The Pit Bull 101 site does not promote nor condone dog fighting. Here is an attempt to present *real*, unsensationalized information on the sport of dog fighting, both its history, and current state, not just in this country but throughout the world. It is very important, for the sake of the American Pit Bull Terrier, that owners and non-owners alike have an understanding of where the breed came from. Understanding its history will help in the understanding of the breed itself--making for better owners and helping to elimnate fear and misunderstanding in the public.
Some History
Fights between animals have always been popular spectacles. The Romans, the Greeks, British, Spanish, as well as French have used dogs for fighting purposes, dating back hundreds or thousands of years. Gladiator dogs bred to participate in all manner of battles are as old as antiquity. So when the British people began selectively breeding the popular bulldog for use in dog-on-dog combat, they couldn't take credit for having been the first to pit animals against each other. The dogs that were used in these British fights became known as the American Pit Bull Terrier.
The bulldog was used for all manner of stock-related work, particularly as a hold or catch dog--used by the butcher to manage unruly bulls, and by the hunter for help in catching and holding wild boar and other game (Pit Bulls and Pit Bull mixes are used for this purpose even today). The sport of bullbaiting became popular in England, having arisen from the functional jobs the bulldog performed. The bulldog has been, at some point or another, matched against other animals as well, including horses, bear, lions, and even men. Baiting was extremely popular and nearly a national past time. At one point, there was even a law mandating that the flesh of a cow could only be sold if the animal had been baited prior to slaughter. But the baiting of animals was eventually outlawed due to the increasingly loud voices of opposition, and so the people turned towards the sport of dog fighting. It was easier to house and feed two dogs, rather than a dog and a bull or bear, or other large baiting animal. Also, the areas in which a dog fight could be held were considerably easier to come by and fights could be held in secret, if need be.
The bulldog, mixed with game hunting terriers, was selectively bred down to a smaller size to increase agility, and for traits needed in a fighting dog such as stamina and fighting ability. Dog aggression increased in the breed during this time for obvious reasons. The most important trait, however, in the fighting dog was gameness. This element was present in the bulldog before it became popular for use as a fighting dog, and the dog fighters carefully continued to select for this trait in their breeding stock. The goal was to refine the ultimate canine gladiator (the bulldog), and for all intents and purposes, the goal was accomplished.
Dog fights provided betting opportunities, entertainment, and also served as a means to establish and then preserve a specific type of dog--the Pit Bull. Through the fights, breeders could identify certain useful traits in a dog and then breed those dogs that manifested the traits. Besides gameness, a very stable, sound dog was extremely important. Aggression towards humans was not tolerated, for reasons we shall soon explore. Through this type of careful selection, the Pit Bull breed was born. (Please see, Pit Bull History for more information about the development of the breed.)
Dog fighting continued on through the 1800s, in to the 1900s and still continues on to this day, despite it's felony status in most of the 50 states.
A typical dog fight as conducted in the "early days" of the breed (and still conducted today by certain gamedog fanciers):
Dogs to be used in fights are carefully conditioned prior to a scheduled match. They are put on an intense training schedule, much the same way a human athlete will train prior to a boxing match. Running, swimming, treadmilling, etc. are means by which Pit Bulls are readied for a match. Dogs who are being conditioned for a fight are said to be in "keep". A keep is the term used to describe the protocol a dog fighter will use to best prepare his dog for a fight. Keeps vary from owner to owner, some are even guarded jealously, as a dog who has been conditioned well and fed excellently will have the upper hand in a fight. The dog and handler work very closely together during the keep, one reason why dogs who bit humans were routinely destroyed during the breeds creation (and still typically are)--it would be difficult to work this closely with a dog who was a danger to humans.
The actual match will find the handler just as close to his dog, actually in the pit with him at all times. Dogs are matched into other dogs who are similar in size/weight, and also well-conditioned. Dog fighters typically reject the proposition of pitting a Pit Bull against a poorly conditioned, ill or breed other than a Pit Bull. Many consider it very inhumane to match any breed but those who have been bred for the task. Two dogs along with their handlers and a referee are present in the pit during the fight, handlers touching and picking up their dogs now and again, while the dogs are in full combat. Again, please note that a dog who would snap or attack his handler would be terribly difficult to handle, so dogs who display this tendency are eliminated. The careful selection that was made during the breed's creation in regard to human aggression made for a very sound, stable, loving dog who, even at the height of battle, would not bite a human (unlike the majority of dog breeds who will, when in pain or highly stressed, bite even their owners).
Dogs and their handlers wait on opposite sides of the pit until the referee commands "release your dogs". Both dogs are allowed to go at each other, but there is very little noise--no crying, growling or barking. The dogs are all business, and because they don't fight out of fear or dominance, there are none of the threat displays commonly seen during fights between other breeds. The dogs are broken off of each other throughout the match and then re-released. Each time the dogs are re-released, they must cross over what is called a "scratch line" (a predetermined distance a dog must travel from his corner towards the center of the pit), in a certain amount of time, or else the opposing dog will be declared the victor. Fights last anywhere from a few minutes to over 2 hours.
Handlers routinely pick up game dogs that refuse to quit if they are being severely physically punished by their opponent. Dogs who lose because they refuse to fight or give up (i.e. the ones that don't display gameness) are many times destroyed, or simply eliminated from the gene pool through castration. Fights usually are not to the death, as fighters invest a lot of time and energy into their dogs, and do not wish to see their animals die after so much time has been spent. Afterwards, owners rush to aid their dogs and administer whatever medical care possible.
Fighting dogs fight because that is what they were bred to do. The "training" they receive is physical conditioning, aimed at building strength and stamina. The dogs know how to fight, are born knowing how to fight. The truth of the matter is that the desire to scrap with other animals is in the breed's genes, built up through selective breeding for the traits that allowed them to excel at tasks they were routinely used for.
