American Pit Bull Terrier puppies

About the American Pit Bull Terrier

The American Pit Bull Terrier comes from the bull and terrier crosses made in nineteenth century England, Ireland and Scotland, which immigrants took to the United States, where farmers used them as catch dogs for semi wild cattle and hogs. The United Kennel Club was the first registry to recognise the breed, in 1898. Their standard describes a medium sized, athletic dog of 13.6 to 27.2 kg and roughly 43 to 53 cm, with a short, glossy coat in any colour except merle. PetMD points out that "pit bull" is also used loosely for several related breeds and their mixes.

PetMD suggests at least 45 minutes to an hour of exercise a day, and the breed enjoys fetch, agility, dock diving and training. Grooming is a regular brush. The standard warns that these dogs are capable climbers, so good fencing is a must, and that most individuals show some aggression towards other dogs. Do not count on a friendly puppy staying relaxed with other dogs without work. Socialise early, train consistently, and check the law before you buy, move or travel, because the type is banned or restricted in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Ontario and cannot be imported into Australia.

The law in your country

This breed or type is restricted in some places. Check the current rules where you live before you commit to a puppy.

Australia

The American pit bull terrier or pit bull terrier is on the list of pure breeds that cannot be imported into Australia under Department of Home Affairs legislation. The Department of Agriculture says mixed breed dogs are allowed if they meet all other import conditions. Source.

United Kingdom

The Pit Bull Terrier is one of the banned types of dog in the UK. It is against the law to own, sell, give away, abandon or breed from one unless the dog has a valid Certificate of Exemption, and whether a dog counts as a pit bull depends on what they look like rather than their breed or name. From 1 November 2026 a child under 12 must not be left in close contact with a banned dog in a private place, such as a home or garden, without adult supervision. Source.

Canada

Ontario's Dog Owners' Liability Act bans pit bulls, defined as the pit bull terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, American pit bull terrier and any dog that looks substantially like them. No one may own, breed, transfer, abandon or import one, apart from restricted pit bulls already in Ontario when the ban began in 2005, whose owners must follow the controls set by regulation. A court can use the UKC and other club breed standards to decide whether a dog is a pit bull. Source.

New Zealand

The American Pit Bull Terrier is listed as a type of dog in Schedule 4 of the Dog Control Act 1996. A dog that belongs wholly or mainly to that type cannot be imported, and the local council must classify it as menacing, which means it must be muzzled in any public place and the council can require it to be neutered. Source.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a American Pit Bull Terrier puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and they will need a job to do long before they need long walks. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Allergies to food, flea bites or pollen and dust mites, which show as itching, skin irritation and hair loss and are managed by finding and avoiding the trigger
• Hip dysplasia, which shows as hind limb lameness and difficulty rising or jumping, diagnosed on x-ray
• Cataracts, a clouding of the lens that can progress to blindness, found on eye examination and treatable by surgery
• Obesity, tracked by regular weighing and body condition scoring, since the breed gains weight easily

Your American Pit Bull Terrier puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a American Pit Bull Terrier.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 13.6 to 27.2 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 36 inch (36 x 24 x 26 in, 91 x 61 x 66 cm) for an adult of up to 27.2 kg; chew toys made for medium breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other medium breeds

More on the American Pit Bull Terrier

Previous: American Leopard Hound · Next: American Staffordshire Terrier

Sources

• ukcdogs.com for adult weight and height, life expectancy, coat type and country of origin
• petmd.com for energy, grooming and the temperament ratings and health notes
• gov.uk for the legal status notes
• Health notes from American Pit Bull Terrier breed information at https://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/american-pit-bull-terrier. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

No published figure for life expectancy, the good with children rating and the good with other dogs rating, so nothing is shown rather than a guess.

Photo: Kpo!:D, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.