Breed Information - Introduction and basic breed overview
Breed Information I: Introduction and Basic Breed Overview
Introduction
- PBRC is against the cruel “sport” of dog fighting, past and present. There is NO justifiable reason to throw two dogs in a pit and watch them tear each other apart.
- PBRC does not support any form of breed specific legislation (BSL), which targets specific breed(s) for restrictions or bans. See PBRC’s position statement on BSL for more information.
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It’s our job to help them fulfill that potential. Adopting a pit bull, loving it, and training it as a breed ambassador are the most important things any of us can do to combat people who still want to use these dogs for their own cruel purposes.
PBRC hopes this article will help people understand why so many of us are deeply dedicated to these wonderful dogs. Pit bull dogs need more help, compassion, and understanding than many other breeds, but they will pay you back with more love, loyalty and fun than you ever thought possible. We will discuss the traits common to pit bulls, from their great love for people to their potential for dog aggression and what that means. You will learn that pit bulls make wonderful and loyal family companions. Like all dogs, they require intelligent, responsible and dedicated ownership. |
This is not to suggest that pit bulls are “different” or “unique” in a way that makes them dangerous. Each breed, by definition, has its own traits, and pit bulls were not the only ones historically bred to fight other animals. No matter what kind of dog you have, understanding its breed is the first step toward being a good dog owner. By nature, pit bulls are intelligent, fun loving, and affectionate.
*”Pit bull” is NOT a breed. It's a generic term often used to describe all dogs with similar traits and characteristics known to the public as "pit bulls." When we use the term “pit bull” here, it should be understood to encompass American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, and Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and mixes of those breeds.
Remember: In most cases, we usually know little about the background of rescue dogs. Since there is no way to know for sure, we recommend following the advice offered by PBRC for any pit bull-type dog. Most of our guidelines are simply basic rules of dog ownership.
See PBRC FAQ for more information.
Remember: In most cases, we usually know little about the background of rescue dogs. Since there is no way to know for sure, we recommend following the advice offered by PBRC for any pit bull-type dog. Most of our guidelines are simply basic rules of dog ownership.
See PBRC FAQ for more information.
Basic Breed Overview
Pit bulls are wonderful, loving animals that deserve the chance to have a good life.
Pit bulls have physical and mental characteristics that make them excellent partners for responsible, active and caring owners. These same outstanding qualities can, however, be challenging for people who don't have a lot of experience with dog ownership or have limited understanding of the breed. Luckily, pit bulls are intelligent, very responsive to training, and, above all, eager to please. Therefore, pit bulls should be enrolled in obedience classes as soon as they are up-to-date on their shots. (Pit bulls are susceptible to parvovirus, so it is important that they receive all their vaccinations before coming into contact with other dogs or entering areas of high canine traffic.) A well-behaved pit bull is the best way to fight breed prejudice and misconceptions.
Pit bulls can do well in an urban environment, provided they have enough exercise and other positive outlets for their energy. Many pit bulls are easygoing couch potatoes, but like all terriers, they can also be somewhat rambunctious until they mature. Maturity can come relatively late with this breed (two to three years old in some cases). Pit bulls remain playful throughout their lives and have a great sense of humor. True clowns at heart, these dogs will make you laugh like no other.
Pit bulls are wonderful, loving animals that deserve the chance to have a good life.
Pit bulls have physical and mental characteristics that make them excellent partners for responsible, active and caring owners. These same outstanding qualities can, however, be challenging for people who don't have a lot of experience with dog ownership or have limited understanding of the breed. Luckily, pit bulls are intelligent, very responsive to training, and, above all, eager to please. Therefore, pit bulls should be enrolled in obedience classes as soon as they are up-to-date on their shots. (Pit bulls are susceptible to parvovirus, so it is important that they receive all their vaccinations before coming into contact with other dogs or entering areas of high canine traffic.) A well-behaved pit bull is the best way to fight breed prejudice and misconceptions.
