Locking Jaws on Nanny Dogs?—Exposing the Public Lies Built Against America’s Most Misunderstood Breed
Unpacking the Science of Canine Anatomy & the Data Behind Shelter Prejudice
Forenote: Pitties is used to specifically represent Pit Bulls while Bullies is used as an umbrella term for all Bully-breeds. We will also mentally include mixes in our discussion even if not mentioned, as they receive the same levels of prejudice as fullbred pups.
Show Us Your Bullies Below!!! I. A National Day of Reckoning
Every year, news stations nationwide simmer with sensationalized headlines regarding fear based around Bully breeds and mixes. Locking jaw attacks aimed at jarring the public against the breed are published to unceremoniously circulate. However, let's look at a different, truly terrifying number: Each year in the U.S., about 15,000 to 18,000 people are hospitalized due to injuries caused by, take a wild guess—deer.
Deer, long praised and recognized as gentle, frolicking icons of the forest and field. Deer severely injure more people every year than any domestic dog breed. Yeah, let that sink in for a minute. Alright, deep breath, let’s keep going.
Does this number of hospitalizations lead to a ban or culling on deer? Of course not. It exposes the flaw in fear-driven statistics: humans, especially Americans, tend to panic over what the media says to fear, regardless of the objective facts. Some call it “sheeple.” I like to call it the fact that we’re supposed to be able to trust our media—that’s the whole purpose of the field.
If you’ve made it this far, you know that’s unfortunately not how the media works, U.S. or otherwise.
Today, on National Pit Bull Awareness Day (the fourth Saturday in October), let’s apply this same logical lens to the American Pit Bull Terrier, also known as the elusive House Hippo, the silky Land Seal, or, our favorite Pittie.
The APBT and its bully-breed relatives (American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Bull Dog, plus a few!) are defined by powerful myths and skewed data, thanks in large part to the fear-based media frenzy of the 1980s (Thanks Tony Van Dyke).
Moving forward, we’ll observe objective statistics on attacks, shelter outcomes, and the scientific truth of canine anatomy to dismantle the public lies perpetuated against all Bullies.
On this day, we celebrate the truth about America’s most misunderstood breed, the Pit Bull.
II. The Historical Lie: Decoding the "Nanny Dog" Myth
To absolutely understand the current stigma, we must first confront the Pittie’s complex, misunderstood past—rejecting both the extreme negative myth and the sentimental counter-fiction.
A. Breeding History: From Bull Baiting to Family Companion
The Pittie's history is both industrial and brutal. Originally bred from an old stock of English Bulldogs and a variety of Terriers, their Bully origins lead us to a dark part of 19th-century England and Ireland. Unfortunately, these incredible dogs were developed specifically for the cruel purpose of blood-baiting—which is how they partially get the name “Pit Bull”.
Bred for performance and not appearance, these dogs were entered into the popular spectator sport of bull-baiting, a brutal event where the canines were tossed into a bull-pit with the purpose of attacking, exhausting, and sometimes distracting the bull. The dogs would harass the bull until it was exhausted, or until they could no longer hold it. How absolutely horrific.
Bullies were prized for tenacity, strength, and a high pain tolerance which allowed them greater endurance in the pits.
After this was outlawed in 1835 thanks to the Cruelty to Animals act, the dogs were “repurposed” for revoltingly, ratting and, disgustingly, dog fighting. Ratting is way worse than it sounds. I won’t tell you because there’s enough awfulness in this piece, but most search engines are free enough to access.
Crucially, these dogs were bred with a lack of aggression toward humans. Handlers had to be able to safely enter the pit to retrieve the dogs, especially if they became injured, requiring them to be intensely human-loyal and completely non-aggressive toward their owners. Yes, some dogs were actually patched up if they were considered a good enough fighter. Thankfully, their violent start was not the Pitties end-all.
When brought to the U.S., their courage and capacity was adapted into working roles as all-purpose farm dogs, protecting property and becoming reliable family guardians. Needless to say, the Pitties did wonderful; whether their work was guarding the geese, or playing with the children.
B. The Nanny Dog Myth: A Well-Intentioned Fabrication
The nickname "Nanny Dog" is actually a largely modern fabrication popularized to counter the negative media narrative. Originating from a New York Times post in 1971 to help someone sell some Staffordshire puppies, it took off with animal activists everywhere. While Bully-dogs were historically trusted around children, the term is flawed as it implies any dog can be left unsupervised. Experts, and myself, confirm that no dog—regardless of breed—is an automatic "nanny". The truth is simpler: Bullies were bred for exceptional loyalty and tenacity, and that requires careful management, stimulation, and training. This applies for any powerful, intelligent animal.
