Several types of dogs are currently called "pit bulls" in the United States: the
American Staffordshire Terrier, the
Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and the
American Pit Bull Terrier. Ancestors of today's "pit bulls" were developed in late 18th and early 19th Century England from ancient
Mastiff stock. These early
bulldogs were used for hunting difficult game like wild boar, and as catch dogs for farmers and butchers. The dogs would catch hogs by the ear and bulls by the nose until their master could get a rope around the animal. These dogs were also used in displays of bull-baiting. The name bulldog may have come from its use on bulls, but it also may have originally been "bold dog," since the breed was unafraid of such formidable animals as bears and bulls. Early artwork reveals that today's
American Pit Bull Terrier looks a lot like the original bulldog, so it very well may be a direct descendant, with little in the way of crosses to other breeds. However, the exact mixes that went into what we know as the pit bull breeds today is shrouded in mystery, because owners of fighting dogs were so competitive with each other that they did not divulge their breeding secrets.
