History of the Bandogge

The Swinford Bandogge Suley, owned by Murray Pierce, USA.

The Bandogge, or Bandog if you prefer, is not a purebred dog in the way we know the word purebred.
The words Bandogge and Bandog is being used on dogs of mixed Molosser ancestry, most often with Pit Bull as one of parent components.
The name Bandog, or Bandogge, comes from the old Saxon word "banda"; the Saxon word for chain. It was used on watchdogs chained at day and released at night, to carry out its watching and guarding duties. It is quite obvious that the name was used on any chained watchdog, Mastiffs, Bulldogs and dogs of mixed ancestry, but it is also certain that these chained dogs must have been of a recognisable watchdog type, which eliminates all dogs which was not of more or less Molosser blood.
This means that any Molosser cross of today could rightfully be called a Bandog, even if the most common crosses today which is called Bandog is the Mastino Napoletano/Pit Bull and the Bullmastiff/Pit Bull.

Lucy, a Pit Bull/Bullmastiff Bandog, or Pitbullmastiff if you prefer.
This picture was taken from t

he book The World of Fighting Dogs,
with permission from the author, Dr. Carl Semencic.

One of the fairly common methods

of producing Bandogs is by crossing Pit Bull males with Bullmastiff bitches. This cross was earlier much more used in Europe than the Neo/Pit cross. Some refers to this cross as Bandogs, while others, especially in USA, call them Pitbullmastiffs. Considering that the Bullmastiff is a British breed, and that the Pit Bull is derivatived from the British "Bull and Terriers", this cross should be more like the original Bandogge of Britain than the Neo/Pit cross.
Another method to bred Bandogs is to cross the Pit Bull with English Mastiffs, but many breeders is of the opinion that the Mastiff is a too much laidback bred and they prefer using the Neo in the cross instead of the Mastiff, so the cross will be thougher and inhabit more gameness.

At left John Swinford with his 56 kg. Bandog Swinford's Bantu.
At right, third generation Bandog Thor.
The two pictures above have been taken from the book The World of Fighting Dogs,
with permission from the author, Dr. Carl Semencic.

In the late 1960's a veterinari

an by the name of John Swinford began a breeding program which was ultimately to produce the greatest of all protection dogs. Though breeders of bandogs today disagree on just what breeds went into Swinford's original breeding scheme, the general consensus is that it was 50 % American Pit Bull Terrier and 50 % very large molosser, most likely the Neapolitan Mastiff. It is now agreement that the best method employed to produce the American Bandogge is to cross a good game male American Pit Bull Terrier with a large and strong Neapolitan Mastiff bitch. This cross (Neo/Pit) is also known as Swinford Bandogge.

Shade, Pitbull/Mastino Bandog, pictured at 23 months of age.
Owned by Juan Cantillana, Santiago - Chile.

Today the Bandog of Mastino/Pit cro

ss is fairly common all over the world. In the later years it has however been difficult to obtain this cross, especially in Europe, since the Pit Bull have been outlawed in many countries.
There are breeders that has bred Bandogges for several generations now, without adding more cross bred blood, and that has obtained a homogeneneous type and size.

Narve's Drager and and his litter sister.
These two dogs are 75 % Bullmastiff and 25 % Rottweiler.
No less Bandogges than the more common crosses.

History of the APBT

• The American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) is a descendent of the original English bull-baiting Bulldog and has historically been bred with working/performance goals in mind. The challenge of describing the American Pit Bull Terrier inevitably invites a long sequence of superlatives. The APBT is a supremely athletic, highly versatile, adaptive, gushingly affectionate, eager-to-please, all-around family dog. In courage, resolve, indefatigableness, indifference to pain, and stubborn perseverance in overcoming any challenge, the APBT has no equal in the canine world. Although the APBT was once used as a national symbol of courage and pride, the breed is largely misunderstood today.

