Dog Breed Information, Description, Origin, History, Temperament, Height, Weight, Exercise, Life, Group, Articles, Health, Books, Photos, Posters,
Wallpapers, Training, Dog names, Links and more.
The American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) is a breed of dog in the terrier group, one of several breeds loosely classified as pit bulls. Dogs of this breed are known for their strength, loyalty, and “gameness” (tenacity).
Ownership of APBTs is controversial, due to a well
publicized series of dog attacks by dogs considered to be of
this breed over the last few decades. These attacks have led
to the ownership of APBTs and "pit bulls" in general
being restricted or banned in many parts of the world. Many
owners of APBTs claim that well-bred APBTs are not human
aggressive, and suggest that the problem is due to the breed's
appeal to irresponsible segments of society who may breed or
train the dogs to guard and fight.
APBT owners are also concerned that many of the dog attacks
attributed to "pit bulls" are not perpetrated by
actual registered American Pit Bull Terriers, but merely by
poorly bred dogs that "look like" APBTs.Ownership of
APBTs is controversial, due to a well publicized series of dog
attacks by dogs considered to be of this breed over the last
few decades. T
hese attacks have led to the ownership of APBTs and
"pit bulls" in general being restricted or banned in
many parts of the world. Many owners of APBTs claim that
well-bred APBTs are not human aggressive, and suggest that the
problem is due to the breed's appeal to irresponsible segments
of society who may breed or train the dogs to guard and fight.
APBT owners are also concerned that many of the dog attacks
attributed to "pit bulls" are not perpetrated by
actual registered American Pit Bull Terriers, but merely by
poorly bred dogs that "look like" APBTs.
APBT and APBT-looking dogs are often associated with the
urban and hip hop culture, and many young (predominantly male)
people purchase them on the grounds of wanting a 'tough dog'
— sadly, dogs acquired for such purposes (of any breed)
often end up maltrained and in poor health.
The APBT is not recognised by the American Kennel Club,
unlike the closely related breeds the American Staffordshire
Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier. It is recognised by
the United Kennel Club.
The American Pit Bull Terrier is also more favorably
recognized by the American Pit Bull Registry.
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 UKC as an APBT are often dual registered
with the AKC as an AST. Adding to the muddle is the fact that
many people refer to any dog of these breeds, as well as
American Bulldogs and sometimes Bull Terriers, as “pit
bulls.”
Temperament: APBTs can be very sweet, curious,
intelligent, and clownish. They are noted for their outgoing,
affectionate disposition and their fondness for people, and
when raised with a firm but fair hand can make a wonderful
family pet. APBTs can also be stubborn, pushy and prone to
display aggression towards other dogs. They are not a good
choice of dog for a novice dog owner.
The American Temperament Test Society, Inc. breed
statistics as of December 2005 show an 83.5% passing rate for
the APBT as compared to an 81.2% overall pass rate for all the
different breeds they test, showing that many of these dogs
have stable and dependable temperaments. However, a firm, even
hand and early obedience training are musts for this breed.
Inexperienced owners tend to find them to be too much to
handle - APBTs can be quite "bouncy". They generally
have a lot of energy and high prey drive; they need exercise
and stimulation in order to channel that energy properly and
not become frustrated and destructive. Despite popular belief,
most pit bulls are not particularly dangerous where children
are concerned; though no dog (regardless of breed) should ever
be left unattended with a child most well raised pit bulls
will actually tolerate a child's roughousing as they were bred
to have a high pain tolerance.
APBTs often display some level of dog aggression,
especially towards strange dogs of the same sex or level of
assertiveness. Early socialization and good training can mean
that many individuals of the breed never display this trait.
However, it must be remembered that this breed was
traditionally developed for dog fighting purposes, and even
APBTs that were previously sociable may develop dog aggression
as they mature. A responsible APBT owner does not let their
dog interact with strange dogs unsupervised, and knows how to
break up a dog fight (or avoid one in the first place.)
APBTs were never bred for human aggression or guarding
behaviour, and stable examples of the breed are generally not
suitable as guard dogs. It is important that APBTs who display
any sign of human aggression are not bred, in order to
preserve the stable and friendly nature of the breed.
