Facts, Information, and Statistics about Pitbull-Type Dogs

Pitbullinfo.org is published by PitbullHero - a nonprofit research group dedicated to the responsible ownership of dogs of all breeds, promoting effective breed-neutral policies for dog bite prevention, and providing dog bite-related statistics and information based on scientific peer-reviewed studies. Our mission is to end discrimination against dogs labeled as "pitbulls" and to promote the responsible ownership of all dogs, regardless of appearance or breed, which ultimately benefits all people, all dogs, and all communities.

Breeds & Pictures

Pitbull-type dogs are outstanding canine citizens and loving companions in millions of U.S. households. They consistently achieve excellent temperament scores, are successful as service dogs, therapy dogs, K9 police dogs, and as family pets. Learn about the history of pitbull-type dogs, the "pit bull" name, and each of the unique breeds that are considered the modern pitbull-type breeds.
  • 4 unique breeds and many other breeds with similar characteristics
  • The history of pitbull-type dogs and how the term "pit bull" originated
  • An estimated 20% of dogs in the U.S. can be classified as pitbull-type dogs

Myths & Facts

Unfortunately, there are a number of myths and stereotypes about pitbull-type dogs that are either anecdotal and misleading or entirely false. Learn the facts about some of the common myths that have been thoroughly debunked by scientific studies and canine experts.
  • False: Pitbull-type dogs have the strongest bite and a "locking jaw"
  • False: Pitbull-type dogs are "more dangerous" than other dogs according to statistics and media reports
  • True: Pitbull-type dogs consistently achieve excellent temperament scores

Statistics

Our breed risk rates measure dog bite-related fatalities (DBRFs) relative to breed population sizes. The DBRF statistics used to calculate the risk rates are sourced from a peer-reviewed study conducted by the CDC and published by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
  • Risk rates of pitbull-type dogs are fully in-line with other strong breeds
  • 65+ breeds involved in fatal dog attacks in the U.S. since only 2016
  • 25+ breeds associated with fatal dog attacks identified in a CDC study that analyzed 20 years of incident data

Scientific Studies

The scientific consensus on the topic of breed-specific risk is clear - multiple peer-reviewed studies have concluded that a dog's breed does not determine risk and that breed-specific legislation is ineffective. Some of the key conclusions from these studies include:
  • Breed does not determine aggression, risk, or bite severity
  • The vast majority (98%) of pitbull-type dogs are mixed breed dogs
  • Breed-specific legislation (BSL) is ineffective, fails to reduce bite incidents, and does not improve public safety

Breed Legislation

One of the unfortunate results of breed stereotypes, misinformation, and irresponsible ownership is breed-specific legislation. For canine regulation, it is important to understand the differences between the two major forms of regulation - breed-specific legislation (BSL) and breed-neutral legislation (BNL):
  • BSL is a limited, single-factor, appearance-based approach
  • BNL is a comprehensive, multifactorial, behavior-based approach
  • The vast majority (98%) of U.S. cities use BNL as their primary and only form of regulation because of the many advantages of breed-neutral policies

Articles

Our articles cover a variety of topics and dive deeper into specific issues. We typically publish one article every month - recent articles include:
  • Busting Myths About Bites
  • The Term "Pit Bull" Is Not a Breed
  • Deconstructing Bogus "Pitbull Statistics"
  • Are Pitbull-Type Dogs Different from Other Dogs?
  • BSL Continues to Crumble

Responsible Ownership

All dogs deserve and require responsible ownership; however, large or strong breed dogs such as German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, Cane Corsos, Huskies, Mastiffs, pitbull-type dogs, and many other strong breeds and mixes require responsible ownership to help ensure everyone's happiness and safety. Learn about the critical factors for responsible ownership such as:
  • Veterinary visits to ensure overall good health
  • Exercise, training, and socialization
  • Key components for safety

​Videos

There are so many great videos and inspiring stories about our pitbull-type companions and family members. On our videos page, we've compiled just a small sample of videos that shatter breed stereotypes and showcase the inherent goodness and excellent temperament of pitbull-type dogs.

Friends

There are many organizations (large and small) that support, rescue, foster, advocate for, or otherwise positively benefit pitbull-type dogs. Many of these organizations share our values on the topics of effective breed-neutral regulations for public safety, eliminating breed-specific discrimination, and the responsible ownership of dogs of all breeds. Links to just a few of these organizations are provided on our Friends page.

​Support

Our core mission is to end discrimination against dogs classified as "pitbull-type" dogs in order to promote the responsible ownership of all dogs, regardless of appearance or breed, which ultimately benefits all people, all dogs, and all communities. ​While we are published by a nonprofit group, we are not a 501(c)(3) charity organization. Therefore, we do not ask for donations - to support our mission, we just ask that you share our website, like our Facebook page, and/or follow us on Twitter.
There is no evidence that breed-specific laws reduce dog bites or attacks on people and they divert resources from more effective animal control and public safety initiatives. Breed-based policies are based on myths and misinformation, rather than science or credible data.
- Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)​