What You Need to Know About Pit Bull Breeds

Hearing the term “Pit Bull” can bring a lot of different perceptions and opinions about the dog breed. Some people perceive the canine as aggressive and dangerous, while others deem the Pit Bull a friendly, loveable breed.

However, the Pit Bull is not an official breed! Here is everything you need to know about this misinterpreted dog.

What is a Pit Bull?

Pit Bulls are a result of breeding and are truly a combination of many breeds. Pit Bulls are typically recognized as being muscular and blocky, with short snouts.

There are misconceptions about Pit Bulls, but their traits come from more than just their breed, similar to other dogs. The personality and behavior come from its history, living situation, training, and the way they are treated.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has given its official statement on Pit Bulls:

“Physical abilities and behavior are both important facets of any breed. A well-bred dog should have both the physical attributes necessary to perform its job and the behavioral tendencies needed to learn it. However, while a dog’s genetics may predispose it to perform certain behaviors, tremendous behavioral variation exists among individuals of the same breed or breed type. The reality is that dogs of many breeds can be selectively bred or trained to develop aggressive traits. Therefore, responsible ownership of any dog requires a commitment to proper socialization, humane training, and conscientious supervision.”

Breeds That Form a Pit Bull

The Pit Bull comes from many different breeds and is a culmination of personalities and features. There are a few breeds that make up the standard Pit Bull.

American Pit Bull Terrier

These dogs are known for their affectionate, loving personalities. These terriers are typically around 30 to 65 pounds and are short. They are stocky and muscular, with short coats coming in colors such as black, white, brown, tan, and grey.

American Staffordshire Terrier

These dogs are similar to American Pit Bull Terriers as they are incredibly loyal and playful but are a bit more mellow. These dogs are intelligent and confident, making them excellent for training. These pups are usually 40 to 70 pounds and are quite stocky.

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is typically smaller, weighing 25 to 40 pounds. These dogs are gentle, loving, and family-oriented but can experience separation anxiety. They were known as “nanny dogs” for children in the 1990s as they were protectors.

American Bulldog

The American Bulldog can vary from 60 to 120 pounds and are very stocky. They typically have deep, broad chests with short muzzles and are very cuddly.

American Bully

The American Bully is stocky and compact, weighing around 65 to 85 pounds. Unfortunately, they tend to have a lot of health issues, such as hip dysplasia and arthritis.

History

The title Pit Bull comes from the original term of “pit bulldog,” coined by Bronwen Dickey in the 19th century. These dogs were small, stocky, short-haired pups and were used for dogfighting. This news was publicized for years to come, giving Pit Bulls the “aggressive” traits.

However, these dogs grew to be known by their owners as loving, kind, and playful. Additionally, these canines were nicknamed the “nanny dog” as they were so good with children. In fact, these dogs were viewed as the safest dogs to leave with children as they protected them and were very reliable. However, this was not widely known, and the term”dangerous” still lingered alongside the name.

Although not widely known, the American Staffordshire Terrier and the American Pit Bull Terrier earned good scores on the American Temperament Test, scoring 90.9% and 87.4%, respectively. These dogs are less likely to show aggression than Golden Retrievers, Border Collies, Poodles, and more! Dogs like German Shepherds, Rottweilers, and Great Danes have stronger bites than a Pit Bull.

The list goes on and on, proving how Pit Bulls are simply gentle giants. These dogs are widely misconceived and are genuinely great pets and family members.