Search This Blog

Saturday 4 March 2017

Pit bull

BREEDING

Pit bull is a word used to describe several breeds of dog. They include the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bully and Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and dogs with a mix of these breeds. These dogs were bred by crossing bulldog and terrier breeds.


Many of these breeds were originally developed as fighting dogs from cross breeding bull-baiting dogs (used to hold the faces and heads of larger animals such as bulls) and terriers.

The place where such dogs fought was called a pit.

After the use of dogs in blood sports was banned, such dogs were used as catch dogs in the United States for semi-wild cattle and hogs, to hunt and drive livestock, and as family companions.

Pit bulls are very strong and can pull many times their weight.


Such dogs can be dangerous, very often a special permit is needed to breed or to own them. Some places or countries have banned their use.

In 2007, National Pit Bull Awareness Day was created in the US to help undo the reputational damage done to pit bulls in the media. Each year, on October 26 American pit bulls are celebrated as loving, caring pets rather than the menacing, dangerous animals that they are mistakenly portrayed as. 

FAMOUS PIT BULLS

The American Staffordshire Terrier, Pete the Pup (original, 1924 – June 1930; second Pete, an offspring September 9, 1929 – January 28, 1946) was a character in the Little Rascals movies. Otherwise known as "Pete, the Dog With the Ring Around His Eye", or simply "Petey", he was well known for having a circled eye that was added on by Hollywood make-up artist Max Factor.

Matthew Beard, Pete the Pup, and Bobby Hutchins in the Our Gang comedy School's Out

Other notable pit bulls include Billie Holiday's companion "Mister", Helen Keller's dog "Sir Thomas", President Theodore Roosevelt's Pit Bull terrier "Pete", and Sir Walter Scott's "Wasp. "

Daddy (1994 ‒ February 19, 2010) was an American Pit Bull Terrier integral to dog trainer Cesar Millan's work and his television series, Dog Whisperer. The chestnut-coated pooch was an example of a calm, submissive pit bull that was always around to help Millan with his training. Sensitive to emotion, Daddy would try to comfort humans or dogs that were feeling sad or upset.

Daddy (1994-2010)

Pit bull breeds have become famous for their roles as soldiers such as Jack Brutus who served for Company K, the First Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, during the civil war.

Pit bulls are also renowned for their use as police dogs and search and rescue dogs.  Popsicle, for instance, a pit bull that began his life as a drug dealer’s fighting dog, became a U.S. Customs dog that helped seize 3,075 pounds of cocaine.


In March 2015, a stray pit bull was found nursing an abandoned kitten, keeping her alive until they were both taken in by an animal clinic.

In August 2016, a stray pit bull in Georgia protected a woman from a knife attack. After his wounds healed, he was adopted and named Hero.

No comments:

Post a Comment