Home Page › Blog › Can a Pitbull Be a Therapy Dog or Emotional Support Dog?
All of the “Pitbull” breeds share similar traits. They are all blocky in build with square heads and muzzles. Despite their shorter stature, the Bully breeds are also deceptively strong.
Despite many communities imposing breed-specific bans on the Pitbull, there are just as many regions trying to break the stigma.
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My thought is not that if they can or cannot be. its all about the impending danger of their jaw muscles that lock down when they bite. you cannot deny the fact of this nature. its not about if the dog is nice or not. you can train a pitbull however much you want with the best trainers the world can ever have but if that switch inside a pitbull’s head goes and that dog bites down and locks its jaw in place. its not something you can untrain from a pitbull ever. you can not untrain them it doesnt matter the amount of work or effort that takes place it is natural for them to be like this. this is the only reason i say no to pitbulls being service dogs of any sort. because anyone can become an unsuspecting victim. its natural instinct that takes over when they bite down and dont let go until the person is way past dead or close to it. any other dog or cat is fine and i have no real problem with pitbulls in general. i love all dogs and cats. but the chance either it be a person walking by that just looks at the dog the wrong way on the wrong day it wont matter. its more like that they can be a ticking time bomb ready to go off at a moments notice.
if the dog is a service dog or companion animal then that person has a disability and how is it that that person is always going to have full control or know what to do in case of something like this happening., its just a safety precaution that should be taken. no offense again pitbulls are great. just not for something has an issue already.
We’re confusing the difference between a service dog and a therapy dog. Two totally different things. Service dogs provide a task for somebody that’s disabled. therapy dogs provide an emotional component for somebody that is not physically disabled you can still control them.
Though you are not wrong completely, the same can be said of MANY breeds of dogs! You are NOT correct in the manner that a dog can be RAISED not trained, to not be aggressive! You get them neutered at the youngest age possible and do not allow them around or to show aggression, and it’s been proven that they, no matter the situation, will NOT show any aggression!!! The instinct you speak of is in ALL breeds, if you don’t remember the Rottweiler breed as well as the chow, were all given the same stereotype not long ago and no one is talking about them now!! But to go back the instinct that so called “flips a switch” you speak of is due to, too many generations of inbreeding from breeders just mating with no knowledge on the background of the animals!!!! This does not apply to all breeds of pits!!! Pit pups are the most loving and most loyal you will ever own, we have 3, all different that we rescued, and they wouldn’t hurt a soul!!! One is 4, a blue Colby mix his name is Drax, and he’s got his own Facebook even!! Drax the heart destroyer!! Tinker is 11, me and my best friend rescued her and her sister cookie at the age of 3 weeks!! And our sweet baby rouge, that was an american Staffordshire terrier brindle pit, she was 16, we recently put her down due to age and health reasons, but I believe people need to properly educate before making assumptions on an animal that just wants love!!! They are not the ones that made them into fighters!!! People did that to them!!!!
Any dog can flip a switch, pitbulls are just more targeted by the media which is a fact. There are plenty of dogs varying from Labradors to boxers to even collies that have just as many aggressive cases. The fact is that pitbulls are feared for the reason you stated but ALL Dogs have that instinct. Let’s stop diminishing pitbulls for things other breeds do as well.
I font think pitbullls should be fared. i have one and you can train them but your right thats why you give it care and love * not trying to be all lovey and crap *
Hello, my name is Pearline .My dogs name is Dixie. She has one brown and one blue I just adopted a pit bull terrier from the rescue mission. She was eight weeks old. she is now six months. I take her to dog training classes. I am training her to be my emotional support dog. Any breed can have switch that goes off. I am tired of the stereotyping of this breed. It is how they are raised as it is with children how they turn out. Same with any animal breed.
