I think it’s great that you read up on it too radio flyer. Knowledge is power.

And, yes of course any dog can be dangerous. I had a cocker spaniel shred my arm so badly I needed stitches one time. My brother once had a Dalmatian pin him to the ground and rip his shirt off (though a side note, he did deserve it but that’s a different story). I think any dog can be dangerous, just as any person can be dangerous. This breed just happened to get a really bad reputation unjustly.

To put things in perspective, here are some statistics from the website that sky posted earlier on. It’s a little long, but bear with me.

Farmers Branch, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, has kept accurate records since 1980. During a 7 year period from 1980 through 1987, this is what was recorded. Total bites: 1,593. Pit Bulls, 30 bites, or 1.89% of the total. Other studies tend to show the same results and because of so many mongrels that have similar features and the unfair lumping in with the American Pit Bull Terrier ( APBT ), it seems reasonable to assume that the figures are actually much lower.

The American Temperament Test Society continually ranks Pit Bulls better in temperament than many other breeds. The Airedale Terrier, Basenji, Beagle, Bichon Frise, Border Collie, Chihuahua, Collie, Dachshund(4 of 6 varieties), English Setter, Lhasa Opso, Pomeranian, Shar-Pei, Shiba Inu, Shih Tzu, Schnauzer, and Toy Poodle all score below average and many more far below that of the Pit Bull. Even though these other breeds temperament score is less than average many would not even think twice in their ownership as a family pet.

In a report from Dekalb County Georgia, the conclusion was reached that statistics could no be used to document the dangerousness of any one breed, or the comparison of one breed to another. The 5-year study of fatal attacks from 1975-1980 lists the German Shepherds first and "mixed breeds" second with the American Pit Bull Terrier ( APBT ) listed 6th.
A 6-year study in Palm Beach County of "most severe dog bite by breed" shows the top 10 breeds who have been identified in this comparison.

1988: APBT ranked 9th with9 per cent of bites
1989: APBT ranked 5th with 15 per cent
1990: APBT ranked 5th with 16 per cent
1991: APBT ranked 9th with 10 per cent
1992: APBT ranked 2nd with 20.4 per cent (with the cocker spaniel showing in 1st)
1993: APBT ranked 5th with 16 per cent

Some of the breeds, which placed above the Pit Bull's were Dalmations, Chows, Labs, Golden Retrievers, Rotties, Dobermans, and the Cocker Spaniel.

In a 1993 study, also in Palm Beach County, the bites were ranked by severity from 1 to 4 and the animal that was recorded as having inflicted the greatest number of severe bites was the domestic short-haired cat. A breed labeled as "Pit Bull" was in 5th place, surpassed by the cat, German Shepherd, Chow, and Lab. In reviewing statistics on breed bites it is important to understand that the term "Pit Bull" is used as a generic describer and not that of verifiable pure bred Pit Bulls. Any dog with any bully characteristic is often falsely lumped in with the Pit Bull thus giving a false perception that the pure bred Pit Bull is more dangerous than it really is.

The division of general pediatrics, emergency medicine, at Children's Hospital in Philadelphia conducted a study in 1989 as a result of a ***perceived*** increase in Pit Bull injuries. 12 different breed/crossbreds were identified as perpetrators, the top four of which were German Shepherds, Pit Bulls, Rottweilers and Dobermans. 54 per cent of the animals were contained and 45 per cent were provoked prior to biting (by parental report). In reviewing this stat it is important to understand the nature of many of these animals was specifically to use them to guard property and that such bites were the result of negligent or harmful activities perpetrated by the individual that was subsequently bitten.

In 1991, in Australia, the Journal of Pediatric Child Health reported that the German Shepherd was implicated in dog bites presented to the ER of a children's hospital and were implicated more frequently than their prevalence in the community. This statistic shows that inaccurate breed identification is one of the greatest factors in the false implication of bites by breed.
According to research done by Glen Bui VP of American Canine Federation his research shows the following stats, which is a more accurate representation of true bite stats since it actually includes the number of fatal attacks divided by the population, which is required to determine fatal attacks based on breed.

Apx. 240,000 - 12 Fatal Attacks Chow Chow .705%
Apx 800.000 - 67 Fatal Attacks German Shepherds .008375%
Apx. 960,000 - 70 Fatal Attacks Rottweiler .00729%
Apx. 128.000 - 18 Fatal Attacks Great Dane .01416%
Apx. 114,000 - 14 Fatal Attacks Doberman .012288%
Apx. 72,000 - 10 Fatal Attacks St Bernard .0139%
Apx 5,000,000- 60 Fatal Attacks American Pit Bull Terrier .0012%

Finally, in an article in Pediatrics, June 1994, an article entitled "Which Dogs Bite? A case control of risk factors." concluded the following:

Dog bites cause an estimated 585,000 injuries each year resulting in the need for medical attention with children being the most frequent to be bitten. The study sought to determine dog-specific factors independently associated with a dog biting a non-household member. (88% occur in the dog owner's yard or home or in the **adjoining** yard. 62% members of the victims' families witnessed the bite.) It is important to note the negligence associated with children who trespass or otherwise provoke a bite as well as irresponsible parentage allowing such children to act in an irresponsible behavior thus leading to the increased prevalence of such bites.

The identified risk group are children less than 11 years old, the average age is 8, males outnumber females. This is probably out of disrespect typically exemplified by these young children. Only 7% required hospital admission. The method was to match 178 pairs of dogs selected from dogs reported to an urban animal control for a first-bite episode on a non-household member in which the victim received medical treatment. Controls were neighborhood-matched dogs with no history of biting a non-household member, selected by modified random-digit dialing.

The results were risk factors expressed as adjusted odds ratio, when the dog is....
A German Shepherd 16.4
A Male 6.2
A Chow-Chow 4.0
Living in a house with 1 or more children 3.5
Chained in the yard 2.8
Not neutered 2.6

The odds of being struck by lightning are 1 in 600,000 in the USA. Comparatively speaking you are 6 times more likely to be struck by lightning than you are to be killed by a dog of any breed. When you further break down the odds of being attacked and killed by a Pit Bull the odds are in your favor -approximately 1 in 145,000,000. That’s million folks. In contrast, you are 4 times more likely to be killed by a cow in the USA than any breed of dog, much less a Pit Bull.

So why do some dogs attack?

The answer is quite simple really.

Irresponsible pet owners.
Irresponsible parents.
Instigation by the "so called" victims themselves.


from this site: http://www.pitbullregistry.com/unwar...e%20stigma.htm