  Even though the APBT has historically been bred to excel in combat with other dogs, a well-bred APBT has a rock-steady temperament and, contrary to popular belief, is NOT inherently aggressive towards humans. However, as adults, some APBTs may show aggression towards other dogs. This fact, along with the APBT's strength and determination, should be taken into account when considering if the APBT is the right breed for you. As with any companion dog, socialization and consistent fair-minded training is a must from a very early age.

  Although some APBTs may be suspicious of strangers, as most dogs are, and will protect loved ones if necessary, in general they do not excel in protection/guard work. If your main reason for getting a dog is for protection/guard work, perhaps a Rottweiler, German Shephard, or a Doberman Pinscher would suit you better. Or, if you really like the bulldog phenotype, look into an American Bulldog.

  There are several types of dogs that are commonly called "Pit Bulls." Primarly, these are the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier (AST), and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier (SBT). All three of these dogs share common ancestry but have been subsequently bred emphasizing different breeding criteria. Due to this divergence, some people feel that they are now different breeds. Others choose to view them as different "strains" of the same breed. Neither view is wrong, as it comes down to how one defines what a "breed" is. This FAQ is primarily about the American Pit Bull Terrier, specifically those dogs of relatively recent game-bred ancestry. Some of the material may ring true for the AST and the SBT, but the authors are biased toward the APBT from performance-bred lines, and this bias will be clear throughout the FAQ.

• History

  Among enthusiasts, the history of the APBT is as controversial as the breed itself is among the misled public. The breed's history is a recurrent subject of lively debate in the magazines devoted to the breed. In fact, this FAQ was hotly debated among the contributors before it reached its final form, and still everyone isn't 100% happy!

  Although the precise origin of the APBT is not known, we can reliably trace its roots back at least one hundred and fifty years or so [1] to England. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries the sport of bull-baiting was very much alive and dogs were bred to excel in this endeavor. The same type of dog was also used by hunters to catch game and by butchers and farmers to bring down unruly cattle. These dogs were called "bulldogs." Historically, the word "Bulldog" did not mean a specific breed of dog per se, but rather it was applied to descendants of the ancient Mastiff- type dogs that excelled in the task of bull-baiting. The "bulldogs" of yore were much different from, and should not be confused with, the loveable clowns of the show ring today. The old, performance-bred, working bulldog was closer in phenotype and spirit to the APBT and/or the modern American Bulldog. The use of the word "bulldog" applied to APBT's persists even today among APBT fanciers.

  
  When bull-baiting was outlawed in England in 1835 the sport of matching two dogs against one another in combat rose in popularity to fill the void. One point of contention about the history of the APBT is whether these pit fighting dogs were essentially a new breed of dog specially created for this popular pastime. Some authors, notably Richard Stratton, have theorized that the APBT is essentially the same breed as the Renaissiance bull-baiting dogs, largely unmixed with any other kind of dog, specifically terriers. These authors consider the present name, American Pit Bull Terrier, a double misnomer, since, in their view, the breed is not of American origin and is not a terrier. They explain the popular attribution of the breed's origin to a cross between bull-baiters and terriers as a retrospective confusion with the breeding history of the English Bull Terrier, which is a totally distinct breed that was never successful at pit fighting but whose origin is well-documented. Other authors who have researched the topic, such as Dr. Carl Semencic, argue that the APBT is indeed the product of a cross between bull-baiting dogs and terriers and that the breed simply did not exist in its current form during the Renaissance. They would argue that when we think of the terriers in the APBT's ancestry, we should not envision modern-day show dogs like Yorkshire Terriers, but instead working terriers (probably now extinct) that were bred for great tenacity in hunting. The problem of proof, which hangs over the discussion of any early breed history, is compounded in this case by the extreme secrecy of the breeders of pit dogs. In the 19th century pedigrees, if committed to paper at all, were not divulged, since every breeder feared letting his rivals in on the secrets of his success and replicating it. In any case, by no later than the mid-19th century, the breed had acquired all of the essential characteristics for which it is still prized today: its awesome athletic abilities, its peerless gameness, and its easy-going temperament.

