08-25-2011, 03:24 PM
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Masterbaiter
Industry Role:
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 26,094
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Quote:
History
During the 19th century, 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 19th century to early 20th century, 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 dog fighting 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 domesticated due to their loyalty, loving and gentle nature with their owners.[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]
Once a popular family dog in the United States (such as the kids' pet dog in the Our Gang comedies), the American Pit Bull Terrier's popularity began to decline following World War II in favor of other breeds.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America...errier#History
Dog fighting is only a tiny part of this breeds history. Not what they were created for, and not their best ability. |
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