What breed of pit…?
by Lindsay B. (Bahamutt99)
What kind of pit do I have?
I’m writing this blog for the benefit of newcomers to the breed who may be seeking to establish what kind/breed/type of Pit Bull they have. I think we all realize what a tricky subject this can be, especially with breeders (particularly backyard breeders) throwing around different catch phrases at whim. Hopefully this will help clear up some of the confusion.
The “breeds” of Pit Bull:
The first thing that I usually say is that there is only one breed: the American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT). The APBT is a pure breed recognized by the American Dog Breeders Association and the United Kennel Club. Many people are convinced that these dogs are mixes because of their varied appearance, but the APBT has been a registered purebred since prior to 1900. The reason for the variety is that these dogs have always been bred to perform, not conform.
Other breeds that occasionally get lumped in with the APBT under the name “pit bull” are the American Staffordshire Terrier (AmStaff) and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier (Staffybull). Owners of these breeds usually refer to them by their respective names. It is mainly the legislators or the uneducated who call them “pit bulls.” They are, however, acknowledged breed cousins sharing many similar traits. Sometimes the Bull Terrier (the egg-headed Spuds McKenzie dog of England) is referred to as a “pit bull,” but he is also his own breed.
If you have an unregistered dog, you really have to settle for a best guess. Some hints: APBTs are the most numerous of the breeds mentioned here. However, it can be difficult to tell the difference between an AmStaff and an APBT, especially in the more middle-of-the-road dogs. The Staffybull is considerably smaller than these two breeds, and shouldn’t have cropped ears. The APBT is the only breed of the three which is allowed to have a red nose and light eyes. All three breeds have similar temperaments.
On the subject of nicknames:
American Pit Bull Terrier owners refer to their dogs by all kinds of nicknames: Pit, Pit Bull, APBT, bulldog, bully, pittie, etc. Unfortunately this kind of lax labeling does lend itself to confusion since the term “pit bull” is applied by the misguided to many breeds, including those that aren’t even related to the bull breeds. (By the way, the proper spelling of the breed name (or nickname) has only one “T.” It is Pit Bull, not Pitt like the actor.)
“Well, I’ve got a bluenose/rednose/brindle/tricolor/merle pit!”
Many times, colors are confused with special types of APBT. For starters, the Pit Bull nose can be any color: red, blue, liver, black, even spotted. There is nothing in the written breed standard which gives preferance to any of the different pigment colors which abound in the breed.
On the subject of coat colors, this breed comes in a wide palette of them. There are various shades of brindle (that beautiful, striped pattern), there is black, blue, red, fawn (aka buckskin or tan), white, piebald (white with large spots of color), smut, seal, brown, chocolate (or liver), blue fawn, tricolor, black & tan, so on and so forth. No one color is any more valuable than another! Every APBT is special, but beware the breeder who is touting a particular color as rare, accompanied with the usual high price tag. (A puppy from high-quality parents who were extensively shown, worked, and health-tested will usually not cost more than $500-800, as good breeders are not looking for a return on their investment. But that is another topic altogether.)
One recent trend is the emergence of merle as a hot new color. Please do your research on merle dogs, as most experienced APBT people believe it is an introduced color, not one that is native to the breed. Merle is a dominant gene which is accompanied by many defects. The respected kennel clubs have already moved to discourage the breeding of merle dogs.
If you are interested in seeing more visual aids and information, visit http://www.apbtconformation.com/
Gator, Razor’s Edge, Gottyline, Jeep, Watchdog, Whopper, Redboy, etc etc etc.
One of the things that contributes to the confusion is people referring to their dogs as “a Jeep dog,” or “a Gottyline pit.” This gives the novice the impression that we are talking about different breeds. (Admittedly, some of the dogs mentioned are shrouded in controversy as to the purity of their breeding, so we may indeed be talking about different breeds.) However, all of these are names of different bloodlines. Or in some cases, the name of a particular dog who is considered very influential. Occasionally people will use a kennel name in the same manner as a bloodline name, but they are not the same. (A bloodline becomes such by producing consistent results over several generations.) Some bloodlines are bred for performance, some for show, and some to look cool on the end of a leash.
It is first important to realize that it is impossible to determine a dog’s bloodline(s) without having a reliable pedigree to look at. Many of these names are applied haphazardly. It is not uncommon for backyard breeders to throw out the names of popular bloodlines in order to impress a potential buyer with the wealth of their knowledge. Or sometimes a dog will be called after a particular bloodline even though he only has one dog of that line behind him. Unfortunately, familiarity with reading pedigrees is something that can only be obtained with practice and exposure, and is beyond the scope of this blog.
A word about size
It has become a common practice for breeders to specialize in oversized and overweight dogs, under the impression that bigger must be better. On the opposite end, there are some breeders focusing on extremely tiny dogs in an attempt to create “pocket pits.” (The former is more common than the latter.)
All dogs need love, but its important to realize that you may well be supporting poor breeding practices if you buy from someone pushing “XXL pits,” or those of “superior size.” Beware also breeders who boast about thick chests, low-stationed bodies, huge heads, females which are manlier than other kennels’ males, and the like. This breed was never intended to be huge, and the standard describes a medium-sized dog with a preferred weight range of 30-60 pounds. These dogs were forged as the ultimate athlete, and any attempt to exaggerate their features can only detract from the breed. You owe it to yourself to research thoroughly if you are thinking about buying an APBT bred for any of these traits.
But, but, but…
This post was not written to discourage anyone from loving their dog for what it is, or from obtaining the kind of dog they want. However, it is important to have a realistic view on what the APBT is and should be, especially in light of the state of the breed today. There is a veritable kaleidoscope of colors and types available, many of which are being pumped out in staggering numbers. The only rare APBT is the one bred by a responsible breeder who emphasizes health, proper temperament, structure, and working ability. And the most valuable breed/color/type in the world is the one sitting next to you.
Resources:
http://www.apbtconformation.com/
http://www.akc.org/index.cfm — for AmStaff and Staffybull written standards.