"MYTH'S AND FACTS"MYTH: The "Pit Bull" is not a purebred breed.FACT: Pit bulls are actually one of the oldest and certainly one of the purest. Written pit bull pedigrees date into the late 1700's, something very few other breeds can boast of. Pit bulls have been a registered breed longer than most AKC breeds have been in existence. Louis Colby's father, John Colby, gave his son a handwritten pedigree of Colby's Blind Jack, an animal born in 1932. The pedigree stretches back more than 50 years, naming, in Louis Colby's words, "the best fighting dogs in England and America in the past fifty years." In the mid 1880's, the breed was already old.MYTH: The term "Pit Bull" means all the bull and terrier breeds.Fact: The media lumps all bulldog breeds and several mastiff breeds together as "pit bulls" because "pit bulls" makes new more sexy. Unethical reporters will lump unrelated breeds as diverse as cane corso mastiffs, presa mastiffs and animals over 100 pounds as "pit bulls".MYTH: The term "Pit Bull" means all the bull and terrier breeds.Fact: The term "pit bull" is the shortened form of the name American Pit Bull Terrier, the name by which the breed is registered with the United Kennel Club and American Dog Breeders Association. The term "pit bull" is correctly applied only to dogs of pure American pit bull blood or registry; not to American Staffordshire terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, mixes of these breeds or any other breed.MYTH: Pit bulls are a mix of terrier and English bulldog.Fact: Actually, the breed know as the "English" bulldog is a relatively recently developed animal designed strictly for the show ring. In fact, "bulldogs" were not even created until several years AFTER bull baiting (the purpose for which it was supposed to have been bred) was banned and discontinued in the United Kingdom. So, it is impossible for the pit bull to have been developed from a breed younger than itself. In fact, the show "bulldog" is developed from the original working bulldog - the pit bull.There is some terrier blood in the modern pit bull. Terrier blood was added, just as mastiff blood was also added. This explains why some lines of pit bulls are quite "bully" in build, and at the larger end of the standard, while others are quite "light" in build, and may weigh as little as 25 pounds. However, the pit bull is a "bulldog" in action and appearance. He is a gripping dog - not a terrier (which means "Earth dog" which pursues its quarry underground. MYTH: If pit bulls were purebred, they would registered by the American Kennel Club.Fact: Serious pit bull fanciers in the United States and the United Kingdom have never wanted kennel club recognition for the breed. They knew that once any breed became the victim of show ring breeding, it spelled ruination for any "purpose bred" dog.Pit bulls breeders have - to this day - been notoriously secretive about how they breed their best dogs. Pete Sparks, one of the most noted authorities on pit bulls during most of the 20th century, stated that with only one or two exceptions (the Colby family being one of those exceptions) almost "all" breeders such as Corvino, Carver, and others would intentionally fake pedigrees.The AKC did register pit bulls in 1936. They changed the name to Staffordshire terrier, and later, when they divided the breed again into two separate breeds, they changed it to American Staffordshire terrier and Staffordshire bull terrier.MYTH: The pit bull was bred for dog fighting only.Fact: The history of the pit bull far predates the time when bans on bull baiting caused blood sport fanciers to turn to fighting dog against dog. The very name "bull" or "bulldog" gives us the clue as to what the original purpose of this breed was.Far back into history - too far for us to see - man had bred dogs for gripping large game like boar and bear. From these dogs developed the Butcher's Dog, or Bulldog. The bulldog was an animal from 35 to 80 pounds, long of leg, sturdy in body, athletic, with a strong head and muzzle. The pit bulls of today descend directly from these animals. ............................................................ ............................................................ ..........................MYTH: Boston terriers and boxers are not related to pit bulls.Fact: The Boston "bull" terrier was developed toward the end of the nineteenth century in the Boston area (a Mecca for dog fighters at that time) from pit dogs bred to small terriers - with a dash of the then extremely popular pug which gave the breed its screw tail. The boxer was developed at the same time, on the continent, by infusions of European baiting breeds with the English show-type bulldog. The show bulldog was just being developed at that time, and it was very popular with show folks both in the UK and on the continent. Show bulldog blood gave the boxer its deformed nose - a nose never found on real working bulldogs.MYTH: "Bull terriers" are pit bulls.Fact:The "bull terrier", that humorous white dog (though they come other colors) with the slanty eyes and deformed muzzle, is often confusedly called a "pit bull", and yet he carries only a portion of pit bull blood. The bull terrier was developed to perfection by a Birmingham man named James Hinks. He had also crossed in the white English terrier and the Dalmatian.In this way he produced a pure-white dog, which he named the bull terrier." The idea, again, was predominantly to develop a "stylish" dog, bred for its good looks.The original bullterrier cross looked much like a thinly built pit bulldog, as the characteristic "down-face" wasn't developed until a specific stud dog imparted that characteristic in the breed and it became the fad. Several years after the development of the white show bull terrier, pure pit bulldogs were bred back into some lines, for added mental and physical hardiness. The breeders of the pure white dogs, despite their increasing issues with deafness and other degenerate problems, fought tooth and nail to keep the pit bull-bull terrier crosses from the registry. These crosses were, however, admitted after a struggle.Pit Bull, around 1910. A very popular family pet at that time. This dog would have been known as a "pit bull" or "bull terrer" . The name "Staffordshire terrier" had not been invented yet.In comparison with modern show breeds, the pedigrees of working bulldogs had been cherished for centuries. The pit bull actually has one of the most significant claims to purity of line of any breed. When breeds such as the German shepherd, Doberman, Rottweiler, English, Irish and Gordon Setters, Labrador and Golden retrievers were just beginning their genesis, the pit bull was already an established breed.While the pit bull is thoroughly English and Irish in its origin, it was in America that the dog first was officially "registered". The pit bull soon had two single-breed registries, the UKC and the forerunner of the ADBA. These registries exist to this day, and, for the most part, continue to register pure pit bulldogs. [The UKC allows American Staffordshires to be registered as "pit bulls" which, in recent years, has had a tremendous impact of the breed as registered by the UKC. For the most part, UKC and AKC registered dogs cannot be differentiated, as they carry primarily the same blood. UKC dogs are now bred almost exclusively for show and pet purposes with little thought given to form, function or working soundness. The ADBA up until very recently has registered "anything", including obvious mastiff-pit bull mixes as a result of the craze for "large" pit bulls. Registries are driven by puppy registrations - and private registries are profit orientated businesses.]Like all purpose bred dogs, the purebred pit bull can come in a variety of colors, sizes and builds. Some strains show a touch more terrier infusion; thin and racy, with narrow heads, they may weigh as little as 25 pounds. Others are small, but very stocky, showing a clear connection with the smaller, stockier strain known today as Staffordshire bull terriers. And there have always been large, more bullmastiff orientated strains. Some of these dogs can, in a pure state, reach into the nineties in weight. In the 1970's a small group of fanciers began a breeding program dedicated to not only saving these large pit bulls, but also of distancing themselves from the politically troubled name "pit bull". These dogs were the foundation for a breed now called "American bulldog".Then a small group of pit bull fanciers decided that their "Grand Old Breed" needed full American Kennel Club recognition in order to distance itself from its baiting/fighting heritage. A standard was drawn up and application made to the AKC. [John Colby's dog "Primo" was one of the dogs used to formulate the AKC standard, and Primo's picture illustrated the idea of perfection for many years. Those wanting to know what a real American Staffordshire is supposed to look like should study a picture of Primo.]The dogs were accepted, but the AKC would not allow the word "pit" in the name, and so the rather dubious designation of Staffordshire "terrier" was chosen. Only the AKC could come up with a name like that! Staffordshire was a place in England noted for its harsh way of life and its fighting animals, however, it could hardly claim to be the place of origin. And placing this bulldog in the terrier group was simply ludicrous. Terriers, named for the Latin "terra" meaning earth, are smallish dogs which "go to ground" after small prey. They are noted for their quick tempers and sharp intelligence. True terriers are "hand spannable", meaning a man can grasp the dog behind its shoulders and have his fingers touch. Dogs larger than this are of doubtful use in ground work. To consider a breed which has