What is a Pit Bull?

Well, most of you are in for a big surprise.

That is because there is no such breed!! Confused. You are not alone.

Now, most of you reading this will be under the misapprehension that pit bulls are a specific breed. No, it is not!

So where does this dog come from, and how has it evolved?

Well, for starters, it’s definitely NOT a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and it is definitely NOT an English Bull Terrier. It is NOT an American bulldog and is NOT an English bulldog. These are four recognised breeds recognised by all kennel clubs and associated societies worldwide.

Unfortunately, these four breeds have been used along with others to create canines with a distinctive appearance, now known as Pit Bulls and XL Bullies. Just to create more confusion, we now have what are referred to as “Pit Bull Types.”

So, to sum up, we have Pit Bulls and XL Bullys, neither of which exist as any recognised breed, and neither have any sort of standard. Also, now we have Pit Bull types, which resemble a breed of dog that isn’t even recognised!!

Quite frankly, confusion reigns, and it would be a good idea if some sanity was introduced to the subject. So here goes!!

Who first bred Pit Bulls?

Ok, let’s start at the beginning. This all began with the British in the early 1800’s

The Bull and Terrier was a dog bred for one purpose, which was for the barbaric “sport” of bull baiting. This involved a bull being tied to a post and attacked by a Bull and Terrier dog.

Unfortunately, Brits emigrating to America and other places brought these dogs with them (no quarantine then!!), and these canines were used as working/guard dogs. Their natural aggressive tendencies were in great demand as, in those days, dogs were rarely kept as family pets and were considered to be kept for work, thus earning their keep.

With the advent of the laws that banned bull baiting and dog fighting in the UK and as animal welfare issues in other countries were addressed, it became necessary to improve the temperament of these dogs, and less aggressive dogs were brought into the breeding lines. The four aforementioned breeds and others were used to improve behaviour in common with acceptable norms.

Eventually, the Bull and Terrier became extinct as they no longer served any real purpose.

So, what constitutes a Pit Bull?

There appears to be only one common denominator, and that is supposed to be its shape.  A broad head, broad shoulders, angular appearance, strong, powerful body, almond-shaped eyes, any colour, any size. Without a recognised breed standard, take your pick!!  In fact, it’s a sad reality that for some, its attraction is that it can appear to look mean and threatening.

The first question is why anyone needs to own a particular type of of crossbreed with a dodgy reputation.

Aren’t there enough recognised breeds available?

Maybe it’s the attitude of humans to dog ownership.

Is a status symbol the major cause? Pedigree dogs, rare breeds and designer dogs appear to be favourites. There is, of course, genuine interest in certain types of canines from those who are attracted to the conformation of dogs like Pit Bulls. Still, these dogs also attract the more undesirable elements of society who have cavalier attitudes and fail to accept their responsibilities.

So, is the pit bull any more dangerous than any other canine? Is it even dangerous? Does it deserve its reputation?

Certainly there have been several well publicised attacks causing horrific injuries, however, the proponents of Pit Bulls point out that these incidents are caused mainly by, bad breeding, poor animal husbandry, bad diet, failure to secure property and mainly irresponsible dog owners in general and this cannot be denied.

Is lack of education contributing to the problem?

What also cannot be denied is the fact that despite the vast majority being lovable, friendly family pets, there is a minority that gives cause for concern, and this concern is leading all of these types to suffer daily restrictions on their movements, causing alarm.

A major concern is that once they attack, some of these dogs refuse to release their victim, causing more extensive damage.

Of course, the other argument is that there is little deterrent in place. If the owners of any dog, regardless of breed, knew that keeping a dog that caused serious harm would be eligible for a lengthy custodial sentence, would that lead to better animal husbandry? It may not but at least people would feel that a suitable punishment took place.

My conclusion: Without doubt the majority of Pit Bull terriers are no more dangerous that any other canine, however, there is no doubt that a small minority are very unstable regarding their temperament. This is easily explained as there are far too many people breeding these dogs with absolutely no regard for their temperament and, furthermore, supplying them to those who are unsuitable to own them purely for the purpose of making a profit.

Would I have one? Probably not, there are so many sweet natured dogs available from a variety of sources with stable temperaments that should fit all requirements.

Of course, the obvious conclusion is that in countries such as the U.K., technically, the Pitbull terrier should cease to exist as they have to be neutered, so there should be no more puppies.

Conversely, as time goes by, the ability of the authorities to be able to state categorically that a certain canine is, in fact, a Pit Bull will have to depend on “experts” with the inevitability of legal challenges in court. I suggest that the Pit Bull issue is going to be with us for many years.