C. The Legacy of Terror: Dog Fighting & the Stigma
The greatest source of this modern stigma is the shift from legal bull-baiting to illegal dog-fighting rings. These rings created a horrific, secretive underworld that associated the breed with criminality and violence. Notable faces in this grimey crime are: Michael Vick, Ed Faron, Harry Hargrove, and most recently, Vincent Lemark Burrell and Leshon Johnson.
Dog fighters, like their predecessors, bred out aggression towards people. They selected traits for aggression toward other dogs (dog-to-dog aggression) as well as towards other animals. Yes, unfortunately cats, rabbits, and other smaller animals were often used to “train” these dogs to fight.
A dog that bit a handler, however, was immediately culled, as it risked the criminal handlers involved. Each and every dog was a victim, forced into a life of terror and violence, and the stigma we attribute to the Bully breed is directly inherited from the criminality and cruelty of the human owners who exploited them. Perhaps we are the ones to be feared after all.
III. The Anatomical Lie: Debunking the "Locking Jaw"
The most potent and persistent lie built against the breed relies on a scientifically impossible anatomical defect—the "locking jaw". The public's continued belief in this fictional mechanism is a testament to the power of media sensationalism over scientific fact. The lie suggests the dog is an anatomical monster, when the truth is far simpler and less terrifying.
A. The Scientific Fact: No Locking Mechanism Exists In Dogs
The idea of a Pit Bull having a "locking jaw" is a scientifically false concept. Let’s be absolutely clear: No canine—from the smallest chihuahua to the largest Mastiff—possesses a biological or anatomical mechanism that allows its jaw to lock. A crocodile? Sure! A cute Pittie? No Sir!
Listen, all dogs share the same basic jaw structure and the same functional joint: the Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ). This might sound familiar to you, because it’s a condition that can affect humans, like me. The TMJ connects the lower jaw (mandible) to the skull. In Pitties, it allows for a strong closing force, some estimates quote 235 PSI, (which is powerful, but not unique among strong breeds) and the necessary up-and-down movement for biting, but it contains no unique bone structure, tendon, or muscular clasping mechanism that would allow it to seize and lock. The only true form of lockjaw in a dog is the medical condition Tetanus, a disease caused by bacteria, and entirely unrelated to breed. This myth is, therefore, pure fiction and a scientific impossibility. It means my jaw locks up more than a Pittie’s ever has.
B. The Source of the Misconception
If the locking jaw is a myth, why does it persist in the public consciousness? The scientific literature confirms that the breed’s powerful reputation comes not from a mechanical fault, but from its functional traits—the very traits handlers prized in the pit:
Behavioral Tenacity: The Pittie was bred for sheer, stubborn tenacity—the determination to hold on—not a mechanical lock in the mandible. This is a psychological trait, a strong motivation to maintain a deep grip, which is often misinterpreted by frightened witnesses as a physical mechanism. This determination translates over into other parts of the dog’s existence as well.
Grip and Shake: The severity of Pit Bull-related injuries is often attributed to their bite style. Unlike many dogs that bite and quickly release, a little chomp if you will, Bullies are more likely to hold and shake. This action creates extensive tissue and muscle damage that appears far more severe and catastrophic than a quick, deep puncture wound, fueling the myth that the dog seized up the joint. The severity of the appearance is what contributes most to the sensationalized headlines.
Bite Force Misrepresentation: While often cited as having the highest bite force, studies have shown that bite force is much more related to head size, body weight, and muscle mass than breed. Even though I myself wrote in an estimated PSI, my 45 lb. Pittie mix, Sequoia, is going to have a lesser PSI than a 150 lb. Pittie. That, and several larger breeds, such as the Rottweiler, German Shepherd, and various Mastiff types, often possess equivalent or higher absolute bite forces in PSI than the average Pittie. This further exposes the prejudiced focus on this breed.
IV. The Statistical Reality: Demographics & Shelter Outcomes
The "locking jaw" myth is a piece of fiction based on flawed observation. The real, verifiable tragedy, however, is not found in the Bully’s anatomy. It lives, or I should say dies, within the statistics of systematic targeting. To understand the true burden of this stigma, we must now pivot from anatomical impossibility to the systemic failures reflected in shelter intake, euthanasia rates, and the life-and-death struggle for millions of Pitties and Bullies alike.
A. Shelter Intake & Surrender Rates
The consequences of media panic and Breed-Specific Legislation (BSL) are laid bare in our shelters. Bullies and mixes consistently make up a disproportionately large percentage of all dogs entering shelters within the United States. This is not due to universal temperament failure of the dog, but to systemic prejudice against the breed.
