HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER
The American Pit Bull Terrier is a distinctly AMERICAN breed, but his origins are in middle-age England...
In the beginning, there were bulldogs.... NO, I don't mean the cute little squishy faced, squatty chaps we think of when we hear their name... I'm talking about the original English Bulldogs, that more closely resembled today's APBT, than the pudgy, wrinkly little guys we see now days strutting around town.
These Bulldogs were bred for one single purpose...to fight bulls, bears, and boars in a sport that originated to alleviate the monotony of everyday life of the common folk of middle age England. These dogs were highly prized and carefully bred for their ability to bring these large and dangerous animals down without suffering much injury to themselves. These dogs were bred for strength, and an incredible stoicism and pain tolerance that other breeds simply did not possess.
Toward the end of the 1700's, bull, bear, and boar baiting fell out of favor as animal welfare groups began to form, and it was eventually outlawed in England. It is here that the breeders of these Bulldog's began to pit them against other dogs. They soon realized that for all the strength and toughness of their dogs, there were certain dogs....the now extinct white English Terrier....that were difficult or nearly impossible for their Bulldogs to beat.
These little dogs were spry, agile, and much too quick for the larger Bulldogs to have much advantage against, and eventually the Bulldog breeders began to incorporate this terrier into their bloodlines to add that agility and the renown "terrier tenacity" and gameness (high prey drive). These dogs were called "half and halfs" or "bull and terrier dogs", and eventually they came to be known as the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. It wasn't long after that, dog fighting, too, became illegal in England, and these dogs were put to work in coal mines and other areas, pulling loaded carts, and hunting alongside their owners, and many breeders began to breed their dogs for the show ring instead of the fight pit. However, there was still back alley dog fighting, just like there is today.
In the early and middle 1800's Irish and English immigrants came to America and brought their beloved Bull and Terrier dogs with them. They were prized not only as family pets and guardians, but also helped them work the land and hunt game for the table. these dogs were (and still are) 100% loyal and completely devoted to their family.
On Saturday nights, these immigrants would take their dogs, and, since dog fighting wasn't yet outlawed here, pitted them against other Bull and Terrier dogs. In stark contrast to the heinous activity of fighting today, these fights were never allowed to get to the point of serious injury to either dog, and a match was called when one dog had clearly dominated the other. These dogs were far too valuable to their owners to allow them to be seriously injured, and the loser was treated with just as much love and care as the winner.
It wasn't long before fighting was outlawed here in America as well, and many breeders also turned to breeding for the show ring and other more positive outlets to showcase their dogs. This is where the American Staffordshire Terrier and the American Pit Bull Terrier began to differentiate themselves, as breeding for both "types" became more specialized. The Am Staff breeders focused on breeding out the extreme prey drive this breed was originally renown for, and bred for a beefier, more docile dog that was pleasing to the eye, and could be easily taken into the show ring with other dogs with relatively few dog aggression issues.
On the flip side of that coin, the APBT breeders continued to fight their dogs, and kept the focus on prey drive, agility, and tenacity rather than actual "breed standards" and looks of their dogs. This is why the APBT has such a wide range of height and appearances. It wasn't until 1898 when the UKC formed for the express purpose of preserving these dogs that a "breed standard" was given for them. The standard is as follows:
Height: 18-22 inches
Weight: 35-60 pounds
Coat: Smooth, slick, and short
Color: They can be any color or color combination except merle.
Personality: Confident, fun loving, and a strong zest for life. Generally gregarious and friendly toward humans of all ages, however, they are quite often aggressive toward other dogs, especially those of the same gender.
Energy level: HIGH!
Life Span: 10-12 years
Keep in mind, these dogs are a MEDIUM sized breed, of lean, proportionate build, powerful jaws, and the appearance of great strength for their size, The true APBT is NOT a large breed nor does it possess a body that is out of proportion in height, and width.
In the early days, ANY Pit Bull showing the least bit of human aggression was culled. This was an unacceptable behavior trait, and still is to this day by reputable APBT breeders. Do your research, know your bloodlines, and never buy a puppy that you don't know it's history.
Lastly, I want to point out that an APBT is a TERRIER, and just like ALL terriers, they must be expected to have some level of prey drive. Some have a higher prey drive than others, but all terriers do. It's what terriers were created for.......hunting. And you can't keep your cairn's, or barns rat free, or hunt squirrel, badger, and rabbits without a HIGH PREY DRIVE. Pit Bulls are no more aggressive than any other terrier, but their size, coupled with their incredible strength, brings us to the next phase of discussion......
