by Danielle Watson

Created on: March 27, 2009   Last Updated: March 29, 2009

Is the American pit-bull terrier genetically different than other breeds? Were they born to fight? In Britain, pit bulls are considered dangerous creatures. Britain's government ministers want to ban the breed altogether.1 The main purpose for having a pit bull was not to protect the family from dangers as with Doberman pinchers and rottweilers who were bred to guard their owners. Defenders believe the dog is as harmless as any other dog, but this may not be the case. They say the owners who have the dogs have made pit bulls act this way. Pit bulls were genetically bred to become fighting dogs. Pit bulls head and bone structure allow them to attack, fight and kill other dogs.

According to The Economist', when talking about reasons why a dog may be dangerous, one can speculate scientifically about the chemicals that are found in the body, in general, which may encourage dogs. There are some chemicals and mechanisms which are found in the body that trigger one to attack called the RAS or Reticular Activating System. In this system is a chemical called L-tyrosine is found which sends signals from nerve to nerve. This chemical can be altered genetically through breeding. Dogs which have elevated levels of L-tyrosine attack more easily. It is suggested that pit bulls have this genetic chemical. Not only does it increase attacking, but distracts a dog from feeling pain, so a dog may attack for many minutes even though someone is trying to hit them or make them release their victim. In a certain attack a pit bull attacked someone for 15 minutes. This involved a young girl, and the adults who were trying to help her could not beat of the dogs, even though the animal had begun to bleed.

This deflection of pain is also one of the reasons why pit bulls may attack. Usually if dogs are in fights, they shy away from the dog that beat them, but pit bulls do not. This may be related to endorphins which may decrease the feeling of pain. But of course endorphins and its man-made sister, morphine, which is a pain reliever, are addicting. The pit bull may be seeking out ways to increase their endorphins by getting into fights in order to receive the endorphins, which are also at an elevated than level than normal. They seek ways to increase pain in order to get the endorphins which are made through fighting. This sensitivity seems to be found more in pit bulls because of their reaction to receiving anesthetics. Not only do they receive endorphins, they receive a higher amount than

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