All dogs are special, but living with a pit bull really is different. While they’re incredibly popular, they also have a reputation that makes many fear them. Pit bull owners know how loyal and lovable their dogs are, but they can be affected by unfair laws and policies. In The Pit Bull Life you’ll learn the history of this category of dog and what you can do to help secure its present and future. You’ll also get information about how to find a good match and read inspiring stories of people who’ve devoted their lives to this special dog. In an effort to clear the pit bull name, the authors of The Pit Bull Life debunked 10 popular pit bull myths for PEOPLE.
Myth 1: Pit Bulls Aren’t Classic American Dogs
Pit bulls were once the iconic American canine. When artists in the early twentieth century wanted to represent the classic boy and his dog, that pup looked like a pit bull: Buster Brown and his Tige and The Little Rascals and their Pete are still recognizable. Well-known for loyalty and bravery, the pit bull was also used as a symbol of the nation in art during the two world wars. And some real dogs were actual war heroes, like Sgt. Stubby, who served in World War I and earned an obituary in the New York Times.
Myth 2: Pit Bulls Have a Specific, Easy-to-Recognize Look
Most of the dogs we call “pit bulls” aren’t purebred. Many of them aren’t even pit bull mixes. Studies have shown that even dog experts can’t accurately guess whether there’s pit bull in a mixed-breed dog just by looking at it. Lots of different breeds can mix up to produce the short-coated, big-headed dog that we call “pit bull,” though our grandparents would probably have just called this pup a “mutt” or “mongrel.”
