Post by APBT Answers on Sept 17, 2007 23:08:27 GMT -5
This is one of the newest things I've heard on the net.
The Pit Bull (American Pit Bull Terrier) is not a cross of Staffordshire and Bullmastiff.
An American Pit Bull Terrier is a dog that was brought from mostly England & Ireland. These dogs were excellent pit fighting dogs and as well versatile working dogs in other forms. They were able to hold bulls, catch pest and vermin and perform other duties on farms or in homes. These dogs had excellent temperaments, while they would fight another dog or hold an angry boar in one moment they could be cuddling with a child the next.
There are a few thoughts on where these dogs originated. One is that they are the pure old bulldogs (this is similar to the American Bulldog story), they are from dogs always used as bulldog/bull baiting dogs and been bred for work to only other bulldogs. Then there are those who believe that they are a cross to of Bull and Terrier. It is thought that they were crossed with the English White Terrier and/or the Black and Tan Terrier. That these dogs were bred to be the best pit dogs one could find by combining the breeds and still an excellent bulldog to boot. Both is probably true, it is fanciful for owners to think that their APBTs or ABs are pure original bulldogs but highly unlikely. For these dogs were not bred by one man or controlled by any small group. Bulldogs were popular and highly regarded working dogs, therefore many people had their own strain and breeding of bulldogs. It is likely that these dogs were bred with the next best working bulldog without much lineage being kept. Bulldog refered mostly to TYPE and not to a specific breed. Some breeders may have kept to breeding bulldog to bulldog while others crossed in terrier. Even in the earlier develop meant it is possible that some breeds bred to the established Bull Terrier breed into their lines. These early Bull Terriers were different then todays.
Fast forward to the dogs roots in the US. English and Irish brought their bulldogs with them. To say that the APBT is a product of crossing the Staffordshire Terrier and the Bullmastiff is ridiculous. APBTs came here in the 1800s while Bullmastiffs were only just being created in England in the late 1800s. The Bullmastiff did not come here until later and were not recognized until 1933 by the AKC. APBTs had already been here and UKC recognized since 1898. 3yrs after the Bullmastiff was AKC recognized the APBT became recognized by AKC as AST. In their own country Bullmastiff's were not recognized by the Kennel Club until 1924. This was after the creation/breeding of the APBT.
We know that American Pit Bull Terriers have been in this country for close to 200 years, 1800s. They continued to be imported into the country though the early 1900s. Breed documentation can be traced back that many years, so it would be likely to think a few were here before then. One well known dog to speak of was Colby's Galtie who's parents were imported from Ireland. Also Champion's Pilot's sire Billy was bred in England and we have several generations of his English ancestors. Therefore long enough to consider it a purebred dog and to know it wasn't bred from a Bullmastiff. As well we know that these dogs came from people who were breeding them pure in England and Ireland to begin with.
The Pit Bull (American Pit Bull Terrier) is not a cross of Staffordshire and Bullmastiff.
An American Pit Bull Terrier is a dog that was brought from mostly England & Ireland. These dogs were excellent pit fighting dogs and as well versatile working dogs in other forms. They were able to hold bulls, catch pest and vermin and perform other duties on farms or in homes. These dogs had excellent temperaments, while they would fight another dog or hold an angry boar in one moment they could be cuddling with a child the next.
There are a few thoughts on where these dogs originated. One is that they are the pure old bulldogs (this is similar to the American Bulldog story), they are from dogs always used as bulldog/bull baiting dogs and been bred for work to only other bulldogs. Then there are those who believe that they are a cross to of Bull and Terrier. It is thought that they were crossed with the English White Terrier and/or the Black and Tan Terrier. That these dogs were bred to be the best pit dogs one could find by combining the breeds and still an excellent bulldog to boot. Both is probably true, it is fanciful for owners to think that their APBTs or ABs are pure original bulldogs but highly unlikely. For these dogs were not bred by one man or controlled by any small group. Bulldogs were popular and highly regarded working dogs, therefore many people had their own strain and breeding of bulldogs. It is likely that these dogs were bred with the next best working bulldog without much lineage being kept. Bulldog refered mostly to TYPE and not to a specific breed. Some breeders may have kept to breeding bulldog to bulldog while others crossed in terrier. Even in the earlier develop meant it is possible that some breeds bred to the established Bull Terrier breed into their lines. These early Bull Terriers were different then todays.
Fast forward to the dogs roots in the US. English and Irish brought their bulldogs with them. To say that the APBT is a product of crossing the Staffordshire Terrier and the Bullmastiff is ridiculous. APBTs came here in the 1800s while Bullmastiffs were only just being created in England in the late 1800s. The Bullmastiff did not come here until later and were not recognized until 1933 by the AKC. APBTs had already been here and UKC recognized since 1898. 3yrs after the Bullmastiff was AKC recognized the APBT became recognized by AKC as AST. In their own country Bullmastiff's were not recognized by the Kennel Club until 1924. This was after the creation/breeding of the APBT.
We know that American Pit Bull Terriers have been in this country for close to 200 years, 1800s. They continued to be imported into the country though the early 1900s. Breed documentation can be traced back that many years, so it would be likely to think a few were here before then. One well known dog to speak of was Colby's Galtie who's parents were imported from Ireland. Also Champion's Pilot's sire Billy was bred in England and we have several generations of his English ancestors. Therefore long enough to consider it a purebred dog and to know it wasn't bred from a Bullmastiff. As well we know that these dogs came from people who were breeding them pure in England and Ireland to begin with.