This week we had two stories concerning pit bulls–one about a pair of pro-pit and anti-pit events coming up and another about a guy who shot and killed a loose pit because he “felt threatened.”The conversation that erupted between those who think the dogs are lovable pets with a bad rap and those who think the dogs are incurably drawn to violence was pretty heated.Lots of points were made, but one commenter summed up the pro-pit argument better than most.doglover_no_matter_the_breed, wrote:It is sad to think that we still have people you judge a book by its cover. I have a pit bull mix and she is the big goof-ball of a dog ever. She is a lover of kids and other dogs. She has never been a threat of any kind. Owners of pit bulls and pit bull mixes that are responsible owners have wonderful dogs. And it is an injustice if we have a ban on getting any specific breed from being in public and getting them socialized. Socialization is the most important part of being a dog owner. Dogs that are not socialized are the danger as they are scared when around groups of people and other unknown sounds and objects. We need to educate those that are in favor of this ban and new owners of any and all breeds of dogs.Perhaps Doglover’s most important point was that about socialization. In Everett–where a “threatening” pit bull was shot this week–the city has a law specifically geared toward pits and two other “dangerous breeds.” This law makes it a gross misdemeanor to have a pit bull off a leash (even in one’s own backyard), makes further requirements for muzzles while walking, and also bans pits from playing at public off-leash parks.In Seattle, anti-dog activist Ellen Taft wants to replicate Everett’s law here. But like any social animal, taking a pit bull in public, letting it get used to playing with other dogs and being around other people is crucial to making the dog comfortable in society–that goes double for the owners who may not know how to control their dogs in public if they never bring them out of their yard.Forcing pit bull owners to keep their dogs chained up and banning them from interaction at dog parks is a sure way to make those dogs that much less equipped to handle meeting other people and other dogs when they inevitably do. As many commenters pointed out, it’s not the dog, it’s the owner. And with pits, public exposure makes for better owners and thus better dogs. Follow The Daily Weekly on Facebook and Twitter.