Welcome to The Pit Stop
The Pit Bull Resource Center

History
Bull Baiting
Dog Fighting
Arrival in America
United Kennel Club (UKC)
The American Kennel Club (AKC)

Breed Profile
Typical Health Problems
Personality
Care & Training
Reasons for Surrender
Shelter Life
Ideal Owner
Interaction with Children
Interaction with Other Dogs
Housetraining
Socialization
Other Information

Fact or Fiction
Myths & Truths

To start, pit bull is not a breed of dog, it's a term typically used to group 3 breeds of dog, the American Pit Bull Terrier (ABPT), American Staffordshire Terrier (AMSTAFF) and the Staffordshire Terrier (STAFFIE). Pit Bulls are known by many different names. Since the breed's conception, they have been known as: Bull and Terrier, Half-and-Half, Brindle Bull Dog, Pit Dog, Pitt Bull, Yankee Terrier, American Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, and Staffordshire Bull Terrier. These names illustrate the vast and colorful history that the Pit Bull breeds have.

All of the members of this breed trace their roots back to the early 19th Century. It was the cross between the Bulldog and the terrier that resulted in the Staffordshire Terrier, which was originally called the Bull-and-Terrier Dog, Half and Half, and also the Pit Dog or Pit Bullterrier. Later, it became known in England as the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and is the dog breed that ultimately started the American Staffordshire and American Pit Bull Terrier breeds.

HISTORY
In the early part of the 19th century, the Bulldog was bred in England for the purpose of bull baiting. Bull baiting is a sport in which a tethered bull, brought to market for slaughter, would be attacked by bulldogs. The supposed purpose of the bull baiting was to help tenderize the meet of the bull prior to slaughter. It was thought that the dog attacks would help to tenderize the meat. While there was no scientific proof that the bull baiting actually tenderized the meat, its purpose was most likely to profit those who trained dogs.

The bull baiting was cruel to both the dog and the bull. During these matches the dog would assault the bull, while trying to avoid the stomping hooves and slashing horns of the bull. The dog would attempt to grab on to a nose or ear, and hang on until the bull collapsed from exhaustion or lack of oxygen. Many dogs were crushed underneath the bull's hooves, disemboweled by slashing horns, and tossed through the air causing broken legs, backs, and skulls when they hit the ground. On the whole, both the dogs and the bulls suffered greatly. Every class of person from commoners to royalty enjoyed this sport until mass public outcry finally forced Parliament to take a stand and ban the practice of bull baiting in 1835.

Pit bulls are famous, in circles of knowledgeable dog people, for the love and loyalty they bestow on anyone who shows them a smidgen of kindness.
--Linda Wilson-Fuoco, journalist

With bull baiting banned, dog breeders turned their attention to dog fighting. These dogs were preferred because of their fierceness, courage, and tenacity. The dog breeders began with the Bull Dog, mixed in some terrier blood for gameness, and produced the Bull and Terrier, a dog that met all of their expectations. The Bull and Terrier was bred for aggression to other dogs, unrelenting bravery, a high pain threshold, a superior blood clotting ability to aid him when wounded, a willingness to fight to the end, and an unmatched affection for people. Dogfights were also very brutal on the dog as they sometimes were allowed to go until death.

Not only were the dogs bred to be aggressive towards other dogs, but they also had to be loyal to people. If a pit dog ever turned on, bit, or showed aggression to a human it was put down immediately. This led to the breeds overwhelming people friendly personality and truly kept the breed from being an outright danger to man.

The Pitt Bull arrived in America in 1870's, as all-around farm dogs and frontier guardians. They excelled in their service to mankind on the frontier and soon earned a reputation as one of the finest dogs a man could own. To increase the dog's usefulness in relation to his new frontier lifestyle, breeders of the Bull and Terrier began to selectively breed for a larger dog. The Bull and Terrier dog became adept at just about anything he was tasked with to include: herding, livestock protection, vermin removal, weight pulling, watchdog, and family companion. In all, things were good for this breed as it was loved and respected as a true family companion and faultless dog. Eventually, these dogs began to assume other names such as Pit Dog, the Pit Bull Terrier, the American Bull Terrier, and even the Yankee Terrier.