  
  The immediate ancestors of the APBT were Irish and English pit fighting dogs imported to the States in the mid-19th century. Once in the United States, the breed diverged slightly from what was being produced back in England and Ireland. In America, where these dogs were used not only as pit fighters, but also as catch dogs (i.e., for forcibly retrieving stray hogs and cattle) and as guardians of family, the breeders started producing a slightly larger, leggier dog. However, this gain in size and weight was small until very recently. The Old Family Dogs in 19th century Ireland were rarely above 25 lbs., and 15-lb. dogs were not uncommon. In American books on the breed from the early part of this century, it is rare to find a specimen over 50 lbs. (with a few notable exceptions). From 1900 to 1975 or so, there was probably a very small and gradual increment in the average weight of APBTs over the years, without any corresponding loss in performance abilities. But now that the vast majority of APBTs are no longer performance-bred to the traditional pit standard (understandably, since the traditional performance test, the pit contest itself, is now a felony), the American axiom of "Bigger is Better" has taken over in the breeding practices of the many neophyte breeders who joined the bandwagon of the dog's popularity in the 1980s. This has resulted in a ballooning of the average size of APBTs in the last 15 years--a harmful phenomenon for the breed, in our opinion. Another, less visible modification of the breed since the 19th century was the selective intensification of genetically programmed fighting styles (such as front-end specialists, stifle specialists, etc.), as performance breeding became more sophisticated under competitive pressures. In spite of these changes, there has been a remarkable continuity in the breed for more than a century. Photos from a century ago show dogs indistinguishable from the dogs being bred today. Although, as in any performance breed, you will find a certain lateral (synchronic) variability in phenotype across different lines, you will nevertheless find uncanny chronological continuity in these types across decades. There are photos of pit dogs from the 1860s that are phenotypically (and, to judge by contemporary descriptions of pit matches, constitutionally) identical to the APBTs of today.

  Throughout the 19th century, these dogs were known by a variety of names. "Pit Terriers", "Pit Bull Terriers", "Half and Half's", "Staffordshire Fighting Dogs", "Old Family Dogs"(the Irish name), "Yankee Terriers"(the Northern name), and "Rebel Terriers"(the Southern name) to name a few. In 1898, a man by the name of Chauncy Bennet formed the United Kennel Club (UKC) for the sole purpose of registering "Pit Bull Terriers" as the American Kennel Club wanted nothing to do with them. Originally, he added the word "American" to the name and dropped "Pit". This didn't please all of the people so later the word "Pit" was added back to the name in parentheses as a compromise. The parentheses were then removed from the name about 15 years ago. All other breeds that are registered with UKC were accepted into the UKC after the APBT. Another registry of APBTs is the American Dog Breeders Association (ADBA) which was started in September, 1909 by Guy McCord, a close friend of John P. Colby. Now under the stewardship of the Greenwood family, the ADBA continues to register only APBTs and is more in tune with the APBT as a breed than the UKC. The ADBA does sponsor conformations shows, but more importantly, it sponsors weight pulling competitions which test a dogs strength, stamina, and heart. It also publishes a quarterly magazine dedicated to the APBT called the American Pit Bull Terrier Gazette (see the "References" section). The authors feel that the ADBA is now the flagship registry of APBT as it is doing more to preserve the original characteristics of the breed.

