AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER
Country of Origin: United States Height: 18 to 22 inches
Weight: males, 35 to 60 pounds; females, 30 to 50 pounds
Temperament: strong, confident,eager to please, enthusiastic, powerful
Color: any color or pattern except merle Energy Level: moderate to high
Lifespan: 12 to 14 years
Coat Type: glossy, smooth, short, stiff; needs a weekly brushing
10 REASONS TO OWN A BULLY BREED
1) They make great family dogs. They're sturdy enough, tolerant enough, and have enough energy for the most boisterous children.
2) They're easy keepers; shedding is minimal and grooming is a snap.
3) They're versatile: They can live in any climate (indoors of course), in the country or in the city, and do any sport or actives you have in mind.
4) They're buff. You wish you had muscles like that.
5) They're passive home-security system; bad guys will choose an easier target.
6) You'll never get completely out of shape; just walking a bully is a workout.
7) A bully is as much company as you could want, and never more.
8) Bully breeds are quiet. Your neighbors will thank you.
9) They're thick-skinned and stoic; your vet will thank you.
10) You can love a bully as hard as you like; they can take it.
History/Origin:
His ancestors were brought to the United States in the mid - 1800's by Boston-Irish immigrants. Originally bred from a variety of bulldogs and terriers, American breeders increased his weight and gave him a more powerful head. A forbearer to the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, they were originally bred to be a fighting dog. Bull baiting was banned in England in 1835 and these dogs are no longer being bred to fight. There is some complication in registries of this breed. The AKC considers the American Staffordshire Terrier as separate and distinct from the American Pit Bull Terrier, yet the UKC will register both as American Pit Bull Terriers (APBTs). In America, the Pit Bull flourished. It was one of the most popular breeds, highly prized by a wide variety of people. The Pit Bull was used to represent the US in WW1 artwork; popular companies like RCA and the Buster Brown Shoe Company used the breed as their mascots. A Pit Bull named Petie starred in the popular children's television series, Our Gang; a Pit Bull mix named Stubby became a decorated WWI hero. Pit Bulls accompanied pioneer familes on their explorations. Laura Ingalls Wilder of the popular Little House books owned a working Pit Bulldog named Jack. Famous individuals like Theodore Roosevelt and Helen Keller owned the breed. It was during this time that the Pit Bull truly became America's sweetheart breed, admired, respected and loved. Stubby, a decorated WWI hero
In 1898 the United Kennel Club was formed with the express intent of providing registration and fighting guidelines for the now officially-named American Pit Bull Terrier. Later, those who wished to distance themselves from the fighting aspect of the breed petitioned the American Kennel Club for recognition of the Pit Bull so that it would be eligible for dog shows and other performance events. The AKC conceded in 1936 but only under the stipulation that the dogs registered with them be called "Staffordshire Terriers", the name of the province in England the breed supposedly originated in. Upon acceptance of the breed, many people dual-registered their dogs with both the AKC and the UKC. Lucenay's Peter (the dog that starred in the Our Gang series) was the first dual-registered Pit Bull/Staffordshire Terrier. The UKC evolved, eventually beginning to register other working-type breeds, and later holding shows similar to those of the AKC. Currently, the UKC is the second largest purebred dog registry in the United States, complete with strict bylaws that ban anyone who is convicted of dog fighting. The American Dog Breeders Association was formed in 1909 because of certain fanciers' opinions that the UKC was not doing it's job protecting and preserving the Pit Bull breed as they felt it should be preserved. The ADBA's goal is the same now is at was then: to register, promote and preserve the original American Pit Bull Terrier fighting-type dog. The AKC eventually closed it's studbooks to American Pit Bull Terriers. They allowed registration only to those dogs with parents registered as Staffordshire Terriers. For a short period in the 1970's, the AKC reopened its studbooks to American Pit Bull Terriers. In 1973 the AKC added the prefix "American" to the breed's name in an effort to distinguish it from the newly recognized Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Today, only those dogs with AmStaff parents are eligible for registration. Both the UKC and the ADBA allow registration of AmStaffs, but in these organizations the dogs carry the original name, "American Pit Bull Terrier." Today the Pit Bull has evolved into a marvelous working and companion dog, used for purposes as varied as those it originally performed. Pit Bulls are employed as police/armed services dogs, search and rescuers, therapy animals, and livestock workers. They compete in all manner of organized dog sports, from herding to agility to conformation to obedience and the bite sports like Schutzhund and French Ring. They make loving pets for children and seniors, and everyone in between. The are indeed one of the most versatile breeds on the planet. Much of this is owed to the activities it once performed. The harshness and physical demands of the activities molded a strong, healthy, stable animal, one anyone should be proud to own. 
Stubby, a decorated WWI hero
Man with Pit Bull Hunting Companion
6 STEPS TO TRAINING SUCCESS
Training mistakes are common, but easy to avoid if you know what you're doing. Here is some expert advice on mistakes to avoid so both you and your bully win the training game.
