What are the Different Pit Bull Breeds

The American Staffordshire Terrier or Amstaff is a very particular pit bull breed. It descends from the cross-breeding of the Bull Terrier, the English Terrier, the English Mastiff, the English Bulldog and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, among others.

American Staffordshire Terriers weight 18 to 27 kg (40 to 60 lb) and can be red, white, black-blue and even brindled. This is a clever, loyal and strong dog, but often it does not get along with other animals. This breed is taller and heavier than the American Pit Bull Terrier.

Another common pit bull breed is the American Pit Bull Terrier or APBT. It descends from the Old English Terrier and the Old English Bulldog. Historians believe that the ancestors of the APBT were bred in the British Isles to participate in bloodsports such as bull baiting and dog fighting and were brought over to America in the 19th Century.

The American Pit Bull Terrier became a very popular breed at the beginning of the 20th Century. Besides looking impressive, it is a loyal and brave dog that requires dedication and plenty of socializing with other dogs and humans whilst young.

These dogs can weigh between 13 and 30 kg (30 and 63 lb); they are larger than Staffordshire Bull Terriers, but similar or slightly smaller than Amstaffs. Their coat comes in many different colors, and it can be solid, brindled or spotted. There are some variations to the APBT breed, including the Old Family Red Nose strain (with red noses, nails, lips and even eyes) and the Blue Nose strain (with blue noses).

Take a look at this article if you'd like to know if a Pitbull is purebred.

Another very popular pit bull breed is the American Bulldog - which is not the same as the American Bully. It is believed that this dog breed descends from the Old English Bulldog, which was originally bred to bait bulls and to participate in other bloodsports. After these activities became illegal in the early 19th Century, these pit bull breeds began to emigrate with their owners and moved to America. Here you can learn more about the English, French and American Bulldog breeds.

The American Bulldog is quite impressive, weighting between 27 and 58 kg (60 to 120 lb). Their coat can be completely or mostly white with fawn, red, brindle or brown patches. They are muscular, strong and agile, which makes them good working dogs but also great and loyal guardians for families.

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is another beloved pit bull breed that was originally used in Britain to fight other dogs, bulls and even bears. The result of this kind of practice was a strong, agile and powerful dog, although shorter than the other ones in this list.

Staffordshire Bull Terriers are smart, tenacious, extremely brave and great life partners if properly trained and socialized. They weigh 11 to 18 kg (24 to 37 lb), and their short and smooth coat can come in many colors and combinations, including brindle.

The last pit bull breed in our list is also the last one to be created and standardized: the American Bully. This breed descends from the American Staffordshire Terrier (Amstaff) and the American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT), among others, and unlike the other pit bulls it was not bred to participate in fights but to be a family pet.

American Bullies come in four different sizes, called Pocket, Standard, Classic, and XL. Pocket American Bullies reach only 41 cm (16 in) tall at the withers, while XL individuals surpass 51 cm (20 in). Like most pit bull breeds, their coat comes in almost all colors and combinations.

American Bullies are more adaptable and laid back than other pit bull breeds, which makes them a better option for first time dog owners. Here you can learn more about how to care for an American Bully dog.

Now that you know what are the different pit bull breeds, don't forget to tell us which is your favorite in the comments section!

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Tips

• Though they were created as fighting dogs, pit bulls can be highly sociable if trained properly from a short age.