Best Family Dog
The American Pit Bull Terrier
The APBT is one of the sweetest, most loyal, and affectionate dog you could ever meet. Pit bulls have been in existence for hundreds of years. They have been used for a variety of things but unfortunately, mostly known for dog fighting. Sadly, the fabulous pit bulls throughout history have gone unrecognized and unappreciated by most. These dogs were the ultimate family dog for years, and still very much are in our society today. Contrary to popular belief, the Bulldog type dogs (this includes pitbulls, staffs, american bulldogs, bull terriers, staffordshire bull terriers, etc.) all of these COMBINED make up less than 1% of dog bite in this country annually. Unfortunately, they have become a media target and when one of them does anything, it is reported, and typically reported incorrectly so they can make this breed appear to be vicious.
These dogs are bred to be the most loyal family companion you can find. They are in fact true, loving, loyal family companions. They are also often used as working or service dogs. There are many PitBulls in this country today that are used for Search and Rescue, Narcotics, Money, Cadaver, Bomb, seeing-eye dogs, and any other forms of service dogs. All of this aside, pit bulls are amazing family companions. When fostering or owning a pit bull, you will see that.
They are a dog that will typically follow you into any room in the house, go for hikes right beside you, go swimming, go for car rides, snuggle on the sofa, sleep in bed under the covers with you, welcome and accept any stranger into your home, and when properly socialized, they often love to play with other dogs! They love to play fetch, they love agility, any competition they LOVE. This is the ideal family pet. They have a superior tolerance of children, they are typically extremely gentle, they can match a child's energy level, they will do any family activity you can think of...All they want is to be with their family and show them how much they love them...Many, including myself, rank this dog as one of the top family pets.