October is National Pit Bull Awareness month! How much do you know about this loyal and loving breed?
However, the United Kennel Club (UKC) and the American Dog Breeders Association (ADBA) do recognize the American Pit Bull Terrier as a breed. The term "pit bull" is commonly used to describe three breeds: the American Staffordshire terrier, the Staffordshire terrier, and the American pit bull terrier.
2: What does a pit bull look like?
A 2018 study found that shelter staff were able to correctly identify (their visual assessment matched DNA testing) a dog's predominant breed around 57% of the time, and they were able to identify at least one breed in the dog's genetic heritage 67.7% of the time. However, when asked to identify more than one breed, they were successful only 10.4% of the time. Additionally, around 33% of the time the label they gave a dog was not in the dog's genetic profile whatsoever. If people who work with dogs all day every day get a dog's breed completely incorrect for one out of every three dogs, how likely are people who don't work with dogs regularly to get a dog's breed right?
This is important because when a person falls victim to a dog attack, hospitals rely on eye-witness accounts and reports from the victim. No DNA tests are done to correctly identify the dog's breed. Similarly, no testing is done when people are looking for housing with breed bans. Any dog with short hair, medium and athletic build, and a broad chest or face might be called a pit bull, when they might not have any pit bull ancestry whatsoever.
With increasing legislation focusing on banning specific breeds, like pit bulls, because of their perceived prevalence in attacks, it's important to actually know the breed(s) of dogs involved in the attacks.
Test your skills: Can you tell the dominant breed of these dogs? Message me your thoughts!
First up: Mika
Second up: Gus
Third up: Sage
3: Pit bulls are often used in dogfighting because ...
Pit bulls are genetically similar to bulldogs, and likely came from an ancestor used in bullbaiting - a medieval "sport" where dogs were used to attack and subdue bulls (sometimes bears or other large animals). Pit bulls have a reputation for being loyal to their people, fearless, and unwilling to back down, which makes them one of the top picks for dogfighting. However, not all modern pit bulls are aggressive, and those who aren't aggressive enough in the dogfighting ring are usually killed. By breeding the more aggressive survivors, genetic lines can have an enhanced genetic disposition to aggression. And it is possible for these more aggressive dogs to end up mixing with the general dog population and the public. It's estimated that roughly 16,000 dogs are killed every year from dogfighting in the U.S., and approximately 40,000 Americans are involved in dogfighting each year.
It's hard to imagine any good coming out of dogfighting, but miraculously, many dogs rescued from dogfighting are rehabilitated and find forever homes. For example, over 70 dogs were found at the time of Michael Vick's arrest and 47 of them were rescued and rehabilitated, some going to loving homes and others living out their days in a sanctuary. Not all dogs that are euthanized after being rescued from dogfighting are euthanized for their aggression. Some dogs die because of their injuries, and some who are candidates for rehabilitation are euthanized due to a lack of resources.
4: Pit bulls have a weaker bite force than Rottweilers and German Shepherds.
A National Geographic study found that Pit Bulls have an average bite force of around 235 pounds of pressure per square inch (psi). German Shepherds were found to have a slightly higher average bite force of 238 psi, and Rottweilers took first place with an average bite force of 328 psi. Wolves have an average bite force of 400 psi. Another study found correlation between skull size and jaw strength (regardless of breed), which means Pit Bulls and Labradors are expected to have similar bite forces. Also, no dog has the anatomical structure that would allow for a locking jaw mechanism.
5: Pit Bulls rank among the top most affectionate dog breeds.
The American Temperament Test Society (ATTS) assesses the temperament of different dog breeds. They specifically measure different traits such as stability, shyness, aggressiveness, friendliness, and protectiveness. At one point, the ATTS reported Pit Bulls as ranking 4th out of 122 tested dog breeds, making them one of the most affectionate breeds. Current statistics show that of the nearly 1,000 American Pit Bulls tested, 87.6% of the dogs passed the test. Similarly, 85.7% of American Staffordshire Terriers passed, 87.3% of American Bulldogs passed, and 100% of American Bully's passed (though only 6 of these dogs have been tested so far).
In comparison, 80.9% of around 900 Collie's passed the test. Only 77.9% of miniature poodles passed, and only 68.8% of Chihuahua's passed (although sample sizes are relatively small; additional test subjects may improve the scores for these breeds).
Summary
The term "Pit Bull" is often a blanket term used to describe three primary breeds: the American Staffordshire Terrier, the Staffordshire Terrier, and the American Pit Bull. Many dogs labeled as being Pit Bulls actually have zero Pit Bull ancestry; this kind of breed mislabeling is true for many other dog breeds too. This is an important fact to remember in the face of legislation banning specific breeds, and suggests efforts would be better spent on assessing behaviors of individual dogs. Unfortunately, Pit Bull's most amazing traits, like their loyalty and courageousness are sometimes exploited for illegal blood sports. However, they are often extremely resilient and many Pit Bulls rescued from dogfighting are rehabilitated and adopted. Many might think Pit Bulls have the strongest bite force amongst dogs because of their prevalent use in dogfighting, but they actually have a bite force comparable to a Labrador, and they are surpassed in jaw strength by German Shepherds and Rottweilers. The American Pit Bull and other bully breeds perform very well in temperament tests, and they out-score other breeds commonly thought to be good family dogs, like Collies. So, even though Pit Bulls are often cast in negative light, it's important to look at the facts and understand that all dogs have a bitey end and often times human behavior plays a bigger role than a dog's breed.
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