always worked above ground, whose original purpose was the gripping of large wild game, then later wayward bulls, and then later still combat with a variety of animals, a "terrier" defies explanation.The word "American" was added to the name of this very British breed in the 1970's when pit bulls began being imported to the US under the name Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Most registries simply lumped the two dogs together, since they were the same breed. The AKC and UKC did for many years. Yet the two lines of the same breed had changed in some important physical ways. The pit bulls developed in the UK after the turn of the century had been bred strictly for show and pet. Emphasis had been put on a stocky, "bully" look and small size. Top weight for the breed was 35 pounds - in reality the bottom weight for most pit bulls. Because of these differences, the AKC created two breeds where before their had been one (this has been done several times, as with the Norwich and Norfolk terrier to name one example). Because of this division of the same dog, there were now three distinct "breeds" all originating from the good ol' pit bulldog. The American pit bull terrier as registered by the ADBA and UKC, the American Staffordshire as registered by the American Kennel Club (and by the UKC, but as an American pit bull terrier) and the Staffordshire bull terrier as registered by the AKC and now the UKC.
Owning a pit bull opens up a wide range of sports and activities which you and your dog can play at. Even though the pit bull was bred with baiting and fighting in mind, bulldogs have traditionally been utilitarian working dogs, useful around farms and homes. While a friendly, confident breed, many are natural guardian dogs, keeping loved ones safe without excessive aggression. The bulldog's athletic body, keen intelligence and legendary tenacity make him capable of amazing feats of strength, endurance and grit just not seen in other breeds.Its important to find a sport or activity which both you and your dog enjoy. Some dogs are naturally better at some activities than others. For instance, some dogs are extremely avid on the springpole while others refuse to mouth it. Some enjoy weight pulling while other dogs dislike it intensely. The challenge is to expose your dog to all the activities available in your area and see which appeals to you both - after all, you are partners!Multiple pit bulls have excelled at this important and interesting activity. Snowball was a cadaver recovery dog in Arkansas, Puller was a successful SAR dog in Virginia, Dakota, Cheyenne and Tahoe are currently working in California - and there have been others.SAR is an exacting hobby, and requires lots of money, lots of time, lots of slogging through tough terrain, and more importantly it requires exceptionally dedicated dogs and people. To learn more about the use of pit bulls in search & rescue, visit Kris Crawford's outstanding site at: www.forpitssake.orgPit bulls have been used as service dogs for the physically challenged for over two decades now. They work as hearing assistant dogs, physical assistant dogs, and in a variety of other capacities. They offer stability, strength and a willing nature, all necessary for the serious task of service dog.For information on service dogs, contact The Delta Society.Breed specific legislation (BSL) poses huge problems for responsible owners of service dogs of a variety of breeds. Many have faced housing and insurance discrimination."RING SPORT"There are a number of people who object to the training of bulldogs in any form of "bitework", and I certainly respect this mindset and even share it when it comes to "guard" training and training which focuses on "defense" drives. I find however, that without exception, these same people have no real knowledge of sanctioned dog sports like ring and schutzhund. Because true bulldogs are friendly and outgoing - lacking the suspicion and overt aggression needed for a true "guard" dog - I myself find the promotion and sale of pit bulls as "guard" or "protection" dogs to be reprehensible. Without doubt it supports the breeding of incorrect and unsound bulldogs. On the other hand, I whole heartedly support the exhibition of properly (and humanely) trained pit bulls in bona fide working dog trials. These trials showcase a dog's courage, control and stability and never fail to showcase the breed in a very positive light. Working off lead (at all times) the dog/handler teams competing in Mondio or French ring trials are confronted with a variety of situations which test the dog's obedience and judgment. Years of training are required to bring a dog to trial day, and the best dogs are trained in "prey" drive instead of "defense" drive, making them safe companions. Sport dogs see the decoy's suit more as a big "reward" for correct behavior than as a human which is to be