Pit bull bite myth

The Jaw locking myth is all to common.  Sadly,growing up, I was always told that  by my elders and to this day they still say that.  For a while they were the only breed I was afrade of because everyone around me was afrade of them and the news didn't make it any better. 
 
The first real pittle I met was a huge baby named Bubby, he won over my heart and erased every bad thought of pitties I ever had.  After Bubba I never judged anouther pittie agean.  It's sad how one little rumor makes the whole breed look bad. 
 
I've tried to explain to my family that they are good dogs and the highest percent of dog bites is not from pit bull, forgot where I saw the stistics but Dalmations have a higher bite rate then pitties but because of the move 101 and the good rep they got no one will ever say anything mean about that breed.  Not that I have anything agenst any breed but I hate being mislead.

As the owner of a part lab part pit sweetie who wouldn't hurt a fly-I mean she'd go with
Charles Manson for a cheesburger-I quote from Dr. I Lerh Brisbin of the University of Georgia
"To the beset of our knowledge, there are no pubished scientic studies that would allow any
meaningful comparison to be made of the biting power of various breed dogs. There are,
moreover, compelling technical reasons why such data describing biting power in terms of
"pounds per square inch" can never be connected in a meaningful way.All figures describing
biting power in such terms can be traced to either unfounded rumor or in some cases,
to newspaper articles with no foundationin factual date."

 
geeze, what an idiot!! Don't they do research before the shows?

Now correct me if I'm wrong, because I'm not an expert by any means. But weren't pit bulls bred to "lock" onto whatever they were biting. I'm definitely not saying that pit bulls are any more likely to bite than another breed, but if they do bite, don't they lock on usually?
 
Now as far as saying there's an enzyme that makes them aggressive or more likely to lock their jaws, that seems absurd.

I think it's more likely (and pit owners, please correct  me if I'm wrong) that they just aren't inclined to turn loose. It's not that their jaws actually "lock". But I can see where some people might come to that conclusion. As for the "enzyme" thing, that's just plain nuts.

Joyce

Pits do have STRONG jaws, but they don't "lock." Different breeds just have different characteristics. Most terriers are smaller dogs and low to the ground in order to more effectively chase their prey(correct?) Pits were bred to be a strong dog to effectively take down what they were working. But no, their jaws don't lock, and that enzyme thing is just ridiculous. That is to say that every pit mix is going to be an aggressive maniac jaw locking dog because they may carry that "enzyme". Ugh. Do they even know what enzymes DO? I'm no science major by any means, but I did take Biology, and I don't remember hearing anything about enzymes affecting behavior. I remember they aiding in chemical breakdowns..etc.  I listen to talk radio in the mornings on the way to school and for the past week all they have talked about are Pits and I get SO mad because they are completely uneducated. They said that having a pit as a family pet is like having "a ticking time bomb in the house with your children." Jerks.

I'm not completely sure, because I don't use any of my animals for working purposes, but aren't pits used for something with Hogs?

ORIGINAL: UndefinedMelody

Pits do have STRONG jaws, but they don't "lock." Different breeds just have different characteristics. Most terriers are smaller dogs and low to the ground in order to more effectively chase their prey(correct?) Pits were bred to be a strong dog to effectively take down what they were working. But no, their jaws don't lock, and that enzyme thing is just ridiculous. That is to say that every pit mix is going to be an aggressive maniac jaw locking dog because they may carry that "enzyme". Ugh. Do they even know what enzymes DO? I'm no science major by any means, but I did take Biology, and I don't remember hearing anything about enzymes affecting behavior. I remember they aiding in chemical breakdowns..etc.  I listen to talk radio in the mornings on the way to school and for the past week all they have talked about are Pits and I get SO mad because they are completely uneducated. They said that having a pit as a family pet is like having "a ticking time bomb in the house with your children." Jerks.

I'm not completely sure, because I don't use any of my animals for working purposes, but aren't pits used for something with Hogs?

 
Ditto.
 
Yeah, they use them here and in Australia, along with Catahoulas, American Bulldogs, etc to hunt hogs.

I HATE when people say this, it make me want to scream!

I read in a book once that a pitbulls jaws are no stronger than another dog of the same size and build. Its the terrier TENACITY in them that when they choose not to let go they wont. Its not a freakish thing, its a stobborn thing.

My fathers pitbull could beat anyone at tug of war. Why? because she was so d*mn strong willed that she wouldnt leg go even if her head was threatening to dislocate itself from her body.

That same tenacity is what makes them keep on licking you and hitting you with the supernaturally strong tail until they just about kill you.

But that never shows up in the news does it??

Pit Bulls dont let go because of pride for their job and protection of its master. Despite what a lot of people beleive they WERE NOT bred to fight. They were bred to help capture large livestock such as bulls and even bears so picture this.....
A group of men out in the wild hunting bears and bulls to capture or kill, even with several shots that animal is going to take a while to hit the ground and die. In the meantime he would thrash around, charge and try to kill anything in its path. Thats where the pit bull comes in! He would grab hold and keep his master from harm until he was commanded to let go or felt the life drain away. He did it out of pride, honor and servitude to his master.
Humasn made them they way they are and I find it terribly sad that since they are no longer needed they have been diminshed to such a low level in the public eye.
That is also why they are my favorite breed, they are so stoic and eager to please.

"I don't agree, Pit Bulls are totally different from other dogs, because they have an enzyme that makes them aggressive and causes their jaws to lock.

 
ENZYMES!!!!! Now thats a new one!
[sm=rotfl.gif]
 
Thank you for defending the breed! It isn't easy owning the breed when people are as uneducated as the boxer guys sounds like. Irresponsible owners come in every breed as he found out!
Thanks for sharing

Hmmmmm, I once had to use a breaking stick with COCKER bitches.......wonder if they had that same jaw locking enzyme?

After some googling I found this link for anyone interested in the truth.
 
[linkhttp://www.understand-a-bull.com/PitbullInformation/Urbanlegends.htm]http://www.understand-a-bull.com/PitbullInformation/Urbanlegends.htm[/link]
 
As a side note I couldn't stand by and let a national tv show propagate (sp?) this urban myth, so I wrote an email to the People's Court.

Thanks for posting that link,CKC. It was interesting.  I wonder if any of those fatal bites involved very small children.  It's kind of hard to imagine a yorkie or a pom actually killing anyone, even once.

Joyce

When I saw that a Pom was responsible for a fatality I figured it had to be a small child who died as a result from complications from the bite, i.e. infection.  Cause I'm thinking I can take a Pom [].