The American Pit Bull Terrier is a distinctly AMERICAN breed, but his origins are in middle-age England...
In the beginning, there were bulldogs.... NO, I don't mean the cute little squishy faced, squatty chaps we think of when we hear their name... I'm talking about the original English Bulldogs, that more closely resembled today's APBT, than the pudgy, wrinkly little guys we see now days strutting around town.
These Bulldogs were bred for one single purpose...to fight bulls, bears, and boars in a sport that originated to alleviate the monotony of everyday life of the common folk of middle age England. These dogs were highly prized and carefully bred for their ability to bring these large and dangerous animals down without suffering much injury to themselves. These dogs were bred for strength, and an incredible stoicism and pain tolerance that other breeds simply did not possess.
Toward the end of the 1700's, bull, bear, and boar baiting fell out of favor as animal welfare groups began to form, and it was eventually outlawed in England. It is here that the breeders of these Bulldog's began to pit them against other dogs. They soon realized that for all the strength and toughness of their dogs, there were certain dogs....the now extinct white English Terrier....that were difficult or nearly impossible for their Bulldogs to beat.
These little dogs were spry, agile, and much too quick for the larger Bulldogs to have much advantage against, and eventually the Bulldog breeders began to incorporate this terrier into their bloodlines to add that agility and the renown "terrier tenacity" and gameness (high prey drive). These dogs were called "half and halfs" or "bull and terrier dogs", and eventually they came to be known as the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. It wasn't long after that, dog fighting, too, became illegal in England, and these dogs were put to work in coal mines and other areas, pulling loaded carts, and hunting alongside their owners, and many breeders began to breed their dogs for the show ring instead of the fight pit. However, there was still back alley dog fighting, just like there is today.
In the early and middle 1800's Irish and English immigrants came to America and brought their beloved Bull and Terrier dogs with them. They were prized not only as family pets and guardians, but also helped them work the land and hunt game for the table. these dogs were (and still are) 100% loyal and completely devoted to their family.
On Saturday nights, these immigrants would take their dogs, and, since dog fighting wasn't yet outlawed here, pitted them against other Bull and Terrier dogs. In stark contrast to the heinous activity of fighting today, these fights were never allowed to get to the point of serious injury to either dog, and a match was called when one dog had clearly dominated the other. These dogs were far too valuable to their owners to allow them to be seriously injured, and the loser was treated with just as much love and care as the winner.
It wasn't long before fighting was outlawed here in America as well, and many breeders also turned to breeding for the show ring and other more positive outlets to showcase their dogs. This is where the American Staffordshire Terrier and the American Pit Bull Terrier began to differentiate themselves, as breeding for both "types" became more specialized. The Am Staff breeders focused on breeding out the extreme prey drive this breed was originally renown for, and bred for a beefier, more docile dog that was pleasing to the eye, and could be easily taken into the show ring with other dogs with relatively few dog aggression issues.
On the flip side of that coin, the APBT breeders continued to fight their dogs, and kept the focus on prey drive, agility, and tenacity rather than actual "breed standards" and looks of their dogs. This is why the APBT has such a wide range of height and appearances. It wasn't until 1898 when the UKC formed for the express purpose of preserving these dogs that a "breed standard" was given for them. The standard is as follows:
Height: 18-22 inches
Weight: 35-60 pounds
Coat: Smooth, slick, and short
Color: They can be any color or color combination except merle.
Personality: Confident, fun loving, and a strong zest for life. Generally gregarious and friendly toward humans of all ages, however, they are quite often aggressive toward other dogs, especially those of the same gender.
Energy level: HIGH!
Life Span: 10-12 years
Keep in mind, these dogs are a MEDIUM sized breed, of lean, proportionate build, powerful jaws, and the appearance of great strength for their size, The true APBT is NOT a large breed nor does it possess a body that is out of proportion in height, and width.
In the early days, ANY Pit Bull showing the least bit of human aggression was culled. This was an unacceptable behavior trait, and still is to this day by reputable APBT breeders. Do your research, know your bloodlines, and never buy a puppy that you don't know it's history.
