Nature vs. Nuture in a “Pit Bull”- History of the group.

Much attention has been given to the fact that the Pit Bull was originally created for baiting bulls and then for fighting other dogs in a pit.  The Pit Bull breeds are one of the most versatile of all canines, capable of excelling at almost any task asked of them. This breed is routinely used for obedience trialing, conformation showing, weight pull, and agility. They also have been known to excel as therapy dogs, partake in herding trials, search and rescue work, and a variety of other tasks including police and armed services work. But fanciers will agree that the task this breed performs best of all is that of beloved companion.

It is important not to forget that many other very common breeds of dogs are bred to hunt and fight other animals.  Unlike the Pit Bull breeds, some breeds have even been bred to exhibit human aggressive, aloof behavior, causing them to be better guard dogs.

Pit Bull breeds, like all bulldog breeds were bred to have gameness and tenacity.  Pit Bull breeds originate from the English Bulldog, which was originally bred to bait bulls; hence the name “Pit Bull”.  When bull baiting became outlawed in 1835, the English Bulldog was bred down to the short and stocky dog that is easily identified, as well as into the many of the Bulldog breeds we see today, including the American Pit Bull Terrier.  Pit Bulls, bred from a variety of bulldogs and terriers, were brought into the USA in the mid-eighteen hundreds.  These dogs were held in the highest regard and owned by many famous, respectable people.

In 1936, the AKC conceded a petition for those who wanted to distance themselves from the cruel sport of fighting dogs.  Pit Bulls were now allowed to be registered with the American Kennel Club and became eligible for show and other performance events under the condition that the dogs were called “Staffordshire Terriers” (Staffordshire, England being the place where the breeds are believed to have originated). 

The American Pit Bull Terrier was the breed used in WWI artwork for mascots for our country.  This breed used to be the signature dog of the United States of America. “Stubby” the APBT was even recognized as a war hero.  Pit Bull breeds were often used to face one another in battle. Pit Bulls were bred with zero tolerance for human aggression*.  The owner of the dog in battle had to be able to safely step in at any moment to redirect or stop the dog from fighting.  If a Pit Bull dog in battle (or in general) ever bit a human, it was never to be bred, and usually was put down immediately.

*Human aggression and animal aggression are two very different concepts for canines.  In the wild, wolves are not welcoming of other wolves from unknown or competitive packs.  Therefore, as descendants of wolves, it is simply unnatural for many dogs to meet while leashed and get along with each other.  As a result of centuries of domestication, it has become possible for many dogs to be social. However, two very common behavioral issues dog owners face today are leash aggression or dog/animal aggression.  Generally speaking, while it may be a trait that most human pet owners do not like, it is a perfectly natural behavior that can develop without proper prevention, intervention and training.  It is the owner’s responsibility to counteract this behavior and to keep close eye on their dog while following leash/confinement laws to prevent the occurrence of any unwanted incidents. Responsible owners must also spay/neuter as early as possible (depending on breed and size) and ensure proper socialization. 

Dogs can and do differentiate humans from other dogs, and dogs from other animals.  While Bulldog breeds were originally bred to excel at baiting and fighting other animals (humans exempt), this now undesirable quality has to be nurtured into the dog’s developmental process through either abuse, neglect, lack of socialization and/or poor training.  In the recent past, Bulldog breeds have been bred to be welcoming, loving, tolerant and stable with humans.  This is how the Staffordshire Terrier gained its nickname, “The nanny dog”.  Pit Bull breeds are known for their tolerance, affection and dedicated companionship to children.  If ever a negative story about a Pit Bull attack on a child runs through the media, we simply have to realize that the breeder, parent and/or owner play the most important role in the matter.  Remember, ANY dog can bite when it is subject to the right (or wrong) circumstances by irresponsible owners.

What is a “Pit Bull”?

A Pit Bull is not a breed of dog. The term “Pit Bull” is used by many to refer to a group of dog breeds, such as the term “Hound” or “Terrier”.  The Pit Bull groups consist of three breeds.  The American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.  However, there has been speculation that the term “Pit Bull” should be used when  referring only to The American Pit Bull Terrier.  A clear definition of “Pit Bull” blurs quickly as all three breeds are very similar and many mixed breeds exhibit similar characteristics, making the breeds difficult to distinguished by most people who are not passionate about them. The majority of people with average canine knowledge cannot differentiate a Pit Bull from a similar looking breed; this can be just as hard for the best of experts.  With many backyard breeders (BYB’s) mixing Mastiffs and other larger breeds to make “bigger Pit Bulls,” it’s very rare to even come across a pure bred American Pit Bull Terrier anymore.

As stated on the Best Friends Network website:

“In the case of City of Toledo v. Tellings, 2006 Ohio 975 (2006), app. granted Toledo v. Tellings, 110 Ohio St. 3d 1437 (OH 2006), there was evidence the dog warden would make a subjective determination if a dog was a pit bull. If a dog was 50% pit bull but didn’t resemble a pit, then the dog was not considered a pit bull. If a dog looked like a pit, regardless of the % of breed, he considered it a pit bull. The warden agreed one cannot really tell whether or not the breeding of many dogs includes pit bull. There was evidence about 10 other breeds resemble pit bulls.”

There was a recent situation in Ontario, Canada, where BSL was recently and unfortunately passed, where a dog named Lily, a Boxer/Lab mix, was deemed a Pit Bull-type breed simply by her appearance.  Thankfully, Lily’s owners cared enough about her to fight to the end for Lily’s life.  Obviously, there is no clear-cut line as to what a “Pit Bull” type dog is.  Additionally, when leaving this into the hands of elected officials they can alter their guidelines for identifying dogs subjectively.  This leaves dog owners without any rights, and is simply unconstitutional!

Can you find the “Pit Bull”? http://www.understand-a-bull.com/Findthebull/findpitbull_v3.html

In such a world of conflict, a world of victims and executioners, it is the job of thinking people, not to be on the side of the executioners. - Albert Camus

BSL Effects us all

Most people don’t realize that BSL doesn’t only affect Pit Bull owners, Rottweiler owners, and other owners of dogs stereotyped as “dangerous breeds,” but all dog lovers.  Even if you don’t own a dog, but would eventually might like to share your life with one, you should care about BSL.  Once officials ban a specific breed of dog, it is the law-abiding citizens that get hurt.  The criminals will continue to be criminals unless we fight this battle at the root of the problem.  So the model-citizens, who follow the law, treat their dogs like family members and are all-around responsible dog owners will be forced to either confine or muzzle their beloved pet as though they own a monster, or worse still, be forced to give their beloved pet up to the breed’s genocide!  Yet, the criminals who are already breaking poorly enforced laws will simply continue to do so, and continue to damage the reputation of breed after breed.

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