Pitbull (American Pit bull Terrier) (APBT) was produced as a result of breeding Old English Bulldogs and Old English Terriers which came from Ireland and England. The British and Irish used Pitbulls in dog fighting and blood sports such as bull-baiting or bear baiting.
Dog lovers bred the Pit Bull to be a hunter, then a catch dog, and finally a fighter. The English and Irish pitted bears and bulls in bloody competitions against dogs. They placed bets on such cruel competitions. Eventually, society outlawed bull-baiting and bear-baiting out of concern for animal cruelty. New laws forced fans to go underground. Since bulls and bears are large animals and were hard to conceal, gamblers began to pit dogs against each other.
Dog fights are now illegal in USA, UK, EU and most other developed nations.
At K9 Research Lab, we adore the Pitbull and on this page, you will find in-depth information on this wonderful dog breed.
Pitbull dog
Buying or adopting a Pitbull puppy is a big decision which will change your life for years to come. You will certainly research this breed thoroughly and read about Pitbull facts, myths and other lists before buying or adopting a dog. Before forming opinions, it is important to note that each dog has a unique personality.
Dogs of a certain pedigree do possess a predictable temperament. However, this is a breed which is rather shaped not born! Therefore, do not jump to conclusions about how your future dog will behave based on generalized information about this breed. You will be shaping your dog and only you will be responsible for your Pitbull’s temperament.
Pit bull in dog fights
Any dog can fight, but Pit bull breeders bred the Pit Bull for drive, intensity and the determination to win. A Pit Bull may not start a fight, but has the genetics to finish it.
Often, society blames the Pit Bull for the fight, no matter who started it.
It is difficult, if not impossible to love or train the fighting gene out of a dog. Even dogs not bred from recent fighting lines can have the urge to fight arise at any time. By nature, Pit Bulls are very good with people.
Do not be confused between dog aggression and people aggression. Unless you buy or adopt a very poorly bred and raised Pit Bull, it should not attack people. In the ring, a well-raised dog has to obey its master and back off on command.
Responsible Pitbull Ownership
The APBT connects emotionally with his owner. This breed observes every activity carefully. They have the ability to mold themselves to best suit their owner’s lifestyles. An aggressive owner’s dog will become aggressive and a cowardly owner’s dog will almost always be nervous and scared. It is important to be a good example and a responsible owner to raise the perfect Pitbull dog.
Pitbull Temperament
APBT dog breed is a sturdy companion with a strong will. It is a breed that is loyal to friends and family. With guidance from its handlers, they are obedient and show a high desire to please. However, when left without direction they can become stubborn and may become aggressive.
American Pitbulls account for a majority of fatalities in the US among all dog breeds. The breed with the next-highest fatalities is the Rottweiler. However, a well bred and brought up APBT should possess a stable and dependable temperament.
They love to please their masters and their family. The APBT is more touching and emotional towards his people as compared to other breeds of dog.
Pitbulls are a favorite amongst dog lovers as guard dogs for their courage and strength. These dogs are sporty, lively and need daily exercise or walk to maintain their fitness. A well raised APBT does not attack humans without any reason but can sometimes turn out to be violent towards other dogs and animals.
American Pit bull Terrier
General Appearance: Strong jaws, broad skull, and a lean body. Pitbulls can have any color. Males have a height of 18 to 19 inches, females are 17 to 18 inches. Weight ranges from 16-27 kg / 35-60 lbs (for male) and 14-23 kg / 30-50 lbs (for female).
Red Nose Pit Bull
Red Nose Pit Bull is a popular trend. Historically called Old Family Reds, the Red Nose was developed in Ireland. A true Red Nose Pitbull will have a red coat, copper red nose, red lips, red toenails, and red or amber eyes. These traits are recessive. The only coloring of a Pit Bull found less often is a white Pitbull. To attain the Reds, dogs were recessively bred. Reds are known for their gameness and therefore are popular in the rings.
Red Nose Pit Bull puppies
White Pit Bull Terrier
White Pitbull puppies
Exercise and Obedience: This breed requires early obedience training. This breed generally has a lot of energy and a high prey drive. They need exercise and stimulation in order to channel their energy properly. Every Pitbull owner should have a firm, even hand.