1. Don't punish.
"physical punishment is never appropriate for any breeds of dog," says Erica Nance, Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT), manager of operation at the Animal Behavior Center of the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in New York City. "Some people use yelling as punishment. This is unwise and often ineffective. The bullies can be very sensitive because they're so bonded to their people. You can really damage your relationship with your bully breed by yelling at it. Clearly, the same applies to physical punishment. Wouldn't you rather have your dog comply because it wants to, instead of complying because it's afraid of you?"2. Be realistic.
"it sounds silly, but novice trainers need to realize that dogs don't understand the English language." says Dave Putnam, an American Bulldog trainer in Woodside, California. "Most training problems are a result of the handler asking the dog to do something it doesn't understand. Once the dog truly understands a command, then a handler can expect the dog to perform and can judiciously withhold [or provide] food and praise."3. Give the reward.
"If the trainer isn't rewarding the efforts of the learner, they're going to get shoddy results. Just like if your boss didn't pay you for your work, you might not get your work done as quickly, right?" Nance says.4. Be consistent.
"it's important to be consistent and not to confuse the dog with mixed messages," says Christine Burton of Malibu, California, past president of the Miniature Bull Terrier Club of America. " your dog can't understand why it can jump on your friends on Saturdays when they're wearing blue jeans and not on New Year's Eve when they're dressed up. Ignoring a behavior one day and scolding for it another is not fair to the dog."5. Be clear the first time.
"The worst thing an owner can do is to repeat the command if the dog isn't complying," Nance says. "Often, dogs don't comply because they don't understand the command in the current context., and repeating it just turns it into a word the dog hears while it's standing around. 'Sit, sit, sit, sit' turns into background noise. If your is just learning a new behavior and isn't doing it, perhaps the environment is different from the one in which it learned: For example, the park instead of the kitchen." In a new environment, train again from the beginning.6. Don't Assume.
"A better solution to training something the dog is having a hard time learning is to go back to the basics," Nance says. "Just because the dog did it a few times doesn't mean it 'knows it.' Think of obedience as a sport in which the athlete need to practice. Little Leaguers don't hit a homer once, then 'know how to do it.'" So, when all else fails, go back to the beginning.- Nikki Moustaki
Bully Breeds and Kids
Dale Schuur of Grandville, Michigan, president of the Bull Terrier Club of America, laughs when asked if he worries about placing his puppies in homes with toddlers for fear that the child might injure the dog. "We asked if there are young children in the home in case the dog will be too much for the child," He says.Bully breeds love kids and are excellent playmates, but their energetic, exuberant nature can be overwhelming for very young children, especially it they're not yet steady on their feet."I have a 7-year old child who has been with dogs since birth, and she has never gotten hurt," says Miniature Bull Terrier breeder Julie C. Grinder of Indianapolis, Indiana. "Knocked down? Yes, on several occasions, but never hurt by the dogs. We stress that even though they are smaller dogs, they pack a punch."In a year, a bully breed can go from a few pounds to up to 80 pounds, a much faster growth rate than that of most children. That's something to consider when evaluating a pup's personality."The funny thing about Bull Terriers is that some of them have an innate sense of toddlers and are unbelievably slow and deliberate around them," Schuur says. "Others are like a bull in a china shop."Whatever bully breed you choose, a knowledgeable breeder can help you decide which puppy will do best with your child.
FACT OR FICTION
MYTHS ABOUT PIT BULLS
MYTH: “Pit Bulls ‘turn’ on their owners.”
Dogs, as a species, do not perform behaviors “just because”. There are always reasons for behavior, and when aggression becomes a problem the reasons can be such things as improper handling, lack of socialization or training, a misreading of dog behavior by the owner, or, rarely, disease. Aggression, when it presents
in pet dogs, follows specific patterns. First occur warning signs, then
more warning signs, and finally, when those signs are continually
ignored or misinterpreted, the dog resorts to using its teeth. When an
owner is startled by a sudden, aggressive outburst, it is because they
have been unaware of problems that were brewing. This is true of all
dogs, not just Pit Bulls. Pit Bulls, indeed no dogs, “turn” on their owners.
MYTH: “The only thing Pit Bulls are good for is dog fighting."
Unfortunately, a large amount of attention has been brought to the fact that
the Pit Bull was originally created for fighting other dogs in the pit. Since the
breed was selectively bred for and excelled at this task, there is a common
assumption that fighting must be all for which the breed is good. The
truth of the matter is that the Pit Bull is one of the most versatile of
canines, capable of excelling at just about any task his owner asks him
to complete. This breed is routinely used for: obedience trialing,
conformation showing, weight pull, Schutzhund (a German sport which
requires dogs to perform in obedience, tracking and protection phases of
a competition), agility, and have even been known to participate in
herding trials, search and rescue work, and a variety of other tasks
including police and armed services work. But fanciers will argue that the
task this breed performs best of all is that of beloved companion.
Myth: “Pit Bulls have more bite pressure per square inch (PSI) than any
other breed.” This is absolutely false.
