A.P.B.

T
Naughty by Nurture

Kaela Ballard &

NatashaTishkevich
 Introduction
• The American Pit Bull Terrier was once one of the highest regarded
breeds; now commonly believed to be one of the most dangerous

• Those who are familiar with the breed praise them for their temperament
and distinctive traits, while those who oppose them, vocalize their fears
of the dog’s strength, power and aggression.
History of the Breed
• The Romans discovered the breed
during their invasion of Britain, where
the dogs fought alongside their owners.

• When Bull-baiting was banned, dog

fighting grew into a popular blood-
sport.

• During WWI Pit Bulls were admired

for their courage, strength and loyalty.

• Soon after WWI, government took

notice to the increase in Pit Bull related
deaths.
 Nurture
•Breed experts and trainers
claim that Pit Bulls, when well
trained, bred and socialized are
good-natured.
•On the American Temperament
Test, Pit Bulls scored an 86%
surpassing the general average
among all other breeds.
•Media hype has greatly
contributed to the Pit Bulls
reputation.
 Nature
• Annual dog bite statistics
continue to show that in
those resulting in death,
Pit Bulls are most often
the biters.
• Pit Bulls were selectively
bred for their strong
bodies and jaws, as well as
their drive to fight.
• Pit Bulls remain in the
lead for most banned
breed.
Dog Bite-related incidents
H
I
S
T
O
R
Y
 Issues
Denver, Cincinnati, and Miami have
completely banned ownership of Pit
Bulls and 19 states have certain laws
implemented against them.

The debate as to whether or not these

laws are necessary vs breed
discrimination still continues today.
 Future Implications
• Economics: It would take $450,000,000 for the
government to ban Pit Bulls altogether in the U.S. &
In those cities where the breed is already banned,
owners are paying more in taxes.
• Legal:Pit Bull owners oppose this, as they consider it a
violation of their ownership rights.
• Ethical: Are breed bans necessary or a form of breed
discrimination?
 Conclusion
• Although the breed is known for their staggering
number of bites and related fatalities, they make
up approx. 40% of the dog population.
• It takes only a few generations of controlled
mating to influence the dogs temperament and
behavior.
• The breed tends to attract breeders with bad
intentions, which lead to their bad reputation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Z75yb7cUWa0&vq=mediumhttp://library.fgcu.edu/
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