean they are naturally dangerous. It has been instilled in them by mistreatment and abuse, and it is just unacceptable.”