Sturdy, energetic, and tolerant, they are ideal playmates. That said, the owner should not let the dog play unsupervised with children. After dogs reach sexual maturity, they may begin to test the possibility of becoming the pack-leader. The owner should regularly crate or kennel dogs before this age (about 18 months).
The Pit Bull at home
Believe it or not, the Pit Bull makes an excellent house dog. It’s medium size, and coat which sheds very little, make it desirable to keep. The Pit Bull is intelligent and eager to please, and therefore, is responsive to training. Owners must use common sense and make sure not to set their dog up for failure by putting them in the wrong situations. By taking precautions, such as never leaving a Pit Bull unattended with another dog, a Pit Bull and other dogs can peacefully coexist. The owner must commit to taking these, and other, precautionary measures to help keep the peace.
Pitbull Puppies
Don’t allow children to pull on a dog’s ears or tail. Teach them never to approach any dog while he’s sleeping or eating or to try to take the dog’s food away.
IMPORTANT: If you have a Pitbull or are planning to get one, you must be a responsible owner with a firm hand. You must learn about your bully’s body language and the signs that he is getting ready to fight. This will prevent many untoward incidents.
Some dogs have a tendency to be aggressive with other dogs due to their fighting heritage. Breaking up pitbull fights and pitbull attacks on humans or other animals can be very difficult. Socializing and training young dogs can minimize or even overcome such aggression. Many specimens are dog and cat-friendly. However, just to be safe, the owner needs to supervise all activities with unfamiliar pets, children, and strangers.
Why is the Pitbull banned?
Some states/countries consider certain dog breeds to be potentially dangerous to people, children, and pets. Added to this, size and strength, which can present a serious risk to people if they do attack. Also, some Pit Bull breeders breed dogs for illegal dog fights – a practice that definitively makes dogs aggressive.
Pitbull vs American Staffordshire Terrier comparison: The Amstaff is larger, heavier, stronger and generally more muscular looking than the pitbull. The pitbull excels at agility compared to the American Staffordshire Terrier. Both have a high tolerance for pain and are extremely protective of their family and property.
The Pit Bull has proven itself to be an excellent companion for anyone willing to learn about the breed. Unfortunately for these loving and lovable dogs, there are many who view them as a hazard and a threat to the community. The threat comes from the humans who are irresponsibly breeding and fighting these dogs. Viewing them as nothing more than a commodity does the breed a great disservice. The community needs to look beyond the reputation, past the bad press, and into the heart of a Pit Bull, and remain objective. Perhaps the bad press needs to be redirected to the people who are giving the dogs a bad name.
Links: Pitbull clubs USA; PBRC-Rescue
I and my wife (both 24, just married 2 weeks ago) adopted a 60 pound, 1-year-old pitbull back in January of this year, Charlotte. Through quarantine I was unemployed and my wife started the last year of her graduate program in August so we’ve gotten to spend plenty of time with her. I’ve since started a new job where I get to work from home every other week and with my wife being close to campus, we both get to spend a good bit of time with Charlotte. She has been an absolute delight since we got her and my wife has completely fallen in love with her as have I. Originally she was a birthday present to my wife but she is definitely our dog and she’s our first pet together as a couple. Her favorite person is the one she has never met and she loves to chase small animals. When around other dogs, she likes playing but it’s because she likes to dominate and is relentless in trying again if she is beaten. She’s never really been around smaller dogs because she is so strong and she thinks she’s smaller than she is.
When we travel we take Charlotte back to my parents’ house about two hours away and she gets to run around in their backyard and play with my parents’ dog. For Thanksgiving this year, we visited my mom’s family and had a friend watch Charlotte and my parent’s dog until we could get back. My dad went home Thanksgiving night while I and my wife planned on staying with my cousins until Saturday.
On Friday I get a call and Charlotte has dug her way through to the neighbor’s yard twice and both times my dad has secured the fence so she couldn’t get back under. She has gotten over the third time and attacked and almost killed our neighbor’s kid’s puppy. All of the info we are getting is sporadic and second hand but essentially Charlotte took the puppy underneath their porch and fought my dad tooth and nail, even biting him on the hand, before they were able to pry the puppy loose. Charlotte is still growling, snarling, and showing her bloody teeth as the neighbor has taken the puppy to the vet and his sister was out in the yard cussing at my dad and telling him that she’s calling the police and she wants Charlotte put down that day. My dad finally gets Charlotte to calm down and takes her back home where she flops on the ground and just sleeps until he bathes her. She is completely submissive and back to her sweet self. She even puts herself in her crate and doesn’t leave until morning, punishing herself.