Pit bulls can do well in an urban environment, provided they have enough exercise and other positive outlets for their energy. Many pit bulls are easygoing couch potatoes, but like all terriers, they can also be somewhat rambunctious until they mature. Maturity can come relatively late with this breed (two to three years old in some cases). Pit bulls remain playful throughout their lives and have a great sense of humor. True clowns at heart, these dogs will make you laugh like no other.
Pit bulls are energetic, agile, and strong. They are also very resourceful and driven. Determination is one of their most notable traits: They put their heart and soul into whatever they set out to do, whether it is escaping an inadequately fenced yard to explore the neighborhood, destroying your new couch if left home alone without a proper outlet to combat boredom, or climbing into your lap to shower you with kisses!
There is no one breed that is right for every household. Dogs should be adopted because they are a good fit for your lifestyle, not chosen solely based on appearance. Although people seeking a dog to compensate for their own insecurities or for use in illegal activities seem to be drawn to pit bulls these days, this should not be considered a reflection upon the dogs, as anyone with such motives shouldn't have a dog of any breed.
There is no one breed that is right for every household. Dogs should be adopted because they are a good fit for your lifestyle, not chosen solely based on appearance. Although people seeking a dog to compensate for their own insecurities or for use in illegal activities seem to be drawn to pit bulls these days, this should not be considered a reflection upon the dogs, as anyone with such motives shouldn't have a dog of any breed.
Breed info ii: all american dog
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Humans have created dog breeds by emphasizing desirable traits and eliminating unwanted ones. It is no different with pit bulls. In the same way that Labradors were bred to retrieve birds, pit bulls were originally bred for dog fighting and bull and bear baiting.
This does not, however, mean that fighting is the sole purpose of these breeds or that this component of the breeds’ history somehow makes them abnormal or negates their positive traits and well-known gentleness toward humans. For example, Greyhounds and Whippets were (and still are) bred for “coursing,” chasing and killing small prey like rabbits and squirrels. |
Like pit bulls, these dogs still make excellent family pets. While some pit bulls may carry the potential for dog aggression, the vast majority of pit bulls are very far from the “fighting lines” of their ancestors, and may not be dog aggressive at all. It’s not accurate to say that pit bulls are “fighting dogs,” because such a designation fails to describe such a diverse animal population, most of which are very far from “fighting stock” and will never be involved in fighting of any kind.
From their inception, these dogs have been bred for general human companionship, and since the 1900s, they have been bred for conformation showing as well. From the very beginning, pit bulls have been used as farm dogs, family dogs, military mascots, and all-purpose companions. In England, the Staffie Bull is affectionately known as “The Nanny Dog” or “The Children’s Nursemaid” because of their placid and nurturing demeanor toward children. (Regardless of how gentle your pit bull is with kids, dogs of any breed should never be left alone unsupervised with children.)
Throughout their history in America, pit bull dogs have been valued as beloved members of the family. Their negative media image developed only recently. (Some suggest that an absurdly sensationalistic Sports Illustrated cover started the hysteria in 1987.) In fact, pit bulls have fulfilled important roles throughout the last 160-plus years of American history. In the nineteenth century, pit bulls were family pets of settlers crossing the United States. They were trusted to watch the children while the adults worked in the fields. As the years passed, pit bulls achieved a position of reverence among Americans, and they appeared in advertising campaigns such as Buster Brown and Pup Brand. A classic children’s television show, The Little Rascals, featured Petey the Pit Bull. Pit bulls have even graced the cover of Life magazine three times.
From their inception, these dogs have been bred for general human companionship, and since the 1900s, they have been bred for conformation showing as well. From the very beginning, pit bulls have been used as farm dogs, family dogs, military mascots, and all-purpose companions. In England, the Staffie Bull is affectionately known as “The Nanny Dog” or “The Children’s Nursemaid” because of their placid and nurturing demeanor toward children. (Regardless of how gentle your pit bull is with kids, dogs of any breed should never be left alone unsupervised with children.)
