Final Project

Title: In progress: A Brief History of the Pit Bull Terrier, Their Place in the World Today, and Making one a Part of Your Family

Goals/Objectives: To show that Pit Bulls are a product of human training and molding. Pit Bulls which are aggressive are only so because of inappropriate training from humans. Pit Bulls may be powerful, but they are great with people; they make great family pets, and are loyal and obedient.

Source Data: Interview questions for Humane League and Humane Society:
1. What percentage of your dogs, on average, are Pit Bulls?
2. About what percentage were rescued from any association with dog-fighting/abuse?
3. On average, how long does a Pit Bull remain at the shelter?
4. What is the most popular reason people give for not wanting to adopt a Pit Bull?
5. Pit Bulls are highly misunderstood, what three words would you use to describe the majority of the Pit Bulls you get in?
6. I believe that Pit Bulls who have negative personality traits, are that way because of poor human interaction, and owners who treated them badly. What are the three most common mistakes people make when raising Pit Bull puppies, that results in that dog ending up in a shelter later on?
7. If you could give a small statement (2-3 sentences) on why people should adopt Pit Bulls, what would it be?
Here is some data I found about Pit Bulls:

Once bull baiting was outlawed in England in 1835, its promoters began looking for new means of profit. They turned to ratting and dog fighting. At this point, it seems likely that at least one and probably more strains of terrier were introduced into the breed to make it more "game" (that is, having a higher level of prey drive and aggression) as well as smaller and more agile.
* Despite the fierce prey drive hardwired into the original pit bulls, they always made excellent companions for humans. In part, this came out of their fighting ancestry. Handlers had to be able to jump in the ring and separate the fighters, and then treat the wounded dogs after the fights were over. Dogs that showed aggression toward humans, even in the middle of a fight, were usually killed and never bred
However, the majority of pit bulls were NOT fought, instead earning their keep as hunters, herders, guardians and friends. Yes, friends. Ease of training and a predisposition to interact well with humans was essential for all of their traditional jobs.
Thus, it is no surprise that by 1900, the American Pit Bull Terrier gained its greatest renown as a courageous and loyal companion to both adults and children, even acquiring the nickname "nanny dogs" in some locations
During the first half of the 20th century, the American Pit Bull Terrier was the closest thing the United States had to a national dog. Pit bulls were the dog of choice for famous personages such as Helen Keller, Laura Ingalls Wilder (of Little House on the Prairie fame), and President Theodore Roosevelt
And yes, they are still a working dog, but in a variety of new roles. Pit bulls make great therapy dogs and are commonly used in search and rescue. Following in the footsteps of Sgt. Stubby, they have also distinguished themselves in the role of drug and bomb sniffing dogs. A pit bull named Popsicle holds the Texas record for biggest drug bust, having sniffed out 3000 lbs of cocaine

Media: Posters for shelters or rescues, or maybe brochures

Audience: People looking to adopt a dog from a shelter, but also skeptics who do not want to adopt a Pit Bull based on stereotypes they actually believe

Resources: Interviews with staff of Humane League and Humane Society, http://www.pitbulls.org/article/brief-history-american-pit-bull-terrier, http://www.realpitbull.com/history.html