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Despite the fact that the breed is called the American pit bull terrier, it arose not at all in America, but in the Old World. But it was precisely the Americans that this breed aroused particular interest, and they seized the initiative for breeding.
Breed history
The cause of the future breed of the American pit bull terrier was the laws of England. They forbade people from the poor to have large dogs. Large dogs were available only to people from high society. Therefore, poor residents could have bulldogs and those terriers, which were used as housing guards, as well as hunters. Over time, in the process of crossing these two breeds, the first representatives of modern pit bull terriers appeared. In order not to violate the law of their country, people left the smallest puppy of all born.
These dogs were pretty agile and active like that of a terrier, and strong and fearless like bulldogs. At first the breed was called bull terrier, but soon the pit prefix was added to it. From English, this word is translated as a pit for dog fighting, and this happened due to the fact that these representatives were used as fighters.
It is not known exactly when the pit bulls came to America, but only one thing is clear that this happened no later than 1774. Animals came along with emigrants from the territory of modern Europe. The most active migrants became in the middle of the 19th century.
It is worth noting that on the territory of Europe of those times, fighting between dogs was treated rather negatively, and soon these actions became completely prohibited. Therefore, in 1835, England passed a law stating that fights between pit bull terriers are prohibited. But in America it was just the opposite. Fights between representatives of this breed were legal, and they were welcomed for a long time.
At this time, many people saw prospects in this action, and therefore engaged in breeding pit bulls. For these animals to be officially recognized, breeders had a long way to go. At that time, these dogs did not yet have a specific breed name, so they could be called differently: pit bulls or pit dogs, as well as pit terriers.
Of all future representatives of the breed, the most valuable were the red-nosed dogs. It was believed that they are individuals of the "old family" of the breed. Fans of this type of dog made a huge mistake when they excluded red noses from breeding with other lines of pit bulls. They believed that the reason for this could be unforeseen consequences.
An Irishman named John Colby, who sailed to America in 1900, introduced new ideas about this issue. Together with him, he brought purebred pit bulls, which he attributed to the "old family." And he believed that on the contrary they should be actively involved in breeding and crossed with other lines of this breed. This man was not understood by his contemporaries. He was condemned and criticized, but he did what he considered necessary. And, as it turned out later, all this was not in vain. Through the work of this Irishman, it turned out to bring out many representatives who became legends of fighting dogs.
Unfortunately, until 1900 it is very difficult to talk about any statistics: the number of animals that became champions, and in general, how many dogs were brought from Europe. Therefore, talking about some standards was quite problematic. After all, they had a different color, and their features were very difficult to systematize. But already after 1900, when the dogs were in America, the development of this species began to be officially documented.
After a vivid example with John Colby, other breeders began active breeding of the breed using representatives of the "old family". After that, this breed was called American. It was American breeders who made a great contribution to the formation of the breed. Therefore, despite the fact that the American pit bull terrier had European roots, the Europeans still did not claim to be of this species. Although the first representatives of the pit bulls lived not only in England and Ireland, but also in the Netherlands with Spain.
The International Society of Cynologists did not recognize this breed, but this did not stop the persistent American breeders. And already in 1898 they opened their own club of fans of fighting dogs. After some time, this club ceased to exist, because here they stopped supporting dog fights.
In 1909, a new organization was born that was engaged in the registration of representatives of the pit bull breed for fighting. Today, this society is considered international. American laws began to prohibit the conduct of dog fights, so the purpose of this organization was to maintain the entry of data on the representatives of the species. This procedure helps to preserve the breed, as well as to conduct competition among these animals. These competitions are called confirmation shows. At such events, competitions are held not only in the strength training of the animal, but also in its appearance.
Representatives of the breed are still trending both in the United States and in Russia, although this type of dog has undergone numerous persecutions. For example, some countries in the European Union prohibit breeding of these dogs. Those that already existed or are present in the given territory must, according to the laws, be sterilized. By the way, Germany is much tougher with the owners of these dogs. In order to get a pit bull puppy, you need to get permission, and at the same time a high tax will be charged on the maintenance of this animal.
