The American Pit Bull Terrier, usually referred to simply as the pit bull, is a dog breed that has a reputation for being fierce and violent. In reality, pit bulls can be loving and loyal pets. The American Pit Bull Terrier has a broad, wide face, a solid block-like head, a muscular and defined neck, and a strong powerful jaw. These dogs have dark, round eyes, and usually cropped, pointed alert ears. Their coat is very short, thick and shiny, and comes in white, black, brown, and multi-colored. They have muscular, stocky, strong frames and high-set tails that taper to a point. This medium-sized dog has large, round-boned legs, muscular and strong sloping shoulder blades, and a short, sturdy back that thins out towards the rear-end. The American Pit Bull Terrier is an attractive and stoic but somewhat intimidating-looking canine breed.
In generations past, the American Pit Bull terrier was one of the most popular dog breeds, and they were deserving of that popularity. They are protective and affectionate, and they truly give meaning to the expression, “man’s best friend.” Pit Bull terriers have a strong innate desire to please their owners. They are also natural-born guard dogs, and they will aggressively protect their owner and family. They love children and will be very protective of the children in their family – in fact, they don’t even mind rough play with kids because they are so strong and easy-going. They are a very easy breed to train, and it is partially this fact that has cast such a negative light on the breed. If cruel irresponsible owners trained their pit bulls to be violently aggressive and hostile, then their dogs would have taken to that training because of their intense need to satisfy their owners. There’s no such thing as a bad pit bull – there are only bad pit bull owners.
The American Pit Bull Terrier is a robust and healthy breed. They are lucky to have very few prevalent and serious health problems, and their life expectancy averages between ten and twelve years. Some of the more common ailments experienced by the American Pit Bull Terrier include hip dysplasia, hereditary cataracts, some plant allergies (such an allergy to grass), and congenital heart disease. The average weight range for an adult American Pit Bull Terrier is between twenty-five and fifty pounds, although some are actually much heavier than that. They prefer warm climates, although they are quite adaptable, and they thoroughly enjoy active outdoor exercise on a daily basis – they love going jogging with their owners.
This dog breed is prone to being aggressive towards other dogs and pets. If an American Pit Bull Terrier is raised alongside other dogs and cats from puppy-age, then it is very possible that this tendency will not be expressed towards other animals in your home. However, you have to carefully train and watch your pit bull with other animals until you are sure that they have a non-violent relationship. The fighting instinct should never be ignored or encouraged – it has to be addressed and trained against. Grooming an American Pit Bull Terrier is very easy since they have a smooth, short coat. They should be regularly brushed in order to maintain a shiny luster.
