Quote:
Originally Posted by Lovetodream88  Pitts where first breed to be killers, fighters and guard dogs before they where breed to be pets. |
Not true.
American Pit Bull Terrier - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
During the nineteenth century, dog fanciers in
England,
Ireland, and
Scotland began to experiment with crosses between
bulldogs and
terriers, looking for a dog that combined the
gameness of the terrier with the strength and athleticism of the bulldog.
[1]
In the late 1800s to early 1900s, two clubs were formed for the specific purpose of registering APBTs: the
United Kennel Club and the
American Dog Breeders Association. The United Kennel Club was founded in 1898, and was the first registry to recognize the breed, with the owner assigning the first number to his own APBT.
[2]
The dog was bred first to bait bulls and bears.
[3] When baiting bulls was deemed inhumane,
ratting, a sport where a number of rats were placed in a pit for a specified time with the dog, and dogfighting became more popular. The APBT was used in both sports, and its prevalence in being put in pits with rats led to 'pit' being added to its name.
[4] With time, the dogs became more commonly used as house pets due to their friendliness towards people.
[5] In America, farmers and ranchers used their APBTs for protection, as catch dogs for semi-wild cattle and hogs, to hunt, and to drive livestock.
[6] The dog was used during World War I and World War II as a way of delivering messages on the battlefield.
[5]