View source for Pit bull

{{Short description| Type of dog}}
{{Redirect|Pitbull|the musician|Pitbull (rapper)|other uses|Pitbull (disambiguation)}}
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox Dogbreed
| name = Pit bull
| image = Pit bull sampler.jpg
| image_caption = A selection of dog breeds sometimes classified as pit bull types. Clockwise from top left: [[American Pit Bull Terrier]], [[American Staffordshire Terrier]], [[American Bulldog]], [[Staffordshire Bull Terrier]].
| altname = 
| country = United States, Great Britain<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/3-Terriers.html#s3 | title=Terriers }}</ref>
| fcistd = 
}}

'''Pit bull''' is an umbrella term for several [[Dog type|types of dog]] believed to have descended from [[bull and terrier]]s. In the United States, the term is usually considered to include the [[American Pit Bull Terrier]], [[American Staffordshire Terrier]], [[American Bully]], [[Staffordshire Bull Terrier]], and sometimes the [[American Bulldog]], along with any crossbred dog that shares certain physical characteristics with these breeds. In other countries, including the United Kingdom, the term is used specifically for the American Pit Bull Terrier,{{r|Hoffman|Oxford|Webster}} excluding the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.{{r|Hoffman|Olson|Allen}} Most pit bull–type dogs descend from the British bull and terrier, a 19th-century dog-fighting type developed from crosses between the [[Old English Bulldog]] and the [[Old English Terrier]].{{r|Fogle|Morris|Beaufoy}}

Pit bull–type dogs have a controversial reputation as pets internationally, due to their history in [[dog fighting]],<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-07-03|title=The Most Feared Dogs May Also Be the Most Misunderstood|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2016/07/pit-bull-ban-aggressive-dog-breed-bronwen-dickey/|access-date=2020-08-15|website=National Geographic News|language=en|archive-date=July 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715182806/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2016/07/pit-bull-ban-aggressive-dog-breed-bronwen-dickey/}}</ref> the number of high-profile attacks documented in the media over decades, and their proclivity to latch on while biting. Proponents of the type and advocates of regulation have engaged in a highly contentious [[nature-versus-nurture]] debate over whether aggressive tendencies in pit bulls may be appropriately attributed to owners' poor care for and competency to handle the dog or inherent qualities owing to their breeding for fighting purposes.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Glazebrook|first=Louise|date=2016-04-13|title=What makes an animal dangerous? The nature v nurture debate in dogs|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-36038438|access-date=2020-08-15|website=BBC Newsbeat|language=en-GB|archive-date=October 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191014025355/http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/36038438/what-makes-an-animal-dangerous-the-nature-v-nurture-debate-in-dogs|url-status=live}}</ref>  While some studies have argued that pit bull–type dogs are not disproportionately dangerous, offering competing interpretations on dog bite statistics, independent North American organizations have published statistics from  hospital records showing pit bulls are responsible for more than half of dog bite incidents among all breeds, despite comprising only 6% of pet dogs.<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=The Problem With Pit Bulls|url=https://time.com/2891180/kfc-and-the-pit-bull-attack-of-a-little-girl/|access-date=2020-08-20|magazine=Time|archive-date=May 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200513130829/https://time.com/2891180/kfc-and-the-pit-bull-attack-of-a-little-girl/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Coile2">{{cite book |last1=Coile |first1=D. Caroline |title=Pit Bulls for Dummies |date=2021 |publisher=John Wiley and Sons |isbn=978-1-119-72090-4 |edition=2nd ed., Kindle }}</ref>{{Rp|pp=18, 49}} Some insurance companies will not cover pit bulls (along with [[Rottweiler]]s and [[Wolfdog|wolf hybrids]]) because these particular dogs cause a disproportionate rate of bite incidents.<ref name=Gephardt>Gephardt, Bill. [http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614 Some dog breeds too risky for insurance companies.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614 |date=September 4, 2015 }} KSL.com, May 8, 2013</ref> Dog bite severity varies by the breed of dog, and studies have found that pit bull–type dogs have both a high rate of reported bites and a high rate of severe injuries, compared to other non–pit bull–type dogs.<ref name="Essig">{{cite journal |last1=Essig |first1=Garth F. |last2=Sheehan |first2=Cameron |title=Dog bite injuries to the face: Is there risk with breed ownership? A systematic review with meta-analysis |journal=International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology |date=February 2019 |volume=117 |pages=182–188 |doi= 10.1016/j.ijporl.2018.11.028 |pmid=30579079 |s2cid=57740754 |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165587618305950 |access-date=23 February 2022 |issn = 0165-5876 |url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Taylor |first1=Jeffrey Q. |last2=Krieger |first2=Rachel |title=Pediatric Dog Bites to the Face May Have Been Less Severe During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Cohort Study |journal=Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery |date=January 13, 2023 |volume=81 |issue=5 |pages=575–582 |doi =10.1016/j.joms.2022.12.018|pmid=36646135 |pmc=9838755 }}</ref>

Pit bull–type dogs are extensively used in the United States for dog fighting, a practice that has continued despite becoming illegal.{{r|Morris|Kalouf}} Several nations and jurisdictions restrict the ownership of pit bull–type dogs through [[breed-specific legislation]].{{r|Hoffman|Olson}} A pro–pit bull lobby exists that promotes pit bulls as family pets, advocates for and funds pit bull research, and opposes laws that regulate their ownership.<ref name="Coile2"/>{{rp|loc 762}}

== History ==
[[File:Benjamin Marshall - Dustman - Bulldog and Terrier Mix.jpg|thumb|200px|Early 19th century bull-and-terrier]]

The term has been used since at least the early 20th century.<ref name="The Dog fancier 1913">{{cite web |title=The Dog fancier v.12 1903 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.32044095334702&view=1up&seq=258&q1=%22pit%20bull%22 |publisher=The Dog fancier |page=28 |date=1903}}</ref>{{r|Webster}} It is believed all dogs that are now classified as pit bulls descend from the British [[bull-and-terrier]], which were first imported into North America in the 1870s.{{r|Fogle|Morris}} The bull-and-terrier was a breed of dog developed in the United Kingdom in the early 19th century for the [[blood sport]]s of dog fighting and [[rat baiting]]. It was created by crossing the ferocious, thickly muscled [[Old English Bulldog]] with the agile, lithe, feisty [[Black and Tan Terrier]].{{r|Fogle|Morris}} The aggressive Old English Bulldog, which was bred for [[bear baiting|bear]] and [[bull baiting]], was often also pitted against its own kind in organized dog fights, but it was found that lighter, faster dogs were better suited to dogfighting than the heavier Bulldog.{{r|Fogle|Morris|Beaufoy}} To produce a lighter, faster, more agile dog that retained the courage and tenacity of the Bulldog, outcrosses from local terriers were tried, and ultimately found to be successful.{{r|Fogle|Morris|Beaufoy}}

As it was in the UK, dog fighting became a popular pastime in 19th century America and bull-and-terriers were imported to the New World to pursue the blood sport.{{r|Fogle|Morris}} In the United States, organized dog fights have been progressively outlawed in various states since 1874, culminating in federal legislation criminalizing animal fighting in 2007.{{r|Kalouf}}

In the 1890s breeders of American pit bull–type dogs attempted to have their dogs recognized by the [[American Kennel Club]], but because of the type's association with dogfighting, the club rejected these entreaties.{{r|Fogle|Morris}} Following this rejection, in 1898 breeders of American Pit Bull Terriers established a rival [[kennel club]], the [[United Kennel Club]]. In addition to being a breed registry, the United Kennel Club also regulated dogfights.{{r|Fogle|Morris|Wilcox}} In the 1930s the American Kennel Club was faced with a dilemma: whilst not wishing to condone dogfighting, there was a desire to recognize a uniquely American dog breed for which over 30 years of breed records existed.{{r|Fogle|Morris|Wilcox}} The solution was to recognize Pit Bull Terriers under a different name and prohibit these dogs from being used in organized fights, and in 1935 the American Kennel Club recognized Pit Bull Terriers as Staffordshire Terriers.{{r|Fogle|Morris|Wilcox}}[[File:003 American Pit Bull Terrier.jpg|thumb|American Pit Bull Terrier]]

The name "Staffordshire Bull Terrier" was first used in Britain in 1930 in advertisements for bull-and-terrier-type dogs.{{r|Beaufoy}} Organized dog fighting had been effectively eliminated in the United Kingdom by the [[Protection of Animals Act 1911]], but devotees of the bull-and-terrier type continued to breed these dogs, predominantly in England's [[Black Country]].{{r|Beaufoy}} Throughout the early 1930s attempts were made in England to gain recognition for these dogs with [[The Kennel Club]]; these efforts were successful in 1935.{{r|Fogle|Morris|Kalouf}} In order to avoid confusion with the British breed, in 1972 the American Kennel Club changed the name of their American breed to the American Staffordshire Terrier.{{r|Morris|Wilcox}}

