AMERICAN PIT BULL TEMPERAMENT, HISTORY, TIPS

The following information is based on my personal knowledge, extensive research, and experience in the breed. It is intended primarily for the first time or potential pit bull owner who needs to know what to expect from their dog, both positive and negative. This page will give information on the proper temperament of this breed, typical behavior, proper toys, and training info. This page is intended as a brief overview of the breed, and should be only one of many sources the new or potential pit bull owner should investigate in order to understand the responsibility of owning this breed. Unlike almost any other breed, pit bull ownership comes with some unique responsibilities. As the owner of an American Pit Bull Terrier, your actions and those of your dog will affect not only yourself, but EVERY owner and EVERY dog of this breed. If you are thinking about getting a pit bull, please think about that before committing yourself to an American Pit Bull Terrier." Susan Thompson TEMPERAMENT, WHAT IS IT? Simply put, temperament is those behavioral traits and mental attitudes shared by canines and combined with the special characteristics proper to a certain dog breed. Newfoundlands for example, like water and love children, that is part of the breed's temperament. A Newfoundland that hates to swim or growls at a child is showing improper temperament for the breed. When a person talks about the temperament of their chosen breed, they are describing those traits which most good examples of the breed will have, rather than describing a specific dog. A dog who posses all or most of the characteristics expected for their breed is said to have a proper temperament. This is why it is very important to know about your chosen breed's temperament and research its specific traits, preferably before you commit to a dog. You may find out that eventhough you like the "look" of a certain breed, the temperament is not for you. A WORD ABOUT BREED HISTORY Much of a dog's temperament relates to it's breed history and genetic inheritance. I won't go too deep into the history of the Pit Bull as there are many good books and websites that cover the origin and history of the breed. It is common knowledge however, that the Pit Bull breed was developed for blood sports: Bull baiting, bear baiting, and later, dogfighting. What is not common knowledge is that in the days of organized dogfighting, the handlers of the combatants were habitually IN THE PIT with the dogs for the duration of the fight. They were required to pick up and separate the dogs several times while the dogs were in full fight frenzy. Before the fight, the handlers were required to wash each other's dogs, and after the fight, the badly injured dogs were often treated at ringside by strangers. Any dog that attacked or bit a handler (even if it was the other dog's handler) or anyone else at any time was culled, often on the spot, and would never have been bred. SO, WHAT IS THE PROPER PIT BULL TEMPERAMENT? As with all breeds, the Pit Bull has positive and negative traits in their temperament. Their breed history has led to a dog unlike any other in the history of purebred dogs. What can you expect from an APBT? First and foremost, memorize the following: THE GOLDEN RULE OF PIT BULL OWNERSHIP- NEVER TRUST YOUR PIT BULL NOT TO FIGHT!!!!! This breed is descended from pit dogs one way or another, and, given the right circumstances, most Pit Bulls will fight and against any other breed, they will win (you really don't want to see that!). Scared yet? You should be. Remember, as the owner of a Pit Bull everything you or your dog do will affect all members of the breed and their families. Pit Bull owners have to be extra vigilant 24/7, period. You need to be receptive, have strong leadership, and be able to read canine body language to recognize signs of tension between housemates. You need to be prepared to separate the dogs if tensions develop. You need to know when your dog may become aggressive and you need to have control of your dog under any circumstances. Sound like a lot of work and hassle? It is. So, what's the payoff? The payoff is: A well-raised pit bull of proper temperament is the most loyal and loving dog in the world, bar none. This is a dog that truly LOVES people, especially children. Pits are notorious clowns, and will Always make you laugh, even in spite of yourself. They are intelligent, and will often "invent" games to keep themselves amused. They seem to subsist on love and attention, and will do almost anything for a little special "loves n hugs" time. They tolerate the rough play of children, loving every minute of it, and, although poor "guard dogs" for property, they will willingly give their lives to save the people they love. Thousands of responsible owners have dedicated themselves to this breed for it's positive traits and willingly deal with the negatives.