1. The American Pit Bull
WHERE THEY STARTED AND WHERE THEY ARE IN TODAY’S SOCIETY

2. Where they
originated
 Ancestors descended
from England
 They were used for
hunting large animals,
such as wild boar
 They were admired for
their willingness to
protect their owners

3. Dog fighting begins
• The English ancestors of the Pit
Bull were forced to fight as
dogfighting became popular in
the early 1800’s (Rez15)
• This breed was not very fast
and had trouble contending
with many larger breeds
• The bull dog was later bred
with an terrier in order to
make the dog more agile for
fighting

4. Early America
• This mix of breeds was
brought to America in the
early 1900’s by English
immigrants(Rez23).
• The canine was known as the
Pit Bull and along with the
dog came it’s fighting roots.
• At this time in America, dog
fighting was considered a
sport and events were
advertised weeks ahead of
time

5. Army Dogs
• The Pit Bull gained much
respect by Americans during
this time in history, including
our own government,
because they were strong,
stood their own ground and
protected their own.
• American’s did not only
admire their ability to
protect themselves, but most
of all their willingness to
protect their owners.
• The Pit Bull was shown as a
mascot in many WW1
propaganda posters. The
mascot was based on a real
life Pit Bull named “Stubby”
who saved the lives of a
whole platoon and was
considered a war hero
(Rez18).

6. Gained Respect from Americans

7. Damaging the Pit Bull’s Reputation
It was not until the early 1980’s that the Pit Bull’s reputation began to change for the worse. It
was because Dutch dog fighters developed interest in the Pit Bull and had many of them shipped
to Holland to train and fight. From Holland, interest in Pit Bull fighting spread throughout the
world (Fra36). By the late 80’s Pit Bull fighting was attracted by criminals due to it’s illegal nature.
Because of underground dog fighting, the Pit Bull’s reputation has been damaged and people just
don’t trust them.

8. Pit Bulls in The Media

9. Now a Days
• Today, the Pit Bull receives so
much negative attention due
to dog fighting
• Many do not realize that
numerous incidents reported
of Pit Bull bites are
inaccurate, people often
mistake boxers as Pit Bulls
(Dog).
• Due to negative media
attention, many states are
classifying the dog as
“dangerous” and are passing
laws to diminish the breed.
• Should we punish the breed,
or the irresponsible owners ?

10. What the Experts Say
According to Mary Harwalik, a professional aggressive dog training specialist, “canine aggression
is a natural response to fear which causes defensive behaviors that are learned from their
environment.” Harwalik also stated that most Pit Bull attacks that she has come across, there
was always some type of human error or neglect that set the dog up for failure (Rez45).
According to the American Staffordshire Terrier Club, “although ancestors of the Pit Bull were
fighting dogs, selective breeding has moved away from the fighting heritage.”

11. Today’s
responsible Pit Bull
owner
Today the Pit Bull is a show dog
and they compete in many
competitions including
• Obedience
• Agility
• And Weight pulling

12. Better Understanding
The Pit Bull has endured a lot over the past century, and has been labeled due to
individuals who choose to treat the animal cruelly. I hope that those who have
never met a Pit Bull have a better understanding of why the breed has such a
bad wrap, and understand that they can be gentle loving dogs just like any other
breed.

13. Sources
Reznik, Allan, ed. American Pit Bull Terrier. Freehold, NJ: Kennel Club, 2009. print.
Fraser, Jacqueline. The Ultimate American Pit Bull Terrier. New York: Howell Book House, 1995.
print.
"The Truth About Pit Bulls." ASPCA.Web. 19 Mar. 2013. http://www.aspca.org/Pet-care/virtual-
pet-behaviorist/dog-articles/the-truth-about-pit-bulls
"Dog Bite: Fact Sheet." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, 01 Apr. 2008. Web. 20 Mar. 2013.
http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/dog-bites/dogbite-factsheet.html.
"American Pit Bull Terrier." United Kennel Club: American Pit Bull Terrier. Web. 28 Mar. 2013.
http://www.ukcdogs.com/Web.nsf/Breeds/AmericanPitBullTerrier12012012.