Despite criminalisation, illegal fights using pit bull–type dogs have continued to be widespread in the United States. In the 1990s in that country it was estimated 1,500 dogs died annually in organized fights, and by the mid-2000s it was estimated over 40,000 people were involved in the illegal blood sport.{{r|Fogle|Morris|Kalouf}} Pit bull–type dogs are also used by criminal organizations to guard illegal narcotics, and to intimidate and attack civilians, other criminals and police, the type becoming a status symbol in American [[gang culture]].{{r|Kalouf}}<ref>{{cite news|last=Cook|first=Frank|title=Pit bulls becoming drug dealers weapon of preference|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/06/29/Pit-bulls-becoming-drug-dealers-weapon-of-preference/6208551937600|date=June 29, 1987|publisher=United Press International|access-date=December 21, 2019|archive-date=December 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191221182621/https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/06/29/Pit-bulls-becoming-drug-dealers-weapon-of-preference/6208551937600/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first1=Al |last1=Baker |first2=Mathew R. |last2=Warren |title=Shooting highlights the risks dogs pose to police, and vice versa |date=July 9, 2009 |place=New York, NY |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/10/nyregion/10pitbull.html |access-date=January 7, 2010 |archive-date=November 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121116022218/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/10/nyregion/10pitbull.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On the other side of the law, pit bull–type dogs have been used by [[U.S. Customs and Border Protection]] as [[drug detection dog]]s.<ref>{{cite journal |date=October 2002 |title=Cool K-9 Popsicle retires |journal=U.S. Customs Today |volume=38 |issue=#10 |url=http://www.cbp.gov/xp/CustomsToday/2002/October/k9.xml |access-date=August 7, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111024001344/http://www.cbp.gov/xp/CustomsToday/2002/October/k9.xml |archive-date=October 24, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Adrienne Mand |last=Lewin |title=Protecting the Nation — One Sniff at a Time |date=October 12, 2005 |publisher=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Terrorism/story?id=1200304&page=1 |access-date=February 2, 2009 |archive-date=March 22, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070322183804/http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Terrorism/story?id=1200304&page=1 |url-status=live }}</ref>

There is a lobby of animal rights groups that are spending millions of dollars to try to rebrand pit bulls as family dogs.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Fifth Estate: Pitbulls Unleashed |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFa8HOdegZA | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/iFa8HOdegZA| archive-date=2021-10-30|access-date=10 March 2021 |date=2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In efforts to counter negative perceptions about pit bull–type dogs, both the [[San Francisco SPCA|San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals]] and the New York City [[Center for Animal Care and Control]] have unsuccessfully attempted to rename the type.<ref>{{cite news |first=George |last=Cothran |title=Shouldn't we just kill this dog? |date=June 11, 1997 |place=San Francisco, CA |periodical=[[San Francisco Weekly]] |url=http://www.sfweekly.com/1997-06-11/news/shouldn-t-we-just-kill-this-dog |access-date=September 4, 2009 |archive-date=February 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209215548/http://www.sfweekly.com/1997-06-11/news/shouldn-t-we-just-kill-this-dog/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Clyde |last=Haberman |title=NYC; Rebrand Fido? An idea best put down |date=January 13, 2004 |place=New York, NY |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/13/nyregion/nyc-rebrand-fido-an-idea-best-put-down.html |access-date=September 4, 2009 |archive-date=May 21, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521175511/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/13/nyregion/nyc-rebrand-fido-an-idea-best-put-down.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Identification ==
Determining whether an individual dog is of a pit bull breed can be necessary for health or legal reasons. Pit bull breeds and their mixes can be prone to certain health issues and proactive care can prevent or mitigate certain issues.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mahaney |first=Patrick |date=2025 |title=A Complete Guide To Pit Bull Skin Allergies & Skin Issues |url=https://vetnique.com/blogs/vets-corner/a-complete-guide-to-pit-bull-skin-allergies-amp-skin-issues-vetnique |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=Vetnique |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Fischer |first1=Kara E. |last2=Rush |first2=John E. |last3=Freeman |first3=Lisa M. |date=2023-07-01 |title=Pit bull–type breeds with dilated cardiomyopathy eating nontraditional diets improve after diet change (2015–2022) |url=https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/261/7/javma.23.01.0025.xml |journal=Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association |language=EN |volume=261 |issue=7 |pages=1011–1019 |doi=10.2460/javma.23.01.0025|doi-access=free |pmid=37059420 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Olby |first1=Natasha |last2=Blot |first2=Stephane |last3=Thibaud |first3=Jean-Laurent |last4=Phillips |first4=Jeff |last5=O'Brien |first5=Dennis P. |last6=Burr |first6=Jeanne |last7=Berg |first7=Jason |last8=Brown |first8=Talmage |last9=Breen |first9=Matthew |date=2004 |title=Cerebellar Cortical Degeneration in Adult American Staffordshire Terriers |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1939-1676.2004.tb00161.x |journal=Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine |language=en |volume=18 |issue=2 |pages=201–208 |doi=10.1111/j.1939-1676.2004.tb00161.x |pmid=15058771 |issn=1939-1676|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Burns |first=Katie |date=2017-03-01 |title=Unlocking the genetic secrets of your dog |url=https://www.avma.org/javma-news/2017-03-15/unlocking-genetic-secrets-your-dog |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250214122045/https://www.avma.org/javma-news/2017-03-15/unlocking-genetic-secrets-your-dog |archive-date=2025-02-14 |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=www.avma.org |publisher=American Veterinary Medical Association |language=en}}</ref> Pit bull breeds, pit bull type dogs, and their mixes are legally regulated or banned in many countries. The burden of proof can lie with the dog owner or with the authorities. In Denmark, the police can request that a dog owner provides proof that the dog is not prohibited under the Danish Dog Act. Danish authorities recommend that dog owners make sure they have documentation of their dog's origin and breed, especially if their dog has characteristics similar to those prohibited: "Possessors of a dog, which in appearance have some features in common with one or more of the prohibited breeds, are recommended to ensure that they possess documentation of their dog's breed."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Danish Legislation on Dogs |url=https://en.foedevarestyrelsen.dk/animals/animal-welfare/danish-legislation-on-dogs |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=en.foedevarestyrelsen.dk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Ministeriet for Fødevarer, Landbrug og Fiskeri |title=Bekendtgørelse af lov om hunde |date=2021-02-03 |url=https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2021/329 |access-date=2025-02-11}}</ref>

In the United Kingdom it is also a dog owner's responsibility to prove that the dog is not one of the prohibited types (dog types bred for fighting) under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 or that the dog has a Certificate of Exemption (grandfather clause). The UK uses Dog Legislation Officers (DLO) which have special training and experience in dog identification. Those officers also provide expert evidence for authorities.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Controlling your dog in public |url=https://www.gov.uk/control-dog-public/banned-dogs |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Dangerous Dog Offences |website=The Crown Prosecution Service |url=https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/dangerous-dog-offences |access-date=2025-02-11}}</ref>

'''Methods'''

There are various ways to identify a pit bull's specific breed. It can be proven through [[Breed registry|registration papers]] ([[Pedigree chart|pedigree]])<ref>{{Cite web |title=Importance of Pedigree Papers |url=https://dogsaustralia.org.au/getting-a-dog/importance-of-pedigree-papers/ |access-date=2024-12-12 |website=dogsaustralia.org.au}}</ref> and through testing a dog's DNA to validate parentage or it can be determined through testing DNA-based ancestry,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Wiley |first=Claire |date=2023 |title=Genetic Testing in Dogs – an Overview |url=https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeding/genetic-testing-dogs-overview/ |access-date=2024-12-12 |website=American Kennel Club |language=en}}</ref> through examining a dog's traits<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last1=Kriangwanich |first1=Wannapimol |last2=Nganvongpanit |first2=Korakot |last3=Buddhachat |first3=Kittisak |last4=Siengdee |first4=Puntita |last5=Chomdej |first5=Siriwadee |last6=Ponsuksili |first6=Siriluck |last7=Thitaram |first7=Chatchote |date=2020 |title=Genetic variations and dog breed identification using inter-simple sequence repeat markers coupled with high resolution melting analysis |journal=PeerJ |volume=8 |article-number=e10215 |doi= 10.7717/peerj.10215|doi-access=free |issn=2167-8359 |pmc=7605226 |pmid=33194413}}</ref> or the use of artificial intelligence.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Hybrid Deep Learning Algorithms for Dog Breed Identification—A Comparative Analysis |journal=IEEE Access |date=2023 |doi=10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3297440 |language=en-US |last1=Valarmathi |first1=B. |last2=Gupta |first2=N. Srinivasa |last3=Prakash |first3=G. |last4=Reddy |first4=R. Hemadri |last5=Saravanan |first5=S. |last6=Shanmugasundaram |first6=P. |volume=11 |pages=77228–77239 |bibcode=2023IEEEA..1177228V |doi-access=free }}</ref> Which method is suitable depends on the purpose of the identification. While some methods might be good enough to satisfy a dog owner's curiosity, not all methods are accepted for legal reasons. For example, France banned pit bull type dogs (category 1) in 1999, but purebred registered American Staffordshire Terriers (category 2) are only restricted, not banned. Therefore, only American Staffordshire Terriers registered with Central Canine Society ([[French language|fr]]. [[Société Centrale Canine|Société centrale canine]]) are legally allowed to be in or to re-enter the country. Parental DNA testing of a not-registered purebred dog would not be sufficient under French law to legally transfer such a dog into or through France.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Avoir un chien de catégorie: quelles sont les règles ? |trans-title=Having a category dog: what are the rules? |url=https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F1839 |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=www.service-public.fr |language=Fr}}</ref>

