Both American Bulldog and the Pitbull get people confused.
You may be wondering if a Bulldog is a Pitbull? And the answer is no. The Bulldog and the terrier were mixed so the dog would have the muscular part of the bulldog with the quickness of the terrier. A Pitbull is seen to be part of the terrier line. The Old English Bulldog is in their family line.
They do however have a lot of similarities, both in their looks and their temperament, therefore a lot of people have gotten confused. You would find it almost impossible that an American Bulldog is related closely to the English Bulldog whereas the French Bulldog is closer to the Pitbull, yet this is correct.
The Pitbull comes in many varieties, but to keep it simple we will discuss the differences between an American Bulldog alongside the American Pit Bull Terrier. Both these breeds cause confusion. A lot of shelters will address an American Bulldog as a Pit Bull. You shall see the difference.
Right, the differences between the American Bulldogs and the Pit Bulls? Let’s start with the appearance. Then we can divulge into the history and temperament of both breeds.
Check out the chart below to learn a few of the main differences.
| Pitbull | American Bulldog | |
| Size | Weight – 55 to 70 pounds Height – 17 to 21 inches |
Weight – 70 to 120 pounds Height – 20 to 26 inches |
| Color | Any color and pattern | Mostly white with black, brown, red or tan patches |
| Build | Stacked, muscular, well-rounded | Stocky, well-muscled with broad shoulders and chest |
| Face | Wide, flat head with a powerful jaw. Small ears, short thin tail and no wrinkles | Large and lightly square head, folded ears and lower jaw. Loose skins that forms facial wrinkles |
| Tolerance for other animals | Attacking towards others | Good resistance |
| Bite Force | 230 pounds | 300 pounds |
| Lifespan | 10 to 15 years | 10 to 13 years |
The 5 Key Differences Between American Bulldogs and Pitbulls
The Appearance: Pit Bull v Bulldog
An American Bulldogs weight can vary between 55-115 pounds, for a male 57-115 pounds and a female is around 60-83. They are roughly 21-27 inches tall. It should be notes that their body is muscular and sturdy.
The head of an American bulldog has that square shape look and it is large. American Bulldogs normally do not have the under bite whereas the English Bulldog normally does.
The coat on an American Bulldog is smooth and short.
Today the American Bulldogs have many colours which include red, black, white, brown and a mix of patterns. Before, they were usually white with parts that are black or red.
Their chest is wide and deep, this gives them the balance and quickness. Their body comes across 100% muscle and they have thick bones.
The American Pit Bull Terrier Appearance
An American Pit Bull Terrier roughly weighs around 25-60 pounds. They are usually 16-24 inch tall. 18-24 for a male and 30-60 for a female. They are extremely well proportioned with a broad and stout body. The largest pit bull in the world is called hulk he weighs roughly 180 pounds.
An American Pit Bull Terrier has a slightly rounded head, and their cheeks have no wrinkles. Their nose slightly pushes up and they have a wide jaw. Their eyes are low whilst their ears sit high.
An American Pit Bull Terriers fur comes in a range of colours and patterns.
Every colour is allowed by the National Kennel Club. The most common for this breed would be a fawn colour that has white patches. Their fur is stiff, shiny and sort.
Similarities + Differences In Appearance
Both breeds are very muscular. A pit Bull Terriers muscles are more defined, yet they are both wide. The American Bulldogs chest is wider.
They both have similarities in their fur as it is shiny and short. The pit bull is hard to touch. The colour is normally similar in appearance as the fawn shade is familiar in these breeds. The American Bulldogs will normally be white, historically this was their colouring.
The American Bulldog has a flat square head whereas the American Pit Bull has a tapered head. The ears sit in the same position as well.
A Bulldog’s ears normally fold over yet the pit bulls can fold or sit up like the cat.
Temperament: Pit Bull v Bulldog
Temperament: American Bulldog
The American Bulldog is known to be energetic, social, confident, willing to please and very active. However, they are an emotional breed.
They love to have company and they are extremely loyal. The American Bulldog needs to exercise frequently to burn off the excess energy and they crave attention.
When they are a puppy, they may not show interest in strangers. When they grow older, they will gain their confidence. If you want them to be around children, they must be socialised with them ideally from the start.