  In 1936, thanks to "Pete the Pup" in the "Lil Rascals" and "Our Gang" who familiarized a wider audience with the APBT, the AKC jumped on the bandwagon and registered the breed as the "Staffordshire Terrier". This name was changed to "American Staffordshire Terrier" (AST) in 1972 to distinguish it from its smaller, "froggier", English cousin the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. In 1936, for all intents and purposes, the AKC, UKC, and ADBA version of the "Pit Bull" were identical since the original AKC stock came from pit fighting dogs, which were UKC and ADBA registered. During this time period, and the years that preceded it, the APBT was a well-liked dog in America. At this time the APBT was considered an ideal family pet. Because of his fun-loving, forgiving temperament, the breed was rightly considered an excellent dog for families with small children. Even if most of them couldn't identify the breed by name, kids of the Lil Rascals generation wanted a companion just like "Pete the Pup". During the First World War, there was an American propaganda poster that represented the rival European nations with their national dogs dressed in military uniforms; and in the center representing the United States was an APBT declaring in a caption below: "I'm neutral, but not afraid of any of them."

  Since 1936, due to different breeding goals, the American Staffordshire Terrier and the American Pit Bull Terrier have diverged in both phenotype and spirit/temperament, although both, ideally, continue to have in common an easy-going, friendly disposition. [2] Some folks in the fancy feel that after 60 years of breeding for different goals, these two dogs are now entirely different breeds. Other people choose to view them as two different strains of the same breed (working and show). Either way, the gap continues to widen as breeders from both sides of the fence consider it undesirable to interbreed the two. To the untrained eye, ASTs may look more impressive and fearsome, with a larger and more blocky head, with bulging jaw muscles, a wider chest and thicker neck. In general, however, they aren't nearly as "game" or athletic as game-bred APBTs. Because of the standardization of their conformation for show purposes, ASTs tend to look alike, to a much greater degree than APBTs do. APBTs have a much wider phenotypical range, since the primary breeding goal, until fairly recently, has been not to produce a dog with a certain "look" but to produce one capable of winning pit contests, in which the looks of a dog counted for nothing. There are some game-bred APBTs that are practically indistinguishable from typical ASTs, but in general they are leaner, leggier, and lighter on their toes and have more stamina, agility, speed, and explosive power.

  Following the second World War, until the early 1980s, the APBT lapsed into relative obscurity. But those devoted few who knew the breed knew it in intimate detail. These devotees typically knew much more about their dogs' ancestry than about their own--they were often able to recite pedigrees back six or eight generations. When APBTs became popular with the public around 1980, nefarious individuals with little or no knowledge of the breed started to own and breed them and predictably, problems started to crop up. Many of these newcomers did not adhere to the traditional breeding goals of the old-time APBT breeders. In typical backyard fashion they began randomly breeding dogs in order to mass produce puppies as profitable commodities. Worse, some unscrupulous neophytes started selecting dogs for exactly the opposite criteria that had prevailed up to then: they began selectively breeding dogs for the trait of human aggressiveness. Before long, individuals who shouldn't have been allowed near a gold fish were owning and producing poorly bred, human-aggressive "Pit Bulls" for a mass market. This, coupled with the media's propensity for over-simplification and sensationalization, gave rise to the anti-"Pit Bull" hysteria that continues to this day. It should go without saying that, especially with this breed, you should avoid backyard breeders. Find a breeder with a national reputation; investigate, for example, the breeders who advertise in the breed's flagship magazine, The American Pit Bull Terrier Gazette. In spite of the introduction of some bad breeding practices in the last 15 years or so, the vast majority of APBTs remain very human-friendly. The American Canine Temperament Testing Association, which sponsors tests for temperament titles for dogs, reported that 95% of all APBTs that take the test pass, compared with a 77% passing rate for all breeds on average. The APBT's passing rate was the fourth highest of all the breeds tested.

  Today, the APBT is still used (underground and illegally) as a fighting dog in the United States; pit matches also take place in other countries where there are no laws or where the existing laws are not enforced. However, the vast majority of APBT's--even within the kennels of breeders who breed for fighting ability--never see any action in the pit. Instead they are loyal, loving, companion dogs and family pets. One activity that has really grown in popularity among APBT fanciers is weight pulling contests. Weight-pulls retain something of the spirit of competition of the pit fighting world, but without the blood or sorrow. The APBT is ideally suited for these contests, in which the refusal to quit counts for as much as brute strength. Currently, APBTs hold world records in several weight classes. I have seen one 70-lb. APBT pull a mini-van! Another activity that the APBT is ideally suited for is agility competition, where its athleticism and determination can be widely appreciated. Some APBTs have been trained and done well in Schutzhund sport; these dogs, however, are more the exception than the rule (see the section on APBT's and protection/guard work).