Lastly, I want to point out that an APBT is a TERRIER, and just like ALL terriers, they must be expected to have some level of prey drive. Some have a higher prey drive than others, but all terriers do. It's what terriers were created for.......hunting. And you can't keep your cairn's, or barns rat free, or hunt squirrel, badger, and rabbits without a HIGH PREY DRIVE. Pit Bulls are no more aggressive than any other terrier, but their size, coupled with their incredible strength, brings us to the next phase of discussion......
* * * BASICS YOU SHOULD KNOW * *
The American Pit Bull Terrier is a dog. It's not a sainted angel. It's not a child eating beast of hell. It's jaws do not lock, nor does it doesn't attack without warning. They use and understand the same body language as every other dog on earth when communicating their state of mind. Sometimes it''s very subtle.....YOU have to know how to read it. That is your responsibility if you are going to be around dogs in general. If you don't know how to read them, any dog with more subdued body language can appear to "attack without warning."
.................................
I have 3 words that are the GOLDEN RULE here:
TRAIN, CONTAIN, & MAINTAIN.
*A quick word on the use of shock collars as a training device for Pit Bulls: DON'T!
The obvious one, of course is TRAIN. This goes for ALL dogs, regardless of breed, but is absolutely CRUCIAL for APBT's!
You can begin basic training as SOON as you bring your new puppy home. Start by teaching one command at a time. I suggest starting with the most essential, which is "COME." This simple command and having your puppy recall could be the one command that will save his/her life.
Don't move on to another command until each previous one is mastered.
Next would be "SIT", then "DOWN", then "STAY."
These are simple, basic commands that you should easily be able to teach your Pit Bull puppy at home.
Along with these, your puppy should be learning to walk on a leash as you work on house breaking...this kills two birds with one stone, and I will explain later the importance of leashes.
Start taking your puppy out and about with you. Socialization is THE most important lesson second only to the recall command. NOW is the time to get him out around new people, and situations, and to introduce him to various other animals...PetSmart and Petco are EXCELLENT for this. The more often you can just go and hang out in these places letting your pup get used to lots of new sights, sounds, and situations, the more confident and well adjusted he will become as an adult. You can not ignore this part of your Pit Bull's early training.
When your puppy is old enough to enroll in puppy classes, DO IT! Yes, you may have already trained your pup on the basics at home, but this will help cement it in his mind and in an environment outside of his home. For him to learn to respond to you amidst all the distractions around him is PARAMOUNT. He needs this step in his training...don't skip it!
Next is CONTAIN. Included with proper containment is restraint. Yep, you guessed it...this is where I explain to you the utter importance of leashes. A Pit Bull off leash is a catastrophe waiting to happen. You read this right...a catastrophe and the Pit Bull will be the one to pay the price.
Keeping your Pit Bull ON leash at any time he is not within the confines of your house or fenced back yard will keep him out of the hands of animal control and certain euthanasia. There is no other way you can 100% protect him from breed driven discrimination.
*********************************************
Let me set up a scenario for you: It's a beautiful, sunny day, and you take "Macho" to the off leash dog park. Macho is a super laid back, sweet dog, who has NEVER shown aggression toward humans or other animals in all 6 years of his life. He's been to the off leash dog park before and has enjoyed his time running and playing with the other dogs there.
You get to the park and, as usual, you take Macho's leash off so he can go investigate all the new, exciting scents since his last visit a few days ago. Suddenly, out of no where, a medium sized shaggy dog appears, and is walking stiffly, tail held straight up, toward Macho. Macho happily bounds over to meet his new play mate, but is instantly met with snapping and snarling from the other dog. Macho, unsure of what he did to elicit such a nasty response, play bows. The scraggly dog lunges and attacks Macho, who, in the best case scenario, tries to back away, but this dog won't let him go. Macho nips the other dog hard enough to make it let go, and comes running back to you (In a more realistic scenario, Macho is going to defend himself and a vicious fight ensues). Now, the other dog's owner has arrived...just in time to see Macho nip (or worse) her precious doggie.
By this time, a policeman on foot patrol of the park also arrives.
"This Pit Bull attacked my dog! For no reason, just attacked him!" Exclaims the woman., who quickly points to the bloody shoulder of her dog.
The policeman looks at Macho, the Pit Bull, who is relatively unscathed, and radios animal control for a vicious dog report and confiscation....