In 1898 the United Kennel Club (UKC) recognized the Bull and Terrier Dog as the American Pit Bull Terrier. The Pit Bull has also been seen in the advertisements of Buster Brown shoes, whose mascot Tige, an American Pit Bull Terrier, was put on every shoe to enhance it's image as a sturdy, dependable shoe. RCA used Nipper to illustrate the clarity of sound emulating from it's phonograph bye showing the pit bull being fooled into thinking he was actually hearing his master's voice and not a recording. The breed was also used to illustrate American neutrality without fear in 1914, the toughness of Levi jeans, and as a "defender of Old Glory". Then in 1917 came Sgt. Stubby who became a war hero for saving several soldiers lives and capturing a German spy while serving in the trenches of France with the 26th Yankee Division. About two decades later came a sturdy white pooch with a patch over one eye named Petey, who played alongside a lovable bunch of kids called 'The Little Rascals'.

In my opinion, Pit bulls are the least likely to be human aggressive. On the whole, you have to do a lot of work to make them aggressive to people.
--Sue Frisch, Dessin Animal Shelter manager

The American Kennel Club (AKC) did not recognize breeds called "pit bulls" until 1936, when it recognized the American Pit Bull Terrier under the alias Staffordshire Terrier. The name Staffordshire Terrier comes from the miners of Staffordshire, England, who had a hand in the development of the original English fighting breed. Originally, 50 Staffordshire Terriers were accepted into the AKC. One of the original dogs was none other than the famous Petey, from the Little Rascals. The name was changed in 1972 to the American Staffordshire Terrier to distinguish the breed from the Staffordshire Bull Terrier of England, the ancestor to the American dogs, which was recognized by the AKC in 1974. The British version of the dog is 14-16 inches tall at the shoulder and weighs up to 45 pounds. The American cousin is 18-19 inches at the shoulder and weighs up to 80 pounds. The UKC's American Pit Bull Terrier is preferred to range from 30-60 pounds with the females generally, but not necessarily, smaller than the males.

Since acceptance into the AKC, the American Staffordshire Terrier breed of dog has been bred separately from the UKC's American Pit Bull Terrier. This has resulted in two separate breeds. The AKC does not recognize the American Pit Bull terrier as a pure bred dog. The only bull terrier breeds recognized by the AKC are the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and the American Staffordshire Terrier. On the other hand, the UKC does recognize the AKC's American Staffordshire Terrier as an American Pit Bull Terrier and allows them to be registered with the UKC.

Today the American Staffordshire Terrier and American Pit Bull Terrier are wonderful family dogs, capable of anything their owner's demand of them. Neglect and bad training has been a cause for severe damage to the reputation of the breed and has resulted in the deaths and mutilations of many people. There is a growing movement around the world to improve the ownership of these dogs and to educate people as to the true value these creatures hold as companions to people.

The Bull Terrier breed has a long history as a dog of the common man, and it is from his basic stock that the AKC's American Staffordshire and Staffordshire Terriers, and the UKC's American Pit Bull Terrier developed.

The American Pit Bull Terrier pictured above is UKC Champion Pantara's Zeus. Zeus works for the American Canine Foundation promoting responsible dog ownership, he's been to over 100 schools, 6 state fairs, 17 public events, worked on a dogfighting task force and has been to the Washington State Capitol promoting responsible dog ownership.

BREED PROFILE
Average Life Span: 12-14 years

Typical Health Problems: Generally healthy, may be subject to Parvo, hip displaysia, hereditary cataracts and allergies.

Personality: Pit bulls tend to be very dependent on their humans and crave love and attention. On average, pit bulls tend to be very confident and outgoing dogs. However, their natural confidence can be eroded by severe abuse or long confinement with little human contact.

Care and training: This short-coated breed needs little grooming and suffers from few diseases. He is subject to hip dysplasia, cataracts, and some tumors. Training is a critical consideration for the American Pit Bull Terrier. This is a strong-minded dog that needs socialization as a pup to accept humans as the beings in charge and obedience training to keep him from setting out to control the household. Meek and mild potential owners should forget about this breed and choose another. The training relationship should not be one of master and slave, however. The dog should be shown what to do and made to do it without any yanking, smacking, jerking, or other punishment. Firm guidance will lead to respect and trust; physical penalties will lead to disrespect and distrust.

