I’m sure you’ve all seen an increase in Pit Bulls and ‘Pit Bull type’ dogs coming into your boarding and daycare facilities. People who have experience with, or even own these dogs, may welcome them with open arms. But people who don’t have much personal experience with them may cringe when the client on the phone says they are bringing in their Pit Bull for the weekend. The opinion of the latter is typically formed by the negative press or one bad experience. But how many times have you been bitten by that small mixed breed dog whose owner insists that she is the sweetest?

“All dogs are individuals. All dogs have teeth, they can all bite. And just like every other new dog that you welcome into your playgroups at your facility, they should be evaluated before being introduced to other dogs,” states Deirdre Franklin, founder of Pinups for Pit Bulls, a non-profit organization group who educates, advocates and supports rescue of, not only pit bull type dogs, but all dogs.

There’s a reason for the increase in Pit Bulls in shelters, but there’s also a reason for the increase in their adoption rates. In a recent test done by The American Canine Temperament Testing Society (ATT), Pit Bulls achieved a passing rate of 83.9%, passing 4th from the highest of 122 breeds. That’s better than Beagles, passing at 78.2% and Golden Retrievers passing at 83.2%. The average passing rate for ALL breeds is 77%.

A report from the AVSAB (American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior) included the statement, “Breed alone is not predictive of the risk of aggressive behavior. Dogs and owners must be evaluated individually.”