Throughout their history in America, pit bull dogs have been valued as beloved members of the family. Their negative media image developed only recently. (Some suggest that an absurdly sensationalistic Sports Illustrated cover started the hysteria in 1987.) In fact, pit bulls have fulfilled important roles throughout the last 160-plus years of American history. In the nineteenth century, pit bulls were family pets of settlers crossing the United States. They were trusted to watch the children while the adults worked in the fields. As the years passed, pit bulls achieved a position of reverence among Americans, and they appeared in advertising campaigns such as Buster Brown and Pup Brand. A classic children’s television show, The Little Rascals, featured Petey the Pit Bull. Pit bulls have even graced the cover of Life magazine three times.
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In 1903, Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson hit the road with co-driver Sewall K. Crocker and a pit bull named Bud, who wore goggles, just like his master, to keep the dust from his eyes. Together, the three made the very first road trip across the US. Bud drew almost as much public attention as his fellow travelers. While it is unclear as to why Jackson and Crocker picked up Bud about halfway through their trip, one story suggests that Jackson rescued him from dogfighters.
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In the early twentieth century, pit bulls were so respected for their loyalty, determination and bravery that they were chosen to represent America in WWI posters. The first decorated canine war hero was a pit bull named Sergeant Stubby. He was, until his death, a guest of every White House administration.
Many highly respected historical figures have owned pit bulls: President Woodrow Wilson, President Theodore Roosevelt, Helen Keller, Fred Astaire, Humphrey Bogart, and Thomas Edison, to name a few.
Today, pit bulls are respected and dearly loved by those who know them for what they truly are and not the monsters the media has created.
Many highly respected historical figures have owned pit bulls: President Woodrow Wilson, President Theodore Roosevelt, Helen Keller, Fred Astaire, Humphrey Bogart, and Thomas Edison, to name a few.
Today, pit bulls are respected and dearly loved by those who know them for what they truly are and not the monsters the media has created.
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Pit bulls still loyally serve society in many roles:
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breed info III: Pit Bulls and people
Perhaps the most important characteristic of pit bulls is their amazing love of people. Many people are surprised by the loving personality of these dogs the first time they meet one. Pit bulls are remarkably affectionate and truly enjoy human attention. They are wonderful cuddlers and love nothing more than a belly rub. In fact, most pit bulls think they are lap dogs!
As Dunbar (1999) writes, "Today, a properly bred pit bull is so exuberantly happy upon meeting her owner's friends (or even friendly strangers) that new owners sometimes worry that their dog is too sweet and fun-loving to protect their home and family... A multi-talented companion, the well-trained pit bull is suited for a variety of exciting activities. He excels at obedience, agility and weight-pulling competitions, events that showcase intelligence, trainability, and strength. In addition, the pit bull's pleasant nature makes him an ideal candidate for therapy work with people."
As Dunbar (1999) writes, "Today, a properly bred pit bull is so exuberantly happy upon meeting her owner's friends (or even friendly strangers) that new owners sometimes worry that their dog is too sweet and fun-loving to protect their home and family... A multi-talented companion, the well-trained pit bull is suited for a variety of exciting activities. He excels at obedience, agility and weight-pulling competitions, events that showcase intelligence, trainability, and strength. In addition, the pit bull's pleasant nature makes him an ideal candidate for therapy work with people."
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”Traits like human aggression, severe shyness and instability are not typically found in the breed, nor are they acceptable. Dogs with these traits are not good representatives of the breed and PBRC does not recommend that they are placed into adoptive homes.
