During the 1800's, England, Ireland, and Scotland began to experiment with crosses between bulldogs and terriers, looking for a dog that combined the gameness of the terrier with the strength and athleticism of the bulldog. As emigration to the US increased from these regions, so did the presence of Pit Bulls. This breed was initially established for bull and bear baiting purposes. Soon enough, dog fighting gained much popularity among a wide audience, thus the root of modern day negative stereotypes and rumors of the breed. The APBT was used in both sports, and its prevalence in being put in pits with rats led to "pit" being added to its name. With time, the dogs became more commonly used as house pets due to their friendliness towards people. In America, farmers and ranchers used their APBTs for protection, as catch dogs for semi-wild cattle and hogs, to hunt, and to drive livestock.The dog was used during World War I and World War II as a way of delivering messages on the battlefield.
The American Pit Bull is a medium-sized dog. It has a short coat and smooth, well-defined muscle structure. Its eyes are round to almond shaped, and its ears are small to medium in length and can be natural or cropped. The tail is thick and tapers to a point. The coat is glossy, smooth, short, and slightly stiff and can be any color except merle. The breed ranges from a height of about 14 to 24 in (36 to 61 cm) at shoulders, and weighs between 30 and 60 lb (14 and 27 kg).
The APBT is a breed that is loyal to friends and family, and is generally friendly towards strangers. Many have strong instincts to chase and seize cats and other fleeing creatures, including deer and livestock (prey drive). As with any dog breed, proper training and socialization at an early age is a must. According to the UKC, "aggressive behavior toward humans is uncharacteristic of the breed and highly undesirable." The American Temperament Testing Society shows a pass percentage of 86% for American Pit Bull Terriers. American Pit Bull Terriers generally have a lot of energy and benefit from exercise and stimulation to channel their energy properly and avoid becoming frustrated, bored, or destructive.
The average life expectancy of an American Pit Bull Terrier is about twelve to fourteen years making them one of the longer living large breeds. The breed tends to have a higher than average incidence of hip dysplasia. They may also suffer from patella problems, thyroid dysfunction and congenital heart defects. American Pit Bull Terriers with dilute coat colors have a higher occurrence of skin allergies
Being intelligent, athletic dogs, American Pit Bull Terriers excel in many dog sports, including weight pulling, dog agility, flyball, lure coursing, and advanced obedience competition. Some APBTs have been known to do well in schutzhund as well. Out of the 25 dogs who have earned UKC "superdog" status (by gaining championship titles in conformation, obedience, agility, and weightpull), fourteen have been American Pit Bull Terriers.The American Pit Bull Terrier is a working dog, and is suitable for a wide range of working disciplines due to their intelligence, high energy, and endurance. In the United States they have been used as search and rescue dogs, police dogs performing narcotics and explosives detection, Border Patrol dogs, hearing dogsto provide services to the deaf, as well as general service dogs.
