to attack - even when smothered with love and sunshine and rainbows.

Statistical evidence is easy to find - digbite.org, canine journal etc. So I'll give my $.02 worth of anecdotal evidence just for fun.

-My brother is an ER Dr., he has some WILD stories (seriously, the best guy to hang out near at a party). He says that pit bulls are FAR AND AWAY the most common dog bite incident (like over 95%) he has to report when patients come in with lacerations. He says the owners always say the same things every time - exactly what you're saying. "Sweetest dog ever." "Our kids climb all over him/her and he/she loves it." "He's/she's never bit anyone before." Now I'll admit that he says all owners say this, not just the pit owners. But this is all just lip service when he's stitching up a 4 years olds face....


-I've been bit by numerous dogs, and can attest to the difference in bites. I've been bit most by pit bulls and blue heelers. I grew up with blue heelers on the ranch - and though they "snap" easy (they're quick to bite - not a patient dog), they don't "clamp and shake" like a pit bull, rottweiler or bull dog. Pit bull bites are different. Though they do nip, it's much less common. I've been bitten by four pit bulls, all were the clamp and shake (and two hurt like mad - I remember being shocked by the pressure their jaws could generate even though they don't have the strongest jaws).
I actually got bit last year by a pit bull. Totally unforeseen, totally silent (no bark, no growl until it latched on) and totally unprovoked. It bit my foot, luckily I had my work boots on. It bit through all the way to the sock, it missed the steel toe portion but went through the metatarsal guard in two places. I called animal control - they knew about this dog because I was the FOURTH person to report it biting. I wonder how many bites occurred and weren't reported. It was impounded and destroyed - as it should have been.

Here's a video my buddy took. A pit bull chased down and killed a Pronghorn in his neighborhood. It was also impounded and destroyed.

Watch this video on YouTube