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What's In a Name?

© Wendy Smith

I know that this topic is supposed to be Rottweiler specific, but I’ll be cheating a bit this month. Once again, I’ll be looking a reason that breed specific laws are not effective, and the reason we’ll look at this month has nothing to do with Rottweilers. No, this month, in order to resolve a possibly confusing issue, we’ll take a look at the name “pit bull”.

Some of you might have noticed last month, whenever I mentioned the term “pit bull” it was either in quotes or in the phrase “pit bull type”. Why was I doing this? Well, the entire issue of what defines a “pit bull” is a big factor in why BSL should be avoided.

To put it bluntly, the term “pit bull” defines more of a type than one specific breed, especially where BSL is concerned. That type generally includes breeds who have animal baiting or dog fighting in their past, especially if those breeds are also classified as terriers. I know that sounds confusing. Basically, there is no such thing as a definitive “pit bull” breed. The types of dogs considered to be “pit bulls” can be completely subjective, depending upon the opinion of the lawmakers in a particular area.

Let’s take a quick look at some of the breeds that are often categorized as “pit bulls”, shall we. You might be surprised.

First, there is the actual breed called the American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT). A fairly obvious target with a name like that, wouldn’t you say? It’s got the words “pit” and “bull” right there in it’s name. So what’s all the controversy about?

Well, gentle reader, here’s where things can get a bit sticky.

The American Pit Bull Terrier is not recognized by the American Kennel Club. He is recognized by other kennel clubs, like the UKC (United Kennel Club), but not by the AKC. Instead, the AKC registers a dog called the American Staffordshire Terrier (AmStaff”). With the exception of the names, both breeds originally came from the same stock and had a similar standard.

So what is the difference between the two breeds? Is AmStaff just the AKC’s way of saying “pit bull”?

It depends on who you talk to. Some people say that the two breeds are the same. However, most breed enthusiasts believe that while they might have started out the same, 70 years of evolving standards have lead to two very different breeds.

At this point, I would like to humbly say that I know too little about either breed to offer an opinion on the matter.

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