Define "Pitbull"

10665 Views 26 Replies 19 Participants Last post by Cheetah, Mar 27, 2009

Keechak

Discussion Starter · Mar 26, 2009

Since there are so many BSL bills around that stress "Pitbull type dogs" I thought I would let the people of DF define what they consider a "pitbull"

Please do not bash other peoples opinions, although civil disagrements are acceptable, (please no name calling ex. "your stupid if you think that!")

My thoughts

A pitbull to me is a small to medium sized dog that is used in the fighting world, or is the offspring of dogs bred specificaly for fighting.

But to me there is also a lot of grey area. I also think it is fine for people to call an American Pitbull Terrier a pitbull. simply as a shortened version of the breed name similar to calling an Australian Shepherd an Aussie.

But I do not think that an American Staffordshire terrier, from "show" lines that haven't been used for dog fighting in over 100 years, should be called a Pitbull.

What are your Ideas?

1 - 20 of 27 Posts

MissMutt

· #2 · Mar 26, 2009 (Edited)

I don't really know what I consider a Pit Bull, to be honest. I know I consider an APBT a Pit, but AST/SBT is kind of a grey area for me. Probably AST moreso than SBT.

It's probably best for AmStaffs to be called just that - AmStaffs. I HATE HATE HATE when shelters start pulling the "Staffy/Boxer Mix" business when the dog is blatantly your everyday Pit Bull. To me, the show AST has a very distinct look.

I think the fact that lots of bad breeders/fighters have gotten their hands on these dogs and basicaly split the gene pool into so many different directions makes the whole thing really, really confusing. (Not the case for AST/SBTs, just really the argument between an APBT and just a "Pit Bull")

As part of my statistics project dealing with Dog Bites/BSL (and for my own curiosity) I am actually currently doing a survey. Though it's far from being statistically perfect (and I only used the APBT, not the SBT or AST to keep it as 'neat' at possible) I've basically devised my own Find the Pit Bull game. There are 20 dogs' headshots in a random order on a sheet of paper. One is an APBT, the others are various other breeds - some very similar, some not similar at all. In the few people I've polled so far, the results are interesting..

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Laurelin

· #3 · Mar 26, 2009 (Edited)

To me a pit bull is a term used sort of like collie. It refers to a group of dog breeds with similar ancestry and similar origins. Dogs do not have to be from working pit breeds to be pit bulls, imo. Am Staffs are all APBT in their lineage and are thus pit bulls to me.

Pit bull I also think can be used as shorthand to American Pit Bull Terrier. The 'pit bulls' are not a breed argument seems silly to me. Most other breeds have shorthand names too, why is it when you're referring to the APBT you can't use the term pit bull?

I think it's similar to collie in the fact that it's perfectly okay to use the term 'collie dog' to refer to many breeds associated with being farm dogs. They aren't all performing the same task but do originate from similar breeding stock. Some are primarily show breeds or pet breeds now, others all purpose farm dogs, and others (like the border collie) are very specialized workers. Border Collies, Farm Collies, Rough Collies, English Shepherds, Welsh Sheepdogs, etc... all the collie breeds can be referred to as collie dogs. If you say Collie, people usually mean rough/smooth collie. That's not incorrect either. If you talk to a lot of working border collie people, they will refer to their dogs as simply 'collies' as well.

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valsh

· #4 · Mar 26, 2009

I have heard some of the laws passed define pitbull as any breed that looks like a "pitbull". That is one thing that worries me. Oregon thought about approving a ban but was quickly shot down. Now they are considering a 1 million dollar liability insurance requirement.

ColoradoSooner

· #5 · Mar 26, 2009

This is one of the things that scares the daylights out of me about BSL. Everyone can draw their own conclusions on what a "pitbull-type" dog is. And I truly believe that APBTs (which are the one and only pit bulls) are blamed for many attacks that they were not involved at all. Simply because people really can't pick at true APBT out of a line-up.

For instance, I started a thread asking for people's opinions about what might be in our new mixed dog. She has the "general" characteristics that many people might consider "pit bull." Broad chest, larger skull, etc. And a couple of friends are convinced that she has APBT in her. But the fact is, she may not have any pit bull in her at ALL. We just don't know. I've talked to more than one Boxer owner who has been asked many times if their dogs were pit bulls. And ironically, APBT owners get asked if their dogs are Boxers! BSL is VERY subjective and therefore, very scary IMO.

Along the lines of Miss Mutt's survey, here's a "guess the pit bull" game. The first dog looks very much like our new dog, without her pricked ears. I admit right off the bat that I got it wrong:

http://www.thebestpitbull.com/guessthepitbull.htm

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MissMutt

· #6 · Mar 26, 2009

I'll post the results of my survey once I'm finished with it.

There are a couple of games out there. I love playing them, lol. I've gotten better at it over time. Now I can always pick 'em out..

This was the first one I ever took.. http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html

Inga

· #7 · Mar 26, 2009

It is kind of scary how loosely people define the "bully breeds" I have often heard Rottweilers tossed in or lumped in the Bully breeds group. I think some folks want to lump anything they see as dangerous in the "Bully group." It is like that term has become synonymous with "dangerous dogs." I have also seen it reach so far as to include South African Boerboels, Presa Canarios, Cane Corsos, Mastiffs of any kind. Pretty much any dog with a large head can be thrown into that group because so many people also see any dog with a large head as a "dangerous breed." It is really very very scary.

MissMutt

· #8 · Mar 26, 2009

Inga, the Dogo is another one.. people think they're massive white Pit Bulls a lot of the time.

