What is the difference between a pitbull and an American Staffordshire terrier?

Information from http://www.pbrc.net/faq.html

First it is important to know that Staffordshire Terrier and Pit Bulls are not official breeds. They are common terms used to describe a certain type of dog.

There are actually three breeds that can be easily confused. The correct designations are:

• American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) - recognized by the ADBA and UKC
• American Staffordshire Terrier (AST) - recognized by the AKC
• Staffordshire Bull Terrier (SBT) - recognized by the AKC and UKC

They are essentially the same dogs but have been bred for a different purpose and/or size standard since the mid 1930's. Some are even duel registered. Pete the Pup from "The Little Rascals" was among the first APBTs to be registered with the AKC as an AST.

Is it true that pitbull’s are responsible for most of the reported dog bites in the United States?

“German shepherds were identified as the breed involved in 44% of all bite cases”, states Dog Bite Law. Despite Dog Bite Law’s complete hatred for pitbulls, claiming “These dogs have little or no business being pets in anyone's household they are simply too aggressive and dangerous.” They also claim that “Pit bulls cause one-third of dog-bite related fatalities while only make up less than 2% of the dog population.” We all know the strength that these dogs have, and that is the reason why it is so imperative to be a smart pitbull owner. We don’t deny the damage that pitbulls, or any other large breed dog can do, it is about education not extinction. These people and so many others want to punish the breed not the deed.

For more information on breed specific legislature see http://www.dog-bite-law-center.com/pgs/stats.html, you can send your comments as this website has got to be one of the worst I have ran across in support of banning pitbulls worldwide.

To support Punish the Breed not the Deed clothing or other pitbull attire you can visit
http://www.cafepress.com/buy/pit+bull?CMP=KNC-Y-EF&OVRAW=pitbull

The American Temperament Test shows pit bulls consistently score above the average for all breeds tested, year in and year out! - The American Temperament Test Society, http://www.atts.org

Does a pitbull’s jaw really lock?

No, they do not have either. Dr. I Lehr Brisbin of the University of Georgia states, "To the best of our knowledge, there are no published scientific studies that would allow any meaningful comparision to be made of the biting power of various breeds of dogs. There are, moreover, compelling technical reasons why such data describing biting power in terms of 'pounds per square inch' can never be collected in a meaningful way. All figures describing biting power in such terms can be traced to either unfounded rumor or, in some cases, to newspaper articles with no foundation in factual data."

Futhermore, Dr. Brisbin states, "The few studies which have been conducted of the structure of the skulls, mandibles and teeth of pit bulls show that, in proportion to their size, their jaw structure and thus its inferred functional morphology, is no different than that of any breed of dog. There is absolutely no evidence for the existence of any kind of 'locking mechanism' unique to the structure of the jaw and/or teeth of the American Pit Bull Terrier."

On average, dogs bite with 320 lbs of pressure per square inch. The bite pressure of a German Shepherd, an American Pit Bull Terrier and a Rottweiler were tested. The American Pit Bull Terrier had the least amount of bite pressure of the three dogs tested. - Dr. Brady Barr, National Geographic

Can I Crate Train my Pitbull?

All dogs can be crate trained, but a crate is not a substitute for human companionship. Do your research and make sure your crate is big enough for your dog when full grown.