The puppy ends up surviving and as my parents and their neighbors have had a good relationship for the past 20+ years, my dad pays the medical bills. The neighbor’s sister comes over and apologizes for her behavior and the neighbor says there is no ill will between the families but his wife (who wasn’t around at the time) wants Charlotte euthanized. As the situation had calmed down over the span of a few hours, I and Amber decide to stay with my cousins for the night after balling our eyes out and going through all the possible upcoming scenarios. At the time, based on the info we had received we believed the situation was a lot less severe than it was (I believe my dad left out important info since he had it under control at that point and wanted us to still enjoy time with family).
We get home and find out all of the neighbor’s family has stated they want Charlotte euthanized despite us living 2 hours away from them. We get Charlotte and get home when I call my dad and get him to recount the story. From his story (which he came out to the sound of yelping and barking) Charlotte had one intention and that was to kill the puppy. My dad loves Charlotte and would never come out and say he thinks she should be euthanized but he said if it was our family dog that died a few years ago, (who he adored) he wouldn’t think twice about the decision. My dad has never been one to get scared in stressful situations but this one had him rattled, he was the only one face to face with Charlotte under the porch and he was worried she might try and kill him because he wanted the puppy away from her. My mom has even said that in 33 years of marriage she has never seen him this shaken up about a single event.
We cried all night last night because it seems like everybody wants her euthanized but she has been nothing but good except for this one incident and it was so far out of the left field.
This dog was my wife’s birthday present and she is the center of her world. My wife feels like everybody else has given up on Charlotte and she keeps coming up with reasons why they’re wrong and wants euthanasia to be the absolute last option but understands it has to be an option. We were on the same page until I talked to my mom late yesterday when she told me just how in danger my dad felt and how shaken up he was. I’m not scared of Charlotte in our home but if anything causes the switch to flip for her, I would be terrified of this dog, she could kill, easily. I don’t want her gone and I end up teary-eyed if not crying every time I think about it but I truly think this is the best option based on all of the info we have.
My wife wants to get a behavior assessment test from a local dog trainer to see if they believe the dog is dangerous or aggressive and we agreed that if they believe she is either one, we’ll put her down. Otherwise, if they believe the behavior can be fixed then she wants to go through with training and keep her and if we can’t afford it (we are a one-income family right now and we both have student loans) we will try and re-home her with a family that can take care of the training. I originally agreed to this yesterday morning but after the phone call with my mom, I changed my mind. I believe Charlotte needs to be put down and it is crushing me to write that. This is our dog. This our kid. But that side of her… My dad has never let me or my brothers know if he was scared. Ever. But every time he talks about it that’s how he starts and ends the conversation, he was terrified of Charlotte. At the moment he truly believed she might kill him.
I told my wife about the last conversation I had with my mom and she got angry because my mom is extremely hands-on, loving, and very kind, but very hands-on and she believes Charlotte should be put down as well because of how my dad has talked about it. My wife feels like everybody has already made the decision and is pressuring us to change our minds and it’s not their place and that they’ve given up on Charlotte, her dog. She is taking a lot of stock into the fact that there were five people yelling at Charlotte in the moment and the sister was even hitting her trying to get the puppy loose. She is also giving a lot of credit to Charlotte for calming down and letting my dad grab her and take her back. She thinks with training and keeping a sharp eye on her, we can prevent it from happening again.
My wife loves it hard and she loves this dog. I think I’m the only thing she loves more than dogs in general and this is her dog. She’s also steadfast in her beliefs, especially if she feels like she’s backed into a corner, and right now she feels like it’s us against the world and the world is slowly trying to bring me to their side. Two nights ago I told her I didn’t think she’d forgive me if I made the call to put her down. She told me she could forgive me but that she would never forgive herself because she felt like she didn’t do enough to protect Charlotte. We talked again in bed last night where she just cried her eyes out again. This wanting to save her doesn’t come from a place of ignorance but love a deep, deep love.
Pitbull and family chilling out
Hey, I’m trying to find out information about my blue pit.