American Pitbull Terrier Myths...........

Theses facts were obtained by us from numerous sources and from first hand experience

Aren't Gamedogs VICIOUS

FACT: There is no scientific proof that genetics cause a breed of dog to be aggressive, vicious or dangerous. Irresponsible owners are to blame for the behavior of dogs that are aggressive, vicious or dangerous..

Don't Gamedogs have LOCKING JAWS?

FACT: No.Although certain dog breeds such as the Rottweiler and Gamedogs have the reputation of having stronger jaws than other breeds, valuable scientific studies showing significant differences in jaw strength among breeds does not exist. In summary, the classification of dog breeds with respect to their relative danger to humans makes no sense, as both the complex antecedent conditions in which aggressive behavior occurs, and its ramifying consequences in the individual dog ecological and social environment are not considered.

Don't Gamedogs have to be TRAINED TO FIGHT?

FACT: "Aggressive behavior in dogs is a species-specific trait which is firmly established genetically, because it has been highly influenced by natural selection during evolution as well as by artificial selection through man. However, the fact itself that the aggression level of members of certain breeds may be increased (or decreased) through artificial selection does not prove that aggressiveness itself is a highly hereditary trait. In most cases, dogs that are selected for higher levels of aggression are raised in a very aggression-stimulating environment, which then in turn imposes the wrong impression of a genetically based hyper-aggression. (Stur,2000) Zur Frageder besounderen Gefahrlichkeit von Hunden auf Grund der Zugehorhrigkeit zu bestimmten Rassen. http://www.hund-und-lter.de/arbe...icht.html. In these situations environmental factors are ignored and blame for aggressiveness is placed on the genetic make-up of the dog. Blaming the genetic make-up of the dog is wrong.

Aren't TREADMILLS used to get dogs ready to fight?

FACT:Believe it or not, treadmills are not for people that are too lazy to exercise or training their dog to fight. Treadmills provide many benefits beyond what can normally be achieved from walking a dog. For example, dog show handlers use treadmills to perform gait analysis. The treadmill allows the handler to study the gait of a dog and make corrections while the dog is in movement.Also people in the larger metropolitan areas use treadmills to achieve the proper exersise needed for their dogs.

For most pet owners, exercise is the key to good health, good mental agility and longevity. Additionally, it is important to understand that most pet dogs were bred to perform daily tasks, alongside humans, such as pulling sleds, operating equipment, herding sheep and performing rescue operations. If a dog does not get adequate exercise (adequate may be more than you might believe), this instinctive energy will build up and demand an outlet. So if your dog's chewing the couch and indulging in a little excessive barking, it may very well be that he's bored and under exercised.

Will a Gamedog that shows aggression towards other animals go after humans?

FACT: Believe it or not, Pitbulls are actually very loving dogs. They have to be, because if they're in a scrap, the owner should be able to calm them down quickly and easily. Also, during the dogfights of the middle ages, the people were in the ring with the dogs and if a dog got injured, it was immediately removed and multiple people treated its injuries like a top of the line trauma center. Therefore, the pitbull could NOT be human aggressive since it was handled by many people. If it showed any aggression towards humans, it was summarily culled and never allowed to breed. Remember, aggression towards other animals is different from aggression towards people.

Don't SCARS on Gamedogs always mean that he "has been fought"?

