Pit Bull Owners More Likely to Be Psychopaths, Criminals, Antisocial

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A headline grabbing new study reveals that people who own dogs widely considered “vicious” or “high risk” breeds exhibit higher rates of antisocial behaviors and psychopathic personality traits compared to other dog owners and non-dog owners.

Key Facts:

  • Owners of breeds like pit bulls and Rottweilers self-reported higher engagement in violent crimes, drug crimes, and overall criminal variety.
  • They scored significantly higher on measures of sensation-seeking and traits of manipulativeness, carelessness and selfishness.
  • The vicious dog group admitting to more criminal tendencies overall, especially violent crimes.
  • Their dogs were much more likely to be male, while female participants tended to own smaller dogs.

Source: J Forensic Sci.

Dog bites are an enormous public health problem, with over 4 million Americans bitten every year and hundreds killed by dog attacks annually.

Consequently, certain breeds considered more aggressive or prone to biting are labeled “vicious dogs” by insurance companies, landlords, and municipalities.

These so-called “vicious” breeds typically include Pitbulls, Rottweilers, German shepherds, Doberman pinschers, and chow chows.

But what do we really know about the kind of people who choose to own dogs with reputations as being risky or outright dangerous?

Surprisingly little research has tackled this question – until now.

Investigating Owners of Pit Bulls & Other Vicious Dogs

A team of researchers from West Virginia University, led by psychologist Dr. Lynette Hart, surveyed over 800 college students to dig into the psychological and behavioral profiles of owners of breeds considered high risk for aggression.

They divided participants into four groups:

  • Owners of “vicious” dog breeds
  • Owners of large dogs
  • Owners of small dogs
  • Non-dog owners (control group)

The vicious breeds included pit bulls, Rottweilers, Akitas, Chows, Doberman pinschers and Wolf hybrids.

The large and small dog groups acted as comparisons along with the control group.

Measuring Criminal Behaviors

All participants completed a survey called the Illegal Behavior Checklist, self-reporting engagement in violent crimes, property crimes, drug crimes and juvenile offenses (“status” crimes).

As hypothesized, the researchers found significant differences between groups in terms of criminal variety and severity.

Those who owned high-risk dogs were significantly more likely to admit to:

  • Violent crimes
  • A wider variety of criminal behaviors overall

Additionally, only 1.5% of vicious dog owners had not engaged in any type of criminal activity, compared to 7-10% of the other groups.

Evaluating Personality Differences

Study volunteers also completed questionnaires assessing:

  • General personality traits
  • Psychopathic personality traits
  • Attitudes toward animal abuse

Analyses revealed vicious dog owners scored significantly higher in:

  • Sensation seeking
  • Manipulative, uncaring psychopathic traits

They did not score higher in attitudes accepting animal abuse, aggression traits, or impulsive psychopathic traits compared to other groups.

Key Characteristics of Vicious Dog Owners

The research paints a picture of vicious dog owners showing certain antisocial behavioral tendencies, being drawn to thrills and excitement, while exhibiting personalities prone to selfishness and manipulation.

Pit Bull Ownership: What the Research Says

This eye-opening study provides an unprecedented glimpse into the minds of high-risk dog owners that echoes popular stereotypes.

Criminal Variety and Severity

The vicious dog group stood out for admitting to more criminal acts in general, especially violent crimes like physical assault and domestic violence.

This aligns with previous evidence linking vicious dog breeds to convictions for crimes involving aggression, firearms, alcohol, and physical abuse.

Criminologists view engagement in a wider scope of offenses – rather than specializing in just one type – as a hallmark of chronic antisociality.

The results suggest owners attracted to volatile breeds also act out across the board illegally.

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In fact, having a dangerous dog could signify broader social deviance and defiance of mainstream norms.

Sensation Seeking Tendencies

On personality measures, the owners of pit bulls, Rottweilers and other high-risk dogs scored significantly higher in sensation seeking.

This means they share certain traits:

  • Tendency to act impulsively without planning
  • Preference for novel and intense experiences
  • Pursuit of thrills and danger

These people have an appetite for excitement and unpredictability that fierce dog breeds likely complement.

Just as their pets require assertive handling, stimulation and vigilance, they enjoy living on the edge.

Their dogs’ capabilities match their own adventurous spirits.

Manipulative and Self-Centered Psychopathy

Along with thrill-seeking, the vicious group exhibited elevated scores for primary psychopathy – defined as personality tendencies centered on manipulation, selfishness and lack of care for others.

This reveals a willingness to use guile and charm for personal gain, combined with a narrow focus on one’s own well-being over others’ needs or feelings.

In a sense, seeking a controversial “tough” breed mirrors this prioritization of self-interest over fitting into societal standards and norms.

However, owners attracted to volatile dogs did not score higher in impulsive psychopathic traits, indicating they are not necessarily prone to rash actions and poor decision-making.

Gender Differences

Analyses uncovered some interesting gender patterns in terms of breed preferences:

  • The vicious dogs themselves were much more likely to be male
  • Female participants tended to own smaller dog breeds

This may reflect gendered views of dogs mirroring stereotypes of men as aggressive and women as nurturing.

Women drawn to large formidable breeds could be an intriguing area for further research on gender roles and socialization.

Pit Bull Owners: What we can learn about them

While requiring replication, these thought-provoking findings have major implications for policy and public safety concerning vicious dogs.

Above all, the research demonstrates profiling owners based on breed choice can provide insight into their mentalities and likelihoods of engaging in antisocial behavior.

Certain high-risk breeds do not mesh well with certain high-risk human personalities and lifestyles.

Policy Considerations

From a legislative standpoint, municipalities could potentially institute:

  • Screening programs for owners seeking to register pit bulls and other intense breeds
  • Mandatory obedience training or handling courses prior to acquiring volatile dogs

Such measures would ensure prospective owners possess requisite maturity and self-control before taking responsibility for an animal with the capacity to severely injure or kill.

Breed Stigma vs. Reality

The results highlight why pit bulls in particular carry such stigma – their strength and aggression biologically matches the needs of humans inclined toward antisociality and flouting social mores themselves.

Yet experts argue it is inappropriate to label entire breeds as vicious or dangerous, since early socialization and training have such enormous impact on later behavior.

Still, this research confirms certain high-maintenance breeds disproportionately attract high-risk owners not equipped to handle them.

Human personality & dog breeds

Plenty remains shrouded in mystery regarding the relationships between human personality, breed temperament, gender, socialization and the ultimate capacity for aggression.

There are also mysteries as to why certain demographics gravitate toward intense dog breeds and how culture shapes attitudes toward different types of dogs.

As scientists untangle these complexities, the brain science behind breed stereotypes and breed selection preference will come into clearer focus.

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