What are these dogs surrendered for typically? Owner turn-ins of pit bulls are usually due to dog aggression (which is often mistaken for human aggression by inexperienced owners).

Other reasons include:

• Destructive chewing, which is usually out of frustration and lack of exercise
• Too much energy/lack of time for dog and breed specific legislation against pit bulls in the area/moving to an area with breed specific legislation.
• Pit bulls also often are brought in as strays or confiscated from abusive owners, dog fighters, or criminals.

How do these dogs handle rescue or shelter life? Being an extremely people-oriented breed as well as one that tends to be dog aggressive, the typical pit bull is not happy in a kennel setting. This breed does, however, do well in a home fostering situation, as they tend to bond quickly with new people. How well they tolerate a rescue or shelter depends heavily on the amount of human attention, contact, and exercise they receive, as well as on the individual dog's temperament and past experiences.

What would be the ideal owner for this breed? The ideal owner of a pit bull is an extremely responsible person committed to the care, training and exercise of their dog. Such an owner should be knowledgeable about the breed (or at least willing to learn), very aware of the dog aggressive but people loving nature of the breed, and dedicated to protecting not only their dog, but also the breed as a whole from the continuing media hysteria generated by bad press and bad owners. The ideal owner of a pit bull would never allow their dog to roam the neighborhood, be off leash in a public place or around strange dogs, and would not leave their adult pit bull alone and unsupervised with another dog of any breed, since fights can start between unsupervised dogs, especially dogs of the same sex, and such fights can have serious consequences. This owner would spay/neuter, make sure their dog remains socialized with all types of people, contain their dog securely when not supervised by an adult, obedience train their dog, and insure that their dog is well exercised every day. This owner would NOT be looking for a guard dog, as pit bulls are typically very people friendly and not naturally inclined toward "man work." This owner would either have no other dogs or an altered dog of opposite sex, since many pit bulls are same sex aggressive and can be placed with a non-dominant dog of opposite sex.

For more information on owning a pit bull visit BAD RAP's "The Pros and Cons of Owning a Pit Bull" and "Top 15 Tips for Being a Responsible Dog Owner"

Pit bulls are especially good at pleasing people since they are strong and smart, they learn quickly and they are very adaptable.
-- Rob Mullin, dog trainer, owner, "K-9 Wizard & Co." Trumbell, Connecticut

Is this breed good with children in general? This breed tends to love all people, especially children. The only caution I would add is that, because they are very exuberant and energetic dogs, they can sometimes overwhelm very young children and accidentally bump them or knock them over, particularly when they are pups (under 2 years old).

When well socialized and properly raised, they're the perfect breed to tolerate the rough and tumble play that kids can dish out. Common sense dictates that children should be taught how to properly interact with dogs (of EVERY breed) and should never be left alone with a dog unsupervised.
Have you seen this wonderful site yet? Kids & Pits

Is this breed good with other dogs in general? The short answer is no. Developed for the purpose of fighting other dogs, most pit bulls are dog aggressive, at least to some degree. Some pit bulls will simply not tolerate any other dogs, regardless of sex. A few pit bulls will remain dog friendly their entire lives, but they are a minority. The majority of pit bulls are at least same sex aggressive and as adults will not do well with other dogs of the same sex or those that are "pushy" with them, although as pups they may get along fine (this can be very misleading to a novice pit bull owner). Pit bulls will commonly start developing signs of dog aggression between the ages of 8 months and 2 years, although it can develop at any age and can come on either gradually or quite suddenly. It is important to note that many pit bulls do not display the "typical" signs of dog aggression before a fight. They may not growl, bark, or posture at all, but simply alert and raise up on their toes. Owners of dog aggressive pit bulls learn to "read" their dogs and recognize the subtle signs indicating impending dog aggression. Training will not eliminate dog aggression in the pit bull but, when combined with responsibility and vigilance, training can bring these natural tendencies under control in on-leash situations. Where housemates are concerned, if one is a pit bull, extra care should be taken to prevent tension over food, desirable treats (like bones), and favored toys. These items are often "triggers" for spats or fights between dogs sharing the same house and owners should be very aware of them. This is also the reason that an adult pit bull should NOT be left alone with housemates or other dogs. Due to their fighting heritage, many pit bulls do not recognize signs of submission given by a dog they are fighting and, if they are unsupervised, the results can be disastrous. It should be noted that many breeds have dog aggressive tendencies, and leaving any such breed unsupervised with another dog, especially a dog of the same sex, can lead to a tragedy.

