Did you know that pitbulls were once known as "nanny dogs" until people started to exploit their behavior?

• "Did you know that pitbulls were once known as "nanny dogs" until people started to exploit their behavior?"

Yes, but....

You've got the chronology the wrong way around.

The Bulldog was developed to be VERY different to the deformed modern Bull Dog, and its role was grab a bull's nose and HOLD ON. The Bull Terrier was developed by including Terrier genes to give more agility and increased hostility to small creatures.

In the USA the most aggressive Bull Terriers were mated to whichever local Mastiff or Terrier was aggressive enough to produce the dogs on which "gentlemen(???)" could bet as to how long one in a "pit" (not necessarily a hole in the ground - it could be a small area with a fence that rats couldn't easily climb) would take to kill all the rats in a sack that was tossed into the "pit". The highlight(????????) of the day would be betting on which of 2 dogs put into that "pit" would survive.... So the successful type of fighting-in-a-pit dogs became known as Pit Bull Terriers. The AKC wanted nothing to do with that type of dog, so Chauncey Z. Bennett created the United Kennel Club in order to register his "Bennett's Ring" as an American Pit Bull Terrier.

I do wish that America (including New York-based "One Green Planet"s staff!) and Britain had been able to find better teachers after WW2 - far too many people in those 2 nations have never learned to punctuate and to check their spellings, despite that Y!A's spell-checker red-lines most words that don't use Yanklish spellings.

As for "Nanny dogs" - they were favourites because of their adoration of "their" humans, at a time when most mothers were "homebodies" and so could supervise to make sure that the baby/toddler/pre-schooler didn't upset the dog. And because the Pit Bull Terrier's aggression is focussed on 4-legged creatures, while its affection is focussed on the humans in the "Pack", a "Nanny dog" could be very helpful in guarding the members of its "pack".

These 2 series of short movies: https://www.google.com/search?&biw=864&bih=376&tbm... made the "Nanny dogs" very popular.

And sorry - the one photo that Y!A allows us is FAR from "research". A photo can be VERY misleading. No - I'm not calling that photo a fake. But most well-trained dogs can be persuaded to accept lying in various positions, including that one.

The sad truth is that so many "dog owners" are INCOMPETENT to have a dog. They haven't spent even eight 30-to-60-minutes weekly sessions in a training class getting COACHED by a competent instructor.

From your answer to "I just bought a new black pit bull puppy", I gather that you know very little about Nero (Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus; 15 December 37 AD to 9 June 68 AD). Start with the Wikipedia article about him. Especially his role in the burning of Rome, and then his suicide. But at least you didn't assure the Asker that the dog would be a good leader, the way a foolish fan of the name "Nero" did in her answer to that question!

Kreaky Kiwi - first pup in 1950, GSD breeder & trainer since 1968

I was unaware of that at first. However, I've seen plenty of videos online of so called, 'vicious' dogs playing with children and babies, and I can safely say that the children are NOT in danger with the dog.

I personally think that it's totally unfair that people have exploited the behavior of any dog, not only a pitbull. For a long time, other breeds of dog have been blamed, like Dobermans, German Shepherds, Rottweilers and Japanese Akitas, although their temperament depends largely on how they are brought up as a puppy through socialization and training, or a lack of.

I was not aware of that. I always thought it was the Newfoundland that was a "Nanny" dog. Anyway, i've come across an item about bull terriers that you may enjoy!https://www.animalwised.com/pit-bull-terriers-as-n...

No, they never were. COMPLETE lie. http://thetruthaboutpitbulls.blogspot.com/2010/08/...

Rubbish that title belongs to the English Staffordshire bull terrier

That's good, because I'm breeding basset hounds with pit bulls as a ethical, responsible backyard breeder, to create fancy, high quality designer dogs

Did you know that pit bulls is how "pitbulls" is properly spelled? This is myth, and a doctored photo proves nothing: "This is a myth. Check any source. "Well-meaning pro-pit bull advocates once circulated a myth that Staffordshire terriers were used as nanny dogs in 19th century England. While pit bull-type dogs have been enjoyed by families for generations in both English and United States history, there's no evidence that they actually cared for children like nannies."

Amazing how you think the voices in your head are experts at anything. Another example - "Did you know that bearded collies and chihuahuas are some of the dogs that're thought to be gentle are more agressive than pitbulls?"

They were NEVER known as "nanny dogs". That is a MYTH that a pro-pit person had published in an article in the 70s to try to promote them. There is NO actual records prior to that of them being called "nanny dogs"

Old photos are not proof either. Photos were a rarity, so people commonly had their kids pose with the household dog for a photo... You can find similar photos of about any breed that was common or popular from that era.

Exploited them? The breed was literally developed FOR blood sport.. Its in their NAME for Christ's sake!

No I did not know this but I verified it by googling 'nanny dogs'.

Yeah, and crocodiles used to be known as the 'Nanny Reptile' until your mom spat you out of her fanny.