[JoanneF]

That's,interesting information, and hopefully enough to help the OP make a decision (if they come back to read it).

I would suggest though -

I do, however, disagree that genetics and pedigree are major components for predicting expressed aggression

in any dog, genetics and breeding can be predictors of behaviour. Nature and nurture. Nervy parents are more likely to produce nervy pups. I agree with you completely on the BSL, dogs should be judged on what they do, not how they look; and the idea that ”pit bull” = vicious as a given is wrong. But we can't deny genetics and epigenetics contribute to temperament - in this context, in individual dogs, not breeds as a whole.

Moreover, there's the behavioral characteristics that we have specifically selected in our breeding dogs over the millenia to create herders, hunters, guarders etc. There's a reason we don't use terriers to herd sheep. Not to say it couldn't be done, but it would be a lot harder than training a collie.

 

[JoanneF]

@Beautiful Beasties I think your story says a lot about these types of dog (I hesitate to say 'breeds' but you know what I mean). For people to use/abuse them as fighting dogs, they also need to be quite easy 'people' dogs. A person wouldn't be quite so keen to get into the dog fighting business if they personally felt scared and at risk every time they interacted with their dogs. It's such a shame, their good nature has been totally used against them.

For a while, it was like that with Staffordshire Bull Terriers here in the UK, they became a status symbol for people - typically young men - who wanted to look hard. And it was precisely because of their easy nature that they became that, the sort of people who wanted them for that reason couldn't handle a more challenging dog.