When looking at this dog, none of the passers-by would have the thought of petting him. Most likely, they will wisely step aside, since the terrifying appearance, powerful jaws and unkind gaze eloquently indicate that the breed is not intended for fun. The American Pit Bull Terrier is one of the most dangerous dogs with a reputation as a killer and unclear origins. However, are pit bulls really that scary?
Pit bull and Staffordshire terrier - similarities and differences
If you look at a photo of an American pit bull and look at a photo or video of a Staffordshire Terrier, their external similarity will definitely catch your eye. Indeed, these dogs are very similar. But they also have differences.
The Staffordshire Terrier breed appeared thanks to the Pit Bull Terrier breed and has international recognition, while pit bulls have remained unrecognized.
Both breeds have a muscular build and strong limbs. Both Staffies and Pitbulls alike have powerful jaws and a strong bite. But still, the pit bull’s physique is more proportional, while the Staffordshire terrier has a massive body and elongated legs. A Pit Bull Terrier can have any color, but there are a number of requirements for the color of a Staffordshire Terrier.
The nature of a pit bull is naturally more aggressive; the dog can be uncontrollable. Staffordshires are considered intellectuals and are highly obedient.
Which breed to choose depends on your goals. If you need a dog that unquestioningly performs official tasks, then it is better to choose an American pit bull. If you need a smart bodyguard and a well-mannered pet, then it is better to choose a Staffordshire Terrier.
With proper upbringing, a Staff can easily find a common language with other dogs and pets. Pit bulls cannot do this.
Description of the breed
What does a pitbull look like?
There are three types of pit bull:
- Albanian
- Dwarf
- Mini
General characteristics of the appearance of American pit bulls:
- Height - approximately 48 cm
- Weight - about 25 kg
- The head is large, with pronounced cheekbones and a strong jaw.
- Powerful neck extending into the chest.
- The small eyes are deeply located.
- Deep-set ears can be cropped by a third.
- The dog is short, squat, strong, broad-shouldered.
- The coat is short and hard, without undercoat.
Any coat color is acceptable except marble. Some competitions do not allow blue pit bulls to participate.
The merle color is a characteristic feature of the Albanian Pit Bull Terrier. This type of color is also called “merle”. In appearance, this type resembles an ordinary American pit bull. This subspecies is one of the most expensive dogs in the world.
Such an unusual color, created artificially, may also be accompanied by nervous disorders. Such puppies may be deaf, blind, or have low immunity. Some are even born dead.
Dog handlers do not want to classify the Albanian pit bull as a separate breed. The Dwarf Pitbull is small and stocky.
But a mini pit bull cannot be called a baby. His height is average for a pit bull, as is his weight. It got its name because of its skeleton. Popular colors: brownish, gray, snow white, cream and black.
Dog character
The dog was bred specifically for dog fighting. This is the reason that in the eyes of people, the pit bull is a formidable, aggressive and merciless dog. However, this is not quite true. In everyday life, a dog that is not accustomed to fighting rarely shows aggression.
What kind of character a dog will grow up in depends only on the owner and trainer. It is extremely important for such a dog to undergo socialization and training in at least basic commands so that it lives well in the family.
Then it won’t be scary to leave the child with her. She can become a full member of the family, a reliable and loyal friend, and a good nanny.
The hallmark of a pit bull is loyalty. A pit bull will protect its owner as long as necessary.
Pit bulls love to play, and they are especially fascinated when the owner hides something and gives them the opportunity to find it.
Despite their apparent aggressiveness, pit bulls do not attack themselves. The fact that the dog is about to attack can be understood by the following signs:
- the torso tenses
- the dog starts growling
The pit bull moves extremely confidently. The back is always straight and the dog is always ready to act.
This breed is not stupid, although many people have the completely opposite opinion.
History of appearance
The origin of the breed has a rather interesting history. It all started with dog fighting, so popular in various countries. The main participants in these fights were bulldogs. Quite quickly, the audience's interest in the spectacle began to fade, since the outcome of each battle was almost always easily predictable.
The bulldogs, angry and aggressively rushing at the opponent, were very clumsy and wasted all their advantage. Clumsy dogs could not dodge more agile opponents, quickly got tired and lost. Spectators demanding spectacle needed a more worthy breed.
Bulldogs began to be crossed with other dogs that had the agility so necessary for bulldogs. The most outstanding was the experience of crossing a bulldog with a terrier; the world saw a new breed - the American pit bull, or pit bull terrier, which has enormous strength and quick reaction.