Those who wish to label these breeds as “dangerous” are often quick to insist that the dogfighting aspect of their history somehow means that they are inclined to “fight” humans. This is simply wrong. A central fact of pit bulls’ history is that their lineage actually makes them less inclined to be aggressive toward humans. For over 160 years, they have been systematically bred away from human aggressiveness. |
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As Malcolm Gladwell (author of The Tipping Point, Blink and Outliers) explains in an article published in The New Yorker in 2006: “Pit bulls were not bred to fight humans. On the contrary: a dog that went after spectators, or its handler, or the trainer, or any of the other people involved in making a dogfighting dog a good dogfighter was usually put down.
("The rule in the pit-bull world was ‘Man-eaters die.")
("The rule in the pit-bull world was ‘Man-eaters die.")
So while human aggressive pit bulls were actively culled from bloodlines, traits such as gentleness, temperamental stability, and the desire to be handled by humans were emphasized. These qualities are the foundation of the “pit bull” breeds. It explains why footage of pit bulls being rescued from horrific circumstances usually features skinny, scarred-up dogs with wagging tails and happy tongues joyfully greeting law enforcement officers. “A pit bull is dangerous to people,” Gladwell concludes, “not to the extent that it expresses its essential pit bullness but to the extent that it deviates from it.”
What is “essential pit bullness?” It’s difficult to express the personality of any breed in words, but for pit bulls it comes down to a certain joie-de-vivre and a magnetic attraction to humans. First, pit bulls have a constant desire to be close to humans, even if that means lying by your feet as you use the computer; they are not overly independent dogs and want nothing more than to be active members of your “family.” Second, pit bulls are outgoing, eager to meet new people, and generally trusting of strangers. Finally, this innate desire for human contact and outgoing nature adds up to the ultimate “people dog” -- pit bulls are truly in their element when snuggling on the couch, hopping in the bed on a cold morning, getting rubbed on the belly or scratched behind the ears, showing off a trick, going for a car ride with their family, or playing a fun game.
What is “essential pit bullness?” It’s difficult to express the personality of any breed in words, but for pit bulls it comes down to a certain joie-de-vivre and a magnetic attraction to humans. First, pit bulls have a constant desire to be close to humans, even if that means lying by your feet as you use the computer; they are not overly independent dogs and want nothing more than to be active members of your “family.” Second, pit bulls are outgoing, eager to meet new people, and generally trusting of strangers. Finally, this innate desire for human contact and outgoing nature adds up to the ultimate “people dog” -- pit bulls are truly in their element when snuggling on the couch, hopping in the bed on a cold morning, getting rubbed on the belly or scratched behind the ears, showing off a trick, going for a car ride with their family, or playing a fun game.
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Contrary to myths propagated by the media, human aggression occurs in all dog breeds. Canines can exhibit many kinds of aggression: human-, dog-, territory-, and food-aggression, to name a few. These are independent behaviors. For example, feral dogs can be good with other dogs but highly aggressive toward humans. By the same token, a dog with dog aggression isn't by default also human aggressive.
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Pit bulls test well above average in temperament evaluations. To date, every shred of empirical evidence we have suggests that pit bulls are the same as, if not better than, other breeds when it comes to human interaction.
Each year, the American Temperament Testing Society holds evaluations across the country for dog breeds and gives a passing score for the entire breed based on the percentage of passed over failed within the total number of the particular breed tested. As of 2011, pit bull breeds achieved a combined passing score of 86.7 percent. To put these figures into context, the combined passing rate of all breeds was 83 percent. The Collie, an icon of obedience, passed at a rate of 79.9 percent, and the beloved Golden Retriever scored at 84.9 percent. As you can see, by these measures, the pit bull breeds make fabulous family pets!
Each year, the American Temperament Testing Society holds evaluations across the country for dog breeds and gives a passing score for the entire breed based on the percentage of passed over failed within the total number of the particular breed tested. As of 2011, pit bull breeds achieved a combined passing score of 86.7 percent. To put these figures into context, the combined passing rate of all breeds was 83 percent. The Collie, an icon of obedience, passed at a rate of 79.9 percent, and the beloved Golden Retriever scored at 84.9 percent. As you can see, by these measures, the pit bull breeds make fabulous family pets!