When selecting an APBT puppy, it is paramount to find a
breeder who selects puppies for their good temperament and not
for aggressive tendencies towards other dogs or towards
humans. A good breeder should know the UKC standard, and
should both health test and temperament test their breeding
stock. A breeder who boasts about their dogs' "guard
dog" skills or "protective" behaviour is a
giveaway that their dogs are bred for improper human
aggression. It is also a good idea for prospective APBT owners
to research the breeder, ask for references and ask to see
their facilities and other dogs they have raised. It is also a
good policy for owners to have their dog microchipped where
possible as this breed is often stolen in and near urban areas
for ill uses.
Adult pit bulls are frequently also available from animal
shelters. Reputable shelters will temperament test their dogs
before adoption, so that only dogs with stable temperaments
are available for rehoming. The advantage of obtaining an
adult dog from a shelter is that its temperament is already
known, and a dog with low dog aggression or low prey drive can
be selected if desired.
As athletic dogs, American Pit Bull Terriers excel in many
activities, including weight pulling, search and rescue, dog
agility trials, and can even do well in some advanced
obedience training. In the United States they have been used
as narcotics detection police dogs and Search and Rescue dogs
because of their tenacity, high energy drive, and versatility.
History: Originally bred from bull-and-terrier
crosses brought to America from England and Ireland in the
1800s, they were popular in emerging cities for the sport of
dog fighting. As the country grew, many dogs travelled with
settlers to new homesteads where they were sometimes used as
working dogs on farms. 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 culled immediately. 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
regards 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 largely kept by families in its homeland,
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 human aggression;
exploit its incredible willingness to please its master by
teaching it to aggressively guard property against humans; or
leave it to roam the streets where it may get into fights with
other dogs. Unfortunately, this breed is also often the most
common target of dog abuse in urban areas. Outside of dog
fighting and guarding property, the APBTs have been found
beaten, starved, burned, and mistreated to make them
particularly aggressive. After the owner no longer has any use
for the dog, the dog is left for dead or turned loose to find
its way into animal control services, where it most likely
will be destroyed. A large percentage of dogs euthanised in
New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles are pit bull type breeds.
In jurisdictions where breed-specific legislation threatens
ownership of American Pit Bull Terriers, owners are often
advised by their peers to refer to their Pit Bulls, Pit Bull
crosses, or even "pit bull looking" dogs as
'Staffys' or 'Amstaffs', which may be exempt from such
regulations. Purists among American Staffordshire and
Staffordshire Bull Terrier 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, and the
United States have similar breed-specific legislation.
The United Kennel Club was founded with an American Pit
Bull Terrier. It was also the first registry to recognize
them.
Famous American pit bull terriers:
Sergeant Stubby, most decorated dog to serve in World
War I and U.S. history.
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, Tahoe and Cheyenne are search and rescue dogs
that have responded to over 100 searches for missing
persons, including the search for the astronauts of the
space shuttle Columbia explosion and the search for Laci
Peterson.
Popsicle, a United States Customs dog, is famous for
sniffing out one of the biggest cocaine busts in Food and
Drug Administration history.
Bandog Dread (Ch Bandog Dread, SchH3, IPO3, WH, WDS, CD,
TD, U-CDX, S.D.-ducks/sheep) owned by Dianne Jessup was
the most titled dog of any dog of any breed in history. He
obtained multiple titles in conformation, competition
obedience, Schutzhund, weightpull and herding.
RCA was the first certified hearing dog in Alaska.
Backup, the dog featured on the hit tv show Veronica
Mars, is a pit bull
HeyDogs is an easy to use site that keeps both dog professionals and dog enthusiasts up to date on the latest information on dogs. You can find the best in dog training, behavior, natural health, agility, clicker training, and other dog related topics
Looking for the perfect
Dog name? Dogs names for your new Puppy.
Browse thousands of Dog names, names for both male
and female dogs, Start looking by clicking on a
letter!
Hi Cats is a website you can find extensive information on all Cat Breeds, Articles, Health, Books, Photos, Desktop Wallpapers, Posters, Training, Cats names, Links and more.
HeyDogs.com Dog Breeds Information
Guide menu 