Representatives of the new breed began to be raised to be aggressive and were worthy participants in dog fights. As time passed, these fights were banned. But people could not refuse their favorite spectacle, and it brought in a lot of money. The battles began to be carried out underground, they became even more brutal.
Pit bull terriers were raised from childhood to be killers. After humanity saw all the negative qualities of a dog of this breed, it decided to destroy it or reduce its population to a minimum.
In order to promote and develop a negative attitude towards pit bull terriers, cases were shown where fighting dogs showed all their worst qualities, attacking people and animals.
People took this information as needed. Even now, the breeding of this dog breed is strictly prohibited in many countries. But still, the majority of sensible people understand that with proper upbringing, a dog can become an excellent guard.
In Russia, as in other countries, dogs of this breed are used for police work. Thanks to their excellent sense of smell, sniffer dogs can easily find drugs and explosives.
There are a number of rules that the owner of a pit bull terrier dog must follow.
The number of people bitten by bull terriers is much higher than from other breeds
It is this myth that is to blame for most people’s fear of this wonderful breed of dog. Responsible for this are media sources who love to inflate scary stories. News about people being horribly bitten by bull terriers is most often exaggerated by the press. In fact, in that America today there is simply no system that would allow all cases of dog bites or attacks to be separated by breed. The Centers for Disease Control studied cases of dog attacks from 1979 to 1998, according to the American Humane Organization. Research has confirmed that it is difficult to determine the specific breed of dog for each of the attacks, and in addition, owners preferred to remain silent about many cases of attacks in the house. Thus, it is not clear what served as the basis for such a statement.
Dog appearance (standards)
Dimensions
A pit bull dog has an average height of 44 to 49 cm. The weight of an adult dog is 20-30 kg.
Wool
The animal's coat is short and coarse, lying tightly to the body. There is no undercoat.
Colors
The standard allows any type of color. The only thing unacceptable is uneven coloring of the coat, manifested in the form of dark and light spots of the same color.
Head
The photo of the pit bull shows that its head has a pronounced square shape.
Teeth and jaws
The jaws are powerful and have a scissor bite. The teeth are evenly spaced and white.
Eyes
A pit bull's eye color can be any color. The shape is almond-shaped.
Body and limbs
The body of the animal is powerful and muscular. The body can be represented in the shape of a rectangle. The limbs are long and strong, stable.
Tail
The tail is relatively short, set low. Thick at the base, tapering towards the tip.
Rock defects
The defects include the following:
- uneven color;
- presence of long hair;
- malocclusion;
- short tail;
- cryptorchidism;
- deafness;
- excessive aggressiveness or, conversely, timidity.
Dossier
Height: male – from 46 to 56 cm. Weight: from 18 to 40 kg. Characteristic color: any solid, with brindle markings. Coat length: short. Life expectancy: 15 years. Advantages: does not require much care, the dog is active, smart, easy-going. Difficulties: a responsible approach to training and education; you cannot leave the dog alone, which can lead to mental disorders and cause aggressive behavior. Average price: from 150 to 1200 dollars. Classification: large, companion, family, guard.
American Pit Bull Terrier - killer dog or not
There is probably not a single breed whose attitude towards it would be so contradictory. There are two mutually exclusive opinions about this dog. Admirers of the breed claim that pit bull terriers do not pose any danger to others. Opponents are shouting at every corner that this is a soulless killing machine. So what is true and does this breed have a right to exist in our world?
Over the many years that the animals live nearby, their character has changed. The dog became more friendly and balanced. Love for an owner is not an empty phrase for an animal; if necessary, a pet will rush to protect a loved one, risking its own life.
Education and training still play a very important, if not the main, role!
Only by paying enough attention to your pet and spending time and effort on raising it, you can get a balanced dog with a stable psyche. An indifferent attitude and a constant lack of time can lead to very sad consequences. The animal will indeed become disobedient, aggressive and may even attack people.
By nature, pit bulls are quite peaceful creatures. Late socialization, the presence of various fears and a complete lack of upbringing will make it so that those negative qualities that people artificially cultivated in them many years ago will begin to predominate.
A Pit Bull should not be treated intentionally roughly. He desires affection and love, like any other animal.
Health
Pit bull terriers cannot be called long-lived and healthy. Inbreeding (inbreeding to consolidate breed qualities) leads to the inheritance of genetic diseases, which is why pit bulls have a lot of them. To the credit of many breeders, they try to prevent sick individuals from breeding and carefully monitor genetic abnormalities. But if a puppy is purchased from a private person - on the market, through an advertisement on the Internet - it is not known what set of genes he inherited.