A German shepard is the same way they are aggressive breeds as well if their jawbone locks down on a human or any other animal it is impossible to break that up, but because they are considered police dogs it’s okay? no it’s not stop stereotyping animals i have a lovely pitbull who takes good care of me and is very friendly he opens the door for me.. walks me to the car and he loves babies and all humans i believe it is the way you train them my dog has never bit another dog nor human and he isn’t neutered so with that being said please stop stereotyping these animals
uh. James Higgins, Pitbulls actually can’t lock their jaw… they have a powerful bite, yes, but they do not have lockjaw.
Technically “Lock jaw” is not a breed associated disorder by any means and is also an extremely rare occurrence . It is also not referred to as “lock jaw” and the medical term is called Trismus. Any working dog, non breed specific, is more likely prone to have a chance of the complication however it is still considered a rare disorder. Natural instinct comes from the canine ancestor aka a wolf. So technically any breed has that “instinct”! It’s not trained and so there for it is not untrainable. If people were more educated about the actual occurrence of Trismus they wouldn’t discredit nor single out any particular breed regarding this matter. Most definitely it should not reflect on any individual dog’s capabilities of being a great service dog
Your comment lost all credit when you mentioned their lock jaw. Do yourself a favor and do some research before stating myth. Your comment is null and void, it is more of a non educated Facebook post.
James you have fallen into the disinformation trap us responsible owners with well trained “pitbulls” are trying to change. The “lock jaw” theory is a myth. They do not have and never had such an ability. Look for unbiased resources online that provide fact not fear. Yes, like with anything, more strength/power from your dog provides more responsibility (especially with the image poor owners have provided in the past). That is why this breed is not for everyone by any means. If you are the type that lets your dog pull you down the road You’re probably not going to be a good pit bull owner. Please gather resource before you make an assumption next time.
Pitties don’t even have that powerful of a bite. A German Shepherd’s bite is much stronger. Pitties also score higher on temperament tests than Golden Retrievers. Their most dangerous traits are probably their desire to please (which can be bent to nefarious purposes by jerks wanting them to attack) and their tenaciousness … it is true they are bred to finish what they start to a certain degree. As has been said, they have no “locking” mechanism to their jaws.
Steven I agree about the bit force. I think you forgot the Rottweiler bite piece is 300 and something pounds of pressure. I can’t say anything about Pitbulls because I don’t know anything about them. I’m trying to learn about them. I’m considering getting one eventually.
A pitbulls jaw psi is 235. And a Labrador retrievers is 230 psi. To put it in perspective. A Rottweiler psi is 328 psi and a Siberian husky is 320, to put it in perspective, pitbulls aren’t much worse than your average Labrador.
No bad dogs, just bad dog owners.
Pitbull terriers do have a very strong jaw. Their jaws do not “lock down”. This is a stereotype of the breed. They are not “ticking time bombs” either. They are dogs. These dogs, like any other breed of dog need to be raised properly with appropriate training and care. Please stop spreading the stereotypical BS that this breed has been labeled with.
You obviously haven’t done research on the breed- but instead listened to false information and are now spinning it as fact.
Its a MYTH that pit bulls Jaws “lock down when they bite”. If you took time to look it up, or talk to a professional, you would know that Pit Bulls have the same bone structure and characteristics as any other dog. They don’t have a “locking” mechanism in their jaw which in turn debunks your claim.
They are simply determined dogs. Any dog can bit you. If you piss any animal off with teeth I’m sure they’ll have a reaction.
They aren’t “Ticking time bombs” either. It solely depends on the owner- and that really goes for any dog. Pit Bulls are sadly sometimes trained to fight… which in turn would obviously make them more aggressive. But Pit bulls in a loving home and who are properly trained are so perfect for a family. They are loving, Kind, Loyal, Friendly and just want to make their owner overall happy.
So I 1000000 percent disagree that they would not make a good service dog. I THINK THEY’D MAKE PERFECT SERVICE DOGS.
Need a dog to pull a wheelchair? Pit bulls are strong. Trust me. They got you. (I’ve seen this before walking downtown)
Need a dog to help calm anxiety? Pit bulls got some weight on them. They can put pressure.
