By:  Gabby Shick

This is my dog Piper and she’s a Pitbull. When most people hear Pitbull, some not so nice things come to mind, like aggressive and dangerous. And, although some Pitbulls may be those things, just like with people, it is not fair to make a general statement about the breed.

I have never been afraid of being around any dog especially Pitbulls. I have been raised around Pitbulls for as long as I can remember. My dad has two Pitbull rescues and of course I have Piper. Pitbull rescues, like any rescue animal, are a huge responsibility. You never quite know their background and the things they went through. Most Pitbull rescues come from similar backgrounds, dog fighting.

Pitbulls are commonly used in dog fights not just because of their strength, but their loyalty to their owner. No matter how much misery those dogs go through, they’ll have an unconditional love for the owner. So despite popular belief, it has nothing to do with “lockjaw”, which is a myth. The unfortunate Pitbulls that land in the hands of the leaders of the fights are put through a lot. They have horrible living conditions and are constantly poked and agitated so they are ready for a fight.

Every animal has their own personalities, as each individual person has theirs, but Pitbulls have the spunkiest personality I’ve ever seen. They are so full of energy and are so determined to please their owner. Piper will run back and forth between my living room and dining room constantly bringing me blankets and pillows. When she gets extremely excited she flips on her back and squirms around hoping you’ll look at her.

Piper is also extremely loyal. Any time a new person comes into my home she is extremely friendly and affectionate, but if a threat to me, her “human,” were to come about she would have no problem defending me.

Any animal or breed can be aggressive, not just Pitbulls. I always go by the saying, “If an animal has teeth it can bite.” The most common reason for any aggression is fear. If an animal feels threatened it either submits or stands up to what is scaring it. So when a Pitbull, or any animal for that matter bites, you probably inflicted fear in them.