They were given attention neither more or less than any other breed. Helen Keller, Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Edison, Mark Twain, Fred Astaire and Humphrey Bogart, just to name a few, all had pit bulls as companions.Īfter WWII, Pit Bulls began to be seen more as “regular dogs”. The pit bull was also a favorite among politicians, scholars, and celebrities. Perhaps the most famous Pit Bull was Petey, the adorable ring-eyed cutey featured on Little Rascals. Frequently being used for commercial advertisements and products, in company logos and in popular television shows. In addition to their wartime contributions, the Pit Bull became America’s sweetheart. Sergeant Stubby is just one example of the many other Pit Bulls that have served their country in wartime. He served 18 months on the front lines in 17 battles and 4 different campaigns. Sergeant Stubby has been called the most decorated war dog of WWI and the only dog to be nominated for rank and then promoted to sergeant through combat. The more notable of the first war-dogs was Sergeant Stubby. Their image of bravery and loyalty was displayed throughout advertisements during wartime. During WWI and WWII, Pit Bulls were used as the nation’s mascot. The USA admired this breed for qualities that it likened in itself friendly, brave, hardworking, worthy of respect and they became, the “All American Dog”. Public attention turned away from fighting dogs and they began to see them as working-class companions. Check out our friends at Bad Rap’s, Vintage Photo Gallery.ĭuring the first half of the American century, Pit Bulls remained a prominent part of culture. Their loyal and loving demeanor with humans, especially children (this is where the “Nanny Dog” myth originated from), earned them a prominent place not only as a working dog but as a companion. They were responsible for herding cattle, herding sheep, guarding livestock and families against thieves and wild animals, helping on the hunts and as hog catchers. In early America, these frontier dogs took on an all-purpose role. Though these dogs had been specifically bred for fighting, they soon became a much larger and invaluable fixture in a developing nation. It was during this time that the Pit Bull Terrier breed was named the “American” Pit Bull Terrier. Shortly before the Civil War, immigrants from the British Isles came to the United States, but along with them came their Pit Bulls. If a dog bit a human, it was usually culled. Gamblers had to be sure that they could enter a pit and handle their dogs in close proximity without the danger of being bit themselves. Through selective breeding and culling, bite inhibition towards humans was greatly encouraged. Ratting and dogfighting both required more agility and speed on the part of the dog, so Bulldogs were crossed with Terriers “Bull and Terriers”, more commonly known as the first Pit Bull Terrier.ĭespite their tenacity and determination in battle, commoners actually bred pit bull terriers with some of the same qualities and traits that we still love about them to this day. Ultimately, the public turned their eyes upon dog fighting as it was more easily hidden from view and thus the law. The “pit” in Pit Bull comes from ratting as the rats were placed into a pit so that they could not escape. This practice pitted dogs against rats in which they were timed to see whose dog would kill the most rats in the least amount of time. Once bull and bear baiting was outlawed, the public turned their attention to “ratting”. However, in 1835 the British Parliament enacted the Cruelty to Animals Act 1835, which prohibited the baiting of some animals such as the bull and bear. These matches were held for the entertainment of the struggling classes a source of relief from the tedium of hardship. One to two Bulldogs were set to harass a bull for hours until the animal collapsed from fatigue, injuries or both. Pit Bulls were originally bred from Old English Bulldogs (these dogs are similar in appearance to today’s American Bulldog) who gained their popularity on the British Isles in a cruel blood sport known as “bull baiting”. The history of the Pit Bull can be traced back to the early 1800’s in the United Kingdom. This song is still Legendary Comment by Josh LockleyĭUbset.We’ll preface this to say that we HIGHLY recommend Bronwen Dickey’s book, “Pit Bull: The Battle Over an American Icon,” for a fascinating and much more in-depth look at the history and culture of pit bull-type dogs. Very much back in time Comment by Marvel Fan Check out the official Men in Black™ 3 theme song, written and record by Pitbull! Available now exclusively on iTunes!
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