American Pit Bull Terrier

John Louis

History/ Temperament

2/10/2006

Rating: TBA (16vote/s)

I've owned a few Pit Bulls/Amstaffs and come across hundreds of others. They are really breeds within the breed itself. The most common pit bulls are extremely friendly towards all people and slightly dog aggressive. Because they are so friendly, they don't make great guard dogs and are often stolen. Some pit bulls will let a stranger in the house and not think anything of it. The same dog might put its life on the line if it saw its owner being attacked.

There are also different levels of intelligence in these dogs. Some are, I hate to say it, stupid. Others are extremely intelligent. Many of the dogs that come from fighting bloodlines ADBA Pit Bulls, are going to be more hyper and high-strung. They probably will not be much more dog aggressive unless their breeder was breeding for that purpose. Many show dogs are less aggressive and often less intelligent because they have been tightly bred to be more carefree and less instinctual. You simply can't show a dog that is trying to fight other dogs.

Some AKC Amstaffs (showdogs) have a secret reputation of being dog aggressive. This is because they are so pure. They have responsibly been bred less and therefor are closer to the original fighting stock of the early 1900's. Also, AKC dogs generally have more responsible owners/breeders because they sell and interact with a much smaller and selective crowd. The AKC crowd often denies that their dogs are "pit bulls" and act as though they are too good to be considered such.

The best choice for someone who wants a dog that is not aggressive is to get a UKC or AKC dog that has been bred for showing purposes. The most important thing to do is look at the parents, the parent's siblings and the grand parents. Dogs are sometimes combinations of, but usually spitting images of their parents or grand-parents both mentally and physically. When men were breeding these dogs originally, they bred them to be human friendly. No man wanted to break up two dogs fighting and get attacked by the dogs they were handling. They also wanted dogs that had an incredible tolerance for pain. For these two reasons, Pit Bulls are excellent with children. Kids can yank on the dog's ears, tail, etc. and the dogs don't feel anything or care. It is there instinct to love people whether they are young or old. Remember, as with any dog, it is not good to leave very young children with it.

I also would be wary of owning any dog and then having a new born baby. It is always better to let the dog grow up with children than to let the children grow up with the dog. Please remember, almost all of the most aggressive of fighting dogs are human lovers. Pit bulls, as a whole, love humans. They are the friendliest dogs you can own...period. Just remember, they were bred originally for dog aggression so, don't be surprised if your dog doesn"t love all other four-legged animals. I do promise, if you decide to get one, you will never own another breed. They have more personality and are happier than any other breed of dog.

Britanee

D-o-gee

6/22/2005

Rating: TBA (7vote/s)

D-o-gee is great with kids, loves to play fight with me. He is a blue pit, very protective over the house, so dont walk in. He is 3-1/2 years old and has never even came close to bitting anyone, he is loving. People do need to understand that just because people gave these pit-bulls a name dont act on what they say. I think out of all the Dogs I have had, my pit is the one that has been the most loyal and the one that has been the greatest with kids.

Jade

Pitbull Terrier

5/13/2005

Rating: TBA (17vote/s)

My pitbull female is just over 6months old and she is the sweetest most human like dog I have ever owned. She is still so young and already shows that she is loyal. Not only is she turning out to be a great watch dog she LOVES and I mean absolutly LOVES people. "man killer" doesnt much apply to my baby, Hannah, unless you believe you can kill someone by licking them to death. She is surly a handfull and we are starting to take obediance classes in a week. I highly recommend professional training. As a pitbull lover I feel that it is very important to make sure that we change the image of this beatiful animal and make the media and people who have never been around a Pit know that they are the sweetest, most loyal, fun loving dog.

Chet Beerbower

American Pitbull Terrier

12/11/2004

Rating: TBA (21vote/s)

The American Pitbull Terrier is the most loyal and affectate dog that I have ever seen.
They are very protective of there family. They will let someone take there life before they can harm you. APBT's are very good with kids.

Becky Knapp

APBT review

11/4/2004

Rating: TBA (15vote/s)

This breed is very people oriented, very loving and loyal. If raised properly, they can be your best friend and family member. They are highly energetic most of the time, but can be a couch potato too.

The American Pit Bull Terrier can be very stubborn at times so obedience training is highly recommended. They need to be kept busy so they don't learn to be destructive when left alone. When left alone it is best to keep them crated, but make sure they get plenty of exercise.

They are almost maintenance free, only light brushing and bathing is necessary.