KBLover

· #9 · Mar 26, 2009

Aren't there exact breed standards?

Why not just use those as the definition? There's an exact of what makes up a Pit Bull?

As far as I understand 'Collie' is a breed - not a category or "type"? Just like 'Pit Bull'?

HersheyBear

· #10 · Mar 26, 2009

"Pit Bull" should only be used as the short way of saying American Pit Bull Terrier , which is a mouthful in itself. Calling other bully breeds "pit bulls" just confuses things, as we've all seen. "Bully breed" or "pit bull type" are good nicknames to use instead, for breeds similar to the APBT.

BSL defines "pit bull types" as APBT's, American Staffordshire Terriers, American Bullies (not by name, but they are lumped in that category), Staffordshire Bull Terriers, English and Miniature Bull Terriers, and sometimes American Bulldogs.

Marsh Muppet

· #11 · Mar 26, 2009

"Pitbull" has become the equivalent of the boogeyman under the bed, or the monster in the closet.

3212

· #12 · Mar 26, 2009

It seems to me that a lot of people have no idea what a "pit bull" (referring to the American Pit Bull Terrier) is!

My vet has a boxer and a three-legged APBT mix and people are always nervous of his boxer thinking she's a pit. They are happy to pet Buddy (his APBT) until they hear that he is actually the pit!

It's baffling!! I've heard people refer to APBTS, American Bulldogs, Boxers, American Staffs, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Bull Terriers and even Rotties as "pitbulls". Then there are the more rare breeds like the Dogo Argentino and such that people assume to be pitbulls.

In Holland they have such strict BSL that they don't allow any of the above breeds (except maybe Rotties) and it states in their law that any dog deemed to be "pit bull like" may be put to sleep. It's crazy to me!

I'm pretty positive someone posted it before, but it's my favorite thing to show people...it even took me 2 tries!
http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html

KBLover

· #13 · Mar 27, 2009

CrzyBritNAmerica said:
I'm pretty positive someone posted it before, but it's my favorite thing to show people...it even took me 2 tries!
http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html

Which number did you pick at first?

I picked #20 - the Bull Terrier.

3212

· #14 · Mar 27, 2009

KBLover said:
Which number did you pick at first?

I picked #20 - the Bull Terrier.

I picked #24 the Ca De Bou.

I thought some of them were silly at first like the Jack Russel Terrier??!! But I have since had a client tell me that their neighbor thought their JRT puppy was a pit bull! Craziness!

Donna5503

· #15 · Mar 27, 2009

I had a PitBull...he was a great dog, loving, friendly & faithful....he died when he was 11 years old to cancer ---

I still miss him - My Oreo -

I am so sad when I hear the bad rap these " PitBulls " are getting --- it's not the dogs - it's the owners! SHAME ON THEM!

Someone should cage them....

3212

· #16 · Mar 27, 2009

Donna5503 said:
I am so sad when I hear the bad rap these " PitBulls " are getting --- it's not the dogs - it's the owners! SHAME ON THEM!

Someone should cage them....

Agreed! Did anyone see the episode of DogTown with Mike Vick's pitbulls? I cried oh like 100 times throughout. Most of those dogs were total sweethearts! They had one who started out with mild aggression and ended up getting it's Canine Good Citizen certification! It was amazing!

Darkmoon

· #17 · Mar 27, 2009

2

CrzyBritNAmerica said:
I picked #24 the Ca De Bou.

I thought some of them were silly at first like the Jack Russel Terrier??!! But I have since had a client tell me that their neighbor thought their JRT puppy was a pit bull! Craziness!

People just don't know what breed of dog a Pit Bull is.

Did you know, I own a Boxer???

Yup, I've had a LOT of people ask me if he was a Boxer. Someone even fought me on it.

This dog is a "Pit Bull" according to everyone I passed:

Real breed? Boxer/lab...

What is a Pit bull to me? See the first photo. And he's is the largest you can go on the Pit bull scale.

As for that quiz... So far to date, every quiz I've taken I have nailed first try.

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3212

· #18 · Mar 27, 2009

Darkmoon said:
As for that quiz... So far to date, every quiz I've taken I have nailed first try.

Awesome! I'm usually right, but that Ca De Bou was similar...and I've actually never heard of them which shocks me

It just doesn't surprise me anymore with people!

And it's so funny at work because the other tech, the doctor and I are thoroughly jazzed when we see a pitbull (or any "bully breed" for that matter) coming in for a visit. The other tech and I have actually gotten into arguments about who will go in and tech the room!

People who come in with pitbulls almost always make comments too, like "oh don't worry he's nice" and I just sit down on the floor and say something like "well of course! They're the best dogs!" this is usually followed by a good face licking!

Inga

· #19 · Mar 27, 2009 (Edited)

LOL Nubs the Boxer? Well, the tail, I suppose. Boxer people are often accused of having Pit Bulls as well. I have Rottweilers which, I do NOT thing resemble Pit Bulls at all but guess what? People on many occasions have asked me if they were Pit Bulls. I am just shocked.

Here is another good one. http://www.kspitbullrescue.com/legislation4.html

http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/mismarks.html

Not so easy to identify breeds as people think.

Shaggydog

· #20 · Mar 27, 2009

Most non dog people think anything that has a big head,big chest and wrinkles is a Pit Bull.I had a Shar-Pi/Boxer mix that everybody swore was a Pit Bull.I took the first test and failed also.I also think the test is false leading too.Are all these foriegn dogs reconized by the AKC or UKC? Could they have come from a Pit Bull? I have read books about Pit Bulls and I think that the definition has changed over the years.

1 - 20 of 27 Posts

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