A recent Instagram post by Jarad Derochey of Los Angeles caused quite the stir. The post featured photos and videos of his young children cuddling and playing with their family pit bull. While some viewers found it heartwarming, others expressed concerns about the child’s safety. This ignited the age-old question: are pit bulls dangerous or lovable?

Derochey, a breeder of American Bullies and pitbull puppies, regularly shares moments of his children interacting with these dogs on Instagram. The footage shows the kids playing, cuddling, and petting the pit bulls. A video of his 1-year-old son napping with their pet pit bull caught the attention of Inside Edition and generated both outrage and positive

The American Kennel Club defines pit bulls as a group of breeds that are friendly, courageous, confident, and intelligent. When these dogs are properly bred and raised, they can be trustworthy and sociable. However, the question remains: should a baby be allowed to nap alongside a dog?

Bronwen Dickey, a lecturer and author who extensively studied pit bulls, believes that these dogs are often misunderstood and treated unfairly. She argues that pit bulls are “just dogs” who are sometimes used as a scapegoat for our prejudices. Dickey dispels common misconceptions about pit bulls, such as their jaws not locking and their inability to work as nannies with children. She also suggests that assuming scars and injuries on a pit bull are signs of abuse may be inaccurate, as accidents can also cause these marks.

Dickey proposes a different solution to the pit bull debate. Instead of banning the breed, she recommends implementing leash laws and a program similar to the one in Multnomah County, Oregon. This successful program focuses on training dog owners and maintaining contact to prevent dog-related incidents.