08/28/2024
🛑 ‘Pit bull’ is NOT an umbrella term! 🛑
American Pit Bull Terriers (APBT/Pit bull) have been in the limelight for quite some time... Due to this, there is a constant circulation of misinformation along with a vicious cycle of unsuited people acquiring APBT, APBT mixes, American Bullies, Bully mixes and other bull breeds/mixes.
*Deep breath* Let's dive in.
Using pit bull as an umbrella term is harmful to the APBT along with other bull breeds and reinforces breed specific legislation by skewing statistics like dog attacks due to dogs being reported as pit bulls.
It’s impeccably harmful to the American Pit Bull Terrier because people misconstrue what the breed is.
No, they aren’t for first time dog owners due to the potential of very high prey drive + the potential of dog/animal aggression (DA/AA). The reason they have the potential for this intensity is because of their original purpose which was blood sports.
And no, they were never nanny dogs. That entire myth has done irreparable damage to the breed and how people view them.
But they aren’t a blood thirsty killer who cannot be controlled like the media or breed-specific legislation portrays them to be.
DA goes hand-in-hand with almost every terrier breed, it’s prey drive for furry things. Human Aggression (HA) is absolutely not tolerated per the breed standard and not something that should be seen in APBT. APBT should be lively, attentive, playful and loyal to people. Every dog should be manageable but DA is never something to be discredited as an excuse to not train them to behave and listen even when a dog is present. PROPER socialization is big key to success and can help keep neutrality, but the possibility of DA being present after maturity even after being socialized throughout puppyhood is still there.
This isn’t to say that APBT are immune from human aggression— no breed is. It has been in certain bloodlines and those dogs have been bred which is a controversy among the breed community.
However…
Dog aggression DOES NOT equal instability.
Human aggression DOES NOT equal instability.
A dog can be genetically aggressive but still be UNDER CONTROL.
The reason the APBT is such a polarizing breed is because there are two rival groups of extremists that are very passionate about spreading misinformation and propaganda in an effort to defend their position. Both groups firmly believe that “pit bull” is an umbrella term for any muscular/short coated/blocky headed dog. One side believes that all of them are “ferocious killers that can never be trusted” with “lock jaw” and therefore should be wiped from existence, while the other side firmly believes that they are “nanny dogs” who “wouldn’t hurt a fly”, victim blame survivors of attacks, and firmly believe that genetics don’t matter because it’s “all about how you raise them.”
Neither side is helpful or accurate.
And both sides wouldn’t know an actual American Pit Bull Terrier from a mutt with a block head.
The right owner can thrive with an APBT and in turn, the dog can thrive with the right owner.
It all comes down to responsible ownership, proper training, management and education.
And a community or neighborhood isn’t at risk because someone down the street has an APBT.
The same can be said about other bull breeds.
But what are bull breeds? Well this is where things start to get muddy…
Bull breeds all share very common ancestors/foundation breeds but are quite different from each other. From looks to temperament, there’s a lot of overlap but some very distinct differences. This fuels the confusion of which breed is which… Google is not a reliable source to say the least.
Bull breeds descended from Molosser type dogs. The term Molosser describes a group of working dogs with a related ancestry that were used historically to guard and protect properties and livestock. Molosser breeds include: Boxer, Bull Terrier, Cane Corso, Dogue de Bordeaux, Fila Brasileiro, Great Dane, Great Pyrenees, Mastiff, Newfoundland, Neopolitan Mastiff, Shar Pei and Tibetan Mastiff, among other breeds.
“Typically, Molossers can be identified by a comparatively large head, shortened muzzle, heavy bone and often thick and wrinkled skin. Many of the numerous Molosser breeds are often referred to as a “mastiff” which is confusing and misleading. The different Molosser breeds were developed for different purposes and therefore have many physical and temperamental differences between them”.
(source: http://www.mastiffcanada.org/index.php/breed/identifying-molosser-breeds)
Bull breeds can be classified as the breeds who descend from Molosser type dogs (Specifically mastiff type Molossers) and bulldogs bred with terriers or “broad-mouthed dogs of Britain”.
(source: https://scienceline.org/2017/09/de-evolution-bulldog/)
Bull breed examples:
Boxer, Cane Corso, Rottweiler, Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bulldog, Boerboel, Dogo Argentino, American Pit Bull Terrier, Old English Bulldogge, Boston Terrier, Bullmastiff, American Bully… the list goes on.
One of the most common Bull breeds you will hear about is the American Bully. This is a breed that many think is an APBT. This is false. You may have heard the term “XL Pit Bull” which is an egregiously incorrect term often used by backyard breeders. XL Pit Bulls are more often than not, American Bullies or Bully mixes. Pit Bulls (APBT) are only 30-60lbs.
The American Bully was created in the 1980’s by crossing American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT), American Bulldog, English Bulldog and Olde English Bulldogge (source: https://www.ukcdogs.com/american-bully)
The American Bully was made to be a companion breed however due to the breeds used in the foundation, higher drive and intensity is still possible within the breed.
