I will agree that any animal can be provoked. The point of my post is this. Domestic animals behavior is a direct reflection of the owner. Every dog I have ever owned has known his roll in the household and not one of my kids were ever bitten, nipped at, or even growled at. If you teach your kids to fear animals, they they will fear them their entire lives. If you teach your children to respect them, care for them, and love them. That animal will never be a threat to you or your family, and will protect his "pack" even at the risk of his own life..........its all how you teach them. Both dogs AND kids.
That's all well and good until you realize that sometimes dogs DO turn on their owners despite them being good owners.
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Pacifica-woman-attacked-by-pit-bull-bled-to-death-2335099.php
http://kfor.com/2012/09/27/elderly-woman-mauled-to-death-by-dog-in-okc/
http://www.jrn.com/tmj4/news/195686031.html
But I'm sure all of these owners and family members were training fighting dogs. And some how you think it is ignorant to protect your children against the possibility of serious injury/death. Do you have any children?
Also, an interesting story about a pit that had been in the family 8 years and attacked and killed the family's 2 year old. The father has had a change in his opinion of the breed.
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/father-toddler-killed-familys-pit-bull-offers-warn/nXzwd/
“Those dogs cannot be domesticated. They cannot,” Rutledge said.