First things first, the term Pit Bull doesn't represent a breed. It's a place holder for a handful of dog breeds including Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, and American Bully. A full break down of the latest Pit Bull statistics can be found here for number crunchers.

Are Pit Bulls more aggressive than other dogs? Or are Pit Bull expectations and care skewing their personality reality? I offer you, Dante DuBois LaFollett, Blue Nose Pit Bull mix. We've not had him DNAd yet, so I can't offer the other side of whatever gave him his magnificent Bully trot, and front feet. We rescued then brought him home to a 2-year-old Angus Lee, Catahoula Hound. Who Dante has become, is directly related to what Angus has taught him about dogging. Lessons started the day he arrived.

Dante DuBois LaFollett

Lesson One. How to Take a Nap. Angus Lee instructing Dante DuBois.

There are better questions to ask about Pit Bulls than are they aggressive. All dogs can be aggressive due to fear, care, diet, stress, and poor choices made by their owners. It's a wide, deep river of opinions, stats, and personal truths. Let's ask better questions to get better answers. We shall use our study guinea pig, Dante DuBois. (Please don't tell I called him guinea pig. His feelings get hurt easily.)

What are Blue Nose Pit Bulls known for?

• Dorky dog thoughts wrapped in an energy field with a butt rope at the end. Pit Bulls have thick hard tails. Dante's tail was my biggest surprise. You can hear him playing the couch like a bongo from another room.
• Blue Nose Pit Bulls want to feel you all the time. With their nose. Always. Get used to bristly whiskers skimming your shins. If you stand still your Blue Nose needs to know you know he knows.
• Blue Nose Pit Bulls love training and games. They are stubborn. And will work hard to dictate the game. Only because you need help. They know it. Stand still. He needs to smell your shin.
• Pit Bulls make Lassie look like Benedict Arnold. Devotion, concern, and absolute adoration. Professional Skill.
• Blue Nose Pit Bulls like sleeping on their backs.
• They snore.
• They drool.
• They snore and drool.
• Pit Bulls deliver Side Eye that could be considered gaslighting. Stand strong. Or cave in. I cave in.
• Blue Nose Pit Bulls are a happy dog. They are thrilled to just wake up, snorfle their human, run in circles. Eat all the things. Drool. And follow you everywhere.
• Pit Bulls dream. Dante has dreams that include running and barking out loud with great fury. His dream barks sound like a cork leaving a champagne bottle under pressure.

What are Pit Bulls allergic to?

• Potentially, absolutely everything. I wrote three articles addressing Dante DuBois' major struggles with allergies. We started with permanent ear infections, bleeding hives and rashes, and taking Benadryl every four hours. We crossed the finish line with healthy skin and ears with no drugs needed. Read How I beat our dog's itchy ear yeast infections. – FlockCall | How to Make Marrow Bone Joint Jelly for your Dog – FlockCall | The Best Dog Bath Shampoo for Comfort and Healing – FlockCall

What halter is best for a Pit Bull dog?

A halter that offers both chest and middle back connection for the leash. A halter that fits snug. Is made military specific tough and allows you to add messages on it with Velcro signage. We use "BEST FRIEND" on 61-pound Dante's. We also use this halter and leash combo for our 71-pound Catahoula Hound for those exact reasons. The only difference between the idea of Pit Bulls and all large dog breeds is how the owner trains, cares, feeds, loves, supports, and exercises that dog.

When you have a Pit Bull, you will find yourself feeling uncomfortable, not because of your Pit Bull. Because of how others will look at your dog. You'll find yourself feeling bad, negligent, or even threatening all the while Dante is busy chasing a lizard. Prejudice is a thing for Pit Bull lovers. Others will judge. Which puts the onus of proving the truth about our Pittie, on us.

A good happy dog is trained in the basics of sit, stay, wait, leave it, and come. A good happy dog knows they are loved and confident in their position in the family. A good happy dog has routine and scheduled tasks and feedings. A good happy dog is exercised well according to his size and energy needs. Remember to exercise their brains, nose, and mouth as well as their legs. Dogs need an entire being work out every day. A good happy dog has a doctor and a doctor wellness visit every year. A good, happy, healthy dog is not an easy task. The Companion Dog lifestyle is work. It's messy. It's expensive. It's challenging. It requires the human to take full responsibility for their dog, no matter the breed (or placeholder name). A dog looks to their human to know who they are and are not.

Are Pit Bull Dogs the most aggressive dog? Identifying breed status without DNA has skewed assumed results. They are in the middle of the pack of an additional 25 other breed of dogs for aggression. Statistically, context tells us the truth. Dog bites happen when an improperly cared for dog finds himself in a stressful situation with no guidance or care to show him what he's expected to do in that moment. Not all dogs are dog park dogs. Not all dogs are 'other dog' lovers. Not all dogs like other people. Context statistically proves dog bites and fatalities happen because of the owner's poor ownership.

All companion animal lifestyles, and the problems in those lifestyles, boil down to the human. We like using the word 'owner', we have a hard time taking ownership though.

For the record, statistically the most aggressive animal on Earth is Homo Sapiens, not Pit Bulls.