Ok so thats clear for me now....i'm a lil slow actually and need things spelled out..ask the mods as they scratch their collective heads...LOL
Ok i know this will not be answered by unf, wish he would though.
I actually have always been fond of the bull terrier. Never had one.
How related are these to pitt bulls?
They aren't related really, they share common ancestors (as do all dogs
). Both are the result of mixing terriers and bulldogs.
The Bull Terrier was created by crossing Bulldogs (the fighting kind) with terriers (probably the now extinct White English Terrier) around 1835. Other dogs were added to the mix later to increase its size (Pointers). It was used in dog fights. If you don't want a dog with that lineage, they aren't the dog for you. They do make great pets for the right people and they don't have the media hype of being a vicious breed in spite of their similar history to the pitbull.
http://www.akc.org/breeds/bull_terrier/history.cfm
PitBulls, which usually means American Staffordshire Terrier in the United States (PitBull is not a breed recognized by the AKC), are also descended from Bulldogs and Terriers, but which kind is somewhat debated. Could be the English Terrier, could be the Fox Terrier... we don't really know. At any rate, some bulldogs and terriers were crossed in England to eventually create the Staffordshire Terrier. They started making their way to the US in the second half of the 19th century where other breeds were probaby added in to increase its size. They were used in pit fighting and as all purpose farm dogs. The dog in England was called the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and the dog in America was called the American Staffordshire Terrier to distinguish between the two since the English version is much smaller. They have been registered since 1936 in the AKC and were the most popular type of dog in America at one point. The most decorated dog of WW1 was a Staffie as was the dog on the Li'l Rascals. He never bit his trainer, unlike a few Lassies...:lol:
http://www.akc.org/breeds/american_staffordshire_terrier/history.cfm
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier, a smaller version, called the nanny dog in England:
http://www.akc.org/breeds/staffordshire_bull_terrier/history.cfm