Tests that have been done comparing the bite pressure of several
breeds showed pressure PSI (per square inch) to be considerably lower
than some wild estimates that have been made. Testing has shown that
the domestic dog averages about 320 lbs of pressure per square inch.
Recently Dr. Brady Barr of National Geographic conducted a comparative
test between a Pit Bull, a Rottweiler, and a German Shepherd. The Pit
Bull had the LOWEST PSI OF THE THREE.
The highest pressure recorded from the Pit Bull was 235 lbs PSI. The
highest from the GSD was 238, and the highest from the Rott was 328.
Dr. Barr states that as far as he knows, the PSI tested in the Rott is the
highest on record for any domestic canine.
What happened to the supposed 10,000 pounds PSI pressure that the
breed supposedly has??? It's a MYTH, pure and simple.
MYTH: Pit bulls attack without warning or provocation.
FACT: According to Karen Delise in The Pit Bull Placebo, the classification of an attack as unprovoked is usually based on the declarations of owners who are unable to understand canine behavior, or are too busy to have seen the signals dogs usually display through body language or vocalization. Dogs do this with stares; body stiffening; positioning of ears, tail and head; and growling, to name only a few. Pit bulls give these signals as much as any other breed of dog.2
Additionally, dog attacks tend to be a result of several factors that are statistically more dangerous than a simple breakdown of breed culpability. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, these factors are:
• Breeding: Dogs that are bred to be aggressive will be aggressive regardless of the breed.
• Socialization: Puppies need socialization to learn how to live in human society.
• Training: Beyond socialization, puppies need training so they will at least obey basic commands.
• Health: Some dogs bite because they are uncomfortable or in pain.3
• Spayed or Neutered: 97 percent of dogs involved in fatal dog attacks in 2006 were not sterilized.4
• Tethering: One out of every four fatal dog attacks involves a chained dog.5
MYTH: Pit bulls bite more than any other breed.
FACT: There is no system in place to track statistics on dog bites and attacks accurately in the U.S., and many incidents are never reported.
The Centers for Disease Control study “Breeds of dogs involved in fatal human attacks in the United States between 1979 and 1998” explains the inherent problems in attempting to calculate breed involvement in fatal attacks.1 The CDC further explained that a major flaw in the study was the inability to factor in total breed populations relative to breed-related fatalities. The CDC concluded that fatal attacks are so rare as to be statistically insignificant in addressing canine aggression.
Pit Bulls Patch and Minnie
Hunting boar in the colonies. Primarily used as an animal which could pin and control large and dangerous beasts such as boar, bear and bull, dogfighting was never the original purpose of the bulldog. Dog fighters will argue this point, but the evidence is quite clear. The animals pictured here could enter the ring and win as representatives of the American pit bull today.
MYTH: The "Pit Bull" is not a purebred breed.
FACT: Pit bulls are actually one of the oldest and certainly one of the purest. Written pit bull pedigrees date into the late 1700's, something very few other breeds can boast of. Pit bulls have been a registered breed longer than most AKC breeds have been in existence. Louis Colby's father, John Colby, gave his son a handwritten pedigree of Colby's Blind Jack, an animal born in 1932. The pedigree stretches back more than 50 years, naming, in Louis Colby's words, "the best fighting dogs in England and America in the past fifty years." In the mid 1880's, the breed was already old.
MYTH: The term "Pit Bull" means all the bull and terrier breeds.
Fact: The term "pit bull" is the shortened form of the name American Pit Bull Terrier, the name by which the breed is registered with the United Kennel Club and American Dog Breeders Association. The term "pit bull" is correctly applied only to dogs of pure American pit bull blood or registry; not to American Staffordshire terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, mixes of these breeds or any other breed.
Pit Bull, around 1910. A very popular family pet at that time. This dog would have been known as a "pit bull" or "bull terrer" . The name "Staffordshire terrier" had not been invented yet. Image courtesy of the Animal Farm Foundation
When you see references to "bulldogs" from the middle ages, this is the animal they are talking about - a pit bull. This old painting is entitled "Bulldog".
TRUTH ABOUT DOGS
Because a dog attacks other animals does not mean that animal will attack humans (including children). It is a myth that once a dog has attacked another dog (or killed a chicken, etc) that "next time it could be a child".
Many working breeds have antipathy towards other animals - coonhounds go mad at the sight of a raccoon, foxhounds will not hesitate to tear a dog-like fox to shreds, greyhounds and other sight hounds live to chase and maul rabbits and will eagerly kill cats. They are still used today to chase down and slaughter coyotes. Even the ever-friendly beagle will "murder" a rabbit, given the chance. And yet the greyhound, coon and foxhound and beagle are among the friendliest of breeds towards humans. And it is the same with the well bred pit bulldog.
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All of this information has been posted for bully breed owners and other dog owners to read and gain knowledge. Nothing on this page is our opinion, even though we agree with all information posted, it has been taken from published articles or internet websites. Credit for articles were given when the person's names were listed. Read all material with an open mind to learn about the American Pit Bull Terriers and other Bully Breeds. Don't be judgmental about theses dogs, just love them like you would any other.