Need a dog to accompany you as an ESA? oh. pit bulls are Loyal and Attentive. They will have no trouble showing you some love.
I could Literally go on.. But I think you get the point. Be open to changing your perspective. Because you are missing out on a pretty damn good breed.
Have you ever owned or had any real training experience with a Pitbull? They are the polar opposite of what you described. If YOU as the shit owner and human being, don’t socialize them early on, neglect and beat them, then yes, they become everything you said- but then you shouldn’t own ANY kind of animal. I’ve owned Pitbull’s for over ten years, along with Labradors and not only have all our animals had the best personalities (because we spoil them like family) but our Pitbull’s have protected us with ferocity, loved our babies as their own, but they have been the most loyal to us. Pitbull’s are the best breed. My brindle will lay near me when he’s sensing my seizure and kiss me when I’m coming out of one. He will stay with me the entire night. Our red nose will actually work with us. If she sees us digging, she digs with. If she sees us playing pool, she follows us around the table- even if were playing for 7 hours. She’s an incredible mother to her toy babies and to my nieces and nephews. Anytime the babies come over, she won’t leave their sides. It’s all about how much time you spend with them. They are incredibly stubborn though. They are animals with attitudes but not in a bad way. In a funny way. Our red nose will give you the side eye if you take away a toy or tell her no. And our brindle (who’s missing a front and back canine) will bark at you if you don’t share ruffles and sweet potatoes with him. Seriously the coolest dogs. Don’t bully my breed, my guy. You’re doing yourself, the world and my dogs and diservice.
Kindly, “pit bulls” do not possess a lockjaw. Completely fiction. They have no different jaw formations than any other breed out there. My pit bull is trained to drop any and all things in his mouth from toys, to kibble, to my hand and a simple command. Please stop slandering a breed you’ve clearly never owned, or spent enough time around to make an inference.
This is an IGNORANT and un-researched opinion. This myth about “locking-jaws” is one of the reasons these breeds are so discriminated against in many counties and sent to untimely death in kill-shelters.
This is exactly the stigma that pitbull owners are working to overcome. Labelling all Bully breeds as a ticking time bomb is ignorant, unfair, and the dog equivalent of racism. Seriously.
Think of it this way too. What about people with mental disorders or a history of mental illness in their family. Are they a ticking time bomb? Should they be put down? Or should they be treated with love and respect by people who care about them and professionals?
I’m not saying that Bully breeds have a disorder. Yes, we’re talking about dogs that were historically put into the ring and made to fight each other. This was a dark and terrible part of human history. Humans did that. It took work to make these dogs fight. Now, almost nobody is breeding for fighting traits. The dogs that are selected are those with desirable traits- meaning friendly with people. Dogs are individuals. Base it on THAT dog. Not sweeping generalizations. Are all Asian people a certain way? Are all white people, Native Americans, or any other group of people a certain way? If you think so, you are ignorant, racist, and flat wrong.
Pitbull attacks get reported a lot more than other breeds because of the stigma. This perpetuates the stigma. It gives a false narrative. You say that you are okay with any other breed of dog. So Chow chows are okay? Shiba inu? Mastiffs? We’re talking powerful dogs that can do some serious damage to a person. Why do they get a pass in your book?
When I go to the animal shelter and see all the bully breeds that have been surrended not for biting or aggression, but because people can’t being them to their new home due to breed specific legislation or irresponsible ownership- it breaks my heart. Like a person, a dog should be judged by its merits and actions. Not lumped into a group and tossed aside like trash.
Stop perpetuating ignorance and hate. It’s not a good look and it’s hurting good animals.
There are no bad dog breeds, just bad dog owners.
ACTUALLY, a pitbulls jaw structure is actually not in any way shape or form different from the structure of another breeds jaw. It is not unique at all, and you can see in other dog breeds that the “not letting go” trait is common. I own a red tick coon hound pure bred and she does not give up on tug of war or many other games. It’s just a natural instinct in the canine family, and it’s very easy to train a pitbull, or any other dog breed, to “release” or “drop”. Pitbulls actually have a better temperament than most other dog breeds according to the American Temperament Society, being only beat by one other breed and that’s a Labrador retriever. Do your research before hating on a dog breed.