The most common pathology in pit bulls is congenital heart disease. This disease can be detected in a pet at an early age: the baby breathes heavily and gets tired quickly. Subsequently, he becomes apathetic, suffers from shortness of breath, prefers to lie down, and his tongue turns blue. At the slightest suspicion, you should immediately contact a veterinarian. If treatment is started on time, the dog may well live to old age.
The organ of vision in pit bulls is also vulnerable. Thus, representatives of this breed are often diagnosed with cataracts. Since they navigate in space using sense and hearing, it is difficult to recognize pathology. However, if the owner notices that his pet constantly bumps into objects or misses during play, he should consult a veterinarian. Cataracts can be treated, but only if measures are taken in a timely manner.
Like other large breeds, pit bulls are prone to hip dysplasia. The disease manifests itself in lameness, joint pain and, if left untreated, can lead to immobilization of the pet.
Among the diseases associated with keeping a dog are the following:
- Obesity. A real scourge of domestic dogs. Leads to the development of heart disease, diabetes, and increases stress on the joints.
- Allergy. Pit bulls can have allergic reactions to pollen, dust, and foods such as rice, beef, wheat, and corn.
- Hypothyroidism. Develops in middle-aged individuals. The disease must be corrected with medications.
Like other dogs, American Pit Bull Terriers are not immune to infectious diseases, so it is extremely important to follow the vaccination schedule and timely deworming.
Pit bull character
A feature of pit bull terriers is their inquisitive mind and desire to learn about the world around them. This is a fairly independent dog that knows its own worth and is aware of its own strength. But superiority over humans is not its goal. She considers it much more important to show her advantage over her peers. That is why the main aggression of a pit bull is still directed at animals, and not at people. It is important to notice this anger and stop it immediately.
Nowadays, the fighting breed is used for more peaceful purposes. Pit bull terriers are bodyguards and take part in various competitions. A keen sense of smell, the ability to run quickly and a powerful grip of the jaws allow the pit bull to quite easily apprehend offenders, which makes it possible to attract him to serve in law enforcement agencies.
If you are a hunter, your pet will be happy to share this hobby with you, since he also has all the qualities necessary for this. And his endurance will allow him to stay in good shape for a long time.
Attitude towards the owner
Pit bulls very quickly get used to all family members and develop warm feelings towards them. The dog is very loyal to its owner, but it treats him jealously and constantly requires an attentive attitude towards itself. In situations that could harm one of the family members, the dog behaves aggressively. She is even ready to give her life if necessary.
Attitude towards children
Pit bull terriers treat children quite well and are ready to tolerate even small pranks. But a child must be taught from childhood that a dog is not a toy, but a living creature that requires respectful treatment. Young family members should understand that it is forbidden to pull the dog by the ears or drag it by the tail; it is also undesirable to disturb the four-legged friend while eating or try to wake him up when he is sleeping.
Only after long and persistent training can a dog be allowed near children!
Still, you should not leave a child and a dog unattended if they are together. Even a small animal can harm a baby if handled improperly.
Attitude towards strangers
The pit bull's attitude towards strangers is always distrustful.
During a walk, it is still better to put a muzzle on the animal to avoid unforeseen situations.
After all, if a conflict does occur, the pit bull terrier will go to the end in any fight.
Pit bulls have a much stronger bite force than other breeds or animal species.
Bite force is measured using pounds per inch (PSI). It is believed that pit bulls are especially distinguished from other dogs, their PSI reaches 10,000. National Geographic magazine conducted a study of the bite force of various breeds of dogs and other animals. At the top of the list are crocodiles with a PSI of 2500. Dogs are in the middle of the list, with an average PSI of 320. In studies that included large breeds of dogs, it turned out that the mastiff has the strongest bite. Behind him were a Rottweiler and a German Shepherd. In pit bulls, the bite force is only 71% of that of a Rottweiler, so the fear of strong jaws is largely irrational.
Care and maintenance
Keeping a pit bull is possible both in an apartment and in a private house. He is unpretentious in this regard. The only thing a dog will not tolerate is a chain. This breed is not intended to be kept on a chain.
The most important thing that requires proper attention is walking your pet and good physical activity. In total, walking should be at least two hours a day, and exercise will be beneficial if it lasts at least half an hour.
Otherwise, the care is standard and no different from caring for any other dog. It is enough to brush the short hair of a pit bull a couple of times a week with a special comb or mitten. To remove dead hairs, run a hand dipped in water over the fur.