'''Pure breed identification'''

Two pit bull breeds, the [[American Staffordshire Terrier]] and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, can be registered at internationally recognized Kennel Clubs, such as the American Kennel Club ([[American Kennel Club|AKC]]), through their respective breed clubs to receive registration papers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=American Staffordshire Terrier Dog Breed Information |url=https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/american-staffordshire-terrier/ |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=American Kennel Club |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Staffordshire Bull Terrier Dog Breed Information |url=https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/staffordshire-bull-terrier/ |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=American Kennel Club |language=en}}</ref> Both breeds are also recognized by the Fédération Cynalogique Internationale ([[Fédération Cynologique Internationale|FCI]]), which maintains and publicizes their breed standards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=American Staffordshire Terrier |url=https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/AMERICAN-STAFFORDSHIRE-TERRIER-286.html |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=www.fci.be |publisher=Fédération Cynologique Internationale}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Staffordshire Bull Terrier |url=https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/STAFFORDSHIRE-BULL-TERRIER-76.html |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=www.fci.be |publisher=Fédération Cynologique Internationale}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-11-18 |title=Presentation of our organisation |url=https://www.fci.be/en/Presentation-of-our-organisation-4.html |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=www.fci.be |publisher=Fédération Cynologique Internationale |quote=}}</ref> In contrast, the [[American Pit Bull Terrier]], the [[American Bulldog]] and the [[American Bully]] are not recognized by international Kennel Clubs, though they can be registered at other Kennel Clubs, such as the United Kennel Club ([[United Kennel Club|UKC]]).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Single Registration Requirements: American Pit Bull Terrier {{!}} United Kennel Club (UKC) |url=https://www.ukcdogs.com/single-registration-requirements-american-pit-bull-terrier |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=www.ukcdogs.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Breed Standards: American Bulldog {{!}} United Kennel Club (UKC) |url=https://www.ukcdogs.com/american-bulldog |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=www.ukcdogs.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Breed Standards: American Bully {{!}} United Kennel Club (UKC) |url=https://www.ukcdogs.com/american-bully |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=www.ukcdogs.com}}</ref>


<gallery widths="180" mode="nolines" caption="">
File:Bullterrier and staffordshirebullterrier.jpg|A Staffordshire Bull Terrier (right) is easy to tell apart from a [[Bull Terrier]].
File:Two dogs and a fireplace.jpg|An AKC registered American Staffordshire Terrier (left) and a [[United Kennel Club|UKC]] registered American Pit Bull Terrier (right).
File:Staffordshire Bull Terrier 600.jpg|alt=A Staffordshire Bull Terrier is of of small to medium size.|Staffordshire Bull Terriers are small to medium sized.
File:Bully.jpg|The [[American Bully]] shares phenotypic traits with other pit bull breeds.
</gallery>

Through selective breeding, pit bull breeds have developed characteristics that distinguish them from one another, as well as from other dog types in terms of form and function: "[...] the name ''Pit Bull'' is actually a generic term that applies to the various breeds that share the same ancestry or have a similar appearance. This includes the APBT, the American Staffordshire Terrier, and the Staffordshire Terrier. Sometimes people even refer to the Bull Terrier, the Miniature Bull Terrier, or the American Bulldog as Pit Bulls. Although enthusiasts of these different breeds can easily tell them apart, to those who are unfamiliar with them many of the breeds appear quite similar."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Palika |first=Liz |title=American Pit Bull Terrier: Your Happy Healthy Pet |date=2006 |publisher=Wiley |isbn=978-0-471-78187-5 |edition=2nd |location=New Jersey |pages=11–12 |language=en |quote=Full quote: "American Pit Bull Terrier is the official name of the breed of dog recognized by the United Kennel Club and the American Dog Breeders Association. Although often referred to as Pit Bulls, the name Pit Bull is actually a generic term that applies to the various breeds that share the same ancestry or have a similar appearance. This includes the APBT, the American Staffordshire Terrier, and the Staffordshire Terrier. Sometimes people even refer to the Bull Terrier, the Miniature Bull Terrier, or the American Bulldog as Pit Bulls. Although enthusiasts of these different breeds can easily tell them apart, to those who are unfamiliar with them many of the breeds appear quite similar."}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite journal |last1=McMillan |first1=F. D. |last2=Reid |first2=P. J. |date=2010 |title=Selective breeding in fighting dogs |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/animal-welfare/article/abs/selective-breeding-in-fighting-dogs/A65BA6AAF9DC2C4580DA7C0341479DBD |journal=Animal Welfare |language=en |volume=19 |issue=S1 |pages=133–143 |doi=10.1017/S0962728600002347 |issn=0962-7286|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

An example of distinct [[Phenotypic trait|traits]] that a Labrador Retriever and an American Pit Bull Terrier have. This list considers characteristics of a dog's form as well as function and typical behavior:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Labrador Retriever (gun dog)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Labrador Retriever Dog Breed Information |url=https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/labrador-retriever/ |access-date=2025-02-12 |website=American Kennel Club |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Paddock |first=Arliss |date=2023-06-09 |title=The Six Breeds of Retrievers: Can You Name Them All? |url=https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/retriever-breeds/ |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=American Kennel Club |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Retriever (Labrador): Breed Standards |website=The Kennel Club |url=https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/breed-standards/gundog/retriever-labrador/ |access-date=2025-02-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=LABRADOR RETRIEVER |url=https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/LABRADOR-RETRIEVER-122.html |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=www.fci.be}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=June 20, 2023 |author=Randa Kriss |title=8 Unique Dog Breeds That Make Excellent Bird Hunters |url=https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/8-excellent-bird-hunter-breeds/ |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=American Kennel Club |language=en}}</ref>
!American Pit Bull Terrier (catch dog)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Breed Standards: American Pit Bull Terrier |website=United Kennel Club (UKC) |url=https://www.ukcdogs.com/american-pit-bull-terrier |access-date=2025-02-12}}</ref>
|-
|[[File:Black_labrador_retriever.jpg|center|frameless|300x300px]]
|[[File:007_American_Pit_Bull_Terrier.jpg|center|frameless|299x299px]]
|-
|
* Double coat (protective underwool)
* Solid black, yellow or chocolate
* Thick otter tail
* V-shaped drop ears
* [[Bite inhibition#Soft mouth|Soft mouth]]<br/>(for retrieving birds without damage)
* Water retrieving
* Dog aggression is not characteristic
|
* Single coat
* All colors and markings, except [[Merle (dog coat)|merle]]
* Thin tail
* Rose ears (often cropped), high set
* Hard mouth<br/>(a break stick can be required to release)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Break Stick |url=https://www.pbrc.net/breakstick.html#/ |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=PIT BULL RESCUE CENTRAL |language=en}}</ref>
* Gameness<ref name=":4" />
* Dog aggression is characteristic to some level
|}
'''Dog type identification'''

Breed assessors look at a suspected pit bull's physical characteristics like the shape of the head, ears, flews, jowls, teeth, eyes, chest, legs and tail, as well as the characteristics of the dog's coat (color, hair length, growth and texture), skin, weight, height and body length to determine if a dog categorizes as a pit bull type dog or not.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Council |first=Manawatū District |date=2024-04-23 |title=Dog Classification |url=https://www.mdc.govt.nz/services/animal-control/dogs/dog-classification |access-date=2025-02-12 |website=www.mdc.govt.nz |language=en}}</ref><ref>[https://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Guidelines-For-Breed-Assessors-may-2013.pdf Companion Animals Act 1998, Guidelines for breed assessors]. (2013) Chief Executive, Department of Premier and Cabinet.</ref> "Pit bull-type dogs are defined as any dog displaying a majority of physical traits of any one or more of the specific breeds mentioned above [American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, or Staffordshire Bull Terrier], or any dog exhibiting those distinguishing (physical) characteristics that substantially conform to the standards established by American Kennel Club or United Kennel Club".<ref>[https://denver.prelive.opencities.com/files/assets/public/v/1/animal-shelter/documents/restrictedbreed_faq_1.8.21.pdf Denver Pit Bull Fact Sheet]. (2021) Animal protection – Denver Public Health & Environment.</ref>

