Should our breed's name be changed?

I was looking through a book & saw that years ago our breed was sometimes referred to as the American Bull Terrier or if it was referred to an an American Pit Bull Terrier, it has the word "pit" in parentheses. Should the name American Bull Terrier be adopted again? I know some purists will holler no, but would a name change be in our breed's best interest? Would it more accurately portray our breed since few "pit bulls" are actually pit dogs? Holler back at me & tell me what you think!

 

I think NO. It is what it is. In a way, I feel that changing the name, is admitting to something being 'wrong' with the breed. You can call these dogs anything ya want, but a pit bull is a pit bull regardless. Just my .02 cents.

 

American Pit Bull Terrier

May this breed endure and in the end, win over the ignorance.

 

I know some folks will hate me for it, but I think going back to the old name would be best. The dogs benefit in no way, shape or form by having the word "pit" in their name. In fact, it harms them by creating &/or solidifying a negative stigma they don't need.

If breeders breed true the dogs will remain the same, no matter what they're called, but IMO we have to do what's right for the breed & sometimes that means leaving archaic things that can harm them behind.

Of course a name change will probably never happen, so we're all talking hypotheticals. I just thought the subject would be a good, thought provoking discussion!

 

NO like said before

 

I really like the name "American Bull Terrier". It is most descriptive of what the breed IS.

Inherent in the name IS the fighting past (that's why the bull and terriers were created); but it also harkens to the many other jobs the breed excels at and that they did alongside the fighting thing -- rough stock dogs, hog dogs and all-around working dogs.

Since it is often described in breed histories that it is the fighting past that lends itself to the breed being so good at other work, I think "American Bull Terrier" harkens more to the many dimensions OF the bull terrier as developed in America. I like to see honor given to the multi-dimensional aspects of the dog, something which is forgotten in the zeal of some "purists" to maintain that fighting is all they are good for.


Dreamer

 

:eek: I say no. Cause nowadays ppl know what most of the names used to identify our dogs whether game or show it's gonna be refered to as American PIT BULL!

 

If I had my way they'd be called "Bulldogs" since I think that is the best name for them.

Most haven't worked rough bulls or done bull baiting for a LONG time but they are still, IMO the closest thing to a working bulldog.

I like to emphasize that aspect of the breed because working rough bulls was honest work that needed to be done for the greater good. Dog matching has little use other than entertainment.

 

I'm used to saying APBT and take pride in the name. But in the end, it's just a name. If it got changed, I'd roll with the changes. I think our breed has far deeper problems than the name. A rescue in CA was calling them St. Francis Terriers some years back, and I don't see where that made a tremendous impact, so I don't see how an "official" name change would really improve our situation.

 

Baha: I'm used to saying APBT too, but I do think removing the "pit" would help them. It's got such a negative stigma attached to it. And removing the word pit would show JQP that we're trying to move our breed forward & they're not just good for fighting as one poster noted.

Pennsooner: What about the working ABs? I'd think those are the closest thing we have today to a working bulldog.

 

i have called them "bulldogs" for a very long time, got it from the old timers tha tintroduced me to the breed.
as far as changing the name? i dunno , they ARE APBT's, and even though they ~might~ not be "pit" dogs, it IS part of the heritage.

oh, and the st.francis terrier thing- that is what alot of people in BSL prone areas will list their APBT's as w/ their vets/town/etc. instead of calling them "APBT"
st. francis was the patron saint of animals

 

Yes, but being pit dogs are part of several breeds' hertitage - the English Bull Terrier, English Staffords & Irish Staffords, the last two of whom were still recently used for pit fighting. But you don't see them referred to as "Irish Staffordshire Pit Terriers."

Everyone who's anyone knows what the Bull Terrier was created for. Yet we're the only ones who went on to put "pit" in the name. And from what I understand pit wasn't even part of our breed's name at first. I think the story I read was from the early 1900s & the dog was referred to as an American Bull Terrier, not APBT.

I have to concede to the name bulldog as well. Any early literature I have read referred to them as bulldogs, American Bull Terriers or later as American (Pit) Bull Terriers.

 

I agree with you 100% almost EVERYBODY says the name of our breed wrong....

They ARE American ..........(pit)...... Bull-Terriers....

They are NOT American PITBULLS,

pit-bull Terriers,

pit-bulls.....

or Pits.....

They ARE American (fighting) Bull-Terriers,

American (sporting) Bull-Terriers,

American (pit) Bull-Terriers.....

they are Bull-Terriers....

I'm 100% about with taking the name pit completely out, or changing it to Sporting...

 

If a name change is implemented, will it cahnge society outlook on our breed..hell nah..

That seems to me like a pride issue, we cant deny our breed and cannot be ashamed.
As our history has set this in stone for us.

Cutt-

 

ask someone not in the breed what a pit bull is and 8/10 they think of a 100lbs guard dog killing monster baby eater.... not a loving 35lbs BullTerrier...

 

Funny this topic came up,, just yesterday, a neighbor asked if Dora was a pitbull, :cool: I could tell by the tone of his voice he wasn't crazy about pits.. I told him she was APB ---Terrier LOL which he didn't question..

His reply was ohhhhh okay... end of conversation.. never asked what APB stood for,, LOL

depitlady

 

I dont think the name should be changed. It wouldnt make a difference. People are still going to refer to them as pit bulls. Just like AmBullys have offically changed their name, they are still refered to as Pit Bulls.JMO

 

I guess it would depend. Those who cared would refer to them as American Bull Terriers. Those who didn't would call them "pit bulls." Just like the AmBully people. Those who are proud of their dogs call them AmBullys. Those who are either ignorant or out to make a buck call them "pit bulls."

It might be surprising for you to know, but American Pit Bull Terrier was NOT the breed's original registered name. American Bull Terrier was.

Here is a passage I came across that chronicles this:

"In 1898, a man by the name of Chauncy Bennet formed the United Kennel Club (UKC) for the sole purpose of registering 'Pit Bull Terriers' as the American Kennel Club wanted nothing to do with them. Originally, he added the word 'American' to the name and dropped 'Pit.' This didn't please all of the people, so later the word 'Pit' was added back to the name in parentheses as a compromise. The parentheses were then removed from the name about 15 years ago."

 

I don't like the term American Bull Terriers; it sounds like an American version of the bull terrier ( Spuds, Target dog ) and it's not.

If anything call them American Terriers. Or if you want to include some of the history in the name use on of the founding fathers of the breed :
American Colby Terrier, Colby American Terrier(CAT), or Colby Terrier.

Personally, I thiink APBT is fine. If we change the name it will only get added to the BSL lists anyway. Public opinion won't change with the name.

 

IMO, American Bulldogs are a recreated breed bred down from pitbulls. Thats my story and I'm sticking to it. And IMO the Johnson dogs at least are too large and overdone to do real "bulldog" work on the whole. Those dogs needed to be very agile.