Oregon Humane Society Working To Debunk Stereotype That Portland Pitbulls Are Born Passive-Aggressive

Pitbulls have long dealt with the thoroughly debunked stigma of being an inherently aggressive breed. Similarly, Portlanders are often stereotyped as being non-confrontational even when upset. It was therefore only a matter of time before some in the canine community began noticing a correlation between the two purported traits. ⁣
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Workers at the Oregon Humane Society are aware of this stereotype and are working hard to debunk it. “It is a gross mischaracterization to say that Portland pitbulls are any more passive-aggressive than other dog breeds,” asserted OHS VP of Communications Barbara Baugnon. “It is true that some Portlanders train their pitbulls to wag their tails sarcastically or bark about really petty things. It’s truly appalling, and speaks to the owners’ own insecurities. But when raised with compassion, they are one of the most emotionally forthright and nonjudgemental breeds you’ll ever see.”⁣
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Not everyone is convinced, like 31-year-old Ralph Bjornson, whom we spoke with at Northwest Portland’s Wallace Dog Park. “I want to believe that there’s a nature vs. nurture component here, and that it’s a coincidence when a pitbull, say, rolls its eyes at me when it sees me wearing socks with Birkenstocks. But it just seems to happen every time.” A woman standing nearby chimed explaining that “I’m from California, and my buddy’s pitbull always pouts when she sees me. But she’s just the sweetest little thing to anyone from Portland.”⁣