Pit bulls were bred for blood sports like dog fighting, bear-baiting, and bull-baiting.
These dogs were crossed carefully so that they have the right mix of abilities necessary for fighting like speed, strength, aggressiveness, jaw strength, stamina, and the ability to withstand pain.
Since there are so many qualities involved, deciding which one is the best Pit bull bloodline for fighting is a matter of debate.
There are other issues as well that complicate matters. Since Pit bulls include several different pedigrees, there is some confusion about this dog breed.
Described below are some of the most widespread Pit bull varieties so that you can decide which one is the historically best Pit bull bloodline for fighting.
What Is a Pit bull?
Before we figure out the best Pit bull bloodline for fighting, let us define what a Pit bull is in the first place.
The Pit bull breed is one of the most loved and yet polarizing breeds in America. Pet parents who care for pit bulls describe these dogs as affectionate, loyal and strong not only to them but to others around them as well. Pit bulls have several characteristics that make them a famous dog with families.
The history behind Pit bulls is one of the reasons for their current portrayal in the media. Pit bulls were initially bred and reared in the UK for dog fighting. They were meant to fight other dogs and animals in cruel sports that often led to death or critical injuries.
However, immigrants that poured into America started breeding Pit bulls for other purposes besides dog fighting. Immigrants to America wanted a dog that would be both strong and very loyal towards its owners. Even then, several types of Pit bull breed breeds already had the strength that owners were looking for, so they were bred selectively for other desirable traits.
These efforts saw the modern Pit bull breed, which has now come a long way from the grizzly blood sports for which it was originally raised.
Therefore, if you are looking for a dog with several positive qualities, you may be interested in different Pit bull breeds. But at the same time, you must bear in mind that people classify many dogs erroneously as pit bulls.
Dogs with a square-shaped head and a stocky bulky body are often lumped into this category as a ‘Pit bull.’ Even dog experts can have difficulties recognizing the different Pit bull breeds correctly.
Several Pit bull breeds have soared in popularity over the years. Here are the most important ones that you need to know about.
On top of the list of historically best Pit bull bloodline for fighting is the American Pit bull Terrier.
The history of this breed can be traced back to blood sports. People were looking for a dog with traits that will make them successful in combating other dogs in this cruel yet popular sport. They wanted attributes like ferocity, athleticism, and strength. Old English Terriers and Old English Bulldogs were crossed to get a breed with the right mix of such qualities.
Therefore, many Pit bulls brought to America have descended directly from the American Pit bull Terrier.
Immigrants to American used these dogs extensively to drive livestock, protect their homestead, and to hunt as well. At the same time, they were bred to be less aggressive since they were now being used for several other purposes besides dog fighting. As a consequence, the Pit bull became a popular family dog owing to its friendliness, loyalty, and good temperament.
During recent years, this breed has proven its worth in society by playing a significant role as police and service dogs. Unfortunately, their use in clandestine and illegal blood sports has not yet fully abated. However, this breed enjoys high value as a loyal and affectionate family companion.
From a physical point of view, this is a medium-sized dog breed with strong muscle structure and a smooth short coat. The coat is glossy and silky to touch. The American Pit bull Terrier has round or oval-shaped eyes and often small ears. The tail is slightly thick and tapers towards the point. This attractive breed comes in several colors in both solid and spotted form.
The American Pit bull Terrier has an abundance of enthusiasm to please its owners. These protective dogs have a mix of loyalty, strength, and confidence to make ideal family companions and to get along well with children.
Since this breed is a direct descendant of dogs bred for fighting, it still retains a certain degree of aggressiveness. Hence, it must be given socialization and obedience training.
This dog can get along well with other dogs so long as they do not try to dominate it or show hostility. As a result, this dog breed can have a rather heated relationship with other types of dogs, depending on their temperament and attitude.
These dogs have a stocky bulky frame that measures up to 21 inches for males and up to 20 inches for females.
The American Pit bull Terrier is known for its tendency towards specific health problems like Demodex mange, patella problems, thyroid dysfunction, and congenital heart disease. This Pit bull breed has a higher incidence of hip dysplasia compared to other dogs.
