What are the Types of Pit Bulls

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Pit Bulls have a rather negative reputation, and whether or not that is justified is a whole other interesting story. Before reading about that, we need to understand that there are different types of Pit Bulls, or rather, different breeds are often mistaken for Pit Bulls.

When an accident happens, or when a person not familiar with dog breeds encounters a bully breed, that breed is often called Pit Bull. Of course, that is not always correct, and we believe it is important people understand the difference between the purebred American Pit Bull Terrier and other bully breeds that are often mistaken for them.

Here are four dog breeds people often mistake for one another or as a type of Pit Bull.

4. American Bully

The American Bully is a relatively new hybrid whose history dates back to the mid-80s. These dogs were created as a mix of different breeds, and the American Pit Bull Terrier is only one of them. It is understandable why these dogs are often mistaken for Pit Bulls, but for those familiar with both breeds, the difference is pretty clear.

American Bully is a completely different breed, and these dogs were carefully developed with a special goal of developing their friendly character. They are a lot more massive than the APBT, and they clearly have a wider head. Also, American Bully comes in different size varieties; Pocket, Standard, Classic, and XL.

If you are interested in reading more about the American Bully, check out this article - American Bully - Shredded American Breed.

3. Staffordshire Bull Terrier

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a powerful and compact dog breed often characterized as Pit Bull. They were carefully bred for bloodsports that have since been banned, and adorable Staffies had to change their main role. These dogs’ bad rep comes mostly from their fearsome looks.

The truth is, Staffordshire Bull Terriers are lovely companions if they are treated right and raised with respect. They require training and socialization, and after their owners invest some time in them, these dogs can even be great with kids and other dogs. In fact, most Staffies are playful and friendly.

You can read more about the Staffordshire Bull Terrier here.

2. American Pit Bull Terrier

The American Pit Bull Terrier, or APBT, is the original Pit Bull and the only one that can be called by that name. It is a powerful breed capable of dealing serious damage. They have a bad reputation because these dogs were used primarily for dog fights. That is a testament to the people who used to own and breed these dogs than the dogs themselves.

Pit Bulls are responsible for most dog-related fatal accidents, but the question is how many of those dogs were actually Pit Bulls and not other dogs from the of-type group. Most of these accidents happened because dogs were mistreated or didn’t have owners who worked with them. The truth is, all terriers are energetic and can develop behavioral problems if their physical needs are not fulfilled.

There is no denying the statistics, and if you are interested in reading more about the Pit Bull, check out this article - The Pit Bull dilemma.

1. American Staffordshire Terrier

The history of the American Staffordshire Terrier, or Amstaff, is similar to that of the American Pit Bull Terrier, and they have the same ancestors from England. These dogs came from the Staffordshire Bull Terriers, but 19th-century breeders wanted to create a bigger breed with better chances in the fighting pit. When the breed was moved to the US, it was renamed.

The Amstaff and the Pit Bull might have been the same breed initially, but since then, these dogs have been carefully bred in two different directions. Amstaffs were bred based on their working skills and character, while the Pit Bulls were bred with fighting in mind. Mind you, Amstaffs can still have a high prey drive, but they are more obedient and mellow. That is also why Amstaffs and Pit Bulls share so many characteristics.

You can read more about the Amstaff here - The full Amstaff breed profile. 

World Dog Finder team