While you normally see Scotties with black coats, they actually have a variety of coats, from black to gray to brindle to wheaton to almost white. Knowing that, can you identify which of the following dogs are Scotties?
Okay, then, which of the following are pit bulls?
(Yes, that’s kind of a trick question, since every single one of those dogs is or has been considered a “pit bull” type dog within my recent memory. I’m just curious how many people can recognize a pit bull when they see it, considering that ‘I know it when I see it’ seem to be the standard for whether a dog is one of those dangerous, nasty, nefarious, baby-killing pit bulls.)
Tiny Cat Pants 
i’ll pass on the scotties, since to be honest, they all resemble floor mops more than dogs in my eyes.
pitbull candidates number 1, 2, 6, and 7 (counting from the top) are dogs which, if i met them in the park, i’d likely find myself going “aww what a nice pitbull!” at. and that’s without mousing over the pictures to get the image file names, too!
I have a question and you probably will be able to help me with it. My brother and his family own a large dog, a mix of American Staffordshire and black lab. From what I’ve read here, he would be considered a “pit” right? This question causes some, shall we say, disagreement, between my mother and I over the dog.
Kmum, that’s one of the reasons breed-specific legislation sucks so much ass. I would call your brother’s dog a mutt and think that, if it had the playful silly sweetness of an AmStaff mixed with the family-friendly laid-back lab tendencies, your brother probably has a pretty awesome dog.
But for the purposes of “pit bull” type dogs?
Yeah, that’s exactly what it is.
Nomen,
I think 7 is an American Bulldog–my Sophie falls more into that category than anything else from her looks. In fact, number 7 looks a heck of a lot like my Sophie.
Kmum,
If you mix a Chihuahua and a Great Dane, is it a Chihuahua? Is it a Great Dane? I think that’s the way people’s decision making needs to be aimed as far as “which is it?” goes. That’s the problem with Breed Bans and Breed Specific Laws: it lumps any dog that might have some of the banned breed or simply looks like the banned breed into one big pile. It’s not fair to good dogs or to good owners. It also does nothing to stop bad owners from raising bad dogs or bad owners from abusing animals. They just go deeper underground with their activities.
Mmm… cross posting with B… gives me goosebumps…
Thanks B and Editor. I have no doubt that he is a good dog, as they didn’t raise him to be mean. He is playful and very protective of their little boy, but he is a big dog with a strong jaw. I will admit that the dog makes me nervous around my 2 year old. It’s probably not fair to Jasper(the dog), but it’s the way I feel. I won’t drag you into my family politics, other than to say that my mother discounts my feelings on the dog, but won’t go near a German Shepherd because of her own fears.
I don’t agree with breed bans/laws. I do agree that it is mostly the owner’s actions and training of any dog that helps form the dog’s demeanor. That said, I think if a Chihuahua was biting my child, I would be able to get it off my son, but if Jasper were to ever clamp down, it would be more difficult, if possible, to get him to let go.
The absolute best, most trustworthy, most loving and intelligent dog I ever had was a pit bull. I swear that dog would have willingly died for me.
Kmum, please, too, don’t feel bad about being cautious. I’ve had Mrs. Wigglebottom now for seven years and, though she loves children, I would never leave a child unsupervised around her. For one, she has no sense of her own size or strength and I’ve been bruised from her climbing up on me like she’s a lap dog and it’d be very easy for her to hurt a small child without meaning to. Second, she doesn’t have thumbs, so when she plays, she plays with her mouth and it’d be very easy for a little person to get nicked by a tooth, again, not on purpose, but just because they got to playing tug and the dog went to get a better grasp on what she was tugging on.
I would not be afraid of Jasper because he’s a pit mix, if I were you. But I’d be very cautious around him because he’s a big dog. Especially if he’s protective of your nephew, he could misinterpret your kid’s actions as a threat.
You see what I’m saying? You shouldn’t be afraid (I know, easier said than done) but you should be cautious. That’s a big dog full of energy and, if like mine, not aware of his own size.
and, though she loves children, I would never leave a child unsupervised around her.
See, these are words of wisdom for ANY breed. And as always, it boils down to the dog’s owner(s). Love, train and maintain that pup, and it will not have nor take an opportunity to do serious wrong.
BTW, I have laughed at “A Pup Quiz” until my eyes watered. B, you rule.
(P.S. — I saw a bumper sticker at work yesterday that is just lovely. Know what it said? “Wag more. Bark less.” That right there will help me be the person my dog thinks I am.)
Puppies! Sooo cute. *coos*
I totally agree with you on the framing of caution, Aunt B. Any animal can be dangerous if approached wrong, and kids (particularly rambunctious little’uns) are masters of doing just the thing that will set them off. Pulling the cat’s tail, anyone? Picking up the snake while it’s curled peacefully under it’s rock digesting? Seeing if the rat’s tail tasted like spaghetti?*
And bigger animals (or animals with more dangerous defense mechanisms) have the potential to be more dangerous when provoked. So it’s always good to be on your guard, supervise your children, and make sure to control the situations, no matter how well behaved any of the parties might be otherwise.
* Note, I’ve never done any of these things, and I don’t really know anyone who’s managed that last one, but I can totally see a mouthy two year old trying to taste it to see what it was.