Studies show that pets are often overwhelmingly surrendered due to human issues—primarily housing changes and financial hardship—not inherent behavioral problems. Unlike the Husky, for example, which is a known chewer if it doesn’t get the exercise and stimulation it needs every day, the Pittie is known for, you guessed it, sleeping on the couch and begging for belly rubs. However, Bully owners are uniquely affected by restrictive leases and BSL, forcing them to surrender otherwise stable and well-adapted pets they are then legally prevented from keeping. This is not an exotic Komodo Dragon. This is a dog. The emotional and financial toll of maintaining a Bully is often too high for responsible owners to keep up with.
B. Adoption Barriers & The Vicious Cycle
Due to the label, adopters often face housing barriers and prohibitive insurance premiums. Hit the search engines for that one folks. This leads to longer stays in the shelter, higher costs for the organization, and a higher rate of return when owners inevitably face housing crises. A dog that is returned is seen by the shelter system as having 'failed,' cementing its status as an 'undesirable.' The stigma turns the shelter system, intended for care, into a processing center for tragedy.
C. Euthanasia Crisis: Pit Bull-Type Dogs vs. All Breeds
The result of higher intake (estimated from 32%-60%) and lower adoption rates (an estimated 1 in 600 Bully finding a forever home), compared to other breeds, is absolutely catastrophic. While exact monthly numbers vary by shelter, state, and year, the disparity is starkly heartbreaking. Bullies and their mixes are tragically euthanized at rates far higher than their proportional population:
Bully-Type Euthanasia: Bullies are estimated to make up a disproportionately high percentage—shelters often report over 40% of all dogs euthanized annually in U.S. shelters are Bully breeds.
Contrasting Breeds: While other groups (like Chihuahuas and small dogs) are overtly euthanized due to sheer volume, the Pittie’s high rate is compounded by the "unadoptable" label placed on them thanks to a highly stigmatized system, and BSL. The numbers, while variant, clearly show the system is targeting Bully breeds.
A Systemic Failure: This is not the failure of dog genetics or the temperament covering several (closely related) breeds; This is the failure of the country, and the United States promoting eugenics, just as it always has. Named for the breed’s work in bull fighting, and then their ferocity in the dog-fighting pits, this title has become something to hide instead of something to treasure. American Pit Bull Terriers should not be a marginalized breed to the point of their statistically-deadly reality.
V. The Complex Bite Data: Deconstructing the Attack Narrative
The tragically terminal reality revealed within shelter statistics is a direct result of just how the media and legislation frame Bullies’ roles in society. The primary tool used to justify this systemic bias is flawed, sensationalized bite data. Analyzing attack and fatality data is where objectivity is most crucial, as the fear-driven narrative relies on numbers that aren’t sound and are scientifically questionable. We must apply a critically cautious filter to these figures.
A. Data Challenges and Confounding Variables
It’s a core logical failure that sensationalized media reports—not scientific consensus—drive these policies. No single source of dog bite statistics is considered scientifically valid by major organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The data used to justify BSL is notoriously unreliable due to several confounding variables:
Rampant Misidentification: "Pit Bull" is an umbrella term used for several breeds and mixes, even though the American Pit Bull Terrier exists as a recognized breed. Dogs are frequently and fraudulently misidentified by victims, emergency responders, and continually, the media. Visual identification of Bully breeds, which is more expansive than I ever knew, is notoriously unreliable, even among professionals. I asked a friend for photos of her pups for this little project, and she informed me they weren’t Pitties at all, but part Boston Terrier.
Underreporting Skew: Bites from smaller, popular breeds (like Shih Tzus or Pomeranians) are often not reported to authorities because they’re smaller dogs, easier to contain, and the bite is often considered “less serious” because of their smaller mouths. I mean, come on, we all know an angry Chihuahua. Minor to severe injuries from large breeds are almost always reported, however, due to fears surrounding infection, tissue damage, and disease. This fundamentally skews the statistics, creating an inevitable overrepresentation of severe outcomes caused by larger, stronger dogs. As someone who’s been training and working with dogs for at least fifteen years, it’s the little dogs that always kick my ass.
Population Denominator Failure: Attack statistics rarely account for the total number of the breed in the population, meaning how many Pitties are living in the sample area compared to other breeds. The fact that a breed is involved in a high number of incidents does not logically mean the breed is inherently aggressive; it means the breed is simply highly popular and present in the population. For example, if 75% of the city owns a Maltese then it can be logically expected a majority of the dog bites in the city would be from, you guessed it, Maltese.
The CDC and AVMA emphasize that bite risk is predicted by variables that are not breed-specific: lack of sterilization/socialization, chaining or tethering, owner behavior (abuse, poor training), and the dog's individual history. The dog's genetics are merely one (barely scientifically supported) part of a complex matrix that is overwhelmingly influenced by human action. Also known as User Error.
