If the breed of the dog makes no difference, why make certain breeds fight, or guard or hunt or herd?

Breed does make a difference, but pitts, while bred to fight dogs, were also bred to be very friendly toward people. Dog aggression and people aggression are two very different things that are not related.

Its hard to ever stamp out desire bred into certain breeds. Some people refuse to acknowledge what some breeds need and complain when they get a rottweiler and it doesn't act like a lap dog.

I'm concerned a Top Contributor for this catagory is asking this question.

I don't think dogs will ever loose their instincts. They've been domesticated for how long, and they still act like dogs. I think that people who understand the instincts of a particular breed of dog will always consider that breed "an ideal family dog". If you're used to and can predict the behavior of bully breeds, you will probably tell everyone that they are the perfect dog. Likewise for herders, hunters, etc.

If dogs are bred solely for their physical appearances, the breeds will gradually lose their abilities to function in the work the breeds were created to do. For some people, this is a good thing. Example, a herding breed with absolutely no herding instinct would probably be an easier pet to live with than one with tons of drive and energy. But IMO, that breed would no longer be worthy of its name. There are some breeds with "show type" and "working lines" that are separate, as well as others in which a dog from working lines can also be a top show winner. Dogs' personalities are shaped by how they are raised and trained, their breeding backgrounds, and what the individual dogs are born with. There are differences in breeds and there are differences within breeds. Virtually all dogs do their best with a kind of training that emphasizes what they did RIGHT.

yes pit bulls can be 100% safe they are NOT naturally aggressive. its the way they are raised. the reason people think they are mean and aggressive is because people like to make them that way. and you only hear the bad thing but they are really really great family pets.

There are tendencies and there is training Yes, my Old English Sheep Dog would heard my neices and nephews - but that was instinct; not trained and not harmful. Good owners recognize bad behavior and train against that. If the Sheepdog started nipping the heels of the kids that's a behavior that I would not tolerate. Sheepdogs are drovers and use their body space to move sheep around which is acceptable.

Some dogs have strong instincts to do certain behaviors. Take a shepherding type dog and put him/her in with a flock of geese and the dog will start to herd them without being taught. Dogs can be taught other behaviors and some don't have strong instincts. I'm with you though. I hear lots of folks saying their pitbulls are great dogs, but I wouldn't have one. Just heard/saw too many stories about pitbulls hurting people. And yeah, I've heard German Sheps and Golden Retrievers bite too.

There are classes of Dogs, and while some of them have been bread to perform certain task some have not. Thus those animals bread to a certain job you can say have certain "zest" for doing what they are intended to do.