Whether the dog type pit bull can be sufficiently defined has been the subject of legal disputes. For example, the claim that the legal phrase "commonly known as a pit bull dog" is unconstitutionally vague has been dismissed by judicial decisions: "...the ownership of a dog 'commonly known as a pit bull dog' is [[prima facie]] evidence of the ownership of a vicious dog, is not unconstitutionally void for vagueness since dogs commonly known as pit bulls possess unique and readily identifiable physical and behavioral traits which are capable of recognition both by dog owners of ordinary intelligence and by enforcement personnel." The court also found that specific behavioral features distinguish pit bulls from other dogs and therefore can be taken into account when identifying a pit bull: "Furthermore, the dog owner of ordinary intelligence, when determining whether he or she owns a pit bull dog, need not rely solely on the dog's physical traits. Rather, the pit bull possesses certain distinctive behavioral features which differentiate it from other dog breeds."<ref>''[https://web.archive.org/web/20191025192407/https://casetext.com/case/state-v-anderson-227 State v. Anderson]'', 57 Ohio St. 3d 168,  (Ohio 1991).</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Weiss |first=Linda S. |title=Breed-Specific Legislation in the United States |website=Animal Legal & Historical Center |url=https://www.animallaw.info/article/breed-specific-legislation-united-states |access-date=2025-02-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ohio's 'pit bull' law sticks despite tries for change |url=https://www.toledoblade.com/news/state/2009/12/06/Ohio-s-pit-bull-law-sticks-despite-tries-for-change/stories/200912060020 |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=The Blade |language=en}}</ref>

'''Challenges of mixed or cross breed identification'''

Mixed or cross breed identification can be more challenging than pure breed identification and can be supported by testing for genetic markers.<ref name=":2" /> However, DNA-based ancestry testing that works with owner-reported databases can be unreliable and the American Kennel Club does not recommend using those.<ref name=":1" /> For example, the Manawatū District Council does not accept DNA heritage testing for pit bulls, instead they look at a dog's certain physical traits.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-04-23 |title=Dog Classification |url=https://www.mdc.govt.nz/services/animal-control/dogs/dog-classification |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=www.mdc.govt.nz |publisher=Manawatū District Council |language=en |quote="The Manawatū District Council will use the guidance set out in this section to identify the American Pit Bull type. Council will not accept DNA testing (e.g., the BITSA Breed Identification Test) as evidence of whether a dog is (or is not) wholly or predominately a Pit Bull. For a range of reasons, this testing is not always conclusive, especially where a dog is a mix of breeds."}}</ref>

Studies have found that when people involved in dog rescue, adoption, and regulation identify the breed of a dog of mixed parentage, this identification did not always correlate with the DNA analysis of that dog.<ref name="Inconsistent identification of pit bull–type dogs by shelter staff">{{cite journal |last1=Olson |first1=K.R. |year=2015 |title=Inconsistent identification of pit bull–type dogs by shelter staff |journal=The Veterinary Journal |volume=206 |issue=2 |pages=197–202 |doi=10.1016/j.tvjl.2015.07.019 |pmid=26403955 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name="Rethinking dog breed identification in veterinary practice">{{cite journal |last1=Simpson |first1=Robert John |year=2012 |title=Rethinking dog breed identification in veterinary practice |journal=[[Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association]] |volume=241 |issue=9 |pages=1163–1166 |doi=10.2460/javma.241.9.1163 |pmid=23078561 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name="A canine identity crisis: Genetic breed heritage testing of shelter dogs">{{cite journal |last1=Gunter |first1=Lisa M. |year=2018 |title=A canine identity crisis: Genetic breed heritage testing of shelter dogs |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=13 |issue=8 |article-number=e0202633 |bibcode=2018PLoSO..1302633G |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0202633 |pmc=6107223 |pmid=30138476 |doi-access=free}}</ref> Mixed-breed dogs are often labeled as pit bulls if they have certain physical characteristics, such as a square-shaped head or bulky body type.<ref name="Irrationality Unleashed: The Pitfalls of Breed-Specific Legislation">{{cite journal |last1=Swann |first1=Kristen E |title=Irrationality Unleashed: The Pitfalls of Breed-Specific Legislation |url=http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?collection=journals&handle=hein.journals/umkc78&div=32&id=&page= |url-status=live |journal=UMKC Law Review |volume=78 |page=839 |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190326163501/https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?collection=journals&handle=hein.journals%2Fumkc78&div=32&id=&page= |archive-date=March 26, 2019 |access-date=August 20, 2020}}</ref>

'''Deliberate mislabeling of pit bulls'''

In Australia some dog owners give false information regarding the breed of their dog to local authorities, despite this being an offence under the Crimes Act. Inquests after fatal or serious dog attacks showed that pit bull owners registered their dogs under a wide range of other breeds, like the [[Australian Terrier]], to evade their local laws and regulations.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fife-Yeomans |first=Janet |date=2014-04-26 |title=Lethal dogs in disguise: pitbulls registered under other breeds |url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/lethal-dogs-in-disguise-pitbulls-registered-under-other-breeds/news-story/99e777e8a5547e33beecad813c0a3c23 |access-date=2024-12-12 |work=The Courier Mail}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Deare |first=Steven |date=2024-02-19 |title=Dog breeder claims may put unsuspecting owners at risk |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8526406/dog-breeder-claims-may-put-unsuspecting-owners-at-risk/ |access-date=2024-12-12 |website=www.canberratimes.com.au |language=en-au}}</ref>

In France, investigations following the dog attack death of [[Death of Elisa Pilarski|Elisa Pilarski]] led to the discovery that her partner and dog's owner had deliberately passed off a purebred American Pit Bull Terrier as a mix of a [[Whippet]] and a [[Patterdale Terrier]] and imported it into the country illegally.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-11-05 |title=DNA solves the mystery of woman killed by dog - Taipei Times |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2020/11/05/2003746429 |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=www.taipeitimes.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=d'Adhémar |first=Margaux |date=2020-03-06 |title=Importation illégale, concours de mordant... Pourquoi le chien Curtis est au cœur de l'enquête Pilarski? |trans-title=Illegal imports, a biting contest... Why is Curtis the dog at the heart of the Pilarski investigation? |url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/importation-illegale-concours-de-mordant-le-profil-du-chien-curtis-pose-question-20200306 |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=Le Figaro |language=fr}}</ref> American Pit Bull Terriers are not recognized as a breed in France and are considered a pit bull type, which has been banned in the country since 1999.<ref name=":3" />

== Dog attack and death risk ==
{{See also|Dog bite|List of fatal dog attacks}}A 2000 joint review project between researchers in the [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] (CDC), [[Humane Society of the United States]] (HSUS) and [[American Veterinary Medical Association]] (AVMA) found the data indicated that [[Rottweiler]]s and pit bull–type dogs accounted for 67% of human dog bite-related fatalities in the United States between 1997 and 1998, and followed with "It is extremely unlikely that they accounted for anywhere near 60% of dogs in the United States during that same period and, thus, there appears to be a breed-specific problem with fatalities." Pit bull–type dogs were identified in approximately one-third of dog bite-related fatalities in the United States between 1981 and 1992. The review notes that studies on dog bite-related fatalities which collect information by surveying news reports are subject to potential errors, as some fatal attacks may not have been reported, a study might not find all relevant news reports, and the dog breed might be misidentified.<ref name="CDC">{{cite web |last1=Sacks |first1=Jeffrey J. |last2=Sinclair |first2=Leslie |last3=Gilchrist |first3=Julie |title=Breeds of dogs involved in fatal human attacks in the United States between 1979 and 1998 |url=https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/images/dogbreeds-a.pdf |publisher=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151116130816/http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/images/dogbreeds-a.pdf |archive-date=November 16, 2015 |date=September 15, 2000 }}</ref> However, after 2000 the CDC stopped tracking dog bites, and in 2001, Julie Gilchrist, a CDC pediatrician and epidemiologist, stated that part of the reason the CDC stopped collecting dog bite data was because "making meaningful analysis [of the data][was] nearly impossible".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.avma.org/javma-news/2017-11-15/dangerous-dog-debate|title=The dangerous dog debate &#124; American Veterinary Medical Association|date=November 2017 }}</ref>

In a 2021 review of 19 retrospective dog bite studies from U.S. Level I trauma centers, pit bulls were found to inflict a higher prevalence and severity of injuries compared with other breeds.<ref>{{Cite journal|pmid = 34100808|year = 2021|last1 = Reuter Muñoz|first1 = K. D.|last2 = Powell|first2 = L. E.|last3 = Andersen|first3 = E. S.|last4 = Nye|first4 = A. D.|last5 = Powers|first5 = J. M.|last6 = Rhodes|first6 = J.|last7 = Pozez|first7 = A. L.|title = Analysis of Pediatric Dog Bite Injuries at a Level 1 Trauma Center over 10 Years|journal = Annals of Plastic Surgery|volume = 86|issue = 6S Suppl 5|pages = S510–S516|doi = 10.1097/SAP.0000000000002928|s2cid = 235368825}}</ref> A 2020 literature review in ''Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery'' found that from 1971 to 2018 of all pure breed dogs in the United States, pit bull–type breeds were second, behind the [[German Shepherd]], and ahead of [[Labrador Retriever|Labrador]]s, [[Chow Chow]]s, and Rottweilers (in that order) for the most bites severe enough to require hospital treatment. The study found that the proportion of bites caused by German Shepherds decreased by 0.63 percent per year over that time interval while the proportion caused by pit bulls increased by 1.17 percent per year. The pit bull proportion of dog bites increased more slowly in [[Denver, Colorado]], where breed-specific legislation had been in place.<ref name="Bailey"/>