*********************************************
Think this won't happen to you? Think again. It's a scenario that has played out NUMEROUS times across the country, and the poor Pit Bull is quarantined, deemed vicious, and is ultimately euthanized.
THERE IS NO APPROPRIATE TIME OR PLACE FOR A PIT BULL TO BE OFF LEASH OUTSIDE THE CONFINES OF HIS OWN PROPERTY. PERIOD.
If you don't think it's fair for him to only be able to run leash free in his own yard or inside the confines of his home, and you want to have a dog who can run free....BUY A GOLDEN RETRIEVER. You simply can't take that kind of irresponsible risk for the sake of thinking he MUST run free or he can't possibly be happy. Trust me, he is just as happy running and playing in the safety of his own territory (your back yard) as he is running amok.
NOW. On to containing. If you don't have an adequately fenced back yard, don't get a Pit Bull until you can fix it. By adequately fenced, I don't mean just a fence that isn't falling apart, I mean a fence that is 5 1/2 to 6 feet tall. Wooden privacy fence is better than chain link, but you can always reinforce the chain link if need be. When looking at your fencing, remember that Pit Bull's are crazy athletic, and can and will jump, climb, and dig. Take all these things into account and adjust your fencing as needed to prevent even one escape, since once he knows he can get out, he will never stop trying!
This does NOT mean it's okay to chain your dog up on a 30 pound chain, or, leave him locked outside in a dog pen. If this is your idea of acceptable, you don't need this breed of dog, or any dog for that matter. Pit Bulls are renown family dogs, and NEED to be close to their humans, not chained, or, locked up outside day in and day out.
And FINALLY, on to maintain. This means that you need to have your dog routinely seen by a licensed DVM, and have his shots done in a timely manner...ESPECIALLY HIS RABIES VACCINATION! I can't stress the importance of this enough. Should the unthinkable happen and your dog bite someone, if he doesn't have proof of a current rabies vaccination given by a licensed veterinarian, it is as good as a death sentence for him. Keep detailed records of every vet visit, what vaccinations were given, dewormings, and general health notes.
It should be needless to say, but, I'm going to say it anyway...Your Pit Bull needs proper nutrition, clean water at all times, and you need to keep him free from external and internal parasites. There is no excuse to neglect this simple, yet essential, part of his maintenance and upkeep
Follow these three SIMPLE rules, and your ownership and responsibility for your American Pit Bull Terrier will be ABOVE reproach, and you will not have to worry about losing your beloved friend.
The American Pit Bull Terrier is a dog. It's not a sainted angel. It's not a child eating beast of hell. It's jaws do not lock, nor does it doesn't attack without warning. They use and understand the same body language as every other dog on earth when communicating their state of mind. Sometimes it''s very subtle.....YOU have to know how to read it. That is your responsibility if you are going to be around dogs in general. If you don't know how to read them, any dog with more subdued body language can appear to "attack without warning."
.................................
I have 3 words that are the GOLDEN RULE here:
TRAIN, CONTAIN, & MAINTAIN.
*A quick word on the use of shock collars as a training device for Pit Bulls: DON'T!
The obvious one, of course is TRAIN. This goes for ALL dogs, regardless of breed, but is absolutely CRUCIAL for APBT's!
You can begin basic training as SOON as you bring your new puppy home. Start by teaching one command at a time. I suggest starting with the most essential, which is "COME." This simple command and having your puppy recall could be the one command that will save his/her life.
Don't move on to another command until each previous one is mastered.
Next would be "SIT", then "DOWN", then "STAY."
These are simple, basic commands that you should easily be able to teach your Pit Bull puppy at home.
Along with these, your puppy should be learning to walk on a leash as you work on house breaking...this kills two birds with one stone, and I will explain later the importance of leashes.
Start taking your puppy out and about with you. Socialization is THE most important lesson second only to the recall command. NOW is the time to get him out around new people, and situations, and to introduce him to various other animals...PetSmart and Petco are EXCELLENT for this. The more often you can just go and hang out in these places letting your pup get used to lots of new sights, sounds, and situations, the more confident and well adjusted he will become as an adult. You can not ignore this part of your Pit Bull's early training.
When your puppy is old enough to enroll in puppy classes, DO IT! Yes, you may have already trained your pup on the basics at home, but this will help cement it in his mind and in an environment outside of his home. For him to learn to respond to you amidst all the distractions around him is PARAMOUNT. He needs this step in his training...don't skip it!
