The American Pit Bull Terrier is an intelligent, agile, courageous, strong game dog. The word “game” refers to the dog having a never quit, fight to the death personality of what are called “game bred” pit bulls. To better understand the breed you have to take a look at where they came from.
The American Pit Bull Terrier of today is a direct successor of the fighting dogs of England and Ireland. Through time these dogs were used in baiting of animals also known as blood sports which were very popular but cruel. Some of the animals used in bating were bulls, cocks, lions dogs and in Roman times, even humans. Even though this sport died out among the rich, it remained very popular among the poor. They could breed a good fighting dog without any or little cost to them.
At one point the APBT, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire Terrier were considered to be the same breed up until the mid-1930s. Originally these breeds came down from the English Bulldog and Terrier breeds. The Bulldog known as a fighting breed was bred with the terrier breeds to achieve a more agile and faster fighting dog. PitBull/Staffordshire type dogs were brought to America as early as the mid-1800s and continued to be imported from Ireland and England to American shores by immigrants. The result was a warrior dog that embodied all the attributes of strength, unconquerable courage and gentleness with loved ones.
The United Kennel Club was the first registry to recognize the American Pit Bull Terrier. Its founder C. Z Bennett assigned the very first UKC registration number 1 to his own APBT in 1898. The AKC refusing to accept the American Pit Bull Terrier as a pure breed accepted the American Staffordshire Terrier in 1936 to avoid confusing it with the Staffordshire Bull Terrier of England.
The fundamental characteristics of the American Pit Bull Terrier are power, self-confidence, and passion for life. This breed is willing to please and is overflowing with enthusiasm. Blue Nose Pit Bulls make excellent family companions and have always been noted for their love of children. Most Blue Nose Pit Bulls exhibit some level of dog aggression and because of its powerful physique, they require an owner who will cautiously socialize and obedience train the dog. The breed’s natural agility makes it one of the most capable canine climbers so good fencing is a must for this breed. A Blue Nose Pit Bull is definitely not the best choice for a guard dog since they are extremely friendly, even with strangers. Aggressive behavior toward humans is uncharacteristic of the breed and highly unwanted. This breed does very well in performance events because of its high level of intelligence and its willingness to work.
Today the American Pit Bull Terrier continues to be one of the most popular breeds worldwide. This breed is not for everyone and requires responsible dog owners that will take the time to properly socialize and raise an extremely powerful dog.