In a 2014 literature review of dog bite studies, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) argues that breed is a poor sole predictor of dog bites.<ref name=avma2014 /> According to the AVMA, controlled studies have not identified pit bulls as disproportionately dangerous, but other studies have found that, compared with other dog breeds, pit bulls were more likely to inflict complex injuries, are more likely to attack unprovoked, and are more likely to go off property to do so.<ref name=avma2014 /><ref>{{Cite journal|pmid = 31816277|year = 2020|last1 = Khan|first1 = K.|last2 = Horswell|first2 = B. B.|last3 = Samanta|first3 = D.|title = Dog-Bite Injuries to the Craniofacial Region: An Epidemiologic and Pattern-of-Injury Review at a Level 1 Trauma Center|journal = Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery |volume = 78|issue = 3|pages = 401–413|doi = 10.1016/j.joms.2019.11.002|s2cid = 209167886}}</ref> Pit bull–type dogs are more frequently identified with cases involving very severe injuries or fatalities than other breeds, but a 2007 study suggested this may relate to the popularity of the breed, noting that sled dogs, such as [[Siberian Husky|Siberian Huskies]], were involved in a majority of fatal dog attacks in some areas of Canada.<ref name=avma2014 /><ref>Raghavan M. Fatal dog attacks in Canada, 1990–2007. Can Vet J. 2008;49:577–581</ref> Bite statistics by breed are no longer tracked by the CDC,<ref>{{cite web |title=The dangerous dog debate |url=https://www.avma.org/news/javmanews/pages/171115a.aspx |access-date=July 12, 2019 |year=2017 |first1=R. Scott |last1=Nolen |archive-date=October 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019112118/https://www.avma.org/News/JAVMANews/Pages/171115a.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> and are discouraged by the AVMA<ref name="avmabite">{{cite web |title=A community approach to dog bite prevention |periodical=[[Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association]] |volume=218 |issue=11 |date=June 1, 2001 |pages=1731–1749 |url=https://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/2020-03/dogbite.pdf |access-date=July 11, 2009}}</ref> and the [[American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals]] (ASPCA).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aspca.org/about-us/aspca-policy-and-position-statements/position-statement-breed-specific-legislation |title=ASPCA Policy and Position Statements |access-date=July 12, 2019 |archive-date=June 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190616202010/https://www.aspca.org/about-us/aspca-policy-and-position-statements/position-statement-breed-specific-legislation |url-status=live }}</ref>

Pit bulls were originally developed from dogs that were bred for bull baiting and dog fighting.<ref name="Bini"/> Pit bull attacks are often perceived as taking place "without warning", possibly due to the type's fighting heritage, as fighting dogs that do not signal aggression may do better in the ring.<ref name="Bini">{{cite journal |last1=Bini |first1=John K. |last2=Cohn |first2=Stephen M. |title=Mortality, Mauling, and Maiming by Vicious Dogs |journal=Annals of Surgery |date=April 2011 |volume=253 |issue=4 |pages=791–797 |doi=10.1097/SLA.0b013e318211cd68 |pmid=21475022|url=https://assets.gov.ie/224373/f881b086-0803-4e92-8773-e45ef1e4db94.pdf}}</ref> However, recent research suggests that this perception may reflect a lack of knowledge of [[Dog communication|dog body-language]], and owners' over-confidence in their ability to interpret those signs.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://phys.org/news/2023-06-reveals-links-dog-behavior.html | title=New research reveals links between dog attacks and misunderstanding of dog behavior }}</ref> In fighting with dogs of other breeds, pit bulls, German Shepherds, [[Great Dane]]s and Rottweilers were often the aggressor, and more than twenty percent of studied [[Akita (dog)|Akita]]s, [[Jack Russell Terrier]]s and pit bulls displayed serious aggression towards other dogs.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Duffy |first1=D.L. |last2=Hsu |first2=Yuying |last3=Serpell |first3=James A. |title=Breed differences in canine aggression |journal=Applied Animal Behaviour Science |date=18 April 2008 |volume=114 |issue=3–4 |pages=441–460 |doi=10.1016/j.applanim.2008.04.006 |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159108001147 |access-date=13 September 2020|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Although there may be a connection between breed of dog and aggression towards humans, the difficulty of classifying dog attacks by specific breed after the fact has made this point controversial and debated.<ref name="WhatsName">{{cite journal |last1=Gunter |first1=Lisa M. |last2=Barber |first2=Rebecca T. |last3=Wynne |first3=Clive D.L. |title=What's in a Name? Effect of Breed Perceptions & Labeling on Attractiveness, Adoptions & Length of Stay for Pit-Bull-Type Dogs |journal=PLOS ONE |date=23 March 2016 |volume=11 |issue=3 |article-number=e0146857 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0146857 |pmid=27008213 |pmc=4805246 |bibcode=2016PLoSO..1146857G |doi-access=free }}</ref> Violent interactions between humans and canines have been studied by the U.S. government,<ref>Hanna, TL, Selby LA. Characteristics of the human and pet populations in animal bite incidents recorded at two Air Force bases. Public Health Rep. 1981;96:580-584.</ref> notably the [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] (CDC),<ref>Clarke NM. A survey of urban Canadian animal control practices : the effect of enforcement and resourcing on the reported dog bite rate, Master of Science — MSc 2009</ref> as well as academic veterinary researchers.<ref name=avma2014 /> The interpretation of these studies, breed identification and relevance<ref name="duffy">Duffy, DL., Hsu, Y. Serpell, JA. Breed differences in canine aggression. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2008;114:441–460.</ref> issues, and variable circumstances have given rise to intense controversy.<ref name="RollUnshelm1997">{{cite journal |last1=Roll |first1=A. |last2=Unshelm |first2=J. |title=Aggressive conflicts amongst dogs and factors affecting them |journal=Applied Animal Behaviour Science |volume=52 |issue=#3–4 |year=1997 |pages=229–242 |issn=0168-1591 |doi=10.1016/S0168-1591(96)01125-2}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.arwob.org/info/file?file=s2148m6372.pdf |title=Pitbull Myths vs. Fact — Animal Rescuers Without Borders |access-date=December 22, 2014 |archive-date=February 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210041919/http://www.arwob.org/info/file?file=s2148m6372.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Additionally, researchers on both sides of the pit bull debate rarely disclose when they are being funded by lobbyists, leading to a risk that the scientific literature on pit bulls has been influenced by money.<ref name="Bailey">{{cite journal |last1=Bailey |first1=Chad M. |last2=Hinchcliff |first2=Katharine M. |last3=Moore |first3=Zachary |last4=Pu |first4=Lee L.Q. |title=Dog Bites in the United States from 1971 to 2018: A Systematic Review of the Peer-Reviewed Literature |journal=Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery |date=November 2020 |volume=146 |issue=5 |pages=1166–1176 |doi=10.1097/PRS.0000000000007253|pmid=33136964 |s2cid=225080998 }}</ref>{{rp|p. 1172}}

