Fun American Pit Bull Terrier Facts For Kids

The American Pit Bull Terrier dog breed is one of the medium sized dog breeds that is recognized by the American Dog Breeders Association (ADBA) and the United Kennel Club (UKC). However, it's not recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC). It is one of the dog breeds that originally came from the British Isles. The American Pit Bull Terrier dog breed is larger when compared to the American Staffordshire Terrier breed group.

Some of the iconic physical features of the American Pit Bull Terrier dog include its well-defined muscle structure, short coat, almond-shaped eyes, and small - medium length ears. Its tail is slightly thick and tapering. In terms of personality, the American Pit Bull Terrier dog is known for its intelligence and high energy level.

This bull type dog breed was a result of the breeding of Old English Bulldogs and Old English Terrier dogs. It arrived in the United States in the 19th century. In the UK, where they were originally bred, the dogs were used for bear baiting, bull baiting, and other blood sports. When bull baiting and bear baiting were made illegal, they were used for dog fighting. However, since the elimination of blood sports altogether (including dog fighting) and the introduction of animal welfare laws, they along with the Staffordshire Bull Terrier have been mostly used as police dogs, athletic sports dogs, working dogs, and/or companion type dogs. For more interesting facts articles on Kidadl, check out field spaniel and Australian retriever facts.

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What type of animal is a American Pit Bull Terrier?

The American Pit Bull Terrier is a dog breed that's known for its muscular structure and round, almond-shaped eyes. They can easily adapt to a wide variety of climactic conditions, which is why they can be found in different parts of the world.

What class of animal does a American Pit Bull Terrier belong to?

The American Pit Bull Terrier belongs to the Mammal family, meaning they give birth and reproduce through mating.

How many American Pit Bull Terriers are there in the world?

There are more than four million Pit Bull Terriers in the US alone.

Where does a American Pit Bull Terrier live?

An American Pit Bull Terrier typically lives in a house with a family.

What is a American Pit Bull Terrier's habitat?

An American Pitbull Terrier's ideal living place is a human residence. As it is one of the terrier breeds that's known for being working dogs, they can also easily adapt to environments apart from residences, like for police stations and farms.

Who do American Pit Bull Terriers live with?

American Pit Bull Terriers like to live with people as they like human company.

How long does a American Pit Bull Terrier live?

The average lifespan of an American Pit Bull Terrier is between 12 - 16 years, depending on their health and diet.

How do they reproduce?

Like most mammals, American Pitbull Terriers reproduce sexually. The female, in her heat cycle, needs to reach the estrus stage. Once she reaches the estrus stage, she is ready to mate with the male. The estrus stage can last for a period of 5-14 days. Once a female is determined to be pregnant, she is closely monitored by her vet and breeder.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of American Pit Bull Terriers is Not Listed. However, owing to their high population in the US alone (more than four million) it's safe to say that American Pit Bull Terriers aren't in any danger of going extinct anytime soon.

What do American Pit Bull Terriers look like?

American Pit Bull Terriers are one of the dog breeds that don't have a lot of fur. Their fur is typically short and firm and it appears quite shiny. They can be of any color but American Pit Bull Terrier colors brindle, black, white, deep brown, and bluish are the most common. The fur may even feature a mixture of the mentioned colors. They tend to have stray hairs, which can be eliminated through combing and brushing sessions at least twice every week.

The heads of American Pit Bull Terriers are quite large and feature rectangular. Due to the size of their heads, they appear very meaty and rugged. Some other physical traits of American Pit Bull Terriers include substantial necks, circular eyes, wide muzzles and chests, broad nostrils and sizeable noses. Their front limbs appear sinewy and short tails and circular feet are also hallmarks of American Pit Bull Terriers.

How cute are they?

American Pit Bull Terriers can appear both cute and intimidating depending on an individual's relationship with a particular dog. Their rugged exterior and aggressive nature can be scary initially. However, training along with early socialization can help them become friendly and loyal towards humans.

How do they communicate?

American Pit Bull Terriers, like all other dog breeds, communicate using barks and howls. It is one of the dog breeds that can be trained to communicate using gestures such as wagging their tails and moving their ears as well. How well an American Pit Bull Terrier communicates has a lot to do with its health and also how much time the owner devotes towards getting to know the animal.

How big is a American Pit Bull Terrier?