Breed standards
The most important society of dog handlers still does not recognize this type of dog, so this breed has two different standards that have been described by other organizations. The first list of standards aims to describe the fighting qualities of the animal, and the second is devoted to describing the external characteristics of the dog.
Standards by ADBA
The external characteristics of this representative indicate that the dog is quite strong and has good health. Her hair is smooth and shiny, and her eyes are always attentive. The figure is tightened and sporty. All of the above features are characteristics of a true representative of the breed. His relief muscles should not make him visually thick. Because adult representatives of the species in general should have a lean physique and slightly protruding ribs.
The head of the pit bull is allowed a different shape, but mainly it should be wedge-shaped. To the nose, it should narrow. If you look in full view, then the head looks like a circle. The transition from nose to forehead is quite expressive, and the cheekbones are slightly wider than the line of the ears. Ears can be cropped. The eyes are shaped like an ellipse.
The skin on the body is pretty tight, but there may be wrinkles on the neck and chest. The chest of the animal is quite wide, and should taper towards the bottom. Pit bull agility is expressed in the length of the lower back. It cannot be too long or short.
The limbs of an American pet are powerful and muscular. The shoulders from which the forelimbs extend are slightly wider than the dog’s chest. The animal’s hips are uneven, but slightly slanted at an angle of 30 degrees. The hind limbs are thinner than the front, which significantly affects their flexibility. Paws small in size, assembled.
The tail landing is quite low, and he himself has a wide base. The coat of the animal is always short, harsh to the touch, but shiny. If we talk about the color of the dog, then it can be very different.The only thing that breed standards do not allow is the color of merle, and albino dogs.
UKC Standards
By the standards of this species, an American pit bull terrier dog must have an athletic body. Its skeleton must be strong, and the muscular system is expressive and embossed. The movements of this pet are always graceful. But, despite the muscles and powerful skeleton, these representatives should not look obese.
Energy and interest in everything are the main features that are inherent in this breed. Despite the general misconception, pit bulls should not be aggressive to humans or other animals.
The head is rather large, but, nevertheless, this should not create dissonance when looking at the dog, because it is proportional to the body. The muzzle itself is slightly smaller than the skull, and refers to it as 2: 3. In this species, the superciliary part and lower jaw are well developed.
Eyes cannot be blue. Their location should have a low but wide landing. The ears of the dog are always high on the top of the head, and at the same time can be stopped. The dog’s neck is elongated, and the body is proportionate, and should not be too long or short. The back is slightly sloping.
The weight of males can be from 15.9 kg to 27.2 kg. And females are a bit lighter, and their average weight starts at 13.6 kg, and does not exceed 22.7 kg. In males, growth can be 40-42 cm, and females grow up to 37-40 cm.
Animal character
Many are not very good with dogs of this breed, and all this is due to stereotypes that these animals are quite aggressive. But the aggressiveness of dogs depends only on education. Pit bulls alone should not be evil. At the same time, if the owner wants to make his dog angry and aggressive, then raising these qualities in her is quite simple and quick.
American pit bull terriers are very curious dogs, active by nature. They are always ready to play with their master and execute commands.
We can say with confidence that the nature of this breed of dogs is formed solely through educational work. And the most important age is for children, because the older the pet, the more difficult it is to reeducate it.
Care and maintenance of the pit bull
It is better to give the dog raw meat if there is confidence in its quality, because boiled is less easily absorbed. Pit bulls can also be given dairy products, with the exception of milk.
It’s not worth bathing the dog often. It will be enough twice a year. It is also necessary to comb it once a week. With the same frequency you need to wipe your ears.
The cost of an American pit bull puppy
On average, a puppy of this breed can cost 20 thousand rubles. It is worth considering the fact that many countries do not recognize this breed, so it is difficult to get an animal with a pedigree.
Video: American Pit Bull Terrier dog breed
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