2 and 6 are my votes for being pitties — although 1 is as well, it just doesn’t look like it from the profile ;) I shouldn’t count though, since I’m a bona fide dog nut.
(Also, I totally nailed the Scottie quiz, although I waffled for a while over whether the Skye was a Skye or a PBVG.)
Kmum,
And before you write off small dogs as a threat, remember this story about the Pomeranian who killed the 6 week old little girl. Not that Pomeranians are dangerous little dogs, but leaving a child unattended around an animal is a risk no matter what the size or breed.
I can’t play the dog game cause I know so little. I just wanted to share that I did know a pit bull when I saw it in a cafe where I like to eat breakfast. It had a coat like a yellow lab my old roommate had, but it had those sleepy pink-rimmed eyes like Possible Pit Bull #7.
It was rolling around on its back chewing a yarn toy while its owner worked on her laptop. My mom sweettalked it, and it came over and rubbed its face on her lap for ear scritches. : D : D
In order, I would say that
#1 Pit mix (something about that profile just isn’t right, or maybe it’s the posture I don’t like)
#2 Pit (probably AmStaff)
#3 Bull Terrier
#4 Lab (and a good looking one too!)
#5 Mastiff
#6 Another Pit
#7 What I would call an American Bulldog …
#8 Boxer
There’s another website around the net somwhere that does this same thing, but includes more breeds, like Presa Canarios, Rhodesian Ridgebacks (seriously, who can confuse those with Pits?), Rotties, and so forth.
Wooooo! I did really well on the Pup Quiz (as far as you know). I should admit, though, that I see a lot of dogs in my neighborhood and that a friend has a Staffordshire terrier mix. Said dog is, by the way, the sweetest dog I have ever met.
Oh! And I totally agree about not leaving children unattended with dogs. Dogs don’t necessarily know their own strength and kids don’t necessarily know when to leave the dog alone.
1, 2, 6, and 7 have at least some pit bull in them. 3’s not properly a pit bull, but it is an English bull terrier if I remember properly. 4 looks like a lab, 5 … I forget what those are called … and 8 looks like a boxer.
And, well, it doesn’t help that news stories are more likely to call the dog a “pit bull” if it attacks a person regardless of the breed — I heard a quote once from a reporter that “any dog that bites a human is a pit bull,” as though it weren’t a breed at all but a category of behaviour. Annoying.
Ooo, ooo, ooo. I have answers.
In the first group of dogs, the first one and the second to the last one are Scotties (but look how much that Wheaton Scottie looks like a Westie!).
In the second group, all of the dogs are purebreds, so there aren’t any mixes. Interestingly enough, no one identified the bull terrier as being a “pit,” even though they’re usually lumped in with the pit bull breeds.
So, here we go:
1. Staffordshire Terrier–not very common in the U.S. but considered a type of pit bull.
2. American Staffordshire Terrier–considered a type of pit bull.
3. Bull Terrier–Well, we’ve learned it depends on who’s answering, but Bull Terrier owners have gotten caught up in the breed ban, so I think we have to call it a pit bull.
4. Black Lab–not a pit, but I’ve heard of lab/boxer mixes getting mistaken for large pits.
5. Bull Mastiff–not considered a pit, but is sometimes lumped into the “pitbull type”.
6. American Pit Bull Terrier–Well, obviously. Interestingly enough the APBT and the AmStaff used to be the same breed, and are often cross-registered currently, but to my eye, they look like two different types of dogs.
7. American Bull Dog–I don’t usually see these called “pit bulls,” but I often seem them referred to as a “pit bull” type.
8. Boxer–You know if this dude bites someone, he’s a “pit bull” type.
Please, none of you good people should allow yourselves to be fooled by anecdotal stories about Mrs. Wigglebottom. B is a wonderful person, a tireless crusader, and has much to offer the community with her observations…but on dog issues she has no credibility. Mrs. Wigglebottom may indeed be a beautiful, loyal companion for B, but this dog’s idea of greeting a new person in their home is walk up to you bearing a gift of a large chew toy. If you make the understandable mistake of actually reaching for it, she will spit it out, and replace it with your head. She will then proceed to drag your near lifeless body about, wagging her little tail while the Butcher sits there, amused but useless. Fortunately, I was able to have both ears re-attached, and most of the hair has re-grown.
I’m just sayin.
That’s just how she says “Welcome to the family.” If she hadn’t liked you, we would have never been able to get your fingers back. She’d have just wolfed them down.
If you make the understandable mistake of actually reaching for it, she will spit it out, and replace it with your head. She will then proceed to drag your near lifeless body about, wagging her little tail while the Butcher sits there, amused but useless.
Y’all keep falling for it, and she’ll keep doing it. Pits are sneaky that way. They’re like the dog equivalent of Lucy van Pelt with the football. “Come on, Mr. Mack, I won’t do it THIS time …”
And the mental image of Mrs. W dragging the Talented Mr. Mack about the house, smilling her doggy smile around his head while wagging her teensy tail and most of her butt, makes me laugh so hard I’m going to have to go lie down.
the last dog is a boxer the black dog is a lab and the one under the lab is a mastiff and neither of those breeds were ever considered “pit bull” type breeds…this is wrong but im pretty sure the brown one is the pit bull
i think all the scotties are cute scottie or not so it doesnt matter1
American Bulldogs and Mastiffs look NOTHING like pitbulls. Jeez.