Country/Date of Origin: United States/1800s
The ancestors of this breed were brought to the United States by Irish immigrants in the mid 1800s. The breed was descended from the English "Bull and Terrier," which was already a cross of the original English bulldog (they did not look like today's bulldog -- it did not have acrondoplasty as does today's bulldog, which was developed for the show ring in the 1890s) and various English terriers, including the English white terrier, now extinct, and the black and tan terrier. Staffordshire Bull Terriers have basically the same origin as the APBT (and the Boston Terrier is closely related). They were bred specifically for dog-fighting, which was outlawed in most states in the early 1900s. Although the APBT is often associated today with aggressiveness, many people will also remember Petie, the dog of the Little Rascals, an APBT. Careful breeding, accurate training and loving care are important elements to maintaining a sweet nature in this breed. They are not recognized by the American Kennel Club or the FCI. The primary registry body for this very popular breed is the United Kennel Club. It was the first breed recognized by them (1898).
UKC registered: Terrier