Pit Bulls: A Misunderstood Breed

The American Pit Bull Terrier, also known as the "Staffordshire Terrier" or "American Staffordshire Terrier", is a breed dating back to England in the early 1800's, when the "Bulldog", the predecessor of the current breed, was bred and trained to fight bulls for sport.

The English "Bulldog" was famous for its fierce aggression, high pain threshold, and tenacious fighting skills. It would clamp its jaws on the bull's nose or ear or any other spot it could reach, and hold on until it was pried off or the bull collapsed from loss of blood.

Bull baiting was outlawed in 1835, and by the time early American colonist brought the breed to the colonies it was a well-respected, hard working farm dog or watch dog.

Do Pit Bulls have a magic jaw?
The Pit Bull's jaw is anatomically constructed the same as any other dog's jaw; it is a myth that it has a locking mechanism. Its tenacious holding ability is a bred-in character trait and not a physical characteristic. This is a rather fine point if you're on the receiving end of a Pit Bull's jaw, however.

There is no statistical evidence that Pit Bulls attack people more often - or for that matter, less often - than any other breed, but they have received bad press and a reputation that has been difficult to live down.

Historically, the American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) enjoyed a very good reputation. Helen Keller's seeing eye dog was a APBT, as was Pete the Pup of "Lil' Rascals" fame.

The National Canine Temperament Testing Association tested 122 breeds and Pit Bulls were ranked 4th friendliest with a 95% passing rating, compared to a 77% average for most breeds.

However, in another six-year study made in Florida in the 90's, the Pit Bull did rate between 5th to 9th place in the top ten of the "most severe bite by breed" ranking, lagging behind Dalmations, Labs, Chows and Golden Retrievers, Roitweilers, Dobermans and Cocker Spaniels.

Are Pit Bulls aggressive?
Well, the answer is yes, they can be, but so are many other breeds. In other words, exercise the same care in approaching a Pit Bull as you would any similar sized dog.

Also, in choosing a family pet, take into consideration that the APBT has been bred for centuries to be a watch dog and has a natural aggression towards other dogs, or any other animal - or human - invading its territory.

Pit Bulls are also very willing to please their owners, which makes them susceptible to irresponsible training by humans. That trait, combined with their natural fearless tenacity, can result in tragic attacks on other animals or, more rarely, humans.

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