B. Heroism vs. Tragedy: A 15-Year Comparison
The majority of the media meticulously tracks negative incidents, choosing to ignore the overwhelming volume of positive interactions. This extends beyond dogs, but all things. The U.S. media loves drama, and “happy family time” is not dramatic. Comparing interactions with Bullies and observing tragic outcomes compared to life-saving acts over the last fifteen years provides essential context that disrupts the narrative of the Bully as a menacing monster:
Category
Typical Data Point (Approximate, Varies by Source)
Logical Interpretation
Fatal Attacks (Last 15 Years)
Pit Bull-type dogs are often involved in an estimated 65-75% of dog bite fatalities, a figure which is widely reported in the media. That’s out of an average of 60 people per year. However, it’s documented that at least 50% of all attacks involve multiple dogs.
This figure reflects the breed's bite style (hold/shake) and physical power, but does not reflect the propensity to bite, which is determined by owner and environmental factors. The focus on this number is a rhetorical device, not a measure of breed risk. This also means that more Bullies are euthanized per year than humans even report dog bites in total. Let that one sink in.
Life-Saving Acts (Annually)
Hundreds to thousands of documented cases across the U.S. (alerts to fires, medical emergencies, home invasion defense, search and rescue).
Pitties perform heroic, life-saving acts at a rate that is overwhelmingly disproportionate to the tragedies. The media ignores the thousands of lives protected annually in favor of the handful of negative incidents.
Our logical conclusion is clear: the small fraction of negative incidents cannot logically outweigh the sheer volume of positive companionship and life-saving acts performed by the millions of well-adjusted Bullies in the population. To justify BSL and mass euthanasia on the basis of unreliable data is not public safety; it is systemic prejudice and a continued practice of eugenics.
VI. Conclusion: Shifting the Blame to Systemic & User Error
The evidence is overwhelming. Take a moment to breathe if you have to. We’ve logically dismantled the three pillars of prejudice against Pitties, often including all Bullies: the historical fabrication of the "Nanny Dog" counter-myth, the scientifically impossible anatomical lie of the "locking jaw", and the unreliable, manipulated and disproportionate statistics used to justify systemic persecution.
National Pit Bull Awareness Day is not merely a day to celebrate a breed of canine; it’s a national day for reckoning with our own systemic biases, media literacy failures, and a painful examination of the history of a puppy-dog prejudice.
The Pittie’s crisis is a compounding tragedy. The problem is not the dog, but the conjunction of factors that unfairly target them: irresponsible breeding, the terror of criminal dog-fighting rings, and systemic prejudice that ensures their tragic overrepresentation in media and shelters. We must shift the blame from the label to the factors we can control:
Fighting BSL with Logic: Breed-Specific Legislation (BSL) doesn’t reduce dog bites; it only fills shelters unnecessarily, draining resources that could be put to use elsewhere could the Pitties stay in their homes. We must push for Breed-Neutral Dangerous Dog Laws that focus on owner accountability and individual dog behavior and history, not arbitrary labels.
Focusing on Education, Not Fear: Promoting sterilization, early socialization, and reward-based training for all dog owners, regardless of breed. Training is a favor to us, the guardian, and to the dog. It saves lives the whole way around, whether it’s keeping our doggo from running into the street, or preventing a biting situation. The vast majority of incidents are categorized as "User Error," and those are problems that can be solved through careful education and cautious re-examination of Leadership styles.
Logical Advocacy: Using the facts about anatomy, bite style, and shelter outcomes to educate landlords, insurance companies, and legislators. The Pittie is not a marginalized breed because of its behavior, but because of its label as a child-mauler, a granny-killer. This continued practice of mass euthanasia based on appearance, when the breed itself was bred based on performance and not appearance, is a dangerous form of eugenics applied over animals.
The American Pit Bull Terrier is a dog bred for exceptional loyalty and tenacity. They deserve to be judged by their individual behavior and the quality of their care, not by a lie perpetuated by fear. They are not inherently dangerous; they are simply the most statistically and systemically disadvantaged dogs in the United States. On this day, we celebrate the truth about a misunderstood breed.
TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read)
The crisis surrounding Pit Bulls is due to systemic prejudice, not genetics. We debunked three lies:
Historical Lie: The "Nanny Dog" is a sentimental myth, but the breed was genuinely bred for human loyalty, even when used in illegal dog-fighting rings.
Anatomical Lie: The "locking jaw" is a scientific impossibility in canines. The breed is strong, but their high rate of severe injury is due to a natural tendency to hold and shake, not a mechanical lock.
Statistical Lie: BSL and media panic are based on flawed, unreliable data. The AVMA and CDC reject breed-specific risk assessments. Bullies make up over 40% of all dogs euthanized annually—a tragedy driven by stigma, not behavior.
The Solution: End BSL, focus on owner accountability, training, and education. We must judge the individual dog, not the label, to stop the systemic eugenics currently practiced against the breed. Without it, the United States will continue to persecute the Pittie.