A well socialized, well managed pit bull should never have to get into a dogfight, because he's accustomed to the presence of other dogs and (IMPORTANT!) he has a smart and responsible owner. Pit bull owners should always stay alert and careful to avoid any triggers or situations that could invite the unhappy possibility of a scuffle.
Wise Words: For important info on how to manage more than one pit bull in your household, visit BAD RAP's Multi Pit Bulls: How to Avoid Trouble.

How easy is housetraining with this breed? There is much variation to the time housetraining will take, depending on the method used. Pit bulls, as a group, are intelligent dogs, soft to their owners and relatively easy to train as they are eager to please their owners. With all phases of training, praise is a key element when it comes to the pit bull. Positive methods will work best for training this breed.

She's loyal, affectionate and sensitive. If I ever get another dog, it'd have to be a pit, because I love their personalities.
-- Bernadette Peters, singer/actress, speaking about her pit bull, Stella, from "It's Jaws Not True!"

How easy is socialization with this breed? With humans, the pit bull is very easy to socialize but, since they tend to be very enthusiastic, they should be taught manners early on. A trained pit bull is often a "social butterfly," loving friends and strangers alike. As with most breeds, socialization with humans of all types should be part of the dog's training for life. Note: A pit bull that shows unprovoked human aggression, especially with children, is NOT typical of the breed and is showing very poor temperament. Such a dog should be thoroughly evaluated by a trainer or behaviorist experienced in the breed for a final determination of their temperament and recommendation on how to proceed.

Other relevant information: The pit bull is typically a people loving, intelligent and fun breed. Many excel at obedience training and dog sports such as agility, weight pull, frisbee, and flyball. Due to their affinity with people, this breed is a good candidate for rescue and adoption, but potential homes need to be carefully screened to insure that the new owners understand and accept the responsibility of owning a pit bull. Media hysteria and bad owners have greatly damaged this breed and every incident involving a pit bull makes it worse for the entire breed and their owners, often prompting breed specific legislation or breed bans. Potential owners need to be informed of the pit bull's correct temperament, and need to be prepared to deal with the issue of dog aggression. Most pit bulls have a high prey drive and may chase small animals or livestock. This is NOT a breed for everyone! The only way to repair the pit bull's bad reputation is to keep them in the hands of responsible owners.

We have not had a single serious problem with any of the pit bull adoptions. In fact, people tell us their pit bull is the best dog they've ever had. Some come back for a second one.
-- Marsha Biggar, "Adopt-A-Pet," Stamford, CT, from "Man's Best Friend"

FACT OR FICTION
Who's afraid of the Big Bad Pit Bulls? Well, LOTS of people no thanks in part to some very damaging myths, the deeds of unscrupulous breeders/owners and the hyped up media coverage that has been plaguing this breed for years. So many untruths and half-truths have been repeated so many times that the general public has begun to believe fairy tales instead of fact. Its enough to make a bullydog supporter want to SCREAM!

myth (mith) n. 1.an invented story, fictitious person, etc. 2.a belief or set of beliefs, often unproven or false, that have accrued around a person, phenomena or institution.

MYTH: Pit bulls bite more people than any other breed.
FACT: It is hard to pin down, as accurate records by breed are seldom kept. Those records available show what a myth this is. Farmers Branch, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, has kept accurate records since 1980. During a 7 year period from 1980 through 1987, this is what was recorded. Total bites: 1,593. Pit bulls, 30 bites, or 1.89% of the total. Other studies tend to show the same results and because of so many mongrels that have similar features to the American Pit Bull Terrier, it seems reasonable to assume that the figures are actually much lower.

MYTH:American Pit Bull Terriers are born mean.
FACT: In a letter to James Huffman of Columbus, Ohio, Alfons Estelt of the American Temperament Test Society, Inc., an international dog temperament test organization, wrote the following: "In 2002, The American Pit Bull Terriers participating in our temperament evaluation have thus far shown a passing rate of 95%. The other 121 breeds of dogs in our tests showed the average passing rate of 77%. While the heredity factor is of measurable importance, these results show that a dog, even if used for dogfighting, is not pre-disposed as such, but is brought by his environment."

