I’ve been in a conversation recently with another dog owner and was very disappointed to hear that there is a dog myth that is still rather prevalent.  This dog owner was talking about so-called ‘fighting breeds’ and said that you have to be careful with pit bulls because they are anxious to fight and they have ‘locking jaws’. 

I have heard this statement for years but it has almost always come from people who weren’t in dog related fields and didn’t know anything about dogs.  Allow me to set the record straight, there is no such thing as a Pit Bull or any other breed that has ‘locking jaws’.

It just isn’t true.  Pit bulls don’t have jaws that lock.  The only difference anatomically between the jaws of the pit bull and the jaws of a poodle is size.  There is no mechanism in the mouth of a pit bull that would ever allow it to lock and not release.

Where does the myth of the locking jaws come from?  

This leads to the question then, where does this myth come from?  To be honest I can’t tell you when and where it started but I think I can lend some insight as to the ‘why’.  Pit bulls are an incredibly athletic dog.  They have the capability to compete in just about any dog sport around.  They also often have high ‘prey drive’.  This is the dog’s desire to chase and grab an object whether it be a tennis ball or a rabbit.  As such, you will often see a person playing with their Pit Bull with a rope toy, for example.  You can often see a Pit Bull playing with a toy and holding on for dear life.  This is tenacity and athleticism, not a locking jaw.

So why does it matter?

So you may be asking, who cares?  Why does it matter if a Pit Bull has a locking jaw or not?  The truth is that the Pit Bull is one of the most maligned breeds in the world and is the subject of Breed Specific Legislation in dozens of countries.  The Pit Bull is being banned in cities and countries everywhere.  A large part of the reason why this is happening is because of myths such as the ‘locking jaw’ that promote a vicious stereotype of a breed that can be an excellent companion and friend.

Just as with people it is very important to not judge dogs based on aspect.  Let’s not help these false stereotypes spread.