Since this dog sheds a fair amount of hair on average, you must use a brush with firm bristles to groom its coat and bath it with dry shampoo.
The litter size is often five or more puppies. To keep this dog in good shape, you will have to take it out on long walks daily. Depending on the age of the pup, you may have to pay anywhere from $300 to $3,000.
Be sure to watch this video below on American Pitbull Terrier.
The name may imply that this Pit bull variety was bred in Staffordshire in England. However, this breed has its origins in the West Midlands of the US. From there, this breed made its way to Staffordshire, where it became prevalent on account of its positive traits.
However, there is another twist that you must consider before thinking that this dog is purely American. Even though it was bred in the West Midlands, its forebears are nonetheless from England as with all other Pit bull breeds.
Going into the details, this breed was obtained by crossbreeding the English Bulldog with other breeds. There is some contention as to which one was the second breed from which the Staffordshire Terrier came into being. One or more of the following breeds may be the ancestors of this Pit bull: White English Terrier, Fox Terrier, Tan Terrier, or the Black Terrier.
The dog quickly became popular in America as well as England. However, its popularity somewhat declined after World War II.
This Pit bull breed can be somewhat stubborn by nature. The trainer needs to have a strong and persevering personality to bring out a positive response from this dog.
However, with the right techniques, you can bring it under your control so that it becomes loyal and obedient. Once it gains your trust, the American Staffordshire terrier proves to be a dependable and good-natured dog.
The dog may show different reactions to strangers ranging from a defensive demeanor to exuberant friendliness.
Keep in mind that this dog is descended from bloodlines that were bred for bull-baiting and dog fighting. Hence, the American Staffordshire terrier may become hostile to any dog that shows aggression. If it sees any signs of belligerence, this Pit bull will readily confront the aggressor.
As far as other pets are concerned, this Pit bull may get along quite well. However, there is always some chance that it may revert to its aggressive predatory instincts with these pets.
The American Staffordshire terrier has a stout body that is quite muscular and strong for its size. The Pit bull has a thick coat of glossy and thick hair.
The head is relatively big for a dog this size and its medium-length muzzle houses powerful jaws. The ears may be cropped. The tail is rather short, and it tapers to a point.
Male American Staffordshire Terriers can stand up to 19 inches at the shoulder, whereas, females of the same category are up to 18 inches at the shoulder.
This breed is known to suffer from the following health problems: cerebellar ataxia, thyroid dysfunction, luxating patella, hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and congenital heart disease.
This dog breed also tends to get urinary tract infection, autoimmune diseases, and skin allergies. Older dogs are prone to specific health problems like spondylosis and osteoarthritis.
To groom this dog, you will need a firm brush to scrub its coat. When needed, you can bathe the dog using a dry shampoo. Hair shedding is around average. If you want the dog’s coat to glisten, you can use chamois and toweling.
The litter size is five or more puppies.
To keep the dog healthy and fit, you should walk it every day. Take it out on long walks, runs or jogs. You will have to teach the dog to enter or exit doors after people.
Depending on the age of the pup, you will have to pay anywhere from $300 to $500.
The Staffordshire bull terrier was bred originally for brutal blood sports like bull-baiting, bear-baiting, and fighting other dogs. The Staffordshire bull terrier was bred with several species during its evolution so that its fighting capabilities improve.
This dog breed is one of the earliest Pit bull varieties and is a founder of several Pit bull breeds. Although these Pit bulls are now being bred for other purposes, they continue to be exploited in underground dog fights.
When bull-baiting, bear-baiting, and other blood sports were banned, this breed faced a decline. However, this breed enjoyed a resurgence during the twentieth century as people showed appreciation for its positive characteristics. It is now popular as a show dog, family companion, and a guardian pet rather than a blood sport combatant.
Even though this Pitbull is now being bred for other purposes besides dog fighting, it still has not lost its aggressive nature.
The Staffordshire bull terrier needs training and plenty of encouragement so that it becomes comfortable and feels at ease in the new household. The trainer must be mentally strong and have plenty of patience to train the dog into following rules.
