HISTORY OF AMERICAN PITBULL TERRIER REGISTRATION

HISTORY OF AMERICAN PITBULL TERRIER REGISTRATION

In 1936, they were accepted for registration in the AKC Stud Book as Staffordshire Terriers. These dogs began to find their way into America as early as 1870, where they became known as Pit Dog, Pit Bull Terrier, later American Bull Terrier, and still later as Yankee Terrier. Later, it assumed the name in England of Staffordshire Bull Terrier. In any event, it was the cross between the Bulldog and the terrier that resulted in the Staffordshire Terrier, which was originally called the Bull-and-Terrier Dog, Half and Half, and at times Pit Dog or Pit Builterrier. In analyzing the three above-mentioned terriers at that time, we find that there was not a great deal of difference in body conformation, the greatest differences being in color, aggressiveness, and spirit. It is reasonable to believe that breeders who were attempting to perfect a dog that would combine the spirit and agility of the terrier with the courage and tenacity of the Bulldog, would not use a terrier that was not game.

It seems easier to believe that any game terrier, such as the Fox Terrier of the early 1800s, was used in this cross, since some of the foremost authorities on dogs of that time state that the Black-and-Tan and the white English Terrier were none too game, but these same authorities go on to stress the gameness of the Fox Terrier. Some writers contend it was the white English Terrier, or the Black-and-Tan Terrier, that was used as a cross with the Bulldog to perfect the Staffordshire Terrier. The Bulldog of that day, with the exception of the head, looked more like the present-day American Staffordshire Terrier than like the present-day Bulldog. In some cases he was even possessed of a muzzle, and long rat tails were not uncommon. The Bulldog of that day was vastly different from our present-day 'sourmug.' Pictures from as late as 1870 represent the Bulldog as agile and as standing straight on his legs-his front legs in particular. Until the early part of the 19th century the Bulldog was bred with great care in England for the purpose of baiting bulls. To correctly give the origin and history of the American Staffordshire Terrier, it is necessary to comment briefly on two other dogs, namely the Bulldog and the terrier.

History of american pitbull terrier