The American Pit Bull Terrier
The modern American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) can trace its roots back to England and the early 19th century. Crosses between “bully” type dogs and terriers eventually produced the modern APBT. Although not recognized as a “breed” and much smaller than the modern APBT, the early “bulldogs” were used as working dogs, controlling unruly bulls for butchers as well as farmers.

(taken from this website) http://dogs.about.com/cs/breedprofil...ll_history.htm

Photo of an American Pit Bull Terrier
http://media.livingwithstyle.com/fil...rrier-0305.jpg

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier first came into existence in or around the seventeenth century. As bull baiting declined in popularity and dog fighting enjoyed a surge of interest, it became necessary to develop a dog which possessed a longer and more punishing head than the Bulldog and also to combine strength and agility. It is therefore believed that the Staffordshire Bull Terrier was derived from the fighting Bulldog of the day with some terrier blood introduced.

(taken from this website) http://www.bulldogbreeds.com/staffor...llterrier.html (please note the comment on the dog's aggressiveness towards other dogs)

Photo of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier
http://www.kennels.co.uk/images/Ter....ullTerrier.jpg

I honestly truely commend all of you responsible bull terriers..or large breed owners. Those pictures are absolutely adorable and your babies (skin and fur) are precious! I, personally would never feel comfortable owning one myself (not just bull terriers, but larger breeds in general..thats why I opted for a Yorkie ;)). I would always be afraid that I was not holding up my part of being a responsible dog owner and if something were to God forbid happen, I would always blame and NEVER forgive myself.. sometimes I feel that no matter how much we try to integrate animals into our every day lives..they are still that..animals and they still have different animalistic drive that can be unpredictable at times. All that being said..

Annie- I truely am sorry for what happened with your little guy. And I am SOO thankful that he was not seriously injured..I cannot imagine what I would have done if I was in your shoes..your baby had an angel watching over him :) and I hope you never have to experience that same fear again...

as i said in one of my posts my sister has a bull mastiff (who is 15 stone) and as i said she is a lovely dog ,loves kids and people and is scared of small dogs and cats,shes trained (by a top bull mastiff trainer)and does as shes told,has never showed any aggresion before to anyone or anything but 3 years ago on xmas day my sister and her bf came home from riding her horse and found her boyfriends staff dead,he had been bitten once on the neck by the mastiff but the mastiff was covered in bites from him so he must of started it,he had also never showed any aggression before and my sisters bf had had him 12 years,some dogs for what ever reason turn,maybe its the breeding,maybe its the training,maybe some breeds will always have the chance of turning,maybe its just a dog thing going back to there wild roots,maybe we will never know.all people have there fav breeds and there breeds they are not so fond of thats normal.for what ever the reason this dog tried to attack this yorkie it was wrong and i being a lover of all dog breeds big and small can understand why she was so upset about this and i can also understand why owners of bull breeds are also upset so lets all agree to disagree or at least agree we all love are dogs what ever breed they are and want to keep them safe. :animal36

They Are Not, I Repeat, Not The Same Breed!
 

"staffordshire bull terriers are Pit bull terriers"

And it also should be noted that genetically they have taken quite seperate paths and incorporated different breeds to become what they are today. The two breeds that I think you meant to compare are the American Staffordshire Terrier and the American Pit Bull Terrier are one in the same and EVEN THEN, those two while closer related have also gone their seperate ways in phenotype!

THAT is the truth, let me know if you need some reading material!

Is your post directed at me? If so, please refrain from patronising me. If not, just ignore my post

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is not the American Pit Bull Terrier nor is it the American Staffordshire Terrier. I am not talking about the American Staffordshire Terrier. We do not have them here (for the 100 millionth time!). Pit Bull and Pit Bull types are banned in the United Kingdom! I couldn't possibly comment on the difference because I frankly couldn't care less. My daily concerns are with the Staffordshire Bull Terrier (as defined by the UK Kennel Club) and the English Bull Terrier (Google for an image. Again, not a Pit Bull!!)

I really wish you people would stop trying to score points. It's incredibly boring now. This thread isn't about how great pit bulls and bull terriers are, it's about how my two and a half pound dog was nearly savaged by one and who's owners turned round and treated me like neurotic scum

And you wonder why I got so mad at them. You're all the same. Just bull-headed and ignorant. Round and round with the same tired old arguments, accusations and patronisations!!

annie i understand where your coming from ,i think its different in the usa,we have more problems with them here which no one would know unless you lived here.

Bull Breeds Are Very Much Prey Driven
 

"And you wonder why I got so mad at them. You're all the same. Just bull-headed and ignorant. Round and round with the same tired old arguments, accusations and patronisations!!"

This is terrible! I haven't heard anyone belittle you or argue w/ you. Yes there are a few that tried to take this thread in a different direction, but I'm with you on this and I HAVE a Staffordshire Bull Terrier FROM the United Kingdom myself!!! I KNOW how terrible they can be around small things that run or squeak! Trust me, no arguement there. And I'd like to kick the a$$ of the owner that couldn't control theirs and almost took away your little one! I can only hope that when you're out and about w/ your furbaby again that while keeping that ever watchful eye that you've always had (no doubt) that you carry something w/ you that will make any dog think twice about going after another dog again and at least not respond when you behave in an aggressive manner back at it! People are VERY ignorant w/ many of the breeds out there and ANY Bull breed type is going to have much more drive than many pets homes should be responsible for.
That's all. Thank You.
:cup:
:hug:

American Pitbull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, American Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and Bull Terriers are all different breeds. Annie, I understand completely where you are coming from and understand your fears. I never grew up afraid of any certain breed because quite frankly, I never knew any different! It is perfectly fine to have your preferences for certain breeds.. I know I do.. They are prey driven and will, given the opportunity, go after (very different from attack) small animals. It's a proven fact.. Thats what they're bred for. If the owner was any kind of person, he would have taken every precausion to make sure his dog didn't get loose. I admitted that I hi-jacked the thread but I also made the point that they can and will attack smaller dogs or any small animal for that matter if given the chance. I'm not denying it... All I said was that they aren't all "vicious" and I was trying to point that out too.. Annie, Im sorry that this thread is becoming a heated debate about which dog is better and who should be put to sleep and what not.. Like I said in an earlier post, I'm glad Badger is fine and nothing serious happened! I hope that if you should run into anyone with ANY large dog, they'll do the right thing and keep their dog under control.

--- edited.. I can't spell... :p

--- edited again.. A few bully breed owners on the forum said that pepper spray or the like in their face will work too.

i know where you are comming from completely !! i rotti almost bite my chi's head off the other day the Owner is completely irrisponsible but no matter what i cant blame the dog no matter how bad the breeding is or where it came from its not the dogs fault at all its how its being raised the first time i ran into the guy his dog lunged at a person the growled at my little guy the guy laughed and went bark bark bark like it was a joke
in the end i know that dog is going to be put down in the future and i think its sad that because of its idiot owner i still cant blame the dog

one day in the vet with my cat there was a female pit getting shots with a guy the dog was all over us the sweetest dog wouldnt stop kissing my hissing cat
he was telling us these idiots had her for fighting but she was to sweet she wouldnt fight no matter what so they tighed her to a roof to die
poor baby almost died she was skin and bones
there all not mean her kisses proved that

i have been bitten by the same pit a few times (not bad) do you know why he bit me cause he didnt like anyone leaving the house he wanted everyone to stay with him and i would always play with him