Why are pit bulls the most misunderstood breed of dog?

The simplest answer to this is ignorance. People see the muscular, athletic and relatively large Pit Bull as a dog to be feared. This can be put down to the media giving a false or exaggerated image of the breed as a snarling, uncontrollable beast that will kill anything. Of course anyone who has ever owned a Pit Bull will know that this is far from true. The Pit Bull can do serious damage, but raised correctly they can (like any other breed) make a wonderful and loving pet. Proof that the media have an enormous impact on stereotyping is the fact that the highest number of dog bites in the UK alone come from Golden Retrievers, yet barely any news is ever reported of this breed attacking. Instead, breeds that look 'aggressive' such as the Pit Bull, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Rottweiler, German Shepherd etc. are blamed. Blame the deed, not the Breed!