By George Lange, North News Intern

When my family adopted our dog Sylvie, I was as prepared as I could have been for the normal dog responsibilities: walking, feeding, and picking up the gross stuff.

What I wasn’t prepared for was the world of dog prejudice I was about to enter.

The reason for this hate? Sylvie is a pit bull.

Pit bulls are often seen as scary, powerful dogs that are genetically inclined to fight and attack. From living life with my own pittie, I can say that these accusations are not only false, but also create a harmful stereotype that causes many pit bulls not to be adopted and to be mistreated.

Sylvie is a sweet, snuggly dog. She's great with kids, like my 2-year-old cousin, and has brought immeasurable joy into my family's life. When my family first met Sylvie, she army crawled her way to us and flopped onto her back, ready for belly rubs. Yet somehow, an idea has been created that pit bulls have violence in their DNA.

The “Darwin’s Dogs” study has shown that only 9% of a dog's personality is determined by its breed. The rest is learned from the dog’s environment.

Inhumane breeding practices cause many pit bull puppies to grow up in abusive households. At other times, pit bulls are bought as a means of protection, rather than for love.

According to a study by Western Oregon University, pit bulls face one of the highest rates of abuse out of all breeds. This poor treatment is the reason many pit bulls may bite. They are simply reacting to the environment they’ve known.

On the day I adopted my dog from the Golden Valley Humane Society, I was shocked to see that half the dogs up for adoption had pit bull features, but they were classified as different breeds. When my father asked about this, the employee said that the dogs had a better chance of being adopted if they weren’t labeled as pit bulls.

When I viewed the Minneapolis Care & Control Center’s website, 15 out of the 16 dogs that were up for adoption were labeled as pit bulls, proving that more pit bulls end up in shelters than other breeds. This is not just a Minneapolis issue. Shelters around the nation house a larger percentage of pit bulls than any other dog group. Pit bulls also face more euthanization, simply because the shelters cannot hold them all.

The media doesn’t help the pit bull’s reputation either. When I searched for “pit bull news,” the top three stories in early July were of pit bull bites.

The reason there are so many reports claiming there was a pit bull attack is because of faulty DNA testing, appearance -based assumptions, and the fact that "pit bull" is a huge umbrella term used to refer to four different breeds. The more breeds under one umbrella, the easier it is for the media to pinpoint pit bulls.

I’m not saying pit bulls can’t bite. Pit bulls are strong, big dogs. However, any breed of dog is capable of biting. All dog bites are considered at risk of infection and possibly dangerous, no matter if the bite came from a chihuahua or a great dane.

Remember that people are responsible for their dogs, too. Over half of recorded pit bull attacks are provoked. Even though your neighbor’s dog gets along great with kids, it doesn't mean you should just drop your kid off in the dog crate and let them poke and prod around. If you know your dog is reactive, keep them on a tighter leash, and away from other dogs.

If there comes a time when you decide you could benefit from a dog, I encourage you to stop by a shelter. Before going straight for the nearest golden retriever or lab, stop by a pittie or two.

I cannot explain how much better my life has been ever since my family adopted Sylvie. She sleeps in my mom’s bed, loves people, and would lick you forever if you let her. She even won over my dad, who wasn’t entirely convinced about getting a dog, with her friendly attitude.

Pit bulls are just like any other dog. They crave love and affection, and have plenty of their own to give. It's essential we combat the negative stereotypes associated with this breed and give them a chance to show the world who they are.

I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Don’t bully my bully breed