Pit bulls are known for their tenacity and refusal to release a bite, even in the face of great pain. A popular myth mischaracterized pit bulls as having "locking jaws".<ref name="google1">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SnmDjzD5_8cC&pg=PT56 |title=Pit Bulls For Dummies |author=D. Caroline Coile |date=April 18, 2011 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |access-date=March 31, 2013 |isbn=978-1-118-06937-0 |archive-date=August 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200820201310/https://books.google.com/books?id=SnmDjzD5_8cC&pg=PT56 |url-status=live }}</ref> The refusal to let go is a behavioral, not physiological trait, and there is no locking mechanism in a pit bull's jaws.<ref>{{cite web |title=''Toledo v. Tellings'', -REVERSED-, 2006-Ohio-975, ¶25 |publisher=Court of Appeals of Ohio, Sixth Appellate District |url=http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/rod/docs/pdf/6/2006/2006-ohio-975.pdf |access-date=October 2, 2009 |archive-date=September 16, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090916172053/http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/rod/docs/pdf/6/2006/2006-ohio-975.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Pit bull–type dogs, like other terriers, hunting and bull-baiting breeds,<ref name="aspcabite">{{cite web |title=The Truth About Pit Bulls |publisher=American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals |year=2013 |url=http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/truth-about-pit-bulls |access-date=October 22, 2013 |archive-date=October 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022035047/http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/truth-about-pit-bulls |url-status=live }}</ref> can exhibit a bite, hold, and shake behavior and at times refuse to release.<ref name="SI 1987">{{cite magazine |first=E.M. |last=Swift |title=The pit bull: friend and killer |date=July 27, 1987 |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |volume=67 |issue=#4 |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1987/07/27/115813/the-pit-bull-friend-and-killer-is-the-pit-bull-a-fine-animal-as-its-admirers-claim-or-is-it-a-vicious-dog-unfit-for-society |access-date=December 2, 2009 |archive-date=November 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151122182011/http://www.si.com/vault/1987/07/27/115813/the-pit-bull-friend-and-killer-is-the-pit-bull-a-fine-animal-as-its-admirers-claim-or-is-it-a-vicious-dog-unfit-for-society |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Ross, et al">{{cite book |editor1-first=Ross D. |editor1-last=Clark |editor2-first=Joan R. |editor2-last=Stainer |editor3-first=H. David |editor3-last=Haynes |editor4-first=Ralph |editor4-last=Buckner |editor5-first=Jacob |editor5-last=Mosier |editor6-first=Art J. |editor6-last=Quinn |title=Medical & Genetic Aspects of Purebred Dogs |publisher=Veterinary Medicine Publishing |place=[[Edwardsville, KS]] |isbn=978-0-9641609-0-3 |page=27 |year=1983}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Breaking up a fight |publisher=Pit Bull Rescue Central |year=2008 |url=http://www.pbrc.net/breakfight.html |access-date=August 16, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104114211/http://www.pbrc.net/breakfight.html |archive-date=January 4, 2010 }}</ref> Pit bulls also have wide skulls, well-developed facial muscles, and strong jaws,<ref name="google1" /> and some research suggests that pit bull bites are particularly serious because they tend to bite deeply and grind their molars into tissue.<ref name="Cherry2014">{{cite book |last=Cherry |first=James |title=Feigin and Cherry's textbook of pediatric infectious diseases — Animal and Human Bites, Morven S. Edwards |publisher=Elsevier/Saunders |location=Philadelphia, PA |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-4557-1177-2 |via=the [[University of Pittsburgh]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Ellis|first1=Jennifer Lynn|last2=Thomason|first2=Jeffrey|last3=Kebreab|first3=Ermias|last4=Zubair|first4=Kasim|last5=France|first5=James|date=March 2009|title=Cranial dimensions and forces of biting in the domestic dog|journal=Journal of Anatomy|volume=214|issue=3|pages=362–373|doi=10.1111/j.1469-7580.2008.01042.x|pmid=19245503|issn=0021-8782|pmc=2673787}}</ref> Breaking an [[ammonia]] [[ampule]] and holding it up to the dog's nose can cause the dog to release its hold.<ref name="Ross, et al" />

=== In animal shelters ===
Many people consider pit bulls undesirable, making it harder for animal shelters to adopt them out.<ref name="Return">{{cite journal |last1=Powell |first1=Lauren |last2=Reinhard |first2=Chelsea |title=Characterizing unsuccessful animal adoptions: age and breed predict the likelihood of return, reasons for return and post-return outcomes |journal=Scientific Reports |year=2021 |volume=11 |issue=1 |page=8018 |doi=10.1038/s41598-021-87649-2 |pmid=33850258 |pmc=8044234 |bibcode=2021NatSR..11.8018P }}</ref> Surveys have found that animal shelter workers intentionally misidentify pit bulls to improve their adoption rates, or to avoid euthanizing them in jurisdictions where they are banned.<ref name="Misidentify">{{cite web |date=September 2014 |title=When it comes to pit bulls, animal shelter workers intentionally misidentify |url=http://newsroom.taylorandfrancisgroup.com/news/press-release/pit-bulls-in-animal-shelters |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://newsroom.taylorandfrancisgroup.com/news/press-release/pit-bulls-in-animal-shelters |archive-date=September 4, 2015 |access-date=October 22, 2014 |work=[[Taylor & Francis]]}}</ref> Animal advocates recommend that shelters stop labeling breeds to improve pit bull adoption rates.<ref name="Return"/> Pit bulls also have higher rates of unsuccessful adoptions, and are more likely than other kinds of dogs to be returned to a shelter multiple times and eventually euthanized.<ref name="Return"/> Whether pit bull adoptions fail more often than other types of dog due to breed behavioral traits, or due to public stigma, is not known, but in general the most common reasons why shelter dog adoptions fail are behavioral problems or incompatibility with the adopter's existing pets.<ref name="Return"/>

=== Breed-specific legislation (pit bull bans) ===
{{Main|Breed-specific legislation}}

Widely reported pit bull attacks have resulted in the enactment of [[breed-specific legislation]] (BSL) in many cities and countries. For example, in the United States as of 2018, there was some level of breed-specific legislation in 37 states and over 1,000 cities.<ref name="bslsummary2018">{{cite web |date=December 20, 2018 |title=Estimated U.S. Cities, Counties, States and Military Facilities with Breed-Specific Pit Bull Laws - Dog Breeds |url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/56495216/Estimated-U-S-Cities-Counties-States-and-Military-Facilities-with-Breed-Specific-Pit-Bull-Laws |website=Scribd |publisher=[[DogsBite.org]]}}</ref>

Many of the jurisdictions that restrict pit bulls apply their restriction to the modern American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and any other dog that has the substantial physical characteristics and appearance of those breeds, such as the Canadian province of [[Ontario]].<ref name="Government of Ontario, Canada">{{cite web |date=August 29, 2005 |title=An Act to amend the Dog Owners' Liability Act to increase public safety in relation to dogs, including pit bulls, and to make related amendments to the Animals for Research Act |url=http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90d16_e.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100702074542/http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90d16_e.htm |archive-date=July 2, 2010 |access-date=July 5, 2010 |publisher=Government of Ontario, Canada}}</ref> A few jurisdictions, such as [[Singapore]], also classify the modern American Bulldog as a "pit bull–type dog".<ref name=":5">{{cite web |date=November 15, 2010 |title=List of Scheduled Dogs |url=https://www.ava.gov.sg/docs/default-source/tools-and-resources/resources-for-businesses/summaryofab_doglicensingcontrol_rules_15nov2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150827031216/http://www.ava.gov.sg/docs/default-source/tools-and-resources/resources-for-businesses/summaryofab_doglicensingcontrol_rules_15nov2010 |archive-date=August 27, 2015 |access-date=February 20, 2018 |publisher=Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore}}</ref>

Breed-specific legislation has been largely found to be ineffective at reducing the number of dog attacks.<ref>{{cite web |title=Position Statement on Breed-Specific Legislation |url=https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Breed-Specific_Legislation-download-_8-18-14.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200527062101/https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Breed-Specific_Legislation-download-_8-18-14.pdf |archive-date=May 27, 2020 |access-date=August 15, 2020 |publisher=The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior}}</ref> Debates often center on whether apparent aggressive tendencies are the result of poor dog ownership or natural behaviors of the breed.<ref name=":0" />

Some municipalities take the opposite approach, and have passed anti-BSL laws. Anti-BSL laws have been passed in 21 of the 50 states in the United States, prohibiting or restricting the ability of jurisdictions within those states to enact or enforce breed-specific legislation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Overview of States that Prohibit BSL - Animal Legal & Historical Center |url=https://www.animallaw.info/article/overview-states-prohibit-bsl |website=www.animallaw.info}}</ref>

Some municipalities started with BSL laws, then repealed them, such as [[Denver]], Colorado.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Swanson |first=Conrad |date=2020-11-04 |title=Denver election results for 2J: Voters repeal city's pit bull ban |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2020/11/03/denver-election-results-2j-pit-bull/ |access-date=2023-03-17 |website=The Denver Post |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Commercial restrictions ==
=== Liability insurance ===
Dog owners in the United States can be held [[Legal liability|legally liable]] for injuries inflicted or caused by their dogs. In general, owners are considered liable if they were unreasonably careless in handling or restraining the dog, or if they knew beforehand that the dog had a tendency to cause injury (e.g., bite); however, dog owners are automatically considered liable if local laws hold an owner [[Strict liability|strictly liable]] for all damage caused by their dog, regardless of carelessness or foreknowledge of a dog's tendencies. Homeowners and renters insurance policies typically provide liability coverage from US$100,000–300,000 for injuries inflicted by dogs;<ref name="Insurance Information Institute">{{cite web |title=Dog Bite Liability |publisher=[[Insurance Information Institute]] |date=September 2009 |url=http://www.iii.org/media/hottopics/insurance/dogbite/ |access-date=September 24, 2009 |archive-date=June 15, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090615052434/http://www.iii.org/media/hottopics/insurance/dogbite/ |url-status=live }}</ref> however, some insurance companies limit their exposure to dog bite liability claims by putting restrictions on dog owners that they insure. These restrictions include refusing to cover dog bites under the insurance policy, increasing insurance rates for homeowners with specific breeds, requiring owners of specific breeds to take special training or have their dogs pass the American Kennel Club [[Canine Good Citizen]] test,<ref>{{cite web |title=Homeowners Insurance Available to Breeds Previously Excluded with CGC Certification |publisher=[[American Kennel Club]] |date=October 1, 2004 |url=http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=2408 |access-date=February 4, 2009 |archive-date=September 14, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100914051327/http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=2408 |url-status=live }}</ref> requiring owners to restrict their dogs with muzzles, chains, or enclosures, and refusing to write policies for homeowners or renters who have specific breeds of dogs.<ref name="Insurance Information Institute" />