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Pit bulls are wonderful, loving, and very loyal companions; however, it is important to understand the breeds’ nature, to provide a structured environment, and to establish a positive leadership role. In order to do so, pit bull owners must understand the original purpose of the breed, respect its limits, and help it fulfill its tremendous potential. This is sound advice for dog owners of any breed.
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Pit Bulls and other dogs
Never trust a dog not to fight. Dogs of any breed can exhibit intolerance toward other dogs.
Dogs may fight over hierarchic status, food, toys, or rawhides. External stimulus or excitement can also trigger a fight. Remember that any canine can fight, regardless of breed. If you frequent a dog park, you’ve surely seen a fight occur among a pack of dogs for reasons not discernible to humans. Owners should separate their dogs if they cannot closely supervise them.
Dogs may fight over hierarchic status, food, toys, or rawhides. External stimulus or excitement can also trigger a fight. Remember that any canine can fight, regardless of breed. If you frequent a dog park, you’ve surely seen a fight occur among a pack of dogs for reasons not discernible to humans. Owners should separate their dogs if they cannot closely supervise them.
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Dog aggression (that is, aggression shown by dogs towards other dogs) is a complicated matter. Like most things in life, it is not a black-and-white issue. We should not think of dog aggression as a binary (dog aggressive/not dog aggressive) but as a spectrum: dogs can exhibit zero dog aggression, dog aggression only in some situations, a high level of dog aggression, or dog aggression that falls somewhere in between these points.
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The graphic below provides a helpful visualization of this concept:
Given their historical circumstances, pit bulls can be less tolerant of dogs than other breeds. Pit bull owners must understand that their dogs may not get along with all other dogs. There are several levels of dog tolerance. Many dogs are great with other dogs and enjoy the company of fellow canines. Some dogs do well only with dogs of the opposite sex. Some are fine with dogs they were raised with but intolerant of new dogs. Some dogs are tolerant of other dogs except for in limited circumstances, such as when greeting a new person. Others cannot accept any other dogs. All of this should suggest that dogs are individuals and should be treated as such.
Owners need to understand their particular dog’s acceptance level of other dogs and manage their dog appropriately when around other animals.
A dog's tolerance level can change during its lifetime, and owners need to be aware of these changes so they can properly manage their dogs while in the company of other dogs.
Owners need to understand their particular dog’s acceptance level of other dogs and manage their dog appropriately when around other animals.
A dog's tolerance level can change during its lifetime, and owners need to be aware of these changes so they can properly manage their dogs while in the company of other dogs.
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Some dogs become less tolerant as they mature from puppyhood to adult, while others become more accepting as they mature into the senior years. Some can become more tolerant with socialization and training.
Regardless of breed, there are many dogs that do not like other dogs, and all dog owners need to be responsible. This means following the basic rules of dog ownership: keeping your dog on a leash at all times, not letting your charge unfamiliar dogs, and supervising your valued companion at all times (i.e. not leaving your dog in the backyard without supervision). |
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For pit bull owners, the stakes are always higher. While pit bulls may not instigate a fight, they often won’t back down from a challenge. Inevitably, no matter who “started it,” no matter what the circumstances, the pit bull will always be blamed. Each incident in which a pit bull gets blamed jeopardizes our right to own these great dogs. Keep your dog out of trouble!
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Pit bull owners must show common sense by ensuring that they don't set their dogs up to fail by putting them in inappropriate situations. It is every dog owner’s responsibility to ensure that they are managing their dog’s needs and looking out for their dog’s safety at all times.
Please remember that, as we note throughout the site, animal aggression and human aggression are two entirely distinct behaviors and should never be confused. Pit bulls are, by nature, very good with people. They are, in fact, one of the most loving, loyal, friendly, and dedicated companions one can have. |