bitten. Sport dogs should never be trained with pain, or force, as these methods can and do produce dangerous animals. Methods which employ force and pain are never necessary with a game, sound, well bred bulldog.In my opinion ring sport is, without doubt, the most challenging. The amount of control needed and the judgment exhibited by the dog at the higher levels is impressive to say the least. Ring sport was developed in France, and variations on the sport developed in the Low Countries. Like schutzhund, ring was developed as a test for utilitarian dogs of the type used for police work. In ring the dogs work off-lead, without so much as a collar on. The dog works through all phases at one time, agility, obedience and the bite-work, resulting in the dog spending up to 30 minutes on the field, continuously working. The order of the exercises is never the same but selected by draw in random order. Food is left on the field to distract the working dog.There are aspects of ring sport which put the bulldog at a disadvantage when competing against sheepdogs like shepherds and malinois. The sport requires the dog, at times, to bite and then quickly release and retreat - something no true bulldog is willing to do. Also, biting the leg, which is considered preferable, takes more training for a bulldog who will naturally shun the extremities in favor of the more "courageous" bites to the body. A bulldog is bred to grip the head of its prey - whereas a sheepdog nips the legs. Therefore sheepdog breeds have a natural advantage in this regard. As well, the jumps are extreme, and the longer legged Malinois (for which the sport was developed) also has an advantage coping with the agility phase.Ring sport will continue to grow in popularity as more and more people discover this challenging and exciting sport. However, the infighting and nasty politics on the local and national level is a very real threat to the growth and health of ring in this country. The last serious obstacle keeping ring from taking its place as the premier working dog sport in America is a stubborn desire to cling to French nonsense concerning which breeds can enter, and the restrictions on altered dogs! This is sport guys! Let the BEST DOG WIN!The national organization in the US for this sport is North American Ring Association (NARA)."SCHUTZHUND"Recently the Germans changed the name of "schutzhund" to "VPG". "Schutzhund" means "guard dog" and concern over public perception caused them to change the name to Vielseitigkeitspruefung fur Gebrauchshunde which which roughly translates into "versatility test for working dogs".This German sport developed at the turn of the century as a breeding suitability test for German shepherd dogs, but other breeds have competed with great success. In the US, there are two national organizations which sanction schutzhund (SchH) trials. The United Schutzhund Clubs of America (USA), despite its sport orientated sounding name, is strictly a German shepherd breed club. USA happens to allow some other breeds to compete in its trials (but not at the very top championship level).Pit bulls competing in USA trials will be called Am Staffs or mixedbreeds. The other national organization club offering schutzhund trials is the DVG and they allow all breeds to compete.Schutzhund trials test the dog in three areas, tracking, obedience and man-work. The obedience routine is nothing more than a heeling marathon, and the bite work is variations on one or two components of protection work. Also, because of the hard, rigid sleeve and the long distances involved in the attacks, many more dogs are injured in schutzhund than in ring sport.On trial day, dogs compete in tracking, obedience and man-work. Now schutzhund clubs offer tracking only and obedience only titles, which is great for owners of rescue dogs since papers are not needed!Schutzhund has been well thought out, and provides breeders and trainers a great way of seeing a dog's useful drives at work. Anyone interested in well rounded dogs would do well to look into this sport. However, titling a dog in schutzhund takes a tremendous amount of commitment and determination on the part of the handler."WEIGHT PULLING"Weight pulling, done well, is a fantastic outlet for the competitive spirit of bulldogs and their owners. In the winner's circle, the pit bull's will to win and desire to please has catapulted the breed over traditional Northern breeds bred for sledge pulling!Several organizations hold weight pulls open to pit bulls. But only the International Weight Pull Association (IWPA) and the American Pull Alliance (APA) allow ALL pit bulls (meaning rescue dogs, mixed breeds and other animals without registration papers) to compete. The United Kennel Club, the Continental Kennel Club, National Kennel Club, AAPBA and the American Dog Breeder's Association all offer weight pulls, but dogs must be registered