When thinking about a controversial subject, most of us decide what we believe based on our emotions and intuitions, not the facts. Once we have made an intuitive judgment, we search for the facts that will support our position, and then surround ourselves with people who agree. – Jonathan Haidt

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   If I were to interview 10 different people on the street more than likely they would all have a strong opinion about the Pit Bull breed. Many of those would be uninformed however; even the most enthusiastic and well versed Pit Bull lovers disagree about the actual definition.

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   Most laypeople will point to any dog with a muscular build and a square head and identify it as a Pit Bull. The truth is, so many genetic factors go in to the outward appearance of a dog, a number of breeds including Mastiffs, Boxers, English and French bulldogs can give a mixed breed dog such characteristics.  Even many shelter workers, groomers, and veterinarians are unable to identify mixed dog breeds solely by appearance alone.

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   So what is a Pit Bull then, if not its outward appearance? Pit Bull is an abbreviation of American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) which was a selectively bred pit fighting dog in the 1890’s. Lots of legends and lore have followed since that time. They don’t have stronger than average bite force. They can feel pain. They actually love people and can/will be dog friendly with the right socialization and training. The fact of the matter is professional dog fighting has mostly died out in the US as it’s been a felony in all 50 states for years now. It’s very unlikely you’ll come across a fighting line APBT and even if you do they are some of the most human friendly dogs around.

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    Many breed enthusiasts will tell you that the APBT was bred specifically for work, and therefore the breed standards are based on drive and temperament rather than appearance. Some APBT game dog enthusiasts will tell you that only dogs who have been proven as game dogs should be referred to as APBTS. Some go as far as to say that even if their lineage is 100% Pit Bull, show dogs do not count. Oddly enough, despite its popularity APBTs are not an AKC recognized breed.

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   To make matters more complicated several breeds are often misidentified as APBTs and lumped in to the "Pit Bull type dog" category including but not limited to Staffordshire Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, American Bullys, and certain Bulldogs. In fact most laypeople can’t even tell the difference between certain breeds of mastiff and Pit Bulls due to the extreme bully breed fad.

 

   We prefer to use the term bully breed or bully breed mix when referring to a dog with unknown heritage. It's much more accurate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   With all that being said real fighting line APBTs are fairly rare these days and highly coveted by those who produce them. BRAVE is, was, and always will be against any form of animal cruelty. We believe that every dog, regardless of its outward appearance deserves a shot at being a pet for a compatible owner/family. We urge you to assess every dog individually based on its personality and behavioral traits when searching for a dog to adopt and not the shape of its face.

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   Can you identify the American Pit Bull Terrier on your first try?

   For more information about the American Pit Bull Terrier and the bully breeds we strongly encourage you to read the book Pit Bull: The Battle over an American Icon by Bronwen Dickey