
This is where their love of humans also stems from. But, as soon as a human entered the ring, they were trained not to attack. However, on an important note, all fighting dogs were obviously trained to be extremely vicious towards other dogs. This is where the Pitbull type dog’s vicious reputation started. The last dog standing, or fighting, won their owner the prize and reputation of breeding the best dogs around. Not only did these events involve gambling, but they enabled owners to showcase their dog’s gameness and strength. They were cheaper to organize and easier to drive underground so to hide the events from law enforcement. But the spectators and participants quickly turned their attention to dogfighting events. In 1835, when the Cruelty to Animals Act was enacted, this sport was thankfully stopped.

This is where bear and bull-baiting were popular but cruel, blood sports. Pitbull type dogs first originated in Great Britain. This breed was meant to be tenacious and powerful. Terriers, who are known for their agility and feistiness, and Bulldogs, who are known for their brute strength, were bred together to create the perfect fighting dog.

Often when someone is talking about a Pitbull, they will more than likely be referring to an American Pitbull Terrier.

The American Pitbull Terrier is the main dog breed that is associated with the term Pitbull. However, often other similar looking breeds will also be chucked under the Pitbull label, which we will look into further in the next section. There are four official breeds of the Pitbull type dog. It’s an umbrella term used for dogs who descend from Bulldogs and Terriers. Officially, a Pitbull is not actually a dog breed in itself. Defining Pitbulls Pitbulls are a type of dog breed descended from bulldogs and terriers.