Owners of rental properties may also be held liable if they knew an aggressive dog was living on their property and they did nothing to ensure the safety of other tenants at the property; as a result, many rental properties forbid pit bull–type dogs and any other breeds if the rental property's insurance will not cover damage inflicted by that type of dog.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}} The dog breeds most often not covered by insurance companies include pit bull–type dogs, Rottweilers, German Shepherd Dogs, [[Dobermann|Doberman Pinscher]]s, Akitas ([[Akita Inu]] and [[American Akita]]s), and [[Chow Chow]]s.<ref>{{cite web |first=Brian |last=Sodergren |title=Insurance companies unfairly target specific dog breeds |publisher=[[Humane Society of the United States]] |url=http://www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_our_pets/insurance_companies_unfairly_target_specific_dog_breeds.html |access-date=August 12, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090707221314/http://www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_our_pets/insurance_companies_unfairly_target_specific_dog_breeds.html |archive-date=July 7, 2009}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=October 2021}}

In 2013, [[Farmers Insurance]] notified policyholders in California that it would no longer cover bites by pit bulls, Rottweilers and [[Wolfdog|wolf-dog hybrid]]s. A spokeswoman for Farmers said that those groups account for more than a quarter of the agency's dog bite claims.<ref name=Gephardt/>

=== Air carrier restrictions ===

The following table has a sampling of air carrier embargoes on pit bulls.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Airline
! Reason
! Details
|-
| [[Air France]]
| Safety
| Category 1 dogs, as defined by the [[French Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry]], are not permitted for transport in the cabin, or as baggage or cargo. These so-called "attack dogs" do not belong to a particular breed, but are similar in morphology to the following: Staffordshire Bull Terriers or American Staffordshire Terriers (pit bulls), Mastiffs and Tosas.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.airfrance.us/US/en/common/guidevoyageur/pratique/animal_interdiction_airfrance.htm |title=Animals prohibited from traveling — Air France airline |publisher=Air France |access-date=July 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726081323/https://www.airfrance.us/US/en/common/guidevoyageur/pratique/animal_interdiction_airfrance.htm |archive-date=July 26, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[Delta Air Lines]]
| Safety
| "We have determined that untrained, pit bull–type dogs posing as both service and support animals are a potential safety risk", the airline said.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-travel-briefcase-delta-pit-bulls-20180622-story.html |title=Delta bans pit bulls as emotional support animals, citing dog attacks |date=June 22, 2018 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=July 26, 2018 |archive-date=July 18, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180718090250/http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-travel-briefcase-delta-pit-bulls-20180622-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|}

== Notable pit bulls ==
[[File:11th PA Infantry monument.jpg|thumb|[[Sallie Ann Jarrett]], the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] mascot of the [[11th Pennsylvania Infantry]]; detail of monument at [[Gettysburg National Military Park]]]]
* [[Sallie Ann Jarrett]], the mascot of the [[11th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment]] during the [[American Civil War]].<ref name="Dickey" />{{rp|39}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=Robinett |first1=Kristy |title=Tails from the Afterlife: Stories of Signs, Messages & Inspiration from your Animal Companions |date=2018 |publisher=[[Llewellyn Worldwide]] |isbn=978-0-7387-5571-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OHpKDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT15 |access-date=14 August 2020 |archive-date=August 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200820201310/https://books.google.com/books?id=OHpKDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT15 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Nipper]], a mongrel at times referred to as a pit bull, though commonly seen as a non pit bull–type terrier, is the dog in [[Francis Barraud]]'s 1898 painting ''[[His Master's Voice]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Richterman |first1=Anita |title=Problem Line: [ALL EDITIONS 1] |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/277876182 |access-date=11 September 2022 |work=[[Newsday]] |date=1 September 1987 |id={{ProQuest|277876182}} |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Franklin |first1=Deirdre |last2=Lombardi |first2=Linda |title=The Pit Bull Life: A Dog Lover's Companion |date=22 November 2016 |publisher=[[The Countryman Press]] |isbn=978-1-58157-504-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ImTfCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT8 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Pet Projects">{{cite book |last1=Young |first1=Elizabeth |title=Pet Projects: Animal Fiction and Taxidermy in the Nineteenth-Century Archive |date=17 December 2019 |publisher=[[Penn State Press]] |isbn=978-0-271-08511-1 |pages=61–62, 236 |doi=10.1515/9780271085111-004 |s2cid=242686493 |url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9780271085111-004/html |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Sergeant Stubby]], a dog of disputed breed who served for the 102nd Infantry, [[26th Infantry Division (United States)|26th (Yankee) Division]] during [[World War I]], has been called a pit bull.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Goodavage |author-link=Maria Goodavage |first1=Maria |title=Soldier dogs: the untold story of America's canine heroes |date=2012 |publisher=Penguin |location=New York |isbn=978-1-101-57710-3 |page=15 |edition=First New American Library |url=https://archive.org/details/soldierdogsuntol0000good/page/14/mode/2up?q=Stubby |access-date=14 August 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Kershaw |first1=Sarah |title=Here's a short history of the American war dog starring 'Sergeant Stubby,' a canine hero who served during WWI |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2015/07/03/heres-a-short-history-of-the-american-war-dog-starring-sergeant-stubby-a-canine-hero-who-served-during-wwi/ |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |access-date=14 August 2020 |language=en |archive-date=August 5, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150805073731/http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2015/07/03/heres-a-short-history-of-the-american-war-dog-starring-sergeant-stubby-a-canine-hero-who-served-during-wwi/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="With Dogs at the Edge of Life">{{cite book |last1=Dayan |first1=Colin |author1-link=Colin Dayan |title=With Dogs at the Edge of Life |date=2016 |publisher=Columbia University Press |isbn=978-0-231-16712-3 |chapter=Chapter Six. Fable for the End of a Breed|doi=10.7312/daya16712 |jstor=10.7312/daya16712 }}</ref>{{rp|88}}
* [[Pete the Pup]], a character from the movie series ''[[The Little Rascals]]'', was played by pit bull–type dogs.<ref name="Dickey">{{cite book |last1=Dickey |first1=Bronwen |author-link1=Bronwen Dickey |title=Pit Bull: The Battle over an American Icon |date=2016 |publisher=Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-307-96177-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KNBfCgAAQBAJ |access-date=14 August 2020 |language=en |archive-date=August 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200820201312/https://books.google.com/books?id=KNBfCgAAQBAJ |url-status=live }}</ref>{{rp|85–86}} 
* Twenty-first century dogs include [[Star (dog)|Star]], who, while protecting her owner, was shot by police in a video that went viral,<ref name="With Dogs at the Edge of Life" />{{rp|7}}<ref name="NYC street dog, shot in the face">{{cite news |last1=Ursch |first1=Blake |title=NYC street dog, shot in the face, had long journey to loving home |url=https://omaha.com/eedition/sunrise/articles/nyc-street-dog-shot-in-the-face-had-long-journey-to-loving-home/article_bca69ecc-e2f5-507f-8b35-ccfe41bc9327.html |access-date=29 June 2023 |work=[[Omaha World-Herald]] |date=29 July 2016 |language=en}}</ref> and [[Daddy (dog)|Daddy]], dog trainer [[Cesar Millan]]'s right-hand dog, who was known for his mellow temperament and his ability to interact calmly with ill-mannered dogs.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/11/business/11dog.html|work=[[The New York Times]]|title=Whispering to Rottweilers, and to C.E.O.'s|date=October 10, 2009|access-date=2021-02-11|last1=Wallace|first1=Amy}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ullmer |first=Mary |date=February 23, 2010 |title=Unleashed: RIP to Cesar Millan's beloved companion 'Daddy' the pit bull |url=https://www.mlive.com/living/grand-rapids/2010/02/unleashed_rip_to_cesar_millans.html |access-date=2021-02-11 |publisher=Michigan Live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://people.com/pets/farewell-friend-cesar-millan-says-goodbye-to-daddy/|newspaper=People|title=Farewell, Friend: Cesar Millan Says Goodbye to Daddy|access-date=2021-02-11}}</ref>

==As a symbol==
[[File:WW1 poster featuring a pit bull.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|[[Propaganda in World War I|World War I propaganda]] poster]]

Owning dogs like pit bulls and Rottweilers can be seen as a [[Status dog|symbol of power]] or status symbol.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Nicoll |first1=Kate |title=Soul Friends: Finding Healing with Animals |date=2005 |publisher=Dog Ear Publishing |isbn=978-0-9766603-6-1 |page=8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JluN-HH-8SMC&pg=PA8 |access-date=10 August 2020 |language=en |archive-date=August 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200820201326/https://books.google.com/books?id=JluN-HH-8SMC&pg=PA8 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{r|Kalouf}} Pit bulls have been cultural symbols in "urban ghettos" and a part of [[Hip hop (culture)|hip hop culture]].<ref name="THE BLACK MAN'S DOG">{{cite web |last1=Linder |first1=Ann |title=THE BLACK MAN'S DOG: THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF BREED SPECIFIC LEGISLATION |url=https://law.lclark.edu/live/files/32171-25-1-third-articlepdf |page=56 |publisher=[[Animal Law Review]] |access-date=13 April 2023 |date=2018 |issn=1088-8802}}</ref><ref name="The I in Team">{{cite book |last1=Tarver |first1=Erin C. |title=The I in Team: Sports Fandom and the Reproduction of Identity |date=26 June 2017 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |isbn=978-0-226-47027-6 |page=166 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jHgkDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA166 |language=en}}</ref> According to the [[Anti-Defamation League]], pit bulls have been adopted as a hate symbol by racist [[skinhead]]s.<ref name="ADL on Pit bull">{{cite web |title=Pit Bull |url=https://www.adl.org/education/references/hate-symbols/pit-bull |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200713144753/https://www.adl.org/education/references/hate-symbols/pit-bull |archive-date=July 13, 2020 |access-date=10 August 2020 |website=[[Anti-Defamation League]] |language=en}}</ref> The [[White supremacist]] group [[Keystone State Skinheads]] have used a specific graphic of a pit bull as their logo.<ref name="ADL on Pit bull" />

