The American Bulldog and Pit Bull are often confused as being the same breed due to their similar physical appearance and equal classification as working dogs in Molosser family. However, a trained eye can easily distinguish that these two breeds are actually very different. Therefore, we’ll get to watch the world through the same point of view and understand the difference between American Bulldog vs Pitbull.
Since Pit Bulls have been falsely given a bad reputation for ferocity and violence through widespread public ignorance, American Bulldog owners can be extremely offended when their prized pooch is mistaken for a Pit Bull.
In addition, some housing districts have enforced a strict rule against enabling residents to own a Pit Bull on their premises and made it difficult for American Bulldog owners to prove their furry friend is not part of the restricted breed. Therefore, read on to learn the important characteristics that clearly divide the American Bulldog vs. Pit Bull breeds.
How Are They Different?
First of all, the name “Pit Bull” is actually used in reference to three separate breeds of dogs, including the American Pit Bull Terrier, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and the American Staffordshire Terrier. Developed by crossbreeding various Terrier breeds, Pit Bulls were created as strong, agile, and tenacious workers to help farmers manage their cattle.
In contrast, the American Bulldog is a descendant of the Mastiff and cousin to the Bullmastiff, instead of being an offshoot from the Terrier clan. These bulldogs can be classified as being Bully, Standard, or Hybrid types, depending on their size. American Bulldogs were first bred for bull baiting, hunting, cattle management, and homestead protection throughout early American history.
American Bulldog vs. Pitbull: Appearance
Pit Bulls can be distinguished for their block-shaped heads that form a rounded tip towards the muzzle and unique pointed ears. Most Pit Bull breeds possess a significantly longer snout than skull at a ratio of 40:60. However, the opposite is true for the contrasting American Bulldog, who has a distinctly shorter tapered nose at a ratio of up to 80:20 for skull to snout.
American Bulldogs can be identified by their box-shaped wide and short snout outfitted on a well-muscled rounded head. Due to its Mastiff lineage, American Bulldogs also carry the signature facial wrinkles around their doggy foreheads and mouths. When the skin of the face is pulled tight without a wrinkle in sight, you can rest assured that you are looking at a Pit Bull.
In general, the American Bulldog is usually considerably larger and bulkier than Pit Bulls. Due to their Terrier blood, Pit Bulls normally weigh from 40 to 60 pounds. They only stand about 18 to 22 inches off the ground at the shoulder. While American Bulldogs may weigh a minimum of 60 pounds, this breed has the capability of becoming massive and exceeding 125 pounds.
The standard height for American Bulldogs at the withers of the shoulder blades falls between 24 inches and 27 inches. Despite the fact that Pit Bulls have a muscular frame, they are not as heavy as the extremely muscular American Bulldog. This one has broad chest and head.
American Bulldog vs. Pitbull: Temperament
Apart from the skin deep visual differences between the two breeds, there are other equally important differences that are less obvious. Without a single drop of Terrier blood in their bodies, American Bulldogs are known for having a stable temperament and a more laidback attitude and even-temper.
Since Pit Bulls are genetically linked to the “small dog” tendencies of the Terrier group, they naturally are more hyperactive. They require a great deal of exercise. This would keep the energy from turning into frustration and/or aggression. Despite the bad rap for Pit Bulls, both breeds can be reliable, loyal, and gentle companions. However, this holds true only if they are properly raised from a young pup age.
American Bulldog vs Pitbull: Something Extra
Pit bulls are eager to please, intelligent creatures. They can be easily trained by an inexperienced owner. Bulldogs, on the other hand, tend to be more stubborn and require more patience and persistence. Professional training is a viable alternative to breeders teaching a bulldog how to be obedient by.
However, they respond better to environmental changes and apartment living. Even though pit bulls can comfortably live in an apartment, they tend to face more issues when it comes to adaptability.
The pit bull also craves running around or playing. Therefore, it is an ideal exercising partner, which can be the reason why they have a longer life expectancy. Bulldogs are active too, but engaging in physical activities is not one of their strongest impulses.
A bull dog female usually carries about 4 or 5 puppies during pregnancy. Her bull terrier counterpart can birth up to 10 puppies. If you are looking to buy a puppy and don’t know which to choose, the obvious answer is a pit bull puppy. It should come with an average price of $600, as opposed to $1,600 you would spend on a bulldog pup.
Final Word
It’s not a matter of which breed is best – dogs are awesome no matter the shape or size they come in – it’s about which one is the best for you. We gave you the facts, but the choice is yours. However, don’t fret about it! If you are looking for a trustworthy and enthusiastic companion, you can’t go wrong with either a pit bull or a bulldog. Don’t forget to share your words of wisdom or personal experiences related to these two special breeds in the comments bellow!
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First off pitbulls are not that dangerous in fact I have 2 and both are males. Both are represented in my neighborhood as guard dogs because of burglars and etc. But when friends and family come near our dogs they are friendly and one is playful because of his age. If you see a stray pitbull and you want to keep it then you need to be careful because it depends on how its past owner treated it. You see pitbulls fight for themselves for a reason and that is why people hate the breed. But my fight for pitbulls is not one but many.