Next is CONTAIN. Included with proper containment is restraint. Yep, you guessed it...this is where I explain to you the utter importance of leashes. A Pit Bull off leash is a catastrophe waiting to happen. You read this right...a catastrophe and the Pit Bull will be the one to pay the price.
Keeping your Pit Bull ON leash at any time he is not within the confines of your house or fenced back yard will keep him out of the hands of animal control and certain euthanasia. There is no other way you can 100% protect him from breed driven discrimination.
*********************************************
Let me set up a scenario for you: It's a beautiful, sunny day, and you take "Macho" to the off leash dog park. Macho is a super laid back, sweet dog, who has NEVER shown aggression toward humans or other animals in all 6 years of his life. He's been to the off leash dog park before and has enjoyed his time running and playing with the other dogs there.
You get to the park and, as usual, you take Macho's leash off so he can go investigate all the new, exciting scents since his last visit a few days ago. Suddenly, out of no where, a medium sized shaggy dog appears, and is walking stiffly, tail held straight up, toward Macho. Macho happily bounds over to meet his new play mate, but is instantly met with snapping and snarling from the other dog. Macho, unsure of what he did to elicit such a nasty response, play bows. The scraggly dog lunges and attacks Macho, who, in the best case scenario, tries to back away, but this dog won't let him go. Macho nips the other dog hard enough to make it let go, and comes running back to you (In a more realistic scenario, Macho is going to defend himself and a vicious fight ensues). Now, the other dog's owner has arrived...just in time to see Macho nip (or worse) her precious doggie.
By this time, a policeman on foot patrol of the park also arrives.
"This Pit Bull attacked my dog! For no reason, just attacked him!" Exclaims the woman., who quickly points to the bloody shoulder of her dog.
The policeman looks at Macho, the Pit Bull, who is relatively unscathed, and radios animal control for a vicious dog report and confiscation....
*********************************************
Think this won't happen to you? Think again. It's a scenario that has played out NUMEROUS times across the country, and the poor Pit Bull is quarantined, deemed vicious, and is ultimately euthanized.
THERE IS NO APPROPRIATE TIME OR PLACE FOR A PIT BULL TO BE OFF LEASH OUTSIDE THE CONFINES OF HIS OWN PROPERTY. PERIOD.
If you don't think it's fair for him to only be able to run leash free in his own yard or inside the confines of his home, and you want to have a dog who can run free....BUY A GOLDEN RETRIEVER. You simply can't take that kind of irresponsible risk for the sake of thinking he MUST run free or he can't possibly be happy. Trust me, he is just as happy running and playing in the safety of his own territory (your back yard) as he is running amok.
NOW. On to containing. If you don't have an adequately fenced back yard, don't get a Pit Bull until you can fix it. By adequately fenced, I don't mean just a fence that isn't falling apart, I mean a fence that is 5 1/2 to 6 feet tall. Wooden privacy fence is better than chain link, but you can always reinforce the chain link if need be. When looking at your fencing, remember that Pit Bull's are crazy athletic, and can and will jump, climb, and dig. Take all these things into account and adjust your fencing as needed to prevent even one escape, since once he knows he can get out, he will never stop trying!
This does NOT mean it's okay to chain your dog up on a 30 pound chain, or, leave him locked outside in a dog pen. If this is your idea of acceptable, you don't need this breed of dog, or any dog for that matter. Pit Bulls are renown family dogs, and NEED to be close to their humans, not chained, or, locked up outside day in and day out.
And FINALLY, on to maintain. This means that you need to have your dog routinely seen by a licensed DVM, and have his shots done in a timely manner...ESPECIALLY HIS RABIES VACCINATION! I can't stress the importance of this enough. Should the unthinkable happen and your dog bite someone, if he doesn't have proof of a current rabies vaccination given by a licensed veterinarian, it is as good as a death sentence for him. Keep detailed records of every vet visit, what vaccinations were given, dewormings, and general health notes.
It should be needless to say, but, I'm going to say it anyway...Your Pit Bull needs proper nutrition, clean water at all times, and you need to keep him free from external and internal parasites. There is no excuse to neglect this simple, yet essential, part of his maintenance and upkeep
Follow these three SIMPLE rules, and your ownership and responsibility for your American Pit Bull Terrier will be ABOVE reproach, and you will not have to worry about losing your beloved friend.