With the right discipline and training, the dog will become affectionate, courageous, and obedient. Although it may be wary of strangers at times, it gets along well with children.
This medium-sized dog has a powerful and robust muscular physique. The Staffordshire bull terrier is very strong for its size. It has a rather big and broad head with strong jaws. The Pit bull has small ears, round eyes, and a black nose. The tail is set low and has a tapering form.
Male Staffordshire Bull Terriers can grow up to 16 inches at the shoulder while females can stand up 15 inches tall at the shoulder.
Among different health problems, you will have to look out for eye problems in particular. This Pit bull’s eyes tend PHPV and HC. You can avoid this problem by screening both the parents so that their offspring do not suffer these problems. These dogs can develop gas problems and are also prone to hip dysplasia.
As with other Pit bull varieties, you must use a firm-bristled brush to stroke its rich coat. You can bathe the dog using dry shampoo. For a shiny touch to its coat, you can use a chamois piece and toweling to cleanse it.
The litter size is often five or more puppies.
Since this dog has tremendous stamina, you will need a stable routine to keep this Pit bull happy and healthy. You must give the dog plenty of exercise and take it for a walk daily.
The price can range from $300 to $1500 according to the age of the pup.
The American Bulldog is by far one of the best Pit bull bloodline for fighting.
The origins and history of this Pit bull breed lie in the bull-baiting, bear-baiting, and dog fighting scene. The ancestors of the American Bulldog were prized for their fighting abilities.
Since immigrants who came to America turned to ranching in large numbers, there was a high demand for dogs that could guard livestock and property. The predecessors of the American Bulldog were well suited for the needs of farmers and ranchers.
The American Bulldog was bred to improve the qualities of these Pit bulls further. As a result, these dogs are now more suitable as pets, companions, and guardians rather than fighting dogs.
Since these dogs are adept at controlling livestock movement and hunting vermin, they were greatly prized in the south, unlike the north, where they fell from favor.
The American Bulldog saw a decline before World War II, but after the war, its fortunes reversed owing to the tireless efforts of John Johnston. Along with his father, John Johnston was determined to reverse the decline of this breed. Consequently, he began touring the southern countryside to find the most exquisite specimens for this breed.
Thanks to the efforts of the father and son duo, this breed is now a popular Pit bull variety.
Although the Bull Terrier was originally bred for gory and violent blood sports like other Pit bull breeds, it did not prove to be successful.
However, the Bull Terrier excelled in other roles like watchdogs, vermin hunters, herders, and guard dogs. Since it was so friendly, the Bull Terrier became a favorite of the nobility in England.
The Bull Terrier has the Manchester Terrier, Old English Bulldog, and the Old English Terrier as its ancestors.
This Pit bull is easily recognizable due to the distinctive shape of its head that is quite different from other Pit bulls. The head has a long oval shape. It is flat at the top and has a steady slope towards its nose. As with all Pit bulls, it has a powerful jaw and a sturdy, muscular frame.
Its small little eyes are dark and almond-shaped. Since its hair is so short and stout, its coat feels bristly and rough to touch.
Despite what you might think from its history as a fighting dog, the Bull Terrier is remarkable funny, adorable, and friendly. Thanks to these characteristics, it is popular with families and young children. The Bull Terrier does not lack in courage, loyalty, and obedience either.
They get along with children and adults alike. They like to socialize and have a deep fondness for their owners in particular. Since these dogs like companionship, they make great family dogs. You should, therefore, ensure that these dogs do not stay alone for too long since they like the company.
The dog has an active disposition due to which you should play with it and take it out for walks and exercises each day.
Since the Bull Terrier is so friendly and also has a history of not being successful in blood sports, it certainly is not one of the best Pit bull bloodlines for fighting. It is a great family dog.
Conclusion
Now you’ve learned the best Pit bull bloodline for fighting. Please note that most Pit bulls must be trained by professional trainers. It is recommended that you have experience with other domestic dogs before adopting a Pit bull especially if you have a family.