The Truth About “Bully” Breeds

Myth: Pit bulls and other bully breeds have been bred exclusively to be aggressive and dangerous

Fact:  The story of the pit bull begins when nineteenth century aristocrats started breeding dogs previously used for baiting (yes, just what is sounds like, dogs used to bait other animals, like bears) to “produce a smaller dog better suited for fighting” as dogfighting rose in prominence among the upper class (Swann, 2010).

Once the activity was outlawed, the association of pit bulls with criminality, particularly “urban deviance,” continued to flourish. The media fed into this portrayal, such as a 1987 issue of Sports Illustrated featuring an article with the label “Beware of This Dog.”

Sports Illustrated Cover from 1987

This type of popular image of pit bulls is quite contrary to years earlier when they were cast as companions in shows like “Our Gang” (Swann, 2010).

Pete the Pup from Our Gang (later known as Little Rascals)

Through the lense of the philosophy of flourishing, Dr. Ian Werkheiser also examines the historical development of certain bully breeds. Flourishing is the idea that there is a best life and that “this best life [is] not a subjective preference, but objectively true” (Werkheiser, 2015). Though originally meant for humans, a number of philosophers have extended the idea to animals and for dogs divided it up by breed. Traditionally it has been used as an argument to actually support dog fighting, with proponents claiming that “some dog breeds are born to fight, and therefore dog fighters are helping them achieve their best lives” (Werkheiser, 2015).

However, Dr. Werkheiser claims that though breed-specific flourishing is an applicable concept, perhaps the natural tendencies of these dogs aren’t so much aggressiveness and viciousness, but loyalty and actually a lack of aggressiveness towards humans which makes them the ideal breeds for the cruel process of turning a dog into a fighter. 

This concept that “bully breeds” are not inherently more aggressive than other breeds also finds support in the German study by Dr. Ott et al where the results of temperament evaluations of a sample golden retrievers were compared to individuals of legislated breeds who had to undergo them in order to be considered for legal residence in the area of Lower Saxony. The analysis found that “a significant difference  in the occurrence of aggressive behavior in inappropriate situations […] could not be found.”

All this to say that, despite their image, pit bulls and bully breeds are not inherently more dangerous than any other breed. Understanding the factors and misconceptions in the historical shaping of the pit bull and “bully breed” narrative is crucial in evaluating current policies and investigating new ones, as we do here.