American Pitbull Terrier

The American Pitbull Terrier is a dog breed 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 American Pitbull Terriers is controversial, due to a well publicized series of attacks by dogs considered to be of this breed over the last few decades. These attacks have led to the ownership of American Pitbull Terriers and "pit bulls" in general being restricted or banned in many parts of the world. Many owners of American Pitbull Terriers claim that well-bred American Pitbull Terriers 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. American Pitbull Terrier owners are also concerned that many of the dog attacks attributed to "pit bulls" are not perpetrated by actual registered American Pitbull Terriers, but merely by poorly bred dogs that "look like" American Pitbull Terriers.

American Pitbull Terrier and American Pitbull Terrier-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 of any breed acquired for such purposes often end up maltrained and in poor health.

The American Pitbull Terrier is not recognized by the American Kennel Club, unlike the closely related breeds the American Staffordshire Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier. It is, however, recognized by the United Kennel Club. The American Pitbull Terrier is also more favourably recognized by the American Pitbull Registry.

American Pitbull Terrier Appearance

The American Pitbull Terrier is the mid sized breed of the three generally referred to as pit bulls. 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 colour is accepted and dogs may either have patches or be solid. All eye colours 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 colours varying. Also, the AST and the American Pitbull Terrier 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 American Pitbull Terrier 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.” There are actually 20+ breeds that can easily be mistaken for a Pitbull.

American Pitbull Terrier Temperament

American Pitbull Terriers can be very sweet, curious, intelligent, and clownish. They are noted for their outgoing, affectionate, eager to please disposition and their fondness for people, and when raised with a firm but fair hand can make a wonderful family pet. American Pitbull Terriers 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.

American Pitbull Terriers 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 rough-housing as they were bred to have a high pain tolerance.

American Pitbull Terriers 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 American Pitbull Terriers that were previously sociable may develop dog aggression as they mature. A responsible American Pitbull Terrier 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.)

American Pitbull Terriers 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 American Pitbull Terriers 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 American Pitbull Terrier 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 American Pitbull Terrier 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 micro chipped 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 Pitbull 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.

American Pitbull Terrier 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 American Pitbull Terriers: 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 American Pitbull Terrier for their lines. Much confusion still remains in regards to the American Pitbull Terrier, the AST, and the SBT.

Once an extremely popular family dog in the United States, the American Pitbull Terrier's popularity began to decline in the United States following World War II in favour of other breeds. Though still overwhelmingly 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. They exploit its incredible willingness to please its master by teaching it to aggressively guard property against humans or leave it to roam the streets. However, this breed of dog does not have natural watch dog tendencies. If not trained to be wary or bark at intruders, they would sooner lick a burglar to death than bite or attack. They also may be kept for purposes of illegal gambling and dog fighting. Unfortunately, this breed is also often the most common target of dog abuse in urban areas. Outside of dog fighting and guarding property, the American Pitbull Terriers 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 die or find its way into animal control services, where it will most likely be destroyed. A large percentage of dogs euthanized in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles are pit bull type breeds.

In jurisdictions where breed-specific legislation threatens ownership of American Pitbull 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 Pitbull Terrier. It was also the first registry to recognize them.

Watch This Video On The American Pitbull Terrier