FACT: Many Gamedogs that wind up with scars and are given an automatic death sentence. In most cases, this is a unfair decision on the powers to be. Gamedogs can show up with scars for many different reasons. They are intense, active creatures and can get into all sorts of trouble.They may have been on the streets and scrapped with other dogs without any prompting from an irresponsible owner ... He may have started those fights, or tried to avoid them, or anything in between. He may be an active dog that ran through a thicket while just running in the woods, They might have gotten to close to a wild animal like a a raccoon, or he just may have got his scars from wrestling with the other dog in the house and it may have gotten a bit to serious.

Should people trying to adopt be wary of RESCUED ADULT GAMEDOGS and only choose rescued pups?

FACT:Many People actually prefer taking adult Gamedogs into their home over pups. Puppies are a lot more work. Its also a lot harder to know what the personality and temperment of a pup is going to be like as a mature Gamedog (really high strung or just mellow? (and or dog-aggressive or dog tolerant).

Should an animal aggresive Gamedog be euthanized?

FACT:There is no scientific proof that Pit Bulls, or any other breed of dog is dangerous. The Foundation's "The Washinton Animal Foundation Inc."collective experience and research has found the American Pit Bull Terrier is a "terrier" All terriers have animal prey drive, this does not make them dangerous or vicious.

Is animals that show up with bite marks ' BAIT DOGS' ?

FACT: While no one likes people who would abuse animals,This is another one of them major misperception, the so-called 'bait dog' Being a stray on the streets is not an easy life and when a dog shows up with bite marks from another dog, It's safe to assume that that animal got into a tussle somewhere along the way. It's anyones guess if that stray received its injuries from fighting for food or just starting a fight with another dog from or being jumped by other loose stray.But the bottomline is there is no way to really tell.

Are American Gamedogs unpredictable around CHILDREN?

THE STATISTICS - FATAL DOG ATTACKS IN THE U.S. FROM 1965 - 2001 *

FACT: Victim Profile
79% of all fatal attacks were on children under the age of 12
12% of the victims were the elderly, aged 65 - 94
9% of the victims were 13 - 64 years old

The age group with the highest number of fatalities were children under the age of 1 year old; accounting for 19% of the deaths due to dog attack. Over 95% of these fatalities occurred when an infant was left unsupervised with a dog(s).

The age group with the second-highest number of fatalities were 2-year-olds; accounting for 11% of the fatalities due to dog attack. Over 87% of these fatalities occurred when the 2-year-old child was left unsupervised with a dog(s) or the child wandered off to the location of the dog(s).

Boys aged 1 - 12 years old were 2.5 times more likely to be the victim of a fatal dog attack than girls of the same age.

This study inpart shows the truth behind all dog attacks in general is small children, UNSUPERVISED children are the major cause of all dog bites period.You have to use commonsense and take responsibility when owning any breed of dog.The major flaw in this study is that Gamedogs and Pit Bull Type* dogs were all bundled in one catagorie.That would be akin to saying "cat's and cat type felines and including Lions in the study"

Don't all American Gamedogs want to chase CATS?

FACT: Knowing your individual dog's limits with small animals, Proper training and being a responsible dog owner will make all the difference in the world between success and tragedy -- And should apply to all dogs as well as Gamedogs!

MYTH: American Gamedogs bite more people than any other breed.

FACT: It is hard to nail down, as accurate records by breed are very seldom kept. Those records available show what a myth this is. Farmers Branch, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, has kept accurate records since 1980. During a 7 year period from 1980 through 1987, this is what was recorded. Total bites: 1,593. Gamedogs, 30 bites, or 1.89% of the total. Other studies tend to show the same results and because of so many mongrels that have similar features to the American Gamedog , it seems reasonable to assume that the figures are actually much lower.

MYTH: American Gamedogs are born mean.

