The Most Misunderstood Dogs- Bully Breeds

What is the most dangerous dog breed? This is a question which most people would have a very quick answer to. For those who read the news and look for controversy, the most dangerous dog breed is obviously the pit bull. Yet interestingly, pit bulls aren’t actually a breed of dog at all. Instead, pit bulls are any dog breed with a significant mix of bully breeds.

This point is especially interesting when one considers the range of dogs that are bully breeds. While there are genuinely dangerous breeds which were trained to hunt big game or be protectors, many are entirely peaceful. The great dane, for example, while massive, is known for its calm nature and temperament. 

Looking at Bully Breeds

The American Bully is one breed of bully which scores perfectly on the ATTS temperament test. In other words, it’s one of the best behaved dog breeds currently in existence. These dogs, even when mixed with others, make for incredibly peaceful and calm dogs. The idea that pit bulls are aggressive then is really due to its owners more than its nature.

Dog owners have two big questions to ask when acquiring their future pet. First, is this a dog that I can train? Second, will I train this dog as I should? If either of these questions are answered with a no, it doesn’t matter the breed, that dog can be dangerous. Even the smallest dogs can pose a risk to small children and pets when improperly trained. The difference with many bully breeds is their size.

The Dogo Argentino, for instance, is not itself a pit bull, but is a bully breed. This breed was explicitly bred to hunt boar and puma, and can be very dangerous. It’s dangerous to the point that it’s banned in several countries for everyday ownership. Yet even this dog, when properly trained, can be a perfectly calm and responsible dog. It just has a very high bar for the first question that needs to be asked. Is the Dogo Argentino a dog you can train? Few people could answer yes to this question. 

Conclusion

Overall, bully breeds are known for their size, their strength, and their wrinkled faces. They can pose a real risk to people, but only when their owner misunderstands what it takes to own them. This is what makes pit bulls the most misunderstood category of dog breeds. Not only are they not just one breed, but not even all breeds are prone to aggression whatsoever. Pit bulls ultimately must be understood as individual breeds before understanding them as aggressive or docile pets.