James Higgins, your post is huge amalgamation of mythology, half truths, and total ignorance about pitbulls. The dog will be what it’s training and owner teach it to be, like ANY dog. Pitties are not a beginner dog – pitbulls are extremely smart and almost like herding dogs in their desire to work and be active. They need consistent training by someone who understands dogs (all dogs!) and who has the time and commitment needed to keep them from forming bad habits and being bored or anxious. Yes, they are very strong but I’ve rarely seen dogs willing to take the abuse dished out by small children – ear pulling, jumping on, hugging tightly – as with a well trained pitbull. I could write pages of anecdotes about the love, humor, and incredible willingness to learn that I have experienced with pitbulls, but I’m sure you, James Higgins, would not hear any of it. I feel that people like you are not interested in being open minded and hearing real life examples when they are so invested in the opposite opinion. I have owned pitbulls, worked in Pitbull Rescue, trained undersocialized pitbulls in shelters to increase their adoptablity, and have worked in the field doing animal control for years. I know what I am talking about. I only hope this provides a moment of pause and desire to research this breed for people who are undecided or don’t know much about pitties but would like to. Personally, I know pitbulls could make excellent therapy, perhaps even service dogs except for all the static one gets from people like the author of the post I am commenting on. That is the truest downside to owning a pitbull.
I use to have the same beliefs as yourself. There are pitbulls bred to fight. But you are proporgating myths. There is no such thing as a dog having the ability to lock their Jaws. Their bite force isn’t even in the top ten of dogs, German Shepherds have a higher bite force. Just like buying an dog you should do your due diligence. Always try and get a look at their parents. Don’t buy from a puppy mill. Pitbulls get lumped together but their are actually 4 different “Bully Breeds”
Multiple studies have shown that the owner is more important than the breed of dog when it comes to aggression. Pitbulls are known as one of the friendliest dogs towards people and are among the most affectionate. They absolutely LOVE CHILDREN and are extremely tolerant of them. They are among one of the most cuddling of all dog breeds. Many dog attacks attributed to Pitbulls have been determined to in fact been by other breeds that have a stocky body with a block type head.
All children must be trained about certain things, giving dogs room when they are eating etc. Actual attacks by pitbulls are almost universally from pitbulls that have not been spayed or neutered.
They do require early and a lot of socialization around other animals. My daughter’s cat sleeps on top of her pitbull and they almost always cuddle together when napping.
I was extremely concerned when my ex-wife got a pitbull with my daughter being around 6-7, I did research before she brought the breed to talk her out of it and I ended up with an entirely different outlook. My daughter is never safer than when she’s around her pitbull. I’ve have NEVER SEEN a more affectionate dog towards not only family members but even towards strangers introduced to them.
Neuter or spay them, by from a beeder that allows access to see and visit the parent dogs., socialize them early in life. And you’ll never have a more loyal, friendly and protective dog in your life.
Bull shit. This was an uneducated opinion. Any dog can behave as you described. Fact is, pits are actually LESS likely to behave this way.
I see this is an old comment. Please tell me you’ve learned since then that this “pit bull lock- jaw” is not an actual thing?
I am a handicapped woman who has found that emotionally, there has never been a been anyone that has taken better care of my needs than my 4 yeas old female pitbull. Even though my condition has become worse and moving around is progressively more difficult, my dog throughout bad times continues to remain patient and loving Sisu amazes me with her constant love. and extreme loyalty. Luckily I have a fenced in yard for her to get exercise in. She is my 3rd pitbull and even as my health deteriorates, I know I could not go on without her love and affection. Pitbulls are such a misunderstood breed it is a shame so many people miss out on the love and support that this breed is uniquely able to give.
I love this <3 I am so happy that you have your wonderful baby there to help you and be with you.