Territorial Defence
Also, in case you did not, dogs are territorial animals that do everything within their power to defend their space from anyone they consider not part of it. If you don’t relate with your dog or allow it to interact with people around, it becomes isolated and used to its space. So, if you suddenly walk into its space, it feels the need to defend itself and space. This is why it might show aggression and hostility towards you and others. However, this happens very rarely.
How likely is a pitbull to attack its owner?
Pit Bulls: 8.4% German Shepherds: 7.8% Rottweilers: 3.9% Chows: 3.5%
Do Pitbulls turn on you?
Yes, your Pitbull can turn on you or attack you, but in some rare cases. Attacks of Pitbulls on their owners are rare, although they can happen for several reasons. You will find a few events where the Terriers attack their masters and kill them.
Also, if you find one, do not blame the dog. Such accidents only happen for the carelessness or the aggressive behavior of the owners towards their pets. Also, several other factors can lead to this phenomenon.
It is impossible for any dog, especially for a Pitbull, to attack its master. It is a myth people believe that the Terriers turn on their owners between 8 months-2 years of age.
Pitbulls indeed start to show their aggression during the phase due to the physical developments.
But, a well-trained, socialized Pitbull never attacks its owner.
Every time you hear such news, we can guarantee, the canines have experienced aggression, dominance, or violence in the past.
Pitbulls are naturally very loving, intelligent, muscular, faithful, and protective canines.
They indeed have aggression and temperament like any other animal.
The horrible past of exploitation has left a trace in their DNA. That is why you can see hostility and attacking mentality even in modern Pitbulls.
Now, you can feel a bit confused after reading the dark side of your loving Pitbulls. But, a trained and socialized Pitbull is safe even around your kids.
So, you can understand that the natural and default demeanor of a Pitbull is caring, kind, and affectionate towards the master.
Only for some evil people, who mistreat and misbehave with their Pitbulls, the sweet and docile dog turns into an aggressive animal.
Apart from improper training, lack of socialization also plays a vital role in such mishaps. If the owner continues to abuse the pup during the training session or any time, it can develop aggression in their mind for the master.
That is why you should never take any violent steps while disciplining a Pitbull.
Even your good spank can install hostility or an attacking mentality in them. Long story short, an irresponsible Pitbull owner can get attacked by his pet if he shows negligence while raising the dog.
So, if you bring a Pitbull puppy home, present yourself as an alpha. Pitbull likes to follow a leader, and it will be easier for you to turn it into an obedient dog.
Also, Pitbulls are so intelligent that they can absorb any knowledge you feed them.
So, start obedience training at the earliest. An obedient Pitbull will never hurt its parent.
Also, find a productive way to spend their energy. Since Pitbulls have a lot of enthusiasm, boredom and loneliness can cause mischief.
Why dogs turn on their owners
We’re sure you no longer consider it news that pitbulls have grown popularity for being very notorious and aggressive dogs. Although there are many myths surrounding this belief, there are some indisputable facts.
First, the history and background of the pitbull have contributed to the supposed aggression today. Also, when a pit bull bites, it does not let go of the bite for a very long time. Sometimes, you even have to kill or injure it before it lets go of the bite. So let us find out: why do pitbulls attack their owners? But first, a brief history.
The history of pitbulls dates back to the 1800s when they were initially bred from Old English bulldogs that were used in a cruel blood sport called “bull baiting”. Later on, it moved to “ratting” where the dogs were pitted against rats to see which dog killed the most rats.
Over the years, pit bulls have been used for herding cattle, sheep, guarding livestock as well as families against thieves and dangerous animals.
Interestingly, because of their loyal and caring demeanor, they were used as “nanny dogs”. So, it’s hard to believe that these same set of dogs are accused of attacking people not to talk of their owners.
Some people have been made to believe pit bulls have locking jaws which makes their bites very aggressive. However, this is not so. Pit bulls have the same set of teeth with every other dog breed as well as the same skull features. The only reason people think pit bulls have locking jaws is because they don’t easily let go of bites, they hold on for a very long time.
We discuss the myth about pitbulls have locking jaws more exhaustively in this article: How Much Bite Force Does A Pitbull Have? Click here to read it.