From their square faces, short legs and muscular builds, the pit bull dog breed umbrella has gained a bad reputation for their intimidating looks and history of being dog-fighting animals.
But despite how intimidating they may look, behind the façade they are known to be lovable and well-behaved dogs.
That is exactly what celebrity dog trainer Tom Davis thinks.
"My absolute favorite breed to train is the pit bull," Davis said.
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For years, Davis, who founded the New York-based Upstate Canine Academy, has specialized in behavior-based dog training aimed at tackling challenging pet behavior.
According to Davis, pit bulls are so easy to train because they are bred to do anything for the humans they work with, which makes them naturally obedient and disciplined.
"In my experience pit bulls are some of the most loyal, trainable, and fun dogs to work with," Davis said. "They also have a really good working drive and an off switch."
The history of the American Pit Bull Terrier lineage is over 200 years old and can be traced back to 19th-century British bulls and terriers, according to the American Kennel Club.
Though they were initially bred to hunt, protect and drive livestock, the breed eventually turned into a family dog due to its loyal and enthusiastic nature.
"They like to go out and work with you, have fun and train but they also like to go home, cuddle and be a couch potato," Davis said. "They are a really diverse dog."
Why do pit bulls have a bad reputation?
According to Davis, it all boils down to the breed's bond with its owner.
"The pit bull breed is so loyal and extraordinary that unfortunately it has given them a bad rep because of how loyal they are for their owners," Davis explained.
"If the pit bull ends up in the wrong hands, that person can ultimately tell that dog to do anything they want. It's one of the only breeds in the world that I've ever worked with that would literally die and do anything for their owner."
Similarly, the AKC said pit bulls are "confident" and "strong" dogs, but "require an owner who will carefully socialize and obedience train the dog."
Ultimately, any dog is what the owner makes of it, Davis explains. If the dog is not appropriately trained or disciplined, any good breed can turn into a bad pet.
"It always comes back down to training, whatever hands the dog is in is ultimately what the dog is going to act like," Davis said. "It's very important for dog owners out there to understand that if your dog is mean or aggressive or not listening when pulling on the leash, it's a good chance that it's because of you as the owner,."
"There are no bad dogs," Davis concluded.