with their organization. In some they cannot even be spayed or neutered.IWPA trials are well thought out with safety factors like no pulls during the summer heat, and a minimum age of 12 months for pulling dogs. In my opinion, all the other organizations leave much to be desired. Some offer very "easy" titles (some you can earn at just one pull), some allow handlers to continue to pull dogs, over and over, that want to quit. Most allow "baiting" which is unsafe, some even allow young puppies and adolescent dogs to pull, which is completely irresponsible and shows no regard for the safety and health of the animals.At an IWPA pull, each dog is harnessed and hooked to a cart (or sled in the snow) upon which increasing increments of weight are added. Each dog has 60 seconds to pull the load 16 feet without the handler touching the dog or crossing a line which is in front of the dog. Dogs cannot be "baited". The dog that pulls the most weight across the line (in the fastest time in case of a tie) wins. Dogs can earn three titles, the Working Dog (WD) for pulling 12 times their body weight at four different pulls. The Working Dog Excellent (WDX) for pulling 18 times their body weight at four different pulls, and the Working Dog Superior (WDS) for pulling 23 times their body weight at three different pulls. Dogs can also compete for regional and national ranking.Some organizations allow the dog to pull on a platform of carpet, while the cart rides on metal rails. This allows for much higher weights than when the cart and dog are on the same surface. Because each pull offers a different surface and conditions, pull weights cannot be compared from pull to pull.A game pit bull loves to work, and will do so without any force."AGILITY"The fastest growing dog sport! Lots of fun for those with bulldogs that can remain under control off lead around other dogs. There are several national organizations which sanction trials. Dogs compete based on their shoulder height, and most organizations offer three levels of competition. Handlers direct their dogs to climb over, weave around, jump over or climb through obstacles on a course which is timed. Dogs are off-lead and excited, and other dogs are all around the ring, so you can see that only well directed and trained dogs would be feasible for this sport. Many pit bulls and staffie bulls are currently competing at national levels. This is a great sport for those who are really intune with their dogs."TRACKING AND TRAILING"Tracking is different from search and rescue. In SAR, the dog runs trying to pick up the scent of a human being blown on the wind. In tracking, the dog follows the actuall footsteps of the person. Trailing dogs follow a combination of both the footstep scent and the airborne scent.Tracking tests are available through schutzhund clubs, and are open to any pit bull, purebred or not, registered or not. The AKC offers tracking tests, but they are only open to AKC registered American Staffordshire terriers, or rescued pit bulls which get an "ILP" to compete as an Am Staff.In schutzhund tracking, dogs are scored not on how well and how quickly they complete the track overall, but rather on how meticulously they keep their noses to each footstep, and how slowly and calmly they move down the track. It is more difficult to get a dog to do this than you might think, for it goes against their nature. At an AKC trial, the dog simply passes or fails.There are several levels of tracking tests offered by both schutzhund clubs and the AKC. The new "Variable Surface Track" offered by the AKC is challenging indeed.Tracks are aged anywhere from 30 minutes to four or five hours, depending on the degree of difficulty. They range in distance from a couple hundred yards to nearly a mile. The dogs must follow the trail accurately, and locate articles dropped by the track layer along the way."Whatever any other breed of dog can do, a pit bull can do it better - and then whip the other dog." "OBEDIENCE"Any pit bull can be shown in obedience, papers or not. In fact, most of the serious dog sports (agility, weight pull, ring, schutzhund) do not require a dog to have papers. AKC obedience trials are open to all AKC Am Staffs, and any dog which can pass the ILP board as looking enough like an Am Staff to pass as one. In order for a pit bull to receive an ILP it must be spayed or neutered and conform to the AKC American Staff standard. That means red nose dogs are out. You can try, but probably will be discriminated against. UKC trials are open to any dog registered with the UKC, and they have recently copied the AKC's ILP program. Schutzhund clubs offer "obedience only" titles for any dog, registered or not. obedience trials dog and handler are required to work as a team, demonstrating the dog's ability to obey commands, and to be a useful canine citizen. In my experience pit bulls respond best to