Pit bulls have appeared in American [[Propaganda in World War I|World War I propaganda]].<ref name="With Dogs at the Edge of Life" />{{rp|88}}<ref name="Coile2" />{{rp|15}}<ref name="It's time to stop demonizing">{{cite news |last1=Lauerman |first1=Kerry |author1-link=Kerry Lauerman |title=It's time to stop demonizing pit bulls |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2016/05/20/pit-bull-rescue-mission-restoring-a-bad-dogs-good-name/ |access-date=29 June 2023 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=28 October 2021}}</ref>

Pit bulls have appeared in the logos of [[Brown Shoe Company]] and [[Lagunitas Brewing Company]].<ref name="Beauty and the Beast">{{cite book |last1=Arluke |first1=Arnold |author1-link=Arnold Arluke |last2=Bogdan |first2=Robert |title=Beauty and the Beast: Human-Animal Relations as Revealed in Real Photo Postcards, 1905–1935 |date=5 November 2010 |publisher=[[Syracuse University Press]] |isbn=978-0-8156-5091-1 |page=239 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2AWrDvRvNh4C |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Liu |first1=Cynthia |title=Lagunitas Brewing Co. says pit bull label proving no dog |url=https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Lagunitas-Brewing-Co-says-pit-bull-label-proving-2722843.php |access-date=13 April 2023 |work=[[SFGate]] |date=24 September 2004}}</ref> The above-mentioned Nipper appeared in a number of logos, including the [[RCA Corporation|RCA]], the British [[His Master's Voice (British record label)|His Master's Voice]] record label, and the [[HMV]] retail chain.<ref>{{cite web |title=Text-Only NPR.org: Friend Or Fiend? 'Pit Bull' Explores The History Of America's Most Feared Dog |url=https://text.npr.org/s.php?sId=477350069 |website=text.npr.org |publisher=[[NPR]] |access-date=10 August 2020 |archive-date=August 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200820201326/https://text.npr.org/s.php?sId=477350069 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Nipper at The Museum of Technology">{{cite web |title=NIPPER' ADVERTISING TRADE MARK FOR HMV, 1940's |url=http://www.museumoftechnology.org.uk/objects/_expand.php?key=135 |website=[[The Museum of Technology]] |publisher= |access-date=5 July 2023}}</ref>

In 2005, two American lawyers used a pit bull logo and the phone number 1-800-PIT-BULL in a television advertisement to convey that they were "especially fierce litigators". The [[Supreme Court of Florida]] ruled that this use was in breach of [[Florida Bar]] advertising rules.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sandefur |first1=Timothy |title=The Right to Earn a Living: Economic Freedom and the Law |date=2010 |publisher=[[Cato Institute]] |isbn=978-1-935308-34-8 |page=203 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ILCoQm73UQAC&pg=PA203 |access-date=10 August 2020 |language=en |archive-date=August 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200820201327/https://books.google.com/books?id=ILCoQm73UQAC&pg=PA203 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Blankenship |first1=Gary |title=Court disciplines lawyers for '1-800 PIT BULL' TV ad |url=https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-news/court-disciplines-lawyers-for-1-800-pit-bull-tv-ad/ |publisher=[[The Florida Bar]] |access-date=10 August 2020 |archive-date=August 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200820201328/https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-news/court-disciplines-lawyers-for-1-800-pit-bull-tv-ad/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

== See also ==
* {{Portal inline|Dogs}}
* [[Sansão case]] (Animal cruelty case)

== References ==
{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name=Allen>{{cite web|last=Allen|first=Jenna|url=https://www.voxmagazine.com/magazine/bark-vs-bite-a-look-at-the-stigma-surrounding-pit/article_0836811e-42f1-5aec-8bb2-e0d97cbb61a8.html|title=Bark vs. bite: A look at the stigma surrounding pit bulls|website=Vox Magazine|date=August 31, 2017 |access-date=May 9, 2019|archive-date=May 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190508132418/https://www.voxmagazine.com/magazine/bark-vs-bite-a-look-at-the-stigma-surrounding-pit/article_0836811e-42f1-5aec-8bb2-e0d97cbb61a8.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name=avma2014>{{cite web |url=https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/LiteratureReviews/Pages/The-Role-of-Breed-in-Dog-Bite-Risk-and-Prevention.aspx |publisher=[[American Veterinary Medical Association]] |title=Dog Bite Risk and Prevention: The Role of Breed |date=April 17, 2012 |access-date=October 21, 2014 |archive-date=December 30, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230053811/https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/LiteratureReviews/Pages/The-Role-of-Breed-in-Dog-Bite-Risk-and-Prevention.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name=Beaufoy>James Beaufoy, ''Staffordshire Bull Terriers: a practical guide for owners and breeders'', Ramsbury, Wiltshire: The Crowood Press Ltd., 2016, {{ISBN|978-1-78500-097-3}}.</ref>

<ref name=Fogle>{{cite book |last=Fogle |first=Bruce |author-link=Bruce Fogle|date=2009 |title=The encyclopedia of the dog |location=New York |publisher=DK Publishing |page=172 & 181 |isbn=978-0-7566-6004-8 }}</ref>

<ref name=Hoffman>{{cite journal |last1=Hoffman |first1=Christy L. |last2=Harrison |first2=Natalie |last3=Wolff |first3=London |last4=Westgarth |first4=Carri |title=Is that dog a pit bull? A cross-country comparison of perceptions of shelter workers regarding breed identification |journal=Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science |year=2014 |volume=17 |issue=4 |pages=322–339 |doi=10.1080/10888705.2014.895904 |pmid=24673506 |pmc=4160292 }}</ref>

<ref name=Kalouf>{{cite journal |last1=Kalof |first1=Linda |last2=Taylor |first2=Carl |date=2007 |title=The discourse of dog fighting |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241648689 |journal=Humanity & Society |volume=31 |issue=4 |pages=319–333 |doi=10.1177/016059760703100403 |s2cid=144066670 |access-date=August 14, 2020 |archive-date=August 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200820201324/https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Linda_Kalof/publication/241648689_The_Discourse_of_Dog_Fighting/links/54c2954e0cf256ed5a8ee0a3/The-Discourse-of-Dog-Fighting.pdf?origin=publication_detail |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name=Morris>{{cite book |last=Morris |first=Desmond |author-link=Desmond Morris |date=2001 |title=Dogs: the ultimate dictionary of over 1,000 dog breeds |location=North Pomfret, VT|publisher=Trafalgar Square Publishing |pages=346–347 & 363–365 |isbn=1-57076-219-8}}</ref>

<ref name=Olson>{{cite journal |last1=Olson |first1=K. R. |last2=Levy |first2=J. K. |last3=Norby |first3=B. |last4=Crandall |first4=J. E. |last5=Broadhurst |first5=S. |last6=Jacks |first6=S. |last7=Barton |first7=R. C. |last8=Zimmerman |first8=M. S. |date=November 2015 |title=Inconsistent identification of pit bull–type dogs by shelter staff |journal=The Veterinary Journal |volume=206 |issue=2 |pages=197–202 |doi=10.1016/j.tvjl.2015.07.019 |pmid=26403955 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

<ref name=Oxford>{{cite web |url=https://www.lexico.com/definition/pit_bull |title=pit bull |date=2020 |website=Oxford Dictionary |publisher=Oxford University Press |access-date=August 14, 2020 |archive-date=August 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200820201344/https://www.lexico.com/definition/pit_bull }}</ref>

<ref name=Webster>{{cite web |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pit%20bull |title=pit bull |date=2020 |website=Merriam-Webster Dictionary |publisher=Merriam-Webster, Inc |access-date=August 14, 2020 |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327090752/https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pit%20bull |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name=Wilcox>{{cite book |last1=Wilcox |first1=Bonnie |last2=Walkowicz |first2=Chris |date=1995 |title=Atlas of dog breeds of the world |location=Neptune City, N.J. |publisher=TFH Publications |pages=117–121 }}</ref>

}}

{{Terriers}}
{{Domestic dog}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Catch dogs]]
[[Category:Dog breeds originating in England]]
[[Category:Dog breeds originating in the United States]]
[[Category:Dog fighting breeds]]
[[Category:Dog types]]