OWNING A BULLY BREED & EDUCATIONAL ARTICLES

BULLY BREEDS
  • American Bully
  • American Pit Bull Terrier
  • American Staffordshire Terrier
  • Bull Terrier
  • Miniature Bull Terrier
  • Staffordshire Bull Terrier
  • American Bulldog

    • IS A BULLY BREED RIGHT FOR YOU? (Ask yourself these questions)
    • Am I an experienced Dog Owner, or a Natural Leader?
    • Am I firmly committed to socializing and training my puppy for the rest of their life?
    • Do I tend to be calm and quiet rather then short fused and hyper?
    • Will I train my dog with kindness, consistency and patience?
    • Am I a physically active person? Can I match my dog's energy?
    • Am I willing to exercise this dog everyday?
    • Am I informed about the misconceptions and the biases against this breed?
    • Do I understand that this dog must be a part of the family?
    • Can I provide a warm home for this dog and not keep him chained outside?
    • Am I eager to convince the public that Bully Breeds make great Family Pets?
    • Am I up for fighting BSL and Negative Breed Profiling?
    • Do I want to rescue or go to a breeder? And what to look for in either one?
    • Am I aware of my community and know if I can have a Bully Breed in it?
    RESPONSIBLE BREEDERS (want to get a dog from a breeder? here are some main points that make a responsible breeder, ask all these questions when selecting a breeder)
    • Does the breeder breed several different types of dogs? This can often be a red flag and you should try to stick with breeders who only work with American Pit Bull Terriers.
    • A responsible Pit Bull breeder will be able to tell you the negative characteristics and health issues of his breeding line and also what he has done over the years to improve that aspect of his dogs.
    • Can the breeder thoroughly explain to you how he selects dogs for breeding and what characteristics they will most likely throw?
    • How often does the breeder have litters of puppies? Breeders who have many, many litters each year may not be a good choice.
    • Is the breeder involved with Pit Bulls on a larger scale than just breeding them?
    • Does the breeder keep in touch with those who have purchased puppies from him? Breeders who sell pups and then have no idea where they end up should be avoided.
    • Where does the breeder keep his puppies at before they are sold? Are they well socialized?

    Sadly pit bulls have acquired a reputation as unpredictable, dangerous and vicious. Their sometimes intimidating appearance has made them attractive to the wrong kind of owner - people who are looking for a macho dog and who encourage aggressive behavior. In reality a well-bred, well socialized and well trained pit bull is one of the most delightful, intelligent and gentle dogs imaginable. Pit bulls are loyal and affectionate dogs and most of them are ambassadors for their breed that are loving companions in families, that work in search and rescue and as therapy dogs. Unfortunately we usually hear more about the exceptions than of the rule. It is irresponsible people who take an innocent puppy and turn it into a "bad dog". And though it is true that some dogs have aggressive tendencies, these traits are not breed specific.
    So what can you do to not become one of those people? BE RESPONSIBLE! Owning a dog is a responsibility. What does that mean?
    Never allow your pit bull to roam around the neighborhood off-leash and unsupervised. While all dogs should be leashed and supervised when out in public, pit bulls, by virtue of their less-than favorable public image as well as their immense physical strength and tenacity, should always be closely supervised and under control. Even the most gentle, docile pit bull can inadvertently scratch someone during play or nip at a child who is being too rough or who doesn't know how to be behave around dogs, which can quickly turn into a giant problem!
    Never keep your pit bull chained or tied up for long periods of time. Long hours spent restrained on a chain can turn a good dog into an aggressive, neurotic, anxious animal. It is a terrible way for a dog to live. If you can't give a dog a good life, maybe you shouldn't have one! Either keep your dog in the house, a well-gated back yard, or in a suitable size dog crate.
    Be quick to reprimand or restrain your pit bull when exhibiting any aggressive, hostile behavior. Most dogs, including pit bulls, will find themselves in situations where they react aggressively or engage in fighting with other dogs. While not always an emergency situation or even an unjustified situation, pit bulls, once again, do not possess the same leeway that most other dog breeds possess; again, this is due to their public profile and, to a lesser extent, on their physical capabilities. So be smart. Be quick to remove your dog from any hostile or aggressive situations, and be quick to reprimand or scold your dog when clearly out of line or overstepping normal boundaries.

    The name "Pit Bull" was a general name used to group related breeds together such as: American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bulldog, American Bully, Bull Terrier. It is not an actual breed. Now, the name "Pit Bull" is used for any dog who looks similar to any one of those breeds. These "Pit Bull" "look-a-likes", often get classified as Pit Bulls by people and the media, because of ignorance. When one of these other breeds of dogs does something negative, the "Pit Bull" name gets blamed. These breeds include: Perro de Presa Canario, Cane Corso, Dogo Argentino, Alano Espanol, Japanese Tosa, Dogue de Bordeaux, Cordoba Fighting Dog, Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog, Boxer, Valley Bulldog, Olde English Bulldogge, Renascence Bulldogge, Banter Bulldogge. Do you think you can pick out an American Pit Bull Terrier if you saw one? Try it for yourself: FIND THE AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER

    For Those Who Fear Or Hate Pit Bulls...
    There are about 4.8 MILLION pits in the United States, alone, yet, over a period of about 20 YEARS, only a LITTLE OVER ONE HUNDRED people have been killed by them. You're probably thinking a little over one hundred is a big number, even over a period of 20 years, but consider this: 115 people die EVERY DAY in automobile accidents in the United States, alone. You should be far more afraid of automobiles than pit bulls.
    Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

    FACTS ABOUT THE "PIT BULL":

    • The American Pit Bull Terrier was bred to be submissive to man
    • Pit Bulls have a strong desire to please their owners, more then any other breed.
    • In England, Pit Bulls have such a widespread reputation for being great with children that they are nicknamed, "The Nanny Dog."
    • Pit Bulls do NOT have locking jaws
    • The American Staffordshire Terrier gained AKC recognition in 1936, but under the name Staffordshire Terrier. The AKC added the word "American" to the name in 1972 to differentiate the breed from AKC's newly recognized Staffordshire Bull Terrier
    • In 1898, the United Kennel Club (UKC) formed for the purpose of providing registration and fighting guidelines for the American Pit Bull Terrier. Years later, Pit Bull owners wanting to distance themselves from the fighting aspect of the breed petitioned the American Kennel Club (AKC) for recognition of the Pit Bull so that the breed could compete in AKC dog shows and other performance events.
    • Nipper, the famous RCA dog, was a Pit Bull.
    • Dog Jack, a canine war hero during the Civil War, was a Pit Bull.
    • Alaska's first certified hearing dog was a Pit Bull
    • World War I and II posters feature Pit Bulls as mascots for the United States of America.
    • Stubby, America's First War Dog, was a Pit Bull and is one of the most highly decorated dogs in U.S. history.
    • Helen Keller owned a Pit Bull
    • Pete the Pup of the Little Rascals was a Pit Bull
    • The American Pit Bull Terrier is considered the strongest dog in the world for it's size.
    • The Pit Bull's intelligence, trainability and pleasant nature, make him an ideal canidate for therapy work with people.


    EDUCATIONAL ARTICLES

  • Pit Bull's and Bad Raps
  • Top 5 Myths about Pit Bulls
  • Pitbull dogs aren't as scary as you think
  • Pit Bulls: Nanny Dogs Or Trained Killers?

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