By Nigel Collymore
The American pit bull terrier is no doubt one of the most misunderstood animals in the country.
Experts say it is often mistaken for the American and British bulldogs and is falsely classified as an animal which is naturally aggressive towards humans, especially strangers, and sometimes even owners.
Local breeders want to change and erase the myths surrounding the animals.
“A lot of pit bulls have been crossed bred over and over by owners with no knowledge of their line and lineage characteristics.
“This causes the dogs to develop inconsistent behavioural tendencies since it is no longer a pure-bred Pit Bull,” said Glenn Collymore, in an interview with the News Room.
Pit bull terriers were once used in the sport of bull baiting during the 15th century in England. In the sport, a bull was secured in a pit and the dog was used to immobilize the bull by biting it to the head.
In Guyana, many see pit bulls as ruthless guard dogs.
“The American pit bull terriers are some of the best dogs you can ever have,” says Shawn Motilall, who owns two, named Kane and Django.
“They don’t make good guard dogs.
“If you want a guard dog, I would recommend getting a Rottweiler or a German Shepherd – those are more guard dogs.”
What Motilal and Collymore do agree with is that pit bulls are protective and friendly and are just as good as any dog kept as a pet.
However, these dogs are sometimes conditioned by irresponsible owners to display aggression to human beings.
“Pit bulls are more of an athletically built dog that’s versatile and can be used in many ways,” said Mario Leo.
“They were bred for their looks and visual appeal; they don’t have a lot of stamina thus can only really be used as show dogs.”
The American Society for The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in a position statement on Pit Bulls stated: “These dogs have long been popular family pets, noted for their gentleness, affection and loyalty.
“And even those pit bulls bred to fight other animals were not prone to aggressiveness toward people.”
Motilall recommends that anyone looking to own a Pit Bull should first do extensive research into its lineage and have proper documentation to assure themselves that they are receiving a genuine Pit Bull breed.