They should also be socialised with dogs from when they are young. Bulldogs can be stubborn which makes it harder to train them. So, remain vigilant and find the best training techniques.
The American Bulldog was originally used to work, they would guard and catch animals. This is in driven in the blood which makes them seem intimidating and fierce. But if they are given the correct training with attention they can be the best family dog.
Temperament: American Pit Bull Terrier
It is not a secret that a Pit Bull has a negative reputation for being aggressive and attacking dogs. Pit Bulls are banned in many areas of the world.
If a Pit Bull is placed in the right care, they are sweer loyal loving dogs and they make a great companion for families who love the outdoors.
This breed needs and loves to be physically active. They may need a few hours of intense activity a day to rein in their energy, otherwise this energy may show in a negative way. The Pit Bull can be disastrous if they are left to their own devices with no proper exercise.
The Pit Bull needs to be trained and have experience being around families and dogs when small. Try not to take the rough approach when training this should be calm but stull assertive. Ensure you are standing your ground to establish dominance. If you do not train your pit to greet strangers, they can become hostile.
No matter how calm a Pit Bull is they will not turn away from a fight, so watch them closely around other pets. Fighting is in imbedded into the blood.
Temperament: Differences and Similarities
The Bulldog and Pitbull should be socialized wen young to both young children as well as other animals. Their trainers should maintain a calm assertive attitude and patience
The American Bulldog is known to be more stubborn whereas a pit bull would like to test their boundaries. These breeds are willing to please their owners and they are devoted dogs.
The American Bulldog does not need as much activity as the pit bull, but they both would like to remain active and be with their families, and to be included in your daily actives. If you give them the correct training, they can both be a great addition to your family despite them having negative stereotypes.
The History of the Bulldog V Pit Bull
Both breeds have Old English Bulldog in their blood hence why there is similarities in their looks. In the end both breeds were bred for separate reasons. The pit was bred with the terrier whilst the American Bulldog stayed to its heritage.
The History of the American Bulldog
Old English Bulldogs moved to America; farmers bought their dogs to the states south if America. These dogs helped the farmers with various tasks.
Having a pedigree dog was not necessary and the breeders would choose the dogs based on what tasks needed completing. The bulldog was good at controlling the amount of the pigs and other vermin that was found in the south.
John D. Johnson brought back the breed. A lot of these spin off dogs still exist. The standard type is known as the Scott-Type bulldog.
Johnson has mixed his English bulldog with the bulldog. They became common in the north states and was later states as the classic type. Therefore, a lot of the American Bulldogs tend to have different look.
The History of the American Pit Bull Terrier
The Pit Bull was created by the mixture of bulldogs and terriers. A strength of the bulldog and the quickness of the terrier is what the breeders wanted.
Mainly for bull-bating as well as bat-bating. But once that was made illegal many people began using them for dog fights as they could hide this from authorities.
This an entertainment and gambling were also involved. Pit bulls had been used and bred for hunting, companions and driving cattle in the 20th century.
The Conclusion
The pit bull was born to be a fighter and for breeding the strongest dogs were chosen, this may be the reason Pit Bulls are fighters now. The bulldog was bred to be strong.
Although people who breed pit bulls are choosing mild tempered dogs to breed, the stigma around the pit bull will take a long time to clear.
Both the Pit bull and Bulldog are similar, with only a couple of differences even though they belong to different dog families.
As the Pitbull is an emotional breed, they can become angry and upset easily. Once they are in this state it is hard to put them in a tranquil state. An American Bulldog is known to be stubborn.
These dogs need to be socialized early and have assertive and patient training. Both breeds are very caring emotional and loyal to their owners.
Irrespective of them being strong dogs, if they are given the correct affection and attention, they can make a great family dog.
Questions
The American Bulldog Are They Dangerous?
No, in general they are not dangerous. They are known to be protective and loyal over their family. If they are however threatened or made to feel agitated, then they can be aggressive and hard to make them calm.
Without the correct training and care they can be more angry than other bulldogs. But when coming from a loving environment and socialized from young they can be a loving friendly dog.
Bulldog’s and American Pit Bulls, Are they the Same?
These are not the same breed, yet people do get both these breeds confused. As both the American Pitbull and Bulldogs contain Old English Bulldog in their family, the only reason why the Old English Bulldog was connected with a terrier was for their agility.