THANK YOU! That’s what I’ve been trying to tell people!
To give it credit, the article didnt say pitbulls are dangerous; it only said that people think they are.
Like you, I’m a pitbull owner also, and my dog is well behaved, extremely friendly and gentle.
The article was quite accurate in it’s mention of pitbulls having “small dog” tendencies, (I’ve never heard it put that way before), and as a result, needing lots of exercise, etc. They are not low-maintanace dogs! But with the right owner, they can be amazing good dogs, as mine is, and yours probably are.
i have a pitbull and she is very loving and a caring dog she watches over me and i love her< 3
Shoot, who would have thhougt that it was that easy?
Any dog can be dangerous if it is brought up incorrectly. And even the most massive dog can be a big baby that wouldn’t hurt a fly if brought up correctly (or incorrectly if you ask me, that’s boring) The people fearing pitbulls thing is just because Americans are retarded, hick farmers who live and breathe the news shoved deep, down into their throats.
Anyway, I like pitbulls. Absolutely nothing wrong with them. People are the problem.
When you pull an american bulldogs face tight rest assured you’re looking at a pit bull???
Your comments are contradictory. At first you implicate all Americans as being fools for believing that pit bulls are more aggressive vicious dogs. However you later say that both breeds can be reliable loyal enjoyable companions IF bred properlu from a young age.
But that is the point. Most if not all other dog breeds do not need to be bred any certain way to be nice friendly dogs when they’re older. Also it has been documented numerous times that many pit bulls who are raised to be very passive laid back animals their entire lives from birth often still turn out to be mean viscous animals and have turned on their owners without any provocation.
There have been many pit bull attack cases where the pitbull has always been raised nicely since birth and never had a single violent outburst ever. But inevitably the true colors of that animal come out and it attacks somebody or some other animal, often times without provocation. The same statement can be said for just about every bred out there, but pitbulls by far have way more cases than any other breed.
The fact is that most dogs raised in a typical loving home environment turn out to be just fine. And most dogs raised in an aggressive violent home will likely end up being violent animals. But there are many breeds that will still end up being somewhat passive and laid back even when raised to be violent but most pitbull will eventually have at least one very violent moment no matter how they are raised. They have been bred to fight for hundreds of years and that instinct is ingrained into their brains.
You didn’t carefully read the article. It said that pitbulls needs lots of EXERCISE to keep the energy from turning into frustration or aggression. A lack of violence in the home is not enough.
I’d love to know where you found your statistics when saying “most pitbull will eventually have at least one very violent moment no matter how they are raised.” You sound like a total m****. I’ve not read any cases about pitbulls having violent moments, other than the obvious ones where they were raised aggressively. You are generalizing this breed and saying that it is so ingrained in the dog’s DNA that they won’t be able to help themselves, that they will attack no matter what. I suppose you will be a ***** then, because you know how violent men are and they just can’t help it. It is so ingrained in their DNA. I mean you have thousands of years displaying how men r*** and demean women. That has to be the absolute truth right?
Just me, but it seems owners or pro breed enthusiasts often underestimate what their animal is capable of ? This type of dog is just as capable of utilizing it’s athleticism aggressively. My neighbor has what he thinks is an American bulldog, but fully grown, it’s at the larger size of a pit bull and the runt size of the American bulldog. There is more of a longer snout than the 80/20 the American bulldog is written up to have. So maybe this guy was sold a mix of sorts ? At taller height and heavier weight, his isn’t the stockiest of bulldog either. Anyway, being the new neighbor, the dog is aggressive and protective, but kept on a short leash. I really avoid the animal when they walk it. But they do walk it to my yard for it’s daily poops and don’t pick up after the animal. Hopefully they walk it elsewhere ?
It sounds to me like you should have a chat with this neighbor. Letting another dog poop in your yard isn’t cool.
You are not helping by ignoring the obvious. Everyone, including the dogs themselves, would be helped by acknowledging the obvious. The Pit Bull is an extremely dangerous breed. All dogs, big or small, are capable of making mistakes in their interpretation of stimuli. When pit bulls make this error it is often catastrophic for whatever is in their way. Facts are facts, taking it personal will not improve the problem.
‘Since Pit Bulls have been falsely given a bad reputation for ferocity and violence through widespread public ignorance,’ you say. The fact is that they are the most dangerous dog breed. Just look at the death stats. You can’t argue otherwise. They are way ahead of their nearest ‘rival’.
I certainly can’t argue with facts. But, you have to contextualize the facts. Are people more likely to use these dogs as protection? What types of households are most likely to raise a Pitbull? Is everyone fit to own a Pitbull? Golden Retrievers are becoming increasingly violent due to less than legit breeding practices. Should we ban this type of dog in the US or dig a little deeper beyond base statistics?