FACT: The American Pit Bull Terrier is rated as one of the top 5 breeds in this country. It is shown exclusively in the ADBA and United Kennel Clubs in the Conformation and obedience ring. According to the American Temperament Test Society (POBox 4093, St Louis, and MO 63136 Phone 314-869-6103, in the 24 years of testing over 185breeds of dog, the Pit Bull rates at 83.1%. This is higher than the national average for all other breeds of dog. This means the Pit Bull has the best over all temperament. The ATTS tests dogs everywhere in the country, and is recognized by the AKC and UKC. The Pit Bull is used for Search and Rescue and Therapy. Our Foundation "The Washinton Animal Foundation Inc."uses them along with other breeds for bite prevention and responsible ownership classes in the Washington School Districts. Two US Presidents owned Pit Bulls and countless famous people own them. In our country more families own the Pit Bull than any other dog breed in existence

MYTH: American Gamedogs have 1600 P.S.I. in jaw pressure.

FACT: Dr. 1. 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 comparison 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."

MYTH: American Gamedogs lock their jaws to the death.

FACT: Again from Dr. Brisbin: "The few studies which have been conducted of the structure of the skulls, mandibles and teeth of Gamedogs 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 Gamedog ." These dogs love to bite and pull and will as all other dogs let go on command..With this said most Gamedogs will hold on until they can get a better hold,but thats only the tenacity of them.

MYTH: All American Gamedogs are bad and should be banned.

FACT: On July 17,1987 on ABC's "Good Morning America" program, Mr. Marc Paulhaus, S.E. regional director of the Humane Society of the United States stated: "Serious dog problems tend to be cyclical in nature."

I tend to agree that serious dog problems are cyclical in nature.

MYTH : The Humane Society of the United States

FACT: In the name of being humane the HSUS has killed upwards to a billion animals including our breed of dogs that range in the millions.Lets just hope that no one is ever that humane to us. Euthanasia is the single largest cause of death for dogs and in the U.S. The HSUS classify 10 million to 12 million of them as "surplus" and kill them. That’s a million a month.

MYTH: When American Gamedogs taste blood, it makes them mean

FACT: This is by far the dumbest one that has come down the pike . When a dog gives birth, just like any species, there is alot of blood. By nature the mother removes the fetal membranes, severs the umbilical cord, licks the puppies clean, and eats the after birth. If tasting the blood were to cause her to go on a killing rampage, she would kill her pups, and the breed would cease to exsist(Common Sense).

MYTH: When American Gamedogs mature their brains grow too big for their head, causing them to go crazy.

FACT: Truth is if it really was possible for an anyone or anythings brain to grow too big for it's own head, it would kill them.Going crazy would be the last thing you would have to worry about.

Conclusion

What we believe has happened here is very simple "bad breeding habits."The dogs being bred for profit and status,and not bred using the strick standards that has been adhere to in the pass.Novice breeders worrying about color,size of head,and people thinking bigger means better.People breeding what they concieve to be the flavor of the month.Putting dogs in the wrong peoples hands for the almighty dollar even when they knew it wasn't best for the over all breed.In our opinion it's not the people that have matched their dogs in contests in the past that's taking it's toll on this breed of dogs today,it's the ones that have never done anything with the dogs thinking they are a novelty that have taken the toll. Facts are there was never a problem with this breed of dogs for hundreds of years when in the hands of real dogman and real dog people.Then in steps the novice and the people that claim they know whats best for the breed and it has been nothing but problems for this Nobel Breed.

How to build in all weather dog house

If your dogs live mostly in the backyard, you will need a proper dog house for them, not just any dog house will do, it has to be one, that will keep your dog cool in hot summer months and warm in the winter season, what i have found out, is that the best dog house for this purpose, is one that is made out of "treated" plywood (a little on the expensive side, but it sure is worth it), insulated and the kind of dog house that the whole top comes off , so its easy to maintain and clean, below I am posting a very good blue prints and a picture on how to make a proper dog house. Enjoy

Make your own parting/break stick

Go to Wal-Mart to the house wares dept. and get a Poly Cutting board that is 1/2" thick. It will cost about $3. Cut it into 2" x 12" pieces, with skil saw, or table saw. You should be able to get about 14-16 pieces. Then take a sharpie and draw grips for your hand on one end, and taper it to a point at the other. Then cut out with jig-saw, and smooth it up with #4 grit sandpaper.

