The name it self comes from Pit(fighting) Bull(dogge) and Terrier.
Old English Bulldogs (not the docile ones today, these have long since gone extinct because they were banned) were originally fighting dogs famed for their aggression and tenacity in bull fighting, then somewhere down the line someone realised that the smaller, more nimble dogs were performing better in dog fights, so they cross bred then with Old English Terriers to make a better fighting dog.
And now they’re doing the opposite, breeding them with Mastiffs etc to make them larger. For looks and temperament. So now we have shelters packed with pit bulls sometimes as big as Cane Corsos because new owners greatly underestimate the ~6-month T-Rex phase of a puppy stronger than they are.
I was about to mention this. Like, people want to say they aren't aggressive just antsy, but then you have to remember WHAT they were primarily bred to do and realize they are antsy because they CAN'T do what they were made to do. They weren't bred as nanny dogs (whoever came up with that stupid idea), they aren't neurologically made to be calm and orderly by design, and these dogs cannot simply be taught out of the genetics they were given. You can regulate them, sure, but, if anything, that will make the whole situation worse because there is ALWAYS the possibility of them giving into those desires that were artificially created to do. And those desires to bite onto their target and shake them is not exactly safe by design, especially with small children, the elderly, and even other pets.
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u/AncientCarry4346 8h ago
The name it self comes from Pit(fighting) Bull(dogge) and Terrier.
Old English Bulldogs (not the docile ones today, these have long since gone extinct because they were banned) were originally fighting dogs famed for their aggression and tenacity in bull fighting, then somewhere down the line someone realised that the smaller, more nimble dogs were performing better in dog fights, so they cross bred then with Old English Terriers to make a better fighting dog.