Historical Spotlight: Pit Bulls | America’s Original Nanny Dogs
Dogs are truly man’s best friend. There’s no greater joy than basking in the love from a four legged animal that trusts you and relies on you for comfort, warmth, safety, and food. Even when they are misbehaving, you can’t be too harsh on them because they are so cute, cuddly, and fiercely loyal. Some dog breeds like pit bulls have received less than favorable stereotypes over the years because humans have negatively exploited their strength and abused them. Join me as we shine a Historical Spotlight on how pit bulls have always been in the hearts of Americans as a favorite dog breed, despite their polarizing reputation.
For starters, let’s clarify what a pit bull actually is. Did you know that there’s not an actual dog breed named pit bull? Usually the term refers to the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, and can even include the American Bulldog and American Bully. It’s also a catch-all name for many mixed breed dogs that resemble any of the previously mentioned breeds.
It’s estimated that dogs labeled as pit bulls make up approximately 20% of the total dog population in the United States. Their traits are so widespread and similar that 98% of dogs informally known as pit bulls actually have less than 50% of their DNA as one of the four pit bull breeds. Oftentimes, Bullmastiffs, Dogo Argentinos, American Bulldogs, and Cane Corsos are mistaken as pit bulls.
Their roots date back to the 19th century when breeders in the UK crossed bulldogs with terriers to create strong, agile, and obedient working dogs. They were first brought to the US before the Civil War by English and Irish immigrants as prized family possessions and typically herded, hunted, guarded, and were just household companions.
By the early 1900s, they were one of the most popular dog breeds and had quickly become a symbol of American pride. They were the closest thing the United States had to a national dog. They were featured on World War I and II recruiting posters, selected as corporate mascots, starred as ideal family dogs in popular TV shows and movies, and were even referred to as “America’s Dog” because of their popularity.
Sargent Stubby was the first dog in history to be awarded Army medals after saving his entire platoon after warning them of a poison gas attack. He was revered as an American celebrity for the rest of his life and went on to become the mascot for the Georgetown Hoyas football team. Pit bulls were represented in pop-culture as well like Petey, the cute dog from The Little Rascals.
The breeds are extremely versatile, and over time, they’ve been used in bull-baiting, as service and therapy dogs, and for police work. Contrary to popular belief, they have exceptional temperaments and aren’t naturally aggressive. They do well with kids and other dogs when socialized from a young age and they are incredibly smart. They earned the nickname “nanny dogs” because of their fierce loyalty, good temperament, and dedication to protect children.
Generally, dogs within the pit bull umbrella are medium-sized dogs with athletic builds, short coats, and blocky heads, and there are about 20 different terrier and bully-type breeds that share physical traits with them. Because of the high variation from the many different breeds, their personalities should be evaluated individually.
Despite having been used for bull-baiting, the behaviors weren’t instinctual to the dogs. Similar to future incidents, the negative behaviors displayed by the pit bulls were always taught and reinforced by humans. Their popularity declined slightly after WWII, but they weren’t feared until the 1980s when the media created hysteria around dangerous dog fighting.
Unfortunately, the negative press encouraged people with bad intentions to seek out the breeds for fighting. The breeds were affiliated with gangs and became synonymous with violent, criminal culture despite the fact that the dogs weren’t inherently vicious, dangerous, or aggressive. The dogs themselves were victims and dog fighting is now illegal in all 50 states.
The negative publicity has morphed America’s perception of the dogs completely. No longer are they seen as the once well loved and positive nanny dogs. Unfortunately, dog attacks involving pit bull type dogs get unfairly over-reported while attacks by other breeds go largely unnoticed. There’s also inaccuracies in reporting that lump all dogs that look fairly similar in one large category.
All pit bull type dogs should spend their entire lives as loved family companions, but for the unlucky ones, they are usually the ones surrendered and left behind in shelters. About half of the dogs humanely euthanized in shelters are pit bulls or pit bull mixes and as much as 75% of shelters nationwide euthanize all pit bulls regardless of temperament, age, or history.
Even now, the breed as a whole is demonized because of a segment of bad actors who have exploited their natural strength, agility, and intelligence. Many of the dogs themselves are sadly abused by their so-called owners. The biggest determinant of aggression in dogs are malicious or neglectful owners. If a dog is well taken care of, handled responsibly, and treated as a family member and not something that can be used and discarded, there's a very slim likelihood that it will show any aggressive behavior ever in its lifetime.
There are restrictions on where you can live, how you can travel, and even how much you pay in insurance if you own a dog breed within the pit bull umbrella. There’s also certain political groups that lobby and try to outlaw them altogether, but pit bull type dogs are naturally intelligent, gentle, loving, and loyal family pets. It’s important to recognize and control their strength and energy with consistent leadership as an owner, thorough training, and daily exercise. Since they are a powerful breed that requires a little extra responsibility to prevent any accidents, they typically aren’t a match for first-time dog owners.
I’ll be honest, dogs that are typically classified as pit bulls are incredibly strong and they sometimes will test your patience because they are soooo incredibly smart. One of my dogs is strong willed and isn’t very food motivated, but she literally will do anything we ask of her for just a smidge of our time, attention, and rubs. She’s literally just a baby.
Nine times out of ten, if someone is afraid of a pit bull, it’s because they’ve never had the chance to actually interact with one. There are plenty of examples of friendly, well-trained, and non-aggressive pit bulls on the Internet and in real life. In fact, ask yourself if you’ve ever actually seen a pit bull be dangerous or act aggressive. More than likely, the media has blinded you to the fact that all dogs have the possibility of biting, not just pit bulls.
It’s truly a shame that these dogs, which are some of the most loving, sweet, and caring dogs in the world, have to deal with getting judged harshly because of their negative stigma. It takes all of us to correct their negative image by being responsible pet owners, never letting them off-leash unsupervised, and continuously trying to advocate for the fur babies who are unable to advocate for themselves.
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Signed,
Jessica Marie