There are no official statistics kept in the United States in regard to which dog-caused deaths were caused by which breeds. Even the CDC doesn’t have such statistics, and there is no reliable source from which to obtain them. In 2013 the American Veterinary Association did a study of 9 years of dog-caused deaths and found that the breed could only be verified in 14% of the cases, and that in those cases 20 different breeds were represented.
It is known, statistcally speaking, that humans are far far more likely to be killed by other humans.
Are you serious? “humans are far far more likely to be killed by other humans”. That’s like saying : “we know that lions are stronger than pit bulls”. It has nothing to do with the point being brought up. I could say “It is known, statistically speaking, that it rains more in Mississippi than it does in Arizona.” It would mean just as much.
Thanks for catching that. People in this country resort to that sort of argumentation CONstantly. And I’ve never once heard anyone call them on it. So annoying.
There are no official statistics kept in the United States on which dog breeds were involved in which number of deaths. Even the CDC has no such statistics, and there is no reliable place from which to obtain them. (There are questionable unreliable websites, yes)
Their are a lot of small dogs that bite people far more often than pit bulls. The reason that the death stats for the pits are so high is because dog fighters seek out this bread because it can do damage. Mostly getto rat s.o.b.s . So before you talk out of your *** about something you know nothing about , look up the facts. Those stats exist because people made them that way through por dog ownership. I’m a country boy I’ve owned many pits and American bulldog and not a single one has ever bitten anybody , at all , period . And by the way dogs don’t turn they defend themselves. But then again it’s kind of hard for a dog to tell it’s side of the story.
The thing is that all dogs get moody and snappy at some point. I have a chihuahua and he’s a **** he’s barked and snapped at people a few time BUT he’s small and he can do very little damage. I also take care of a bit bull pup and she is sweet and loving, so friendly to other dogs and people. But even when playing around with her she has so much power behind her and she doesn’t realize it. and my chi has gotten pissed at me for something I’ve done a million times before, and it’s random. But the difference is if the Pit gets pissed it has all the power to do damage. Pits are great dogs but like any dog you have to watch out and recognize when they’re not in the mood and not acting right. they’re just like family, but even family loses their shit on you sometimes.
Your answer shows real inltneigelce.
I am currently the owner of two English Bulldogs. I have owned Pit bulls in the past. I love all bulldogs. However, I understand they have been bred for many generations to do a certain job as many animals have been bred to serve a variety of purposes. For instance, Someone planning on entering a horse race with any sense about them would not enter the race riding a Clydesdale, but a Thoroughbred. If I want an animal to protect my family, I will choose a dog in the guarding class and not a Beagle. Now, I could train the Clydesdale to race and the Beagle to guard, but does that make each what I claim them to be? So, My beagle may be out running a rabbit while someone is breaking into my home. My Clydesdale will more than likely wear down before completing the first lap. Point is, I love Pit bulls, but I also call myself a responsible owner. to say, they are not dangerous is what makes them dangerous. you see, I believe it is people who have owned a few pit bulls in their lifetime that think they know all there is to know about the breed that have ruined it. Again, another example, A gun is not dangerous until it is placed in a hand. People who try to defend the breed are morons that’s the problem. Pits are good dogs don’t get me wrong as I said, I love them, but they are what they what they have been bred to do, Not their fault, just doing their job. Instinct because it were these traits that were bred into them. Certain qualities are bred into dogs when making a breed. I sweet pit-bull that no one would ever dream of attacking is the most dangerous as would be the least expected. A ferocious Pit , well, not as dangerous as would be expected and precautions taken incase instinct or trait is recognized. The best thing that could happen to this breed is for everyone to recognize is capabilities and become responsible owners and understand that each breed has been bred for a specific purpose and respect the breed for what it is.
This article is a bit problematic in that it does not recognize that there are actually several types of American bulldog as well, the two most common being the Johnson’s or Classic and the Scott’s of Standard/Performance (so-called “Southern Whites” would be an example of another type). The descriptions of the American bulldog in the article, particularly the facial features, better fits a Johnsons’ type. Scott’s types actually can be easily mistaken for an enormous pit bull. Their heads in terms of shape sit somewhere between the Pit Bull and Johnson’s, with the leaning often more toward a pit bull head.
We had an American Bulldog for several years. She was a rescue dog from Colorado and was abused. Her owners wanted to make her a fight dog, but she wouldn’t have any of that, so they just dropped her off in a lonely spot. Someone found her, rescued her and our daughter got her. She gave Louise to us and we’ve never had a more loving dog than her. She had chain marks on her muzzle and several scars on her body. She was so loving to us after we got her and never harmed anyone. Sadly, we lost her two years ago and miss her very much. If we could, we would get another American Bulldog, but we know we will never get another one like Louise who, even though she was abused and tried to be made into a fight dog, was loving, gentle, and very caring. My wife has asthma and would stop breathing at night. Louise would nudge her until she woke up. If she couldn’t get my wife to wake up, then she would wake me and I would get my wife to awaken. A very loving, and caring member of our family. Louise, we miss you terribly and we love you.