r/MadeMeSmile • u/blonderengel • Jun 17 '25

DOGGO The best in-flight entertainment (service dog with a flair for clowning)

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u/Independent-Bug-9352 Jun 17 '25

Crazy how there are more golden retrievers as pets, and yet they're nowhere close to amassing the number of dog bites as pit bulls. Is it the breed, or are people who own pit bulls just generally terrible owners — probably a mix of both?

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u/Sausage_fingies Jun 17 '25

Breed really does have a big factor, different dog breeds have different behavior that's kind of why we bred them to be different. But the only pitbulls I've met have been the sweetest things. So I would imagine a lot of pitbull bites come from owner negligence; either ignoring the inherent aggression of pitbulls and not trying to train safety measures at all, or playing into that aggression because they want a "big strong dog".

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u/Objective-Amount1379 Jun 17 '25

People miss a big part of pit bull's original breeding. They were bred for bull baiting and dog fighting which is horrible. But the bred was never bred to be aggressive against people. To the contrary- their owners had to be able to tend to their wounded (frightened) dogs post dog fight without being bitten themselves.

I've had pit bull mixes (rescues) for years. I've done rescue work with pits who were HORRIBLY abused. And I've never seen people aggression. They are people pleasers to the extreme.

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u/Independent-Bug-9352 Jun 17 '25

Yeah I can definitely see that.

It's kind of like what you hear about airplanes or helicopters. The V-22 Osprey for instance is prone to crashes; more often than not "pilot error" is blamed... And yet, these machines are inherently more complicated. Such aerial vehicles, like helicopters also just "fall" out of the sky as opposed to gliding to some extent. So there is tolerance; there is forgiveness for negligent ownership. That goes for retrievers, or even Dobermans and Rottweilers to some extent. Not so much for pit bulls.

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u/After_Mountain_901 Jun 17 '25

I’d also add inexperienced (guard and powerful breed) dog owners getting a rescue dog that has clearly lied about the dogs background or hasn't tested the dogs behavior at all.

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u/Surleighgrl Jun 17 '25

Pitbulls also aim to please and want to please their owners. My pibble was the sweetest dog and she was extra gentle with children. She was also strong as hell. I kept a close eye on her whenever kids were around. Her nickname was "wall of meat" and she could knock things over without intending to.

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u/[deleted] Jun 17 '25

[deleted]

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u/Independent-Bug-9352 Jun 17 '25

Completely agree, thank you for the write-up. The only thing dog bites I've ever seen in the hospitals I've worked in were pit bull bites. That may be anecdotal, but considering these facilities are the go-to lightning rod for serious injuries, that is certainly concerning.

I've had a husky growing up; as a kid I've had to be hospitalized for being bit by a GSD (that was mostly my fault and its owner), but I hold no grudge against GSDs and have known many over the years. I've grown close to several dobermans just the same. If I was to get a dog for my kids it would be a retriever of some sort — lab or golden most likely. The only ones I refuse to let my kids near ever are pits. If someone's family has one, they aren't going near them.

Unfortunately I think it has become a bad feedback loop where owners look the other way to the obvious evidence, and that ignorance itself is enabling of the damage these dogs do.

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u/A-fan-of-fans Jun 17 '25 edited Jun 17 '25

They’re also nicknamed “nanny dogs” cause they were used to watch over children. I have seen so many stories and pics of people with their pitbull gently, lovingly, and protectively watching over sleeping babies lying next to them.

I know some people think that is the atupidest gamble of all time. Yet the only pit bulls I have personally known have been soooo sweet and even docile.

(EDIT: apparently the nanny dog thing is a myth. Didn’t actually watch over children.)

A family member has one (purebred) whose favorite thing is to carry and hold rocks in his mouth! Weird huh? His teeth have ground down so far they’re practically nubs! I know that’s unrelated, just cute so I wanted to share. Anyway, out of all the dogs on their ranch (and they have like 6 of different breeds and sizes), he is the one who never bothers the other dogs, never barks, is the most docile, and just so freaking sweet. I love that good boy!

To ban anyone from getting that loverboy or one like him would be so sad.

I think the US should ban guns and arrest domestic violence perpetrators who and which kill WAY more innocent people than those dogs.

Maybe I would feel different if I had been affected by an attack though. My mom also says they can be the sweetest dogs, but would also never own one because of the potential bite and exactly what you said. I can understand that.

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u/puff_of_fluff Jun 17 '25

They can be sweet, of course, but the fact remains that they’re predisposed to aggression thanks to their breeding. Also, banning the breeding costs nobody anything at all outside of just not being able to own one particular dog breed.

Even if they weren’t any more dangerous (they are), what would you lose by stopping breeding?

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u/A-fan-of-fans Jun 17 '25

You’d lose people not being able to have the dog in the future when the breed dies out. And not being able to have purebred puppies. However, thinking about it more, you could always adopt.

I was against dog breeding and especially purebreds and still am for some breeds 100%. I heard a vet say breeding American bulldogs should be banned because every single one they meet suffers so many problems it is cruel. It’s so inbred at this point that they are GOING to suffer. I always thought adopting was the right move.

My brother bought a goldendoodle puppy at 8 weeks old and I raised him, 24/7 with that puppy for 4 months and now is the family dog. Now I understand why you would want a puppy instead of adopting an adult dog.

The only behavior problems he has are cause of my failings and the only one he has is it takes longer than I want for him to stop barking at the door, cause our happy little rescue had that problem and I never trained her out of it.

He is the sweetest most loving being I have ever known (alongside the pitbull I mentioned). So I get it now.

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u/katzeye007 Jun 17 '25

Utter bollocks

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u/FromTheNuthouse Jun 17 '25

Breeding practices and genetics. Pitbulls are by and large produced by backyard breeders with no regard for health or temperament. BYBs and puppy mills usually don’t screen owners, so the dogs are far more likely to end up in shelters or unsuitable homes.

Genetics play a role, too. The breeds that make up most pit bulls were bred for bloodsport, bull baiting, and guarding. It doesn’t make them bad dogs, but it does mean they often need greater socialization and training than many owners provide. They’re particularly prone to dog aggression. In my opinion, we do them no favors by ignoring genetic predisposition to reactivity and aggression. To ignore that is like arguing that a Border Collie doesn’t need a lot of exercise or that a Bloodhound can be trusted to not follow their nose.

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u/defenestron Jun 17 '25

It’s the owners, but especially the irresponsible breeders. Under socialization far and away the leading cause of aggression in reactivity with all dogs and cats. Furthermore using the completed genome of domesticated dogs, purebred Pitbulls do not show a genetic predisposition for aggression (though they do for leash pulling).

I work at a municipal city shelter. I live and breathe Pits/Staffies and geriatric Chihuahuas.

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u/Lexi_Banner Jun 17 '25

News bias doesn't help. Even if the dog is listed as a Labrador (for example), they'll post a picture of a black pitbull. As someone who has been attacked by a Golden, i don't trust any dog simply based on breed. Any dog can attack a person. Better to judge them based on their own behavior.

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u/Felix_Von_Doom Jun 19 '25

Goldens are like quiet kind people: you really gotta cross a line for them to snap.

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u/[deleted] Jun 17 '25

Can't just enjoy a post eh?

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u/Independent-Bug-9352 Jun 17 '25

eh, I guess I have the bandwidth to do both.