ISimple really, the dog understands that no matter how long he is made to wait, that he WILL eventually get his food. His reward for waiting obediently is his meal. That goes against all the dogs instincts, it is hungry and food is in front of it and yet he waits obediently until the pack leader allows him to eat.
You're close, but a bit wrong. Waiting for their food actually goes WITH the instincts the dog has already. Alpha eats first and controls access to the food, it's natural. Makng them wait just enhances an already engrained instinct.
Good training can help control a dog and make it a valuable member of the family. Training cannot, however, change what a dog is. I use this example whenever this topic comes up, but it still remains valid. I share my home with two rough collies and a border collie, herding dogs. Two are trained for agility, one is a rehab from an abusive owner. I'm alpha and just raising my voice will make the dog it's directed at drop its ears, even though I've never raised a hand to any of them. I reinforce my alpha status daily in subtle ways. I had my border collie off leash in the front yard when she spotted a squirrel. She was off like a dart and in the middle of a dead run. All I had to do was holler out "wait" and she stopped dead in her tracks and waited for the next command. The biggest thing for me is that I can lay my full dinner plate on the couch and walk out of the room and they won't even give it a second look.
So I'm alpha, and I'm in control of pack. But my dogs are herders. They're bred to round things up into tight little circles. And they do it well! We had a get together once and had lots of people in the back yard along with their kids. The kids started getting a little rowdy and that's when I noticed what my dogs were doing. They were very discreetly walking in circles around the kids and getting them closer and closer in a group. It was hysterical to watch. Within a few minutes the kids were back with their parents and had no idea what had just happened. They've done it several times now but I don't let them finish. As soon as I catch what they're doing I have them go do something else. It's what they're bred to do, and while I can control it, I cannot eliminate it's presence.
A dog's status in it's pack is forever fluent. My top dog has changed three times in the last year alone. And sometimes the top dog gets a little big for his/her britches and decides to see if they can take my spot. It's usually very subtle. Sitting in my position on the couch to see if I will move somewhere else, forcing their way through a door before me, not giving way when I walk through, etc. But sometimes it takes on a more aggressive tone. A soft growl when I make them move or a bark when I tell them to do something. Each time I rebuff it and reassert my place in the pack.
Alright, so on to pit bulls. First, their absolutely IS a pit bull breed. Are there several variations? yes Are they a standardized breed? no But they still exist. The people that buy them know what they are and what they're bred for. It's like defining pornography. The people that look for it know what it is.
The pit bulls that we're talking about are bred for fighting, hands down. Always have been, always will. They're bred with an instinct to kill. No matter what the training the instinct is still there. You may think it's under control, and it may be. But all it takes is being wrong ONE time and lives change. And what happens when this type of dog tries to elevate it's position in the pack? If it get a little touchy ONE time, lives change.
People say they need these dogs because they're great with families and excellent for protection. That can be said about virtually any large dog. Dogs in general are protective of their pack members. There is not a doubt in my mind that if there is in intruder in my house my cute and fluffy herding dogs will be relentless in their pursuit. And yet when their instincts pop up all that happens is parents get their kids back. So why the need for owning this type of animal? I believe it boils down to machismo. I've yet to talk to an owner of a pit bull that doesn't gloat about how big and strong their dog is. Let me stress that, I've NEVER talked to a pit bull owner that hasn't gloated about their dogs power. And I've met lots of owners in my lifetime. Owning a dog that is bred to kill is the same as leaving a loaded weapon on the coffee table. You can train your children on how that weapon will kill them every day. They may very well go through their entire life without having it go off and kill someone. But if they're wrong ONE time,
lives change. That in and of itself should be enough to make people look for another breed.