MYTH: American Pit Bull Terriers have 1600 P.S.I. in jaw pressure.
FACT: Dr. I. Lehr Brisbin, PhD - Professor of Ecology at the University of Georgia and a scientist for the US Department of Energy Savannah River Ecology Labratory in the field of animal behavior, states, "To the best of our knowledge, there are no published scientific studies that would allow any meaningful comparison to be made of the biting power of various breeds of dogs. There are, moreover, compelling technical reasons why such data describing biting power in terms of "pounds per square inch" can never be collected in a meaningful way. All figures describing biting power in such terms can be traced to either unfounded rumor or, in some cases, to newspaper articles with no foundation in factual data." Need more be said?

MYTH: American Pit Bull Terriers lock their jaws to the death.
FACT: Again from Dr. Brisbin: "The few studies which have been conducted of the structure of the skulls, mandibles and teeth of pit bulls show that, in proportion to their size, their jaw structure and thus its inferred functional morphology, is no different than that of any breed of dog. There is absolutely no evidence for the existence of any kind of "locking mechanism" unique to the structure of the jaw and/or teeth of the American Pit Bull Terrier."

The old engraving shows a hunter using his pit bull type dog to take down a fox

MYTH: All American Pit Bull Terriers are bad and should be banned.
FACT: On July 17,1987 on ABC's "Good Morning America" program, Mr. Marc Paulhaus, S.E. regional director of the Humane Society of the United States stated: "Serious dog problems tend to be cyclical in nature."

MYTH: Pit Bulls are naturally aggressive towards humans.
FACT: While many Pit Bulls do tend to be aggressive towards other DOGS (as are most terriers), the normal, well raised Pit Bull has NO human-aggressive tendencies! In fact, human-aggression was actually bred out of the breed. The majority of Pit Bulls are affectionate, intelligent, trainable dogs. In fact, the highest obedience trial record of all time is held by an American Pit Bull Terrier named Maddy!

MYTH: Pit Bulls "turn" on people.
FACT: In fact, no breed of dog does. Dog aggression is nearly always preceded by some kind of warning, and there is always a reason behind the attack. However, many inexperienced owners do not recognize the dog's behavior as aggression, or refuse to acknowledge it as a warning sign. The only exception I can think of is Springer Rage, a rare and controversial neurological condition that manifests itself as a spontaneous attack, followed by confusion, and then a return to normal behavior. Pit Bulls are NOT prone to this condition. There are individual dogs of any breed that may be more aggressive to others.

MYTH: TREADMILLS are used to get dogs ready to fight.
FACT: Many responsible owners utilize treadmills to help get their dogs in tip top shape in places where extreme weather prevents outdoor exercise, or in situations where its impractical to exercise a pit bull off leash. Folks who show their bullies in conformation rings or work them in dog sports such as weight pull find this tool an invaluable way to better condition their K9 athlete. Because pit bulls are high energy animals with hardy, athletic builds, responsibly using a treadmill can help them be healthier happier dogs.
Visit the Colby Family's famous mills for more information.

"He's kind, generous, never showed one moment of aggression, even after all he has been through.
--Virginia Nicholson, who adopted an abused pit bull, from "Remember Petey and Nipper?"

MYTH: Forcing a pit bull to HANG from a tree branch makes him aggressive.
FACT: Tugging at a tree branch is FUN for a pit bull (but it's not good for his teeth!). Many bull breeds show an inbred desire to grasp and hold -- a leftover trait from the days when they worked on farms and used as 'Butcher's Dogs' to grab onto the noses of bulls (i.e. "Take the bull by the nose"). This natural work drive shows up today in an enthusiastic desire to play Tug-o-War and to grab onto hanging objects like tree branches, ropes, etc. Many responsible pit bull owners provide safely designed 'Spring Poles' for their dog's enjoyment and to allow them to burn off steam while excercising this natural ability. The result is a calmer happier, better exercised dog.
Visit Diane Jessup's site on how to build a 'Spring Pole' for your bully.