So what is a pit bull, anyway?

Good question. The short answer is that a pit bull is what someone with power says is a pit bull. This matters because in many places, dogs called pit bulls are subject to special restrictions (like having to wear a muzzle in public) or even banned. They are forbidden in Denver, Miami, and a number of other cities, counties, and towns in the U.S. and Canada, as well as in several European countries. A number of places have repealed their breed-specific legislation (BSL) because it turns out not to accomplish its supposed goals: reducing dog bites and attacks. Turns out that breed is a pretty insignificant factor in dog bites; the things that matter are how people treat the dog. Dogs who are not neutered or spayed, who are neglected or abused, and who are not treated as members of the family (e.g., who are kept penned or chained outside) are many times more likely to attack a person than dogs who live in the home and are well-socialized and cared for.

The longer answer to the question of what is a pit bull is that these dogs are the descendants of "bull and terrier dogs" who were crosses between, well, bulldogs and terriers. They were working dogs and family dogs, who were also often used to bait large animals like bulls, to fight other dogs, or to kill rats in pits. Bull and terrier was a type of dog, not a specific breed. It included some specific breeds, like the American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, and Bull Terrier, as well as many mixes. They varied widely in appearance, size, and temperament. What they had in common was short hair, strong jaws, and, often, a "game" attitude that included courage, persistence, and a certain joi de vivre that makes these dogs so special and lovable to many folks today.

Today the category of "pit bull" is just as varied as bull and terrier. Because there is so much variation and so little consistency or rigor in the "official" definitions, many kinds of dogs fall into this category and thus may be banned by an apartment complex or even a whole city, or euthanized upon intake into a county shelter. So don't take your short-haired, muscular, medium to large sized dogs to Miami, just in case. But do learn more about what breed advocates are doing to correct bad PR and help make these dogs into "cherished family companions," as BAD RAP puts it. Other great groups working on these issues are the Sula Foundation in New Orleans, Pit Bull Rescue Central, Game Dog Guardian, and the Animal Farm Foundation, among many others.