Compared to a Chihuahua, an American Pit Bull Terrier size is significantly bigger. While a Chihuahua is only 6-9 inches in terms of height, an American Pit Bull Terrier's height is approximately 14-20 inches.

How fast can a American Pit Bull Terrier run?

An American Pit Bull Terrier that does not have any severe health conditions and is in tip-top shape can run at peak speeds of 25-30 miles per hour (40.2-48.3 km/h).

How much does a American Pit Bull Terrier weigh?

The weight of a male American Pit Bull Terrier typically differs from the weight of a female dog of the same breed. While the weight of males range from 35-70 lb, the weight of females range from 30-60 lb.

What are their male and female names of the species?

A male American Pit Bull Terrier is referred to as a dog, while a female American Pit Bull Terrier is referred to as a bitch.

What would you call a baby American Pit Bull Terrier?

As a baby, an American Pit Bull Terrier is called a puppy.

What do they eat?

An American Pit Bull Terrier eats proteins such as eggs, chicken, fish, and beef, along with veggies such as spinach, sweet potato, pumpkin, mushroom, carrots, and broccoli.

Are they dangerous?

How dangerous they are depends on the American Pit Bull Terrier temperament and energy level. Generally, the personality of American Pit Bull Terriers tends to be on the aggressive side. However, if American Pit Bull Terrier puppies receive proper training from when they are a puppy, they can grow up to be incredibly social, loving, and loyal dogs.

Would they make a good pet?

No matter what American Pit Bull Terrier bloodlines are, they can be good pets. However, to ensure that they grow up to be good pets, they have to undergo rigorous training right from the time that they are a puppy.

Did you know...

An American Pit Bull Terrier puppy wasn't a favorite in terms of adoption back in the 1990s. To make them seem more adoption-friendly, the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals gave them a new name in 1996, St. Francis Terriers.

Having your own American Pit Bull Terrier

You can buy an American Pit Bull Terrier in good health from a reputed breeder. On average, a purebred American Pit Bull Terrier price ranges from $500-$1000. If you want to buy a red nosed American Pit Bull Terrier or a blue nose American Pit Bull Terrier at a lower price, you can get in touch with breeders who may have a rescue to sell. Often, a rescue is offered to prospective owners for free or at a fraction of the price quoted for a non-rescue dog.

Before you purchase an APBT, it's important to remember that you'll have to invest heavily in training the dog. An APBT without training can be very aggressive and may have difficulty in adjusting with the owner and their family. Owners also have to pay attention to the nutrition and grooming needs of an APBT.

Caring for your American Pit Bull Terrier

How well American Pit Bull Terrier mix with you and your family depends a lot on how you train the dog. One of the first things that prospective owners like about a Blue American Pit Bull Terrier is its intensity. However, if American Pit Bull Terrier training isn't provided to keep the intensity in check, it can create problems later on, leading to the dog becoming quite stubborn and bossy.

Apart from training , you also need to give your American Pit Bull Terrier a lot of attention. Typically, an American Pit Bull Terrier, when bored, can cause a lot of damage and destruction inside the house, especially when left to their own devices. That's why owners are advised to create a separate space for the dog (like a kennel) that can also be used as a space for calming the dog down when it's aggressive.

In terms of food, owners are recommended to watch what their American Pit Bull Terrier eats. American Pit Bull Terriers tend to eat more than they need to, which is why special care must be given to the quantity of food that they consume. If you decide to own an American Pit Bull Terrier, you should be in regular touch with the vet to ensure that there are no instances of overeating, which can lead to health problems.

American Pit Bull Terriers are also known for developing certain health conditions as they grow up. Food allergies are extremely common among American Pit Bull Terrier colors white as they tend to eat almost anything edible. Some other medical issues faced by American Pit Bull Terrier colors tan include hypothyroidism, hip and elbow dysplasia, and aortic stenosis (a rare heart disease).

To prevent minor health conditions, especially ones associated with skin, owners must pay attention to grooming their dogs. While the grooming needs of American Pit Bull Terrier colors fawn aren't a lot, regular teeth brushing and nail trimming are recommended. Owners should also frequently check their dogs' ears to identify possible signs that may indicate an infection. If your dog displays signs of food allergies, you should consult the vet immediately to make necessary changes to the dog's diet so that similar allergies can be avoided in future.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals including Rottweiler Lab mix, or Brazilian Terrier.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our American Pit Bull Terrier coloring pages.