You can have 14-16 sticks for less then $5, and about an hour of your time.

By Stillwater.

Best way to contain a bulldog

There are many debates, as to whether its humane or not to teether a dog, in my humble opinion, its a lot better for a dog to be in a chain set up, out in the fresh air, then, being crated in a tiny box for 8hrs + waiting for its owners to come home and its also better than the nicest kennel set up, because, in a chain set up, they have much more square inch to play in.

If you have more than one bulldog in your household, male and female or both males or vice versa, you are going to eventually need to separate those dogs when there is no one to supervise them, or you will have a bad surprise when you come home from work, the proper way to contain bulldogs in my opinion is via a chain set up, many wanna be thugs, try to act tough and use a tow chain that is like 40lb, that is ridicoulous and stupid, what you need to have a solid chain set up for your dog is, a 2″ nylon collar (preferably from stillwater), a good heavy duty swivel, about 4 “S” hooks, two “O” rings, a heavy duty chain, I use 10 footer and a quarter in width, when getting your chain, keep in mind the longer the chain, the heavier it will be on the dog and then all you need is your car axle, you can get all your hardware at most hardware stores, at 1st i tried home depot, couldn’t find much of what i was looking for, Ace is much better for bulldog hardware, the car axle, you can get at any junk yard, they are cheap, i got mine for $5, just ask, for a used, non functioning rear car axle, because there are alot of use axles that are working properly , those are for cars, and you dont need lol. You can buildt your chain set up with less than $20,Below I will post some pics , showing how a correct chain

set up looks like. Good luck.

How to separate a dogfight

There are several ways to separate a dog fight, it depends a lot on what breeds are involved in the fight, if you are by yourself or there is people around to help you untangle a full on fight and if you have the proper material to break a full on dog fight, I will start by explaining how to separate a dog fight, of dogs who fight for dominance only (no bulldog blood), and you have a human helper around , both dogs are locked and in a full on fight, what you do is: calmly you and buddy look for 2 leashes, for each dog, loop as best you can around each dogs neck, then, both buddy and you mount each dog , like if you were riding a horse lol, with both hands, close to the upper neck of the dog, holding as firm as possible, so the dogs do not cause, deep wounds by pulling and thrashing, be patient and wait, as soon as one of them , tries to re grip (they always do), pull that one dog away, with all your might, at the same time your buddy is firmly holding the other dog.

Separating a dog fight by yourself is much more hard work and if you don’t know what you are doing, and do it fast, you could loose a dog, both dogs or get seriously hurt, basically what you do is, the same as if you where with a buddy, up to the part where you lasso a dog, you would lasso one of the dogs, and even if both dogs are in a full on fight an locked, by pulling on one of the dogs, you drag both dogs to the nearest pole or something similar that will hold the dogs, while in action, once you have one of the dogs tied up successfully , hold the other dog by the upper neck, with both hands and wait till it re grips, once it opens its mouth to re grip, pull hard, your done.

When dealing with the American pitbull terrier and similar breeds that have a strong jaw , its best to use a breaking stick, as most of them will not open their jaw, even if their dumb life depended on it lol, the proper way to break up two bulldog breed dogs, is best and easiest when you have a buddy around, you would proceed with the following, you and buddy, would, look for two breaking sticks , each for a dog, next, you and buddy, each mount each dog like you would a horse, with one hand hold the dog by the neck, with the other free hand, try and pry open the dogs mouth, this procedure is not to difficult, what you do is, find an open space, on the side of the dogs mouth, stick the breaking stick, a quarter in deep, don’t pull up an down, what you do is, move the break stick like revving a motorcycle, and that bulldogs mouth should open in no time.

(Please note, these examples mentioned up above, have worked for me personally, I have learned how to separate a dog fight from dogmen, personal experience and reading plenty of books)

By J.R