Pit Bulls have a bad rep because of the people who tend to own them. It's a lot of these young men who see the dog as a status symbol, and specifically want it to be vicious. They mistreat the dogs, hit them, and do all they can to produce an unreliable dog with a tendency towards violence. It has nothing to do with the breed. If they treated a Cocker Spaniel the same way the result would be a similarly unstable, violent dog. Pit Bulls, when raised right and treated with love, are one of the most loyal, even-tempered dogs who are great with children, and make great family pets. It's all about who raises them, and how they raise them.