positive training methods. See the links page for links to pure positive training sites."HERDING"Because I titled Dread in duck and sheep herding and trialed him a time or two on cattle, as well as earning "Herding Certificates" (not really a training title) on several other pit bulls, people often ask me about information on this activity. To be truthful, it is not something I recommend. Today's herding trials are not a fair venue for these "catch dogs". Bulldogs can and do move stock, but that is not their real purpose. Their purpose is to catch and hold.Second, herding trials are not for the faint of heart. I have seen stock animals killed and injured during training and trialing. It is not uncommon for the AKC type "herding" dogs, such as German Shepherd, Rottweilers and Bouviers to attack and bite the animals.To each his own; herding remains a fascinating and worthy sport when done with real herding dogs, or "nontraditional" breeds that are under strict control. If you are bothered by the sight of frightened animals running about, this is not the sport for you.There have been organized "catch dog" contests, but since they basically become baiting contests (which are illegal) the HSUS has been working to ban them."HUNTING"The American pit bull is historically a large game hunting dog. Some people still use the dogs for this purpose. The typical game is wild boars.The dogs generally work with hounds, which trail the game, while the bulldogs close in and grip the animal by the ears (most commonly).Boars are generally killed by the hunter approaching, grabbing the boar by the hind legs, throwing it and slitting its throat or stabbing it behind the elbow. One can easily see how very important it is that a dog be a staunch, tough, reliable animal which will NOT release its grip no matter how injured or hurt it is. If the dog releases, the hunter faces serious injury.Hunting with dogs is controversial, of course, as some people consider it cruel to both the game animal and the dogs. However, like it or not, gripping large game is the working heritage of this breed."FLYBALL"This is a fast, fun sport for those with well mannered and well trained dogs who love to jump and retrieve. Flyball competitions are great fun to watch, hilarious, and the dogs LOVE it. The point is for one team of dogs to compete against another team of dogs in a relay contest. The dogs run down through a series of jumps, come to the flyball box which the dog must hit with its foot, the ball shoots out, the dog catches it and races back to the handler. This sport has been featured as half-time entertainment at sporting events. The sport has evolved tremendously in the past couple decades, and flyball titles are even available for dogs to earn."DOCK DOG CONTEST"There is a new sport in town. For dogs which love the water, somebody has come up with a contest to see whose dog can jump the furthest off the dock and the highest off the dock. The dogs love it.Please be aware that Dock Dog people tend to have very loose control of their dogs. Expect loose dogs, aggressive dogs, large dogs "controlled" by small children, and dogs trying to grab your dog's toy. PLEASE only take dog-friendly or highly controlled dogs.I'd like to see some good pit bulls get into this sport. I suspect that they can beat the pants off the Labs, given the opportunity.
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Many a famous people such as Fred Astaire, President Roosevelt, Jack Dempsy, Thomas Edison, Madonna, Michael J Fox, Brad Pitt, Bernadette Peters, Sinbad, Alicia Silverstone, Linda Blair, Humphrey Bogart, Usher, Mel Brooks, Ann Bancroft, John Stuart, Jan Michael Vincent, Pink (the singer), Kelli Williams (Actress from The Practice), Ken Howard (Father in Crossing Jordon - his Pit Shadow saved his life), Malcolm Jamal Warner, Stephan Jenkins, Rosie Perez, Ananda Lewis, Amy Jo Johnson, Mary Tyler Moore, Steve and Terrie Erwin (Crockhunters), Jack Johnson (Hawaiian singer), Bill Berloni (Broadway show dog trainer who has said that the Pit is the breed of choice for training), Anthony Robbins, Molly Price (Actress from Third Watch), President Woodrow Wilson, Frankie Muniz, AJ Mclean, Barbara Eden, and even Helen Keller have been lucky enough to own this magnificent animal.Well known sports figures who own Pit Bulls include: Tennis Star Serena Williams (Bambi), Professional Basketball Players Desmond Mason (Zane, Capone), Rashard Lewis (Cookie, Angel, Ginger), Amare Stoudemire (JT, Ace, Deuce), Alton Ford (Mischif, Rosy, Spicey, Diable +3 pups with names unknown), Tamika Dixon and Mo VaughnThere are many more famous people and athletes who own Pits. If you know of one not listed let us know for their inclusion.
"MONSTA G & HOT SHOT SUEY" PARENTS OF "NIOBE""JO JOLA & EZ-PRIDE" PARENTS OF "CHAOS""CHAOS AND "NIOBE" PARENTS OF "C-3 A.K.A "MIDNIGHT"AND THIS IS "MIDNIGHT"/C-3/LIL MONSTER-G