Bathing your dog is often not recommended. This should only be done in case of severe contamination.
Pitbull is very afraid of drafts.
Once a week you need to wipe your pet’s eyes and ears with special lotions. Black dirty plaque in the ears may be a sign of scabies mites, which must be dealt with.
To prevent the formation of tartar and subsequent dental problems, be sure to brush your pet's teeth. If this procedure is extremely unpleasant for him, you can periodically treat him with hard bones or toothpick treats.
Nails are usually cut no more than once a month with special nail clippers.
Pitbulls don't feel pain
Breeders often report that pit bulls have a high sensitivity to pain, or no pain at all. In fact, all dog breeds have similar nervous systems. It allows them to feel the same painful sensations as a person. So don’t assume that your pit bull doesn’t feel pain. This opinion comes from the ability of this breed to act even under conditions of extreme physical stress. The fact is that pit bulls were originally bred to have a high level of courage, which means they are focused on completing their task even despite physical discomfort. Although many people believe that nothing can stop a pit bull and will not complain of pain, in fact, such behavior is a direct sign of the breed wanting to complete the task and please its owners.
Feeding
When feeding pit bull terriers naturally, it should be taken into account that the main component of proper nutrition should be proteins: meat, fish, liver. Be sure to add foods such as cottage cheese, cereals, eggs, fermented milk products, vegetables and fruits to your diet.
The serving size should be such that the dog feels full, and not heaviness in the stomach from overeating.
Be sure to adhere to the established feeding regimen and avoid foods from the table. Products such as baked goods, pasta, sausages, and sweets will not benefit the animal. It happens that a dog really loves chocolate, and the owner, in order to please it, sometimes treats it with a piece. This should not be done under any circumstances. If your pet has a sweet tooth, you should go to a pet store and purchase special chocolate for dogs. It is completely safe for your pet's health.
Chocolate for dogs can be white, milk and even bitter. However, it does not contain prohibited substances.
When feeding your pit bull terrier dry food, you won’t have to come up with a daily menu yourself and waste time on cooking. Dry food is fully balanced and fortified. Naturally, if it is premium food, and not lower.
In the description of each food you will find its composition and the required daily dose for the dog.
Education and training
As already mentioned, a novice dog breeder should not get a dog, since the presence of stubbornness and a tendency to dominate complicates the process of education and training.
Only a persistent person with a strong-willed character will be recognized by the dog as a leader and will begin to obey him.
If you have the opportunity to use the help of professional trainers and dog handlers, you should definitely do so. They will help your pit bull learn the basics of obedience and submission. The animal will learn to keep aggression and various impulses in check. In the future, it will be easier for the owner; he will be able to control the dog in almost any situation.
And the natural intelligence and intelligence of pit bull terriers helps them remember commands very easily.
Physical punishment and cruelty towards a dog is unacceptable. This will embitter the pet, and the horror stories that are replete with the Internet will come true. But the main character of these horror films will be your dog.
When raising pit bulls, you need to rely on their innate curiosity and desire to please the owner. Each pet is created by the owner through proper upbringing, good attitude and love.
How to choose a puppy
You shouldn’t give in to a momentary impulse and buy the first puppy you come across. You should research nurseries that sell healthy animals that belong to the breed you need. If you have decided on the choice of nursery, you can go shopping.
The best time to purchase a Pit Bull Terrier puppy is when it is 8 weeks old. This is not yet an adult pet, but it is no longer a baby. By this time, the animal has mastered all the necessary skills that its mother passed on to it, and has an understanding of how to behave with a person.
If you decide to adopt an older pet, it will be more difficult. The character of such an animal will already be formed; re-education is unlikely to be successful.
Be sure to examine the entire litter. If there are puppies with external abnormalities or diseases, it is worth considering whether any diseases will appear in your friend in the future.
Externally, the baby should be clean and well-fed. Healthy babies are characterized by mobility.
Pay attention to the puppy's gait. If he has joint problems, you will notice it.
And an important condition is mutual sympathy. After all, without it it is unlikely that it will be possible to build warm and friendly relations in the future.
Vaccination
Vaccinations are given only to healthy animals that have undergone preliminary antiparasitic treatment. The puppy is given the first injection at 8-10 weeks. After 21 days, revaccination is carried out with the same drug. Subsequently, the procedure is repeated once a year.
To develop stable immunity, imported complex vaccines against adenovirus infection, enteritis, distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parainfluenza and rabies are used.
