Dogs are America’s number one pet with 38.4 percent of American households having at least one dog. The diverse spectrum of breeds span from fluffy, wrinkled, or completely hairless. Even man’s best friend has bad days, dogs who are mistreated or badly trained can be aggressive. This doesn’t make them aggressive breeds.

According to Millar Law Firm, pit bull attacks can happen for a number of reasons but most often, it’s due to poor or improper training by the dog’s owner. Some owners may even train their dog to be aggressive, which can be a recipe for disaster.

Pit bulls were originally bred from English bulldogs to be dogs who were loyal to their owners while being used in a sport known as “bull baiting”. Where dogs would harass or injure bulls until they passed out from exhaustion. This was later outlawed after the Parliament passed the “Cruelty to Animals Act”. Bull-baiting was soon replaced with rat-catching contests and dog fights.

These sports require agility that most bulldogs lacked, prompting them to be bred with terriers, creating the first resilient and agile bull-terriers. These dogs were later brought to America where they were still used as fighting dogs. However, they were also used as dependable frontier dogs for the expanding Americas. They understandably became a symbol of patriotism.

Hillspet says pit bulls were bred to be courageous and game, to continue whatever they were doing in the face of adversity. These qualities make them stubborn, tenacious and fearless.

For a while pit bulls were seen just like any other breed of dog. That was until 1976 when Congress passed a law prohibiting dog fights in most American territories. This sadly prompted criminals to begin using pit bulls illegally for dog fights. Creating a false image of America’s canine sweetheart.

Dabl believes because of [their] history of fighting, people often assume these dogs are dangerous and killing is simply part of their DNA.

Today the image of pit bulls differs from person to person. Some people believe they are just as loving as any other dog, others believe they don’t belong in a household. Even with these claims pit bulls today make up 20 percent of America’s dogs and are welcomed in the hearts of many. This breed’s charming and likable personality makes great companions with many becoming emotional support animals.

Just as Petfinder says pit bulls are loyal, people-oriented breeds that thrive as part of the family. They are affectionate with both adults and children.