American Pit Bull Terrier
Dogs
American Pit Bull Terrier
American Pit Bull
Terrier |
A pure-bred APBT
|
Alternative names |
Pit Bull |
Country of origin |
United States |
Common nicknames |
APBT |
Classification and breed standards |
UKC: |
Terriers |
|
Not recognized by any major kennel club |
This breed of dog is
extinct |
Notes |
Many
AKC
registered ASTs can also be registered with the UKC as APBTs. |
The American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) is a
breed of
dog in the
terrier
group, one of several breeds loosely classified as
pit bulls.
These dogs are known for their strength, loyalty, and “gameness,” or tenacity.
Many young owners purchase them on the grounds of wanting a 'tough dog',
which often ends up maltrained and in poor health. Due to bad publicity caused
by these irresponsible owners, people unfamilar with the dogs often consider
them a scary dog and may even avoid walking near them. However, it is widely
acknowledged that the problems that people associate with the breed, mainly
aggression, are most likely due to many people having bred them specifically for
fighting, having abused them, or both.
Appearance
The APBT is the midsized breed of the three generally referred to as pit
bulls (see also
American Staffordshire Terrier (AST) and
Staffordshire Bull Terrier (SBT)). Males should weigh 35 to 65 pounds (16 to
29 kg), females 30 to 60 pounds (16 to 27 kg), with height being proportional.
The coat is short, single layered, and stiff but glossy. Any color is accepted
and dogs may either have patches or be solid. All eye colors are accepted except
blue. Ears are rose or semipricked, and may be
cropped,
although uncropped is preferred. The tail is short and tapering. The body is
solidly built and muscular, with a wide chest. The head is wedge shaped with
some slight forehead wrinkles.
Confusion among Pit Bull breeds
The three “pit bull” breeds all have nearly identical standards, with only
the acceptable sizes and colors varying. Also, the AST and the APBT have the
same heritage. Many people still consider them to be simply different types of
the same breed. Dogs registered with the AKC as an AST are often dual registered
with the UKC as an APBT. Adding to the muddle is the fact that many people refer
to any dog of these breeds, as well as
American Bulldogs, as “pit bulls.”
Temperament and/or characteristics
APBT (fawn)
APBTs can be very sweet, curious, and clownish. As typical with many in the
terrier family, they can also be stubborn and pushy. They are noted for their
outgoing, affectionate, and playful disposition and their fondness for people,
even children, and can make a wonderful family pet. The
American Temperament Test Society, Inc. breed statistics as of December 2004
show an 83.4% passing rate for the APBT as compared to an 81% overall pass rate.
However, a firm, even hand and early
obedience training are musts for this breed. They are strong dogs for their
size and will walk their owners rather than the other way around when on lead
and so absolutely must be taught to heel from a young age. APBTs often display
some level of
dog
aggression, especially towards dogs of the same sex or level of
assertiveness; because APBT's do not reach maturity until late (at about 2 1/2
years) these tendencies may not always be readily apparent. However, with early
socialization and knowing each individual dog's limits, their aggression
towards other dogs can be quite easily controlled. (Unbridled aggression towards
man is actually a serious and perilous fault.) APBTs are extremely attached to
their owners and families and are known for their eagerness to please their
masters; once they understand their master's wishes they will do their best to
obey. However, inexperienced owners tend to find them to be too much to
handle—they are the
Tigger of the dog world. Pit bulls typically have a lot of physical and
mental energy to expend; they need exercise and stimulation or else they may
find a way to occupy themselves. As a breed they are fairly bright.
It is paramount to find a breeder who selects puppies for their good
temperament and not for their aggression. Also research the breeder, ask for
references and ask to see their facilities and other dogs they have raised. It
is also a good practice for dogs to receive
microchip implants where possible as this breed is often stolen in and near
urban areas for ill uses. If a breeder is not readily accessible, there are many
rescue organizations that do specialize in pit bulls and most of them do test
the temperament of the individual dog.
As athletic dogs, American Pit Bull Terriers excel in many activities,
including
weight pulling,
search and rescue,
dog
agility trials, and in the
Southern United States have even been used for
hunting as
catch dogs. They do well in some advanced
obedience training. In America they have been also used as
police dogs
for patrol duty and scent dogs because of their tenacity, high energy drive, and
versatility. In the home, their favorite place is wherever the family is; they
can do nicely in a family with children and can easily handle a small child
tugging on its ear and tail or an older child's horseplay.
