Pitbull: Nanny Dog In The Victorian Age
Pitbull dogs are generally classified as dangerous and aggressive, but many are unaware that they were previously used as “nannies”. Yes, you heard right!
One hears again and again of incidents with aggressive dogs of this breed, but it should not be forgotten that upbringing and obedience training are essential. Because this shapes the personality of the four-legged friend. Pit bulls are an excellent example of this.
Pitbull: where does the bad reputation come from?
The physical characteristics of the pit bull, especially the strong teeth, have been used by many to enrich themselves through dog fights. For many years, certain breeds of dogs were used for these illegal activities to do business with.
This aroused their aggressiveness, to which they owe their bad reputation even today. But that doesn’t mean that a pit bull is inherently aggressive when he is born.
But it is true that through breeding as a fighting dog over generations, he has a certain predisposition to aggressiveness that is genetically anchored.
However, the right upbringing and behavior of the dog owner is crucial in order to control the behavior of the four-legged friend. Before the pit bull was used for dog fights and lost its reputation, it was even used as a nanny dog , that is to say as a “nanny”!
The pit bull as a nanny
In the 19th century, pit bulls were considered the best breed to take care of children! These dogs were kept in all social classes to look after the offspring, because the pit bull was considered to be particularly loving and vigilant.
In the meantime, this has also been scientifically proven: studies have shown that pit bulls are second on the list of the most tolerant dogs after the golden retriever!
Everyone knows that Golden Retrievers are loving companion dogs that are also often used as guide dogs. Nobody is afraid of them or would consider them dangerous. But with a pit bull it looks very different.
The pit bull: from nanny to dreaded dog
In the meantime, the popular nanny dog has developed into a feared animal. But the pit bull himself is not to blame for this, because the wrong upbringing is usually responsible for the animal’s aggressive behavior.
Often the dog owners are not sufficiently informed and do not know how to properly train them. But of course there are also irresponsible owners who deliberately make their dogs aggressive.
History has caused these loving dogs to get a bad name from irresponsible breeders who wanted to make profit from dog fights, as aggressive incidents keep occurring.
If a pit bull is not responsibly raised by an experienced trainer, he can develop a dangerous personality. Because of this, this breed is now on the list of potentially dangerous dogs.
In order to adopt a dog that is on the breed list, the owner must meet specific requirements and comply with restrictions. Dogs on the list are compulsory to wear a muzzle.
The owner must, for example, also prove his reliability and ability, keep his dog sometimes away from public events and have him neutered in some federal states. In addition, the owner must also take out compulsory insurance.
If, despite all these difficulties, you have planned to adopt a pit bull, you should have him trained by a professional dog trainer to ensure responsible upbringing. You will then have a loyal companion who is also loving and affectionate.
