Dog History: Pit Bull Terrier
Most modern pit bulls are believed to be descended from European bull dogs and various mastiff breeds that were once used in agricultural work. Mastiffs were known for their strength and power, so they were mostly used to help farmers with their bulls when it was time to bring them in from the fields.
The mastiff became known as the bulldog. The main purpose of the dog was to protect the farmer from being gored by a raging bull. The dog usually accomplished this task by biting the bull and hanging on until the bull gave way. Since these dogs were used to guard against raging bulls, they must have tremendous strength in their jaws and bodies. They also had to be tenacious enough to catch the running bull no matter what the bull did to them in order to protect the farmer they worked for.
Over time, these dogs began to be used to bait bulls and bears. During this time it is believed that some bulldogs were also bred with terriers to make them more suitable for these sports. Mixed with the terrier breed, the dogs were smaller and much more agile than the common bulldog. They also had more muscular bodies, which helped improve their ability to deal damage. These sports were most popular in England around the turn of the nineteenth century. In 1835, the English Parliament banned bull and bear baiting sports, saying they were too cruel to the animals involved. The sport lost popularity and eventually disappeared completely after a few years.
Dog fighting soon took the place of the previously banned sports of bull and bear baiting. Breeders began to try to produce dogs that were adapted to be excellent fighters. They tried to improve the dogs’ agility, strength and musculature to make them more formidable opponents. Breeders have also tried to breed the most intelligent dogs so that they are less likely to make mistakes in fights, and also to be aggressive only towards other dogs and not towards people they may encounter. One of the rules of dog fighting was that the owner of the dog had to be able to enter the ring during a fight, pick up his dog and get him completely out of the ring without the dog biting him. If the dog bites the owner during this time, the dog is immediately killed.
Also, in the 1800s, pit bulls began to become popular pets, not just for dog fighting and herding. The dog became a mascot during the First World War and could be seen on many war posters, helping to increase its popularity. They were popular for their high intelligence and devotion to their masters. In the early 1900s, pit bulls began to be used in films as well.
The pit bull is a dog with a very detailed history and is still quite popular today. The breed does get a lot of negative reviews, but with the right owners they are still great pets.
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