Some dogs get unfairly stereotyped because of their breed, and no one has it worse than the pit bull. Pit bulls have long been feared by the public and seen as naturally vicious and violent dogs.

Like every breed, it all just depends on the dog’s environment and upbringing. Many pet pit bulls are incredibly sweet and friendly, both with humans and with other animals.

But their vicious reputation has caused a lot of harm for the breed: they often have a difficult time getting adopted, and are often used in illegal dog fighting operations. They’re the most common breed in shelters.

Many pit bull lovers work hard to dispel the myths and clear their good name… like one dad, who defended the dogs after being criticized for letting them near his baby.

Jarad Derochey is the owner of MVP Kennels, breeding American Bully dogs. He’s a firm believer that these dogs make great pets despite their reputation; his Instagram shows how happy and friendly the pit bulls can be.

He trusts his dogs so much that he’s comfortable with them spending time with his young children.

While many pit bull skeptics are especially worried about how they’ll behave with babies, Jarad showed that the dogs can cuddle peacefully with the kids.

While many found these photos adorable, others did not: Jarad apparently received some backlash from people concerned he was putting his son’s life in danger by letting him sleep with a pit bull.

But he defended himself, and the dogs. According to Inside Edition, he spoke out and said not only were his pit bulls so sweet and gentle that they would never harm his children, but that he hoped the precious photos and videos would open people’s minds about the breed.

“An authority of temperament testing in dogs proved that pit bulls were ranked at 86 percent of passing temperament, while the average dog ranks 77 percent,” Jarad said, according to LittleThings. “That means pit bulls are the second-highest temperament of all breeds.”

In the years since, Jarad has continued to post photos and videos showcasing the dogs’ friendly nature, including more of them interacting closely with children.

And these days, the comments seem much more positive: people agree that it’s not about the breed, but how you raise them.

Pit bulls deserve love like any other dog and shouldn’t be judged by unfair stereotypes. These photos and videos are just more examples of how loving they can be.

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