End the Pit Bull Stigma
Do you know the truth about Pitbulls?
Most dogs are considered to be loving and adorable companions. So why is that "pitbulls" get such a bad rep? "Pitbulls" are utterly misundertood as being agressive, bad tempered dogs. While, most people may have this image of them, I do not. I got to experience just how loving and gentle this type of dog can be. My first family dog was an American Pitbull Terrier and I want to share with you all a breif history of the type of dog I fell in love with in order to better understand them.
The Term "Pitbull"
In order to better understand "pitbulls" I must share that pit bull is
NOT a breed of dog. It's actually an umbrella term used
to loosely describe a group of dogs with similar physical traits (not on
genetics or lineage). These traits include a medium to large sized build
with a stocky head, a musclar body with broad chests and necks, and a
short/sleek coat.
There are two popular dog registires in the United States:
- The American Kennel Club (AKC)
- The United Kennel Club (UKC)
Both of these organizations promote purebred dog breeding and exhibitions. Neither one of these organiztions recognize pit bull as an actual breed. Instead there are only four unique AKC/UKC breed that are considered "pitbull-type" breeds. Those four breeds include:
- The American Pitbull Terrier
- The American Staffordshire Terrier
- The Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- The American Bully
According to Pitbullinfo.org "The American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) is the only formal breed with the term "pit bull" in its name and well over 20 other unique breeds and their mixes share similar physical characteristics that are common to dogs in the "pitbull-type" category. Pitbull-type dogs are growing in popularity and are by far the most popular "strong" breed dog in the U.S. - in fact, an estimated 20% of dogs in the U.S. can be classified as pitbull-type dogs."
The Sad History of Pitbull-type Dogs
As you may have noticed, all four unique AKC/UKC breeds that are considered "pitbull-type" dogs share a mix of the names "bull" and "terrier". This is becuase pitbull-type dogs are a crossbreed between a bulldog and a terrier. These dogs were oringally crossbreed in England to be working dogs. They were responsible for herding, protecting, and gaurding livestock. Their history is multifaceted, invloving task such as herding caddle and safegaurding homesteads. However, it is also unfortunate that their hisroty incldues involvement in the creul sport like bull baiting and dog fighting.
Bull baiting was a sport where dogs, regardless of their breed, were trained to attack and capture tethered animals, such as bulls, in an enclosed area called a "pit". Although dogs resembling today's bully breed were commonly used, other breed and mixed breed were also used for this actvity. Therefore, the term "pit bull" was more of a general description for any dog used in bull-baiting rather than a specific breed or type of dog.
It is important to note that bull baiting is not an inherent trait in any breed; it is an acitivty that must be taught and trained, similar to any other trick you would teach a dog today. According to Pitbullinfo.org "Pitbull-type dogs are outstanding canine citizens and loving companions in millions of U.S. households. They consistently achieve excellent temperament scores, are successful as service dogs, therapy dogs, K9 police dogs, and as family pets."
Now that you've got a breif hisotry of pitbull-type dogs and you've got to know them a little bit better; What would you rate them on a scale on 1-10?
- 1-5 = still not good dogos
- 6-10 = the best doggos