Bullies can be absolute powerhouses. It is speculated that other various breeds like mastiffs have been included in the creation of the breed as well, specifically the XL size class. XL American Bullies can be very prey driven and prone to animal aggression with high tenacity. There are Am Bully breeders today that focus on that intensity for working and sport purposes so not all American Bullies are suited strictly for companionship. Do your due diligence when searching for a breeder.
Unfortunately, an American Bully named Kimbo that resides in the USA has sired hundreds of puppies while he himself is not of good genetics. He is in**ed and has produced extremely unstable offspring, many of the fatal bully breed attacks in the UK can be traced back to dogs from his lineage. Breeders in the UK continued to use him because he consistently produced very muscular dogs but the result has been catastrophic. However do not discredit breeders altogether— responsible and ethical breeders would never knowingly use a stud like this.
Another bull breed that is commonly mislabeled is the American Bulldog. The reason for this is because the American Bulldog shares a common ancestor with all the other bull breeds, the Bulldog.
These dog breeds aren’t inherently bad dogs. Although they do have specific genetics that we, as a human race, amplified through selective breeding for serious work. Which is now the downfall of these breeds due to popularity, trends and other reasons why unsuited owners acquire these powerful dogs. A common job for bull breeds (specifically bulldogs, pit bulls and bullies) is hog catching— a serious job for serious dogs.
The misrepresentation of these beloved bull breeds is a multilayered issue from lack of education on dogs in general/how to choose a breed that suits someone’s lifestyle, people wanting intimidating looking dogs as a crime deterrent (or as a status symbol), the support of backyard bred dogs and the misrepresentation of these dogs as a whole.
The "scary dog privilege" mentality becomes a problem when people choose a breed and aren't prepared for the genetics that come along with the dog. Often times, people acquire a puppy from a backyard breeder who does not educate or prepare the puppy buyer on what the dog will be like at maturity. This can result in the dog being euthanized after a catastrophic event.
What I find most interesting about the APBT breed specifically is its fall from being the a heroic figure used on war propaganda posters, to being banned in certain societies due to the unrelenting misinformation and skewed bite statistics.
An irresponsible owner with a chihuahua is like a drunk adult driving a child's ride on car. Annoying but could they cause an accident? Yeah but no one is going to die. An irresponsible owner of a dog as powerful as a bull breed is like a drunk person behind the wheel of a semi truck. Depending on the dog or breed you have, you may have more or heavier responsibility.
To sum up,
American Pit Bull Terriers ARE NOT:
❌ For first time dog owners due to potential of developing high prey drive & dog/animal aggression
❌ Nanny dogs... this myth has done irreparable damage to the breed and how people view them
❌ Ticking time-bombs like the media or BSL supporters portray them to be
❌ Able to “lock their jaw," no dog breed has a jaw locking mechanism
❌ Any ol’ bull breed/mix you see
American Pit Bull Terriers ARE:
✅ One specific registerable breed of dog, just like a German Shepherd or Labrador Retriever
✅ A TERRIER, which means they thoroughly enjoy chasing, killing and dismembering prey (same with Jack Russell TERRIERS, Patterdale TERRIERS, Airedale TERRIERS, etc.)
✅ Incredibly versatile dogs who will give their entire heart into whatever they do
✅ Extremely human and child friendly
✅ Fantastic sport or working dogs (pest control, etc.)
✅ Fantastic active companion given the right outlets for breed fulfillment
If you are a “pit bull” advocate then you need to familiarize yourself with what a pit bull actually is and make it a high priority to avoid mislabeling at all costs. The only dogs that should be called “pit bulls” are the ones that are registered as an APBT with a full pedigree from a reputable registry like ADBA (American Dog Breeders Association).
If you feel the need to use an “umbrella term” that is not immensely harmful to the APBT, then “bull breed” or “bull breed mix” (BBM) would be a way to do it. However, it is even better if you can warm up to the idea of calling mixed breed dogs with unknown lineage just that– mix breeds.
If you would like to read more about the history of the APBT, you can follow this link:
https://www.facebook.com/VanAmaliaPitBulls/photos/a.625776080892038/1872116789591288/?type=3
Here are links to learn more about the APBT, American Bullies and BSL:
https://adbadog.com/child-safety-bite-prevention/
https://adbadog.com/responsible-dog-ownership-guide/
https://adbadog.com/puppy-socialization/
https://ckcusa.com/breeds/american-pit-bull-terrier/
https://www.ukcdogs.com/american-pit-bull-terrier
https://justice-for-bullies.myshopify.com/
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/american-staffordshire-terrier/ *including this because it outlines the history of the amstaff which is directly related to the APBT
http://www.ababulldogs.com/history.html #:~:text=All%20modern%20American%20Bulldogs%20can,modern%20name%20until%20the%201980's. *including this because it outlines the history of the American Bulldog and the foundation breed Bulldog
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Below you will find examples of various bull breeds and bull breed mixes.