History
When bullbaiting became illegal in England in 1835, clandestine and public
matches between dogs filled the void. Originally pure bulldogs were used,
however, it was soon realized that crossings bulldogs to terriers created a
finer product for fighting. While the bulldog was powerful and courageous he
lacked the lytheness and agility of the terrier. Furthermore, bulldogs, whose
history was in droving and catching bulls, was not designed for killing the
bulls and bears it baited. While the death of either animal was not considered
unfortunate, the purpose was not specifically to kill the beast. Terriers,
however, had always been bred for exterminating vermin. This trait was enhanced
by breeders for the rat pits (which were also very popular at that time in
England). By combining the terrier's killer instinct, a gamier and more focused,
albeit smaller dog emerged. The two terriers that were most sought after were
the now extinct English White Terrier and English Black-and-Tan Terrier.
The bull-and-terrier cross was know by many names and was a generic cross
rather than a specific breed. The breeding scheme was most popular in
Staffordshire, England, among the miners of that county. Today that name
Staffordshire Terrier and Staffordshire Bullterrier have stuck with two
Bull-terrier breeds. In actuality, all Bull-terrier breeds are progeny of the
dogs bred in that region. The bull-and-terrier became popular throughout the
British Isles with regional dogs emerging. One of the most famous strains
emerged in south western Ireland, in counties Cork and Kerry. A particularly
game and spirited bull-and-terrier whose lineage was a protected secret by local
dog-men became notable for its red coat, golden eyes and red nose. Commonly
called Old Family Red's, this was one of the most successful strains to be
introduced into America. Even before his introduction to America, the American
Pit Bull Terrier was being desgined in England and Ireland, but took off in the
port cities of his new homeland when that country entered into the peak of its
industrial might.
When bred for fighting, the breeder would look for strength, gameness, and
lack of aggression towards people. Any fighting dog that showed aggression
towards its owner or handler would be killed on the spot. This created a line of
strong dogs that, while being dog aggressive, would not turn on their owners. In
the late 1800s to early 1900s, two clubs were formed for the specific purpose of
registering APBTs: the United Kennel Club and the American Dog Breeder's
Association. After dog fighting was made illegal in the United States, many dog
owners wanted to legitimize the breed and distance it from its fighting roots.
The name "Staffordshire Terrier" was adopted by some owners and was recognized
by the American Kennel Club in 1936. Later, the
word "American" was added to reduce confusion with its smaller cousin, the
Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Not all breeders, however, agreed with the standard
adopted by the AKC, and continued to use the name APBT for their lines. Much
confusion still remains in regard to the APBT, the AST, and the SBT.
Once an extremely popular family dog in the United States, the American Pit
Bull Terrier's popularity began to decline in the United States following
World
War II in favor of other breeds. Though still by far largely found in homes
with families, it has come under fire in the past thirty years for its
association with inner city crime and drugs; many people of ill repute
mistakenly breed this dog for its fighting heritage and exploit its incredible
willingness to please its master (when not refusing to give up its spot on a
soft bed.) However, it is of note that this breed is also often the most common
target of abuse in urban areas. Outside of dog fighting and guarding a
drug
dealer's property, the APBT is often beaten, starved, burned, tortured, and
generally mistreated to make it particularly aggressive. After the owner no
longer has any use for the dog (that is, after it loses a fight or refuses to
fight,), the dog is left for dead or turned loose to find its way into
animal control services, where it most likely will need to be destroyed
because nobody wants it because of its horrendous reputation. (A large
percentage of dogs destroyed in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles are pit bull
type breeds.)
In jurisdictions where
breed-specific legislation threatens ownership of Pit Bulls, owners are
often advised by their peers to refer to their Pit Bulls and Pit bull crosses as
'Staffys' or 'Amstaffs', which are generally exempt from such regulations.
Purists among American Staffordshire owners find this unethical, and resent it,
perhaps fearing that the ultimate result of the subterfuge will be restrictions
on their breed as well.
In the
United Kingdom, the
Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 prohibits the sale or breeding of "any dog of the
type known as pit bull terrier". Some jurisdictions in the Australian states of
Queensland, New South Wales, the Canadian province of Ontario, and
some areas of the United States have similar breed-specific legislation.
Famous APBTs
- Stubby, most decorated dog to serve in
World War II.
-
Pete the Pup, from Hal Roach's Our Gang comedy short films of the 1920s and
30s, later known as The Little Rascals. An APBT was again used for the 1994
Little Rascals film remake as well.
- Dakota and Tahoe are search and rescue dogs active in finding missing
people. Dakota has assisted in many high profile cases including the search
for the astronauts who perished in the
space shuttle Columbia disaster.
- Popsicle, ironically famous for sniffing out one of the biggest
drug busts in FDA history after being found near dead in a crystal meth
lab himself.
- Bandog Dread, most titled dog ever with multiple titles in nearly every
category.
-
Tige, in original Buster Brown ads.
See also
External links
References
- Popular Dogs Series: Bully Breeds magazine
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